Directory Monitor 2.13.04

A few days ago, my Downloads folder mysteriously completely cleared itself. While I was planning on doing it myself down the line, it was a shock because I couldn't relocate any of the files I actually cared about. Doing some searches online revealed that it was potentially Windows Update, but I was getting a ton of conflicting reports. If I had a program like Directory Monitor, I wouldn't have to do all this guesswork to even get started on potentially recovering my files.

Directory Monitor does exactly what it sounds like - it monitors your directories. You can access your logging activity whenever you need to. This could be incredibly useful in retracing your steps after a fatal system crash so you can avoid it, or even if you just want to see what kind of automatic operations Windows is doing in the background. If you're creative enough, you can apply a tool like this in a seemingly unlimited number of ways. 

While the interface isn't much to look at, it belies a ton of features that make it easier to use. You can customize a ton about what kind of information you want to see, such as if you want a snapshot of the folder every once in a while or a popup to appear whenever there are changes. 

One important thing to note is that even though it says free trial, it's effectively both a trial and a demo. Many features are locked behind a paywall. However, a one time purchase will have it be on one machine for life. If you can stomach the hefty price tag, then Directory Monitor is worth it.

21 days