Blast Gadget

Defragmenting your hard drive is a necessary part of owning a computer. It's why Windows now turns on its onboard defragmenter by default. However, the options in that program are limited. Defraggler outdoes it in every way imaginable. With quicker performance, more features and detailed statistics, this defragmenter is the only one you need.

One of the standout features Defraggler offers is that it can defrag files individually. If one or two of your programs are struggling, you can specifically target them in the process during a quick defrag. This increases their power as well as your computer's overall speed. When you're examining your drive, Defraggler gives you a clear, color-coded map. That, in addition to detailed info about your hard drive's overall health, is delightful for power users while being useful for the average folks. Though the program can sometimes hang at zero percent for minutes on end, it actually moves faster than most defragmenting programs when it's working on your drive. With quick, boot, and low-priority defrag modes, it will never get in your way. You can use your computer however you want as it runs.

With an unmatched feature set and quick defragging, it's hard to recommend any other defragmenting program. Even though there's a professional version of Defraggler that costs $30, this program isn't missing anything that could be worth that download. Plus, unlike just about every other program, it never asks you to download the full version. It's safe to say you'll never need to go back to the default option in Windows again.

Links

• Source : cnet.com
• Download : piriform.com
• Defraggler Web Site : piriform.com/defraggler

Recuva is a free file recovery program that makes it extremely easy to locate files that were once thought to be lost forever. The wizard-like approach and intuitive user interface will appeal to all user levels.

The program opens with a very sleek, professional user interface. We found it extremely easy to navigate right off the bat, but it does employ a wizard to walk you through the file recovery process. All we had to do was select either the C or D drive, or both, from a drop-down menu. If you have a general idea of where the file may be, you can pick from a list of file paths, including Pictures, Music, Documents, Video, and Compressed files. As soon as we clicked the Scan button, the program immediately went to work, and within seconds, it had pulled up a very long list of deleted files and their respective paths. The program's Advanced view gave us more detailed information of each file, including the file's size and creation time. Recovering selected files was also extremely easy and involved simply checking off the file or files and clicking the Recover button. Within seconds, the file was recovered and saved to our location of choice.

Though we don't think you'll need it, we were disappointed to find that the program doesn't include any kind of Help file. It does, however, include a link to the publisher's Web site, which contains a forum. All in all, Recuva is an excellent choice for anyone in need of reliable file recovery.

What's new in this version:

•     Added ISO9660 file system support.
•     Added recovery from unmounted drives.
•     Improved duplicated file name recovery.
•     Added Junction Point recovery support.
•     Improved optical drive detection and recovery.
•     Improved scan statistics accuracy.
•     Minor GUI improvements.
•     Minor tweaks and fixes.

Links

• Source : cnet.com
• Download : piriform.com
• Recuva Web Site : piriform.com/recuva

Nowadays, cookies, temporary files, and various other means of tracking your Web footprint are par for the course. Some of these trackers are useful, while others can be potentially intrusive. Thankfully, there are myriad freeware cleaners out there that help keep your system in check. CCleaner is one of the better ones for its ease of use and powerful cleaning capabilities.

CCleaner's simple and intuitive layout will appeal to users of all skill levels. Its four features -- Cleaner, Registry, Tools, and Options -- are prominently displayed on the left side of the window. We started with the Cleaner first, which breaks down your cleaning options into two tabs: Windows and Applications. The program works by first analyzing your system and then running the cleaner itself. By selecting the appropriate check boxes, we were able to clean our temporary Internet files, cookies, history, and cache in both Internet Explorer and Firefox at the same time, as well as empty our Recycle Bin and rid our computer of Windows log files. The Registry feature acts in the same fashion, letting you check off on the options you'd like to scan for issues. In less than 30 seconds, the program had scanned and displayed a long list of invalid entries that we could then opt to fix or leave alone by unchecking the boxes. In less time than it took to scan, the program fixed the issues we had selected. One note: We did have to run the Registry cleaner three times in a row before it came back with no issues found; each time it came back with fewer and fewer invalid entries. Using the Tools feature, we were able to manage our startup programs and successfully uninstall programs. We especially liked that CCleaner lets you manage your cookies so that you don't delete ones that are useful when browsing the Web. As with all Registry cleaners, we recommend that you proceed with caution before fixing or deleting any files. CCleaner does offer an online help feature, but for basic cleaning, you probably won't need it.

By default, the project opts you in for installing desktop and Start menu shortcuts, as well as adding run and open options in your Context menu. It also opts you in for installing Google Chrome and making it your default browser, so you'll have to uncheck the boxes to opt out. CCleaner installs and uninstalls without leaving any files or folders behind.

Links

• Source : cnet.com
• Download : piriform.com
• CCleaner Web Site: piriform.com/ccleaner