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Best Free System Information Utility
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Introduction
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| The freeware utility AIDA32 was for a long time the best system information / inventorying tool ever, regardless of price. It documented just about every aspect of your hardware and software configuration as well as checking networks and providing memory benchmarks. However the developer announced in March 2004 that the free product had been frozen and development work shifted to another organization where AIDA32 was re-launched as a commercial product called Everest. Then in 2010 Everest was aquired by FinalWire who shut down Everest and released AIDA64. |
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Discussion
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You can however still find the old AIDA32 and the non-discontinued free version of Everest called Everest Home. The old AIDA32 works better across networks while Everest Home covers more modern hardware than AIDA32. If you only need to inventory a single PC then you should also check out Belarc Advisor. It's free for non commercial use and while not quite as thorough as AIDA32, it has the advantage of being actively developed. My current favorite for home use is the SIW utility written by Gabriel Topala. It "displays detailed specs for motherboard, BIOS, CPU, devices, memory, video, disk drives, ports, printers, operating system, installed programs, processes, services, serial numbers (CD keys), users, open files, system uptime, network, network shares, as well as real-time monitors for CPU, memory, page file usage and network traffic. It also displays currently active network connections, passwords hidden behind asterisks, installed codecs, and more." That's impressive enough for a freebie but my favorite feature is SIW does not need installing; all you need to do is run the executable. This means one less installed program on your PC as well the fact that you can run the program directly from a USB flash drive. PC Wizard is a system information utility that is strong in workstation description and benchmarking. It's a well implemented program with a nice multi-panel display with different analysis functions easily selectable using sidebar buttons. Overall it provides a little less system information that SIW but the benchmarking feature makes up for it. Benchmarks can be run on individual parameters such as processor performance, memory and cache speed, video performance and hard drive speed or can be run be for all functions with the single press of a button. In the latter case an overall numeric system performance index is also calculated. Overall PC Wizard is an impressive system utility well suited to those who want to get a better understanding of their PC's configuration and performance. The fact that it is regularly updated adds further to its appeal.
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System software, system tools, utility software |
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Comments
Maybe this is a new development but... SIW is not freeware. Click on download link and you're taken to a page of commercial products, only.
The SIW Utility is good. Too bad that they've started bundling unwanted stuff:(. Just tried their portable app edition and it's fine.
Official link:
http://www.gtopala.com/other/index.php
Portable apps link:
http://portableapps.com/apps/utilities/siw_portable
SIW now includes OpenCandy in it's installer. Go for the portable version available at their website
My primary use of these inventory utilities is to collect software licenses in case I have to reinstall a program. Most users do not save their license keys and just lose the programs if their hard drive dies or their system burns, etc..
My experience with all of these products is they catch about half of the licenses at best. I just tried the SIW portable again today, and it missed significant programs such as Adobe Photoshop Elements. If one of these programs did what they claim, I would pay $30 for it.
(even though this article was aimed primarily at programs that obtain hardware specs - you raise a good point).
The problem lies not with the apps (like SIW or Belarc) but with the apps you are trying to capture the serial / keys for. There is no common location or method for apps to record and store their serials. In fact, many apps go out of their way to obfuscate the keys and serials to reduce the likelihood of piracy from users of the PC from being able to copy the keys and register the software on their own PCs.
Considering there is no common location, storage format, or standards for storing registration keys (many apps don't even store the original registration key, but some form of hash) - the task of developing an app to locate and decode the original installation keys for "major" programs starts to look not worth the effort when you consider the alternative.
The alternative? When purchasing new software and before installing the software - keep an updated software register. This can be as complex as a dedicated database application or something as simple as a spreadsheet or even a text file created in notepad, with the name of the application, the application website url and the install key information. You will usually get all this information emailed to you when you purchase software (online). Just put it all together in a single location / database / file.
When you have to rebuild or reinstall apps for whatever reason - a software register will make everything so much easier, and the best part is that your software register works with EVERY application and it is free (of course - just make sure you back it up).
I haven't had a chance to try SIW (which I will). It sounds as if it's portable. But also check out Speccy by Piriform (makers of CCleaner and Recova). I would like to see how it ranks with the already mentioned competition. See link for more information:
http://www.piriform.com/speccy
Latest Speccy is not running properly. Version 1.13, 1.14 crash.
My W. XP-SP3 Pro Dell runs Speccy 1.10 fine, but my XP-SP3 Home Dell gives a C++ error. (2) MS Visual C++ 2005 versions installed may be why.
ALL versions available to download at
http://www.filehippo.com/download_speccy (even v.1.0 betas)
What I like is the main page and subsections have just what I was looking for. GPU temp for example.
SIW spits out every conceivable piece of information in organized fashion, great for troubleshooting.
SIW freeware version has been pulled from the site. I could not find a link to the freeware version on Gabriel's site, so I emailed him:
From: Bear Bottoms
Sent: Tuesday, September 20, 2011 8:22 PM
To: siw@gtopal a.com
Subject: SIW
The freeware download link is missing?
Bear
from Gabriel Topala (SIW)
sender-time Sent at 1:43 PM (GMT-04:00). Current time there: 6:50 PM. ✆
to Bear Bottoms
date Wed, Sep 21, 2011 at 1:43 PM
subject RE: SIW
I've removed the freeware version.
Thanks,
Gabriel Topala
It would be a shame if Gabriel decides to discontinue the Freeware version - as so many home users find his program to be so useful.
In the meantime - if you are looking for this (while it lasts?):
System Information for Windows Freeware Version v2011.09.16
Copyright © 2005-2011 Topala Software Solutions
Freeware License for personal, NON-commercial use
http://www.snapfiles.com/get/siw.html
http://majorgeeks.com/SIW_System_Info_d4387.html
http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/System-Info/SIW.shtml
http://www.portablefreeware.com/?id=159
http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/SIW/1097934999/1
http://www.afterdawn.com/software/system_tools/system_information/siw.cfm (includes Portable and U3 version)
http://www.techspot.com/downloads/155-siw-system-info.html
http://www.freewarefiles.com/SIW-System-Information_program_11274.html
Just saw that free version of SIW is back on the site, and even has an update.
It now comes with OpenCandy... so beware while installation. :(
That seems to be true sadly :( .. the site layout has changed, and on the download page, the freeware version is no longer to be seen. I think that it was the best program out there in terms of system information. That's quite sad.
Another tool is Fresh Diagnose, one of a range of free utilities bearing the Fresh name. Their product description reads "Fresh Diagnose is a utility designed to analyze and benchmark your computer system. It detects many kinds of hardware, such as CPU or hard drive performance, video or motherboard information and much more. This software is 100% free, no ads, no spyware." Find it at http://www.freshdevices.com/
SIW shows up as a false positive in several anti virus programs including Symantec and others...
Big downer for me. Symantec deleted my SIW.exe without even a warning...
PC Wizard also includes a portable version.
The latest installation package downloaded using update link in older version of SIW now contains adware. Be carefoul.
SIW 2011 is no longer free, so it does not really matter. ;)
SIW 2011 is Gabriel's commercial/professional version and is not free nor has been for a long time.
SIW remains free for personal use. It really is the best although Speccy is coming up fast from behind.
SIW 2010 (outdated) is free, SIW 2011 is not, I moved to PCWizard anyway.
Yes it is, you just need to look further down the page. I have just downloaded and run it.
Belarc Advisor now Runs on Windows 7, 2008 R2, Vista, 2008, 2003, XP, 2000, NT 4, Me, 98, and 95. Both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows is supported.
The Item in your list stops at Vista.
http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html
RE: "AIDA32 was re-launched as a commercial product called Everest."
Here's a bit of irony, taken verbatim from the www.lavalys.com website: "Everest is now discontinued. Click here to learn more about AIDA64, the successor to Everest."
What has happened is another company -- FinalWire -- bought the Everest software and name from Lavalys, and are now developing it themselves. It's still not freeware, though. Go to AIDA64.com for the full story.
The free version of Everest is still available... for how long, who knows?
Thanks for the advice.
Please note that the link for PC Wizard 2010 evokes a virus 'exploit' according to Microsoft Security Essentials
I have now downloaded from cnet.download
Must be a false positive. I downloaded the latest version of PC Wizard released 1-2 days ago. Avast, and MBAM don't complain about it.
How about speccy here ?
Whats up with recomending discontinued products, and how come the two best free [ in my opinion] SIW http://www.gtopala.com/ and speccy http://www.piriform.com/speccy ar not mentioned?
Did you read the article carefully? If you noticed, SIW has been mentioned in the article, and has been given the top choice. Belarc Advisor, PC Wizard are not discontinued products. They are being developed constantly, and their versions keep releasing.
I have been trying Speccy since it was in beta, but I just cannot get it to work on my system. It always gives me errors. Maybe its just my system that has the problem.
My bad on SIW , I must not have ben awake when reading.It should have ben placed on the top.
Speccy certainly looks nice and for some people it might prove adequate. However it has only just come out of beta, and there are still several issues with the product.
Maybe after a couple of releases when piriform have a chance to address some of the issues, it could be reconsidered. (Personally I like the program, but it doesn't reach the same high level of quality as programs such as SIW).
If you are having problems with speccy - do the developers a favor any let them know so they can fix it.
http://forum.piriform.com/index.php?showforum=22
I have been having problems with Speccy, and I ran the latest version, and came across an error related to C++ Runtime Library. I wanted to post this on the Piriform forum, but I can't seem to access their forum. I wrote to the support about it. They told me to talk to my ISP. Its strange, I never used their forum, but even then I can't access it. I am able to access the Piriform site, just not their forum. Why would my ISP block it? Sadly, I had to let the issue go... because I know talking to my ISP wont be of any use.
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