Superman in a box

A program that could (get ready for this): clean my system, eliminate spyware, recover deleted files and other data, rescue data from system crashes, protect against identity theft, securely wipe out data from my drives, fix system errors, speed up Internet access, recover from disaster, clean up system clutter, defrag memory, optimize the registry, block Web popups, set up scheduled maintenance, repair Windows security flaws, stop dangerous programs from starting, make Windows boot faster AND uninstall or relocate any program.

Has Doomsday finally come?

From what System Mechanic claims, this program could very well be the silver bullet to any computer out there. What is this Superman in code form? There's no possible way for a measly program to pull off all these tasks successfully and thoroughly is there? Well, let's find out.

System Mechanic is undoubtedly a very eager program

The installation seemed to have gone fairly well had it not been for the incompatibility issues with another anti-spyware program that I had on my computer. So, with much dismay, I had to uninstall my previous program to make way for the newer, better and heftier System mechanic.

A couple of restarts later, I start pushing buttons to see if this is indeed a new super-tool or super-dud.

I don't want to pay the $70 activation and registration fee just yet, so I skip past the startup screen and get started. Apparently my computer is in terrible shape. My "Clutter" condition is 'POOR', my computer "Speed" is 'POOR', my computer "Safety" and "Fitness" are both in 'POOR' condition as well.

The only descent thing that I've done is kept up with my "Updates" (thank God for automatic updates). Since that is my only 'GOOD' rating, I am sadly disappointed to find out that I have not kept my computer up to the stringent standards that System Mechanic has set.

Luckily, I can get a complete analysis of every scan that it does on nearly every aspect of my PC.

Since my computer is in pitiful shape, System mechanic highly recommends that I proceed by running the TotalCare tool which essentially fixes my system right up. But I choose to stay away from that little tool since I want to dissect this program bit by bit to see if it actually performs to my own rigorous standards.

The Cleansing takes place

Starting off with the Clutter Category, I choose the option of a deep clean to see how much space I can re-allocate and save. I move on to the Comprehensive Accelerator to increase computer speed (while skipping the deep defragmentation option to save myself some time).

I then perform Safety Optimizations to ensure I have a safe and properly working machine.

This includes: Repairing HD problems, Fixing Registry Errors and Eliminating potentially dangerous Spyware on my machine. Basically, this tool will use its specified options to find and fix any system problems to eliminate crashes and potential data loss, thus resulting in improved PC reliability and stability.

A noteworthy comment would have to be that I've been waiting a whole 15 minutes for this test to finish and it keeps on telling me that it only has "1 sec. left."

So I try to cancel the search for a missing shortcut because I honestly don't think it's that important to find. But canceling a simple operation seems quite a difficult task for the super program.

After a complete restart, I take a look at how effective System mechanic has been to my so called "poor" PC.

First of all, I notice that not everything has been brought up to "GOOD" standards. This is a slight shock since I ran every test conceivable and my system has not been brought up to the correct standards that System mechanic has promised.

Upon further investigation, I noticed that the only "POOR" grade I'm receiving is with my computer's Speed and my computer's Safety. A reason I will attribute to the fact that I have no active firewall enabled. But I'm still curious - why my computer's speed is only a mere "FAIR" instead of a fantastic "GOOD"?

Internet Configurations, Windows Startup, disk defragmenter and my memory levels have all been optimized for maximum performance, yet my computer receives a score of "POOR" after every possible optimization. I guess My PC just isn't made for speed.

A little bit of Truth and Kryptonite

This program offers numerous services that are combined into one application instead of being spread around your computer. For the professional user who knows his system, this program might be worth it if you don't want to deal with going to each and every application, so it saves time.

The Good

The interface is pleasant, aesthetic and easy enough to use, no matter how much you know about computers. As for the true effectiveness of the program, it's not too shabby. Missing shortcuts are magically fixed, and it's quite good in getting rid of software that lacks the uninstall utility. It prevents sneaky startup applications with its very own Startup Guard.

The Bad

There's no real improvement in speed of connection OR the speed of your computer. Given that although my very own PC was in 'POOR' shape, I still manage to keep it clear of too much clutter.

You have to uninstall prior and personalized antivirus and firewalls that you might have to enable System Mechanic to run its own.

The Truth

For advanced users who like to have their system run their own way and do exactly what they want, this program might not agree with you. From user reviews on the net, I've noticed that users might even have problems with their registry after installing this program.

For those of you who don't really care about the little intricacies of your system, but do care enough to have it run cleanly, quickly and without viruses or adware, then this program is worth a download and a trial period.

Give it a shot and if you do in fact like it, crank out the $70.00. I myself like to manage my own system in my way, but I do recommend System Mechanic for those who either don't have time or don't want to micro-manage. It's a good all-around program.

Check out some screenshots below