System Mechanic

System Mechanic
Complete PC Tune-up
Certified virus protection
Advanced spyware protection
Deleted data rescue
Secure data removal

PC world Reviewed
Editorial Review of System Mechanic
Note: This review addresses an earlier version of the program, which is now in v9.5. Watch this space for PC World's review of the new version.

System Mechanic 9 is a powerful and deep set of tools for analyzing and optimizing your Windows system. It is easy to use, with an elegant interface and an extraordinary degree of customizability and fine control. Unfortunately, it has one issue that could cost some time.

Let's look at the good first, since it outweighs the bad by a wide margin. System Mechanic 9 is one of those programs which can elegantly move from "Fire and Forget" to drilling down to the deepest levels and tweaking each option, and it does so hierarchically--so you can leave most things to defaults and then drill down in particular areas. System Mechanic 9 provides a wealth of information if you ask for it, but doesn't overwhelm you with it. You decide how much you want to know about any particular item.

System Mechanic's range of capabilities denies easy categorization; this suite combines many different tools into one integrated package. It defragments memory, makes sure your deleted files are really deleted, erases unused temp files and old Web caches, optimizes your startup routine, and more. System Mechanic also allows you to create several profiles of various sets of startup and background processes. If you're logging in to raid in Worlds of Warcraft, you don't need your Java updater lurking in the background, so you can create a "gaming" profile that deactivates unneeded background processes. You can also create an "actually doing work" profile so that you turn the Java on and the Ventrilo (You don't voice chat with your guild at work, do you?) off.

The more you poke around in System Mechanic, the more tools you find. There's an uninstaller that is faster, cleaner, and more useful than the default add/remove programs. There's easy access to many of Windows's more obscure system settings. A lot of the features here can be found elsewhere--some by spelunking through Windows, some by loading up on other programs--but having them all in one place is a tremendous time-saver.

I did find one problem. The "deep search" feature for duplicate files, despite promising "3-5 minutes," at first seemed to be non-responsive. After talking with tech support, I allowed it to run unhindered, and, twelve hours later, had found all my duplicate files and was 9% of the way through organizing a list of them. According to the support person who handled my questions, the length of time taken for the procedure was normal for a 1.5-terabyte hard drive like the one on my PC. On my notebook PC's more average-sized hard drive, the scan took 15 minutes--better, but a far cry from the promised 3-5 minutes.

Despite the glitch above, I've found System Mechanic 9 to be a very useful and powerful suite of tools, a great way to stay on top of all the things which can drag down system performance.

--Ian Harac

As with any machine, your PC needs regular tune-ups to maintain peak performance. This virtual toolbox can enhance the speed, safety, and power of your computer with a wide range of functions and an extensive help system.

System Mechanic performs cleanup, optimization, and privacy protection with equal agility. As with similar tune-up utilities, it enables you to clean up your registry, remove junk files, and customize hidden settings to improve performance. Novice users can get all of that done at once or automatically taken care of via the software's ActiveCare feature. The app has additional tools for removing spyware and for defragmenting your hard drive, eliminating the need for multiple utility programs. For example, the Configure Windows Startup tool shows the list of applications and services that automatically start with the computer and allows for disabling or removing them individually. This is a handy tool that replaces the "Software Explorer" part that Microsoft has taken out of the Windows Defender in Windows 7. The program is 32-bit, but it will work with Windows 7 64-bit.

There is an undo function that restores your system to its previous state, but it's hidden in the SafetyNet tab and doesn't allow you to bring back one item at a time. The program also lacks a system profiler, and has problems recognizing some antivirus programs such as AVG and ZoneAlarm. Also, when you do a "Deep System analysis," which can take a while, the process can't be canceled. These problems aside, System Mechanic is one of the most complete, effective, and easy-to-use tune-up utilities we've seen to date.

Make your old PC run like new. Keep your new PC running fast and problem-free. System and registry clutter will degrade your computer's performance, leading to crashes, longer boot times, and system errors. System Mechanic combines over 40 powerful PC tuneup tools to clean hard drive clutter, repair your registry, defragment drives and memory, manage programs, boost your Internet connection, and remove spyware.

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