Version reviewed:
v2.03
System Requirements:
Windows NT4/2000/XP/Server 2003/Vista/Server 2008/Windows 7/XP x64/Server 2003 x64/ Vista x64/Server 2008 x64/Windows 7 x64/95/98/ME
Software description as per GOTD:
ASTRA32 – Advanced System Information Tool is an ideal solution for providing comprehensive information about the configuration of your system. Not only does ASTRA32 provide a detailed analysis of your system it also offers diagnostics and comes with some powerful unique features such as a Drivers Troubleshooter and a quick HDD Health Status checker.You will appreciate the accuracy with which ASTRA32 acquires the information about the detected devices as it mostly refers directly to the hardware not to the Windows Registry. ASTRA32 uncovers even undocumented data. You can be sure that the obtained information about the computer hardware and device operational modes is precise irrespective of the installed drivers.
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Table of Contents
Quick Pros and Cons
The Good
|
The Bad
|
Rating (out of 10)
Ease of Use
Point and click really. However be warned these "system information"/"diagnostic" tools display a lot of information; most of this information will be Greek to the average user.
|
10 |
Performance
Works just like it claims and does not work slowly either.
|
10 |
Usefulness
Eh. These types of tools are nice to have around but I don't see many users using them very often.
|
6 |
Final Score |
10 |
Quick Verdict
Full Review
Astra32 is a system information/PC diagnostic tool. Like all other system information tools, Astra32 detects and displays information about the hardware and software of a user's computer:
Astra32 displays information about the following:
Furthermore, Astra32 allows you to create "reports" about your computer's hardware/software:
Other than that, to be honest, there is not much else to say about Astra32 in terms of features and what it does: Astra32 is a (very) comprehensive system information tool, nothing more, and nothing less.
There is one thing that bothers me about Astra32 though: it does not specify what architecture (32-bit or 64-bit) the user is running. I was going to list this as a "The Bad" but I noticed many system information programs don't do this (only Everest and Fresh Diagnose in my experience do) and you can easily find out what you are running by opening "System" from "Control Panel".
This review was conducted on a laptop running Windows 7 Professional 32-bit. The specs of the laptop are as follows: 3GB of RAM, a Radeon HD 2600 512MB graphics card, and an Intel T8300 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo processor.
MUHAMMAD
Simple and professional
Tortuga
Good Morning Ash :D
Many thanks, very clear as usual.
I’m used to SIW, Belarc, plus now I also got Everest through that promo of yours.
So I think I’ll stick w those.
Going to check out WinAudit, just in case ;)
Peace
jumbi
System information is one thing and diagnostics for problems is another.
I think these 2 categories should be separated.
When I was looking for a program to diagnose a hardware problem in a PC, I run into numerous “useless” for that purpose utilities which offer system and benchmark information but could not help me…
Ozzie
Greetings all! Ashraf, the site redesign looks fantastic! Well done! I love it!
Adrian
WTF with the new site theme? I thought you had no time to post articles? (no sarcasm intended :))
Anyway, the theme looks great. I agree with Ozzie.
Also, this is a great program.
Bill
Hi Ashraf,
Nice clean look to your website, well done, but please won’t you consider decreasing the default type size (“font” size, as people incorrectly call it) of your main text divisions. It’s so large, it’s literally a matter of can’t see the wood for the trees. I’ve been on the Web since its beginnings and this is the first time I’ve had to decrease text size. Hope you don’t think I’m being over-critical.
Thanks for your reviews. I should try out today’s but I’m happy with SIW,
Bill
Ed
I’m sorry but I need to be constructively critical: 5 small comments require 3 clicks to read. You can only fit 2 comments per page on a 17 inch monitor. Something in your new design is screwy. Borders and numbers are too large. Regards,
internetexplorer
Congrats on the new look; it is very professional. As to today’s giveaway, I never thought I would see you at such a loss for words, at least in the “good” and “bad” summaries. First time for everything!
PeterB
Hi Ashraf
Nice new look.
I made a Gaotd-portable, by downloading their own portable edition. Then i replaced the .exe and added the .key file from the Gaotd edition.
Falco
http://www.alexnolan.net/software/sysspec.htm -Nice little portable package. Happy birthday dottech.org,love the new look. Thanks Ashraf for all that you do! I’m with ya everyday.
drvajra
When testing for PCI/AGP Device,computer crashes. Ctrl+Alt+del does not bring the task manager to disable prog nor to restart computer.
Had to physically hod down the computer switch to shut it down.
My computer:
Processor Intel Core 2 Quad Q9300 2500 MHz
CPU Clock 2493.8 MHz (7.5 x 332.5 MHz QDR)
Level 1 Cache 4 x 32+32 kB (data+instr.)
Level 2 Cache 2 x 3072 kB
Dr Nitin
One word ‘SIW’
Nice makeover Ashraf
keep it up.
Dr Nitin
Rojak
What a rip! Downloaded this “free giveway of the day” only to find that the free version is not active. So it’s not free at all! You must pay to make it work.
Rebecca
I have been reading your reviews for a while and
am impressed with how you include the higher
level technical information, but also make them
very readable.
maxdanger
Congratulations on your new web site design. Thank you
for all the great work you do for so many in guiding us
toward the useful (or away from the not useful) giveaways
on GOTD and to the many freeware alternatives. The best
thing I ever found on GOTD was your site.
SilenceIsGolden
I have a suggestion for the BAD side – how about the fact that you can’t create reports? If this is a full version that usually costs close to $30 dollars, shouldn’t it offer the report function without demanding us users to buy the full version? (And yes, I checked, it’s registered as GOTD.) I have to correct myself slightly. The message I got was not specific so I thought it applied to all report versions. I had tried to create an XML-report and *that* didn’t work and asked me to get the full, paid version. Didn’t try the others, but I’d think that all of them should work, if they are offered in a fully functional version.
Rather peculiar. Especially if you consider that there’s so little info in addition to the one I can see anyway with the system tools on my windows xp professional. Kinda smells like rip-off or free advertising.
*You* however, are doing a great job!
Eli
Ashraf, hanks…I
Igot he “h” back
Ashraf
@MUHAMMAD: Thanks =)
@Tortuga: Cool =).
@Ozzie: =).
@Adrian: I don’t =(. I have been working on getting this thing ready for release for a while.
@Bill: I made it larger because of the senior citizens of dotTech. However I agree with you it was rather large. I did lower it.
@Ed: Thanks for the input Ed but I disagree; I like the new look. However if more people agree with you, I am more than happy to accommodate the majority.
@internetexplorer: Thanks =).
@Falco: Thank you for being here every day =). Also, I will look into your suggestion.
@drvajra: I have not faced the same problem so I can’t help you there =(.
@Dr Nitin: Thanks =).
@Rojak: I don’t understand. What do you mean?
@Rebecca: Glad you like them.
@maxdanger: You are welcome =).
@SilenceIsGolden: Hmm you are right, some of the reports are truncated because of license. I just installed the GOTD license so I did not know. I hate it when developers do that but oh well; they do need to make money somehow.
@Eli: Lol what?
erina
About ASTRA32: The very bad : I had to deinstall ASTRA32 and to clean the registry because ASTRA32 started with Windows (XP SP)in the kernel and so causes big problems.
About the new look: I agree with ED.
About Ashraf : 3 thumbs up !!!