- home
- reviews
- news
- downloads
- cnet tv
HOLIDAY HELP DESK: Broadcasting live at 1:00 p.m., PT
- log in
- join CNET
- welcome,
- my profile
- log out

February 27, 2009 7:00 AM PST

Have your way with Windows

(Credit: TuneUp)

Often, asking Windows do your bidding is like disciplining a two-year-old child. You'll get your way in the end, but only after some resistance.

These six top-rated Windows applications optimize XP and Vista--everything from managing the programs that launch on start-up to freeing up your RAM cycles, to plucking out broken links in your Registry.

Have your way with Windows

Jessica Dolcourt reviews the latest and greatest smartphone apps, in addition to a healthy dose of Windows software. E-mail Jessica and follow her on Twitter.

Topics:: Utilities and drivers,; Windows Software

Tags:: Windows Optimizers,; slideshow

Share:: Digg; Del.icio.us; Reddit; Facebook; Twitter

Recent posts from The Download Blog: Tax prep preview: Which DIY app is right for you?; Rock and roll! The Muppets' Animal stars in iPhone game; TweetDeck deal brings a Sherlock Holmes look; The 17 best iPhone games of 2009; Mozilla hopes to finish Thunderbird 3.1 in April; Woo-hoo! Simpsons Arcade game coming to iPhone; Adobe adds raw support for newer cameras; Mozilla releases fifth Firefox 3.6 beta

Add a Comment (Log in or register) (32 Comments)

by gjampol February 28, 2009 11:47 PM PST

Defraggler from Piriform is a freeware defragmenter that allows a user to defragment a file, a group of files, a folder or an entire drive. I've been using it for six months and have found it to be reliable.

Like this Reply to this comment


by NewEnglander June 19, 2009 6:45 AM PDT: Add CCleaner, also from Piriform. My laptop runs LOTS better between just those two.; Like this

by JohnnyIdaho March 2, 2009 8:10 AM PST

Great article, way to list not a single name of the programs or any links to their downloads, I can't even tell from the second screen capture what the name of that program is. This is unbelievably useful. Thanks for taking the time to show us how great your screen capturing abilities are.

Like this Reply to this comment


by blomster March 2, 2009 9:02 AM PST: Descriptions and names of the programs are visible in IE. When I use Firefox, I just get the screenshots with no helpful info. This problem is not limited to this story; I've seen it with other recent software round-ups.; Like this


by THizzle7XU March 2, 2009 5:59 PM PST: I think you owe the author an apology. If you're not advanced enough to know how to use the add-on, then you shouldn't be using adblock.; Like this


by herby002 March 2, 2009 10:23 PM PST: I had the same problem, viewing the page in Firefox.
Using the Firefox add-on "View page in IE tab", I was able to view the article in its native(?) Internet Explorer format.
If you don't have the add-on, you should get it - it's really handy!; Like this


by RainbowPhoenix March 3, 2009 6:56 PM PST: Works great. The information was on the right-hand side in a nice, neat column beside each entry in the slideshow. From the department of look before you leap, maybe try a different browser next time? These guys are pros and they wouldn't leave us all hanging like that. I mean, really!

Cheers,
Phoenix :); Like this


by quahogwi March 4, 2009 10:25 AM PST: It is curious why CNET, who has often promoted Firefox, designs a web page that only works with IE. You'd think that they'd write a page that would open universally rather than requiring an ad-ons.; Like this


by marknichelson March 8, 2009 12:16 AM PST: Strange, I'm using Firefox and can see the captions just fine. Are you guys using 3.0?; Like this

by darkcobra March 2, 2009 9:40 AM PST

Try just turning off "Adblock" in Firefox add-ons or simply enable ads for this page. Mine did the exact same thing and it was "Adblock" that was hiding the missing data. Sometimes "Adblock" mistakes actual content for advertisements. Since you never really know when it's doing this, I've learned to not use this add-on anymore.

Like this Reply to this comment


by xispto March 4, 2009 2:16 AM PST: Adblock is one of the most brilliant add-ons on Firefox - especially when you read any on-line newspaper, full of adverts...
It is really easy to turn it off in any page where it could give problems. I think you should leran to use it, instead of forget it...; Like this


by pugmom06331 March 4, 2009 6:03 AM PST: Yet another reason to ditch the highly-overhyped Firefox and go back to good ol' IE, and, no, I am NOT being facetious! Firefox is more trouble than it's worth, IMHO. (Yes, I've tried and didn't like it.) As long as you keep your security programs up to date, Internet Explorer is perfectly safe. I know because I speak from personal experience. I'M still using IE 6 myself!; Like this


by nailzz March 2, 2009 5:16 PM PST: I think you missed one Advanced windows care pro. Its awsom and I dont rate anything that high ! I have used the free version for years with some minor problems,two months ago I broke down and got the paid version. I should have gotten it years ago. The program is loaded with features that do what they say,a update last week included a game booster. 5 star app.; Like this Reply to this comment


by lyonsinc1 March 2, 2009 7:49 PM PST: Gee,I use firefox and I saw the links...Hmmm. :p; Like this Reply to this comment


by zclayton2 March 3, 2009 6:18 AM PST: rather an odd way of presenting utilities. my fifth grader has turned in report projects like this that only got a "C". I expect more from a cnet contributor. total waste of electrons. Your editor needs a reprimand for letting this get out.; Like this Reply to this comment


by cnetdownloader2 March 3, 2009 9:46 PM PST: I am always disappointed when a source promotes the latest/greatest & you click to get to the promo part of the presentation, only to find they reveal somewhere near the end of the "you'll be happy you did," descriptions,the "free-to-try" catch/clause. There are so many similar products that follow these designs and are freeware, who do you think you're kidding?!; Like this Reply to this comment


by cliveballantyne March 3, 2009 11:07 PM PST: I have bought many type's of these programs. They all remove files needed for a program to work. I have not found one that does what it say's without destroying good files. If you know one I will buy it.

Even programs you have recommended have stuff t up whole programs were I have to re-install them.
Why should I buy this one?

Cheers Clive Ballantyne; Like this Reply to this comment


by themi March 4, 2009 1:59 AM PST: I agree with cnetdownloader2. A lot of the features are provided in many tools. So which registry fixer does the best job and why, which defragger is best and why, which optimizer is best and why, etc. There are lots of suites that do most of this stuff. Please do a better job!; Like this Reply to this comment

by shyguy1 March 4, 2009 4:54 AM PST

Wow, I'm afraid I have to agree with some of the posts. Two of the six I have tried and they both messed up my computer big time.
Glary Utilities deleted some necessary executable files when I wiped free space.
Tune-up Utilities totally messed up my computer to the point of having to take it and get it fixed.
I have Piriform Defraggler, Advanced Windows Cleaner, Malwarebytes, Super Anti-Spyware, ATF-cleaner, ToniArts Easy Cleaner, Avast Anti-Virus, all free, installed, and wouldn't try any of the 6 mentioned.
Here's an excellent reference for free utilities----http://www.techsupportalert.com/.
Just my opinion, but I know from personal experience that at least 2 of the 6 mentioned can do great harm.
Also, try Googling about problems with the utility in question.
One last thing, I consider RAM boosters a waste of time and space. I've tried them without noticing any improvement.
Thanks for the effort, but I believe a couple to be a problem and more research would have changed your choices.

Like this Reply to this comment


by freemaniacmic March 5, 2009 7:08 AM PST: I utilise the Windows Defender Firewall alongside the 'free' Home Version of Avast 8 which works well most of the time but even used in unison they have allowed my PC to become infected. The 'free' version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware (with updates kept current) has gone in twice now and completely solved the problem without any adverse affects to the rest of the operating software or other software programs I have installed. I cannot recommend this program highly enough!; Like this


by brokemanusa March 5, 2009 7:41 PM PST: I've used Glary Utilities for over 8 months and find it to be a great program.Maybe you ought to give it another try.You can always use the "undo"and start over.; Like this

by pugmom06331 March 4, 2009 5:51 AM PST

Shyguy1, thanks for the heads-up! Three of these programs I wouldn't have tried anyway because they're only free to TRY, not free, PERIOD, and if a program isn't free, PERIOD, I don't bother with it. (In other words, if it's not FREEware, it's not-for-me ware), and one of the programs doesn't apply to me because it's Vista only, and I use XP.

There are SO MANY good programs on the Internet that are completely FREE for the downloading and installing. (I've only recently heard of Malwarebytes, but haven't tried it yet.) Anyway, for example, all of the security software on my computer: avast!, Ad-Aware, Secunia, Spybot S&D, SpywareBlaster, WinPatrol, and ZoneAlarm are all 100% FREE and fantastically GOOD! So is my favorite disk defragger, AusLogics Disk Defrag. Why any HOME computer user in their right mind would ever PAY for programs like these is completely beyond my comprehension. However, I'll admit that regarding software for BUSINESS use, you'll likely need to pay for a lot of it, because the business versions will have business-necessary/business-useful apps that their free versions don't have.

Like this Reply to this comment


by Scorpio103031 March 4, 2009 11:20 AM PST: Pugmom06331 , not much to say after your posting,you took the words right out of my mouth. You are absolutely right on. Of the programs that you mentioned I use one ,(WinPatrol) and I love it. For the rest of it I bought a program called, Regcure , and believe me, that really keeps my computers registry clean and saves me a lot of time.; Like this


by brokemanusa March 5, 2009 7:45 PM PST: Make sure to try Malwarebytes ,it sasved me during that 2008-09 anti virus scare.; Like this

by shyguy1 March 4, 2009 10:45 AM PST

I totally agree pugmom06331. I use XP also, and don't plan on using Vista until XP isn't available anymore. I'm hoping the new OS--Windows 7--is out this yr. sometime.
Although Toniarts Easy and Clean is the top rated free registry cleaner on the site I listed, I would like to find something else. Only reason being is that it hasn't been updated for a LONG time. But then maybe it doesn't need to be. I also have SpywareBlaster and CCleaner, neither which take much space and seem to work great. My free firewall is Comodo and it seems to catch everything.
So YES I TOTALLY agree there are plenty of FREE utilities out there without paying for anything as a home computer. My little experience of paying for things has led me to believe they are usually trouble.
They try and some do take over the whole computer. So FREE it is for me as well.

Like this Reply to this comment


by UncleDW June 19, 2009 2:42 PM PDT: Shyguy - stay w/XP - 7 will ship before Christmas! I'm an insider and already have it loaded. 7 will fix all your memory management challenges. Plus, the ribbon has been reduced and more manageable than Vista. Your going to appreciate it.

Also, wait until mid next year for the big 2010 release of Office. Outlook is going to blow your away. It marries the best of Outlook calendaring with all new CRM abilities and deep integration Onenote and other programs. The user interface is stunning.; Like this


by Nardley March 4, 2009 12:38 PM PST: Ok, I skimmed through the 6 offerings and saw nothing even remotely interesting. Seems like an advertisement posing as an article, which is pretty lame. Want better control of winblows? Get 'Tweak Ui' and Cacheman. I've been repairing comps since the dos days and nohing leaves here without those two programs on it. Oh, and they are both free. Tweak Ui was originally created as a part of 'Power Toys' by the developers of windows to make their jobs easier. The power toys were so useful they were allowed to release them to the public. You can even install the original Tweak Ui on an Xp machine and it not only still functions, it even adds features that didn't exist when it was created. That is good software, lol. Unlike the paid for copies being flogged in this 'article' :); Like this Reply to this comment


by DamageIncM March 13, 2009 4:54 PM PDT: Nah, I agree with 'TuneUp Utilities, it's great, it helps a lot for starters.
Then I'd use 'Diskeeper' for defragmentation, it has a lot of features and is very light.
And 'Glary Utilities' seems like a ripoff from "TuneUp", but I guess someone just made free version of it,
so it might be a good alternative.

Then you don't need a RAMBooster, it's kind of useless really.
But if you insist, there is also one in "TuneUp", you can turn it on or off.
Actually, most things are in "TuneUp" already, so you don't need much more in general.
But some things, as said before like the defragmentation, it's good to have in more specific expanded programs.

For the rest I also highly recommend 'Ad-Aware', which is also a free adware/virus-scanner.
'Spybot - Search & Destroy', also free.
'SpeedUpMyPC' and 'RegistryBooster' from Uniblue are also nice.
Aaand... 'Registry Easy' can also help a lot.

Just my 2 Dollars. :P; Like this Reply to this comment


by AJ North March 17, 2009 5:57 PM PDT: I should like to echo shyguy1's recommendation of TechSupportAlert (http://www.techsupportalert.com/) as an outstanding source of critically reviewed freeware and useful tips. "Gizmo" Richards and his stalwart crew provide a truly invaluable service - and should be bookmarked on every Windows rig.

Also, didn't notice any mention above of another excellent piece of freeware from Piriform, namely their CCleaner (formerly known as Crap Cleaner (http://www.ccleaner.com/) - a nifty little application that cleans out a whole lot of junk (crap) that Windows creates and saves for your displeasure; it now also incorporates secure file deletion (at four levels of increasing rigor). It is regularly updated. Highly recommended.; Like this Reply to this comment


by Creative_ae June 19, 2009 2:01 PM PDT: o:; Like this Reply to this comment


by Aimee1 June 19, 2009 2:39 PM PDT: My tried-and-true list (and after I've sampled EVERY other software out there):

Auslogics Disk Defrag - disk defragmentation
TuneUp Utilities - all-in-one system optimization
CCleaner - registry & cache cleaner (used before shutdown and restart)
FreeRAM XP Pro - RAM optimizer (sits in my tray)
Your Uninstaller Pro - thorough program uninstaller

- A; Like this Reply to this comment


by SJSF June 19, 2009 3:04 PM PDT: I use Advanced System Care Free, it has all of those optimization and tweaking utilities that those programs have in one program.Glary Utilities free is also a good program but has less utilities than Advanced System Care Free.; Like this Reply to this comment