I know zip about computers. I’m on my 2nd PC and I’ve been using them for a dozen years, but I’ve done very little reading in the manuals and have had no training on their use. If I encounter a problem I usually try restart, if that doesn’t work I’ll muddle around until I get it to work right again.
I keep getting these offers to buy “Tuneup Utilities”. Now I’ve got an offer to buy the '08 version for $39.95 ($10.00 off). It sounds great, but I’ve been burned before. So give me your opinion, would I benefit from this?
Here are the “Highights” of the program:
Boosts system performance by defragmenting hard drives
Identifies and deletes non-required files
Deactivates unused Windows functions
Effortlessly solves common computer and display problems
Offers more than 400 options to customize Windows
Analyzes the file system and corrects errors
Performs maintenance functions with a single click
I’m an “IT Professional” and I use it. I even bought it! (it’ll run for free forever, but every day it adds a lot more seconds on to its nag screen) I have the paid version on my work-at-home machine and the free version on my media center and laptop machines.
I recommend it to people here all the time who are complaining of “slowness” because of too much junk. It’s definitely not scam-ware.
I don’t know that it’s supposed to FIX things, it just is a good program to run to keep things running smoothly. It’s not an anti-virus program or a spyware finder/remover. It’s sort of like Jiffy Lube for your computer - not going to rebuild your transmission but if you make regular visits it’ll keep the thing running right, and perhaps recommend you change the wiper blades every so often.
Ha! While writing this post I got a message that popped up saying tune-up.com sent me a newsletter
I haven’t used, or even heard of it But let’s look at what it purports to do:
Boosts system performance by defragmenting hard drives: Defragging isn’t really necessary anymore. Even so, Windows already does this on its own.
Identifies and deletes non-required files: Okay. Not useless, but HD space is cheap.
Deactivates unused Windows functions: grc.com has free utilities to do this for the dangerous Windows apps, like Messenger.
Effortlessly solves common computer and display problems: Coudn’t really speak to this one.
Offers more than 400 options to customize Windows: I’d need to know what those are. My guess is that you can find freeware to do nearly anything that they’re charging you to do, though.
Analyzes the file system and corrects errors: Again, Windows comes with things to do this.
Performs maintenance functions with a single click: Such as?
I’ve only tried Tune-up on a magazine DVD trial, but it seems fine to me. However a lot of its functions are available in freeware non-nagging applications. For example
ccleaner gets rid of much of the junk files that your PC accumulates.
TweakUI lets you customize Windows to your hearts content.
And you can defrag your drives and disable unwanted services natively in Windows.
FYI, the Windows internal defragging tool is a limited version of this commercial product. There are other commercial defragging tools that will perform better, and cost less.
