Crash Benefits, part 3: Know even more about your system
In my last post, I recommended keeping all registration information regarding your downloaded software in a “Reference” folder in a web-based email program and in the program SoftCAT. Here are two more ways to gather the essential information you will wish to have at hand in the event of a hard disk crash.
At the first hint of HD problems a month ago, I immediately searched for some software utility that would document the status of my current system. I found the freeware program WinAudit.
I actually downloaded WinAudit from SnapFiles, where I was also able to read some very positive user reviews. The software is very simple to use. With the click of one button, one gets a full report of both hardware and software in the computer. Particularly useful are the software details, a separate box for each software which includes software version number, registration number and user name, along other information. The report can be easily saved, emailed or printed. For those savvy enough to think about such a detail, the program can be installed on a USB stick, along with other small maintenance utitlities.
Belarc Advisor, also freeware recommended by many, offers similar functionality. Its report is much more concise, which is useful if printed out. It seems strong at gathering hardware and technical details. When it comes to software, it gives a two-column list with software name and version number. In my test, it missed most of the registration numbers and other software detail. Belarc Advisor also cannot be run off of a USB stick. Between Advisor and WinAudit, I’d chose the later, if one wants more detail, and Advisor if one just wants a concise summary.
Recent discussion at ZDnet about software with this functionality pointed to other free utilities. KeyFinder is particularly aimed at recovering the key to your Microsoft software installations, including the Windows operating system, in case you have lost the CD. Another particularly powerful program is System Information for Windows. There’s a good review of it at Softpedia. I’ll add both of these utiltilies to the USB stick on which I keep such programs in case of emergency.
While one is wondering about installed software, you may as well check to see how up-to-date your software is. VersionTracker Pro advertises aggressively on CNET’s Download.com — it costs $29.95. I’ve found a freeware program that does the similar task. I accidentally came across AppGet when searching for something to list my software. I ran it and liked the results, though I felt that it probably missed a good many programs. I discovered quite a few programs, however, that deserved updating.
If you do wish to check for updates, you may wish to read a quick review at gHacks of several alternatives that claim to do the task. This survey, which features a screenshot of each Updater along with links to each one, was done 5 months ago, and AppGet has issued an update of its own since then. For me, AppGet did report available updates. Mind you, Update Star looks interesting too — but I have not yet tried it out myself.
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