User programme or Technicians tool?

[nukecad]

I've seen thisisu's post that JRT is being discontinued and to now use ADWCleaner v7 instead.

I've used ADWCleaner before so no problem, back then you had to download it each time to get the latest definitions.

It seems that it's now meant to stay on the computer and updates the definitions when you run it.
There's also a menu item to check for version updates.

Seeing that ADWCleaner now seems to be acting as an installed programme rather than as a 'use and remove' tool I have a couple of (non-urgent) questions.

Why is it creating a folder "C:\AdwCleaner" for settings and logs, but leaving it's own .exe file wherever it was downloaded to?
(OK it can't move itself, time for an installer perhaps?)

Why is this folder created directly in "C:\" and not in "C:\ProgramData\" ? (or even "C:\Program Files\" or C:\Program Files (x86)\).

I suppose what it comes down to is ADWCleaner becoming a user programme to be left on the PC, rather than a tecnicians remidation tool to be used and then removed?
At the moment it seems to have aspects of both.

[cocochepeau]

Greetings,

The executable itself is updated ~each month and database updates are pushed almost every days. That's why you don't need to download it again and again anymore.

About the "C:\AdwCleaner" folder. AdwCleaner needs to write some files such as Quarantine, settings, .. And we had some issues in the past with "C:\ProgramXXX".

AdwCleaner aims to be used by both end users and technicians. That's why we keep it as a portable executable. Knowing that, there are two major use cases:

1. End users can keep the executable where they wants it. They'll only have to update it from time to time ;
2. Technicians needs something that can be downloaded and ran quickly.

Finally, you can always uninstall it easily by clicking on File > Uninstall. This will remove the "C:\AdwCleaner" folder.

Regards,

[nukecad]

Thanks for the answers Corentin,

 

I think that's the point I'm making.

At the moment ADWCleaner seem to be a bit unsure of what it is meant to be.

 

It has features that you would expect of an installed user programme (the GUI, and the automatic updating for instance).

But it's also dependent on intervention that the 'social media' type of home user would not expect to have to make.

(eg. the .exe is left in the 'downloads' folder, there's no desktop shortcut icon unless you create one yourself, old logfiles have to be manually deleted from time to time, etc).

 

There again they probably shouldn't be using it if they don't even know how to create a desktop shortcut themselves.

(The sort of user who think that Edge is the only browser that works with Windows 10, because it's the only icon that they can see).

 

I think I'll just keep using it as 'use then remove' on other peoples machines that I maintain, and 'installed' on mine.

Edited November 8, 2017 by nukecad