14 DAY TRIAL // Cleaning tools, tuning tools, file tools and tweaking tools. They are all for your computer. They are newer then ever as they are only a couple of days old. And they come with Windows Vista compatibility for both 32 and 64 bits versions. It is the new WinOptimizer from Ashampoo. This product is just getting better and better with each edition they launch.
Ashampoo team made quite a few changes in the latest release of WinOptimizer. For starters, the product is no longer called Platinum like its predecessor and just like the third Platinum release, the price is $49.99. But there are a few advantages you can profit from in the 4th edition, like the new and improved interface and the adding of new and useful modules. As you may know, Ashampoo's marketing strategy is very aggressive and once registered with them you will get all the offers they have for the products. Once in a while, the offer is irresistible and the prices go wild on the down side.
The skinned interface WinOptimizer is wrapped in gives you fast access to all the tools included in the software. Ergonomic is what they call it and it applies perfectly to this product. Every option running down on the left side of the application window is presented in large letters and the contents of each menu is displayed vertically on the right.
At a first glance, one would not tell that WinOptimizer 4 is filled with very potent features and options as there are only four main menus (nothing changed since version 3). However, the four elements on the right will cover about everything in what concerns keeping your computer in great shape.
Drive Cleaner in Cleaning Tools will scan your computer for unnecessary files and garbage that may be stored on your hard disk(s). The Settings menu available in here allows you to select the drives to scan, select the areas you want to clean (temporary files, recent documents shortcuts, files created by check disk program etc.). A separate option lets the customer enable or disable deleting the write-protected files on your computer. Exceptions tab is flexible enough to let you add files or folders that you do not want to be removed.
When putting the Registry Cleaner to work I advise you to close as many programs as possible. In fact, you should close all the programs the moment you start using WinOptimizer 4 as the files that are in use may be from a temporary folder and the software will not be able to eliminate them. The scanning of the registry entries will not take long in the case of a well maintained computer and you will be displayed with the items that have been sentenced to removal and you can check for false positives and select what you want to be deleted.
So that you don't make any mistake and cause instability of the system, WinOptimizer will automatically backup the registry before deletion. This can be sent from the Backups option displayed in the General panel in the top right hand side. The sections that are scanned for invalid entries in the registry are File Formats COM/AOLE/ActiveX, Shared files, Fonts, System Sounds, Help Files, Application Paths, Icons, Explorer MRU Lists, Empty "Open With" Entries and Windows History.
Internet Cleaner will remove any data related to Internet browsing with Internet Explorer, Firefox and Opera. Browser cache, cookies and history will be removed. The option of selecting what items to delete is available (very useful if you do not want to delete all the cookies and keep some of the history files).
Tuning Tools brings two new functions besides the Startup Tuner, IP Spam Blocker and Windows Functions (now called Windows Standard Tools). These are the Process Manager and Internet Tuner. The first of the two novelties introduced in WinOptimizer 4 is particularly interesting and useful as it will display all the processes that are currently running on your machine. More than that, it will also tell you what application it runs belongs to. Internet Tuner will optimize the connection for maximum performance. Dial-up connections and cable modems are the types of connection targeted by this option.
Startup tuner module shows the user the programs that are started automatically with Windows. Some of the items like protection related applications (like virus scanners or firewalls) should always be present and enabled in the list. Others are simply using the computer memory for nothing as they are used only once in a while. Disabling some of the unnecessary processes results in a faster computer. Additionally, this module also deals with managing the softwares present in Add or Remove Programs, some Windows services managing and IE plugins. Everything you delete in this module will be placed in the Backup folder of the software so you can later undo the operation if the computer fails to load something unless that process or application is available.
Windows Standard Tools module shelters the same options as in the previous release of WinOptimizer: Scandisk (improves system stability by correcting the problems caused by power failures or system crashes), Defrag (prevents your computer from turning into a slug) which is also present in Tweaking Tools module (only it is called Defrag 2 and is compatible with Vista running systems), and System Restore (the native XP utility provided by Microsoft).
A new addition has been included in File Tools module also, and the File Encrypter and Decrypter gives you the chance to a better protection of your files (they are encrypted with a key and the files are encrypted using the Blowfish algorithm - works fine with long passwords).
All the other options available are the same. Disk Explorer enables the user to find out how the files on your computer occupy the HDD space (WinOptimizer will scan your computer for a set of predefined extensions, but you can also add some of your own in a personal group).
File Wiper securely erases the data on your machine by using one of the three wiping methods available: Standard with 3 overwrite passes, Gutmann with 35 overwrite passes (my favorite, but it will take the longest) and Military Standard DoD 5220.22M with 7 overwrite passes (the best compromise between security and duration).
File Splitter and Joiner performs a regular split and join operation. It is particularly useful when you want to send large files over the Internet. There are predefined sizes (1.44MB, 100MB, 650MB and 700MB) but the user can also define a custom size. The downside of the activity is that you cannot specify the path where the split bits should be saved and there is no estimating time left displayed.
Tweaking module is one of the best parts of WinOptimizer 4 as it includes a System Benchmark utility that allows comparison and ranking of your system performances. The process does not take long and the results may influence your decision about investing some money into upgrades or not.
Another brand new option available in this module is the Visual Styler - a quick shortcut for changing the icons of your drives and explorer. More then this, you can also set a transparency level of the windows of different applications (to add some of your own programs you will need a special application that will tell you the class name of the application you want you tweak). The drawback is that if you want to close the Visual Styler window without applying any changes (there is no Cancel button available) it will be minimized to system tray.
System Information provides the user with useful information about the most important hardware installed on the machine: CPU and Mainboard. Graphics card and monitor are also available, together with Network Information (computer name, domain if available, IP address or MAC address) and USB connected devices, hosts and hubs.
Less experienced users will be glad to hear that the One Click Optimization is preserved and it can operate a full PC optimization if the default settings of the modules are preserved. And to make it more accessible (it is also present at the bottom of the application window, right in the middle) you have the chance of putting the button on the desktop and, every time you click it, it will run the default settings of the modules.
The Good
Very good improvements have been made since the last version and the new features added in the modules will concert into getting more information about your PC, managing the installed applications as well as their processes, improve the connection to the Internet, protect your data or tweak the way your Windows looks and feels.
Hints and explanations are present all over the software and you will always know how a certain option will affect your computer.
The Bad
WinOptimizer 4 has been cleansed pretty well of the German input of terms. However, there still are some traces and the second option in the Help menu is a proof that the application was not thoroughly checked before release to the general public.
The nagging lack of a Cancel button in Visual Styler and the fact that it minimizes to system tray instead of closing makes me think that haste was maximum towards the end of the building.
The Truth
Very good application for the average user that wants to keep the computer in tip top shape clean and fast.
Considering the number of tools provided and the effect on the computer after the optimization I would say that the price is adequate.
Here are some snapshots of the application in action:
