Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Autoruns VS SKTools

Compare Autoruns VS SKTools and see what are their differences

Autoruns logo Autoruns

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

SKTools logo 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.
  • Autoruns Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-16
  • SKTools Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-03-31

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.

SKTools features and specs

  • Comprehensive Functionality
    SKTools offers a wide range of features such as file management, system optimization, and registry cleaning, providing an all-in-one solution for device maintenance.
  • User Customization
    The tool allows for a high level of customization, enabling users to tailor its functionality to their specific needs and preferences.
  • Detailed System Information
    SKTools provides thorough insights into system information and performance, helping users to understand their device's status.

Possible disadvantages of SKTools

  • Complex User Interface
    The extensive options and features may overwhelm new or less tech-savvy users, leading to a steep learning curve.
  • Potential for Misuse
    Due to its advanced capabilities, incorrect use of SKTools may lead to unintentional system changes or data loss, which can affect device performance.
  • Limited Support Documentation
    There might be a lack of comprehensive support guides or tutorials, which can complicate user experience when troubleshooting issues.

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

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

SKTools videos

No SKTools videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Autoruns and SKTools)
Utilities
82 82%
18% 18
Monitoring Tools
100 100%
0% 0
OS & Utilities
75 75%
25% 25
Tool
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Autoruns seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 305 times since March 2021. 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
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SKTools mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of SKTools yet. Tracking of SKTools recommendations started around Mar 2022.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Autoruns and SKTools, 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…

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

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.

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

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.

Mz Ram Booster - Mz Ram Booster, is a memory optimization tool. It works on Windows 2000,XP,2003 & Vista.