PC maintenance can be a tricky business, as you install a host of specialist utilities, learn their individual quirks, and hope that somehow they'll all work together. But there's an easier way. Ashampoo WinOptimizer 2008 crams 14 different cleaning, tuning, tweaking and file management tools into one straightforward, attractive interface, making it very easy to keep everything running smoothly.

Click on the Cleaning Tools button, for instance, and you'll find modules to find and delete redundant files, clean the Registry, and remove your Internet tracks. And each one comes with all the functionality you'd expect from a stand-alone application. The Registry cleaner keeps backups of everything it deletes, for instance, so if anything important is removed then it can easily be restored. And the Internet cleaner works with IE, Firefox and Opera, and (for IE users) lets you protect important cookies so only the ad-related ones get wiped.

The Tuning section keeps up the standard with a utility for managing Windows Startup programs, and another that aims to optimize your Internet connection. There's also a disk defragger, a disk space explorer that reports on how you hard drive is currently being used, a benchmark tool and system information program.

Of course if you're really after an easy life, then working your way through each module isn't going to be the most appealing of prospects. But fortunately the authors have thought of that, too. They've also included a One-Click-Optimizer that automatically runs the three most important modules (the Internet, Drive and Registry Cleaners) in succession, while you just sit back and watch.

Move to version 4 of WinOptimizer and you'll gain extras like a Visual Styler, which lets you replace system icons, apply transparency settings, and more. There's a new Process Manager that tells you more about what's running on your PC. And the major addition is a complete Windows tweaking tool, offering over 450 configuration and customisation settings. This would normally cost around £29.99, but as a registered owner of WinOptimizer 2008 you can upgrade for £7.49, an amazing 75% off. Click Internet > Upgrade to WinOptimizer 4 to order.