System Mechanic

[Smoky14]

Could I get your opinions on this program. I'm sure it has some benefits, but are there any similiar free programs out that will do just as good a job. I feel that a lot of the benefit of SM is the continual restarting of the OS and the dumping of temp files.
Thanks guys
Smoky

 

[Quest]

what OS are you using/referring to? What sort of PC is it (IBM? HP?Gateway?) and how long has it been in service for?

Lastly, what are you trying to achieve (with the use of System Mechanic?)

Q.

 

[ZZman]

It is a good program. However I like free ones.

Try Iobit Advanced System Care Free.

Here is something also: http://download.cnet.com/1770-20_4-0.html?query=system+mechanic&tag=srch&searchtype=downloads&filterName=platform%3DWindows&filter=platform%3DWindows

 

[Smoky14]

Sorry guys: Running XP Pro in a HP which is about 6yr old. Just running slow and tired, bit still working without problems.
I recently got off dialup to cable so now the computer is the slowest link in the chain.
Again thanks

 

[brandini]

It's [censored]. I've grown up on PCs, worked at CompUSA for 3.5 years, and all that program did was cause problems. You don't need a program to clear extra [censored] off a computer, here's what I do and have been doing to keep my PC fast & virus free:

-Run windows disk cleanup (don't compress files, just delete temp ones and such)
-Uninstall programs you don't use! (if it won't uninstall, don't fight it, just ignore it)
-if you're computer savvy, you can look at running windows services and startup programs by typing msconfig into the run window and unchecking stuff (ONLY 3RD PARTY STUFF) that you've uninstalled or don't use- NOT FOR THE NEWBIES OUT THERE!!! but if you spend some time googling, you can find out what's safe to uncheck
-Uninstall all antivirus & anti-spyware and use Kaspersky Internet Security, it is the only product consistently in the top 3 in reviews, can disinfect hard drives you're not booted to, and can actually defend itself from virus attacks
-in system preferences, set system restore to no more than 1000mb- any more is a waste- turn it off for all secondary drives
-also change swap file management to a min of 1.5x your amount of ram and a max of 2.5x your amount of ram
-in visual settings, set to performance preset so all the zooming and extra windows [censored] is turned off
-turn all sounds off in the sound preference menu
-don't go crazy installing fonts, having too many will slow dwn your computer
-no screen saver, just have your monitor turn off in energy saver prefs
-do ALL windows updates except for the new search (it sucks and is always running and indexing), use custom and make sure to check all updates in each category- use microsoft update to update other products as well!
-after all that is done, restart, then defrag, then restart again

enjoy the speed!

 

[Rand]

Originally Posted By: brandini
It's [censored]. I've grown up on PCs, worked at CompUSA for 3.5 years, and all that program did was cause problems. You don't need a program to clear extra [censored] off a computer, here's what I do and have been doing to keep my PC fast & virus free:

-Run windows disk cleanup (don't compress files, just delete temp ones and such)
-Uninstall programs you don't use! (if it won't uninstall, don't fight it, just ignore it)
-if you're computer savvy, you can look at running windows services and startup programs by typing msconfig into the run window and unchecking stuff (ONLY 3RD PARTY STUFF) that you've uninstalled or don't use- NOT FOR THE NEWBIES OUT THERE!!! but if you spend some time googling, you can find out what's safe to uncheck
-Uninstall all antivirus & anti-spyware and use Kaspersky Internet Security, it is the only product consistently in the top 3 in reviews, can disinfect hard drives you're not booted to, and can actually defend itself from virus attacks
-in system preferences, set system restore to no more than 1000mb- any more is a waste- turn it off for all secondary drives
-also change swap file management to a min of 1.5x your amount of ram and a max of 2.5x your amount of ram
-in visual settings, set to performance preset so all the zooming and extra windows [censored] is turned off
-turn all sounds off in the sound preference menu
-don't go crazy installing fonts, having too many will slow dwn your computer
-no screen saver, just have your monitor turn off in energy saver prefs
-do ALL windows updates except for the new search (it sucks and is always running and indexing), use custom and make sure to check all updates in each category- use microsoft update to update other products as well!
-after all that is done, restart, then defrag, then restart again

enjoy the speed!



I'd agree mostly with that.. but I would probably just use the free microsoft antivirus/spyware and not pay for any.

http://www.microsoft.com/Security_Essentials/

If you dont like security essentials... AVAST antivirus + windows defender is another free alternative.

also I prefer to keep the swap file one size so it doesnt get fragmented.. usually 2x your ram size is good.


auslogics disk defrag is better than the windows one and faster.
http://download.cnet.com/Auslogics-Disk-Defrag/3000-2094_4-10567503.html

 

[uc50ic4more]

Originally Posted By: brandini

-also change swap file management to a min of 1.5x your amount of ram and a max of 2.5x your amount of ram


I must disagree here, as those settings still enable (require?) Windows to *resize a >1GB file* from time to time. I may be more sensitive to this than most, as running a recording studio and needing to stream and process 20-some-odd tracks of 24 bit/ 96KHz audio and trying to resize a >1GB file at the same time (whenever Windows decides to, which always seems to be when you really need your hard disk throughput the most) is a recipe for looking like a dimwit in front of your clients.

It has always been common practice among my crowd to make the swap file at least 1.5 times as large as your RAM *and* set the maximum to the same value. For example, if you have 1GB of RAM, set both the min. and max. values to at least 1.5GB.

I have also known lots of folks, in this day of cheap systems with 4GB of RAM, to turn off swap files completely. This seems like a good idea, but I have been told by those who know better than I that certain Windows elements, and certain applications require the presence of a swap file.

 

[handyman]

The free stuff is great but you have to manually update it and remember to run scans.

I use System Mechanic Professional on all of my PCs. My problem is two teenagers who will never update their antivirus programs or run scans. I’ve got it so that System Mechanic will update itself and scan when their PCs are inactive. Big timesaver on my part.

 

[brandini]

Ok so to shoot holes in myths above:

-Windows defrag is surprisingly good, it was designed by the guys that developed the diskeeper software- some of the best defragmentation software available. If you think you need 'better' you're probably not a home user.

-setting your swap file size to a too small max level is stupid because if your computer needs more, it crashes, the end, blue screen, bye bye lose your work. The only real risk is setting the minimum too small and have it re-size all the time. Home users barely use all their available physical ram anyway. If your hard drive thrashes with these settings, you need faster drives: consider raid or an SSD. Also, putting the swap file on a secondary internal hard drive you use mostly for backup is a much better solution.

-"The free stuff is great but you have to manually update it and remember to run scans." What? Kaspersky updates hourly, automatically, in the background. Every so often it requires a restart of your computer for a larger update but it only bugs you once. Windows updates need to be done- same goes for disk cleanup and defrag- the former is quick and the latter is set it and forget it. Why install (and pay for) an additional product when windows has it built in? Windows updates can also be set to automatic- make sure to pick a time your computer is always on.

-Regarding Microsoft security essentials: it does not ad-block, spam-block, have self-defense, have a preloaded database of approved apps and behavior, or enable you to monitor network and program activity nearly as well as Kaspersky. (Kaspersky is currently $60 for 3 pcs so you can split the cost with 2 friends if you want... http://usa.kaspersky.com/products_services/internet-security.php )

 

[sprintman]

Get all XP MS updatws, download Auslogics Boostspeed, optimise everything then delete. Of course you ran CCleaner and disk cleanup first didn't you?

 

[Smoky14]

Just what is a "swap" file and how do you set it.

 

[sprintman]

All Programs, Control Panel, System, Advanced, Performance, Advanced, Virtual Memory, Change, Custom Size, 100,100 in the two boxes, Set, Yes, OK, OK, OK, reboot. Then defrag a few times w/reboot inbetween. Later set it back to System Managed.

 

[brandini]

Originally Posted By: sprintman
All Programs, Control Panel, System, Advanced, Performance, Advanced, Virtual Memory, Change, Custom Size, 100,100 in the two boxes, Set, Yes, OK, OK, OK, reboot. Then defrag a few times w/reboot inbetween. Later set it back to System Managed.

ABSOLUTELY NOT

Any good defrag can also defrag the swap file... there is no point in doing this

 

[greenaccord02]

Originally Posted By: uc50ic4more
I have also known lots of folks, in this day of cheap systems with 4GB of RAM, to turn off swap files completely. This seems like a good idea, but I have been told by those who know better than I that certain Windows elements, and certain applications require the presence of a swap file.


In many situations, the best thing to do is to create a ramdisk (behaves as a physical unit, but is simply a mounted allocation of ram, say 300MB) and assign it as the directory for all swap and temp file folders. This can really improve load times on many programs and it helps decrease read/write cycles to physical drives which can help to prolong the life of SSDs. I use this method on EeePCs with great success, but it could be used on any size system (Windows or Linux), provided there was adequate ram. Google will turn up some pretty decent tutorials.

Back to the topic:
The above comment that System Mechanic 'only causes trouble' is incorrect, despite what may have happened at CompUSA... As long as a user is informed about the options at his disposal in the program there is no trouble with it. My father used it for quite some time with success. There are better programs in my opinion, but for many users and situations it might be a fit.

 

[sprintman]

"ABSOLUTELY NOT

Any good defrag can also defrag the swap file... there is no point in doing this"

Mydefrag disagree and our engineers testing agrees with them.

Also for XP use Pagedefrag.exe from Mark Russinovich.