CNET Editors' review
TweakVista takes an unnecessarily complicated interface provided by Microsoft and simplifies it by organizing the myriad of system options into one clean design.
The app starts with a list of 10 options on the left nav, ranging from Start Up and Resources, down through Security and Power, and ending with Miscellaneous Tweaks. Each tab opens a new panel of topic-specific options, most with tabs of their own delineating between basic and advanced functions. For example, the Services tab controls access to many of the background processes. There are preconfigured Profiles for gamers, for saving memory, and so on. The Features tab, though, lets you pick and choose specific settings.
The Power option is useful for more than just laptop users, though. It also gives you a carbon footprint of your computer usage based on your hardware, and extrapolates it for a year's worth of use. Who knows if it's accurate, but it's good reminder that computers aren't running on the power of love.
Whether you want to make adjustments or simply learn more about what Vista is doing, TweakVista gives both Vista newbies and power users abilities that go beyond mere "tweaking," without the headaches that Vista is infamous for.
Publisher's Description
From Stardock:
TweakVista is a comprehensive utility designed to enable users to configure and optimize their Windows Vista based system. TweakVista enables both casual PC users and power users to safely alter hundreds of different settings in Windows Vista to ensure users are getting the most out of their PCs.Features include a consolidated recommendations area, an assessment/benchmarking suite that allows users to see how their systems stack up to others, an easy to use security configuration screen, power use estimates to evaluate the running cost of your PC and carbon footprint, an interactive start-up process manager and start-up profiles.
TweakVista is the type of utility that every Windows Vista user should have on their PC.
What's new in this version: Version 2.01 includes an updated UI, more control over settings, and the ability to move user folders. Also supports Windows 7.
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All versions:
2.9 starsout of 17 votes
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Current version:
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My rating:
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"doubled the speed of my computer"
Version: TweakVista 1.1
Pros
this thing actually works
Cons
!Q!none at all
Summary
if your computer is slow then get it!!!
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"Crippled Demo"
Version: TweakVista 1.1
Pros
Likely a good piece of software.
Cons
There are many FREE utilities that do the same thing.
Summary
All the best features were crippled making this a useless install.
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"At least I could use it when it was free!!!!!"
Version: TweakVista 1.1
Pros
I liked everything when it was free
Cons
After I paid $20.00 for full version, I have not been able to get back into the program and can find no answers on how to get past BUY IT NOW sign to enter the new serial number and use t5his program again !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Summary
My trial period had run out and I thought since I like the program I'll pay for the full version, I paid the $20.00 and was never redirected to download site so now I sit here with less money and can find no direction to use the new reg # I have
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"Registration a NIGHTMARE"
Version: TweakVista 1.1
Pros
Can't tell - cannot get to it!
Cons
I have been writing software for 20 years. I consider myself quite bright. I have spent 20 minutes trying to upgrade from the trial to the full version, downloaded "stardockcentral" (which is 15MB+), registered for a stardock account, and STILL not got it working!
Considering the reason I gave them $20 was to SAVE time and resources I find this unacceptable.
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"FASHARATH"
Version: TweakVista 1.1
Pros
THIS SOFTWARE IS GOOD
&VERY INTERRESTING
Cons
NOTHING
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"Not Bad"
Version: TweakVista 1
Pros
Easy to use for amateurs
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"Effortless"
Version: TweakVista 1
Pros
I used this program on a brand new vista notebook and it greatly enhanced performance. I just wanted something that will tweak this and that easily w/o having to do a bunch of research as I did with XP. In XP or vista you can start the task manager and look at processes then go to google and put their names in to find out what they are...this program provides links to do it. Just a more simple way of doing things.
It's the cheaper way to go also. vista manager is twice the price to do the same things.
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"Nice Program"
Version: TweakVista 1
Pros
It used to take forever for my computer to load, after using tweakvista, now it takes only 2 minutes for it to load. Love that the Program broke what the Program did, and how important it was.
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"Great software"
Version: TweakVista 1
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"Nice UI, but useless"
Version: TweakVista 1
Pros
n/a, except for the pretty user interface.
Cons
I tried it a few times - when it was a beta version, and the final version, and I never liked it. OK, when I tried the beta, I was not expecting much (since it was not the final version), but even the final version causes heaps of problems on my Vista machine. The problem is that this software changes heaps of things on your system, and you do actually not know what exactly it does. And that is a problem when you realize that your system does not work as it was before you used this software. Tech support was not able to help.
Keep away from this software.




