Microsoft is testing its own CCleaner alternative

[Daniel Sims]

In brief: Many users like to keep their systems clean of unnecessary files with apps like CCleaner or Wise Disk Cleaner. Microsoft appears to be quietly working on a first-party alternative that could soon appear on the Microsoft Store, but it might also just be another way to push the company's Edge browser.

Recent reports have revealed a PC Manager app that Microsoft is quietly testing. It appears to repackage many functions already found elsewhere in Windows while adding new tools to help users free up system space.

Earlier this year, the PC Manager beta app appeared on the Chinese version of the Microsoft Store. Italian PC site Aggiornamenti Lumia believes it has been submitted to other regional MS stores but isn't yet visible, indicating a public release could be imminent.

English-language screenshots of PC Manager show a taskbar app with functionality similar to CCleaner. It allows users to clean up temporary image files, system logs, and other unwanted storage wasters. The app can also search for large files taking up storage space and free up additional RAM.

Microsoft PC Manager (Public Beta) pic.twitter.com/dOQCOgXyGK

— Aggiornamenti Lumia (@ALumia_Italia) October 21, 2022

It could be nice for new Windows users to have these features without needing to install extra software, but PC Manager doesn't look as extensive as CCleaner or similar programs. It isn't clear if the app highlights specific programs from which to clean up files (like web browsers) or contains secure deletion functions.

The PC Manager app includes other tools like a health check, storage management, threat scanning, and management of startup apps. Users can already find these in the Windows settings menus and the Defender app, but gathering functions related to system performance in one place could be a smart move by Microsoft.

The startup apps feature shows users the performance impact of each program that starts with Windows, potentially revealing bloatware or rarely-used apps to remove. It also includes the Task Manager's ability to end unneeded processes. Unfortunately, PC Manager tries to convince users to switch their default internet browser to Microsoft Edge.

Users interested in trying the PC Manager beta can download it from our mirror. It's unclear when the stable version will be available on the Microsoft Store.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/96410-microsoft-testing-ccleaner-alternative.html

 

[Nobina]

Oh, nice! It's 2006 again.

 

[captaincranky]

AFAIK, merely running either Firefox or Opera using private windows, gets rid of most of the junk when the browsers are closed. And Opera has a built in ad blocker, on I believe, by default

 

[TheBigT42]

Microsoft OS Developer thinking: Lets make an operating system that doesn't have a bunch of options. We can see what utility applications are developed for it. Then we can just incorporate the popular utilities as options into new releases.

They have been doing this since 3.11

 

[Trillionsin]

I swore against CCleaner a long time ago, when I started working on people's computers. "Oh I just cleaned it with CCleaner it should be fine, but its slow and has all king of errors."

*Looks through settings, EVERYTHING is checked*

Yup, looks like you've done more harm than good with this bad boy here.

 

[ragreeen2646]

I swore against CCleaner a long time ago, when I started working on people's computers. "Oh I just cleaned it with CCleaner it should be fine, but its slow and has all king of errors."

*Looks through settings, EVERYTHING is checked*

Yup, looks like you've done more harm than good with this bad boy here.

The default cleaner settings aren't harmful. Unless you know what you are doing, stay with the defaults. DON'T touch the registry cleaner.

 

[gigantor21]

Edge not being set to default is a preference, Microsoft, not a "potential issue".

Their desperation to push their apps and services is insufferable.

 

[DSirius]

Replacing CCleaner-malware with another Microsoft-malware.
Soon will replace Microsoft with Linux

 

[psycros]

Replacing a CCleaner-malware with another Microsoft-malware.
Soon will replace Microsoft with Linux

I wish to God that it was truly a Windows replacement, but as long as basic user feedback elements are missing, as long as it takes several times as long to do nearly ANYTHING in Linux as it does in Windows, and as long as only a small subset of AAA games are available on Steam for Linux, the "year of Linux" will remain a fantasy. I back up Windows 10 regularly, and when they finally start disabling support for key programs on it, I'll just roll back and never update again.

 

[captaincranky]

Replacing a CCleaner-malware with another Microsoft-malware.
Soon will replace Microsoft with Linux

My recent experience on dealing with a, (very old), dual boot machine, (Win 7 & Ubuntu), is that the GRUB boot loader is extremely invasive, and somehow, trashes the BIOS.

I deleted the Linux & Grub partitions (granted, a risky maneuver). I actually knew better, but wasn't thinking clearly. To pay for my mistake, a reinstall was mandatory..

However, whenever I try to do a setting in BIOS, the machine goes back to looking for the Linux boot loader, and blows up an, "entering grub rescue", message. No grub to find, no booting for me.

Luckily, the Windows repair function solved the issue, the turd boots now. However I'm stuck on "fail safe defaults in BIOS", which are far from ideal. (Wrong multiplier, too low, with the CPU running at 2.27 Ghz, instead of rated 2.8 Ghz).

Luckily I was able to convince it to boot from CD 1st, which enabled Windows to repair itself from the DVD.

To make a two day long story a bit shorter, no more "novelty" Linux installs, ever

 

[takaozo]

To make a two day long story a bit shorter, no more "novelty" Linux installs, ever

For testing and other stuff a VM is more than recommended. Hyper-V, vmWare or Virtualbox have free versions. Or you can just add more storage devices and install on second drive if you want the full experience.

What real kills dual boot is UEFI and secure boot for me. Not a simple task to backup/restore UEFI/GPT disks, at least not that simple as BIOS/MBR days.

 

[opckieran]

Oh God, people still use CCleaner?

 

[Geralt]

I am a happy CCleaner Pro and I have been one for years. Oh, M$ wants again to push Edge down our throats. I didn't want, I don't want and I won't want Edge. No way to convince me. And if they try to force me, it'll be worse. Simple human nature. Now, in M$ they can't understand this simple characteristic in us humans. What a bunch of idi0ts.

 

[Nobina]

I am a happy CCleaner Pro and I have been one for years. Oh, M$ wants again to push Edge down our throats. I didn't want, I don't want and I won't want Edge. No way to convince me. And if they try to force me, it'll be worse. Simple human nature. Now, in M$ they can't understand this simple characteristic in us humans. What a bunch of idi0ts.

I hope you didn't pay for the CCleaner Pro. That would be hilarious!

 

[MisterSpock]

So, other than shoving Edge in our faces, how does this application differ from Disk Cleanup? I'm extremely surprised it wasn't even mentioned, as it is the previous iteration of this new utility.

Or is it simply "same app, more ads"?

 

[Revolution 11]

Just when Microsoft looks like it is doing a consumer-friendly move, it has to screw it up with annoying prompts and nagging and who knows what other spyware moves they can come up with.

Try making your apps and your Windows versions more appealing to consumers, listen to our feedback sincerely, and be humble about your work. Maybe then you won't have to beg and blackmail us to adopt your products.

 

[Revolution 11]

My recent experience on dealing with a, (very old), dual boot machine, (Win 7 & Ubuntu), is that the GRUB boot loader is extremely invasive, and somehow, trashes the BIOS.

I deleted the Linux & Grub partitions (granted, a risky maneuver). I actually knew better, but wasn't thinking clearly. To pay for my mistake, a reinstall was mandatory..

However, whenever I try to do a setting in BIOS, the machine goes back to looking for the Linux boot loader, and blows up an, "entering grub rescue", message. No grub to find, no booting for me.

Luckily, the Windows repair function solved the issue, the turd boots now. However I'm stuck on "fail safe defaults in BIOS", which are far from ideal. (Wrong multiplier, too low, with the CPU running at 2.27 Ghz, instead of rated 2.8 Ghz).

Luckily I was able to convince it to boot from CD 1st, which enabled Windows to repair itself from the DVD.

To make a two day long story a bit shorter, no more "novelty" Linux installs, ever

I have made it a personal rule to never make new partitions on a new drive, it is just asking for trouble. If I want a new OS on a new partition, I get another physical drive. I do think it is ok to put all your temp and dummy partitions on a single "junk" drive but that should be isolated from your primary OS and data drives.

 

[Revolution 11]

I wish to God that it was truly a Windows replacement, but as long as basic user feedback elements are missing, as long as it takes several times as long to do nearly ANYTHING in Linux as it does in Windows, and as long as only a small subset of AAA games are available on Steam for Linux, the "year of Linux" will remain a fantasy. I back up Windows 10 regularly, and when they finally start disabling support for key programs on it, I'll just roll back and never update again.

At this rate, it will be the year of Linux for the next 50 years.

 

[hahahanoobs]

I use Edge, so I'll give this a shot. I'm more interested in integration over 3rd party apps to keep things simple and clean when possible.

 

[m3tavision]

I hope you didn't pay for the CCleaner Pro. That would be hilarious!

If you are not using Pro or any form of system cleaner... that is even more hilarious. Don't mock what you do not know.

 

[yRaz]

I cannot wait to migrate 100% away from Windows. Linux Mint has been fantastic for me and I use it 90% of the time. There are some "quality of life" things, like window scaling, that I wish they would address but that's all tolerable.

I really wish MS would just make an OS that we have full control over and use how we want. They had a great thing going with Windows 7, Windows 10 was actually pretty good at the start but they made so many changes to it over time that I now hate using it. Now we have this Windows 11 dumpster fire, them pushing Ads in the start menu(on an OS that WE PAID FOR), data collection, logging in with a Microsoft account.

I cannot wait for the day when Linux is 100% a viable alternative to Windows. It could be for me if I wanted to put the work in, but I'm talking for the average consumer for who a computer "just needs to work."

 

[Nobina]

If you are not using Pro or any form of system cleaner... that is even more hilarious. Don't mock what you do not know.

I know so don't mock me for thinking I don't know something that I know but you don't know.

 

[Alfonso Maruccia]

I see you people are still bashing CCleaner calling it a "malware". The fact is, some time ago I tested a lot of "maintenance tools" for an Italian magazine including CCleaner, and it still has a lot of great cleaning options if you don't consider the shady behaviour shown after the Avast purchase.

Compared to CCleaner, anyway, this... "thing" made by Microsoft is pure snake oil. Totally undesirable, to say the least...

 

[Geralt]

I see you people are still bashing CCleaner calling it a "malware". The fact is, some time ago I tested a lot of "maintenance tools" for an Italian magazine including CCleaner, and it still has a lot of great cleaning options if you don't consider the shady behaviour shown after the Avast purchase.

Compared to CCleaner, anyway, this... "thing" made by Microsoft is pure snake oil. Totally undesirable, to say the least...

My CCleaner Pro works very well. I don't see the problem with it.

 

[captaincranky]

For testing and other stuff a VM is more than recommended. Hyper-V, vmWare or Virtualbox have free versions. Or you can just add more storage devices and install on second drive if you want the full experience.

Not potentially useful in this case (?), sine I"d be running a 64 bit OS, inside a 32 bit.. I have a P-45/core 2 Duo E-7300. I yanked XP 32 bit, 2 GB install, and went to Win 7 64 bit Pro. & 8GB RAM. Truly spectacular upgrade, went off without a hitch.(4 x 2GB 800 Mhz DDR-2)

In these years, (circa Q4/09)". AMD can use high density RAM, Intel cannot. So, I bought some 4 GB RAM Allegedly Intel compatible from China. The G-41 is only a 2 slot board (Only place and brand I could find).

Once upon a time (915 chipset), Intel said, "you can put as much RAM in as you like, but only 4 GB will be usable. I popped in the 8 GB, and fired it up. The system poll showed "8 GB RAM, 3.0 available I thought, "hot damn, it works". It did until I launched Explorer, and the mouse froze. Backtrack to 4 GB RAM, reboot. Still hosed. A few more tries and Windows decided it was no longer genuine, and decided to black screen. Then the "real fun", began.

I still think the Ubuntu / grub combo bricked the BIOS. Or, who the hell knows, the RAM from China might have a BIOS worm in it. (Sure that's really far out and incredibly paranoid, but still).

This is sort of off topic, and I should hire a therapist, so I'll close for now.

Although, since we're trashing M$ in this thread; at one point M$ had it's own VM ware, "XP Mode". When I tried to download it was, "no longer available", And so, M$'s "cattle drive" continues.."Git along you little dogies into that Windows 11 pen".

Oh, and Newegg has Windows 11 Pro USB, "on sale" today, for a mere $199.95. (Tablet users beware)