Norton Utilities - Symantec Corp.'s file management software program - Software Review

Home Office Computing, Sept, 1991

Norton Utilities

Rating: * * * *

VERSION REVIEWED: 6.0 LIST PRICE: $179 STREET PRICE RANGE: $125-$150 SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: 512K IBM compatible; hard-disk drive; mouse optional; DOS 2.0 or higher; 5.25- and 3.5-inch PUBLISHER: Symantec Corp., (408) 253-9600 Norton Utilities is a slick, well-thought-out package that deserves its position as an industry standard.

Its documentation is exceptional, with well-organized and clearly written user's guides and a separate Disk Explorer manual that explains all the technical stuff involved in disk operation if your curiosity is piqued (if your curiosity remains unpiqued, the Disk Explorer manual can be ignored entirely with no ill effects). The menuing system for selecting and running utilities and the on-line help system are also extremely well done.

The Norton Disk Doctor II module for recovering files is nicely automated, requiring only minimal input from the user. Special file-repair capabilities are provided for damaged Lotus 1-2-3, dBase, and Symphony files. The procedure for preserving deleted files for possible later recovery is also notable, preserving not just the record-keeping information but the actual file itself for a period of time chosen by the user. There is a full-featured File Finder that searches your disks for file names or text, and the System Information utility provides an in-depth summary of your computer setup.

The extensive hard-disk testing capabilities let you detect any developing problems before they cost you lost data. Norton also offers testing and adjustment of your hard drive's interleave - a one-time change that could cut hard-disk access times dramatically, if the interleave isn't already set to the optimum figure.

The most exciting addition to version 6.0 of Norton is NDOS, which replaces the standard COMMAND.COM part of DOS (which handles the commands you type in at the > prompt) with an enhanced utility. NDOS makes file management significantly easier with several improvements, including 40-character descriptions of files, more powerful batch files, and on-line help for all commands. Version 6.0 also takes advantage of the improved memory and task-switching capabilities provided by the new MS-DOS 5.0.

Norton Utilities is relatively expensive, but the breadth of features and their consistently high quality make the price tag easy to justify.