If you have ever wanted more room on your hard drive but were afraid of deleting needed files or programs than CleanSweep Extra Strength Uninstaller is the program for you. This application is a new and improved version of CleanSweep Version 3.0. Many features have been added, including an Internet cleanup and the inclusion of Zip-It, a file compression program. With Zip-It you can also view and extract selected files directly from the Internet, saving time online. You can create self-extracting files for e-mail or floppies. A new feature is an automatic update that searches the internet for patches or updates to CleanSweep.

This utility program monitors all program additions, thereby enabling their safe and complete removal when it becomes necessary. Smart Sweep runs in the background and automatically keeps track of installation information about newly added programs and any changes made to existing programs. There is also a move wizard that is used to move a program to a different drive or directory. Using CleanSweep enables the user to safely move the entire program and reconnect any shortcuts or other files that may become detached. CleanSweep can be accessed directly or by right-clicking the file’s desktop shortcut icon or program file name (in Explorer) and then pointing to CleanSweep and clicking the appropriate wizard.

Safety Sweep provides a means of safely uninstalling programs and files by automatically backing up all files in a compressed format, enabling the user to restore them at a later date if so desired. Colored boxes display files’ safety levels. Red means a file cannot be deleted, yellow indicates a file that should only be deleted with caution, and green means a file is safe to remove. A record is made of all transactions, showing which files have been deleted, backed up or whatever operation was performed. A record is kept on how much disk space was saved and the destination folder of where the files are stored.

Fast & Safe Cleanup allows the user to schedule cleanup of the Recycle Bin, and other safe file types, such as temporary files and internet cache. CleanSweep can be configured to run this program either at boot or at a specific day or time. As added protection against accidentally deleting important files, the Quarterdeck Safe has been added to CleanSweep. Important files can be denoted and then sent to the safe whenever they get deleted. They are protected in the safe and only the user can delete them.

Usage Watch is a feature that runs in the background and records each time you use a file. The unused and low usage file finders use this information to determine which files are infrequently accessed and thus may no longer be needed. To gain needed disk space, there is an archive feature, which compresses programs for future retrieval.

The Registry Genie enables the user to view, edit, backup, and restore the windows registry. The registry helper displays information about the registry entries, such as the Registry key or value represented, the application that applies, valid values (string, binary), and the safety level for removal. Although the registry genie makes it easier to understand and edit the registry file, extreme caution should be used whenever you do anything to the registry as it contains system settings that if changed or deleted may prevent your system from running properly.

An excellent instruction manual, explaining all of the features and options is included. There is also a glossary containing many of the terms used. This is an application that I would definitely include among my utility programs.