System Optimization All-Around - Customize Windows

very good
key review info
application features
  • One-Click Optimizer
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Customize Windows

This module gathers several Windows settings under the same roof, which makes for a more comfortable way to tweak the operating system than accessing them through different areas in Windows.

The most options-rich entry in the stack is “Tweaking”. As the default Windows configuration is designed to cover the needs of a wide range of users, this screen offers you the chance to configure Windows according to your needs.

The myriad options available in this sense affect the logon screen and the way you log into your account, peripherals like mouse and keyboard, as well as the drives available to the operating system, several general system tweaks, desktop configuration and even Windows Explorer.

If you run Ashampoo WinOptimizer on Windows XP you will be able to change the logon screen. However, for OSs higher than XP you’ll be able to enable automatic login, define a welcome message or change the options shown in the logon screen.

One interesting option affecting the way the mouse functions is window tracking. You’ll find it under “Devices” menu and its purpose is to automatically activate application windows on the desktop as soon as you move the mouse pointer over them. It will not bring the screen into the foreground, though, as there is a separate options for this; but you’ll be able to perform tasks such as scrolling or typing in a field despite the fact that the window is not in the foreground. The option is activated once explorer.exe is restarted, which Ashampoo WinOptimizer does automatically after you apply the setting.

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On the downside, this option may not work properly in some cases unless you also enable bringing activated window to the foreground. One negative example would be accessing the notification area in Windows 7.

“Tweaking” also includes the possibility to hide specific drives in Windows Explorer. Once you apply this for the volumes you pick they will not be visible in Windows’ file manager. However, they are visible from Disk Management applet as well as from other operating system.

For security reasons it is best to keep autostart option disabled, and the developers from Ashampoo know this. As such, they offer the possibility to select the drives you want to deny autostart function for an application they store.

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Also security-related is the option to disable certain functions, such as the “Properties” entry in the desktop context menu, or certain menus in Control Panel.

Additional system customization regards areas like the taskbar, relate to Aero interface or the display of specific items on the desktop (Administrative Tools, My Computer, Network Connections, Recycle Bin). Furthermore, Ashampoo WinOptimizer offers a quick way to handle UAC settings, personalize Windows appearance and functionality (adjust Superfetch, toggle hibernation o/off).

AntiSpy” section of Windows customization module lets you control the way applications installed on the system send information about your computer usage. The details vary from all sorts of reports about the way said programs run to user behavior.

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Keeping this in mind, “AntiSpy” brings settings that help you preserve your privacy and security by cutting off communication channels between software on your computer and its developer. However, in the case of services the risky items affected by the feature are actually pretty important ones: error reporting, Windows updates and Windows time.

Moreover, the built-in remote access functionality in Windows can be turned off, just like Administrative Network Shares. This way you can eliminate some of the ways someone can take a peek into your computer.

“AntiSpy” component does not ensure full protection against prying eyes, but it merely plugs some easy-access holes. Its functionality does not extend too far.

Further customization of Windows continues with applications that permit you to handle file association and personalize the context menu or save the position of the icons on the desktop and restore it later.

The File Associator included is useful especially to Windows XP users, since Windows 7 brings such an utility itself. But the difference consists in the fact that Ashampoo WinOptimizer also lists broken associations, giving you a chance to eliminate broken entries. These are displayed in red, but you can also change the view so that only specific file types are shown or just the faulty ones.

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The Context Menu Manager offers you full control over the menus available at right-clicking the desktop, a file or a folder. The display of the entries can be customized to show only Windows specific ones or menus pertaining to other software. Either way, your options in this screen resume to enabling or disabling a menu entry.

Worth mentioning is the fact that neither the context menu manager nor the file associator support multiple selection of the entries. This can be quite cumbersome and time consuming if you have plenty of entries to handle.

Icon Saver” is the last customization tool in the module and its purpose is simple: record the position of the icons on the desktop and restore them after any sort of disturbance. All the snapshots are available in a single, easy-to-handle screen, which also informs of the amount of entries involved.

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As a general trait of the entire module, it seems like reverting one of the modifications to the initial state does a bit more than expected. In our case, when we used the “Set to default” function some of the tweaking we made without the help of the suite was also affected, such as UAC settings and the way Action Center displays messages.

Maintain System and Improve Performance-BACK | NEXT-Analyze System, File Tools and Conclusions

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


final rating 4
Editor's review
very good
 
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