How to Choose a Computer Diagnostic Utility

A computer diagnostic utility can perform general maintenance to optimize your computer system as well as diagnose and repair damage caused by viruses, spyware and adware. Additional capabilities include defragmentation of hard drives, protection and recovery of lost data and fixing registry errors. Selecting the right computer diagnostic utility for your computer system requires a little research to make sure that you get the right product for your needs. Here are some hints and suggestions.

Steps

1
Make an initial assessment of any technical problems that your computer is currently experiencing. Is your computer slow, does it freeze-up and generally perform poorly when you are using it? Does it take a long time for you to make a connection to the Internet?
2
Consider whether your computer has been displaying error messages or has been prompting you about a possible virus on your system. Have you initially used your computer's own diagnostic utilities to pinpoint the problem?
3
Think about how you use your computer and what you store on it. A good computer diagnostic utility can optimize your system by removing unnecessary files and deleting your browsing history as well as stored cookies and temporary Internet files.
4
Decide if you may need a computer diagnostic utility to simply tune-up your computer to increase its overall performance or one that has more extensive tools to repair, recover, and remove viruses and spyware. Each product on the market offers different features.
5
Determine your computer's requirements and operating system. Do you have a PC or a Mac computer system? There are computer diagnostic utilities available for both PC's and Macs. It will be important when you go shopping to get the utility that is specifically designed for your system.
6
Evaluate what features in a computer diagnostic utility that you want. Most computer diagnostic utilities are fairly inexpensive (under $50) and include a wide array of tools to manage and diagnose computer system problems.
7
Consider a computer diagnostic utility that incorporates some of the best features to manage programs, track performance, increase speed and to uninstall unwanted programs and tools. Good utilities will optimize system settings at the highest level.
8
Look for a computer diagnostic utility that is user friendly and easy to use, offering features that make the interface understandable. The best computer diagnostic utilities offer users solid customer service after the purchase.
9
Read the reviews for computer diagnostic utilities to become better informed as to the many features that they offer. Seeing the many products that are available with a listing of their capabilities will better equip you when you go shopping for a computer diagnostic utility.
10
Watch for daily and weekly sales so that you can get the lowest possible price for a computer diagnostic utility. This type of product is readily available at office technology stores as well as local retail stores that sell computers.
11
Ask the sales representatives at the stores that you visit to help you with any product questions. They should be knowledgeable about computer diagnostic utilities and be able to help you decide which one is the best product for your needs.