14 DAY TRIAL // Additional options, tools and configuration can be found if you elevate the skill level a notch and go for the intermediate interface. There is an increased line-up of modules with a stepped-up number of tools and instruments ready to assist you in cleaning the PC of unwanted junk, tuning it into a better shape or simply taking care of the data on the system properly either by shredding it, encrypting it or backing it up both locally as well as online.
Although there is a wider palette of choices, the Intermediate Mode does not step up with too many configuration settings to deal with. Everything is already set up and waiting for your touch. The elements of the Novice mode are, of course, integrated so you've got nothing to lose, only to gain.
Security, Tune-Up, File Storage and Network are the four modules present in this interface. They come with more tools and options to play with, in tone with the elevated skill level of the user. The dashboard section presents the state of the system and of the modules, providing you with alerts for issues requiring your attention.
Under Security you will notice that there are two types of scan, one for “My Documents” area and a more pervasive one that covers the entire system. An addition is the vulnerability scan, which checks for critical and optional Windows updates, various application updates and the strength of Windows Accounts passwords.
The status of this module, however, will show options for tracking instruments of Advanced mode such as firewall, antispam, identity control, antiphishing and parental control. All these can be set up and tinkered with from the Advanced mode interface.
Getting the best performance possible out of your computer is achievable under the Tune-Up module. The intermediate level makes available a registry cleaner, file shredder, PC cleanup tool, a duplicate finder and a file defragger. Needless to say that the Recycle Bin auto-emptying issue persists here as well and sticks with all the enumerated tools.
The registry cleaner present in the suite is nothing special and there is absolutely no user input with regard to selecting the areas to be scanned for invalid or unneeded entries. It'll start the scan almost right off, but not before explaining you the actions it is going to take. We tested it on a pretty clean machine, where it detected quite a few good-to-remove entries (as expected), but given the fact that other tools of the same kind found much more debris the instrument has not quite fully convinced us of its capabilities. In our case the app detected multiple DLL files in the SharedDLL section, which can be pretty important, given that those files are used by multiple software installed on the computer and removing one of them that is needed by an app would lead to its malfunctioning.
A safety net is created right before getting rid of all the registry entries sentenced to oblivion as the tool will create a backup file for you to restore in case something goes wrong. Should something not function properly afterwards you can restore the deleted elements with a click of the mouse.
As for the file shredder, it will do the job and make all the data that passes through its “stomach” unrecoverable. Actually, you will be able to get the data back with a file undeleter, but it won't be worth a thing because the shredder messes with its content. So even if you manage to “revive” a shredded file you won't be able to view its content; and this is enough proof that the tool does its job.
The overall downside of this module is that, regardless of the instrument you decide to use, as soon as you close it your Recycle Bin will be immediately purged.
File Storage is up next on the list and here everything worked great. BitDefender Total Security 2010 comes with options for backing up your data and securing it in an encrypted vault. Irrespective of the tool you choose, making your way through is piece of cake as the guiding wizards offer all the info and explanations you need to carry out a job.
Vaulting data up requires the creation of a safe storage location that can be of any size you want (as long as it does not exceed the amount of available free space, of course). Once you get it done it'll act as an actual data vault that can be mounted as a virtual drive for accessing the data in it. The combination to the safe is set by you and is required for opening.
Flexibility in this case is injected through the menus created in Windows Explorer context menu and which allow for creating new vaults, locking them up or adding data to them if they are already opened. All options are at hand and easy to understand so no user should have a hard time with them.
Managing the security solutions on each computer in a home network is a tedious routine for any administrator. Getting yourself a BitDefender product on the LAN machines and having BitDefender Total Security on one of them will cut a few steps off the updating and managing job. The Network section practically scans the LAN looking for BitDefender solutions and allows you to start scan and update procedures from a single computer.
All there is to it is adding the BitDefender-secured systems to the network and that is it. You are ready to scan all of them at once (System Scan, Deep System Scan and My Documents Scan are the options available) or update them. It is a pretty simple and useful feature that reduces a lot the time required to maintain the security of the LAN PCs up to date.
