The most recent articles from Computeract!ve

Review: Speed Up My PC 2009 optimser

Paul Lester — 2008-09-18T17:17:00.000Z

Paul Lester, Computeract!ve, Thursday 18 September 2008 at 17:17:00

A fast and easy way to improve Windows performance

The Speed Up My PC series is one of the best known computer optimisers around.

The idea is that it will improve the computer by removing unwanted or unnecessary files and that it offers better control than the similar tools found in Windows itself.

Thanks to the straightforward and intuitive interface of the new version, Speed Up My PC 2009, this process is very simple, allowing the user to perform an initial scan after installing the program to automatically streamline processor, memory and network settings to improve performance.

Users have the option of choosing which areas to correct based on the scan results, and there's a good degree of straightforward customisation here that allows inclusion or exclusion of various parts of the computer.

Most users, particularly beginners, will be happy to let the software do its thing and stick with the automatic settings, even though in truth many of the more detailed aspects of the software are tweakable through Windows by those who know where to find the right tools.

The way Speed Up My PC provides information on all aspects of the operating system – and makes it easy both to adjust things and to revert back to previous settings if need be – is very impressive. If you're not comfortable using the advanced tools in Windows you'll find that the way they work in this program is much more friendly.

After running all of the suggested scans and corrections we did notice a difference in performance on the rather cluttered PC we used to test the software, particularly in how quickly it started up.

In addition to the main interface there's also a mini-view that appears from the Notification Area that'll inform you of current processor, memory and network usage, which is a useful indication of whether the computer might need more power in the form of an upgrade.

The help files provided are extremely comprehensive and not only walk through how to use the software but also offer some background on how computers use their resources, which those new to computers will find useful.

While there's not really enough here for advanced users to justify paying for a dedicated package, beginners or those who don't want to bother with manually tweaking and adjusting settings to improve performance will find Speed Up My PC 2009 both easy to use and very effective at what it does.

Review: System Mechanic 8 utility software

Anthony Dhanendran — 2008-08-18T10:00:00.000Z

Anthony Dhanendran, Computeract!ve, Monday 18 August 2008 at 10:00:00

Keep your computer running smoothly

The idea behind System Mechanic is that it can give your computer a thorough check-up as well as tweaks to keep it running smoothly.

Installation was painless, and the program automatically runs a basic check as soon as it starts. This seeks out unneccessary files, things that are taking up hard disk space, basic Registry errors and lack of memory. It offered to automatically fix all of them, as well as backing up the Registry, but usefully it also gives the option of going in and seeing exactly what the problems are. That's good if you're not sure you want to delete certain things or if you want to see exactly what it proposes to do to the Registry.

We ran a thorough scan which took around an hour, but took in a surface scan of the hard disk (which checks for potentially dangerous physical errors) as well as a more thorough search of the Registry. All the tools can be accessed separately as well, including others such as one that wipes unwanted files.

One thing we aren't convinced about is the subscription – unlike most utility programs, System Mechanic requires you to subscribe in order for it to work. The initial price includes 12 months, as well as automatic updates and upgrades during that time, but if you don't renew it will stop working. That's fine for anti-virus software, which needs to keep itself up-to-date, but this kind of program should still be useable without updates after a year.

The Pro version of System Mechanic, which is a little more expensive, adds anti-virus capabilities as well as a firewall and the Search and Recover product, which can recover accidentally deleted files.

As it stands, though, the standard System Mechanic 8 product is an impressively comprehensive set of tools that covers almost all of the bases for most users. It's true that most users won't use most of the tools available, but if you need them, System Mechanic is an excellent collection.

Vista compatible: Yes

Image gallery: Discover what's inside your computer

Emily Macfie — 2006-12-15T00:00:00.000Z

Emily Macfie, Computeract!ve, Friday 15 December 2006 at 00:00:00

Diskeeper 10 Home Edition utility software

Jonathan Parkyn — 2006-06-23T00:00:00.000Z

Jonathan Parkyn, Computeract!ve, Friday 23 June 2006 at 00:00:00

A defrag a day keeps the disk doctor at bay

Fragmentation is something that happens when your computer files are broken up into smaller pieces of data that are physically stored on different areas of your hard disk.

What a defrag utility like Diskeeper does is put all the separate bits of these files back together sequentially.

Doing so means that it takes less time for your hard disk to read and write to your files, which can help to speed up overall system performance and extend the life of your PC.

Windows already comes with its own built-in utility for de-fragmenting hard disks. The trouble is that something like fragmentation occurs repeatedly over time and there is no facility in the Windows Defrag to schedule regular maintenance jobs.

Diskeeper 10 Home Edition has an excellent Set It and Forget It feature, which takes the whole business of defragging your system off your hands entirely by automating the task at specific times of the day or week.

Another problem with Windows Defrag is that it can take quite a long time to complete and tends to make your system run very slowly while it does its business.

Diskeeper improves on this in two ways. When run normally, it is considerably speedier than Windows Defrag. It took a matter of minutes for Diskeeper to defrag our 40Gb test hard disk after it was reported to be ‘heavily fragmented’.

Larger capacity hard disks and those with more data stored on them will, naturally, take longer but, generally speaking, Diskeeper is pretty fast.

There is, however, an option that allows you to stipulate the utility’s CPU priority. This basically lets you choose to run Diskeeper quietly in the background as you carry on working so that you barely notice it’s there.

It might seem like a curious idea to pay money for what is, essentially, as lightly better version of something that already comes built in to Windows. It’s even stranger to think that you may only actively use it once in order to Set It And Forget It.

But we definitely recommend Diskeeper 10 Home Edition as an efficient and adaptable utility that takes charge of vital regular disk maintenance tasks and renders them almost completely invisible.

Related reviews

V-com System Suite 6 Professional

Verdict: V-com System Suite 6 Professional is a comprehensive selection of powerful tools for users with the confidence and knowledge to apply them effectively.

Rating: 3/5

Price: £50

Undelete 5

Anthony Dhanendran — 2006-03-03T00:00:00.000Z

Anthony Dhanendran, Computeract!ve, Friday 3 March 2006 at 00:00:00

Avoid deleting files by accident

Even though Windows has included a Recycle Bin for the past 10 years it's still annoyingly easy to accidentally delete a file.

The Recycle Bin can't handle files or folders over a certain size, and files that are automatically deleted, say when an application is uninstalled, are also not covered by the Recycle Bin.

However, Undelete 5 promises to rescue deleted files. The program works by replacing the Recycle Bin with its own Recovery Bin, which automatically 'catches' files as they are deleted, including files that the Recycle Bin would not normally be able to keep an eye on.

The bin can be told to exclude certain files or folders, and can be set to use only a certain proportion of available hard disk space.

It also automatically tracks versions of Office documents so it's possible to right-click on such a file and recover previous versions. It can also pick up some files that were deleted before it was installed.

This is a powerful tool and, although it's not cheap, it's worthwhile for anyone who finds themselves often having to recover lost data.

Orlogix Wincleaner Complete PC Care

Rory Reid — 2005-07-15T00:00:00.000Z

Rory Reid, Computeract!ve, Friday 15 July 2005 at 00:00:00

Time for a spring clean? Include your PC in the seasonal tidy to ensure it stays in good nick

No matter how fast your PC, it needs significant maintenance if it is to run effectively. Wincleaner Complete PC Care from Orlogix is a multi-purpose program designed to optimise Windows, boost performance and protect your PC from viruses.

One of the program's main features is the ability to search your PC for any unnecessary temporary files created by Windows. It also clears redundant data collected while surfing such as pictures, cookies and other clutter.

The Registry can become very large over time and can slow down your PC. Wincleaner will remove invalid and unused entries, although this worked for some Registry entries in our test PC but not for others.

Another feature is Wincleaner's ability to recover accidentally deleted files. However, it failed to do this to a satisfactory level in our test. Ironically, it performed exceptionally well when permanently deleting files; it actually overwrites data with digital gobbledegook before deleting it, which makes files virtually unrecoverable.

The Startup Optomizer is another useful tool. This identifies and disables unnecessary programs that run when your PC is switched on, which reduce the amount of time it takes to start your PC.

Wincleaner can also move applications safely from one drive or folder to another. It can also modify any associated references in the Windows Registry, which if left unchanged could render your moved application useless.

Wincleaner is a useful application but it's a little expensive given the fact that you can perform most of its features in Windows with a little know-how.

Also consider:

Boost XP

Allume Boost XP

Will Stapley — 2005-06-14T00:00:00.000Z

Will Stapley, Computeract!ve, Tuesday 14 June 2005 at 00:00:00

Customise and enhance Windows XP

Customising, enhancing and cleaning up the Windows XP operating system often involves endlessly searching through menu options and downloading various third-party applications. Boost XP aims to make the whole process both faster and easier.

All the tools are accessed from a clean menu system and most settings can be changed using simple tickboxes. Basic tasks such as wallpaper changes aren't exactly hard anyway, but using the Photo Explorer interface makes it that little bit easier. Delve further into Boost XP and you'll find useful performance-enhancing tweaks such as memory, file and system optimisation tools, along with quick links to general security settings and Windows clean-up tasks.

Aside from the optimisation tools, many of the features can be altered without the use of Boost XP but this way all the controls are housed in a single program. However, there isn't an option to quickly undo all of your changes.

Boost XP is a great help to those unfamiliar with Windows XP. However, intermediate users and above won't need the help.

Execsoft Diskeeper 9 Home Edition

Jonathan Parkyn — 2005-04-08T12:16:17.000Z

Jonathan Parkyn, Computeract!ve, Friday 8 April 2005 at 12:16:17

A tidy hard disk means a faster, more stable PC

Given the large amounts of digital media we store on our PCs, it's becoming more important to keep our computers in good working order.

Diskeeper is a hard disk defragmenter that helps optimise your computer's performance by rearranging the data on your hard disk in a way that reduces the length of time it takes to find and load files and the wear and tear your drive sustains in the process. In doing so, Diskeeper can speed up your PC's performance quite considerably and improve its general health and stability.

Windows has its own defragmenter but this little utility is beginning to show its inadequacies. Today's hard disks are massive and, sadly, Windows' Disk Defragmenter takes ages to do its stuff, during which time you are not recommended to use your PC.

Diskeeper is fast - we analysed our 40Gb drive in a matter of seconds and restored the badly defragmented disk in just over 20 minutes, while using the PC as normal.

You can even set Diskeeper to look after things automatically, so you need never worry about such trifles as file fragmentation ever again. Click on the 'Set It and Forget It' tab and you can set Diskeeper to run scheduled defragmentation sessions in the background at times that suit you.

Diskeeper does provide a lot of technical information, but is still easy to use. And, unless you're prepared to put up with Windows' cumbersome utility, it is an exceptionally handy tool to have.

Contact:

Insight 0800 552255

www.execsoft.co.uk

Also consider:

Norton SystemWorks 2005

Norton SystemWorks 2005

Tim Smith — 2005-02-14T17:25:58.000Z

Tim Smith, Computeract!ve, Monday 14 February 2005 at 17:25:58

Protect your PC from viruses and keep Windows in tip-top condition

Just like a car, your computer works best with regular care and maintenance. Norton SystemWorks 2005 includes tools for keeping your computer in shape and for recovering after problems.

Installation is straightforward and you are prompted to scan for viruses before you start or after loading any updates. If Windows is severely damaged you can run a virus scan straight from the CD.

The SystemWorks window provides a quick health check of your computer and the last time your system was scanned for errors. The One Button Checkup is the easiest tool to use. On our test machine, which had been running Windows for four months, it found a multitude of Registry errors, invalid shortcuts, unused temp files, cached files and web address history entries. Once deleted, hard disk space was freed and performance was boosted.

The Norton Protected Recycle Bin will recover files that have been deleted by accident but the small window makes it difficult to see all the file details. Also, Norton sticks all deleted files into an UnErase folder, so forgetting to clear it can fill your hard disk quickly.

Another valuable tool is Norton GoBack, as we can never overemphasise the importance of regular backups.

Norton AntiVirus is an integral part of the software and is the first point of protection for most people. As well as scanning your hard disk, it protects your email and instant messaging clients too, though this will slow your PC down.

All was not completely well with our SystemWorks experience. Something went wrong with the AntiVirus, which could only be remedied with a complicated LiveUpdate fix. The manual is quite helpful, though, and provides plenty of useful advice.

For keeping your computer clean and free from viruses, Norton offers great value for money.

Contact:

Symantec 01628 592222

www.symantec.com

Also consider:

McAfee Internet Security Suite 2004

PC World PC Healthcheck

Kelvyn Taylor — 2003-10-20T13:40:31.000Z

Kelvyn Taylor, Computeract!ve, Monday 20 October 2003 at 13:40:31

If you can't afford a new PC, perhaps a PC check-up from PC World will give your old one a new lease of life.

Now that summer's officially here, it's probably a bit late for spring cleaning. Even if you have finished sprucing up the house, we'd wager that one thing that evaded the sweep of the duster was your PC. We're not talking about the outside of the case, but the software junk inside that means your hard disk is more cluttered than even the bulging broom cupboard.

We've all seen the symptoms: PCs that take forever to start up, hard disks that constantly complain about low disk space, hourglasses that never seem to disappear, constant error messages and so on. These are all pretty good indications that your PC is in need of a good clean. In much the same way as your car needs an annual service to keep the oily bits working properly, your computer responds well to the occasional check over and tune-up.

If you're reasonably computer literate, the chances are that you heed Computeractive's advice and complete basic maintenance tasks on an ongoing basis, checking for unwanted files, defragmenting the hard disk and so on. But if you aren't computer savvy, it's often a case of a daily prayer as you start your PC.

Wouldn't it be great if there was somewhere trustworthy you could take your computer for a tune-up? According to PC World there is and we've been having a look at its PC Healthcheck service to see whether it's worth the £40 the company is asking for it.

PC Healthcheck is offered at all PC World stores throughout the UK. It's advertised as a 50-point check for any PC or notebook computer, old or new. The make and model is irrelevant and it doesn't have to have been bought at PC World. The only requirements are that the computer will boot into Windows, is running at least Windows 95 and has a working CD-ROM drive. It's important to realise that this isn't a repair service - if your system's as dead as a doornail, you can't get a Healthcheck but there is a separate PC World Repair Service you can use.

So how does it work in practice? We went along to the Tottenham Court Road branch in London to see the process in real life. It's all done semi-automatically to ensure consistency, with the Healthcheck software guiding the technician and the customer through the entire procedure. After loading the software onto your PC, the technician walks you through the on-screen checklist, performing the tasks requested and entering the results. It's all worthy but fairly dull stuff and as the process takes about an hour, you might choose to go shopping instead.

Although it's advertised as a 50-point check that's not quite true, as some of the checks aren't done any more - the 'Check which ISPs are installed' and 'Check costs against Freeserve' tests in particular are not carried out. Nevertheless, the tasks they do are pretty much the same ones that any technically minded computer user would do if presented with a sickly PC.

The first and most vital check is a full virus scan, followed by checks on all the PC's major components, Windows settings and so on. Unwanted files that are clogging up your hard disk and programs you don't use any more can be removed and the Recycle Bins emptied. It's all done in a friendly, relaxed environment, but you can even book a home visit if this suits you better.

Every stage is clearly explained to you and any shortcomings of your PC are highlighted by the software at the end of the check. This is the bit we were most worried about - we thought there was going to be a hard sell to get us to upgrade our system, but we were assured that this is actively discouraged by PC World. If you do want to buy some new bits such as more memory or a bigger hard disk, they'll install them for free at the same time.

We were very impressed by the whole procedure as it's based on good technical practice and is very reasonably priced for what you get. It's certainly worth a try if you're tearing your hair out about how to get your PC back into shape.

Contact: PC World 0870 546 4464

www.pcworld.co.uk

Ontrack SystemSuite 4

Julian Prokaza — 2002-03-05T11:36:12.000Z

Julian Prokaza, Computeract!ve, Tuesday 5 March 2002 at 11:36:12

If you're ready to improve your PC utility software, SystemSuite 4 could be for you.

Utility software can be something of a double-edged sword for PC users. A comprehensive suite of optimisation and maintenance programs may dig you out of a hole in an emergency or even prevent you from getting into one in the first place.

Some suites can go a tweak too far, however, causing more problems than they set out to solve. Even for more experienced users, this can make utility software a prospect too daunting to face and the temptation is to simply avoid it altogether.

Ontrack has long set out to simplify utility suites and has been so successful that its flagship SystemSuite is now up to version 4. It's quite a suite too, containing pretty much everything most PC users will need, but its simple approach and use of Wizards mean that novices shouldn't be too bewildered by its ins and outs.

Can we Fix-It?

The largest component of SystemSuite is Fix-It Utilities, Ontrack's challenger to the behemoth of Norton Utilities.

Fix-It Utilities is available as a separate product for £40, and while it provides a useful set of tools, it's not quite as comprehensive as other packages.

For £15 more, however, the extra bits in SystemSuite amply address that quibble. Those bits are all accessed through a simple, single window that logically groups tasks into such things as Diagnose and Fix. Clicking one provides more options but technophobes need go no further than the four One-Stop Solutions that perform key maintenance tasks.

Firewall and antivirus software

If you fancy something more than this simple approach, the first tool to face is the Firewall and we're happy to report that this is on a par with the Computeractive free favourite, ZoneLabs ZoneAlarm. It's a cinch to set up and can be all but ignored in use, leaving you safe in the knowledge that your PC is protected from unwanted prying while you are online.VirusScanner Pro provides protection against the numerous electronic nasties. Like all good antivirus software, it offers double protection. First, it sits in the background of Windows, invisibly examining files and emails for virus infection whenever they're accessed or received.

Secondly, it provides an on-request virus scanner for when you want to check a file or disk is safe before using it. As is now de rigueur, virus signatures are updated over the internet and scans can be scheduled to run automatically at your leisure.

Crash protection

The CrashProof crash-protection program may have its uses with versions of Windows earlier than XP but these things are seldom worth the resources they require.

EasyUninstall, which will eradicate all trace of an installed application that otherwise refuses to budge, is of more benefit, although again, Windows Me and XP's own System Restore can take care of that.

Rounding things off are some welcome file clean-up tools, Zip file management and a copy of the excellent PowerDesk 4 Pro file manager - great for those who prefer more control than Windows Explorer gives over their files.

At £55, SystemSuite is comprehensive, powerful and easy to use. Only some feature duplication with later Windows versions and minor niggles stop it being a compulsory purchase.

Contact

Ontrack 01732 741999 www.ontrack.co.uk

ALSO CONSIDER

Norton Systemworks 2002

Not an essential upgrade but worth it if you're currently doing without.

£60

*****

Computeractive, Issue 97

Ontrack MyPCTools.co.uk

Nigel Donnelly — 2002-02-22T15:53:29.000Z

Nigel Donnelly, Computeract!ve, Friday 22 February 2002 at 15:53:29

Download vital maintenance for your home PC from the internet.

It's never been considered more important to look after yourself than it is today. Health food shops are on every corner of every high street, next door to the gym and beauty salon. People don't think twice about lavishing a bit of care and attention on themselves, but doing the same for the home PC is a different matter altogether.

Having an unreliable computer is frustrating in the extreme and the associated stress could easily undo all the good work you're putting in at the gym.

The best way to keep your computer in trim is by investing in some utility software. Products such as Norton SystemWorks 2002 provide a good selection of problem prevention and maintenance tools to keep computers ship shape. Ontrack is the first company to launch an online suite of software for keeping your PC fighting fit.

The site explains that the available tools are split into six separate sets: performance, diagnostic, repair, zip, cleaning and recovery. Categorising the tools this way makes finding what you're after a bit easier.

One of the best things about how MyPCTools operates is the way it doesn't deposit a load of program files on the PC's hard disk. Only the tool application you want to use is downloaded, so the amount of disk space used is minimal and download times are short.

Traditional packages can schedule maintenance so it happens every week, month or whatever period you choose. As nothing is actually installed by MyPCTools, it can't be scheduled in the traditional way but you do receive email reminders telling you it's time for some tuning up. It's not as good as automatic scheduling but it's the next best thing.

One serious disadvantage of MyPCTools over more traditional utility packages is evident if your computer has a total failure. If you can't get your computer to boot up, a traditional utility kit will let you initialise from a floppy disk or CDRom and proceed from there. With MyPCTools, if your PC is too poorly to crawl onto the internet, getting help from the online doctor is going to be impossible.

The other major drawback is that, at around £35 a year, it's not cheap. The price on the site is actually listed in dollars, something that Ontrack says is a quirk of its software but it is a UK product and full technical support is available in this country. If the thought of forking out for something you don't know whether you trust is too much, a free 30-day trial is available.

Despite being housed entirely online, it still has minimum requirements but the only really pressing one is an internet connection. Beyond that, any PC with at least Windows 95 and 16Mb of memory will cope. The tools can be used to tweak all versions of Windows from 95 right through to XP.

A full suite of software such as Norton SystemWorks costs around £50 but should last a couple of years at least, with regular updates from the website. That would also provide the virus protection that MyPCTools lacks. Getting software this way could well be the future but, at the moment, it just doesn't quite cut it.

Contact: Ontrack 01372 747414 www.mypctools.co.uk

Also consider: Norton SystemWorks 2002

Comprehensive tools and XP ready. £60. Worth it.

Computeractive issue 97.

Ontrack Fix-It Utilities 4.0

Cliff Joseph — 2002-02-12T11:32:27.000Z

Cliff Joseph, Computeract!ve, Tuesday 12 February 2002 at 11:32:27

Easy to use troubleshooting tools for your PC.

There's only one thing more certain than death and taxes. One day, when you least expect it - and probably when it's most inconvenient - your PC will go wrong. Your hard disk will break down or be struck by a virus or you may accidentally delete a file that you spent all week working on.

When this happens you need a good set of system utilities to help you get your PC back in good working order. There are quite a few of these utilities available but they're often rather confusing for the less experienced user. If you're not familiar with jargon such as defragmentation and FAT you can easily find yourself completely baffled by these programs.

Ontrack's Fix-It Utilities is a good option for PC owners who don't know all the technical intricacies of how their PC functions but simply require it to work. It provides a wide range of tools that can be used to detect and solve hard disk problems, locate and remove viruses and recover deleted files. More importantly, it also does a good job of simplifying those tools so that non-experts can use them quickly and easily.

Experienced users can modify the settings for each of these tools individually but the program also provides a number of wizards that are designed to help beginners. When you launch Fix-It Utilities, you will see a small window on screen that lists six simple options. The first is to use the program's wizards, which will display three buttons labelled CleanUp, SpeedUp and FixUp.

CleanUp tells Fix-It to clear out any unnecessary files that may be clogging up your hard disk. The SpeedUp button fine-tunes the hard disk so you can find and open files as quickly as possible, while FixUp performs a general check on the PC system to see if it can locate and fix any potential problems. There's also an All-In-One button that will run all three wizards at once for you.

Each of these buttons performs several quite complex tasks but all you have to do is press the button and leave the software to run its tests automatically. You don't have to worry about any of the settings for the various tests, so there's no need to spend hours reading the manual before you can use Fix-It.

It's worth taking at least a quick look at the manual though, as it will tell you about other useful options included in Fix-It Utilities. The File Undeleter does just what its name implies, allowing you to try to recover files that have been accidentally deleted. There's an Easy Update option that keeps Fix-It up to date with information about new computer viruses, and PC Diagnostics, which lets you test specific components such as your PC's graphics or sound card.

Remembering that prevention is the best cure, Fix-It also provides a scheduling option that allows you to automatically run tests at regular intervals so that you can detect any serious problems before they bring your PC to its knees.

Admittedly, there are several rival utility packages that provide a similar range of troubleshooting tools, but Fix-It Utilties is one of the easiest to use and, at under £50, it's cracking good value to boot.

Contact: Ontrack 01732 741 999 www.ontrack.com

Also consider: Norton Systemworks 2002

Comprehensive tools and ready for XP. £60.

Norton SystemWorks 2000

Paul Wardley — 1999-12-28T24:00:00.000Z

Paul Wardley, Computeract!ve, Tuesday 28 December 1999 at 00:00:00

No matter how careful you are things almost always go wrong with your computer. It keeps crashing, it picks up viruses and application installation goes awry. But help is at hand with Norton SystemWorks 2000, a collection of four Norton products in one, all designed to keep your system health and optimized.

Given the importance of keeping Windows working well, many people are surprised that it doesn't come with better tools and utilities to check performance, improve reliability and keep data intact. Indeed, some of the features you'd expect Windows to include are missing altogether: there's no reliable virus protection and no advanced warning of errors that could become serious enough to cripple a computer.

Norton SystemWorks provides all the missing features, plus better alternatives to many of the ones Windows provides. It's actually a compilation of four Norton programs that were originally sold separately, but unlike similar collections it manages to work (almost) seamlessly. The four modules are Anti-Virus, CleanSweep, CrashGuard and Utilities.

With such a clear naming policy you can pretty much guess what each program is for. Anti-Virus clears up existing viruses on a PC and prevents new ones infecting it when you slot in new disks or download data from the web. It also protects against bugs sent disguised as email messages. In our opinion there's no rival anti-virus program that has as many features and is as easy to install.

CleanSweep is a tool to remove programs and files that have become redundant.

In one sense it duplicates the uninstall mechanisms built into many Windows programs, but it can do more. It monitors software during installation, even those programs that install themselves from the internet, so they can be safely removed at a later date.

Another enhancement is that CleanSweep can make compressed copies of deleted programs in case you change your mind and want to reinstate them.

But, CleanSweep is not omnipotent and there are some things it can't do, such as cope with the complexities of install-on-demand programs like Microsoft Office 2000.

CrashGuard is a program that keeps an eye on what Windows is doing and, if it sees a situation where a program might crash, steps in to save the day. There's a related feature called AntiFreeze, which is sometimes able to jump-start programs that have stopped responding. CrashGuard worked well in our tests and it can usually stop an ailing PC from failing completely.

But we recommend you use the other programs in SystemWorks' toolbox to ensure your PC is in tip-top condition rather than rely on CrashGuard to stop a shaky system from grinding to a halt.

Pride of place in SystemWorks goes to Norton Utilities, which provides no fewer than 14 tools designed to diagnose and fix PC problems, boost performance and prevent faults developing. Each program can be started separately or through the SystemWorks menu.

The performance-enhancing tools include Speed Disk, which runs about 10 times faster than Disk Defragmenter, and Norton Optimisation Wizard.

The latter is an ingenious tool that digs deep into the Windows Registry, where only the cleverest or most foolish users go, and automatically adjusts it for top performance.

The standard edition of SystemWorks 2000 (there's a dearer Professional version) offers more than just a compilation of four other programs: you also receive a set of emergency floppy disks that can get an apparently dead PC back on its feet. Less impressive is LiveUpdate, which is a fairly standard download facility to keep SystemWorks up to scratch by downloading improvements from the internet. Another web service is LiveAdvisor, offering tips, tricks and advice on using SystemWorks effectively. A better feature is the genuinely useful Norton Web Services. You only get this for six-months and then you have to subscribe, but it checks your PC for out-of-date software from any supplier and, if there is an update available, then it will be automatically downloaded and installed on your computer.

SystemWorks Professional offers everything in the standard version plus Norton Ghost and Norton 2000. Ghost is a hard disk cloning tool along the lines of PowerQuest's Drive Image, but not quite as clever. Norton 2000 checks that a PC can cope with the millennium bug and warns if any of the programs and data on the hard disk will need modifying before the year 2000.

SystemWorks is a good way of buying an anti-virus program and receiving a stack of extra goodies, but if you're already protected against viruses and don't need CrashGuard or CleanSweep, you could always buy Norton Utilities separately. Whichever product you choose, it's worth shopping around because some suppliers heavily discount Symantec's Norton range.

Contact: Symantec, 0171 616 5600

Website: www.symantec.co.uk