SystemSuite 2000 – Software Review – Evaluation
David Haskin
* Requirements: Win 95/98/NT/2000, 16MB of RAM, 35MB hard disk space * Price: $60 * Manufacturer: Ontrack Data International, 800-645-3649, www.mijenix.com
Y2K PASSED WITH BARELY A WHISPER, BUT the threat of computer malfunctions will never leave us. Ontrack’s SystemSuite 2000 may not be as famous as Symantec’s Norton SystemWorks 2000, but it’s slightly easier to use and just as thorough.
Like its rivals, SystemSuite is a conglomeration of separate utilities that repair and defragment hard disks, diagnose your system, and analyze and fix your Windows Registry files. Also included is an antivirus program, a crash-prevention utility, and the ability to create emergency disks for booting your computer when all else fails.
All the utilities launch from a single interface, but unlike its competitors, SystemSuite 2000 runs all its programs within that same interface instead of launching each in a separate window. This all-in-one approach greatly reduces desktop clutter,
Ontrack includes some features that others don’t. For example, its disk cleanup utility lets you create custom scripts for finding and deleting specific types of files, such as .TMP files. SystemSuite also comes with simple wizards for creating Zip-compatible compressed archives.
Another bonus is a scaled-down version of Ontrat’s Disk Recovery program, which can recover data from physically damaged drives. This version enables you to recover 10 files at a time; you must pay for the full program if you want to recover more. SystemSuite also works with Windows 2000, another advantage over the competition.
Still, we missed the equivalent of Norton’s comprehensive system-monitoring tools that can automatically launch repair utilities when things go amiss. Nor does SystemSuite 2000 have the encryption capabilities found in McAfee Office 2000. Nevertheless, Ontrack’s package is a solid, easy-to-use collection of tools for keeping your PC running smoothly.
SystemSuite 2000 Rating: 8
(A) Easy to use, comprehensive, supports Windows NT and 2000
(B) Missing encryption capabilities
RATINGS
HOME OFFICE COMPUTING rates products on a scale of 1 to 10–with few 9’s or 10’s–based on value, performance, innovation [medals go to rare standouts in these areas], ease of use, and suitability for home offices. The (A) and (B) symbols indicate pros and cons.
COPYRIGHT 2000 CURTCO Freedom Communications
COPYRIGHT 2000 Gale Group
