Microsoft Standalone System Sweeper for Windows

Microsoft Standalone System Sweeper for Windows

May 30, 2011 | Mike Halsey

For years if you have wanted to clean a PC that’s heavily infected with malware there were precious few, if any, tools you could actually boot your computer from to perform the cleanup. Now Microsoft are jumping in with a new beta product called Standalone System Sweeper.

The tool, which is based on Microsoft Security Essentials, claims to be able to remove rootkits, malware and viruses effectively, though the company stress it’s not a replacement for a full anti-virus package.



The software, which is available in 32-bit and 64-bit versions to match your copy of Windows creates a CD, DVD or Flash Drive you can start your PC from to run malware scans. It says you need a live Internet connection and at least 250Mb free on the device you create the installer on.

This is a useful program to keep around, though bear in mind that it’s still a beta and therefore may have flaws. You would need to create a new bootable CD, DVD or pen drive for each infection as, just as with similar software such as MacAfee Stinger, it will only use the virus and malware definitions that are available at the time.

With this in mind I wouldn’t create a disc and leave it laying around for when you need it, as the virus and malware definitions will be out of date when it’s required. Rather you would create a disc on a different PC to the one that’s infected.

The other thing to bear in mind is that this product is based on Microsoft’s free anti-virus program, Security Essentials. While this product uses the same malware database as its award-winning cousin, Forefront Client Security, security Essentials hasn’t scored brilliantly in recent group tests. It’s still a good product though and I still recommend it.

You can download the beta of Standalone System Sweeper here.