Review

Ontrack Fixit Utilities

You can usually count on brand-new computers to perform optimally, load quickly and do everything they are supposed to.

But as time passes, the inevitable happens. Performance decreases as thousands of files are created and deleted and countless programs are installed and removed.

Configuration files get changed so many times that they sometimes become crowded and conflicted over options the computer no longer needs. Fix-It Utilities 2000 is a collection of tools to optimize a Windows- based system (Windows 95, 98, NT or 2000), restoring it to its optimal level of performance and speed.

Fix-It Utilities 2000 improves upon Windows system tools and adds a few that Microsoft should have included. These tools help fix things when system performance is down and helps prevent future bogging down. Most Windows users are probably familiar with the Windows ScanDisk and Disk Defragmenter tools. They are useful for maintaining the hard drive and keeping data sorted and accessible. Their biggest drawback is slow performance.

Maintenance is often put off time and time again because it can take hours to complete, depending on the size of the hard drive. With new computer systems coming with hard drives in double-digit gigabytes, running either of these tools is painful. The Fix-It Utilities tools also take a while to do the job, but the running time is cut down considerably.

Other preventive maintenance tools included, such as virus protection and crash prevention, complete their jobs quickly enough that time is seldom an issue. Fix-It Utilities also lets you optimize the registry (Windows configuration), free up hard drive space and undelete files.

The instruction manual explains each utility and its options but the manual is not needed. The menus are straightforward and easy to understand. Perhaps the most complicated thing about each utility is understanding what is being optimized.

If you want to know the details, you can read each section in the manual -- or just let Fix-It Utilities 2000 worry about the technicalities. A degree in computer science is not required to operate this program. Whenever a tricky option carries a potential risk, it is marked with a red flag, warning that conflicts are possible with that action. A yellow flag indicates a somewhat risky change, while a green flag indicates it is safe to go ahead.

Whether you're noticing system slowdown or want to be sure problems don't arise, Fix-It Utilities 2000 is a handy program to have. It won't make your computer better than it actually is but will ensure it runs at maximum efficiency.

Reviewer's rating: 4 / 5

Comments: Ontrack Fix-It Utilities 2000 is an easy to use, effective program to solve system problems and prevent them from happening again. System requirements: A PC with Windows 95, 98, NT or 2000, 16 MB of RAM and a minimum of 35 MB of hard drive space.

More info: Fix-it Utilities

Price: $35.99 US