PCMate Free EXE Lock
Identify one personal EXE, test a new launch after locking it, then unlock it and save current recovery information.
Open this application guide →PCMate Free System Care · Version 0.13.1
Clean selected caches, manage startup apps and back up a folder
Choose one everyday maintenance job and follow it from selection to a checked result. PCMate keeps file cleanup, startup changes and encrypted copies in separate workspaces, so you can see which files or settings each task concerns.
Download PCMate Free System CareDownload portable ZIP
100% free. No registration, subscription or activation.
Windows 10 & 11 · 64-bit
Before you begin
- Use the complete PCMate folder on Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit. The portable ZIP must be fully extracted before you open the application.
- Save open work. For app-cache cleanup, close the app whose cache you plan to review so its files are not still being updated.
- Decide whether you need a restorable change or a separate backup. A cleanup recovery entry and an encrypted .cbvault archive serve different purposes.
PCMate · Custom Clean → Cleanup Results
Review temporary files before moving them to recovery
Start with a recognizable cache or temporary-file category. PCMate shows the eligible file candidates and their paths; a large number or unfamiliar filename alone does not establish that an item is disposable.
Choose the cache or temporary-file scope
Open Custom Clean and select only the supported categories relevant to this task. If you use a Care scan instead, choose Manual mode for explicit check selection. AI mode chooses scope using local rules; it does not replace reviewing the findings.
Inspect the candidate list
After scanning, compare category, full path and size. Open a location or export the report when you need a closer look. Read skipped-item explanations and leave files you cannot identify unselected. A scan does not authorize arbitrary cleanup elsewhere on the disk.
Confirm a small, reviewed selection
Move the eligible selected items to the cleanup recovery area. PCMate checks supported scope and file identity again before acting. Return to the report to see which items completed and which were skipped rather than treating the initial candidate count as the final result.
Check recovery before making a final disposal decision
Open Cleanup Recovery Center to inspect the batch. Restore selected supported files if needed and review path or conflict messages. Moving files into this area keeps a recovery copy on disk; permanent removal of its own copies is a separate, explicit decision.
Check your result
- The report identifies the files actually handled and any skipped items.
- A supported cleanup batch is visible in Cleanup Recovery Center; the restore destination has no unresolved conflict.
- Any claimed space saving is checked against actual disk state after the intended disposal decision, not inferred from quarantine size.
Know the boundaries
- Recovery-area copies still consume space. Quarantine is not the same thing as immediate space reclamation.
- The workflow does not promise to remove every cache or personal history item. Passwords, chats and sync folders are not generic cleanup targets.
PCMate · Speed Up → Startup Manager
Change one app that starts with your Windows account
Use Startup Manager when a familiar application opens at sign-in and you prefer to open it yourself. Keep the first change narrow enough that you can recognize its effect at the next sign-in.
Match an entry to the app you know
Open Startup Manager from Speed Up or find it in the Toolbox. Inspect the current-user Run or Startup item and its command or path. Keep an entry unchanged if its purpose is unclear; a machine-level entry may be visible for reference without being editable here.
Back up and disable an eligible entry
Choose the supported current-user item and use the backed-up disable action. Record which app and entry you changed. This affects its supported startup entry; it is not an uninstall operation and does not end an already-running application.
Test the intended sign-in behavior
At your next normal Windows sign-in, check whether the selected app still opens automatically. Also launch it manually to confirm the behavior you wanted. Do not infer a faster measured startup time from the fact that one entry was disabled.
Restore the entry if you want its old behavior
Use the saved Startup Manager record to restore the supported item. Read any comparison or conflict message if the underlying setting has changed since your action. Recheck the same entry rather than creating a new one from memory.
Check your result
- The entry and backup record correspond to the application you selected.
- The next sign-in and a manual launch distinguish automatic startup from ordinary application availability.
- If restored, the saved configuration is accepted without an unresolved conflict.
Know the boundaries
- Startup Manager does not provide complete service or scheduled-task startup control.
- Disabling a supported entry does not remove the application, free its currently used RAM or guarantee a boot-time improvement.
PCMate · Protect → Encrypted File Backups
Create an encrypted copy of a personal folder
Use Encrypted File Backups for a password-protected archive of a selected folder. The task creates a separate .cbvault file; your original folder stays available at its current location.
Prepare a folder and a retained password
Choose a small, known folder for the first backup. Check the current limits: 2 GiB in total, 256 MiB per file and 10,000 items. Select an archive destination and keep the password somewhere you can retrieve independently of the archive.
Create the .cbvault archive
Select the folder in Encrypted File Backups and start the confirmed creation task. The archive uses chunk-authenticated AES-256-GCM encryption with PBKDF2-SHA256 password derivation. PCMate verifies the created archive; read the reported outcome before relying on the copy.
Check that you can restore it
Import the archive with its password and choose a new destination directory. Verification precedes decryption. Open the restored files with their usual applications and compare the material you need, rather than counting an archive filename as proof of a usable backup.
Retain the archive and original deliberately
Keep the archive and its password available for future restores. The original folder has not been hidden, locked or removed. Decide separately how the originals and additional backup copies should be stored; this workflow does not make their other locations private.
Check your result
- The archive creation report completes and the .cbvault file is present at the intended destination.
- A password-based test restore produces usable files in a new directory.
- The original folder remains available and has not been confused with the restored copy.
Know the boundaries
- There is no forgotten-password recovery. Losing the password can make the encrypted archive unusable.
- A restore does not guarantee original permissions or timestamps; check the files and their destination before use.
Practical questions before your next task
Which download should I choose for these three tasks?
Use PCMate Free System Care. Startup Manager, Cleanup Recovery Center and Encrypted File Backups are included tools in this main application. The separate EXE Lock, File Recovery and File Shredder downloads have their own guides below.
Can I use the current features without an account?
Yes. PCMate Free System Care is 100% free to use, without registration, subscription or activation. A password you create for an encrypted backup protects that archive; it is not product registration.
Keep the full toolkit ready for your next task
Download PCMate Free System CareDownload portable ZIP
100% free. No registration, subscription or activation.
Windows 10 & 11 · 64-bit