SysTracer

Adding, deleting, or upgrading files on your computer, especially when they're executables, can cause changes that aren't easily identified. This program makes it easier to see what's going on with snapshots you can compare side-by-side.

SysTracer has a well-designed user interface, but it still took a visit to the Help menu for us to get started. But after that, we found it easy to navigate. The nice thing about the interface is that only the buttons you need are activated. Basically, you take a snapshot of your PC's Registry, files, and applications that serves as your baseline. When you've installed and uninstalled programs, you can take another snapshot to compare the two for anything that looks fishy or different. You'll get help in this department with the View Differences List to analyze the shots. A trial restriction limits you to viewing only the first 20 differences, but you still get a good idea of how the program works. Each file is color-coded, which also required a visit to the Help menu to understand, but proved easy to follow once explained. You can print the list, or export the shots to HTML. The tabs at the top of the page break down the findings into Registry, files, and applications for easier comparison.

Because it deals with Registry info, we only recommend SysTracer for more experienced users, but it's a great tool for keeping track of changes to your computer's files.