Avast launches GrimeFighter PC cleanup tool

Security company Avast Software today launched its GrimeFighter PC cleanup tool, designed to help boost PC performance.

GrimeFighter boots into Linux to better detect and remove problems that aren't as easily noticeable with Microsoft Windows running. The software is a standalone product available now, with the Avast website offering a free scan.

"Most PC-cleanup utilities don't really improve performance - some actually slow down PCs," said Vince Steckler, Avast CEO, in a press statement. "Since they run in Windows, they are unlikely to find problems with files and registry entries that are locked, protected, or otherwise hidden. Ironically those are the ones most often robbing users of performance and stability. With avast! GrimeFighter, we didn't want to introduce another me-too product - we wanted to eliminate the problem of slow PCs."

There are a handful of legitimate and free PC optimization tools - but AVAST is a well-known, reputable company - and GrimeFighter's ability to build a cloud-based threat intelligence database further improves dependability.