A rchive Date
[ 22-01-2001 ]
Category
[ Information Technologies ]
sub-Categoy
[ Microsoft ]
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[Systems Analysis - Utilities
By Alice Hill
One of the neatest things about owning a computer, as opposed to a smart gadget or consumer electronics device, is that a PC can troubleshoot, diagnose, and even repair its own innards. Diagnostic utilities have been tracking down hard drive problems, comparing file sizes and version information, and even preventing deadly virus attacks for several years now, but keeping your PC shipshape still means doing a lot of optimization yourself.
Only a few years ago, optimizing your PC meant buying a costly utility package or relying on those that came bundled with your operating system. Even the bare-bones bundled versions let you fix scrambled file-allocation tables and undelete files. But they did little to notify you of new and improved drivers, advise you when to upgrade a peripheral, or diagnose problems lurking in your existing hardware and software. To stay on top of your system, you had to comb manufacturer bulletin boards for new drivers, manually install antivirus software each time a new release came out, and even subscribe to online services such as CompuServe in hopes they'd offer access to the software drivers and updates you needed.
Luckily, times have changed. Thanks to the Web and some innovative new sites, you can now hook your PC into the ultimate diagnostic and repair center and let the Net do the work for you. We found sites that tell you when your video card is cranking at half speed and walk you through suggested hardware and component upgrades based on your user profile. They also grab the latest software drivers, patches, and updates from all over the Web and notify you via e-mail whenever a newer version is available. And best of all, most of it's free.
Like so much of the Web today, finding great free service is easy if you know where to look. These services offer advanced online diagnostics and software updating, but their motives differ. CNET's CatchUp.com and ZDNet's Updates.com (both owned by CNET Networks, Computer Shopper's parent company) provide these services largely as a way of getting you to stay at their sites. PC Pitstop aims to direct users to its advertisers' sites in search of items such as a new hard drive or monitor. Only McAfee.com Clinic charges for its services, but the offerings are by far the most extensive, and they're backed by a leading brand name.
Free or otherwise, all these services use some sort of downloadable software program to probe your system and compare the results to a database of upgrade and performance information. If you fear for your privacy, the sheer act of allowing outside access to your hard drive, even in the name of greater system improvement and security, is a risk you may not be willing to take. If you're privacy-conscious but still open to trying an online tune-up, rest assured these four sites are safe havens for your system. We still recommend you check the privacy policy of any site you frequent and make a full backup of your hard drive, but as these sites promise, they'll safely and privately do their best to fine-tune your PC online.
Meet The Machines
To show you what these services have to offer, we pulled in to each of these sites with two very different systems. The first was a Dell Latitude CPi notebook running Windows NT 4.0, and the second was an eMachines desktop running Windows 98. They differed in terms of the overall time they took to complete various tasks, their accuracy in identifying the hardware and software installed in each system, and the recommendations they made about what to upgrade or update. Both machines contained Netscape and Microsoft browsers, Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express, and Eudora Pro e-mail programs, as well as many random games, AOL and ICQ instant-messaging software, FTP clients, and Web-site-creation software.
Although no system can perfectly replicate each possible hardware and software scenario, the two systems were neither cutting-edge nor grossly deficient in their makeup. Both systems were in need of a tune-up and could have stood some performance improvements.
These services cater strictly to the PC crowd running some flavor of Microsoft Windows. For other operating-system support, including the Mac OS and Palm OS, see, "Other Online Optimizers."
Copyright (c) 2001 ZD Inc. All Rights Reserved. ZDNet and ZDNet logo are registered trademarks of ZD Inc. Content originally published in Ziff Davis Media publications is the copyrighted property of Ziff Davis Media. Copyright (c) 2001 Ziff Davis Media. All Rights Reserved. Titles of Ziff Davis Media publications are trademarks of Ziff Davis Publishing Holdings Inc.]
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