AVG PC TuneUp: Difference between revisions
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| developer = TuneUp Corporation |
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| released = {{Start date|1997|df=yes}}<ref name="about-official" /> |
| released = {{Start date|1997|df=yes}}<ref name="about-official" /> |
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| latest release version = 2011 (Version 10.0. |
| latest release version = 2011 (Version 10.0.2020.9) |
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| latest release date = {{Start date and age|2010| |
| latest release date = {{Start date and age|2010|12|02|df=yes}}<ref>{{Cite web |
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|url = http://www.tune-up.com/download/ |
|url = http://www.tune-up.com/download/ |
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|title = TuneUp Utilities™ Download |
|title = TuneUp Utilities™ Download |
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|publisher = TuneUp Corporation |
|publisher = TuneUp Corporation |
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|accessdate = 4 December 2010 |
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Revision as of 12:14, 4 December 2010
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| File:TuneUp Utilities 2011 - Start Center.png TuneUp Utilities 2011 Start Center | |
| Developer(s) | TuneUp Corporation |
|---|---|
| Initial release | 1997[1] |
| Stable release | 2011 (Version 10.0.2020.9)
/ 2 December 2010[2] |
| Operating system | Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7 |
| Platform | Intel x86 - 32bit and x64 |
| Size | 19.5 MB |
| Available in | English, German, French, Spanish, Dutch, Italian, Portuguese, Polish, Japanese and Russian[1] |
| Type | Utility software |
| License | Proprietary commercial software |
| Website | www |
TuneUp Utilities is a utility software suite for Microsoft Windows designed to help manage, maintain, optimize, configure and troubleshoot a computer system. It is produced and developed by TuneUp Corporation, headquartered in Miami, Florida, United States of America and co-founded by Tibor Schiemann and Christoph Laumann in 1997.[1][3]
Product history
The first version of the software was released in 1997 under the name TuneUp 97.[1] Since then, the following versions have been released over the years:
2003
With the release of TuneUp Utilities 2003, the Utilities part was first added to the product name and localized versions of the software were made available in the languages English[4] and French[5] in addition to the original German version.
In addition to the previously supported Windows versions 95 and 98, TuneUp Utilities 2003 added support for Windows 2000, ME and XP.[4]
2004
In TuneUp Utilities 2004, the feature TuneUp 1-Click Maintenance was introduced, which allows users to automatically carry out a set of routine maintenance tasks in a batch by clicking on a desktop icon.
Another new feature of this version was TuneUp WinStyler, a tool which allows users to change the graphical appearance of the Windows interface, including system icons and the login screen of Windows XP. In later versions, this tool was renamed to TuneUp Styler.
Other improvements included registry defragmentation support for Windows 2000 and XP.
2006
In TuneUp Utilities 2006 (there was no 2005 version), support for Mozilla Firefox was added to the optimization, customization and disk cleaning tools.
Also, editorial trustworthiness ratings and explanations about the functionality of startup entries were added to TuneUp StartUp Manager to support the user's tuning decisions.
Starting with this version, TuneUp Styler also supported changing the boot logo of Windows XP.
2007
In TuneUp Utilities 2007, support for Windows Vista was added to the suite.[6]
A graphical interface to CHKDSK called TuneUp Disk Doctor was also added, allowing to find and fix errors on the hard disks.[7]
Another new tool introduced in this version was TuneUp Disk Space Explorer, which analyzes the contents of selected drives and displays browsable statistics about the largest files and folders, aiming to help users identify items that can be deleted to free up disk space.[7]
2008
New features introduced in the 2008 version were TuneUp Drive Defrag, a hard disk defragmentation tool, and TuneUp Repair Wizard, a tool that aims to fix common Windows problems.
The disk cleaning tool of previous versions was replaced by a category called Gain disk space that now shows how much space can be gained on the connected hard disks directly in the Start Center.
2009
In the 2009 version, the TuneUp Utilities Start Center was extended to include a new category that analyzes the system and then displays the current status and available recommendations (if any) in the three areas System maintenance, Speed and System status.[8]
New tools introduced in this version were TuneUp Speed Optimizer, which aims to identify programs, services and settings that slow down the system, and TuneUp Shortcut Cleaner, which searches for broken shortcuts and offers them for deletion.
The 2009 version also introduced a new feature into TuneUp Styler that allows changing the Windows Vista logo animation displayed during startup.[8]
2010
Starting with the 2010 version, TuneUp Utilities is compatible with Windows 7.[9]
The feature TuneUp Turbo Mode was introduced in this version, which allows to disable multiple background functions of Windows and programs with one click, like Windows Aero, Windows Search, Windows Error Reporting or synchronization with mobile devices.[10]
Another new feature, TuneUp Live Optimization, dynamically adjusts the execution priorities of running processes, aiming to keep the system responsive under high load.[9]
2011
In TuneUp Utilities 2011, a new tool called TuneUp Program Deactivator was added to the suite, which manages the system load that all installed programs are causing during system startup, operation and shutdown. It is claimed to be the first tool that allows to disable programs, thereby offering users a way to remove the system load caused by programs without requiring to uninstall them. If the user tries to start a disabled program again, TuneUp Program Deactivator automatically detects this and re-enables the program on the fly.[11]
The TuneUp Utilities Start Center was extended to include a Tuning Status, which tracks and displays optimization progress and highlights areas with remaining optimization potential.[12]
Also, a program rating functionality was introduced, which can be enabled to see how other TuneUp Utilities users have rated the usefulness of a given program on a scale of 1 to 5 stars.[11]
Features
TuneUp Utilities is a software suite that consists of multiple software components accessible through a main hub called the "Start Center". This hub also performs four different background tests to give an overview of system status.[12]
Routine maintenance
The routine maintenance components address tasks that need to be performed on a recurring basis. They include utilities to free up disk space (TuneUp Gain Disk Space), clean and defragment the system registry (TuneUp Registry Cleaner and Registry Defrag), remove old shortcuts (TuneUp Shortcut Cleaner), defragment the hard disk drives (TuneUp Drive Defrag), and optimize the Windows startup and shutdown process (TuneUp StartUp Optimizer).[8]
All of these routine maintenance tasks can also be performed in a batch, either on demand (TuneUp 1-Click Maintenance) or automatically while the computer is idle (TuneUp Automatic Maintenance).[10][12]
Repair
The repair set of components helps users recover from undesirable conditions. The first component, TuneUp Disk Doctor, analyzes and repairs logical hard disk errors. It is similar to CHKDSK in function but has a graphical user interface. The second component, TuneUp Repair Wizard, fixes certain common Microsoft Windows problems. It resembles Windows Troubleshooting component of Windows 7. The last component, TuneUp Undelete, undeletes files and folders that have been deleted instead of being moved to a recycle bin.[12]
Performance tuning
The performance tuning set of components aims to mitigate performance-deteriorating issues. Based on a PC usage profile filled out by the user and an automatic system analysis, the Increase performance area of the Start Center makes recommendations on how to improve system performance. The areas covered by these recommendations are Internet and browser settings, system services, visual effects and uninstallation of long-unused software.[8] Another component, TuneUp Live Optimization, aims to improve responsiveness of software applications by tweaking their execution priority levels. Next, TuneUp StartUp Manager lists entries that programs have created to get started automatically with Windows and allows users to enable, disable or delete these entries. The last, TuneUp Program Deactivator temporarily retires programs installed on the system without uninstalling them.[12]
Customization
The customization set of components consists of two components: TuneUp Styler, which modifies the visual appearance of Microsoft Windows, and TuneUp System Control, which allows to change a variety of Windows and program settings.[10]
System utilities
TuneUp Utilities also offers the following components suitable for users with an intermediate or advanced level of computer knowledge:
- TuneUp Disk Space Explorer: A disk space analyzer
- TuneUp Process Manager: An alternative to Windows Task Manager
- TuneUp Registry Editor: An alternative to Windows Registry Editor
- TuneUp Shredder: Irrecoverably deletes files, folders or the contents of Windows Recycle Bin. Apart from simply overwriting the file contents with zeros, it can optionally employ the more rigorous DoD 5220.22-M method or the exhaustive Gutmann method
- TuneUp System Information: Extracts and displays information on various aspects of the system such as hardware capabilities, memory and storage devices.
- TuneUp Uninstall Manager: An alternative to “Add or Remove Programs” (a Control Panel applet in Windows XP) or “Programs and Features” (a Control Panel applet in Windows Vista and later)
Critical reception
TuneUp Utilities 2009 was voted #37 of "The Top 100 Products of 2009" and won the award "Best Utility Suite" of the US computer magazine Computershopper.com.[13]
CNET reviewed TuneUp Utilities 2009 and gave it 5 stars out of 5. “To call TuneUp Utilities 2009 useful would drastically understate the situation”, said Seth Rosenblatt, an associate editor with CNET. He assessed TuneUp Utilities as a powerful and easy-to-use set of tools, with its disk cleanup and registry cleaner the “bread-and-butter” of the entire set.[14]
PC World's Preston Gralla reviewed the 2010 version and commented that TuneUp Utilities is a comprehensive suite that “includes everything from a startup optimizer to a driver [sic] defragmenter, from an overall speed optimizer to a Windows Registry cleaner, and more.” However, he said that the high price of the entire suite ($50) might make the purchase decision more difficult.[10]
PC Magazine reviewed TuneUp Utilities 2011 and gave it a score of 4 out of 5. “Overall, the software does a fine job of revitalizing a worn PC," commented Jeffrey Wilson, PC Magazine analyst. He appreciated the product's one-click repair feature and the subsequent reduction in his test PC's boot-time. However, Wilson criticized the software license that only permits installation on three PCs, contrasting it with Iolo System Mechanic 10, a competing product that allows an unlimited number of installations in the same household.[12]
TuneUp Utilities 2011 also received a Softpedia Pick award from Softpedia.[15]
References
- ^ a b c d "About us". TuneUp Corporation. Retrieved 27 November 2010.
- ^ "TuneUp Utilities™ Download". TuneUp Corporation. Retrieved 4 December 2010.
- ^ "TuneUp Utilities 2004". MajorGeeks.com. 5 April 2004.
- ^ a b "TuneUp Utilities 2003". cnet download.com. 14 July 2003. Retrieved 30 November 2010.
- ^ Condo, Jean-Charles (24 July 2003). "TuneUp Utilities 2003 (optimisation Windows et PC)". BRANCHEZ-VOUS!. Retrieved 30 November 2010.
- ^ "TuneUp Utilities 2007". cnet download.com. 13 July 2007. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
- ^ a b Copestake, Stephen (9 January 2007). "Review: Tuneup Utilities 2007 Windows optimiser". PersonalComputerWorld. Retrieved 30 November 2010.
- ^ a b c d Wilson, Jeffrey L. (24 April 2009). "TuneUp Utilities 2009". LAPTOP Magazine – Online (www.laptopmag.com). Bedford Communications, Inc. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
- ^ a b McKinnon, David (24 January 2010). "TuneUp Utilities 2010 review". Expert Reviews. Retrieved 30 November 2010.
- ^ a b c d Gralla, Preston (3 December 2009). "TuneUp Utilities 2010 Replaces Many Other Utilities". PC World. PCWorld Communications, Inc. Retrieved 27 November 2010.
- ^ a b Williams, Mike (29 October 2010). "Review: TuneUp Utilities 2011". Softwarecrew. Retrieved 30 November 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f Wilson, Jeffrey L. (27 October 2010). "TuneUp Utilities 2011". PC Magazine. Ziff Davis, Inc. Retrieved 27 November 2010.
- ^ Anderson, Sarah E.; Burek, John A.; Haselton, Lauren; Jerome, Will; Krawczyk, Konrad; Rougeot, Jonathan; Safford, Matt; Smith, Catharine (2009). "Best Utilities Suite: TuneUp Utilities 2009". Computershopper.com. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
- ^ Rosenblatt, Seth (25 November 2008). "TuneUp Utilities 2010 9.0.4300.7 — CNET Editors' review". Download.com. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
- ^ "TuneUp Utilities 2011". Softpedia. SoftNews NET SRL. Retrieved 29 November 2010.
Further reading
- Gralla, Preston (20 January 2009). "TuneUp Utilities 2009 review". PC Advisor magazine – Online (www.pcadvisor.co.uk). International Data Group (IDG). Retrieved 20 July 2010.