Compare Two Machines to Diagnose Problems and Improve Consistency

SAM Auditor allows you to compare the software installed on any two machines in your organization. This is especially useful when diagnosing issues, identifying inconsistencies, or ensuring machines meet your company’s standard configurations.

Good vs. Problematic Machines

If one user reports issues and another with a similar role has no problems, comparing their machines can highlight differences. For example:

• Missing dependencies: A critical background application may be missing on the broken machine
• Old software versions: The problematic machine may be running outdated or unsupported versions
• Conflicting installs: The affected machine might have conflicting tools installed that the working one does not

Compare to a Standard Build

By selecting a well-configured reference machine as your “standard build,” you can compare other machines against it to check for:

• Missing required applications
• Extra or unauthorized software
• Version mismatches across standard apps

Real-World Examples

• Helpdesk use case: A user can't access a database tool — a comparison reveals they’re missing a required ODBC driver present on other machines.
• Security audit: One machine has an outdated PDF reader with known vulnerabilities, while others are updated. Comparison helps you catch the gap.
• Onboarding QA: A new hire's machine isn’t behaving like their teammates'. A quick compare shows they’re missing internal support tools.

Benefits for IT Teams

Comparing machines helps you:

• Resolve issues faster by narrowing down software differences
• Ensure consistency across machines with similar roles
• Enforce standard builds and software compliance
• Identify outdated or unauthorized software at a glance

With SAM Auditor, machine comparison is fast, visual, and precise — giving IT teams the clarity they need to support users effectively and maintain a secure, standardized environment.

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