Each program listed includes a rating from Iolo's community to help you decide whether to prevent it running at startup for faster boot times. The excellent Startup Manager is also a huge cut above the one included with most Windows tuneup applications. System Mechanic Pro's Speed Up tools are impressive, including options to help boost the speed of your internet connections (all of which can be easily reversed if necessary). Our only quibble here is the software uninstaller, which only lets users select one program to remove at a time. This includes a combination of tools unique to System Mechanic, plus a few convenient links to the best of Windows' own utilities without the need to trawl through the Control Panel.

Things get more interesting when you begin exploring Iolo System Mechanic Pro's Toolbox.

Thankfully the settings are easy to change just deselect the tickboxes beside anything you'd like to keep, or disable ActiveCare entirely if you'd prefer to take matters into your own hands.

Iolo system mechanic pro 14