Windows Utilities: Rx for Your PC

Ever notice how computing can sound hazardous to your health? We talk of crashing, freezing, or even corrupting our FAT. Yecch. Which is why Windows utilities are like health care for your PC.

It starts with "healthy habits" utilities--programs that promote high-efficiency, low-stress computing. For example, keeping your files in good order with a file manager means that you won't need to reach for the Maalox next time you need that spreadsheet you created back in 1994. Or suppose you simply must save a couple dozen screen shots from the way-cool Web site you found last night. Avoid hard drive cramping by squashing those JPEGs down to size with a file zipper. And what about that IS guy who sends his reports in XyWrite? A handy file viewer will let you look at almost any file that comes your way.

But sometimes even the healthiest PC needs a good MD. Diagnostic programs are like general practitioners, giving your system an overall checkup and pinpointing potential problems. Disk scanners are radiologists, examining your hard drive for trouble. Uninstallers clean your system of old applications and orphaned DLLs; call them the internists. And disk defragmenters? The shrinks of the PC world, they do their best to put your drive's scattered contents back in order.

Finally, there's the emergency room. When disaster strikes, crash recovery programs can help your computer get back on its feet.

But like doctors, all utilities aren't created equal. To separate the experts from the quacks, we reviewed 28 products--including Windows' built-in tools and two do-it-alls, Norton Utilities and Nuts & Bolts. The diagnosis? There are gems, but snake-oil salesmen still thrive.

Just as different HMOs offer different services, different operating systems offer varied utilities. In "The Future of Utilities," we take a look at those in Windows 98 and in a future version of Windows NT. And because any PC surgery carries risks, "Bad Medicine" warns of dangers these programs can present.