PC utilities forum: Do system optimizers/fixer utilities cause more problems than they solve?

I am also 68 years old and I do not have any professional knowledge about the computer hardware.However when I faced similar problem with my PC with win xp operating system loaded with cleaning soft wears (FREE not paid) my mechanic advised me to increase the memory of PC.He also advised me to replace the HD with higher capacity and if possible upgrade operating system to win 7. I have done that and now there is no problem with my PC,though I have loaded many soft wears which are freely available on Cnet.
So it appears that there is a problem with your PC memory .Also verify that there is sufficient space on C drive.

The online and downloadable system fixers, registry cleaners and optimizers are often thinly veiled malware sites. Stay Away. The most I use is Norton's 360 for Viruses and online protection, then I also use it to optimize my system. Have faith in your Tech. He's correct on this one. I'm running Windows 7... so far pretty good. An much better than XP

I find most of these applications are only useful if you know how to interpret the reports they generate.
In other words if you do not have the required knowledge to fix your hardware of software problems, these tools are generally not very helpful.
I do not agree with the technician removing the software without notifying you first but I agree in having it removed as it probably did not help much in your case.

Hi C.R.,

The following link was my response for a similar question on CNET Forums from last year. It seems it was well reviewed so I'm re-posting it for you here.

http://forums.cnet.com/7726-6138_102-5177020.html?tag=posts;msg5176902

I really don't believe much has changed since then. You should note that when I reload a system, I check with the customer to see what programs they want to keep. If they want programs that I don't think will help, I advise them accordingly. I've yet to run into a customer who has insisted that I reinstall software that I advised against, but it's their call.

For what it's worth, I agree with your computer repair professional regarding the installation of unnecessary system cleaners. In general, it's been my experience that if a computer's performance has become degraded to the point that the owner believes a "System Cleaning" is in order, I do a quick check in MSCONFIG and Task Manager to see what's running (Start-up Programs and Services), and if I don't find a culprit there I recommend a reload. If you are diligent about keeping your data backed up, a reload is often faster than trying to track down the problem to begin with.

Hope this helps.

I have changed my thoughts on this issue over the years. I once was a big believer in paid for utilities. The ended after I got one (with "Mechanic" in the name) and discovered that when I used it to do a cleanup and fix on my system that the main effect was to remove all my printer drivers. I also once paid for things like defrag utilities, but found that I had to pay larger and larger fees as HD size pushed me from 'home' to 'pro' licenses. And I used to pay for 3rd party firewalls and AV products until I discovered that even with big improvements their main effect was to take fast systems and make them slow.

Of course, while all this was happening, Windows was getting better, and so were a small number of free utilities. Microsloth came out with MSE as a free antivirus, and I found it was, for the most part, just as effective and far less annoying then the one I paid for. And Windows Firewall got better, as did the firewalls on my routers. And even cleanup routines in Windows got to be far more useful, though they still could use some help.

I ended up settling on a few extra utilities for special purposes.

Smart Defrag - very simple, nice disk defrag
CCleaner (though I still can't figure out what certain options do).
Secunia PSI - fantastic tool for keeping software up to date, even with some bugs and gotchas.
Windows Live Mesh (remote control a PC - maybe your kid at college, an elderly parent, etc.)
Whocrashed (maybe not the best, but it gives me a feel about BSOD's)
Treesizefree (figure out where disk space disappears to)
Coretemp - program and sidebar gadget
HDTune free version (see how my hd's are doing)
Fresh UI or like tool to do some settings that MS likes to hide (like turning off the arrow on shortcuts).

Plenty more of popular, free utilities, also inexpensive shareware, etc.. Typically each with a very limited, specific purpose.

For the most part optimizer and fixit utilities are not worth spending money on. This is NOT anit-virus or malware removers but the registry cleaners and tweakers that get advertised in pop-ups and banner ads on-line.

With a number of years of experience in computer servicing, incuding business and home user, I've yet to see any of them that actually are worth the charges. Especially since fixing what they can break can be costly, technical service is not cheap.

You seem to have found a reliable technician, that you are comfortable with, and if so relying on his ability is proper. Like finding a mechanic for your car, or a dentist you like, as long as the knowledge and expertise are there, building a personal connection is important.

Accept his opinions, but make an effort to do your own research to a level that you are comfortable with. That being said, self education in computers is always on-going and every user should make at least some effort to increase his/her own knowledge about the system they use.

You are on the right track, and the CNET forums and sites are an excellent place to graze for knowledge, you can pick out the parts that interest you, at a level you can understand, and then follow up with increasing depth and complexity almost painlessly.

I don't mean to be cryptic, but in the 30 years I've been using PCs and the nearly 20 I've been building them, I've found that some system optimizers really do work well and others are too aggressive, resulting in damaged systems.

The two key optimizers that do work very well are Registry Booster (now in version 2012 and inexpensive) and Little Registry Cleaner (freeware). Using both of them I've been able to keep our four computers running smoothly, as well as those of a slew of clients. I use both because each finds registry errors the other doesn't. The folks at Registry Booster are actually pretty darned honest. One year I called to find out if a new version was much of a change from the one I owned and they actually said, "No, wait for the next version which will be a significant improvement." And it was (much faster scans; background registry scan on a schedule with notification there are repairs to be made).

Every other registry cleaner I've ever tried has caused nothing but problems by being too aggressive -- and these include some that the tech industry press reviews favorably. Utilities like System Mechanic (since version 6) have been a disaster. I've found Norton Utilities to be way too aggressive -- although the newer versions may be better like Norton Internet Security which rebounded a few years ago after years of poor bloated performance.

I've found the following optimizers to work reasonably well, if you are very judicious in what you let them do:
WinUtlities, MZ 7 Optimizer, and TweakNow PowerPack 2011. But I stress that you've got to have a pretty good idea what it is each tweak or repair does and be very judicious in which tweaks and repairs you make with them.

But generally I've found that using Registry Booster and Little Registry Cleaner, plus routinely deleting the temporary files every day before shutting down works well. (I set the environmental variables to place all temporary files in c:\Temp rather than scattering them among 3 or 4 locations).

There may be some new optimizing utilities that work well, but I haven't seen them yet.

Unless you know what you are doing these applications can surely cause more harm than good. But then if you knew what you were doing you may not need them in the first place. I confess that I sometimes load up a program to point out something I may have missed or to do something automatically that I was just too lazy to step through myself, but do most people need them, Na.

Here's a quote form a commercial that I just love "Viruses can cause permanent damage to your computer", Say what?! Permanent damage? Not a chance.

Here's what you need to do rather than invest in these questionable programs. Back up all your data on a regular basis. I'm not saying buy any fancy program or subscription, just:

1 copy your important documents and photos to CDs, DVDs, thumb drives or an external drive, also if you downloaded any programs make sure you have a copy of the setup programs. Be sure you have any activation codes you may need, they may have been e-mailed to you.

2 Next make sure you have ALL the install media for your programs (like MS Office) along with any license or activation keys

3 Make sure you have the Restore Disks for your machine, you may need to make these yourself or they may have come with the machine. For help see "Lost your Windows discs? How to get replacement media, legally" posted in ZD Net by Ed Bott on Jan 5th 2012.

Should your computer start to go flakey:

WARNING: Everything on the computer will go away when you do this!!!

1 make sure all 3 steps are up to date
2 recover your PC using the restore CDs
3 Reinstall your programs

Make sure Windows update is working and that you have a virus program running, Microsoft MSE is good and it's free.

It will take your PC a few days to get all the service packs up to date but your computer will run like the day it was new.

If you follow those three steps you can do more to keep your machine running than by buying any of those programs.

Oh the headaches I've had from believing and trying these optimizer and fixer utilities. NEVER again! The only third party software I use is ccleaner, which does a fantastic job of cleaning out browser cached files and temp files. It's a simple program that does exactly what it says it does.

I now religiously stay away from all other programs. I use Windows Vista and Windows 7, and I'm really happy with the native utilities.

You can tell by the way someone is putting thumbs down on
every negative response without a justification, we have and "optimiser"
employee reading these.Well here are some facts I'd like to see rebutted:

1. As pointed out by others, no matter
what you do with an optimiser, sooner or later you will either need to put up
with a lousy system or re-format your drive. Windows will fail an optimiser can't prevent it.

2. Windows has 2 billion lines of code, DO
YOU REALLY THINK IF THEY COULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF SYSTEM DEGRADATION BY
PUTTING IN A REGISTRY OPTIMISER RUNNING IN THE BACKGROUND THEY WOULDN'T ADD THE
EXTRA FEW LINES OF CODE? They don't because it offers no value.

3. As pointed out, if you get an optimiser
and it shows you 200 errors it will warn you to do every change at your own
risk and (knowing you won't read the details) encourages a backup of changes so
you can undo errors.
And undoing errors, that doesn't
always work.
What happens if you do have to undo?
Are you going to reboot 200 times to test each recommendation or just let your $50 investment become a dud?
The fact is, to be responsible, you
need to read all the comments and research them on the internet i.e. if you do
an optimise properly, you will spend more time researching the information that
re-formatting your drive and re-installing.

4. The most likely item to improve speed
will be the "tweaks". This is where the real trouble starts. People don't write
down every tweak. They can't tell what's a good tweak for them and what's not
and the optimiser comments are generalised i.e. not necessarily applicable to
you and your system.

You make a tweak, find out it fails
and unless you've carefully recorded each tweak, you're going to end up needing
to re-format your drive. And even if you recorder your tweaks, don't think just
un-checking the tweak is going to restore it to the original, it's not always
that easy. Programmes using your tweak may be disabled and turning it back on
isn't going to re-enable them (especially if you run a registry clean).

5. Finally, you've paid $50 so your going
to convince yourself it's done some good. Don't believe it. Time your system
before and after and see. I've had several hundred "found" registry and other
errors I've cleaned with "the CNet and other recommended "Best on the market 5
star optimiser" and the (timed) before
and after boot and shut down hasn't improved by 1 second.
I actually listed out observable and undeniable errors to
the people at System Mechanic such as the "cleaning" shutting down and
reconfiguring programmes (tested several times following system re-installs)
and I got no reply. They were the worst but every one I tried failed.
Your best option is to find the quickest way to reinstall Windows and byte by byte partition copying is that method.

Note: This post was edited by its original author to move html from copying and pasting on 01/27/2012 at 10:03 AM PT

Correct. You don't spend 9 billion+ per annum on R & D and ignore a major, correctable, fault. (Any one notice Microsoft added Windows Defender for viruses and malware but not a more simple registry cleaner?)

I use Paragon to create a backup of my OS. 20 minutes (tops 1 hour after updating if necessary) and I have a brand new OS installed with all my programmes and settings exactly as I want them and I know the registry is perfect.

You're right, "don't install junk" but, with an OS backup, if you can't resist and make a mistake, you don't have to live with a lousy and incomplete uninstall and a botched registry your optimiser can't fix, just reinstall your backup and your "mistake" never existed.

I don't see why people don't do this. I used to spend 2 days every 6 months re-formatting my hard drive and starting from scratch. For the last 3 years I've spent about 18 hours on it (including 20 minutes each time to back up) and I have a completely new and fresh install every three months which never needs optimising.

Absolutely! Not only can they cause problems, so can non-Microsoft anti-virus (e.g. Norton) programs. Windows is
packaged with more than adquate utilities to keep your machine humming.

Before I install any program , now, I turn on Timefreeze, Though, if the program requires a restart, all the changes will reversed. Its a pretty good way to check programs out that dont need a restart.
Above anything else, BEFORE you buy or install any program, research it !
Win XP, will require a format every 6 months, if you do a lot of trying of programs then uninstalling them.

If speed is your problem, then, the quickest fix of the lot can be just a change of hard drive types, get a SSD this will fix the speed.

Re-install Win XP onto the SSD and create an image so you can put it back on if your system gets out of control and your wanting to use these fix it programs, put the image back on and just put the ones that you use most of all.
Oh and Back up your Pics and Docs , Bookmarks email addresses and email settings before you do anything

Or upgrade windows 7 ultimate, best move I made

I'll pretend like anyone acknowledges this..

Yes they do by minimizing threads, cpu clock cycles, and RAM. The big problem is that companies like IObit contract their developers and rarely do functional patches(bug fixes and feature refinements). They also do as little research on registry and filesystem cleaning as possible hence why you get so many bugs..

I use ccleaner because they do research, and only do high-level registry cleaning(no type or class keys like ASC and TU). They also don't kill services or low-level filesystem operations.