Jessica Dolcourt November 5, 2009
How often do you think about the background systems that make your computer run smoothly and surely? As with most foundations, generally only when they're broken or faulty. We've assembled seven free software utilities to help keep your system in top form in times of turbulence.
There's Glary Utilities, which wraps a Registry cleaner, memory optimizer, and start-up manager in one. When files go missing, an app like Pandora Recovery can often help retrieve them. CCleaner wipes away Internet tracks, while Smart Defrag is the best disk defragger we've seen to date.
Then there's 7-Zip, which supports a range of compression file types to read and/or write files in RAR and ZIP formats, and more. The straightforward SyncBack backup program is ideal to help keep home users and small businesses from losing valuable files in the event of a system crash. We round out the collection with Revo Uninstaller, an uninstaller with multiple power levels for completely removing unwanted programs down to their traces.
| Product Name | Glary Utilities | Pandora Recovery | CCleaner | Smart Defrag | 7-Zip | SyncBack Freeware | Revo Uninstaller |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date Added | January 20, 2010 | February 04, 2009 | January 28, 2010 | January 10, 2010 | February 03, 2009 | January 27, 2010 | December 22, 2009 |
| Editor's Rating | | | | | | | |
| Average User Rating | | | | | | | |
| Review Date | November 09, 2008 | June 29, 2009 | November 07, 2008 | November 07, 2008 | November 08, 2008 | November 07, 2008 | January 21, 2009 |
| Summary | This powerful application offers extensive utilities to improve your system's performance and protect your privacy. Glary Utilities' well-organized interface allows users to easily choose ... Read more | File recovery has never been easier thanks to Pandora Recovery. The program's wizard-like approach to finding and retrieving lost files will appeal to all ... Read more | Although it lacks a few of the bells and whistles found in other PC-cleaning applications, this free program offers more than enough features to make ... Read more | It's hard to stand out in the crowded field of defraggers, but SmartDefrag is able to do so with an unexpected twist. Along with ... Read more | It's easy for Windows users to forget that WinZip isn't the only file-compression utility in the world. Like its better-known competitors, the free ... Read more | This straightforward backup utility makes it a snap to safeguard and synchronize your files, and its freeware price just sweetens the deal. Surprisingly flexible for ... Read more | Where the built-in and sluggish Windows Add or Remove Programs option fails, freeware Revo picks up the slack. It builds out a useful feature set ... Read more |
| License | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| Limitations | No limitations | No limitations | No limitations | No limitations | No limitations | No limitations | No limitations |
| Downloads Last Week | 159889 | 11465 | 88233 | 138098 | 23205 | 3914 | 24036 |
| Total Downloads | 7899617 | 868457 | 9438952 | 7857912 | 2432591 | 431231 | 2498652 |
| File Size | 7.24MB | 3.12MB | 3.21MB | 3.83MB | 917.93K | 1.79MB | 1.06MB |
| Operating Systems | Windows Windows 2000 Windows XP Windows Vista Windows 7 | Windows Windows 2000 Windows XP Windows Vista | Windows Windows 98 Windows 2000 Windows XP Windows 2003 Windows Vista Windows 7 Windows NT | Windows Windows 98 Windows Me Windows 2000 Windows XP Windows 2003 Windows Vista Windows Server 2008 Windows 7 Windows NT | Windows Windows 98 Windows Me Windows 2000 Windows XP Windows 2003 Windows Vista Windows NT | Windows Windows 2000 Windows XP | Windows Windows 2000 Windows XP Windows 2003 Windows Vista Windows Server 2008 Windows 7 |
| Additional Requirements | No additional requirements | Windows 2000/XP/Vista | No additional requirements | No additional requirements | No additional requirements | No additional requirements | No additional requirements |
| Publisher | Glaryutilities | Pandora | Piriform | IObit | 7-Zip Software | 2BrightSparks | VS Revo Group |
