14 DAY TRIAL // We all get upset when our computer runs slow. Some of us are aware of the fact that, at some point, our machine is not running properly. The OS (Operating System) takes longer time to load and the whole computer runs as if "tired". You think of upgrading it and add some heavy gear, but it really needs a good wash of the "filth" that clogs it.
The truth is that the longer you use your OS, the slower it'll get. But Ashampoo provides us with a tool to maintain it nice and clean. The Ashampoo team presents us Ashampoo Uninstaller Platinum 2, a software that costs $49.99. I am curious to see if it is worth the money.
As all Ashampoo softwares, this one too has an interface the competition will surely envy. They have made an obsession out of making super good-looking softwares. And I say that with the deepest respect for their work. The buttons and tools are displayed in order, first the menu bar, then the toolsbar, submenus and their options.
Some of you may be already used to Ashampoo's double mode softwares. Their Platinum uninstaller makes no exception and the user has the option of choosing between Easy Mode and Expert Mode, according to their level. The latter of course, has more options than the Easy Mode.
I'll skip directly to the submenus, as they are the most important and most used. The first submenu is Start; you may not see its name, but it is the first window of the software. The options in here are Install new applications, Uninstall logged programs and Remove installed applications on the left side of the window and Check shortcuts, Search for empty folders, Manage Windows services, Manage IE Add-ons, Find and delete redundant files and Find and delete temporary files in the right side.
One would think that the software could offer nothing more, but keep reading, and you will realize the full capacity of the application.
In the selections section, the user can delete the registry keys that are invalid and even add new keys. The Drives tab allows you to exclude the files you want from the actions of the software. There is a file-tree on the left and the files of the selected folders on the right. Right-click the files to exclude them. In the System Files tab, the user can exclude individual selections in INI files.
Log Files is the one tab most users are looking for. It will provide you with the installed programs on your computer and will uninstall them at your request. It contains the following options: Available Log Files (displays every program or update installed on your computer), Changes in Registry, File Changes and System File Changes.
All these options I mentioned above should be handled with care, as they are not for everybody to fiddle with, especially the registry editing section.
Sometimes, after uninstalling a software, it will leave some traces on your machine and some of these traces include missing shortcuts. Ashampoo Uninstaller Platinum 2 will check for those "broken links" and it will allow you to delete them. The locations the software will check include the Start Menu and Qiuckstart (the options are user configurable).
Your hard drive may contain some folders that are empty. This is the effect of a incomplete uninstall and it will influence the performance of your PC, so select all those empty folders and delete them; most of them will be located in the Program Files folder. You can configure this tool to skip the hidden folders, write protected ones, system folders or backup and the drives to search in.
Windows Services option will display all the services of your Windows OS, their state and a brief description of the activity. Make some order in here and deactivate the services you do not really need.
The IE add-ons are sometimes a blessing and other times are just a pain. Due to the respective function of the program, you can see all the IE plug-ins and add-ons and activate/deactivate or even delete them. This feature provides the same results as seeking in the registry, but the difference is that - with this software - you can perform an easier edit.
There are some users out there who have a huge "collection" of gigabytes on their computer (I admit I fit perfectly into this category) and it is impossible to remember all the files stored on your hdd. And it happens sometimes to store the same file twice or thrice. What can you do? You can use the duplicate files finder in this utility and delete the unnecessary files. I was amazed of how much disk space I recovered after scanning my computer for duplicate files.
The software is capable of processing 50.000 files in 3.000 folders on up to five hard disks in a few seconds. You can search the files by extension, name/size/content (very accurate, but slower processing) or name/size/date (less accurate, but faster processing). You will be stunned even if you are certain that there are no duplicates stored by yourself. The Windows and the Program Files folders are just clogged with small items that slow down your computer's performance.
Temporary files are just a nuisance, they occupy your disk space and they are absolutely useless at the end of the day, so you'd better think of getting rid of them.
I will stop here with my review of the software, with the regret that I haven't presented you the full capacity of the application; but hey? I do not want to spoil your surprise.
The Good
As I've said before, the interface is just great. The utility of the software is not questionable at all, and so is its functionality. The suite is absolutely grandiose and it offers almost everything you need to give your computer a healthy "pep talk".
The Bad
I wanted to leave this section blank, but I am forced to say something. In the Find and Delete Duplicate Files option, the user has to manually delete the redundant files, and if you have some 300 duplicates, then you'll grow another hand until the computer is absolutely clean. I know that it is pretty difficult to include a tool to erase the duplicates, but it is absolutely necessary (you can add some time or date related filters).
Again, I found some German notes, not in the software's menus and options this time, but in the help file.
The Truth
Despite the above-mentioned bad stuff, the software is worth giving a try. Especially when the developer offers you a registration key that extends the trial period to 40 days. Even though I'm a "scrooge", I am actually tempted to buy the software.
Here are some snapshots of the application in action:
