WinUpdatesView

Nir Sofer

WinUpdatesViewis a very simple tool that gives you a complete list of all the Windows updates that you've carried out over time. The program can load your operating system's update history directly from your local files using an API, and it can also read the information directly from a database file that you have on an external disk or on a local network. WinUpdatesView gives you access to an enormous amount of information. For each update you'll be able to see its title, as well as its description, the date of installation, the result of the operation (usually successful), the category, the URL with more information, the update ID, and much, much more. From the options menu, you can also customize the information you want to see and the order in which you want to see it. WinUpdatesView is an incredibly useful program that, like many other programs from Nir Soft, doesn't require any sort of installation. All you have to do is unzip the compressed file and double click on the executable file. You'll instantly be able to see the complete list of the updates of your operating system, whether it's Windows XP, Windows 10 or Windows 11.

Active@ LiveCD

LSoft Technologies Inc.

Ultimate Boot Disk Active@ LiveCD combines a number of powerful tools that will enable you to recover lost data, reset Windows passwords, make computer system backups and securely erase data. File Systems: Linux Ext2/Ext3/Ext4, BtrFS, F2FS, ReiserFS; Microsoft FAT/exFAT, NTFS; Apple HFS+; IBM JFS; Unix UFS, XFS, ZFS Storages: SATA / eSATA / HDD / SSD / IDE / SCSI / RAID / LUN / USB / Media Cards: SanDisk, MMC, CompactFlash, MemoryStick.

Passvers iOS System Recovery

tranhom

Gentoo

Gentoo Foundation, Inc.

Gentoo is an alternative operating system based on Linux that you can install on your PC. It offers a wide range of tools for you to configure the system, as well as a large community of users and developers to help if required. One of the advantages Gentoo offers as an operating system is its flexibility, thanks to a technology called Portage. Whether you want to have a gaming environment, a secure server or develop any project, Gentoo offers you the necessary tools to achieve it. You can also customize the appearance to your liking. Of course, some specific knowledge is required, but if you have any doubts you can always count on the support of the community surrounding this operating system. Currently, Gentoo has volunteer developers around the world, many of whom are experts in different fields. So, if you are interested in converting Gentoo into your operating system, you can quickly find the solution to any problems that arise. If you have the necessary knowledge, you too can be part of the community and become an expert in this operating system and help others. Download Gentoo here and take advantage of a unique operating system.

openmediavault

openmediavault

Desk Drive

Blue Onion Software

Oftentimes when you connect a USB pen drive, external disk, or a CD/DVD without auto run, you have to go through the trouble of opening the Computer window and using Windows explorer to access the newly connected device. A practical and simple solution is to use this program, Desk Drive, that will add a temporary shortcut to this new device on your Windows Desktop. The shortcut is temporary because the moment you disconnect the pen drive or USB memory stick from your computer it'll go away without leaving a trace. Desk Drive runs in the background of your system tray and every time you connect a device or disk it'll activate the corresponding shortcut.

ReOpen

FavesSoft

AcFolders

SVAr soft.

When downloading things from the Internet, it can get annoying to have to search in the dialog box for the specific folder to where you want to save the file every single time. The most convenient solution is to either save everything to the same folder and move the files afterwards, or use a tool like AcFolders. AcFolders is a plugin that lets you add shortcuts to the dialog box that opens with every download, as well as the one Microsoft Office applications use for opening and saving documents. AcFolders adds a toolbar to your browser window, containing all the shortcuts you find necessary. The program is completely customizable. You can add as many folders as you want, organize them into categories, search to find documents more quickly, or access recently opened files. All of this can be done from the same window, with just a few clicks of the mouse.

Close All Windows

NTWind

Close All Windows is a small application that enables you to (you'll never guess!) close all active windows on your desktop. It doesn't need any installation, you can use it just like you would any executable that you'd find within a compressed file. Create a shortcut on your desktop to allow for easy access. This Close All Windows function will save you time in those moments when you have too many windows open and you want to begin a different task, or simply when the number of open windows is making it hard for you to find something. As you can see, it's not an essential tool but since it's free and lightweight, it could be useful for anyone who frequently works with a lot of windows open.

Fast Folder Access

Eusing Software

Fast Folder Access is an excellent, lightweight, effective tool that can really help you move more easily between your favorite folders. With just one click of the mouse in any window in Windows, you'll have access to your most-used folders. What the program does is add new options to the shortcut menu, allowing you to move directly to the folders that you've created shortcuts to. Fast Folder Access is very easy to use, even for novice computer users. You will be able to add directories using an extremely intuitive interface - all you have to do is enter its file path. You will also be able to organize your new accesses from within the menu itself, adding separators to keep things neat, and importing and exporting the folder list for future use.

qliner Hotkeys

QLiner

Explore2fs

John Newbigin

Surely you have found yourself in a scenario before where you needed to access information in Linux from Windows to extract a file or important document. The problem is that every time this happens you have to restart your computer, open Linux, and copy the file in question to be saved for Windows. With Explore2fs you'll save time by being able to access your files without having to go through the process of opening Linux. This program can read information stored in these filesystems as well as write in them. Copy a file or folder directly from Windows and free yourself from the inconvenient step of switching operating systems. The program, while very useful, is still in a developmental state and has certain shortcomings, such as not supporting link icons.

Shutti 2010 Lite

N/A

Shutti 2010 Lite is a light application that allows you to schedule the shutdown of your computer easily. You only have to set the time you want your computer to be shutdown or set a countdown. By that way, when the counterclock is 0 or when it's the time, the computer will be shut down. Shutti 2010 Lite can be useful if you are downloading large files and you want to turn off the computer when they are finished.

7Plus

Christian Sander

7Plus is a package with dozens of upgrades and add-ons for Windows Explorer that will make it easier for you to browse between tabs and improve the overall functionality of its interface. The first thing that stands out is the number of keyboard shortcuts it offers, from creating folders by just hitting F8 to retrieving previous items on your clipboard with Win+v. Other interesting add-ons include the options to close windows by middle-clicking them, to shut down programs by pressing Alt+F5, or to enable the 'Always on top' mode by right-clicking the title bar on a folder. 7Plus is a really interesting add-on for any Windows user. Not only it will make your browsing experience more fluid, but it'll also help you discover many features you probably didn't know about.

KM Remote

N/A

KM Remote is an app that allows you to control your computer by using both keyboard shortcuts created for specific programs as well as voice commands. That means that you can use the program to establish what combination of keys should be pressed to open your favorite music player, or to set it so that speaking 'e-mail' into the microphone immediately brings up your inbox. The program may be a little confusing in the beginning because it has so many features, but once you successfully create your first shortcuts, you'll gain momentum and shouldn't have any trouble using it. KM Remote is especially useful for anyone with a mouse that has more than three buttons, as it can help you make the most out of those extra buttons.

MyKeyFinder

Abelssoft

MyKeyFinder is a tool to show you the serial numbers for all the software installed on your computer in just a couple of minutes. To use it, just scan the computer and then look at the list of all your programs with their keys. This lets you view your registration keys for programs such as Adobe Photoshop or Premiere, or even Windows itself. You can also export this information to a PDF document to make it easier to work with. It's that easy: just click and you can see all the keys on your computer listed on your screen. Though you probably won't use MyKeyFinder frequently, it can come in very handy in certain cases.

JeS Multi-Monitor Suite

Jesconsultancy

JeS Multi-Monitor Suite is a set of tools that will help you to better configure computers with a number of monitors. It offers features that increase user productivity, including keyboard shortcuts and multi-monitor task bars. This program allows you to better manage a computer with two or more connected screens. JeS Multi-Monitor Suite will provide you with separate, different task bars on each monitor. In addition, it allows you to switch between the different windows that you have open on several monitors using keyboard shortcuts, which makes it a lot easier to work with multiple monitors. Another interesting thing about the app is that it also allows you to create all of the virtual desktops that you need, and you can customize all of their details. So, it will be a lot easier to move between different desktops and it will make you work more productively.

Open Command Prompt Here 4dots

4Dots Software

KillWin

Erick Sianquiz Flores

KillWin is a very simple program that lets you turn Windows Update on and off. The program will take care of keeping your operating system updated with the latest version. This can be incredibly useful when this process takes more time than it should or simply freezes. The interface in KillWin is specifically designed so that any user can use it regardless of skill level or knowledge. All you'll see is two buttons: one to enable and one to disable Windows update. Right below these buttons, you'll also have an indicator that will show you if Windows Update is turned on or off. If you turn off the automatic updates, you'll receive a notification to confirm your choice. KillWin is a very interesting program for anyone who uses an older or slower computer since in a lot of cases, updates for the operating system tend to do more harm than good on these types of computers. Thanks to this program, you can forget about problems with updating your operating system.

Active@ Data Studio

LSoft Technologies Inc.

Active@ Data Studio is a set of 12 powerful disk tools including desktop applications and a bootable image which can be copied to either an optical disk or a flash drive. You can then dual-boot your computer into either a DOS or Windows environment. This also allows you to access your computer even in the event that Windows won't start up. You will be able to use the included applications to manage your data, perform data recovery operations, securely delete files, back up data, create disk images and more. Active@ Data Studio presents a great opportunity to save money on your disk utilities, since it includes all of the main tools in the Active@ range in a single convenient package rather than having to purchase each application separately. Additional features include a network configurator, a file manager, CD/DVD burner and a disk defragmenter among other useful tools. Get the entire set of utilities for a generous price at https://www.disktools.com/index.html. You can learn more about the software package and each individual component here.

DirectX Happy Uninstall

SuperfoxStudio

DirectX Happy Uninstall is a powerful Windows maintenance tool that will allow you to fix, backup, or restore the DirectX installation, a fundamental component in the proper functioning of your computer. Thanks to this program, you can, among other things, uninstall the current DirectX version installed and recover the original version that your computer had the first time you ran the operating system. This way, you can revert to the factory version very easily. All DirectX Happy Uninstall features are divided into two tabs— general features and advanced features. On the first tab, you have three options: create a backup of your DirectX version, restore a previous version of DirectX, and install a new version. On the second tab, you have three other options: fix DirectX-derived errors, rollback to an earlier version, and uninstall DirectX completely. You can carry out any of these operations with a single click. An error that many Windows users will have encountered at some point is when a video game or program suddenly stops working due to a DirectX-related bug. In these cases, DirectX Happy Uninstall is most useful. First, you can try to fix any errors in the DirectX installation with a single click. If this does not solve the problem, just check that you have the latest version of DirectX installed. And, if all else fails, you can simply uninstall and reinstall again. Download DirectX Happy Uninstall and take control of one of the most important components inside your computer. Thanks to this program, you can easily fix almost all DirectX-related errors. The program is also very light and has a very intuitive interface, thanks to which practically any user can take advantage of its benefits without the need for advanced knowledge.

See Through Windows

MOBZystems

7Tweak

Daoisoft

7Tweak is an application for Windows 7 that offers an alternative method to configure the operating system, so you can customize it and optimize its performance. It has a menu with tools organized by category (daily use, system information, optimization, customization, etc.), which gives you quicker access to each of them. 7Tweak's interface makes it much easier to perform certain tasks, like freeing up space in your hard drive, defragging storage units, and detecting and correcting errors in the system log. If you want to control every detail of your Windows 7 operating system, don't hesitate to download this program and give it a try.

Shutter

Denis Kozlov

Logon Editor

N/A

Logon Editor is a free application for Windows 7 that offers you an easy way to adjust settings having to do with the logon screen. You can edit it easily just selecting the element you want to change. Username, background, style, shadows, transparency,... customize it. You can preview all changes instantaneously. You can even save many different logon screen versions and swap them whenever you want. By this way, Logon Editor becomes an excellent application for all those users who want to customize Windows 7 logon screen and want to do it in an easy way.

SmartPower

ignatu.co.uk

SmartPower is a simple tool to save energy (and therefore money) by programming a series of rules that make your computer hibernate or go into sleep mode. Among other options, you can schedule your computer to hibernate at a certain time or when the memory usage is below a previously set limit, or program it to stay awake when a certain program is running. It's also pretty interesting to use it with a computer network, so your system never hibernates if any of the other computers is connected to the network. SmartPower is an interesting application for users who usually leave their computer on. It lets you establish rules that can help you save energy and money.

WSUS Offline Update

N/A

If you're tired of having to wait for Windows Update to finish installing dozens of updates that tend to accumulate, or if you're having trouble finding that new software version that you're looking for, WSUS Offline Update is the tool you need. It's a comprehensive program that gives you a personalized experience for downloading updates, letting you select your operating system, language, and other features. The new versions are downloaded to a local folder, making WSUS Offline Update an ideal tool for users who prefer to have complete control over the installation process. Since this tool doesn't require an Internet connection, you can download all the available versions for your Windows OS and use them whenever you want, even if you're not connected to the Internet. What's more, you can even take the software with you on any portable memory device to easily update other computers as well, since the program doesn't require installation.

WAU Manager

Carifred

Start Menu X

OrdinarySoft

Debian

The Debian Project

Debian is a community-supported Linux distribution that was first being developed in 1993. This means that it is one of the oldest Linux kernel-based operating systems in existence, which is why many other more modern distributions, such as Ubuntu and Mint, are directly based on its code. This distribution, like many others, is mainly composed of free and open-source software, which you can easily download. Installing Debian is much simpler than the tutorials on the official website suggest. Those tutorials are very comprehensive and explain step-by-step what you have to do to install this distribution correctly, but they can be very long and may put you off. In fact, the installation process is relatively simple: you just need to put the complete ISO on a DVD or USB stick (for the latter, you may need third-party software) and reboot your computer. When you restart the PC with the bootable DVD or USB stick, you can select the guided installation, which will take you through the whole process. The two pillars of Debian are safety and stability. Proof of this is that many other distributions use it as the basis of their projects: Ubuntu, Knoppix, Tails, Mint and PureOS are just some of the well-known Linux distributions using Debian code. The latest versions of the operating system also make it easier and easier to download and install new updates, so you can always keep your computer up-to-date and perfectly protected. If there is an update for your operating system, you will be the first to know about it. Although during its early years, one of the most problematic points of using Debian was the audio and video codecs, all these drawbacks are now behind us. Listening to all your music and watching all your movies is now easy and convenient thanks to its multiple codec libraries and access to different open-source programs that you can use to play all this content. After all, some of the most popular and widely used media players, regardless of operating system, are open source. Download Debian if you want to try all the power and stability of one of the elder statesmen of Linux-based operating systems. In its online repository, you will find more than 50,000 free software packages, with programs like LibreOffice, GIMP, VLC Media Player, Firefox or Evince, among many others. And, of course, you can also find many video games.