On a computer, many things happen without any feedback to the user. Changed registry entries, replaced files, and cached data stored in odd folders can go completely unnoticed. If you want to get a better picture of what your system is actually doing and don't mind having a real-time log, all you have to do is download a copy of FRSSystemWatch and customize the records to your liking.
Downloads of updates, activity logs, background optimizations, extensions that install themselves automatically… do you really know what is happening on your computer? You can't be expected to know every detail, but the truth is that many programs and services out there show very little interest in informing the user about their actions.
Windows logging is limited to its own behavior, unless there is a major error. That lack of data harms the security of any computer, especially when it is shared. So what can we do to change this situation?
Monitor drives in real time
One suggestion is to start using FRSSystemWatch, an application developed by Fourth Ray Software. It monitors any modification in files, folders, drives, and registry entries. Each entry includes the date, time, full path, and the type of action (creation, modification, moved or deleted file).
The factory default for FRSSystemWatch is to monitor the entire C drive, but that log will fill up in no time. Our recommendation is to customize the records, limiting the activity to specific folders, files, or registry keys. FRSSystemWatch also lets you change the color scheme, the font type, and the printing preferences (in case you need paper copies).
The help section in FRSSystemWatch is fairly complete, with a set of instructions that teach you how to monitor specific locations, or use the keyboard shortcuts for faster management. FRSSystemWatch is free, and is available in 32-bit and 64-bit editions.
The only technical detail to consider is that some computers may need to download the Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 redistributable, otherwise the program will throw several missing-library errors.
