Each computer user wants the operating system he uses to function correctly and without any errors and friezes, but not everyone is ready to make specific efforts for this. For more than a year, various Windows optimizers have been tremendously popular in the user segment, which for a “nominal fee” are ready to speed up the operation of the operating system in just a few clicks. And for the other part, the expediency of using this kind of software causes skepticism and a significant share of mistrust, since they adhere to several well-established opinions of the following content:
- “Do you want the operating system to function normally? Then don’t bother her to do it. ”
- “Windows’s best friend is the computer operator, but he is also its most dangerous enemy.”
But in practice, it has long been proven that both sides are right in this matter, with only minor reservations. Within the framework of this article, we will talk about the correct use of one of the leaders of the software from this category about the program “Ashampoo WinOptimizer”, to achieve the best result of cleaning and optimizing Windows (hereinafter OS or OS) without damage to the operating system itself.
Setting up and working with the Ashampoo WinOptimizer application.
Contents
Optimizers are true or myth
It would be a “crime”, considering the topic of using third-party software to manipulate the OS structure, not to touch upon the issue of security and the fundamental benefits of this action, since not everything is obvious and transparent here. But it should be noted right away that everything that has been said below is solely the opinion of the author and is not positioned as the only true truth.
Arguments for”
It is pointless to argue that more than half of computer operators, apart from a few basic applications, do not use it functionally. Now, which has been repeatedly confirmed by various statistical studies, there are only four main options for using the capabilities of the OS and the computer as a whole:
- “For web surfing.”
- “For games”.
- “For watching movies and listening to music.”
- “For the workflow.”
For many, optimization becomes relevant only when the usual mode of operation of the computer is disrupted and any software stops working properly. What are temporary files and how do they affect the performance of the OS? What are lnk files for? What errors can there be in registry entries? Why delve into these difficulties and try to find answers to these and many other questions, if there are programs that can fix everything with one click of the mouse without including the owner of the computer in this chain? It is this approach that is guided by those choosing this or that software from the category “Optimizers”. Can we blame them for this endeavor? The question is controversial.
Arguments against”
Before entrusting access to Windows and all the content to the optimizer, and even more so to spend any money on it, it is worth asking one key question: “How do the developers of optimizers know the intricacies of the operating system?” For example, how can they know the available values of all registry keys? They are not published in the public domain, Microsoft does not advertise most of its developments. It is highly doubtful that Microsoft shares its confidential information with third parties in every possible way, even if they are licensed developers.
It should be understood at least that in the structure of the Microsoft product there are thousands of different registry keys embedded in the system for further updates and innovations. Among them there are many “dummies”, that is, those that are not currently of any use to the user. It is these keys that fall under the “hammer” of optimizers and are simply removed by them. What will the OS do when it needs these keys after an upgrade? Of course, it will try to return them in any way possible, which if it does not lead to errors and its inoperability, then at least it will significantly reduce performance. A similar example applies to other situations:
“You are the owner of a BMW car or a smartphone from Apple. After a while, a car or a smartphone began to work worse. Do you go to a BMW or Apple service center for help? Or will you contact Mercedes or Samsung? ”
The answer here suggests itself – “How can Mercedes know the intricacies of BMW?” Only the developers themselves know the aspects of their product, and in addition, all the tools that can speed up the work of Windows are available in standard assemblies and are available for everyone for free.
Are optimizers dangerous?
But this is the main question of the whole topic under consideration. In fact, optimizers have a standardized set of features, among which stand out:
- Cleaning up temporary files.
- Cleaning the registry.
- Garbage cleaning.
- Checking the hard drive.
- Uninstaller of programs.
Of course, such tools can be extremely useful, but, as mentioned earlier, they are already in the public domain. But in order to “lure” as many users as possible, the development companies stuff their programs with a dozen other functions, the work of which raises certain doubts and fears.
First, such a “vinaigrette” cannot function properly by definition. Somewhere you should expect a catch or “blank”, which will simply be veiled by a catchy and memorable name without explaining the actions applied to it. For example, some SEOs have many tools with no explanation. What does the “Optimize local network” or “Optimize DNS” function do is known only to the developers, since there is not always a corresponding explanation of the tasks they perform. But the owner of the PC will have to cope with the consequences. This is where the main concerns lie. There is no specificity in the actions they use, until the consequences come, it is extremely problematic to understand what exactly was done by the program.To some extent, this also applies to the main issue of this article – to the program “Ashampoo WinOptimizer”.
Where to download and how to install
It should be noted right away that the considered program “Ashampoo WinOptimizer” is distributed free of charge only in the form of a demo version for ten days. A full license for one PC will cost (at the beginning of April 2019 there is a discount) for the user in a little more than 1,100 rubles, which corresponds to the established pricing policy in this category. To purchase and download, visit the official website of the developers – https://www.ashampoo.com/ru/rub/pca/1/system-software … The installation file weighs a little more than 20 MB, the installation does not take much time and does not take up a significant amount of free space on the HDD / SSD of the computer. So, “Ashampoo WinOptimizer” is software that offers every user a whole range of Windows maintenance tools. Most of these tools (there are about 40 of them in total, as the developers assure) are designed to speed up the computer by cleaning / deleting temporary files that are not important to the user, as well as by redistributing resources between PC components in the way the software itself sees it.
Interface
The interface of “Ashampoo WinOptimizer” is completely localized and outwardly meets all modern standards, representing a kind of futuristic control panel, stylized in bright black and blue tones. There are 10 main tabs available:
- “Overview” – a brief announcement of the main tools of the program and a brief summary of the processor utilization. There you can also initiate the analysis of existing problems.
- “Automation” – this section suggests enabling automatic scanning and fixing found (it is important, in the opinion of the software itself) problems in the OS. You need to be careful with this functionality. Many users, especially gamers, are interested in working with Ashampoo WinOptimizer, how to enable the game mode in this program, and whether it really gives any result. Of course, you can manually iterate over many options, change the settings and try to optimize something. But it is much easier and more efficient to go to the “Automation” section and activate the Game-Booster mode. When you enable it, the program will disable all background software and applications that are not required during the game. And as soon as the user finishes the game session, Ashampoo will try to restart everything that was previously disabled. Tests showthat Game-Booster really works, and very efficiently.
- All Modules is a more detailed list of Windows configuration and administration tools.
- “System Maintenance” is a category designed to identify and fix errors in the register and remove traces of Internet activity, as well as free up hard disk space.
- “Performance” – manipulation of services and optimization of loading processes.
- “Windows Settings” – a section for more in-depth customization of Windows, for example, changing the file association, changing the set privacy settings, and most importantly, there is a built-in tweaker.
- “System Analysis” – full and comprehensive testing of computer components and OS.
- “File utilities” – deleting and restoring files, encrypting them and checking for virus activity.
- “Administration” – recovery functionality, differentiation of user rights, as well as statistical summaries on the work of “Ashampoo WinOptimizer” since the first launch.
- “Backups” – accordingly, this section offers work on creating and managing backups.
As you can see, “Ashampoo WinOptimizer” is equipped with an impressive functional set, but does the user need all this? This is the key question.
After becoming familiar with Ashampoo WinOptimizer and understanding what this program is, users usually choose one of two paths. Some people download software to optimize the system and start trying in every possible way to improve the performance of their own computer. Others simply uninstall the program. Considering that the attitude towards optimizers is rather ambiguous, it is quite possible to understand both positions. Despite the assurances of effectiveness and clear evidence of the performance of Ashampoo WinOptimizer, not everyone sees the point in using this software.
Optimization and cleaning
In fact, it is possible to carry out what was conceived only with the help of the “Analysis” functionality, which is presented in the first section. Detailed information can be viewed for each tool and for each problem found. For the sake of fairness, it should be noted that for an ordinary user, this information will not give absolutely anything, since there is no specific explanation of why a particular file and software registry entry is considered unnecessary or erroneous. If you decide to trust Ashampoo WinOptimizer, then take a look at the following sections:
- To get started, open the first section and click on the “Analysis” button to display information about the existing computer problems.
- Next, go to the “Maintenance” section and open the “Drive Cleaner” tool. Initiate the search for “unnecessary files”, carefully review what exactly the program offers to delete (each object can be expanded and the information on it can be viewed), then click on the “Delete now” button.
- Open the “Performance” tab – “StartUp Tuner” and see which processes start automatically. Click on unnecessary or suspicious options and click on the “Delete” button.
- In the same section, select “Uninstall Manager” and remove all software that is of little importance (or unused) for you.
You shouldn’t be surprised, but that’s all. Yes, that’s right, it is these actions that are called optimization of the Windows operating system. Someone may note that the section “Service Manager” was not considered, but the question of the advisability of disabling services to improve the performance of Windows is so controversial that it simply does not make sense to consider it.
Removing a program
If the software turned out to be unnecessary, or it did not fit for one reason or another, it will need to be demolished. There is nothing difficult about how to uninstall Ashampoo Winoptimizer and remove all traces of it from your computer. To do this, you can use the standard uninstallation tools or one of the special uninstaller programs. For example, CCleaner performs well. Even if you use a standard Windows tool to uninstall, after that it is recommended to go through the PC memory manually or clean up the traces of the optimizer using CCleaner and Reg Organizer. This will allow you to get rid of everything that this tool left behind as efficiently as possible.
Conclusion
The screenshots above show that Ashampoo WinOptimizer was launched on a fairly “ancient machine” with 2 GB of RAM and an Intel Celeron CPU G530 processor. Was there even a minimal increase in the operating speed of the OS? The answer is no. In conclusion, it is worth adding and repeating that the tools that were given above are also available as standard tools, and many are allocated as separate utilities from Microsoft itself and work in exactly the same way. Therefore, a logical question arises: “Is it worth paying that kind of money for something that you can get for free?” And the same applies to all, without exception, paid optimizers.