“Slow Computer? Let My Faster PC speed up your computer”, “Want to SPEED You PC?”, “...bring back that speedy new computer feel”, “Fewer errors and crashes” and “End annoying slowness and freezes”. These are the catch phrases used by the myFasterPC.com website to entice viewers to buy their software. They’ve got TV commercials and a ‘5 cow’ rating from Tucows, but is the software something of value, or is it just another registry cleaner claiming to be a cure-all?
My Faster PC: What is It?
Owned by ConsumerSoft, myFasterPC.com offers software purportedly designed to clean all of the clutter from the computer, repair file issues, defrag the hard drive, check for system updates and clean up start-up items.
In a nutshell, it is computer optimizer software. The site claims the software includes 7 optimization features, but the seventh is listed as their guarantee that the software contains no adware, malware or spyware. The website sports a ‘5 cow rating’ by Tucows, a “Patent Pending Technology” image, as well as an odd “5 Star User Reviews on the Top Download Site” claim with no supporting link.
My Faster PC: Noticeable Oddities
The website includes an Awards & Reviews page. On it there are four individual ‘5 star’ ratings from Tucows.com, Download3000.com, Softsea.com and FileGuru.com, but none of these sites have any customer reviews. All four sites sport very similar write-ups (in some instance, the exact same wording is used), about the software which suggests they were provided by the manufacturer (not the site staff or editors), and SoftSea.com only displays a ‘4 star’ rating, not ‘5 star’ as indicated by myFasterPC.com.
My Faster PC: Few Testimonials
The only substantial reviews in favor of the software are on its own Testimonials page that displays 7 static statements. Neither CNet.com or TopTenReviews.com even list the software and finding additional user testimonials produce few results.
There is a linked comment on the Awards & Reviews page that supports the myFasterPC.com software by eHow.com, however upon closer inspection, the article is simply a brief review of 3 different PC Optimizer software packages. The myFasterPC.com software is briefly addressed (in 198 words) by the author who seems to have simply summarized the information that’s found on the site itself. There is no suggestion that any testing was ever completed by the author.
My Faster PC: Testing Results
The test computer was thoroughly cleaned with AVG, Avira, System Mechanic, CCleaner, Malwares Antibytes, MyDefrag and Norton Registry Cleaner prior to testing and again between tests. The myFasterPC.com software was tested 4 times (uninstalled, downloaded, then reinstalled each time) using its "Scan & Repair All" option with the following results.
- Test #1 – 246 Error issues reported.
- Test #2 – 196 Error issues reported.
- Test #3 – 226 Error issues reported.
- Test #4 – 241 Error issues reported.
Realistically, the expected results from the myFasterPC.com software should have shown continuity in the number of error issues reported. Despite the fact that 3 other registry cleaners (noted above) did not locate any errors on the test computer, the myFasterPC.com software should have at least reported the same number of errors each time.
Differences with Different Registry Cleaners
It must be noted that the ‘errors’ reported by the software could very well have been attributed to it looking for items not being viewed by the other programs; different optimizing software packages will look for more or less items than others. Therefore, the reporting of errors when other programs found none is to be expected.
However, there is no logical reason for the same optimization software to report a different number of found errors each time it’s run under the same conditions and that should definitely serve as a warning sign.
My Faster PC: Is it Worth It?
Beyond the reporting of error issues, nothing was found to be out of the ordinary with the myFasterPC.com software. The package included all the features it claimed (Registry Cleaner, Disk Cleaner, Optimizer, Defragmenter, Start-up Items and Add-ons), and appeared to operate within normal expectations of typical optimization software, aside from the reporting variations. The software also does present the user with an easy-to-use interface.
Buy or Beware?
There is a plethora of registry cleaner and computer optimization software available both for sale and free. These programs are all designed to accomplish the same end result; to speed up a slow computer. As to whether or not a specific software package is right or wrong for each person, really boils down to level of comfort with computers and how convenience is sought. With very little time, any user can learn how to correct most issues that result in a slow computer without spending any money at all.
So buyer beware, PC optimization software for the most part does not do any more than the tools and applications already installed on most computers as part of the operating system. They do however offer convenience, for a price.
Additional articles related to registry cleaner software and computer optimization include
Double My Speed.com Software: Buy or Beware?
Double My Speed.com Software, Are PC Optimizers a Scam?
Slow Computer, No Magic Needed to Fix Slow PC
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