Installed fine on Windows 7 3 bit and then said there's an upgrade available (9.7). Downloaded that and it upgraded still as a licensed copy.

Adrian  –  14 years ago  –  Ritieni questo commento utile? sì | no (+105)

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this is winutilities pro 9.6
the latest version is 9.7
according to cnet, this software has got 4/5 stars in user ratings and it is the 4th most downloaded system utility there.
the difference between 9.6 and 9.7


What's new in this version:
Version 9.7 has improved duplicate file finder module and undelete module.


ashraf has written an article about previous versions here: http://dottech.org/gotdreviews/13850

final score:8
quick verdict, two thumbs up :)
he has said that in short, winutilities is a jack of all trades but master of none. he also points out that if you leave out the convenience factor, standalone specialised softwares always do a better job than these suites.
but the choice is up to you.

i think you can give this a try if you want to, especially when its free!

PSK  –  14 years ago  –  Ritieni questo commento utile? sì | no (+88)

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installed OK on win7 x64, prompted me to upgrade to 9.7, upgraded and am still licensed as per post #2. why not just have 9.7 in the setup.exe?

beware the dreaded ASK toolbar is infesting both the giveaway of the day and the update from the vendor and is installed by default. you CAN untick the box and install it without accepting the 'license agreement' and accompanying toolbar.which is for the ask toolbar. note the utility package. also not the check boxes in the final giveaway of the day window which offers to install yet another 'utility'.

if we accept all these 'free' toolbars, bing, ask, yahoo, etc. etc. ad nauseum, there would be no room on the screen to see anything else!

the default should be set to allow you to make a conscious decision to opt in, rather than relying on a tendency for overloaded users to hit the OK button by default before realising they have just infected themselves.

wayne k.  –  14 years ago  –  Ritieni questo commento utile? sì | no (+63)

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1st off a small caution installing WinUtilities Pro 9.6/9.7... Checked out & monitored in XP Pro SP3 32, installation put 2 files in Windows' system folder that it shouldn't, plus added & registered with Windows 2 files that might cause problems with ATI's Catalyst Control Center [part of their driver setup]. The commonly used file: gdiplus.dll, is present (in several different versions) in 61 program folders on this PC -- by adding a copy to the system folder (which by default gets precedence or priority) rather than the WinUtilities folder, that's 61 apps that potentially now have a problem. The file: unicows.dll, also copied to the system folder, is already present (again different versions) in 30 program folders on this system. Newer versions of 2 files also added to Windows' system folder: wbhelp2.dll & wbocx.ocx, are installed with ATI's graphics driver as part of their Catalyst Control Center app. Those 4 files installed as they are do not guarantee problems, but the potential for bugs cropping up in other, previously installed apps is there -- myself, I elected to move the 1st 2 into WinUtilities' program folder, & use the newer ATI versions of the other 2. Including those 4 files, setup.exe includes 25 files for Windows' system folder, & 23 are older than current XP versions, though it did not overwrite any existing files for me. InstallWatch Pro reports 805 registry entries added, 92 updated [modified]. A portable version is available in the developers' forum [http://www.ylcomputing.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=3], though by portable they mean no install needed -- not that it won't write to the registry -- & monitoring today's GOTD install showed several entries modified that were originally created by the portable version.

With that out of the way, I think utility suites, like WinUtilities, belong in the *As Seen On TV* category -- NOT that they don't work, but for the promises marketing makes. ;-) As a reality check, please remember that for every user running one of these utilities [or utility suites], there are millions (perhaps billions) who don't & are perfectly happy that way [or as happy as one can be with their PC/laptop] ;-). WinUtilities includes something for everyone, from the relative novice who wants a one-click fix to optimize/enhance/repair their PC/laptop, to more experienced users wanting to monitor processes. As long as you can & are willing to reinstall a disk/partition image backup [& as long as they don't include mal-ware], like most all software there's no danger to even the most inexperienced users, & WinUtilities might help -- it does work & can fix &/or optimize things. The chief danger, as reported often enough on GOTD, is that in using the Registry &/or Disk Cleaners, &/or the Duplicate Files Finder, you'll delete something that your installed software [including Windows] needs.

Disk Defrag is as useful as most other defragging software -- they pretty much all use the same Windows api, the difference being how or if they relocate files or folders to the faster portions of your hard drive. Likewise there are several alternatives to Startup Cleaner, the best known perhaps being AutoRuns from SysInternals [part of Microsoft], which remove or relocate registry entries &/or shortcuts in the Start Menu's Startup folder -- most of any difference is in the GUI, as deleting/moving a registry entry or shortcut happens the same, whether you do it manually or using software. Personally I find myself more often changing services a program added, from automatic to manual, so it starts when/if needed rather than all the time. Apps like the History Cleaner are good, If you don't use things like the Last Opened list in your apps, or the recently used program list in the Start Menu. Memory optimizers *should* be useless, but as some users always point out, with some [probably poorly written or broken] apps they help. Before you use Registry Backup, there are 2 things you need to know -- in Vista & 7 you're better off using System Restore, because both OSes store the current state in more places than just the registry, And, always ask yourself: "what happens if Windows won't start"? The 1st can cause you grief, but the 2nd is by far the more serious. You can check out ERUNT, which can restore the registry from a command prompt [read the docs that come with it], but directly to the point, realize that every time the registry's changed there's a definite possibility that Windows won't start -- DON"T assume that since you used Registry Backup&Restore you're covered no matter what you do.

In a nutshell, if you can deal with the potential installation issues [1st paragraph], I don't see any real problems with using WinUtilities, assuming you like/want/need one or more of the features included. It's often commented that you can do better with individual software tools, & since that's what I normally do, I can't fairly say how WinUtilities ranks compared to similar utility suites on the market, but as a fairly complete package that's been around a while, I will say you could do worse.

mike  –  14 years ago  –  Ritieni questo commento utile? sì | no (+50)

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I've used this for a long time now and while it may not be the most in depth program of its kind, I consider it fairly safe for the average user. There is little harm to be done with Win Utilities, but bear in mind that back ups are essential, no matter how easy it all appears.

Be careful not to click through the installation blindly unless you're desperate to get the Ask toolbar (ugh!) taking over your browser and your homepage. While I understand the economics of this to the developer, I have to question the morality. They are well aware that many people do not look to closely at anything when installing a program.

Hamtey  –  14 years ago  –  Ritieni questo commento utile? sì | no (+45)

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