WinPatrol review
WinPatrol gathers useful Windows utilities in one free toolkit. Watchdog mascot Scotty monitors and manages Startup Programs, Cookies, Active Tasks, Services, IE Helpers, and more. It also helps you sort legitimate Hidden Files from possible problems, troubleshoots file associations, and more.
Pros
Cookie search and destroy: Enter text on the Cookies tab, and WinPatrol will automatically delete any cookies containing the text portion in IE, Chrome, and Mozilla-based browsers (such as Firefox).
Delayed start: Delaying non-critical programs can make Windows start faster. Your apps will still be ready to use when you need them.
File types: Selecting a Program Title and pressing info displays its associated program, command, extension, and other information specific to each type.
Active tasks: Highlighting any active task and pressing Enter produces a pop-up with program information and a Kill Task button.
Cons
Busy interface: WinPatrol's compact user interface packs a lot of features into an efficient space, but we're not alone in finding three rows of tabs visually and functionally challenging.
Plus required: Some of WinPatrol's tabs access features only active with the paid upgrade, which doesn't help much with the aforementioned layout clutter.
Bottom Line
With useful and efficient features, WinPatrol is the sort of no-nonsense Windows toolkit we like to see. It's not difficult to use and has something for everyone, though experienced users will probably get more out of it than novices do.
