Best Free System Information Utility

Just a few notes about Spiceworks. Not only is it a network inventory tool (and a great one at that), but it also has a *fabulous* helpdesk ticketing system. For the user, it authenticates using your networks Active Directory credentials using an easy-to-use helpdesk web portal. Updates are automatically sent to the user (unless you as the techie specify otherwise).

It is advertising driven, but the ads are mostly off to one side and non intrusive. If you wish you can pay $10 a month (or $110 / year) for an ad-free experience.

Way too many feature to describe here, but if you are looking for a network inventory / helpdesk tool, Spiceworks is a *great* way to go.

posted by Keith Richmond, the Canadian Tech Guy.
http://canadiantechguy.blogspot.com

Thanks for the tip about SIW I was hoping that it would also provide information about Outlook accounts - ie user names and passwords and set up details. Can you find this information with SIW? Is there another similar program that will give Outlook details

Phil S

Ummm.... CPU-Z?

Just thought you should include LogInventory here - not as intuitive as Spiceworks, but a very comprehensive auditing tool nonetheless.

At the time of writing, Loginventory will scan 20 machines for free - more than enough for most home networks. I trialed both Loginventory and Spiceworks at work, and found that Loginventory was (only just), better than Spiceworks: it was faster to use, crashed less and provided more information.

However, this was some time ago now - so both products will have improved with age, one hopes. Recent tests with Spiceworks does show a distinct advantage for business users, as the built in HelpDesk solution is very capable - though not really in the Remedy or Lan Desk arena.

But for FREE, Spiceworks is very likely unbeatable.

An extensive System Information tool is Fresh Diagnose ( http://www.freshdevices.com ). It has frequent updates and is extensive. It also has benchmark utilities.

Thanks Jason, I too like SIW.
Any views perhaps on WinAudit?
http://pxserver.com/WinAudit.htm

The problem with SIW is that it doesn't work in a domain environment.

Can we get something here that will analyze S.M.A.R.T. logs to give a user an idea as to why a one may have a S.M.A.R.T. failure as it checks several things that may not constitute a drive replacement (such as spin up time, bad sectors ect)

Thanks

I've been in the computer industry for 32 years, and I've seen just about everything out there. I'm also a huge fan of this web site. The article by jason on this page is excellent, but if he doesn't mind, I'd like to add...

As jason has noted, AIDA32 and EVEREST HOME are officially both gone; and so any version of them which one may download from anywhere now is going to be sorely out-of-date. Hardware is moving so fast these days that old versions of this sort of software can kick out all kinds of unreliable results; and so should be used with caution... if at all. Further (and this is something not often talked about in places like this, but), it's actually possible (darned rare, mind you... but technically still possible) for out-of-date software of this type -- especially if it deep tests, benchmarks and/or remediates -- to actually do damage to hardware. Granted, in order to so do said hardware must typically be implemented in some weird or non-standard way which fails to comply with generally-accepted engineeering standards... but it can still happen, however rarely; and using out-of-date software of this particular category's type can actually marginally increase the possibility. It's statistically highly improbable, I realize... but I felt I had to at least mention it as long as it's out on the table here.

So, then, I guess my point, in part, is that the sadly-not-free EVEREST may very well be best-of-breed these days... especially since the 2008 demise of a PC version (e.g., a version for DOS or Windows) of the venerable old TouchStone Software product "CheckIt" (or "WinCheckIt")... the last version (7.1) of which was released in July of 2008 right about the time that Phoenix Technologies bought TouchStone and then summarily killed CheckIt for PCs, leaving only Smith Micro's version of CheckIt for the Mac (which costs a whopping hundred bucks).

EVEREST can be had from Lavalys for around thirty five bucks for the personal edition of its "ultimate" version; and it is probably the best solution if one insists on AIDA32's kind of comprehensive inventorying, testing, benchmarking and reporting.

It's worthy of note that EVEREST is the utility-of-its-type of choice of Hewlett-Packard's "HP Direct Manufacturing Center," which I mention here only as a sort of anecdotal indicator of at least one very large and well-known PC maker's opinion of EVEREST. That said, DOWNLOAD.COM's reviewers, though generally favorable about EVEREST, had some very serious reservations.

So, as should be painfully clear, EVEREST is by no means perfect... and can even be overkill in many (maybe even most consumer) instances. But, like it or not, it's just about the best there is, now, all things considered, across all commercial and/or open source and/or freeware products in this category... or so it is my opinion and two cents worth (which my ex-wife will enthusiastically attest is typically all it's worth).

Some of what's left out there as an alternative, though, is quite good; and jason, in this article, mentioned at least two of them, to wit: Belarc Advisor and PC Wizard. I also agree with jason that the SIW utility is quite good. Sadly, many of these products (save for PC Wizard) are only informational (though in that area they nevertheless excel) and so will not do any kind of serious testing, burning or benchmarking like, for example, EVEREST can do.

For what it's worth, whenever someone asks me for my list of the top contenders (be they free or commercial) in this particular category of utility, I provide the following:

EVEREST
http://www.lavalys.com/products.php?lang=en

CPU-ID's PC WIZARD
http://www.cpuid.com/pcwizard.php
Freeware

SiSoftware's SANDRA
http://tinyurl.com/6v7xt

Belarc Advisor
http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html
Freeware

Look-In-My-PC (similar to Belarc)
http://www.lookinmypc.com/
Freeware

HW INFO (for DOS and Windows)
http://www.hwinfo.com/
Freeware

I had intentionally left SIW off of that list, but having read jason's words here I may add it back in. He's right that it's really is quite nice... deceivingly so, actually, considering its simplicity. But it, like the others (except for EVEREST and PC Wizard) lacks deep testing/benchmarking.

Personally, I try to use the freebies as much as I can (and of course, like jason, I prefer to recommend only freebies to others), but when I need more than just information (e.g., true testing and/or benchmarking), I often find myself forced to step up to EVEREST. Clearly PC Wizard will test/benchmark, too; but, sadly, it only takes a simple product like SIW to out-do its system informational side. EVEREST, at least, is strong in both areas... too strong, in fact (almost to the point of overkill) some would (and have... and continue to) say.

As for SPICEWORKS, I think it's absolutely terrific... but almost (and I stress the word "almost") inappropriate for this product category because of its decidedly network-oriented approach pretty much to the exclusion of reasonably easy use on a single PC. When I think of this catetory, I think of informational (and preferably also burning/testing/benchmarking) utilities for one PC at a time... but that's just me. That said, EVEREST excels in a network environment as well. Nevertheless, my bottom line regarding SPICEWORKS is... well... wow!

DISCLAIMER: I am a completely independent consultant who works for (and/or has an affiliation with) none of the vendors (and/or the products) discussed here. My opinion is strictly from my experience, and I simply wanted to share it here with Gizmo's readers... for whatever that's worth. If I'm being inappropriate, then I welcome Gizmo's removal of this posting. I recognize that the whole point of this web site is to discuss free products; and so, technically, I suppose my talking so positively about the commercial EVEREST is off-topic here. However, since AIDA32 (and its successor EVEREST HOME) are listed here; and since they're no longer available (except in archives), I thought I'd at least help the reader get a sort of updated overall lay of the land regarding this particular category of software utility. Just tryin' to help.

_______________________________
Gregg L. DesElms

SiSoftware Sandra Lite is the best free utility around.

Hi, Can I add a recommendation for a program that doesn't do too much, but what it does it does very well. Kiwi Application Monitor enables you to select any application and will then give details of current/average memory use, CPU and run time etc. It will also give statistics about such important things as mouse cursor and key movements associated with the program being monitored! Additionally to can set it to provide alerts for excess memory load and run time. If you just want something to "memory watch" which is usually the top priority for most of us then I think this is unbeatable. Aslo contains a process and startup monitor. There is also a paid version offering more facilities.

Can you find this information with SIW? Is there another similar program that will give Outlook details.

Why isn't SiSoftware Sandra Lite on this list?

A question I think is half-on-topic:

At boot-up windows XP detects hardware and tries to find a driver then finally fails. It gives no information on what it has found or thought it's found, so I can't search for a driver myself or do anything to resolve this. Everytime I boot up the same problem.
I think the problem started after I updated .NET framework to 3.0 and hasn't gone away with .NET 3.5. Of course this may not be related at all.
Can any system checker be used to find unknown/not-installed hardware or do they just give summaries of the configured system?

Thanks!

SiSoftware Sandra Lite = No.1

I build a support lots of Windows PCs from spare parts for cheapskate friends, family, etc.

I'm looking for a good burn-in freeware product, that will put a PC through a series of intense hardware and software tests, to help make sure it's in good shape before I hand it over.

Seems this is the closest category to find something like this, but I don't see one listed. Maybe a "Best Free System Burn-In Utility" category could be added. :)

Thanks,
Scott C

S.I.W. and Aida is my preferance.

Is one program I've used which seems to have quite a bit of information. I admittedly, haven't tried any of the above-mentioned programs, yet.

WinAudit and SiSoftware Sandra Lite should feature here IMHO.

here is another freeware: freshdiagnose
it is free for personel use and effective...
http://www.freshdevices.com/

It is really good. You are doing a very good job. I like your work, it is really helpful. It helps me to solve many problems of my PC.

The freeware version of SIW is not "Unrestricted Freeware", and is limited to non-commercial use only...
http://www.gtopala.com/siw-diff.html