Entered CNET Catalog: 08/04/2001
SKU: MQC0001NA200
Manufacturer: McAfee
Manufacturer description
McAfee QuickClean software reclaims valuable hard drive space by identifying unneeded files and removing old programs quickly and completely without removing any shared or critical files. By freeing up disk space, users will experience improved PC performance and a lower risk of encountering system problems. QuickClean software is a safe and simple solution for anyone wanting to keep system clean. It allows you to remove, archive, transport, restore, move and delete your unwanted programs quickly and easily. QuickClean software optionally makes compressed back-up copies of removed programs, so you can rest assured knowing you can return to the complete compressed application with just a few clicks. McAfee QuickClean software safely removes programs no longer used or needed on your computer.CNET editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 01/10/2002
Easy installation
QuickClean 2.0 steps you through a quick and painless setup that takes only a few minutes. The optional Instant Updater feature checks the McAfee site for QuickClean updates during setup, but you'll need to register with McAfee, that is, provide your e-mail address, to use it.
Clean interface
The orderly interface of this uninstaller is uncomplicated and simple to use. The opening screen features browserlike Back, Home, and Next buttons, making it a breeze to navigate among the app's numerous disk-cleaning tools. A handy pie chart shows the amount of free vs. used space on your hard drive so that you can visualize the drive's storage capacity.
This cleanup app's ability to completely shred files is unmatched. It overwrites deleted files, thereby preventing snoops from recovering sensitive erased data from your hard drive. QuickClean steps you through the shredding process, making it a snap to use. You can shred files, folders, unused disk space (which may contain deleted data), or an entire disk.
Speedy performer
QuickClean offers several ways to clear out disk clutter. The fastest is aptly named QuickClean Lite, a speedy utility that clears out Internet caches, temporary file folders, and the like. In CNET tests, QuickClean Lite tagged 8.5MB (171 files and 17 Registry entries) for deletion, roughly similar to the performance of Norton's Fast & Safe tool, which tagged 7.8MB on the same test PC.
This program has an Explorer-like tool for reviewing tagged files and selecting (via check boxes) the ones you wish to keep. The feature is critical because, like Norton CleanSweep, QuickClean is often overzealous in its disk-sweeping efforts. Its SpaceMaker tool, for instance, tagged 634MB of "unneeded" files on our 4GB hard drive. Many of these files were valuable music, image, and video files. But fear not. You can reconfigure SpaceMaker's settings to ignore popular file types, including WAV, JPEG, GIF, and AVI.
So-so support
We were less thrilled with McAfee's online support. Although it was easy to find a support representative using McAfee's Web chat utility--wait times were typically less than two minutes--the reps showed a surprisingly lack of knowledge about QuickClean 2.0. One told us the program doesn't uninstall Windows programs (it does). Another suggested that we reinstall QuickClean in Windows Safe Mode to fix a nagging crash, even though our PC couldn't read the CD-ROM drive in Safe Mode and therefore couldn't install the program. And when we asked to escalate our problem (that is, talk with a product engineer), we were given two nonfunctioning e-mail addresses to contact. Surely, McAfee can do a better job of supporting its customers.
Despite these support shortcomings, however, McAfee QuickClean 2.0 is a well-designed disk sweeper that makes it fast and easy to clean up your machine.
--by Jeff Bertolucci
User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
User Rating: 
1/10
A Bloated Bag of Air
Pros: Kills time for couch potatos
Cons: Blated, Useless, boring
You would better spend your time picking your nose - At least you might get 'something' for your effort. pass on this and don't burden your registry with corporate software dribble. Too bad we can not choose a rating of "0" as this chicken pen deposit deserves
User Rating: 1/10
Dangerous and disastrous
Pros: None, harmed my system
Cons: wipes out your Sent E-mail folder and Restore Points
User Rating: 
2/10
Absolute computer killer!
Pros: There are some easy tools on here.
Cons: This program will eat up your computer, and spit it right back at you!
Do not use the duplicate file remover!
I did, and it took 3 days in the shop to fix my system!
User Rating: 2/10
It has been crashing on disk cleanup
Pros: I can't find anything good about it. The previous versions were good.
Cons: I can't say anything good, really. Sorry
There is no support anywhere from McAfee.
User Rating: 1/10
Simple diasaster
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User Rating: 2/10
Danger! Danger, Will Robinson!
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User Rating: 1/10
Disaster
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User Rating: 
6/10
Instant Updates Very Unreliable
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User Rating: 1/10
Deceptive Advertising.
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User Rating: 2/10
Shredder
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User Rating: 1/10
Piece of CRAP
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User Rating: 1/10
Buggy with worthless Tech Support
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User Rating: 2/10
Avoid it!!
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User Rating: 2/10
Locked up in XP, Norton much better
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User Rating: 
3/10
Not what advertised
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User Rating: 1/10
Doen't Work
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User Rating: 
8/10
This Merry Maid Cleans away the trash
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User Rating: 3/10
WAY OVER RATED!!
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User Rating: 
10/10
Very useful. Easy to use. Recommended.
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User Rating: 1/10
DOA! Still Not working after upgrade!
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User Rating: 3/10
no confidence in Quick Clean
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User Rating: 10/10
Great software
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User Rating: 
9/10
Easy does it!
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User Rating: 9/10
MY PC LOVES IT!
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User Rating: 1/10
McAfee Should Stick to AV software
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User Rating: 
7/10
It does a great job cleaning registry files
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User Rating: 10/10
Best of the rest
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User Rating: 1/10
BIG waste of money!
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4/10
Not so quick, not so clean sometimes
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windows(system32(drivers(pci.??? and another file. Waited a long time to chat online. THumbs down on this one.
User Rating: 2/10
QuickClean is not clean
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User Rating: 4/10
QuickClean = Nonclean
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