This is a review of the Shareware program called WinPatrol Plus. It monitors a number of programs on your computer, including your Start up menu, and gives visual information of the programs that are running. In addition, it gives you a very easy option of removing, or disabling, a particular program. It also watches for any program that might be added to your computer without your knowledge and advises you of the intrusion with a pop up menu. Have you wondered where that mysterious Spam messages might have originated? All you have to do is type the URL into a form and the URL origin will be shown. The program will run on any version of Windows. Sounds too good to be true, so read on.

One important thing is that Win Patrol is easy to install and almost self-evident in the manner in which it presents its findings. Win Patrol sits in your tray as a Scottie dog. When you right click on Scottie you have a list of things the program will achieve. Here is the list as well as the accomplishments of each:

Display Start up information

Start up programs are displayed. You can disable or enable a Start up program, or remove it, and you are coached concerning the value of the individual Start up files. For example, I was able to disable nine (9) Start up programs that were eating up memory. Three of these programs were duplicates. I assume they must have conflicted with each other at some time or other and probably caused a computer crash. As a result, my computer now runs more smoothly. Additionally, this program identifies those strange letters and numbers that make a Start up file. For example: do you know what EM_EXE, or ATTRedUpate mean? Win Patrol does, and can tell you.

Display Active tasks

Active tasks are displayed. You are able to refresh, or Kill, a task and you are coached concerning the value of the active task.

Display Internet Cookies

The list of resident cookies is displayed. You are able to selectively delete cookies, delete all on the list, or type in the name of an unwanted cookie to prevent its reappearance. This is a good way to prevent SPAM.

Identify Domain Names

Just type the mysterious URL in the blank, click and the origin will be shown.

Free and Pay versions

If you wish to graduate to the Plus version the cost is $12.95. I downloaded the free version. It was so useful I soon returned for the Plus version. I consider it well worth the price. This is a very useful program. It will make your computer more responsive by controlling some unnecessary files/programs that you would likely never touch without the simplicity of Win Patrol.