M.L. said:
Belarc Advisor automatically shows (on a local web page), all your
installed software, serial numbers, and versions, but it does not show
the date installed.
Request
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Will someone who has used SiSoft Sandra or Lavalys Everest please
comment on software inventory (cataloging, auditing) features of the
liteware versions? Present? Just checks registry add-remove list?
Checks program menu? Quick launch? Autostart locations? Scans hard
drives? (See below for context.)
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M.L., I'm assuming that you are inventorying just one or two
computers, not many networked ones. Network options are a bit
different, especially since AIDA32 converted to Everest.
While I really like Belarc it is also annoying. IIRC, it installs
itself every time it is run using a mandatory install path, adds
itself to Quick Launch and start menu, and leaves a temp file around.
WinAudit also does a good inventory and will store the results in a
spreadsheet or db. It has more flexible report options than Belarc
and a cleaner install.
I was going to say if you want more than just an audit, Lavalys
Everest Home (at least when it was AIDA32) and SiSoft Sandra (at least
the shareware version) also can load the same information Belarc
provides to a database along with a great deal more. They also have
extensive diagnostic and benchmarking capabilities. (PC Wizard, among
others, also has extensive diagnostics and benchmarks.)
Why "was"? Some features / modules are not available in the free
versions of Lavalys Everest and SiSoft Sandra. This apparently
includes most or all of the software inventory capabilities (see
below). Perhaps someone who has used them recently will comment on
their shortcomings, especially for inventorying software. I don't
remember, for example, whether either goes beyond the registry list of
installed programs to scan drives.
WinAudit v1.3 - The Free Windows Audit Program
Parmavex Services
www.pxserver.com/WinAudit.htm
Lavalys Everest Home (Liteware)
http://www.lavalys.com/products/eapm.php?pid=1&lang=en&pageid=1
comparison:
http://www.lavalys.com/products/eapm.php?pid=1&lang=en&pageid=2
Full software information (Pro/Pro NR only)
Software audit: Installed Programs (Pro/Pro NR only)
Software audit: Custom Programs (Pro/Pro NR only)
Software audit: File Scanner (Pro/Pro NR only)
Database Connection (Pro/Pro NR only)
SiSoftware Sandra (the System ANalyser, Diagnostic and Reporting
Assistant)
Sandra Standard Edition (Liteware)
http://www.sisoftware.net/index.html?dir=&location=pinformation&langx=en&a=
Installed Applications (Adv/Prof. Only)
Installed Programs (Adv/Prof. Only)
If the primary reasons you want the application are just to record the
serial number and to check for updates periodically, consider
combining a saved Belarc run (or SoftCat) with a download manager.
Many download managers can easily check for an updated file on
predefined schedule. Only actually updates are downloaded. Otherwise
it is only a check. This works well for updates you normally download
from the web.
Some sites are easier to set up than others. Some sites appear to
have updated files every time you check or the first time you check
that day. I usually look for a different source such as the author's
site instead of a download archive (or vice versa). Other sites
change the name of the download file, e.g., incorporate the version or
a date. If the pattern is predictable, such as a weekly antivirus
pattern update posted on Wednesdays, some download managers will
increment the name.
I segregate my "keepers" in their own folder structure that is
separate from my tryout folders. To check, I just highlight a few
folders and select Check for Update from the menu, and sort the
results on the download date.
I skip the folder for programs I configure to check automatically,
such as my antivirus. I manually check for items in the folder for
programs from sites that always download. I also manually check items
in the folder for programs where the download file name changes and I
don't know the pattern.
BillR
