Why Use More Than Just One System Optimizer?

very good
key review info
application features
  • Disk and Registry cleaners
  • (4 more, see all...)

No matter if it's summer or winter, raining or a sandstorm, your computer must be in top shape all the time, clean and running smoothly. I am not talking about temperatures and hardware monitoring now, but there still exists an optimization problem. What might that be?

Cleaning and tweaking Windows operating systems, because this is what I am talking about, could cause a lot of trouble: it is time consuming, often requires you to run much more than just one program and may even need user intervention to be done the right way. Of course that, for a beginner, cleaning and fixing the registry, removing the temporary files, uninstalling programs or diagnosing DirectX problems can be really painful tasks, and often something "out of this world".

The solutions for maintaining your operating system are one click away and considering there are so many around...which one should we choose? Well, basically, the problem gets down to power, ease of use and features.

There are a lot of powerful registry cleaners or disk defragmenters around, but there aren't so many all-in-one tools. I am talking about good all-in-one tools, not nice programs only that claim to be one.

What's the difference between a good all-in-one cleaning and optimizing tool and a poser? My answer is very simple: when you got a good tool at your disposal, you don't need anything else to help you complete daily maintenance tasks and occasional cleaning ones. If today's tool, Advanced Windows Optimizer 5.1 is such a tool,then that's what we should see next...

The installation kit is very small, only 3MB, when thinking about the features found in this program. The setup process is easy and doesn't ask you any troublesome questions. Once you start the program, you can notice that there are six main tool areas waiting for you inside a well done and pleasant interface.

First tool area is dedicated to the System Cleaners and has four functions: disk, registry and history cleaners, accompanied by a task scheduler.

The Disk Cleaner helps you get rid of the junk files, the Registry Cleaner takes care of the invalid entries and references from the Windows Registry and the History Cleaner erases all your Internet browsing tracks. The Task Scheduler can automatically run tasks from this application or external programs.

Next, we have the System Optimizers, a family with only three members. I was expecting to find some other tools than these present here, but those will pop up later...

The tools present here are the Duplicate Files Finder, Shortcuts Fixer and the Memory Optimizer. Before we move on, I have to tell you a few words about the last one.

AWO Memory Optimizer is a tool that has four areas available. First two display usage graphs and real time statistics for memory and CPU, while the others contain the settings for the optimization process and the program (you can load the Memory Optimizer when the system boots up or enable clipboard data clearing in order to free more memory).

Third tool area is about System Control. The tool with the same name is the first one and helps you view and edit the configuration files, change OEM information, view and run installed Control Panel applets and more.

The BHO Remover can remove Browser Help Objects installed on your computer, while the Startup Cleaner can add, view, edit and remove all items ran at startup, no matter if they are run from the Windows Registry or from the Win.ini file.

The AWO Auto Shutdown has a name that says it all, so prepare yourselves for the next stop: System Tools.

First, we have a well done process manager, then the Uninstall Manager. The third tool is entitled System Information and can give detailed information about the software and hardware present on your computer.

At last, the Windows Tools is a place where you can startup most important system tools built into Windows. The Registry Editor, Disk Defragmenter or DirectX Diagnostic Tool are just three examples of what you can find here.

I'll pass through the Registry Tools fast, because there are only two of them here: Registry Backup and Registry Search, and their purpose is obvious.

The last main tool area is called File Tools. The File Shredder allows you to securely delete files, and has two team mates: the File Splitter and the EXE Protector. Of course that they are used for splitting files into smaller pieces and protecting executable files from unwanted users, adding password based access to them.

This is Advanced Windows Optimizer 5.1. Take it or leave it, but at least give it a chance and try it, it's not perfect, but I think it can be called "very good" without mistaking.

The Good

AWO is a fast, small and easy to use power horse for your system's daily needs. It can even use skins if you don't like the way it looks, and performs wonderfully.

The Bad

I couldn't find any video tweaks into this program. I also missed a font management tool, but you can't have everything , after all. I hope the future versions will bring these and other useful features too.

The Truth

AWO is a program that you must try, and, if you like it, go and buy it. It can replace a bunch of individual applications and it has a good price. Go ahead and try it, it doesn't bite, and my system is still working, so don't be afraid!

Here are some snapshots of the application in action:

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user interface 5
features 4
ease of use 5
pricing / value 3


final rating 4
Editor's review
very good
 
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