Utilities That Can Do the Trick
Disable your Windows log-on, monitor your Registry, and speed up your PC.PCWorld.com Downloads Team
1. Windows Administrator: Are you tired of being prompted for your Windows log-on, even though you're not on a network? This utility can eliminate that irritant, and it can do a whole lot more. Among other things, it can change the label of the Start button at the bottom left corner of your screen. Want to change it to your name, a code word, or some word of encouragement? The choice is yours.
This utility can also change the display speed of Start menu submenus and edit Start menu items. It comes in 13 languages, including English, Spanish, French, Italian, and Estonian. To make the utility more appealing, the authors have given you the ability to change the program's skin with any.bmp file. And as a final bonus, it comes with a built-in chess game.
2. Ashampoo UnInstaller 2000: As we all know, uninstalling a file is a fairly permanent decision. You can always reinstall, of course, but you may not be able to save the way your program was configured or the Windows Registry entries it made.
This utility improves the situation by creating "before" and "after" snapshots of any file in your system. It is particularly effective at monitoring changes to the Windows Registry, regardless of whether they are caused by application installations or by other system modifications. Not only can you monitor virtually all the changes made to your system, but you can reverse them, too. All in all, it's a pretty handy tool.
3. Regmon: The Windows Registry is one of the more mysterious parts of your OS. Although it's essential to the way Windows runs, its entries are made in the background, without your knowledge or permission. This utility can shed some light on that mystery by showing you which applications are accessing your Registry and which keys they are accessing. It shows you all the Registry data your programs are reading and writing.
What is unique about this program is that it does so in real-time: Unlike other tools, which show you after the fact what values and keys have changed, Regmon shows you the changes while they are happening. One thing is for sure--after using this tool, you'll never think of your OS in the same way.
4. PC Accelerator 5500 SE: Looking for a straightforward way to improve the overall speed of your PC? Lots of programs claim to boost speed, but PC Accelerator actually does so by accessing your Registry settings. You don't have to know which keys or values to change. The program offers a list of items such as "Optimize Modem Cache system" and "TCP/IP Performance Boost," and all you do is select which ones you want to enable. You can accelerate 3D effects and your Internet settings.
In addition, the program offers a number of security features, such as disabling password caching and changes to your Control Panel. This version also includes a program that cleans your cache at specified time intervals and another utility that lets you back up and restore your ICQ files. A number of other utilities are available, but this trial version disables some of them.
5. 3DMark2000: Concerned about your system's slow rendering of 3D graphics? Whether that is the case--or whether you simply want to make sure you're getting your money's worth for that expensive graphics board you just purchased--this set of diagnostic tools can help you.
These tools were created in cooperation with all of the major 3D accelerator and processor manufacturers. They let you benchmark your 3D graphics card and compare your results over the Internet to see how your system fares against other computers. It also includes optimizations for Intel and AMD processors, along with tests that evaluate how DirectX is working with your system.