SystemSuite 3.0 is the flagship of Ontrack’s software. You may have read my review of PowerDesk 4 (free version) and either downloaded it or had a look at it’s features on the website. Well, now I’m going to give you the low-down on SystemSuite 3.0 and tell you why it knocks spots off of Norton and McAfee! In other words … be prepared to be AMAZED!! You can check out the Ontrack website for fuller descriptions of all the tools in SysemSuite 3.0. https://ontrack.co.uk/systemsuite/
The SystemSuite box contains a brilliant manual that will really explain all the options & tools that are part of the program. You also get the program CD-ROM (naturally!) & an emergency rescue disk. The manual is really thorough & tries not to use too much tech jargon. OK, once you install SystemSuite 3, you will have a nice shiny new icon on your desktop, which opens the SystemSuite 3 Control Panel. Once in the control panel, all the tools of the trade (& a load more) are neatly set out and easy to get to. The control panel is split into six sections which makes finding the right tool a lot easier! Here’s a rundown of the sections in the control panel:
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System Diagnostics ~ ~ This then gives you the following tools to keep your PC nice & healthy: ~ ~ PC Diagnostics ~ ~ Hardware checks. Very thorough indeed! Every component is checked here. ~ ~ System Monitors ~ ~ Keeping an eye on your system resources. ~ ~ System Updates ~ ~ Checks for updates for your software. ~ ~ System Explorer ~ ~ Smart Defender ~ ~ HDD failure early warning system.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Zip Utilities ~ ~ This is split into: ~ ~ Zip Extract ~ ~ Extract zip files. ~ ~ Zip Create ~ ~ Create zip files. ~ ~ Zip Self-extractor ~ ~ Create self-extracting zips. ~ ~ Zip Convert ~ ~ Convert zip files to self-extracting files. ~ ~ Zip & Mail ~ ~ Zip & Backup ~ ~ Exactly what it says. ~ ~ Zip Repair ~ ~ Fix broken/corrupted zip files.
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Disk & Files ~ ~ This section is split into the following: ~ ~ Disk Fixer ~ ~ Diagnoses & fixes disk problems. ~ ~ Disk Snapshot ~ ~ Snapshots of key disk info. ~ ~ System Saver ~ ~ Backup & restore critical system files. ~ ~ Size Manager ~ ~ Find oversized files. ~ ~ Jet Defrag ~ ~ Quick & reliable defragmentation tool. ~ ~ Disk Verifier ~ ~ Makes sure that CDs or disks can be read properly & without errors. ~ ~ File Undelete ~ ~ Find & recover deleted files. ~ ~ Data Eraser ~ ~ Wipe files completely!
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System Registry ~ ~ This section is then split into: ~ ~ Reg Fixer ~ ~ Fix Windows’ registry. ~ ~ Reg Editor ~ ~ Find & edit in the registry. ~ ~ Win Customiser ~ ~ Change the look & feel of Windows. Loads of options here. ~ ~ Reg Cleaner ~ ~ Clear the rubbish from the registry. ~ ~ Reg Defrag ~ ~ Defrag the registry. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
System Protection ~ ~ This splits into: ~ ~ Crash proof ~ ~ This actual works & stops crashes! ~ ~ Rescue Disk ~ ~ Create a rescue disk to get you out of trouble. ~ ~ System Log ~ ~ View SystemSuite 3’s log file. ~~ System Scheduler ~ ~ Schedule tasks for SystemSuite 3 to perform. ~ ~ Undo-it ~ ~ Undo changes made by Fix-It Utilities.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Crisis Centre ~ ~ This then splits into: ~ ~ Crisis Info ~ ~ Tech help & info to help you in your hour of need. ~ ~ In-Lab Recovery ~ ~ Recover data from physically damaged disks. Very handy! ~ ~ Easy Recovery ~ ~ DIY data recovery. ~ ~ Remote Recovery ~ ~ Recover data via your modem or the Internet. The Crisis Centre are services that you pay for and are really aimed more at companies than homeusers, but could still be useful to everyone, none the less.
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Easy Uninstall ~ ~ This then splits into: ~ ~ Uninstall ~ ~ Delete program & all their files & odds & sods. ~ ~ Move ~ ~ Move applications around your PC without a mess! ~ ~ Backup ~ ~ Backup files & applications. ~ ~ Install Monitor ~ ~ Monitor installations on your PC. Handy if the installation fails. ~ ~ Transport ~ ~ Copy applications to any other PC. ~ ~ Archive ~ ~ Backup & uninstall applications & files. ~ ~ Restore ~ ~ Reinstall backedup files & archives.
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Disk Cleanup ~ ~ This is split into: ~ ~ Internet Cache ~ ~ Remove Net files. ~ ~ Internet History ~ ~ Clean your Internet history links. ~ ~ Internet Plugins ~ ~ remove unwanted/obsolete plugins. ~ ~ Advanced File Clean ~ ~ DIY removal. ~ ~ Internet Cookies ~ ~ Deletes your cookies. ~ ~ Internet Active-X ~ ~ Delete Active-X controls that you don’t want/need. ~ ~ Quick File Clean ~ ~ Remove Temp files. ~ ~ Custom File Cleaner ~ ~ Customise file cleaner categories.
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Virus Scanner ~ ~ This is split into: ~ ~ Quick Scan ~ ~ Scan your PC’s Boot Sector & memory. ~ ~ File Scan ~ ~ Scan selected files & folders. ~ ~ Deep Scan ~ ~ Goes the whole hog! ~ ~ Fast Scan ~ ~ Scans for common infections. ~ ~ Floppy Scan ~ ~ Exactly what it says. ~ ~ Custom Scan ~ ~ Scan what you want.
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These are the majority of the tools incorporated into SystemSuite 3.0, and as you can see from the extensive list, there’s a heck of a lot of tools! If you can’t sort out Windows with these tools …… throw your PC through the window! The Control Panel is fully customisable, which makes a good change & lets you sort out the tools that you would use the most & get rid of the ones that you’d never use. Play about with the control panel till you get it the way that you want it & are comfortable with. There’s more to SystemSuite 3 you know! You also get the full (professional) version of PowerDesk 4 with it! This is a real added bonus, especially if you’ve used PD 4 (free). PD 4 Pro has more tools than the free version & handles another 200 file formats too. Add in a fully-fledged FTP program & you’ve got the File Manager of them all! Configuring the FTP tools is rather simple & using it is even simpler.
If you want to know how SystemSuite 3 compares to the likes of Norton or McAfee, well, it blows them out of the water!