System Mechanic is a tool that helps you find and solve problems that could be causing your PC to run slowly or exposing it to security risks. The dashboard gives you an overview of your system's health and security; a deep analysis on the first run flags any potential threats or problems. This scan effectively identifies problems, but tends to exaggerate their seriousness, making it difficult to distinguish between serious problems and minor niggles.
Solutions to the problems are also cloaked in mystery. Where you expect a range of possible actions, 'Repair' is the only option. While novice users may appreciate System Mechanic's tendency to simplify things, more experienced users will be frustrated at the level to which this has been taken.
A range of tasks can be scheduled to perform regular housekeeping, such as removing temporary files and spyware infections. Again, the task descriptions are vague. The Power Tools also include options to Accelerate, Repair, Clean and Secure your computer without indulging in detailed explanations.
Despite attempts to distance users from the nuts and bolts of system upkeep, System Mechanic does, if you delve deep enough, provide a wealth of customisable tools to manipulate your computer. There are 34 tools to streamline the process of fine-tuning your computer, covering everything from spyware to memory allocation. One tool that will be appreciated by novices and experts alike is SafetyNet, which allows you to undo or delete the changes System Mechanic suggested, returning your system to a previous state.
Although System Mechanic can increase your computer's performance and identify potential threats, its black-box approach and over-cooked warnings of problems will leave experienced users perplexed and novice users none the wiser.
Requires Windows 2000/XP/Vista, 400MHz processor, 256MB RAM, 30MB disk space, Internet Explorer 6 or laterAuthor: David McKinnon
Iolo System Mechanic 7