Glary Utilities vs. Advanced SystemCare for Windows Vista

There are many problems that people often encounter as they use their Windows Vista computers. The computer becomes choked with junk files, invalid registry entries, tracking cookies, adware, spyware and other files that can slow down the computer's performance. Also, computer files have a tendency to become fragmented over time, which makes your hard drive work longer and harder to find your files. Advanced SystemCare and Glary Utilities are easy-to-use software programs that can streamline the process of managing these problem files. Using these tools properly can help to significantly speed up your computer so that it runs like new.

There is a free version of Advanced SystemCare, and also a paid Pro version. Right after you start Advanced SystemCare in Windows Vista for the first time, the software program offers to create a system restore point and downloads updates. Advanced SystemCare scans for tracking cookies, invalid registry entries and Recycle Bin, Windows temporary files and Internet Explorer temporary files which can be deleted to save space on your hard drive. Advanced SystemCare also completes a privacy sweep to find registry entries related to the history of popular web browsers such as Internet Explorer and Mozilla FireFox. The settings have default values such as "Minimize to system tray when program is closed" and "Execute at Windows Startup," which allows Advanced SystemCare to run seamlessly in the background. There is also an easy-to-navigate menu in the main screen which allows you to maintain Windows Vista, diagnose your system and access system tools.

The Pro version of Advanced SystemCare has automated features that can perform computer care at scheduled times or when the system is idle. Automated care performs spyware removal, registry fix, privacy sweep and junk file clean. In the free version, Automated Care is disabled by default. In the Pro version, an automated sweep performs a privacy sweep automatically. The Pro version of Advanced SystemCare also has computer optimization and network optimization for different types of computer use. Computer optimization includes optimization for daily use, entertainment, top performance, office work, server or computing. Network optimization includes optimization for DSL, LAN and dial-up. Advanced SystemCare also has a disk defragmentation tool. There is also an ignore list for programs, registry entries and cookies you don't want to scan or remove.

The basic version of Glary Utilities is free for private use, and there is a pro upgrade available. Glary Utilities scans registry, shortcuts, temporary files, startup entries, the browsing history and finds spyware and adware. It's pretty good at finding threats, but also has a few false positives on occasion. There is an "Optimize and Improve" menu that can manage your startup menu, optimize memory, edits the context menu and defragments the registry. The "Privacy and Security" menu includes tools that erase your web browsing history, erase files permanently, undelete files and encrypt and decrypt files.

The "Files and Folders" menu includes tools to analyze the usage of disk space on your computer, find duplicate files, find empty files. There is also a function that can split large files to be stored on removable media such as floppy disks, Zip drives and DVDs, then rejoin them later. The "System Tools" menu has tools that can monitor processes and stop them, manage Internet Explorer add-ons and restore hijacked settings and provide direct access to Windows tools. Glary Utilities doesn't have a disk defragmenter of its own, but allows easy access to Windows Vista's disk defragment tool. There is also a "Restore Center" that's accessible from the "Menu" on the right side of the screen. This tool will allow you to create a restore point or to undo changes made by Glary Utilities.

Advanced SystemCare appears to have many more features than Glary Utilities on the surface. However, when you try to access these features in Advanced SystemCare, you'll see a pop-up advising you to buy the Pro version or a web browser window with a link to a download of a separate program. Glary Utilities, by comparison, is simpler to use and doesn't mislead the user into thinking it has features it doesn't really have. You can access most of Glary Utilities' features from the "1-Click Maintenance" screen. While Advanced SystemCare also has a feature called "Smart RAM" which claims to clear out Windows Vista's memory, Glary Utilities' Memory Optimizer feature is more automatic than Advanced SystemCare's memory feature, and also offers an option to clear the clipboard contents.

While both Advanced SystemCare and Glary Utilities have a registry cleaner, you really shouldn't use either one. Invalid registry entries usually don't cause problems in Windows Vista. However, if you delete a necessary registry entry you may end up reinstalling your operating system.

Glary Utilities is a straightforward software program with useful tools. Advanced SystemCare has many useful features, yet in many ways it seems like an advertisement for other software software programs from the same vendor. Ultimately, I have to choose Glary Utilities over Advanced SystemCare for optimizing and cleaning up systems running Windows Vista.