The downloadable version of this article is available here:
http://techrepublic.com.com/5138-10877-6070843.html
What is in your PC Troubleshooting toolkit? Do you have a single CD solution? What tools would you use to supplement System Mechanic 6 Mobile Toolkit?
A photo gallery of System Mechanic 6 Mobile Toolkit in action is also available:
http://techrepublic.com.com/2300-10877-6070827.html
Discussion on:
View:
Show:
Is this a TR article?
I am not so sure.
It is hardly even a review, or I would have expected comparisons to competing tools - and to say that System Mechanics defrag util is better that Microsofts native defrag is not useful, almost ANYTHING is better than than THAT!
In fact, it reads like a sales pitch, in short, a commercial, by a company for its own product.
Or am I mistaken?
To answer Marks question, I swear by Nortons Utilities, in particular Speed Disk, and Win Doctor, those utils will ALWAYS be in MY toolkit!!
I must qualify that however, I do not endorse ALL of Nortons products, they peaked in performance at around 2001/2002 versions.
It was when they became part of System Works, Internet Security and the like, they became bloated, inefficient resource hogs.
Symantec ruined what was an excellent product from Peter Norton (in my opinion).
There are other useful tools, such as Memtest86 to check for dodgy RAM, and EVERY toolkit MUST contain a floppy (eg W98 Startup - which can also access XP systems) or CD version (such as BartPE) of a basic start up, just so you can access a system, when the OS is unavailable
Hirens Boot CD is very useful, filled with loads of goodies.
Oh.... and a few installation CDs would be handy, for those inevitable times when Windows requests one, to load a replaced/repaired driver or whatever.
I am not so sure.
It is hardly even a review, or I would have expected comparisons to competing tools - and to say that System Mechanics defrag util is better that Microsofts native defrag is not useful, almost ANYTHING is better than than THAT!
In fact, it reads like a sales pitch, in short, a commercial, by a company for its own product.
Or am I mistaken?
To answer Marks question, I swear by Nortons Utilities, in particular Speed Disk, and Win Doctor, those utils will ALWAYS be in MY toolkit!!
I must qualify that however, I do not endorse ALL of Nortons products, they peaked in performance at around 2001/2002 versions.
It was when they became part of System Works, Internet Security and the like, they became bloated, inefficient resource hogs.
Symantec ruined what was an excellent product from Peter Norton (in my opinion).
There are other useful tools, such as Memtest86 to check for dodgy RAM, and EVERY toolkit MUST contain a floppy (eg W98 Startup - which can also access XP systems) or CD version (such as BartPE) of a basic start up, just so you can access a system, when the OS is unavailable
Hirens Boot CD is very useful, filled with loads of goodies.
Oh.... and a few installation CDs would be handy, for those inevitable times when Windows requests one, to load a replaced/repaired driver or whatever.
Cliff,
I wrote up the benefits of System Mechanic, as I've found it very helpful in my consulting practice. The ability to use one license on multiple systems (and for multiple clients) has proven critical more than once. This is especially true when the suite collects so many troubleshooting and repair utilities.
The software's simplicity and ease of use save me time and effort. While System Mechanic may not be as sophisticated as Winternals Administrator's Pak, it's more budgetable and I felt that worth writing about.
It's not an ad. If it were I would have talked about how, in many cases, it's the only piece of software a client may require. Nor is it a review. In short, I wish someone had told me about the software package earlier
As for Symantec, I used to use Norton's products, too. However, I encountered (for me) simply too many extraneous issues ultimately related to registry or other changes Symantec software made. So many that I abandoned use of its tools (with the exception of Partition Magic).
I wrote up the benefits of System Mechanic, as I've found it very helpful in my consulting practice. The ability to use one license on multiple systems (and for multiple clients) has proven critical more than once. This is especially true when the suite collects so many troubleshooting and repair utilities.
The software's simplicity and ease of use save me time and effort. While System Mechanic may not be as sophisticated as Winternals Administrator's Pak, it's more budgetable and I felt that worth writing about.
It's not an ad. If it were I would have talked about how, in many cases, it's the only piece of software a client may require. Nor is it a review. In short, I wish someone had told me about the software package earlier
As for Symantec, I used to use Norton's products, too. However, I encountered (for me) simply too many extraneous issues ultimately related to registry or other changes Symantec software made. So many that I abandoned use of its tools (with the exception of Partition Magic).
I have been a sworn user of System Mechanic Professional for nearly 4 years now. The mobile tool kit is not offered as a download in their website. I have searched for it and their Customer Support says the mobile tool kit is only intended for mobile devices not desktops or workstations. Many of my clients also like the newer version 6.0t because of the System Monitor which can and will run in the back ground while you go about your daily routine and let you know when you need to address a situation.
I would love to have the Mobile tool Kit as a tool in the box as you say but where to download it is another question. Iolo says it is availble only to remanufacturers or manufacturers of laptops and mobile PC's, so I ask you please e-mail me a link to download the application so I can add such a tool.
I would love to have the Mobile tool Kit as a tool in the box as you say but where to download it is another question. Iolo says it is availble only to remanufacturers or manufacturers of laptops and mobile PC's, so I ask you please e-mail me a link to download the application so I can add such a tool.
Yeah, I didn't see it on their website either.
Sounds good though.
Sounds good though.
You can't download it because it is not a free tool. You can purchase it here: http://www.btsoftware.com/products/sysmechm.htm among other places. That site has a link to download a trial but it doesn't work for me. The Iolo site has information and an update to download here: http://www.iolo.com/sm/6mot/download.cfm You have to register your purchased product to get the update. Interestingly Iolo specifically says that there is no downloadable trial because the software does not install, it runs from the CD. That is likely what causes the confusion with the person who thinks it is only for mobile devices. It is not for mobile devices, it is for your toolkit that you carry with you, thus the "Mobile Toolkit" name. It works on all PC based machines. And well worth the money.
- Keyboard Shortcuts:
- Prev
- Next
- Toggle
