Hey folks, Valkor here. When it comes to my computers, I usually take a day out of aweek and spend a few hours doing some maintenance on my systems – I run the gamut of virus/malware scans, system updates, software updates, system scans, defrag, and a few other odds and ends that ensure that my PC will run top-notch for the long haul. Though there are plenty of choices when it comes to maintaining your PC, there's one software you'll wanna keep an eye out for - System Mechanics 10 by Iolo software.
System Mechanic 10 is an all in one utility capable of tuning up your PC to its peak performance. Key features to note is the applications ability to repair your registry, fix PC problems, defrag, boosts internet speeds, and with a side widget, it will keep you up to date with what's going on with your system.
At the start, I let System Mechanic have its way with my PC. Keep in mind that I ran a different tune-up software days prior. Once it was done analyzing, it gave my PC a grade score of "fair", with notes on what needed to be repaired to get it up to snuff. I wasn't going to complain and I clicked the "repair all" option, which took almost an hour cleaning out the registry, clearing the clutter, repairing system errors and so forth. When it finished it asked that I restart for the changes to take effect and with that I was now up to an "A" grade (so sayeth the widget that appeared after the restart). There was a noticeable difference in start-up time and loading of different software. With the net booster, I didn't see too much of a difference in terms of speed. Other key software features that I also ran and should be noted are:
CRUDD Remover – gets rid of redundant software that may be causing clutter or giving your system issues. When I ran it, it gave me a list of software that I normally use. Are you saying Winzip is redundant System Mechanic?
ActiveCare – this feature has a ton of automated options, especially if your too busy to maintain your system manually – this process will handle the job for you.
Deep Scan – Wait, I went from an "A" score to poor? This scan actually goes further finding even more problems that the initial scan might have missed.
PowerTools – Handles all your clean up, PC repair, diagnostics, etc. Essentially it's like analyzing at the beginning, but you have a choice of either running all the scans or just an individual.
After spending a good couple of weeks taking System Mechanic through the rigors of Val-Testing, I think it's now ready for the TOV Breakdown.
The Bang:
For what it's worth, System Mechanic does the job it says it will do and then some – and that's keeping my system at its most optimal. The main interface is quite simple and very easy to understand, even for those who don't have too much computer know how. Plus you won't have to worry about the software removing important files, especially when dipping in the registry. The widget is a plus and a constant reminder of what needs to be done, should new problems occur, though for resource purposes I'd keep it off (plus I have a small gripe with it, which I will discuss below). Once both the initial scan and the deep scan are completed, you will notice a difference in performance, but I should point out that not every person's PC is the same and others may see slightly better performances than others. Otherwise, Iolo has one hell of an application on their hands.
The Slack:
As I mentioned above, I have a small gripe with the widget, but that goes into the software overall – how is it that my computer can go from an A grade to a C overnight? Even if I don't run anything intensive or just web surf I still see that lower grade. And when I go to check to see what's up, it's usually something small like it will find a few registry errors or notice 500 MB of clutter. 500 MB!!? Really? That's not much from a guy rolling with a 330 gig hard drive. My next issue is that during the deep scan, but especially during defrag, the software will hang and I'll usually get the "program has stopped responding" error. Mind you during the first defrag, I left for an hour to come back and the percentage had not changed.
So what do I ultimately think of Iolo's System Mechanic software? The short answer – it's great, with a long answer of, it's worth it if you're not too familiar with the inner workings of a PC. Power Users might want to look elsewhere, however even those guys can use an assist or two and I think System Mechanic works great for everyone. Though it has its hang ups, I give System Mechanic a 4 out of TOV 5 stars and it's been Valkor tested and TOV Approved.
