I found this on Bleeping Computer:
Hi paul
I'll post what I usually post when I encounter people using IObit products and most specifically, PC Boosters like Advanced System Care. These speeches contains all the information you need to know about these two things and hopefully you'll understand my point of view towards IObit and Advanced System Care by reading them.
IObit Software Warning!
IObit have been accused in the past from using shady techniques in order to promote and enhance their products, one of which was to steal Malwarebytes' definition database to include it in their "Antimalware", IObit Malware Fighter. On top of that, their main product, Advanced SystemCare, goes into the "PC Booster" category of program, which are useless programs since there's no proofs or facts that these actually boost the performance of a system, and are borderline "scamware". In fact, these programs have a tendency to cause a variety of issues under Windows, that can be solved by uninstalling the software, ironic isn't it? Most of their features can be replaced by using other programs, often, utilities that requires no installation or that are already "built-in" inside Windows. Therefore, I strongly suggest you to uninstall every IObit program you have installed on your system.
Below are articles that relates the Malwarebytes VS IObit episode and also why IObit failed as a company and within it's products.
PC Booster/Tune-Up Program Warning!
"PC Booster/Tune Up" programs are part of the worst programs you can install on a system. When it comes to messing up your system (Windows), these are as worst as malware. They are completely worthless and useless to use. The worst is that they'll often take action on your system without you knowing, nor authorizing it, which could lead to your system being altered in a way you don't want it to be or even worst, a "broke" system. Every feature they provide, you can either do it natively under Windows, do it via another standalone executable (which is way easier and safer to use) or they aren't providing something you need. Here's a few examples:
- Cleaning temporary files: TFC (standalone executable), CCleaner (installed), Cleanmgr.exe (in-built);
- Managing start-up entries: Autoruns (standalone executable), CCleaner (installed), Task Manager and Registry (in-built);
- Driver Updater: Not needed, all you need is to go on your manufacturer website so you'll be sure to get the right, official, working drivers for your computer or hardware;
- Registry Cleaner/Defragger: Completely useless and also dangerous;
- Disk Defragging: Disk Defrag (in-built), O&O Disk Defrag (installed), Defraggler (installed);
- Powerful uninstaller: Not needed, only needed when you have to make sure a program is completely uninstalled. Revo Uninstaller have a portable version you can use;
- "Enhanced" Task Manager: Procexp (standalone executable), Process Hacker (portable or installed);
- "Active security": Any Antivirus and Antimalware can beat that, easily. These programs aren't made to replace Antivirus or Antimalware products and shouldn't be seen as such;
- Repair Hard Drive issues: Simple chkdsk /r command under Windows (in-built);
Having such program installing on your system will just bloat it down and you have more chances to have issues by using them than without. These products are advertised as a program that can solve all your issues, remove every malware, speed up your computer performance over 100%, etc. The truth is that there's not a single program that can do that. First of all, these programs aren't made to remove virus and malware, leave this in the hands of Antivirus and Antimalware, period. Secondly, there's so many kind of issues under Windows that there's not a single program that can address them all. If you think that BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) issues can be solved by opening a program and clicking on a "Fix" button, then I'm sorry to tell you but, you're wrong. Also, you cannot boost the performance of a hardware over it's hardware capabilities. Of course you can overclock some components, like your CPU, RAM and GPU, but these aren't done via these programs, but via your BIOS interface. I could recommend you a program for every feature these programs advertise, and also tell you exactly in detail why most of them are completely useless, such as Registry cleaner (dangerous to use), and driver updater (dangerous to use, and also completely useless, it'll not improve your system performance). In the end, buying such programs is the exact same as being scammed (because this is what it is, a pure scam) and using one of these programs will result you in having a system less performant than prior to using it.
Relevant articles if you want to read more about PC Boosters/Optimizers and why they are useless:
To sum it up:
- Advanced System Care isn't an Antivirus, an Antimalware (IObit Malware Fighter) at best;
- They stole Malwarebytes definitions, so you might as well uninstall it and use the real program instead, which is Malwarebytes;
- Programs like Advanced System Care are totally useless and dangerous to use (PC Boosters);
- It's just a plain scam;
Oh and I suggest you to uninstall it at the first chance you have. I can still go on about it if you want.
Edit: On a side note, there has been a debate on IObit VS other products in the past, and legitimate ones like Malwarebytes and Emsisoft Anti-Malware are way better than it.
spyhunter vs malwarebytes vs iobit
Also, from my personal experience for dealing with a lot of issues that were caused by Advanced System Care, this program causes way more issues than it solves.
