key review info
application features
- Overall system optimization options
- (3 more, see all...)
- Detailed and accurate system detection
- Powerful cleaning fun
- Effective system maintenance
After making all the settings for optimizing the system in order to work at its best, you should take care that it functions at the highest pace possible and for this you are going to need some maintenance tools. As seen by now, Wopti Utilities suite provides the necessary instruments for maintaining the computer at the same performance level.
System Maintenance module is built of a disk checking utility, a disk defragmenter and a driver backup utility. All additional options refer to setting up the entire suite and consulting a log with all the actions initiated by the suite. This module is the thinest in options from all four of them, bringing only three options on the table.
Disk Doctor is built for solving problems in file allocation table, directory structure and file system issues. Using this utility does not involve too much effort from the user, as a simple selection of the desired drive and a press of the "Check" button will suffice for initiating the process. Disk Doctor can check multiple partitions at a time, but terminating the operation is available only under Windows 2000/2003 and XP.
Wopti's Disk Doctor will scan the drive, check its indexes and file system and will provide you with information on the total amount of space available, how much of it is in use by the system, the size of each allocation unit, number of allocation units on the disk, etc. Sure, all these details are for more experienced users' interpretation as an average one would need some time to understand what all the values stand for.
Configuring the Doctor is an easy job if you know what you are doing. It can be set to give a warning if it cannot verify the entire disk because it is in use by some other utility, or to automatically repair all encountered errors. Listing a detailed report can be enabled so that the user benefits from all gathered information during the checking phase.
Moving to more comprehensible utilities in the suite's maintenance module, disk defragmentation jumps in our way. You have to be warned from the start that this utility actually uses the same as the one in Windows, so it will not be of much help considering that there are much better alternatives on the market. If you used Windows Disk Defragmenter, then the options available in Wopti's Disk Defrag will seem very familiar. For defragging a drive, the same routines are followed and first the partition will be analyzed and a report will be displayed showing the amount of fragmented files. Next step is proceeding to the actual defragmentation process.
Among the additional options available in Wopti's utility, there is the possibility of running Disk Doctor before defragging and repair all possible errors or close the screensaver during defragmentation. The difference between Wopti's defragmenter and the one in Windows is that all the drives are included in the process and you can enable the poweroff of the computer after defrag completion.
Backing up the drivers on the system is a more and more common activity with a positive impact on the longterm, as it gives you the possibility of storing all drivers on the computer and, in case of system re-install, all you need to do is restore them with Wopti again. You no longer have to look for the original disks that came with the system. Although I suggest moving them from the default storing location, which is inside Wopti's installation directory.
Driver Backup utility works very nice, but on the downside I have to report that there is no way to select all detected drivers and performing this operation manually will definitely put a strain on your hand muscles. Sure, you can change view and take a look only at the items that are not included in Windows, backing up only drivers for specific hardware, like audio or graphic card and network adapters.
Other Settings section of System Maintenance module permits the user to protect the system from nasty ActiveX plugins. Wopti comes with a default list, but the great part is that you can also add some more. This way, the application will forbid the installation of user specified ActiveX items and immunize the system from the shady ones.
The functionality of this section extends to backing up system files or any other file on your computer for later restoration. However, backup and restore has a flaw. Although backing up all the files is successful, when it comes to restoring them the application seems to back down not performing the operation. Plus when backing up the files, only folders are displayed and when accessed they seem empty, leaving you with no choice but to add the path to the file manually.
If you want to access all backed up files, manual approach will be successful and going to the backup folder (located in application's installation directory) will do. Then, you can choose the desired files from there and manually restore them.
Access to the entire suite can be restricted by protecting it with a password of your choice, making it available only to authorized persons. Also, for those of you that need more personalization of the colors used in the interface, check out the UI Settings section under Other Settings of System Maintenance module. You should be able to modify the colors for the title bar, left side panel or of the active button and the frame of application screen. But it seems that this is yet another issue to be addressed, as changing the looks works only with the preset color schemes in the lower part of the dialog.
The last option in the list of Wopti Utilities is Log Viewer which is exactly what its name suggests: a "rap sheet" with all the actions initiated by the application. You benefit from brief reports which include the time and date of the action, as well as the action type. This way, you can keep a good tab on how Wopti affects your computer and the frequency of the activity.
Go to
System Information,
System Optimization,
System Cleaning
The Good
Wopti Utilities makes for a very good collection of instruments specially designed to permit the user to get a look inside the computer's components, assess the way they work or improve their functioning by following different hints. The suite also provides the necessary instruments for boosting up the overall performance of the system and maintaining it at high levels.
System Information brings the details you need about all the hardware and software installed on the system, at the same time providing the means for comparing your computer's power to different other systems and get a clue on how it ranks.
System Optimization provides an easy and effortless way to get your system to the configuration that best suits you and either tune it for performance or for best appearance. Either way, the process is completely automatic and you get to see the changes to be made.
System Cleaning takes care of all the junk files accumulated on the system, be it under the form of invalid registry entries or simply files you no longer need. Wopti Utilities brings a software uninstaller to make it easier to get rid of an application and after eliminating it to scan the system for left-overs and remove them.
System Maintenance allows backing up all the drivers on the currently available on the system and restoring them at a later time. The Log Viewer shows every activity initiated by the suite and the time and date it took place. Access to the configuration of all the elements in the suite can be protected by a user-defined password.
The Bad
Although on the outside there may seem that there is little wrong with the application, a closer look will bring forward some issues that need to be addressed in later editions, so that Wopti becomes a full-fledged utility belt for your computer.
Spelling mistakes are the least problem of the software although they are present in all the menus of the instruments made available in the suite. It seems like the developer was in a real hurry to translate all the options and functions, and as a result there are slips of the hand all over the interface.
Software uninstaller is present in two different areas and can be used in two different ways: the easiest way is to employ the one under System Information module, as all you have to do is select the software and click the "Uninstall" button for the process to start. The one under System Cleaning module is more pretentious and will make an analysis first and then allow you the use of the "Uninstall" button. Also, uninstall process is nothing more than what it is with Windows' uninstaller.
Internet search under System Information module is done on Baidu, which is extremely frustrating for non-Asian users, as there is no way to change the web search engine or change the language of Baidu from preferences menu.
File Encryption utility cannot be accessed in this version under no way (you are asked to download Wopti Utilities from developers page).
Hiding logical drives works only if you're using Windows Explorer, because at starting Total Commander, all hidden drives would be accessible and no restriction would be imposed upon using them.
Disk File Cleaner did not do too great of a job when it came to detecting duplicate files and failed to pinpoint some duplicates we had specially prepared for it and placed in two different folders. Also, there is no way to add custom file types to the list and you will have to make do with what is available.
Install Patch Cleaner refused to show its talents during our testing, despite all the half installations we did. At each analysis the screen was blank, on both Vista and XP.
Driver Backup under System Maintenance comes with no options for selecting all detected items in the list at once. The user has to manually select them all in case full driver backup is targeted. Disk Defrag of the same module has the same efficiency as Windows' Disk Defragmenter, but allows defrag of all the drives at once.
The Truth
Wopti utility belt is equipped with a myriad of tools specially tailored to provide the means for bringing the system to a faster run and make it keep that pace, but it has its bad apples as not every tool is in tip-top shape and functioning properly.
There are plenty of issues to be addressed and hopefully the problems will be taken care of by the time the next version hits the market. On the overall, the suite does a pretty good job, displaying details about your computer's hardware and retrieving details from internal sensors.
Also, most of the cleaning and maintenance instruments behave properly, but not in all their entirety, as some of them seem to pose problems either by not loading (see File Encryption under Security Optimization of the System Optimization module) or by not doing the best of jobs (duplicate hunter in disk cleaning sub menu of System Cleaning Module).
As for the wizards included in System Optimization, I suggest you take a good look at what settings are going to be modified and how, as you might not entirely agree with Wopti and a manual approach would be more to your taste.
There is a plethora of configuring to be done, but only in three of the modules, as the first one is dedicated to showing all hardware and software components of the system. And System Optimization is the most active modules, if you think of the number of options and functions available.
Bottom line is that the application still need to be revised, as there are plenty of glitches to be fixed and there is a lot of room for improvement, especially in the disk defragging, software uninstall and disk cleaning areas, but not only these. Wopti utilities is a work in progress and hopefully future versions will perfect its tools.
user interface 4
features 4
ease of use 4
pricing / value 4
final rating 4
Editor's review
very good
14 DAY TRIAL // 
