SpeedUpMyPC 3.0: Review

If you've been subscribed to Infopackets for any length of time, you've undoubtedly seen a program called "SpeedUpMyPC" recommended in our email newsletters.

Judging by name, one might think that SpeedUpMyPC is just another run-of-the-mill system optimizer -- but don't click away just yet, because this may be one of the most demystifying articles you'll ever read. ;-)

Allow me to elaborate.

Back in 2003, I reviewed SpeedUpMyPC 1.0 when it debuted: and it impressed the pants off me -- not just because of the results, but also because it's such a unique product.

But I wasn't the only one to come to that conclusion. At that same time, SpeedUpMyPC ("SUMP") became an instant hit and received praise from countless tech web sites.

In fact, SpeedUpMyPC now holds over one hundred 5-star reviews and has been downloaded 2,500,000 times world-wide.

SpeedUpMyPC: Announcing Version 3.0

A lot of time has passed since the initial release of SUMP 1.0, and I'm pleased to say that version 3.0 is now available, with plenty of new and exciting features to talk about. But first --

What exactly is SpeedUpMyPC?

In a nutshell: SpeedUpMyPC is a utility that sits quietly in the system tray and actively monitors your PC "on-the-fly."

In other words, SUMP works in real-time to correct and optimize processes that are continually running on your computer. That's what makes SpeedUpMyPC unique from most mainstream system optimizers that only clean up after the fact. And that's also why SpeedUpMyPC still remains one of the most renowned on-the-fly system tweakers on the market.

Alright: now that you're somewhat familiar with SpeedUpMyPC, let's get to the nitty-gritty. What else does it do?

SpeedUpMyPC 3.0: Features

As I mentioned prior, SpeedUpMyPC works by optimizing your PC on-the-fly: but it also does much more than that. Here's a quick rundown on what SpeedUpMyPC has to offer.

• Actively Monitors System Resources
   
• Prevents Windows Crashes
   
• Acquires and Optimizes Lost RAM (system memory)
   
• Reassigns and Normalizes CPU Resources
   
• Optimizes System Startup Time
   
• Optimizes Internet and Browser Settings
   
• Privacy File Cleanup
   
• Junk File Cleanup
   
• File Shredder
   
• Uninstall Manager

Well, all that may sound great to a computer geek, but what about the rest of us?

SpeedUpMyPC: Breaking It Down Into Simple English

Here's where it gets really interesting.

First and foremost: understanding how a computer operates is essential to understanding how it can be tweaked. Rightly so. Using the above feature-set as a reference, allow me to now explain in detail why SpeedUpMyPC has remained one of the most renowned PC tweakers on the market.

What it does: Actively Monitors System Resources / Prevents Windows Crashes / Acquires and Optimizes Lost RAM (system memory) / Reassigns and Normalizes CPU Resources (for greater system stability).

How it works:

Off the bat, this is a lot to explain -- but don't let the girth of this article scare you away. This is important stuff!

With that said, two of the most critical components of any computer are RAM (Random Access Memory) and the CPU (Central Processing Unit).

Both devices work -- literally -- hand-in-hand. Simply put: RAM acts as temporary holding bin as data is read from the hard disk (the "C" drive) and eventually passed on to the CPU, where it is processed (almost instantaneously). Click here for an illustration.

Generally speaking, the more RAM a PC has, the quicker that data can be processed by the CPU. For example: when you launch a program, open a document, or play a video, it all loads off the hard drive, then passes to your RAM, and then to the CPU to be processed.

The problem is, however, RAM is fairly expensive and accounts for up to 1/3 of a PC's cost. In order to keep costs competitive and low, many PC manufacturers purposely use the minimum amount of RAM required to run an operating system (such as Windows XP or Windows Vista). But if you stop and think about it -- the minimum amount of RAM is only enough to run the operating system itself. So what about running a program on top of the operating system?

Simply put, many barebones systems don't have adequate RAM to process data efficiently. This is where SpeedUpMyPC shines: it monitors your system resources and can actively recover lost RAM. By "lost RAM", I am referring to programs that don't exit cleanly from the system when they are closed / shut down, or the ones that run amuck (caused by a "bug" in a program); the data from these programs remain actively trapped in memory and end up gnawing away at vital storage that could otherwise be used by other programs -- and you would be simply amazed at just how many programs don't exit cleanly!

This is why a system can start to lag after you launch program after program. This is also why your hard drive ("C drive") will spin its wheels when you exit a program: if you don't have enough RAM, it gets passed on to the hard disk where it is used as "secondary" RAM storage, until more primary RAM becomes available. The problem is that RAM is significantly faster than a hard drive... so if you're using your hard drive to supplement your RAM (which is also referred to as Virtual Memory, or Paged Memory), it can *significantly* slow your PC down.

Yikes!

Now, like I said, if you've got a ton of RAM (2 gigabytes or more), your system will undoubtedly process anything you throw at it lickity split... but for those who don't, SpeedUpMyPC is a virtual godsend.

This is key to understanding how SpeedUpMyPC works.

Having said that, let's move on ;-)

What it does: Optimizes System Startup Time

How it works: Time after time, programs installed on a PC are automatically "inserted" into the Windows Startup without any prior consent from the user. If you've got a ton of programs installed on your computer, chances are you've got a ton of programs launching at startup. The problem is, this can cause your system to take forever to boot -- but worst of all, all these programs launching at startup will inevitably eat precious system memory (RAM). SpeedUpMyPC resolves this problem by accessing your Program Startup at the Operating System Level, and -- with a single click of the mouse -- you can quickly choose which programs are allowed to launch, and those which cannot. This in itself can save a significant amount of time booting a PC!

What it does: Optimizes Internet and Browser Settings

How it works: By default, Windows' Internet settings are optimized for slower connections, such as 56k dialup modems. If you've got a faster connection than 56k, SpeedUpMyPC can increase the throughput of data sent and received to your PC. This is a fairly complex and well-documented issue and has been detailed on the Internet (see: MTU speed).

What it does: Privacy File Cleanup

How it works: When you surf the 'net, open a document, or watch a video, Windows keeps tabs on where you've been. And it's just as easy for anyone to hop on your PC and backtrack your steps. Don't believe me? Simply click Start -& Documents and you'll see a list of recently opened files. But clearing the Documents folder isn't enough... that's why Privacy File Cleanup can clear *12* major areas of your PC and help keep it virtually untraceable!

What it does: Junk File Cleanup

How it works: Every day you use your computer, temporary files are downloaded. In fact, in a single Internet session, your PC will have downloaded hundreds -- if not thousands of files. All those files not only take up space, but also result in hard drive fragmentation. Junk File Cleanup works by scouring through your entire hard drive for junk files, and assists in their removal. Imagine trying to hunt down all these files individually. Impossible!

What it does: File Shredder

How it works: When a file is written on a hard drive, data is stored to a hard drive sector. A sector is simply an address, or "location" on the drive. Even after a file is deleted, data contained in the sector remains untouched until it is physically overwritten by other data. Subsequently, most (but not all) files can be recovered using special third-party utilities. File Shredder works by overwriting the sectors of the hard drive where the file was originally stored, thereby invalidating any previous data. Therefore, a shredded file will remain unrecoverable.

What it does: Uninstall Manager

How it works: When you remove unwanted applications using the Add/Remove applet via the Control Panel, fragments of the program are often left behind -- whether the contents are deeply rooted in the Windows Registry (the heart of Windows), or stashed away (hidden) on the hard drive. Uninstall Manager works by scouring the hard drive and removes all files cleanly.  

Click here to Download SpeedUpMyPC, Now!

SpeedUpMyPC: Conclusion

SpeedUpMyPC is a system utility which can manipulate system resources, thereby ensuring stability and improving efficiency. Although this review has been explicit in detail, SpeedUpMyPC is extremely simple to use and does an superb job explaining "the bare essentials" about tweaking.

SpeedUpMyPC: Download

How does your PC rank with SpeedUpMyPC?

Check your PC Performance now --

Click here to do a FREE Performance Scan, today!

Side note: SpeedUpMyPC comes with a 30 day money-back guarantee. If you decide to purchase the program, just remember to use the coupon code "INFOPSP" -- and you'll save 33% off instantly!

Click here to Download SpeedUpMyPC, Now!

Side note #2: If you purchase SpeedUpMyPC today, you'll also receive System Tweaker: the award winning FREE software tool that gives you full control of your Windows PC system, combining up to 1,000 different tweaks in one easy, yet powerful solution. It's truly an unbeatable deal -- and only available to our Readers! Simply click the "register now" button within SpeedUpMyPC after your Performance Scan.

Click here to Download SpeedUpMyPC, Now!