Perfect Utilities is an excellent freeware system maintenance/optimization software… because it is a copy of WinUtilities!
September 3, 2009 42
Email article | Print article 
UPDATE2: It seems like the developer of Perfect Utilities is no longer providing it freeware. Anyone that tries to download Perfect Utilities will get WinUtilities ($49.95)!
UPDATE1 – WARNING: Since I reviewed Perfect Utilities, the developer has made update to the software. The latest update, v3.03 comes with Relevant Knowledge, known malware. So if you are going to get Perfect Utilities, I suggest you grab v3.02 until the developer releases a “clean” version of v3.03.
There are many excellent commercial system maintenance/optimization software out there on the market right now. In this list of excellent commercial system maintenance/optimization software WinUtilities is highly regarded as being near the top, i.e. it is one of the best. Now WinUtilities is one of dotTech’s exclusive freebie and it is continuously given out on Giveaway of the Day so to say you always have to purchase WinUtilities to get it is an understatement. However WinUtilities is still in fact commercial and costs $50 per license. So when I found out there is a freeware copy of WinUtilities I was reluctant (suspecting some foul play) at first but overjoyed after wards.
Perfect Utilities is a new system maintenance/optimization software and it turns out that it is an exact copy of WinUtilities. How do I know this you ask?
- The interfaces are uncannily similar:
- When installing Perfect Utilities (v2.0) you will see that it extracts a file named “WinUtil.exe”:
Just the name of the file is a dead giveaway but to further pile on the proof, when installing WinUtilities (v7.0), the same “WinUtil.exe” is extracted:
- I first installed Perfect Utilities v2.0 then I installed WinUtilities v7.0. Perfect Utilities wanted to install into C:\Program Files\Perfect Utilities so I let it. Ironically, WinUtilities also wanted to install into C:\Program files\Perfect Utilities:
- When trying to run WinUtilities (v7.0) while Perfect Utilities (v2.0) is already running I get the following error message:
- Lastly, here is the kicker and dead giveaway number 2. Perfect Utilities is developed by “YiLong Software” while WinUtilities is also developed by “YiLong Software”:
Now to say they are exact copies (like I said earlier) is a not 100% true. WinUtilities uses up ~30 MB disk space while Perfect Utilities uses up ~20 MB. Notably WinUtilities has a file called WO.exe, a file commonly mistaken for a virus, while Perfect Utilities does not. However both programs have the same features and perform the same so I really don’t care what is going on behind the scenes.
Update: Upon further investigation, after some dotTechies expressed some concern, I learned a few things by doing multiple clean installs of both programs.
- WO.exe is not a part of WinUtilities anymore. WO.exe was a left over file from previous versions of WinUtilities that I had installed. WO.exe used to be the main executable for WinUtilities. Now WinUtil.exe is… just like it is for Perfect Utilities.
- The reason for the ~10 MB difference in disk space usage between the two programs is because the “skins” folder is WinUtilities is ~10 MB larger than the “skins” folder for Perfect Utilities. In other words the only difference between WinUtilities and Perfect Utilities is that WinUtilities has more skins to choose from.
Okay so Perfect Utilities = WinUtilities (as far as I can tell v2.0 = v7.0). So what you ask? Why is Perfect Utilities an “excellent system maintenance/optimization software”? Well because it carries the features and reliability of WinUtilities without the price tag:
The features listed above are as of v2.00; new features may be added in future versions.
Come on – you have to admit you are impressed. I know I definitely am. Why ever pay for a system maintenance/optimization software when you can get Perfect Utilities for free. Perfect Utilities is an excellent program. You can download Perfect Utilities from the following link:
Perfect Utilities works on 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7
Click here to download Perfect Utilities (direct download link here)
Thanks Jeff!
Disclaimer: No matter how good a system maintenance/optimization program is none of them are perfect. Please be conservative when cleaning out your registry, duplicate files, junk files, etc. Always make a backup first before doing anything (Perfect Utilities should automatically create a “rescue” point but just double check it via “Options” for each module to make sure the “rescue” point is turned on).
@cham77: The “~” means about; in other words the “10 MB difference” is a rounded number. The only other difference I found besides the skins folder is WinUtilities has these 1 KB .exe.manifest files for each tool which Perfect Utilities does not. The .exe.manifest files are developer created files related to running software on Vista so they don’t really impact the program functionality therefore I did not want to confuse everyone by mentioning them. I am not sure why Perfect Utilities does not have them while WinUtilities does considering Perfect Utilities works on Vista (an experienced developer is welcome to help answer this question).
@cham77: I downloaded v7.0 right off the developer’s website to test before making this post and I can assure you WinUtil.exe is there instead of WO.exe now. The developer may have made that change after releasing it on GOTD.
@TheCuzKev: You use McAfee? =(.
Ashraf you talk about a lot of programs that do not have self executing registry back ups but i don’t think you have identified many programs that do and what about other types of backups that self execute ??? How many are there that are worth using ? Do they need a mechanic to work them ?
@Coldmile: CCleaner has a self executing/self restoring backup. CCleaner is worth using.
@Ashraf: ERUNT also has self executing restores.
Hi Ashraf,
First up, thank you for your excellent reviews. I just wanted to draw attention to the Perfect Utilities forum. Users are having installation problems with PP but nobody has actually said which version they downloaded. Since your review was based on v2 I am guessing that they have been trying to install v3.01; you may like to have a look at this yourself before publishing any comment on this topic.
Best regards
Bryan
The new version is 3.0.2
The last version of perfect utilities is 3.0.2(En, 5.3MB and no viruses) at http://www.putils.com/
I wonder why WinUtilities offers a promotion on your site when you promote their clone…
Eset full security suite 4 refused to continue the download from there site DUE TO Multiple THREATS !!! BE CAREFULL FOLKS
@Scott: Did you read my “update”?
Hi Ashraf,
Many thanks for your hard work.
If you would be asked to choosed between Perfect Utilities and TuneUp Utilities 2008 what would you recommend?
Have a good day.
Big Malware problem with v 3.03. My system went crazy.
I have version 3.02 but every time I open the program a message pops up saying a new update is available(3.03). The thing is, I turned off the automatic updating in the options menu, so, what the heck? is it only me?
To avoid RK when installing PU 3.03, don’t press “Accept” button, just press “Decline” and it will continue installing without RK. Don’t forget to press “Decline” for second time when RK pops up.
Perfect Utilities is no more… the download link is for WinUtilities 9.2… I guess YiLong decided to discontinue the freebie… (bangs on my keyboard)