Uniblue PowerSuite: An Investigation That Changed My Opinion

Regular readers will be familiar with my general dislike of software suites, particularly in regard to security applications. Too often we see a developer make a name for themselves initially with software that addresses one particular area of security, such as anti-virus, or anti-spyware, or personal firewall. Then they start trying to be all things to all people, branching out into other sectors; then inevitably bundling their different applications together into a “suite”.

But, in my experience, it is extremely rare to find one software publisher responsible for the development of the best of each type of application. I hold the security of my data in very high regard, so I want to be protected by the best-of-breed of each type of application – the best anti-virus, the best anti-spyware, the best personal firewall, and so on.

Attaining that goal usually means using different specialist applications from different suppliers.

Admittedly, non-security applications are usually a different story. It is generally important for the various components of an applications-type software suite to work harmoniously together, and that’s something that can only be realistically achieved by the one developer, such as the integration between the various components of Microsoft Office or Sun/Oracle’s Open Office. Even so, there may be components of a particular suite that you don’t want to use. Sometimes you can disable a component part of a suite (or just ignore it), and sometimes you can’t.

Performance & Optimization Software

The application category that I’m addressing in this article is performance, stability and optimization software, but there’s a good reason I opened up with a brief discussion of suites and security software.

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while you will have encountered my repeated praise for a product called RegistryBooster from Uniblue, a certified Microsoft Gold Partner company founded in 2003 on the Mediterranean island of Malta.

For some time now RegistryBooster has been available both as a standalone product and as part of a software bundle called PowerSuite. While I have long been a fan of RegistryBooster, to be honest I’ve never been that keen on PowerSuite. In an earlier incarnation the suite was a mixture of optimization and security applications, and I didn’t find the suite interface really to my liking either.

But things changed significantly for the better with the release of PowerSuite 2010.

The security component of earlier PowerSuite versions was called SpyEraser, and that is no longer included in the package or even available as a standalone application. Although SpyEraser did a pretty fair job, its removal from PowerSuite was a positive step. Why? Because it indicates that Uniblue is once again concentrating 100% of their development efforts on what they do best, and on what they made their good name in the first place: software that optimizes your system and enhances performance and stability.

The three components of PowerSuite 2010 are…

RegistryBooster

I’ve written about Registry cleaners and RegistryBooster extensively in previous articles, so I won’t allocate much space to it here. Everything I’ve written previously still applies. Please don’t ignore the two articles below as being out of date; they are as relevant today as ever, and will provide a lot of useful information for anyone new to Registry cleaners or who has led been led to believe that Registry cleaners are to be avoided for some reason.

• Choosing a Registry Cleaner
• Registry Cleaners Revisited: The Final Chapter

I’ve been using successive versions of RegistryBooster (the standalone version) since mid-2008, and it is one of the applications I rely on to keep my systems in pristine condition.

SpeedUpMyPC

One of the challenges with keeping a PC performing even close to optimally is the enormous number of settings, files and processes involved, and the fact that many of them are changing all the time. Over time you will become very aware that your system is slowing down, but how do you identify just what factor or component or setting is responsible? It can be very difficult and requires a fair degree of technical expertise.

And it’s not enough to just identify the cause — you then need the technical expertise to make the adjustments necessary to rid yourself of the “blockages” and recover speed and performance.

To the rescue rides SpeedUpMyPC.

SpeedUpMyPC first scans your computer to identify the processes, files and settings that are slowing you down, then it employs a range of powerful software tools to optimize your system for improved performance. With just a click or two on your part,  things like network settings, memory and CPU functions are all scanned and adjusted and junk files deleted from the hard drive. The end result can range from a marginal improvement to quite astonishing, depending on the original state of your system.

SpeedUpMyPC has saved me a lot of time that would otherwise have been spent on manually tuning my systems and keeping them in order.

DriverScanner

This is the one component of PowerSuite 2010 that I approached with some trepidation. To understand why, you need to know exactly what a “driver” is.

A driver is simply a special type of software program. More specifically, it is software that is designed to control a hardware device, such as a printer or mouse. In fact every hardware device that attaches to your computer, including keyboard and hard drive, requires a driver program that translates commands from the computer into the commands that the hardware device can understand.

Some drivers are loaded as part and parcel of the operating system, the keyboard driver being one example. For other devices you may be required to install the appropriate driver program when attaching a new hardware device to your PC. Microsoft provides a lot of drivers with each version of Windows, but obviously there is no way they can know about every device that you may ever want to connect.

Now in one respect drivers are no different than any other program, in that the developers of the software will periodically update the program. The reason for the update may be, for example, to take advantage of new hardware features, or to close security holes that have come to light, or even to resolve conflicts that have become apparent with other drivers or software. Whatever the reason, it should be obvious that it is usually in your best interests to update drivers when new versions become available.

But there’s a problem…

Malfunctioning or incorrect drivers can be a real headache, often manifesting as obscure glitches and failures, and the root cause can be damn difficult to track down. For that reason alone most people, including many IT professionals, adopt the attitude “if it’s working leave it alone”. But for reasons that should be obvious, that may not be the safest approach at all.

Unfortunately manufacturers who provide drivers for their hardware don’t always make updating a simple task. For any given printer you may find multiple driver versions on the manufacturer’s website, with no clear indication of which one you should choose. I guess the attitude might often be that the provision of free drivers is a necessary evil and doesn’t make them any money, so they write the software, upload it to their website, and consider the job done.

So can you understand my hesitation to use an automated tool for this purpose?

Still, nothing ventured nothing gained, and over the past couple of years I have developed a healthy respect for the high quality of Uniblue software, so I pushed ahead and gave it a go. And guess what…

DriverScanner worked flawlessly!

In their own words Uniblue claims that: “DriverScanner will then safely install each update on your PC”, and I have to say that has been my experience without exception.

I have run the full PowerSuite, including DriverScanner, on numerous occasions on several different systems. It has detected a number of out-of-date drivers with updates available, and performed the replacements without a single hiccup. Needless to say I am delighted with this result, because this component of PowerSuite alone is going to save me a lot of time, not to mention enhance my security (because I’ll always be running patched & up-to-date software) and give me the best performance from my hardware.

The PowerSuite Interface

The user interface is elegantly simple. Each of the three components is featured on the Overview tab and can be run separately (see image above). Using the interface is extremely simple and obvious. Whether you see a  “Launch Application” button or a “Start scan” link depends on whether or not an up-to-date scan is awaiting your attention. After running a scan, clicking a  “Launch Application” button will present you with details of the scan for that particular component. For example, here is the information window that is displayed when the  “Launch Application” button for the RegistryBooster component is clicked in the image above…

If you need to know more about what’s been detected and what will be fixed just click the “Detailed View” button. I rarely bother with this anymore as I have come to trust the software. And if it ever does make a mistake there is always the pre-fix backup that is performed automatically.

That’s definitely an improvement in safety! In earlier versions of RegistryBooster you had to confirm that, yes, you wanted to make a backup prior to running the fix. Now you don’t even have to do that — a backup is always performed and stored automatically.

Standard Software Installation Guidelines

When you try out PowerSuite for yourself (risk-free, see below), please be sure to follow these software installation safe practice guidelines:

• Reboot your computer before installing any software
• Close any applications that may have started with Windows
• Install Uniblue PowerSuite
• Reboot your computer again

It is always advisable to reboot before installing any new software. It may not always be absolutely necessary to reboot after installation. However sometimes it is highly advisable to reboot after an installation, even if the software doesn’t warn you to do so. By always rebooting before and after any software installation (or removal for that matter) you are covering all your bases and you’ll have a happier system in the the long run.

Product Support

I have a standard policy when it comes to reviewing anything — be it software or hardware. No matter how good product itself may be, if the support isn’t up to scratch I either won’t recommend it at all, or I’ll at least warn readers that support is poor or non-existent. As part of the review process I almost always submit a support request as a test to gauge response time and the usefulness of the reply.

No such reservations with Uniblue. I have always found them responsive and both willing and able to provide useful assistance. In every customer-to-Uniblue interaction of which I am aware they have always performed admirably.

Something I always like to see on Support Ticket forms is the ability for the customer to upload a file. After all, a screen-shot can save a lot of explanation. Uniblue support has made that provision.

Conclusion

The best recommendation I can give for PowerSuite is to say that…

• I have it installed on all my systems
• I use it regularly (automatic schedules are set within the program)
• I recommend its use to all my clients

Have never had a problem myself and have never received a complaint from anyone I’ve recommended it to.

Other reviewers have obviously come to the same conclusion. Here are some excerpts from an article that appeared on the OverClockers Club website:

• “…the SpeedUpMyPC 2010 utility proved itself by taking a highly junked up system and making it a bit faster.”
• “With the use of the Uniblue SpeedUpMyPC utility, I was able to shave 24 seconds off of the Windows start up time… The shut down time was also reduced to under 20 seconds.”
• “When used together with the other Uniblue products in their Power Suite, you have the tools to keep your computer running smooth and almost as fast as when you first got it.”
• “…a utility that just works.”

Seriously, if you’re at all concerned about keeping your PC optimized and in good order, Uniblue PowerSuite is a first-class way to achieve that goal.

Need More Incentive?

Want more? Right now Uniblue are making an offer you’ll find hard to resist…

• Special pricing offer: Uniblue PowerSuite 2010 is available right now at a significant discount. Click the link below for details.
  
• There’s also an extra software bonus thrown in. You’ll find it in the shopping cart at a price of $0.00.
  
• Immediate download day or night. No waiting for a CD to arrive by post.
• The nothing-to-lose clause: if for any reason you’re not 100% happy there’s a 30-day money back guarantee.

Try it out yourself – you won’t be sorry.

Click here to visit Uniblue PowerSuite on the web

Got an opinion or question? Please use the comment box below this article and I’ll respond where appropriate.

Your questions/objections may be answered  in
this follow-up article