Hoping for some computer-related advice

Sunkist

Sunkist

New Member
Does anyone who is really tech-savvy know of any "all-in-one" program, software, etc., that's guaranteed to be safe that will a) remove everything that shouldn't be on/in a device, and b) keep everything that should be there updated (drivers, etc.)?
Better yet if I could use it on 3 devices (current pc, non-working pc, laptop).

I also have no security on cellphone, but as I don't do email on phone I wouldn't know how to install anything.
 

Sunkist said:
Does anyone who is really tech-savvy know of any "all-in-one" program, software, etc., that's guaranteed to be safe that will a) remove everything that shouldn't be on/in a device, and b) keep everything that should be there updated (drivers, etc.)?
Better yet if I could use it on 3 devices (current pc, non-working pc, laptop).

I also have no security on cellphone, but as I don't do email on phone I wouldn't know how to install anything.
Click to expand...
I used Gemini AI to answer :

Finding a single "guaranteed safe" program that handles everything (cleaning, updating, and driver management) across multiple devices is a bit like looking for a Swiss Army knife that also cooks dinner. While there isn't one perfect app that "guaranteed" to never make a mistake, there are a few highly reputable suites that "tech-savvy" users typically rely on.
Here are the best options that cover your three specific needs:
1. The "All-in-One" Leaders
These are established programs that bundle cleaning (removing junk/bloatware) with driver and software updaters.
* CCleaner Professional Plus: This is the classic choice. The "Plus" version is specifically designed for up to 3 devices. It includes a Driver Updater, Software Updater, and its famous junk-cleansing tool.
* IObit Advanced SystemCare: This is a heavy-duty "one-click" optimizer. It has an AI mode that cleans junk, updates drivers, and boosts performance. You can often find "Multi-Device" licenses that cover 3 PCs.
* Microsoft PC Manager: If safety is your #1 concern, this is the official tool from Microsoft. It is 100% safe, cleans system junk, and manages startup apps. Note: It doesn't update third-party drivers as aggressively as the others, as it relies on Windows Update.
2. The Tech-Savvy "Trio" Approach
Most tech-savvy people actually prefer using three specific, specialized tools because they are more thorough and safer than a "jack-of-all-trades" app.
| Task | Recommended Tool | Why Techs Use It |
|---|---|---|
| Cleaning | BleachBit | It's open-source, free, and more "honest" than commercial cleaners. |
| Drivers | Snappy Driver Installer | It’s the gold standard for finding missing drivers without ads or upsells. |
| Updates | Patch My PC | It updates 300+ common apps (Chrome, Zoom, etc.) in the background for you. |
3. Handling the "Non-Working" PC
For your non-working PC, an all-in-one program won't help if the computer won't turn on or boot into Windows.
* If it's a software issue: You can try booting into Safe Mode and running one of the tools above.
* If it won't boot at all: You may need a bootable USB drive with recovery tools (like Hiren’s BootCD PE). These are free and can help you "clean" a system from the outside before it even starts.
Important "Safety" Disclaimer
No software can "guarantee" safety because driver updates involve deep system changes. Always ensure the software creates a System Restore Point before it updates anything. This allows you to "undo" the changes if a new driver causes a crash.
 

Paco Dennis said:
I used Gemini AI to answer :

Finding a single "guaranteed safe" program that handles everything (cleaning, updating, and driver management) across multiple devices is a bit like looking for a Swiss Army knife that also cooks dinner. While there isn't one perfect app that "guaranteed" to never make a mistake, there are a few highly reputable suites that "tech-savvy" users typically rely on.
Here are the best options that cover your three specific needs:
1. The "All-in-One" Leaders
These are established programs that bundle cleaning (removing junk/bloatware) with driver and software updaters.
* CCleaner Professional Plus: This is the classic choice. The "Plus" version is specifically designed for up to 3 devices. It includes a Driver Updater, Software Updater, and its famous junk-cleansing tool.
* IObit Advanced SystemCare: This is a heavy-duty "one-click" optimizer. It has an AI mode that cleans junk, updates drivers, and boosts performance. You can often find "Multi-Device" licenses that cover 3 PCs.
* Microsoft PC Manager: If safety is your #1 concern, this is the official tool from Microsoft. It is 100% safe, cleans system junk, and manages startup apps. Note: It doesn't update third-party drivers as aggressively as the others, as it relies on Windows Update.
2. The Tech-Savvy "Trio" Approach
Most tech-savvy people actually prefer using three specific, specialized tools because they are more thorough and safer than a "jack-of-all-trades" app.
| Task | Recommended Tool | Why Techs Use It |
|---|---|---|
| Cleaning | BleachBit | It's open-source, free, and more "honest" than commercial cleaners. |
| Drivers | Snappy Driver Installer | It’s the gold standard for finding missing drivers without ads or upsells. |
| Updates | Patch My PC | It updates 300+ common apps (Chrome, Zoom, etc.) in the background for you. |
3. Handling the "Non-Working" PC
For your non-working PC, an all-in-one program won't help if the computer won't turn on or boot into Windows.
* If it's a software issue: You can try booting into Safe Mode and running one of the tools above.
* If it won't boot at all: You may need a bootable USB drive with recovery tools (like Hiren’s BootCD PE). These are free and can help you "clean" a system from the outside before it even starts.
Important "Safety" Disclaimer
No software can "guarantee" safety because driver updates involve deep system changes. Always ensure the software creates a System Restore Point before it updates anything. This allows you to "undo" the changes if a new driver causes a crash.
Click to expand...
The only one I've heard of is CCleaner Professional Plus.. seems reasonably priced.. do you have an opinion about it?
 
I WILL JUMP IN here and say that CCleaner is good,
but watch out for the install of the ccleaner BROWSer
I GOT IT MY MISTAKE AND IT IS A PAIN IN THE REAR....JUST MY OPINION.....
 
Sunkist said:
The only one I've heard of is CCleaner Professional Plus.. seems reasonably priced.. do you have an opinion about it?
Click to expand...
I feel like Ccleaner can be helpful with your goals, but nothing can do it all. The "Mac" reference was a plug for Apple computers that many people feel they are a better computer, with less problems. The PC running Windows is a bit messy. CCleaner is a good product and will do most all the things you want. Study what it can do, maybe it's work will satisfy what your wanting. ;)
 
I have to add, CCleaner just recently upgraded to version 7 and it now has (in my humble opinion) a far less intuitive interface. It's difficult to locate things that were previously easy to find.
 
Rich said:
I have to add, CCleaner just recently upgraded to version 7 and it now has (in my humble opinion) a far less intuitive interface. It's difficult to locate things that were previously easy to find.
Click to expand...
I haven't tried the paid version yet, but when the free version updated to #7 it was so glitchy that I went back to version #6.
 
I have used ccleaner since it was first called Crap Cleaner back in 2004. You really couldn't take something seriously with a name like that so they quickly renamed it ccleaner. I haven't needed it since I switched to a Mac about 10 years ago when I retired. There is a Mac version but Macs don't have the same issues so it isn't that useful. We used it a lot doing IT support back in the day. Windows has always been terrible about cleaning up temp files and after a while they pile up so much Windows slows to a crawl. People used to reinstall Windows at that point, then ccleaner came to the rescue.

I just ran it on a friends slow laptop the other day and it ran for quite a while (stuck at 90%) but eventually it found over 32,000 temp files. After he had it delete them Windows was back to it's old speed.

I usually install the free download, run it as is and then uninstall it after it cleans the files. Do that every few months not every day. I believe ccleaner is still pretty safe, they have been at it for over 20 years. I don't know what else it does now not but I am sure its a lot more bloated then it once was. Be careful, some of the software out there that does things like getting rid of "unneeded" stuff to free up hard drive space is unnecessary and can even do damage.
 
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MoBeans said:
I usually install the free download, run it as is and then uninstall it after it cleans the files. Do that every few months not every day. I believe ccleaner is still pretty safe, they have been at it for over 20 years. I don't know what else it does now not but I am sure its a lot more bloated then it once was. Be careful, some of the software out there that does things like getting rid of "unneeded" stuff to free up hard drive space is unnecessary and can even do damage.
Click to expand...
It’s definitely become more bloated over the years. I can’t recall exactly what it looked like two decades ago, but the current Plus version now bundles in both a driver updater and an app updater. The app updater feels somewhat redundant, since most modern applications—Chrome, Firefox, and many others—already handle updates internally.
Opinions on the driver updater are mixed: some people insist on always running the latest drivers, while others stick to the old “if it’s working, don’t fix it” philosophy. That said, it does a solid job of tracking and organizing your installed drivers.
 
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