Driver scanner

[Dave Davison]

Hi..just got an e-newsletter from a popular UK mag which points the reader to the free download shown in the screen shot, comments please as to it's benefits. Thanks Dave.

[Leif]

Unless you have a specific problem, I'd leave well alone. It might say 'Free' on the packet...

[Dave Davison]

Thanks Leif..............no, I don't in fact have any malfuntions with the pc at the moment so I suppose the maxim is; "If it is not broke don't try to fix it"... appreciate your prompt reply... makes one wonder though why the editors of these well respected mags don't take the cautious approach rather than endorse such products as this can be so tempting to folk who are easy persuaded. (see end note to article attached.) Many thanks again Dave.

[Leif]

What is the 'mag' you refer to?
And is it an endorsement or an advertisement?

[HansV]

Dave,

Computer magazines are not philantropic institutions, they're trying to make money. One way to do so is to allow advertisers to layout their ads just like an editorial article, so that readers think it's a recommendation from the magazine. This phenomenon even has a name: Advertorial.

With downloads like the one in your screenshot, you'll generally find that the scan is free, but you then have to register and often pay to do anything with the results.

[John Gray]

What is the 'mag' you refer to?

Form the red blodge at the top right, it would appear to be Computer Active...

[Dave Davison]

Thanks each for your responses; Yep the mag in question is as you suggesed John, "Computeractive" from which I get a newsletter regularly and no Hans it certainly did not look like an advert to me, rather a genuine article BUT, I take the points raised and regard them as a warning to be my guard when envountering such articles. Cheers Dave.

[viking33]

Thanks each for your responses; Yep the mag in question is as you suggesed John, "Computeractive" from which I get a newsletter regularly and no Hans it certainly did not look like an advert to me, rather a genuine article BUT, I take the points raised and regard them as a warning to be my guard when envountering such articles. Cheers Dave.

Dave,
Uniblue seems to be noted for offering these "free come ons," that
( as Hans said ) will scan your system and come up with hundreds of bad entries and then when you try to remove them, it says it will only do it IF you buy the full program, or it will only remove a few of them with the free version.

[Dave Davison]

Thanks Bob...........I always feel it courteous to reply and thank everyone for their responses if only briefly & yes I have in my earlier days of surfing come across these free scans that find a thousand ficticious gremlims and then demand a fee to have them dealt with. Many thanks Dave.