Tune UP Utilities
Tune Up Utilities is a very appreciated set of computer maintenance programmes, delivered by Tune Up Software (www.tune-up.com). With an extremely simple and intuitive interface and a rich display of tools, Tune Up can be the ideal solution for a faster, safer and more efficient computer. Leaving aside the propaganda, we will point out a few of the qualities this product possesses.
One Click Maintenance
Immediately after installation you will find out that Tune Up disposes of two different icons on the desktop. One of them is the One Click Maintenance, one of the easiest utilities a producer can charter. OCM is actually a small interface, which gathers what Tune Up offers best, is accessible through a simple click and utterly efficient. It automatically scans the system over the registry keys, programmes, structure and folders of temporary files, cleaning the system the easiest way possible. OCM disposes a single button, “correct problems”, so that the time spent on maintenance is much reduced. Daily use of this utility is recommendable, in order to prevent any type of problems, that might emerge in the system.
The main interface
In case you are not satisfied with just the One-Click system, you dispose of a whole suite of other tools. The Tune Up interface is very simple and consists of a single browsing menu split in 5 main sections: Customize/Analyze, CleanUp/Repair, Optimize/Improve, Administrator Control and File Recovery/Destruction. Here they are:
1. Customize/Analyze – This menu gives you the possibility of analyzing the system and operating a few small changes upon it. The options you have consist in:
- TuneUp System Control – a tool which offers control upon a few elements of the operating system, such as effects, icons, menus, fonts etc.
- TuneUp Startup Manager – Notice the programmes which are set to start simultaneously with Windows. With this tool you can eliminate those which you don’t need and which might load the starting process and thereby render it slower. Moreover, malware might as well be hidden there.
- TuneUp System Information – This small utility offers comprehensive information regarding the system you dispose of, your hardware configuration etc. In addition, hereby you can find out about the system performances, communication in- and outs, as well as the hard drives.
- TuneUp Styler – many users are probably dissatisfied at some point regarding the aspect of their operating system as well as the incapacity to operate major changes upon it. However, by using TuneUp Styler you can work on this aesthetic issue: themes, icons, images are only a few of the configurable elements. Furthermore, you can access the Internet in order to download new themes, skins and icons created by other more or less fervent users, some of which are extremely successful.
2. Clean Up & Repair – Some of the tools destined for optimising the operating system are to be found here:
- TuneUp Disc Cleaner – deletes useless data from the hard drives and thereby increases the free space on them. Most of the deleted files are temporary ones, which are left on the disk as a consequence of program installation and use.
- TuneUp Disc Doctor – scans the drives for errors and in order to correct them. This option is somewhat similar to the old ScanDisc wich is completely missing in the last Windows editions.
- TuneUp Disc Space Explorer – explores the hard drives and shows you accurately what occupies them and in what measure, as well as what can be deleted etc.
- TuneUp Registry Cleaner – A complete scanner for the registry keys of the operating system, which follows their ins and outs, excludes the unwanted or useless ones, considerably improving the system’s performances. After successive software installation, even if the respective programmes have been deleted, the registry keys remain loaded and, consequently, the performances decrease. TuneUp Registry Cleaner clears this deficiency.
3. Optimize & Improve – three further system improvement tools:
- TuneUp Memory Optimizer – This utility works in the background and permanently optimizes the available memory without affecting the efficiency and by constantly providing a maximum parameter activity.
- TuneUp Registry Defrag – In case the registry keys cleaning process has not been fully productive, they can be defragmented through an operation similar to the disk defragmentation. In order to benefit of this tool it will be necessary to restart the system.
- TuneUp System Optimizer – scans the system for settings which might obstruct it. Here you can establish automatic scans. The One Click tool is also accessible, but you can as well effect a few changes concerning the Internet settings.
4. Administer Control – This menu contains a few tools meant exclusively for professionals:
- TuneUp Process Manager – an inspection of all programmes and processes which are functioning at a given time in the system
- TuneUp Registry Editor – a registry keys editor similar to the one available in Windows but much more effective
- TuneUp Uninstall Manager – a manager intended for eliminating installed programmes. Even if the operating system disposes of such a tool, the one provided by TuneUp Utilities is more accessible and much more productive.
5. File Recovery & Destruction – The last menu offers 2 small utilities meant for deleting and recovery of files. TuneUp Shredder assures that the files are being deleted most securely and impossibly to recover, while TuneUp Undelete recovers the files which have been accidentally deleted, that is, obviously, not by the TuneUp Shredder.
To sum up:
TuneUp Utilities is an extremely elaborated set. Even hours from the installation, its effects on the system are eloquent especially regarding the working speed, the memory improvement etc. For testing, the trial version of TuneUp can be downloaded for free at http://www.tune-up.com/products/tuneup-utilities/. The license price is only 40 USD, reasonable if taken into account the improvements which can be made with help of these various utilities.
