Spyware reboots to reverse

All of us know about the anti-virus software, the spam filters, the firewalls and the multitude of other prevention products we load onto our computers in an attempt to stave off all the bad stuff. Here's a product with a rather different and novel approach to the problem.

DriveShield PLUS from Centurion Technologies (www.centuriontech.com, $59.99 per license) uses a simple approach. When you are finished for the day or whenever you reboot your computer, DriveShield PLUS puts everything back to the exact way it was when you first started your day.

Since you began everything with a clean, noninfected hard drive, it stands to reason your next computing session will be infection-free when you put it back the way it was.

To begin and before you install DriveShield PLUS, you must be sure your computer is free of anything bad. You can reformat your entire hard drive and install whatever original applications you like or need. Once applied and before you ever go online, you then install a copy of DriveShield PLUS. From that point on, DriveShield PLUS will know to return your computer to that original condition whenever you reboot.

The idea is that no matter where you go, what you do or to whatever you may be exposed, it really doesn't make any difference because when you reboot, your computer is returned to its original pristine condition.

Now while at first blush this may sound like the perfect solution to everything, it really isn't. Most of us know that as we continue to use our computers things are constantly being changed, added to, updated and modified, and most of these things are changes we want to occur.

The Windows operating system is constantly making changes, watching how we work so that certain components that aren't being used are omitted to make things work faster. Plus, applications can be adding things we may not be aware of but that are necessary.

So if a major part of using a computer is change, how can something like DriveShield PLUS be recommended? Because there are many scenarios where it's applicable.

For example, let's say you want to lend your computer to someone. Installing DriveShield PLUS is a perfect way to ensure that whatever they do while they use it won't affect you in any way because when they bring it back, you'll know the hard drive's contents will be exactly the same as before.

Many retail outlets are using DriveShield PLUS. Merchants know that in the morning, all will be exactly the same as it was the day before. In fact, according to Centurion, its product is why Apple Computer stores let their customers play on their Macs. The stores use Centurion's MacShield Enhanced Edition so at the beginning of the next day, they are back to their original configuration. Sweet.

Now Centurion realizes that not all of us want our computers to forget everything. That's why you can use DriveShield PLUS' "Persistent Storage" feature.

This lets you define specific folders and areas such as your e-mails, My Favorites, Pictures, Documents and other similar areas to be persistent. In other words, changes to these areas will not be forgotten when you reboot with DriveShield PLUS in place.

DriveShield PLUS is not for everyone because its method can be a bit extreme. But if you're fed up with all the cyberjunk, and if you can see your way through to make it work to your advantage, then this is one utility that should be in your arsenal of products that fight the good fight.