Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Autoruns VS AppleJack

Compare Autoruns VS AppleJack and see what are their differences

Autoruns logo Autoruns

See what programs are configured to startup automatically when your system boots and you login.

AppleJack logo AppleJack

AppleJack is a user friendly troubleshooting assistant for Mac OS X.
  • Autoruns Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-16
  • AppleJack Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-18

Autoruns features and specs

  • Comprehensive
    Autoruns provides an exceptionally detailed view of all programs that start automatically with Windows, including those in startup folders, Run, RunOnce, and other registry keys.
  • Ease of Use
    The interface is straightforward and user-friendly, making it easy even for less experienced users to manage startup programs.
  • Free of Charge
    Autoruns is available for free, making it accessible to anyone without financial constraints.
  • Updated Regularly
    The tool is regularly updated by Microsoft, ensuring compatibility with new versions of Windows and incorporating the latest features and bug fixes.
  • Portable
    Autoruns does not require installation and can be run as a portable application, adding convenience for IT professionals who need to manage multiple systems.
  • Advanced Features
    It includes advanced options like virus total integration, allowing users to check startup items against multiple antivirus engines.

Possible disadvantages of Autoruns

  • Complexity for Novices
    While the interface is user-friendly, the vast amount of information presented can be overwhelming for those who are not familiar with Windows internals.
  • Risk of Critical Changes
    Modifying or disabling certain startup items without proper knowledge can lead to system instability or prevent essential services from running.
  • Lack of In-depth Documentation
    Although there is documentation available, it may not be sufficient for users who require more detailed instructions or case-specific guidance.
  • Manual Process
    Autoruns does not provide an automated way to clean or optimize the startup items; users must manually review and make decisions.
  • No Real-time Monitoring
    The tool does not offer real-time monitoring or alerting capabilities; it can only provide a snapshot of the current startup configuration.

AppleJack features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    AppleJack is designed to be simple and straightforward, allowing users to perform system repairs without needing an in-depth understanding of Mac OS internals.
  • Offline Functionality
    It can be run in single-user mode, which means it does not require a graphical interface and can be used even if the system can't boot normally.
  • Comprehensive Repair Options
    AppleJack provides multiple tools that can be used for a range of maintenance tasks like repairing disks, fixing permissions, and clearing caches.

Possible disadvantages of AppleJack

  • Outdated Software
    AppleJack may not be compatible with newer versions of macOS, as it has not been actively updated to support recent system changes.
  • Limited Community Support
    Due to its niche use and lack of updates, community support and available resources may be limited, making troubleshooting difficult.
  • Command-Line Interface
    While some users appreciate its simplicity, the text-based interface might be intimidating or inconvenient for those unfamiliar with command-line tools.

Analysis of Autoruns

Overall verdict

  • Autoruns is considered a good tool for both IT professionals and advanced users who need a deeper insight into what processes and services are set to start automatically on a Windows computer. Its detailed interface and robust feature set make it a preferred choice for system diagnostics and optimization.

Why this product is good

  • Autoruns, developed by Microsoft, offers a comprehensive way to manage and understand the programs that automatically start on your Windows computer. It provides detailed information about what programs are configured to run during system bootup or login, and it allows for easy management of these startup processes. This can be invaluable for troubleshooting issues related to system performance, security threats, or simply reducing the clutter of unnecessary programs.

Recommended for

  • IT professionals
  • System administrators
  • Advanced Windows users
  • Security analysts looking to detect and disable malicious startup items
  • Users seeking to improve system performance by managing startup applications

Analysis of AppleJack

Overall verdict

  • Good

Why this product is good

  • AppleJack is a versatile command-line utility for Mac OS X that provides a robust set of tools for system maintenance and troubleshooting. It allows users to perform basic system repairs, cleanup, and diagnostics without needing to load the graphical user interface, offering benefits for advanced users comfortable with command-line operations.

Recommended for

  • Advanced Mac users
  • System administrators
  • Users comfortable with terminal operations
  • Those in need of a lightweight maintenance tool for system diagnostics and repair

Autoruns videos

How to use Microsoft Autoruns

More videos:

  • Review - Make Your Computer Boot Fast for Free with AutoRuns | Autoruns Review
  • Review - Using Autoruns to optimize your computer & find viruses

AppleJack videos

Laird's AppleJack - Review

More videos:

  • Review - Spirited Talks: Applejack (National Applejack Month)
  • Review - Laird's Applejack - by Alcohol Academy

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Autoruns and AppleJack)
Utilities
77 77%
23% 23
Monitoring Tools
100 100%
0% 0
OS & Utilities
77 77%
23% 23
Tool
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using Autoruns and AppleJack. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Autoruns seems to be a lot more popular than AppleJack. While we know about 305 links to Autoruns, we've tracked only 1 mention of AppleJack. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Autoruns mentions (305)

  • Office is too slow, so Microsoft is making it load at Windows startup
    Autoruns utility still exists. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/autoruns. - Source: Hacker News / 27 days ago
  • Booting an OS from a Preserved .E01 (EWF) Disk Image File Using Arsenal Image Mounter
    For example, when I want to actually run malware on the investigation target environment and observe its behavior, or when I want to run investigation tools (like Autoruns). - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • Firefox 127
    To Firefox's credit, they are the last major browser to inject themselves into our computer's startup (and at least they are providing notice and a way to disable it). I find it not only annoying but arrogant how most other software companies assume our lives revolve around their particular tool. So much so that, obviously, we must want their software to leech our time, bandwidth and power running its setup... - Source: Hacker News / 12 months ago
  • The Windows Context Menu – Is It a Lost Cause?
    Also Autoruns from SysInternals ( https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/autoruns ) "Explorer" tab lets you un-check / check individual entries. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • My three year old Surface Pro 7 is running very slow - is this normal?
    So perhaps it's time for autoruns: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/autoruns or a perf trace to rule out a hardware fault: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/test/wpt/windows-performance-analyzer. Source: over 1 year ago
View more

AppleJack mentions (1)

  • Show HN: Clean Your Mac with a Script
    Loved AppleJack (free), back when it worked: https://applejack.sourceforge.io Nowadays, Onyx (also free) tends to do the trick: https://www.titanium-software.fr/en/onyx.html Does this script close any gaps left by Onyx's MAINTENANCE routines? - Source: Hacker News / 6 months ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Autoruns and AppleJack, you can also consider the following products

Process Explorer - The top window always shows a list of the currently active processes, including the names of their owning accounts, whereas the information displayed in the bottom window depends on the mode that Process Explorer is in: if it is in handle mode you'l…

Tech Tool Store - Tech tool store is an IT professional application which contains more than 600 free technician tools packed in a simple, fully featured interface.

Startup Delayer - Startup Delayer gives you the power to optimize your Startup Process by delaying applications from starting up as soon as you log into your computer. By delaying the applications during start up, your computer becomes usable a lot faster.

SKTools - SKTools is a multi-featured and easy-to-use application that is bundled with over 60 tools to help you boost the performance of the system.

Tron Script - Tron is a glorified collection of batch files that automate the process of cleaning up Windows systems.

NETGATE Registry Cleaner - NETGATE Registry Cleaner cleans and defragment your registry.