New boot disk - What freeware to reinstall (here is my list, for starters)

[Erica Eshoo]

Unfortunately, my kid lost his boot disk recently and I had to reimage
WinXP and now it's time to add all the freeware back.

Silly me - in addition to no backups, we don't have a well defined list of
freeware that was installed - so, we're starting from scratch, again.

I wish I had kept a list. I'm trying to remember from memory what needs to
be installed on a laptop to make it useful.

I think these are the required software additions for my NEW running list
of freeware aps that must be on a typical windows XP pc.

Mandatory Operating System Patches (for laptops):
- Windows XP SP2
- Wireless encryption http://support.microsoft.com/kb/917021
- Any others?

Required freeware capabilities (from memory):
- Browse the web with Firefox to replace IE
- Email with Thunderbird to replace OE
- Create PDFs with CutePDF to replace Acrobat
- View photos with Irfanview & edit with Paint.NET
- Firewall with ZoneAlarm to replace Windows Firewall
- AntiVirus with Avast to replace McAfee
- Archive with IZArc to replace WinZip
- Office documents with Sun OpenOffice to replace MS Office
- Security with TrueCrypt to replace PGP
- Usenet with XNews to replace google groups
- Torrent with Bittorrent to replace ftp
- Ipod with SharePod to replace ITunes song transfer
- Audacity & MultiID3 tag editor to replace iTunes editing
- Backup dvds with DVDFabDecrypter
- Convert avi to DVD with DVDFlick
- Burn DVDs with ImgBurn
- Maps with GoogleEarth
- RealAlternative to replace RealPlayer
- QuicktimeAlternative to replace QuickTime
- Media Player Classic to replace Windows Media Player
- GNU Flash Alternative to replace Macromedia Flash Player
- Skype to replace land lines
- AdAware, SpywareBlaster, & Spybot Search & Destroy for privacy
- Ccleaner to maintain a clean PC & registry
- Any others?

I'm sure I missed a half-dozen or more critical freeware necessities for a
typical laptop. Can you help me refresh my memory.

What other freeware do most people need to set up a decent Windows XP PC?

 

[Frank McCoy]

Unfortunately, my kid lost his boot disk recently and I had to reimage
WinXP and now it's time to add all the freeware back.

Silly me - in addition to no backups, we don't have a well defined list of
freeware that was installed - so, we're starting from scratch, again.

That's why I always keep a separate directory of "installs" containing
just about everything I've downloaded off the net that I can direct the
download to a directory instead of just running.

Every so often I backup that installs directory to a CD-ROM.
That's not counting other backup methods I use.
It saves *enormous* amounts of time and trouble when I have to do a
complete rebuild of any system, or a fresh install of a new one.

I wish I had kept a list. I'm trying to remember from memory what needs to
be installed on a laptop to make it useful.

I think these are the required software additions for my NEW running list
of freeware aps that must be on a typical windows XP pc.

Mandatory Operating System Patches (for laptops):
- Windows XP SP2
- Wireless encryption http://support.microsoft.com/kb/917021
- Any others?

Required freeware capabilities (from memory):
- Browse the web with Firefox to replace IE

I still have my old Netscape.

- Email with Thunderbird to replace OE

I use Eudora.

- Create PDFs with CutePDF to replace Acrobat
- View photos with Irfanview & edit with Paint.NET

Be sure and get all the plugins for Irfanview.

- Firewall with ZoneAlarm to replace Windows Firewall
- AntiVirus with Avast to replace McAfee
- Archive with IZArc to replace WinZip

I use WinRar instead of WinZip (It's by the same company; and has the
same licencing; only it supports far more formats.)

- Office documents with Sun OpenOffice to replace MS Office
- Security with TrueCrypt to replace PGP

What's wrong with PGP?

- Usenet with XNews to replace google groups

Agent or FreeAgent. MUCH better.

- Torrent with Bittorrent to replace ftp
- Ipod with SharePod to replace ITunes song transfer
- Audacity & MultiID3 tag editor to replace iTunes editing
- Backup dvds with DVDFabDecrypter
- Convert avi to DVD with DVDFlick

Except for the price, AVS really covers that better than anybody else
I've found ... and believe me I *looked* really hard!

- Burn DVDs with ImgBurn
- Maps with GoogleEarth
- RealAlternative to replace RealPlayer
- QuicktimeAlternative to replace QuickTime
- Media Player Classic to replace Windows Media Player
- GNU Flash Alternative to replace Macromedia Flash Player
- Skype to replace land lines
- AdAware, SpywareBlaster, & Spybot Search & Destroy for privacy

Get Bazooka Adware scanner to add to those.

- Ccleaner to maintain a clean PC & registry
- Any others?

I'm sure I missed a half-dozen or more critical freeware necessities for a
typical laptop. Can you help me refresh my memory.

What other freeware do most people need to set up a decent Windows XP PC?

Let's see ... from my Installs directory:
DivX and XVID
The Aptiva Toolbox (Including things like Windiff, Startup Manager, and
Enditall)
BCwipe for security. (I also have Norton Wipeinfo; but it doesn't fit
so neatly into the Windows Shell.)
CPU-Z for checking out your processor and memory.
A separate bootable copy of Memtest86+
Same with Spinrite (though it's not free).
Make a separate directory of all your fonts.
A good Windows RPN calulator: Either Xcalc or Xcalibur-32-bit (I have
both)
Rgh Extensions to Windows
Synctoy (from Microsoft)
TweakUI (from Microsoft ... get the Windows-XP version)
Nistime-32bit for setting your clock accurately.
V (or V8) file-viewer.
The latest VIA 4-in-1 installer, along with the latest Realtek AC-97
sound driver.
And finally, the latest DirectX installer from Microsoft as a
redistributable package.

Those'll give you a start.

Having them ALL on a CD-ROM, and not having to spend *hours* downloading
them from the net, saves *so much* time!

 

[Conor]

- Archive with IZArc to replace WinZip

Try jzip instead. It's based on 7-zip but has a Winzip type GUI.

 

[bluerhinoceros]

Mandatory Operating System Patches (for laptops):
- Windows XP SP2
- Wireless encryption http://support.microsoft.com/kb/917021
- Any others?

You may have taken it for granted and not mentioned it, but either
Automatic Updates, or regular visits to Windows Update...

What other freeware do most people need to set up a decent Windows XP PC?

DriveImage XML to avoid going through this again.

http://www.runtime.org/dixml.htm

PrevX CSI.

http://www.prevx.com/freescan.asp


Cheers.

 

[jameshanley39]

Unfortunately, my kid lost his boot disk recently and I had to reimage
WinXP and now it's time to add all the freeware back.

Silly me - in addition to no backups, we don't have a well defined
list of freeware that was installed - so, we're starting from
scratch, again.

I wish I had kept a list. I'm trying to remember from memory what
needs to be installed on a laptop to make it useful.

I think these are the required software additions for my NEW running
list of freeware aps that must be on a typical windows XP pc.

Mandatory Operating System Patches (for laptops):
- Windows XP SP2
- Wireless encryption http://support.microsoft.com/kb/917021
- Any others?

Required freeware capabilities (from memory):
- Browse the web with Firefox to replace IE
- Email with Thunderbird to replace OE
- Create PDFs with CutePDF to replace Acrobat
- View photos with Irfanview & edit with Paint.NET
- Firewall with ZoneAlarm to replace Windows Firewall
- AntiVirus with Avast to replace McAfee
- Archive with IZArc to replace WinZip
- Office documents with Sun OpenOffice to replace MS Office
- Security with TrueCrypt to replace PGP
- Usenet with XNews to replace google groups
- Torrent with Bittorrent to replace ftp
- Ipod with SharePod to replace ITunes song transfer
- Audacity & MultiID3 tag editor to replace iTunes editing
- Backup dvds with DVDFabDecrypter
- Convert avi to DVD with DVDFlick
- Burn DVDs with ImgBurn
- Maps with GoogleEarth
- RealAlternative to replace RealPlayer
- QuicktimeAlternative to replace QuickTime
- Media Player Classic to replace Windows Media Player
- GNU Flash Alternative to replace Macromedia Flash Player
- Skype to replace land lines
- AdAware, SpywareBlaster, & Spybot Search & Destroy for privacy
- Ccleaner to maintain a clean PC & registry
- Any others?

I'm sure I missed a half-dozen or more critical freeware necessities
for a typical laptop. Can you help me refresh my memory.

What other freeware do most people need to set up a decent Windows XP
PC?

I don`t think you missed any critical, you can always find ones you
need as and when you need them. And add them to your list.

I consider a cd burning one like CD Burner XP, and ones for playing
media, and irfanview, as most critical. You have those covered really,
I would add..

SUPER by eRightSoft <-- for converting media, including converting one
to a more compatible format so even standard WMP can read it

VLC VideoLAN <-- a media player that plays almost anything, though
cannot always jump around as in WMP. It does play more than WMP Classic
or quicktime alternative.

I prefer Xananews as a news client. I prefer it to Forte for example,
which somebody mentioned.

Google Groups is good though, and has a searchable archive which is
crucial/critical.

There is this site
http://www.aplusfreeware.com/
and this
http://bearbottoms1.com/
and prob others.

Infact, if you had typed freeware into Google Groups you`d have got
that newsgroup I mentinoed below, and there you would`ve seen those 2
links mentioned.
You can try alt.comp.freeware too, they would also have lists.

If any freeware is critical, you already mentioned it.

 

[Gary Heston]

Erica Eshoo wrote:

[ ... ]

You may have taken it for granted and not mentioned it, but either
Automatic Updates, or regular visits to Windows Update...

[ ... ]

Or, manually download each update and save it in your installs folder.
That way Microsoft doesn't get to slide through another unauthorized
spyware installation when you have auto-install turned off.


Gary

 

[Gordon]

Unfortunately, my kid lost his boot disk recently and I had to reimage
WinXP and now it's time to add all the freeware back.

Silly me - in addition to no backups, we don't have a well defined
list of freeware that was installed - so, we're starting from scratch,
again.

I wish I had kept a list. I'm trying to remember from memory what
needs to be installed on a laptop to make it useful.

I think these are the required software additions for my NEW running
list of freeware aps that must be on a typical windows XP pc.
----deleted list ---

I'm sure I missed a half-dozen or more critical freeware necessities
for a typical laptop. Can you help me refresh my memory.

What other freeware do most people need to set up a decent Windows XP
PC?

I use Faststone for an image browser
and Winamp for multimedia (also has a tag editor and iPod support).

Also look into Autoruns and Process Explorer by Sys internals.

 

[Ike]

SUPER by eRightSoft <-- for converting media, including converting one
to a more compatible format so even standard WMP can read it

WOW! Thanks for the referral to this incredibly SUPER
software. I've been looking for something like this, and
over time have spent a lot of money on products that are
incompetent, incompatible with Vista, or hard to use.

Super is well-named.

Ike

 

[bluerhinoceros]

You can try alt.comp.freeware too, they would also have lists.

She crossposted over here.

Cheers.

 

[jameshanley39]

WOW! Thanks for the referral to this incredibly SUPER software. I've
been looking for something like this, and over time have spent a lot
of money on products that are incompetent, incompatible with Vista,
or hard to use.

Super is well-named.

Ike

it takes some looking to find the download link on the site, sometimes
the link looks more like an advert.

http://groups.google.co.uk/group/alt.comp.freeware/browse_frm/thread/ca6
08a10ede5d1e3/f7d9d02939bbe706?hl=en&lnk=st&q=jameshanley39+super#f7d9d0
2939bbe706
links to alt.comp.freeware, thread- How to Burn & Play an AVI File
I`ll paste what I wrote there, here

with a file that plays in some i.e. VLC but not others. Or suppose
you don`t have VLC. You might find it plays in WMP classic, but not
others like WMP.

there are 2 logical options..

-try different players - maybe one will support the file
or
-convert the file to a format, that is compatible.

You can convert the file using SUPER by eRightSoft to a form of mpg or
avi or whatever, that is compatible with all/most players. I have
done that and find they then always play even in plain old WMP(windows
media player).

You drag the file onto SUPER, then check the box, click "Encode". See
if that makes a file that even WMP can read. You may have to choose a
different "output container" - dropdown menu, then click Encode.
Hopefully instead of just "encoding", a window will pop up and say
"Rendered file optimizer- select one of the following FourCC - DIVX -
all players compatible, DX50 .... "
You choose "DIVX all players compatible". Then let it encode and it
will work.
I don`t know why it uses terms like "encoding" or "output container"
or "FourCC" , exactly what is meant, but it works. But I get generally
what it means. Encoding is making the file, output container is the
format mpg, avi, e.t..c FourCC is to do with the type of codec it uses
to make the file.

I did once have a file that was not reading in , maybe only in VLC.
For the hell of it I checked it with gspot, to see what codec it used.
I said "divx" I think it said it in lowe rcase. Still, converting it
with SUPER fixed it. THen it said DIVX in upper case. The
thechnicalities are a load of bollocks that don`t interest me greatly.
But the process - converting the file to a more compatible format,
that makes sense and works.

--

 

[Duddits]

Unfortunately, my kid lost his boot disk recently and I had to reimage
WinXP and now it's time to add all the freeware back.

Silly me - in addition to no backups, we don't have a well defined list of
freeware that was installed - so, we're starting from scratch, again.

I wish I had kept a list. I'm trying to remember from memory what needs to
be installed on a laptop to make it useful.

I think these are the required software additions for my NEW running list
of freeware aps that must be on a typical windows XP pc.

Mandatory Operating System Patches (for laptops):
- Windows XP SP2
- Wireless encryption http://support.microsoft.com/kb/917021
- Any others?

Required freeware capabilities (from memory):
- Browse the web with Firefox to replace IE
- Email with Thunderbird to replace OE
- Create PDFs with CutePDF to replace Acrobat
- View photos with Irfanview & edit with Paint.NET
- Firewall with ZoneAlarm to replace Windows Firewall
- AntiVirus with Avast to replace McAfee
- Archive with IZArc to replace WinZip
- Office documents with Sun OpenOffice to replace MS Office
- Security with TrueCrypt to replace PGP
- Usenet with XNews to replace google groups
- Torrent with Bittorrent to replace ftp
- Ipod with SharePod to replace ITunes song transfer
- Audacity & MultiID3 tag editor to replace iTunes editing
- Backup dvds with DVDFabDecrypter
- Convert avi to DVD with DVDFlick
- Burn DVDs with ImgBurn
- Maps with GoogleEarth
- RealAlternative to replace RealPlayer
- QuicktimeAlternative to replace QuickTime
- Media Player Classic to replace Windows Media Player
- GNU Flash Alternative to replace Macromedia Flash Player
- Skype to replace land lines
- AdAware, SpywareBlaster, & Spybot Search & Destroy for privacy
- Ccleaner to maintain a clean PC & registry
- Any others?

I'm sure I missed a half-dozen or more critical freeware necessities for a
typical laptop. Can you help me refresh my memory.

What other freeware do most people need to set up a decent Windows XP PC?

I like 40tude Dialog better than XNews
http://www.40tude.com/dialog/
Alt.Binz for binaries
http://www.altbinz.com/

Utorrent over Bittorrent
http://www.utorrent.com/

Don't give up on FTP
http://filezilla-project.org/

FastStone Image Viewer to manage photo collections and lightweight
editing.
http://www.faststone.org/FSViewerDetail.htm
Photoscape for more serious photo editing
http://www.photoscape.org/ps/main/index.php

Windows defender in addition to your other spyware solutions
(unattended scans automatically)
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx

FreeCommander is the best freeware file manager IMSHO ;-)
http://www.freecommander.com/

AgentRansack for serious file searches
http://www.mythicsoft.com/agentransack/

Pidgin for Instant messaging if you do such things
http://www.pidgin.im/

regards

Dud

 

[badgolferman]

Unfortunately, my kid lost his boot disk recently and I had to reimage
WinXP and now it's time to add all the freeware back.

Silly me - in addition to no backups, we don't have a well defined
list of freeware that was installed - so, we're starting from
scratch, again.

I wish I had kept a list. I'm trying to remember from memory what
needs to be installed on a laptop to make it useful.

I think these are the required software additions for my NEW running
list of freeware aps that must be on a typical windows XP pc.

Mandatory Operating System Patches (for laptops):
- Windows XP SP2
- Wireless encryption http://support.microsoft.com/kb/917021
- Any others?

Required freeware capabilities (from memory):
- Browse the web with Firefox to replace IE
- Email with Thunderbird to replace OE
- Create PDFs with CutePDF to replace Acrobat
- View photos with Irfanview & edit with Paint.NET
- Firewall with ZoneAlarm to replace Windows Firewall
- AntiVirus with Avast to replace McAfee
- Archive with IZArc to replace WinZip
- Office documents with Sun OpenOffice to replace MS Office
- Security with TrueCrypt to replace PGP
- Usenet with XNews to replace google groups
- Torrent with Bittorrent to replace ftp
- Ipod with SharePod to replace ITunes song transfer
- Audacity & MultiID3 tag editor to replace iTunes editing
- Backup dvds with DVDFabDecrypter
- Convert avi to DVD with DVDFlick
- Burn DVDs with ImgBurn
- Maps with GoogleEarth
- RealAlternative to replace RealPlayer
- QuicktimeAlternative to replace QuickTime
- Media Player Classic to replace Windows Media Player
- GNU Flash Alternative to replace Macromedia Flash Player
- Skype to replace land lines
- AdAware, SpywareBlaster, & Spybot Search & Destroy for privacy
- Ccleaner to maintain a clean PC & registry
- Any others?

I'm sure I missed a half-dozen or more critical freeware necessities
for a typical laptop. Can you help me refresh my memory.

What other freeware do most people need to set up a decent Windows XP
PC?

ERUNT for emergency registry restores.
DVDShrink for DVD backups.
Karen's Replicator for backups.
WordWeb for looking up definitions.
e-Sword for learning more about the Bible.
Editpad Lite for working with text files.
Shareaza or uTorrent for downloading torrents.
Xananews for newsgroup reading.
Media Player Classic and codecs for videos.

 

[throwitout]

Unfortunately, my kid lost his boot disk recently and I had to reimage
WinXP and now it's time to add all the freeware back.

Silly me - in addition to no backups, we don't have a well defined list of
freeware that was installed - so, we're starting from scratch, again.

I wish I had kept a list. I'm trying to remember from memory what needs to
be installed on a laptop to make it useful.

I not only keep a list, but all the installers, since frequently good
programs become hard to find in the future.

I think these are the required software additions for my NEW running list
of freeware aps that must be on a typical windows XP pc.

Mandatory Operating System Patches (for laptops):
- Windows XP SP2
- Wireless encryptionhttp://support.microsoft.com/kb/917021
- Any others?

nlite to slipstream in SP2 and create a disk for unattended
installation. Afterwards although "payware" Acronis true image is
great for imaging for a fast restore. Better than the latest version
of Ghost. Also after installing and updating I remove unnecessary
patch uninstall files (c:\windows\$NTuninstallxxxxxxx)
http://www.nliteos.com/
http://www.acronis.com/

Required freeware capabilities (from memory):
- Browse the web with Firefox to replace IE

Adblock plus for Firefox to, well, block ads.
I also use mouse gestures plug in.

- Email with Thunderbird to replace OE
- Create PDFs with CutePDF to replace Acrobat

Foxit to replace Acrobat reader.

- View photos with Irfanview & edit with Paint.NET
- Firewall with ZoneAlarm to replace Windows Firewall

I don't really see the need. Plus I also have a router. Other freeware
firewalls allow for more control than Zonealarm.

- AntiVirus with Avast to replace McAfee

Or AVG

- Archive with IZArc to replace WinZip

Tug-zip. Put in rar.exe and it can not only read, but create rar
files. Natively handles zip, 7-zip and millions of others

- Office documents with Sun OpenOffice to replace MS Office

As much as I'd like to like Openoffice, I find it still can't beat MS
Office 2003. Though with any Office 2000-2003 installation I put on
the converters for office 2007 files, putting off the need of an
upgrade just to support this terrible format.

- Torrent with Bittorrent to replace ftp

Microtorrent: http://www.utorrent.com/
is the best Bit Torrent client.

- Ipod with SharePod to replace ITunes song transfer
- Audacity & MultiID3 tag editor to replace iTunes editing

iTunes is such a piece of garbage.

- Backup dvds with DVDFabDecrypter

Fab Decrypter for breaking the latest protection schemes, DVD-Shrink
for re-compression.

- Convert avi to DVD with DVDFlick
- Burn DVDs with ImgBurn

ImgBurn is good for burning images, InfraRecorder is really good for
giving an environment similar to Nero or Easy CD creator.
http://infrarecorder.sourceforge.net/

Microsoft's Virtual CD Control panel to mount ISO images. It's tiny.
http://www.softpedia.com/progDownload/Virtual-CDROM-Control-Panel-Download-16468.html

- RealAlternative to replace RealPlayer
- QuicktimeAlternative to replace QuickTime

Real player and Quicktime are such garbage. Especially Quicktime,
since most software that comes from Apple is pure crap, and they
really like trying to force iTunes on users.

K-lite is good for filling in other required codecs

- Media Player Classic to replace Windows Media Player

VLC is good too. If I have a file that k-lite+quicktime alternative
+real alternative can't open, VLC usually can.

- GNU Flash Alternative to replace Macromedia Flash Player
- Skype to replace land lines
- AdAware, SpywareBlaster, & Spybot Search & Destroy for privacy

If you don't download random untrusted programs, and run plugins from
sketchy sites, using anti-adware / spyware programs starts becoming a
waste of time, especially 3. The only things I have ever had them
return are browser cookies, which aren't real spyware as such, and you
can set firefox to delete cookies / history / cache on close. I find
resident anti virus is also a waste of time. Only need to scan
downloaded files, and maybe the odd hard drive scan.

- Ccleaner to maintain a clean PC & registry
- Any others?

Windirstat to figure out why your 250GB hard drive only has 2GB free
http://windirstat.info/

Eraser
http://sourceforge.net/projects/eraser/
For secure erases, since you seem concerned about privacy.

Sandboxie:
http://sandboxie.com/
although no iron wall protection, is useful for testing programs
without committing changes to the system.

VMWare player for virtual machines. Google around for free ways to
create virtual machines with it.
http://www.vmware.com/products/player/

Process explorer to replace Task manager:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/utilities/processexplorer.mspx

Restoration:
http://freeware.it-mate.co.uk/?Cat=System#134
or Free undelete:
http://officerecovery.com/freeundelete/
to have on hand in case you accidentally delete something. Since time
is of the essence in undelete cases.

I use speedfan to monitor my system temperatures and alarm in
overtemperatures/ also monitor hard drive SMART status. In one of my
machines I use it to control the CPU fan speed.
http://www.almico.com/speedfan.php

BBLean to replace Explorer as the shell:
http://bb4win.sourceforge.net/bblean/

AutoIT to replace GWBasic and DOSkey....
http://www.autoitscript.com/autoit3/
Really powerful tool for macros, and light programming.

Wakeup on standby to allow your computer to wake from hibernation or
standby at a specified time:
http://wake-up-on-stand-by.qarchive.org/

Freeware download manger to allow resumes for downloads and splitting
of downloads to improve speed.
http://www.freedownloadmanager.org/

Putty to replace telnet:
http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/

and FreeSSHd or COPSSH to act as an ssh server so you can get secure
access to your network. FreeSSHd works great for tunneling VNC and
other services, but can not properly handle Remote desktop if you have
XP Pro. COPSSH isn't as compact or user friendly, but works good with
remote desktop:
http://www.freesshd.com/
http://www.itefix.no/phpws/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=12

 

[notaguru]

I'm enjoying these valuable comments and taking notes
--- this is a great thread!

As a TBird and Firefox user, I back up the Profile
folder for each. That eliminates the need for
re-installing various gadgets and plugins.

By the way, what is the best freeware uninstaller (for
Vista)? I've been using Your Uninstaller ($) but welcome
other ideas.

Thanks, Gurus

 

[-Lost]

PrevX CSI.

http://www.prevx.com/freescan.asp

Since when is this freeware? Or is the online scan part actually free?

 

[Erica Eshoo]

I use WinRar instead of WinZip

I thought WinRar wasn't freeware? IZArc is freeware and is almost as good
as WinRar in my humble opinion.

What's wrong with PGP?

IMHO, in the olden days, PGP was fine; but nowadays - PGP tries to make you
buy it so most of the stuff doesn't even work except the critical stuff.
I'm tired of having an entire PGP Desktop program that has most of the
buttons shut off. TrueCrypt has none of that and is truly freeware.

Agent or FreeAgent. MUCH better.

Agent is a classic - but I thought it wasn't free any more. Is Agent free?
And FreeAgent, I thought was advertiseware; so that's why I didn't install
it myself. I must admit this list was from memory as I haven't tested the
best freeware in a long time.

Except for the price, AVS really covers that better than anybody else
I've found ... and believe me I *looked* really hard!

I love DVDFlick. And, it's freeware. I do not know about AVS but all I do
is slide an AVI file onto DVDFlick and it converts that AVI file to a
properly sized DVD image and then burns that image to a DVD single-layer
disk. IMHO, DVDFlick is a great piece of freeware!

Get Bazooka Adware scanner to add to those.

I never heard of Bazooka. I'll check it out. I use TrendMicro HouseCall
most of the time as it catches at least one or two infections a week that
the other guys don't.

DivX and XVID, Aptiva Toolbox, BCwipe, CPU-Z, Memtest86+,
fonts, Xcalc or Xcalibur-32-bit, Rgh Extensions to Windows
Synctoy, TweakUI, Nistime-32bit, V (or V8) file-viewer
VIA 4-in-1 installer, Realtek AC-97 sound driver, DirectX installer
Having them ALL on a CD-ROM, and not having to spend *hours* downloading
them from the net, saves *so much* time!

I love the idea of a separate install directory with a CDROM
backup every once in a while. That would have saved LOTS of time
for me.

I'm not sure what some of your suggested programs are, so I'm going to
have to study them ... especially "rgh", "synctoy", "realtek", "VIA",
and "Aptiva".

 

[Erica Eshoo]

You may have taken it for granted and not mentioned it, but either
Automatic Updates, or regular visits to Windows Update...

Good point! Yes, I did take autoupdate for granted, assuming most people
opt for that.

It's unfortunate that, even with automatic updates, you don't get WPA2
wireless-encryption support for XP until you download
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/893357 and or
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/917021

DriveImage XML to avoid going through this again.

If this is back up freeware - I MUST have a look see!

 

[Erica Eshoo]

I prefer Xananews as a news client. I prefer it to Forte for example,
which somebody mentioned.

http://www.wilsonc.demon.co.uk/xananews.htm

I appreciate the Xanews suggestion as I'm not as happy with my freeware
nntp newsreader as I am with other programs such as IrfanView, DVDFlick,
Firefox, etc.

Based on this thread, I created a new directory:
c:\My Installers\My NNTP Clients\
and downloaded Xananews into it along with a copy of the HTML page (for
reference) where I obtained it (I used wget freeware to archive the web
page along with the executable).

Thanks!

 

[Erica Eshoo]

Super is well-named.

After that post, I just had to look it up.

SUPER. Simplified Universal Player Encoder & Renderer
http://www.afterdawn.com/software/video_software/video_encoders/super.cfm

Wow. It apparently plays everything but the flute!
It's going to go into my new directory:
C:\My Installers\My Video Players

If you need a simple, yet very efficient tool to convert (encode) or play
any Multimedia file, without reading manuals or spending long hours
training, then SUPER is all you need. It is a Multimedia Encoder and a
Multimedia Player, easy-to-use with 1 simple click.


SUPER supports a wide variety of input/source file format to play or encode
(to & from) without any additional third party software:
Video format: 3gp/3g2(Nokia,Siemens,Sony,Ericsson) asf, avi
(DivX,H263,H263+,H264,Xvid,MPEG4,MSmpeg4 etc..), fli, flc, flv (used in
Flash), mpg (Mpeg I,Mpeg II), mov(H263,H263+,H264,MPEG4 etc..),
mp4(H263,H263+,H264,MPEG4), ogg, qt, rm, str (Play Station), swf (Flash),
viv, vob, wmv
Audio format: ac3, amr, mp2, mp3, mp4, ogg, ra, wma
AviSynth Script Files: avs. ALL Input/source files that fail to encode,
will be encoded without error when using AviSynth scripts.

 

[Erica Eshoo]

I not only keep a list, but all the installers, since frequently good
programs become hard to find in the future.

I now have C:\My Installers\My <type of program>\
And I'll keep the installer and a copy of the web pages with wget in each
directory so I know what it was that I downloaded and from whence.

Foxit to replace Acrobat reader.

GREAT CATCH! I was wondering what to use to read the PDFs I created.

Or AVG
Yes.

Microtorrent: http://www.utorrent.com/
is the best Bit Torrent client.

I'm gonna switch to uTorrent afer reading up on it. Thanks!

iTunes is such a piece of garbage.

I agree. I like SharePod cuz I can move any song from anwhere and I don't
have to maintain a virgin disk hierarchy which rules the world.

Fab Decrypter for breaking the latest protection schemes, DVD-Shrink
for re-compression.

I thought DVDFab Decrypter shrank things to the right size. I guess I'll
add DVDShrink to keep it on a single-layer dvd disc.

InfraRecorder is really good for
giving an environment similar to Nero or Easy CD creator.
http://infrarecorder.sourceforge.net

Another one for the C:\My Installers\My Hardware\My DVD directory!
I see InfraRecorder even saves the sound track to a MPEG file. That could
come in handy for the iPod!

Sandboxie:
http://sandboxie.com/
although no iron wall protection, is useful for testing programs
without committing changes to the system.

I like it. I'll try it.
C:\My Installers\My Protection

Process explorer to replace Task manager:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/utilities/processexplorer.mspx

Another keeper!