Monthly Disk February 2010

Freeware

Anti Virus

FortiClient Endpoint Security Free Edition - Ver: 4.1.2.138

This anti-virus program offers a full suite of endpoint security with a powerful advanced threat protection engine.

FortiClient Standard Security Suite FREE edition offers a comprehensive layer of PC protection to prevent against virus infection and malware attacks. Fortinet offers a patent pending, ultra fast scan technology with daily protection updates against new virus threats and malicious code through the FortiGuard global threat protection centre. FortiClient's simple to use interface provides exceptional ease while offering users maximum protection and flexibility.

Minimum requirements: Windows 2000/ XP/ 2003/ Vista/ 2008/ 7

Lark AntiSpyware - Ver: 3.0

Lark AntiSpyware is a surprisingly effective freeware antispyware tool.

The program provides complete and custom scanning of hard drives, removable drives, individual folders and excluding folders for completing customisation of scanning. Detect and remove spyware, adware, malware, Trojans, diallers, keylogger's, and hijackers.

Minimum requirements: Windows NT/ 2000/ XP/ 2003/ Vista/ 7

Online Armor Free - Ver: 4.0.0.15

The Online Armor product was designed to be a revolutionary software that will protect your system against Spyware, Malware, Trojans and Phishing attacks.

Provides a blend of usability and hard-wired PC security to ensure a good user experience. This award-winning program is easy to use and provides 100% leak protection out of the box. The powerful "HIPS" functions, which is designed to stop all unrecognised programs from running on your computer, makes it possible to protect yourself against new threats and attacks.

In standard mode, most decisions are made completely automatically based on Online Armor's whitelist - users never need answer a complex firewall prompt again. Online Armor protects your passwords and private information from being stolen by blocking keyloggers as they try to activate. Online Armors behaviour detection ensures that even specially created or new keyloggers are detected and prevented.

NOTE: Online Armor Free is a complementary version of our powerful windows firewall. Built on the same technology as Online Armor, the free version offers a basic firewall at no cost. There are no advertisements, no time limitations and no nag screens!

Here are some key features of "Online Armor Free":

Firewall:
· Online Armor protects your computer from external attack and stops private data leaking from your computer. For everyday users, Online Armor firewall is almost silent and very, very easy to use. Advanced users will be pleased by the powerful options available in "Advanced Mode".

Program Guard:
· Puts you in control of your computer. No program can run unless you give it permission to do so, and you can always change your mind later. For example, if you decide to let a program run which then starts behaving badly, you can "Deny" it permission to run - and optionally delete any files it created. Again, we maintain a list of safe/dangerous programs to make it easier for you to decide what to trust.

Mail Shield:
· Online Armor filters your incoming email. If Online Armor detects a suspect email, it will alert you (and if you run Online Armor AV+ emails will also be scanned for viruses)

Browser settings monitoring:
· Online Armor protects you from unauthorized modification of your web browser settings by external programs.

Trusted lists:
· Tall Emu maintains a central list of items which are safe or not - so you will only be alerted in the event an unknown or dangerous items are detected. The trust/untrust lists are constantly updated and distributed among Online Armor users via the automatic automatic updates.

Autoruns Manager:
· Online Armor monitors the system and alerts you when programs are set to automatically start - and lets you control them.

Minimum requirements: Windows XP/ Vista/ 7

Audio

MediaMonkey Standard - Ver: 3.1.1.1261

MediaMonkey is the music manager for serious music collectors and iPod users. It catalogs CDs, AAC, OGG, WMA, FLAC, MP3 and other audio files, including contemporary and classical music, audiobooks, podcasts, etc.

It offers multiple tools for looking up and editing tags, and an automated library organiser to organise files on the hard drive. It includes a CD ripper, CD/DVD Burner, and audio converter for saving music, and advanced playlisting for creating music mixes. Its player automatically adjusts volume levels and supports a Party mode that locks the UI for use at public events.

It syncs tracks, playlists, and podcasts to portable audio devices such as iPhones, iPods, MP3 Phones, and other devices, and supports hundreds of scripts, plug-ins and visualisations to extend its functionality further.

Minimum requirements: Windows all

Sonarca Sound Recorder Free - Ver: 3.1.1

Sonarca Sound Recorder is a powerful sound recording software, with it you can easily record various sound input to WAV and MP3 audio formats.

Get Sonarca Sound Recorder Free and give it a try to see what it can actually do for you!

Here are some key features of "Sonarca Sound Recorder Free" :-

  • Supports multiple sound input, audio/video files playback, CD player, line in, microphone, internet radio, even the obsolete tape/VHS cassette or anything else.
  • Record various sound input to WAV and MP3.
  • CD quality sound recording.
  • It uses latest Lame MP3 encoder which is generally believed as the the best MP3 encoder in the world.
  • On-the-fly recording, no temporary file generated.
  • Intuitive output file management.
  • Diagnose and print detailed sound device info.
  • Supports majority of modern sound cards: multi channel/professional/external USB sound cards.
  • Supports several sound cards at the same system.
  • All events are logged for future diagnosis.

Minimum requirements: Windows XP/ Vista/ 7

Backups

Toucan - Ver: 2.2.1

Toucan allows you to quickly backup, synchronise and secure your data with numerous options.

It is split up into 5 tabs, allowing you to easily find the function that you want.

Here are some key features of "Toucan" :-

  • Four synchronisation modes, copy, update, mirror and equalise.
  • Backup and restore in industry standard ZIP and 7-ZIP files
  • Encryption using the BURP updated blowfish algorithm
  • Command line support, allows you to create a batch file for repeated jobs
  • Portable variables, point to places on you USB drive no matter what its drive letter is.

Minimum requirements: Windows all

Burner

Nero 9 Free Version - Ver: 9.4.12.3

PC World Editorial Review of Nero 9 Free Version - : "I must admit that a free version of Nero's burning suite caught me by surprise. I suppose it shouldn't have, as there are enough free disc burning alternatives out there - and enough articles pointing to them - that this was probably inevitable. Inevitable and welcome. There's absolutely no questioning Nero's expertise with all things optical.

Basically a stripped down version of the Nero StartSmart control center, it only creates CD/DVD data discs: no audio ripping or burning, no VCD/SVCD support, and no DVD movie burning from existing files, though it will copy all those types of discs. I wasn't shocked that the free version of Nero lacked almost all the functionality of the pay version, but I was a tad surprised at just how limited it was compared to other free programs such as DeepBurner Free, ImgBurn, and InfraRecorder Portable. The program was also a bit of a tease. It recognized the Lite-on WH08LS20 Blu-ray burner on my system as well as BD discs. I was hoping that like ImgBurn it would burn Blu-ray data discs - however, it did not.

Despite its highly-limited functionality, hefty 130MB install footprint, and dead-end buttons encouraging you to buy a full version, the extremely reliable free Nero is a welcome addition to my toolbox. It's nice having something around that I know will work (I've had some problems with other freebies and late-model drives recently), even if it's not my first option. Now if they'd only make a portable version...

NOTE : The Nero Free install routine wants to install the Ask toolbar. If you don't want said toolbar, be sure to de-select this option."

Minimum requirements: Windows XP/ Vista/ 7

Desktop

Alluring Beaches Screensaver - Ver: 1.0.1

Plunge into the atmosphere of the alluring tropical beaches!

Have you ever dreamed to visit the nice beach with white sand and deep blue water during your vacations? It is a real pleasure to spend some time on the tropical beach taking the sun-bathes and swimming in the warm clear water. That is the reason why those beaches are so alluring for people.

Once you install this screensaver you will be able to easily enter the atmosphere of the fascinating tropical beaches!

Minimum requirements: Windows all

CleanDesktop - Ver: 1.0

Unlike in Windows XP, Windows 7 or Vista, does not include a Desktop Cleanup Wizard, which kept track of your usage of the icons on your desktop and offered to remove the unused icons every 60 days.

CleanDestop is a small portable freeware app which will help you clean up your unused desktop icons, in Windows 7 & Vista. This utility is for those who miss the wizard!

On running it, it will scan & detect desktop items which have not been used in the last 30 days and and list them down. You then have an option to delete all or some of them.

The unused items are not deleted but moved to a folder on the Desktop viz; C: \Users \username \Desktop \Unused Icons. Alternatively, you cans also opt to delete the unused items directly.

Minimum requirements: Windows Vista/ 7

ColorGrab - Ver: 1.0.10

Whether you are designing a website or putting together a piece of artwork, selecting the right colour is important.

ColorGrab enables you to pick any colour from your desktop and save it's details for later use.

Select Get Color from Screen and the settings change as you move the cursor. Click the left mouse button to fiz them then Save to record them in a text file.

Minimum requirements: Windows all

On-screen Ruler - Ver: 2.0.1.0

This program is a semi-transparent on-screen ruler with keyboard shortcuts to help you lay out GUI's and Web pages or measure anything on your screen in 5 units.

Right-click to learn the options and shortcuts. The ruler saves its settings upon exit, so it always looks the way you configured it last. The program comes with a built in uninstaller. It is safe for work, since it does not modify your registry.

Minimum requirements: Windows all

ScrollWall - Ver: 1.2

Despite its own drab appearance, ScrollWall does a great job of jazzing up your desktop. A plain but functional interface makes it easy to search for and add your favourite BMP, JPEG, and GIF images, and we appreciated the ability to grab multiple images instead of having to individually add files.

You can choose to have the wallpaper change daily, or at hour, minute, and even second intervals. ScrollWall runs in the background and isn't a resource hog, but there's a brief flicker when the wallpaper changes even when the desktop isn't visible.

It doesn't interrupt work in other applications, however, and the program worked well in our tests using a variety of intervals. It may not be a necessity, but this freeware program offers a cheap and effective way to liven up your desktop.

Minimum requirements: Windows XP/ 2003/ Vista/ 2008/ 7

Digital Imaging

Image Analyser - Ver: 1.31

Need to correct colours, remove red-eye, or change the format of an image? Don't want to shell out hundreds of dollars for Adobe PhotoShop? ImageAnalyser is freeware, and light, and it does many functions that the big apps do.

The automatic colour correction in ImageAnalyser tested, and it worked pretty well - though many may still preferred the Levels function in Photoshop for fine-tuning. There's a big difference between the price of the free ImageAnalyser and the many hundreds that PhotoShop costs, though--and for quick-and-dirty correction of a scanned photo or document, ImageAnalyser works wonders.

Resizing is easy and quick, but I wish ImageAnalyser had an option to change the DPI of an image. For example, someone wanting to modify a scanned image for the Web would change from 300 to 72 dpi while they're resizing it. You can't do that with ImageAnalyser. This seems like a particularly glaring omission. Forum posts suggest the app author feels DPI is meaningless in a practical context and image size is all that matters. DPI is important for those printing physical books or merchandise, to use two examples, so it would still be nice to have the option.

There's a batch-processing plug in for ImageAnalyser on the vendor's Web site, for performing tasks on a large number of images, but this particular plug in is donationware. Send Eyeshot some money and grab this, and Image Analyser becomes even more useful - and Photoshop becomes even more unnecessary for the bulk of your image processing work.

Other than the lack of DPI adjusting, ImageAnalyser has a ton of functionality for a free product. Since it takes up so little memory and CPU, consider using it in place of Photoshop when RAM or CPU usage is a concern. Or, if you can't afford Photoshop, ImageAnalyser will do the trick for many important image manipulation tasks.

Minimum requirements: Windows XP/ Vista/ 7

ImageJ - Ver: 1.43m

ImageJ is an interesting Java based image processing application inspired by NIH Image for the Macintosh. It runs, either as an online applet or as a downloadable application, on any computer with a Java 1.1 or later virtual machine.

It can display, edit, analyse, process, save and print 8-bit, 16-bit and 32-bit images. It can read many image formats including TIFF, GIF, JPEG, BMP, DICOM, FITS and "raw". It supports "stacks", a series of images that share a single window. It is multithreaded, so time-consuming operations such as image file reading can be performed in parallel with other operations.

It can calculate area and pixel value statistics of user-defined selections. It can measure distances and angles. It can create density histograms and line profile plots. It supports standard image processing functions such as contrast manipulation, sharpening, smoothing, edge detection and median filtering.

It does geometric transformations such as scaling, rotation and flips. Image can be zoomed up to 32:1 and down to 1:32. All analysis and processing functions are available at any magnification factor. The program supports any number of windows (images) simultaneously, limited only by available memory.

Spatial calibration is available to provide real world dimensional measurements in units such as millimetres. Density or gray scale calibration is also available.

ImageJ was designed with an open architecture that provides extensibility via Java plug ins. Custom acquisition, analysis and processing plug ins can be developed using ImageJ's built in editor and Java compiler. User-written plug ins make it possible to solve almost any image processing or analysis problem.

Minimum requirements: Windows all

BOS Desk Drive - Ver: 1.8.2

The Desk Drive application was designed to solve a really annoying problem. You pop a USB thumb drive or DVD into your computer and then you have to open Window's Explorer and find the mapped drive or folder.

Desk Drive adds a desktop icon pointing to the drive automatically. Remove the media and the shortcut goes away. Brilliantly simple and effective.

Desk Drive sits quietly in the system tray. Configuration is just a click away and allows you to specify which types of media to monitor.

Minimum requirements: Windows XP/ Vista/ 7/ .Net Framework 2.0

FloatLED - Ver: 1.05

Your regular drive LED on the hardware PC only has 1 LED, meaning you'd never know if there was activity on another partition or physical drive.

If your laptop or desktop PC has a defective LED, you are saved by this program.

Nobody really wants to break their neck trying to see activity of the HD located down and underneath the table in the dark! We look at the screen, so, naturally HD LED's should be located there too.

If you are remotely positioned away from computer/server setups and can't see or hear the HD working should know what's going on.

The program does Monitor :-

  • Physical SATA and IDE HD drives
  • Physical USB removable SATA / IDE HD drives

The program does NOT monitor :-

  • CD-ROM / DVD-ROM drives
  • Removable USB Memory Sticks, SD memory cards and similar flash based disks.
  • Network Drives
  • Floppy Drives

Minimum requirements: Windows 2000/ XP/ 2003/ Vista

Paragon Partition Manager - Ver: 2010

Partitioning is not for amateurs. That is why millions of people have trusted our safe, stable technology and professional software solutions for over 15 years.

Our latest Free 2010 Edition easily organises your hard drive and redistributes free space to enhance system performance. Easily resize and move partitions through the smart and safe Resize Wizard.

Organise and optimise your hard drive with Create, Format and Delete Wizards. Paragon Hot Resize technology to enlarge partitions without rebooting Windows. Paragon Smart Partition technology to securely perform partitioning operations. Paragon Power Shield technology to provide data consistency.

Minimum requirements: Windows XP/ Vista/ 7

Partition Wizard Home Edition - Ver: 4.2.1

Partition Wizard Home Edition is a free partition manager designed by MT Solution Ltd.

Home users can perform complicated partition operations by using this powerful but free partition manager to manage their hard disk partition such as Resizing partitions, Copying partitions, Create partition, Delete partition, Format partition, Convert partition, Explore partition, Hide partition, Change drive letter, Set active partition and Partition Recovery. Even the inexperienced users will be able to easily manage their partitions.

Here are some key features of "Partition Wizard Home Edition" :-

  • Support RAID.
  • Extend system partition to improve computer performance to maximum.
  • Manage the hard disk to get the best performance of computer.
  • Create , Delete and Format partitions with simple steps.
  • Disk Copy to protect or transfer data.
  • Support disk and partition size larger than 2 TB.
  • Convert partition format from FAT to NTFS.
  • Partition Copy: Copy the entire hard disk to another one.
  • Copy Disk Wizard: Copy the entire hard disk to another one without windows reinstalling.
  • Disk Map - Visually demonstrate your disk / partition configuration; preview the changes before applying.
  • Hide/unhide partition, set active partition, etc. - Change partition properties.
  • Explore FAT/NTFS partition.

Minimum requirements: Windows 2000/ XP/ Vista/ 7

The XCopy Tool - Ver: 1.0

The XCopy command has risen from the ashes of deprecation to save you time and make your file management tasks easier. This tool automates the process for XP, Vista, and Windows 7.

It is suggested that you read the "Readme" file once the program has been extracted to a folder of your choice.

Minimum requirements: Windows XP/ Vista/ 7

Virtual CloneDrive - Ver: 5.4.3.2

Virtual CloneDrive works and behaves just like a physical CD/DVD drive, however it exists only virtually. Image files generated with CloneDVD or CloneCD can be mounted onto a virtual drive from your hard-disk or from a network drive and used in the same manner as inserting them into a normal CD/DVD drive.

Probably the best virtual drive software, Virtual CloneDrive allows you to enjoy the freedom of a virtual drive and is completely free.

Features :
  • Supports all common image formats such as ISO, BIN, CCD
  • Supports up to 8 virtual drives at the same time
  • Easy to use - just double-click an image file to mount as a drive
  • Virtual CloneDrive is freeware, you may use it at no cost.

Minimum requirements: Windows 98/ Me/ 2000/ XP/ Vista/ 7

Entertainment

Radiotracker - Ver: 6.1.117.17

Radiotracker supplies you with free online music. Select an artist and get started! Radiotracker has a database containing songs by over 70k artists.

Simply select a favourite artist for the wish list and Radiotracker delivers the selected artist's MP3 music as soon as it's played on one of the 2k web radio stations monitored simultaneously. Radiotracker's MusicFinder also finds a match song to one in the wish list every 25 seconds.

Radiotracker is the only software in the world that also detects which stations play your favourites the most. MP3s from web radios 'til the hard drive overflows! Select one of the 80 genres and Radiotracker starts simultaneously recording MP3 songs from several radio stations immediately. Radiotracker has a station manager and other convenient functions for managing stations and favourites.

Minimum requirements: Windows XP/ Vista

TVTrigger - Ver: 1.2.5

TVTrigger brings you everything about TV shows, and a bit more. TVTrigger is a resource for 3000+ shows, with all the information you need.

Here you can listen to a show's official soundtrack, and watch episodes trailer. Also you can find information about a show's cast, crew, episodes, and network. TVTrigger also acts as a Bittorrent client. We provide you with a very efficient and practical torrent search engine and downloader designed only for TV shows. The search engine gives you the ability to search easily for a show by season, episode, or just by name.

Minimum requirements: Windows XP/ Vista/ 7

Games

Isanaki Sudoku - Ver: 2.6b

Isanaki Sudoku is a multilingual freeware application that combines a Sudoku and Wordoku Boards generator, a powerful solver, a user-friendly helper and flexible printer (multiple boards per page).

The software supports 9 * 9 and 16 * 16 Sudoku and Wordoku Boards and can generate boards with 6 levels of difficulty. It updates automatically the pencil marks in each cell of the board to show the remaining candidates. Isanaki provides help by displaying hints graphically so that you see the logic behind the hint. Languages - English, French, Spanish and Dutch.

Minimum requirements: Windows 2000/ XP

Pacman Online - Ver: 1.0

The player controls Pac-Man through a maze, eating pac-dots. When all dots are eaten, Pac-Man is taken to the next stage.

Four ghosts (Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde) roam the maze, trying to catch Pac-Man. If a ghost touches Pac-Man, a life is lost. When all lives have been lost, the game ends.

Minimum requirements: Windows 9x/ 2000/ XP/ 2003/ Vista/ 7

Home/Office

Artweaver - Ver: 1.1

Artweaver is a simple program for creative painting, i.e. Artweaver makes all artistic effects, which you need for your work. Artweaver is a useful and freeware graphic editor utility.

You can create sketches from photographs and experiment with a wide range of brushes. The brush simulation is as realistic as possible.

Here are some key features of "Artweaver" :-

  • Support of many different digital brushes e.g. chalk, charcoal, pencils...
  • A wide variety of adjustment settings to customise the default brushes or to create new brushes
  • Standard image editing tools like gradient, crop, fill and selection tools
  • Support for the most common file formats like AWD (Artweaver), BMP, GIF, JPEG, PCX, TGA, TIFF, PNG, and PSD
  • Transparency, Layer and Layer Group support
  • Effect filters like sharpen, blur, emboss and mosaic
  • Editable text layers
  • Pen Tablet support for a realistic feeling
  • History function to und/redo last editing steps
  • Expandable by Plug-In modules (Artweaver Standard and 8BF format)
  • Support for many languages through language files

Minimum requirements: Windows 2000/ XP/ Vista/ 7

FBReader - Ver: 0.12.0

An ebook reader initially designed for Sharp Zaurus and now available for various platforms. FBReader will allow you to read ebooks on the operating system of your choice.

Here are some key features of "FBReader" :

Supported formats are :-

  • fb2 e-book format (style attributes are not supported yet).
  • HTML format (tables are not supported).
  • CHM format (tables are not supported).
  • plucker format (embedded images are supported, tables are not supported).
  • Palmdoc (aportis doc).
  • zTxt (Weasel format).
  • TCR (psion text) format.
  • RTF format (stylesheets and tables are not supported).
  • OEB format (css and tables are not supported).
  • OpenReader format (css and tables are not supported).
  • Non-DRM'ed mobipocket format (tables are not supported).
  • Plain text format.
  • Direct reading from tar, zip, gzip and bzip2 archives. (Multiple books in one archive are supported.)
  • Supported encodings: utf-8, us-ascii, windows-1251, windows-1252, koi8-r, ibm866, iso-8859-*, Big5, GBK. Automatic encoding detection is supported.
  • Automatically generated contents table.
  • Embedded images support.
  • Footnotes/hyperlinks support.
  • Position indicator.
  • Keeps the last open book and the last read positions for all opened books between runs.
  • List of last opened books.
  • Automatic hyphenations. Liang's algorithm is used. The same algorithm is used in TeX, and TeX hyphenation patterns are used in FBReader. Patterns for Czech, English, Esperanto, French, German and Russian are included in the current version.
  • Text search.
  • Full-screen mode.
  • Screen rotation by 90, 180 and 270 degrees.

Minimum requirements: Windows all

Kiran's Typing Tutor - Ver: 1.0

Kiran's Typing Tutor lets you to learn Touch Typing and improve typing skills and speed in a very easy way and in the shortest possible time.

Basic typing lessons enable beginners to understand Touch typing. Kids Typing module includes five different types of lessons designed for age groups from 4 to 8 years. Numeric Typing module is designed to teach the numeric key pad. Advanced features include: Typing Lessons; Typing Practice; Typing Tests; Numeric Typing; Kids Typing; Typing Games; statistical graphs; finger preview and key preview.

NOTE : This is a TYPING program, of course it monitors your keystrokes and acts like a key logger!! AND, if you let an aggressive anti virus program quarantine/delete the "key logger" element, you won't be able to uninstall it properly.

Minimum requirements: Windows 98/ Me/ NT/ 2000/ XP/ Vista

My Virtual Home - Ver: 1.8.3

One of the side effects of the recession is that rather than move house, many people are deciding to stay put and extend of improve their existing homes, or even redevelop and existing site.

MVH is an Australian package that has links to a number of companies so you can incorporate real building products and furnishings in your design. The program downloads the latest product updates via the Internet and if you are in Australia you can even search for local suppliers in your ares. you will need a broadband connection as the program downloads individual elements as you add them to your design rather than store everything your your hard drive.

Yo will need a fairly powerful PC too as the program is quite resource intensive. It performs a test as part of the installation to see if your machine is suitable.

One you have installed MVH, click on the File menu and select New to begin a design. Click on Build Rooms And Add Objects at the top left. On the browse tab you can pick from a range of objects to start off your design. There is a Build Help tab if you are unsure of what to do. Click on a room and drag it across into the main part of the window - simple click to position it where you want. You can use the blue arrow symbol to rotate objects and change the size by dragging the corners. Extra rooms can be added simply by dragging them to the plan - use the option on the toolbar to apply an addition level or switch to a view with a roof. A selection of garden objects is available too so you can add parts, driveways and lawns to the exterior.

Once you have got a number of rooms together you can switch to a 3D view of you design using the button to the right of the control wheel. You can also opt of a virtual walk through of the design which can be recorded as a movie. The wheel itself enables you to view your design from different angles. Zoom in using the slider and you can see the individual items of furniture and fitted units within a room - click on an item for details. Using the Browse menu on the left you can add extra items such as different light fittings.

Click the Properties button the the toolbar to reveal more information about your design. This includes the floor area - calculated from the rooms you have added - and the height. You can take virtual photographs of the design and there is a Light mapping option, which enables you to see how daylight will affect the rooms at different times.

Minimum requirements: Windows XP/ Vista

PNotes - Ver: 5.5.110

Managing your day-to-day life is not an easy job to do and PNotes can help you with that. PNotes (Pinned Notes or Portable Notes) has flexible settings - both for the program in whole and for individual note.

Skins, fonts, colors, alarms, transparency level - all-in-one. Any portion of note's text can be formatted separately.

There is a variety of skins for PNotes and, moreover, you can create your own one if download PNSkinCreator - a small utility for creation PNotes skins. Notes can also be skinless, that allows stretching them to any reasonable size.

Scheduling is also important feature of PNotes. It is possible to schedule each note to remind you about significant events by three different ways - alarm you once, every day at specified time or at any specified interval.

One more PNotes feature - ability to join notes into groups by your choice. You can create, modify, delete and relocate groups by simple click or drag-and-drop. Changing group for each note performed by dragging it onto appropriate group.

Minimum requirements: Windows all

Internet

Axence NetTools - Ver: 4.0 Pro

NetTools is a free and comprehensive set of host monitoring, network scanning, security and administration tools, all with a highly intuitive user interface.

NetWatch
Monitors the availability of several hosts and their response times. You can set several thresholds so that NetTools will notify you by e-mail, message or sound in case of host not responding or slower connection. NetWatch provides very clear real-time and historical charts of a response time and percentage of packets lost. As with all the other tools, you can export this information as text, Excel and html files.

WinTools
Lists exhaustive system information from Windows computers: running processes & services, registry, event log, disk, memory & CPU information, and much more. You can also define your own queries.

NetStat
Displays all the inbound and outbound connections to your computer and lists all open ports. Additionally, NetStat maps open ports and established connections to the owning application.

Local info
Displays several tables with important information about your local configuration: network statistics for TCP/UDP and ICMP, IP address table, ARP table, IP routing table, and network adapter info.

Network scanner
Would you like to find all the nodes in a network (including remote networks)? No problem. Just enter the IP range to check and you will quickly get a list of nodes and the services running on them. This tool also discovers some Trojans and spyware.

Service & port scanner
Allows you to check for all open ports and running services (HTTP, POP3, MS SQL, Oracle and 50 other). It not only checks if the port is open, but also sends a request and checks whether a reply meets specific criteria. It can also discover some Trojans and spyware.

TCP/IP workshop
Provides you with the ability to establish low-level TCP and UDP connections to troubleshoot and test different networking services. With this tool, you can send raw data to any port on a remote computer. You can also listen in on any local port to see all incoming data.

SNMP Browser
A full SNMP browser, so easy you can use it even if you don’t know a thing about SNMP.

Other tools
Fast traceroute shows information about every host on the route, its response time, and packets lost (full trace within 1 second). Lookup is like nslookup, but it shows you all DNS and WHOIS records at once. Bandwidth tool will measure network performance. NetCheck - with this tool you can check the quality of network hardware in your LAN.

Minimum requirements: Windows all

Darq Software Transmute - Ver: 1.66

Reviewed by: CNET staff:-

"It used to be that people had one browser - usually Internet Explorer--that they used for years on end. But the browser race is on now, with Firefox, Chrome, and a host of others competing for a bigger piece of the browser market.

Curious about a new browser, but not sure how to handle your bookmarks? Darq Software Transmute is a quick and easy way for users to transfer bookmarks from one browser to another. There's no reason to waste time doing it manually when this program makes the task so simple.

The program's interface is sleek and simple. Users simply select the browsers that they're transferring the bookmarks to and from, click start, and the program does the rest. There are 13 browsers to choose from, ensuring that even somewhat obscure browsers are supported. Users can specify the directories to be used if needed, although in many cases the program can locate them automatically. We transferred our bookmarks from Firefox to Internet Explorer with no trouble; the program worked quickly and the results were accurate. The program even deletes duplicates if needed to keep everything tidy. The program has no Help file per se, but a list of frequently asked questions is available on the publisher's Web site."

Minimum requirements: Windows all

FrostWire - Ver: 4.18.5

"FrostWire is a fork of the LimeWire source code, and as such, it functions exactly the same. When you search for a file using FrostWire, you get results from LimeWire, and vice versa.

However, the user experience differs in two ways. One is that the code is actually based on LimeWire Pro, the paid version of the popular P2P client, so users don't have to worry about simultaneous download restrictions, and they won't get bombarded by ads. Also, befitting the name, the interface has changed from green to blue and has been slightly improved. Tabs have rounded corners, and there are two additions, as well. Connections monitors your outgoing and incoming connections by host name, but also provides bandwidth information, the vendor and version being used, and more. There's also a built-in community chat.

When we tested it, the built-in media player in FrostWire didn't work with MP3s or MPG's, although those files worked fine in LimeWire and elsewhere. The app also comes bundled with the ASK toolbar, but you can opt out of that during the installation process. While some people have experienced faster download times with FrostWire compared with its parent, others have not. FrostWire and LimeWire are practically indistinguishable, although the lack of ads is a big plus."

NOTE : Installs an Ask.com toolbar, changes your home page and your default search provider unless you opt-out during setup.

Minimum requirements: Windows all

LAN Monitor - Ver: 1.4.2

Karen's LAN Monitor starts by displaying important information about every network adapter on your computer. These details include the adapter's speed, IP address(es), DHCP Lease information, and more.

Next, the program shows all current connections between your computer and others on the local network, and on the Internet. You'll see the name and IP address of the remote computer, and the type of connection (HTTP, POP3, FTP, etc) that's being made!

The LAN Monitor also displays real-time traffic statistics, including bytes sent and received, transmission errors, and network connection load factors.

NOTE : The LAN Monitor requires features that are not included in Windows 95. As a result, Windows 98, or later, is required.

Minimum requirements: Windows all - see NOTE above

Manycam - Ver: 2.4.55

Manycam lets you use your Webcam with multiple programs at the same time. Broadcast your Webcam on MSN Messenger, Yahoo!, Skype, AIM, Paltalk, and Camfrog all simultaneously. Manycam also allows you to add cool live CGI (computer generated special effects and graphics) to your Webcam.

Make it appear as if your face or hand is on fire with our "fire" effect. Pretend you are underwater or make it look like it's snowing inside your house with the Manycam underwater and snow effects. Add text, graphics, or your country's flag to your video window.

NOTE : Installs an Ask.com toolbar etc., unless you opt-out during setup.

Minimum requirements: Windows all

NeoDownloader Lite - Ver: 2.4

NeoDownloader Lite will allow you to download and view thousands of pictures from web sites.

Just drag-n-drop a link to the Drop Basket and this smart utility will explore it and download all found pictures to your hard drive.

You can immediately see everything you download and delete unwanted downloads. You can also set the program to explore the entire web site and retrieve only those images that you want.

Minimum requirements: Windows all

Orca Browser - Ver: 1.2 Build 6

Orca Browser is a fast, stable, user-friendly, versatile tabbed web browser, which features with many functions such as Pop-up Stopper and Flash Ads Filter, AutoFills, Online Profile Storage, RSS Reader, Safe Recovery, Integrated Cleaner etc.

If you click a link in the web page with the middle mouse button, the link will be opened in a new window in the background. This feature is extremely useful for opening posts in forums. Orca Browser also comes with customisable Mouse Gestures, with which you can easily navigate the browser by moving the mouse.

The Orca browser can help keep your browsing private by cleaning: Typed Addresses, History of Visited Web Sites, Cookies, Auto-Complete Passwords and Temporary Internet Files.

Here are some key features of "Orca Browser" :-

Online Profile Storage:
Orca Browser can save users' bookmarks, RSS Feeds, configurations or web passwords etc, in Orca online storage. In this way, users can access their personal data from anywhere, office, home or an Internet cafe, and don't need to worry about losing those data when re-install windows.

AutoFills:
Help users to memorize web passwords, and fill passwords for users with one click. Flash Animation Filter: More than 85% of all flash animations on web pages are advertising, and normally take up to 90% of the size of the page you're visiting. With Orca Browser you can save the bandwidth by blocking the download of these flash files with just one easy click.

Built-in AD/Pop-up Blocker:
Easily eliminate unwanted AD banners and pop-up pages automatically with just one click. Built-in RSS/ATOM Reader: Orca Browser has a built-in RSS/ATOM Reader, which allows you to read RSS/ATOM feeds just like browsing web pages. And you can also keep your favourite feeds as bookmarks.

Safe Recovery:
If Orca Browser is closed improperly, all open web pages are saved and will be automatically reopened at next startup.

Minimum requirements: Windows all

Portable eToolz - Ver: 3.4.4

eToolz is a collection of networking instruments like NS-Lookup, Ping, TraceRoute and Whois.

It also allows also to check e-mail accounts for new messages (MX-Server) and search/convert domain names showing DNS entries (A, PTR, NS, SOA). The application supports international domain names.

NOTE : By default working language is German but you can easily change it from Extras menu.

Minimum requirements: Windows all

TheWorld Browser - Ver: 3.0.9.2

A tiny, fast, safe, powerful, multi-tabbed with multi-threaded frame web browser with no function limit. TheWorld Browser is compatible with Internet Explorer and it can run in most Microsoft Windows OS's.

Here are some key features of "TheWorld Browser" :-

Multi-threaded frame:
  • TheWorld Browser is the second multi-thread frame browser in the world the first is Internet Explorer 7.0, the multi-threaded window frame can avoid web page being out of response.
Intelligent Ad. blocking Blacklist filter:
  • TheWorld can block popup ad. and float ad. automatically.
  • You can also use black list to filter ad., the black list filter is working from lower level of
    HTTP protocol, with regular expression, you can filter every page item that you want.

Most powerful function:

  • Flash filter, unlock page script limited, zoom in/out page in all level, proxy quick switch, auto forms, quick media saver, privacy keeper, mouse gesture , custom hotkey, drag&drop link ...

More safety:

  • TheWorld Browser has special safe guard to keep you out of risk, more safe function is still in development...

A Download Tool:
  • Which is multi-thread download, resumable download, with a easy download manager, it can save you most time.

Skin and plugins:

  • TheWorld Browser skin and plugins, now we have hundreds of skin and plugins to extend your browse experience, also, we insist Internet Explorer's plugin.

Minimum requirements: Windows all

Tor for Windows - Ver: 0.2.1.21

Tor is a toolset for organisations and people that want to improve their safety and security on the Internet. Using Tor can help you anonymise Web browsing and publishing, instant messaging, IRC, SSH, and other applications that use the TCP protocol.

Tor also provides a platform on which software developers can build new applications with built-in anonymity, safety, and privacy features.

Communications are bounced around a distributed network of servers, called onion routers. Instead of taking a direct route from source to destination, data packets on the Tor network take a random pathway through several servers that cover your tracks so no observer at any single point can tell where the data came from or where it's going. This makes it hard for recipients, observers, and even the onion routers themselves to figure out who and where you are. Tor's technology aims to provide Internet users with protection against "traffic analysis," a form of network surveillance that threatens personal anonymity and privacy, confidential business activities and relationships, and state security.

Minimum requirements: Windows 9x/ 2000/ XP/ 2003

Multi Media

ALLPlayer - Ver: 4.2.6.7

ALLPlayer is an easy to use media player that supports most modern formats and features intelligent Subtitles.

ALLPlayer is the first player in the world that enables IQ Text function, which analyses the length of the displayed subtitles so that it would be displayed long enough for you to be able to read everything.

Thanks to this function you won't miss any subtitles watching the film! Very often the subtitles come so fast one after another that you don't manage to read everything, but from now on, thanks to IQ Text, you won't have this problem any more - check for yourself!

Minimum requirements: Windows all

Fix WMP Utility - Ver: 1.0

This freeware portable app re-registers all the concerned Windows Media dll files required for the smooth functioning of Windows Media Player.

Minimum requirements: Windows XP/ Vista/ 7

JetAudio - Ver: 8.0

JetAudio is integrated multimedia software made of a single compact rack. Not only does it play various music and video files, it also has features such as CD burning, recording, and conversion to other file formats.

You get the ability to create your own Internet broadcast by using JetCast, provided with JetAudio. Play all major file formats, including WAV, MP3, MP3Pro, OGG, WMA, MPEG, AVI, WMV, MIDI, RM, and video and audio CD tracks. Convert among audio file formats, and record analog audio to various formats. The program features visualization plug-ins, including Sound2Vision; tag editing for MP3, OGG, and WMA files; sound effects including wide, reverb, and x-bass; multichannel sound output; speed control of audio playback; crossfading for smooth transition between two songs; a skinnable user interface; and synchronised lyrics display (karaoke) for MIDI and MP3 files.

Besides Audio/video playback and recording, You can also broadcast your own music through internet in MP3, OGG or WMA with jetCast. jetCast mixes music and microphone input, and send it to listener through internet.

Minimum requirements: Windows all

KMPlayer - Ver: 2.9.4.1435

The KMPlayer is all-in-one media player covering various formats such as VCD, DVD, AVI, MKV, Ogg, OGM, 3GP, MPEG-1/2/4, WMV, RealMedia, QuickTime etc.

It has an extra feature to play Incomplete/Damaged AVI file, Locked Media Files while downloading or sharing, Compressed Audio Album (zip, rar) and so on. It handles a wide range of subtitles and allows you to capture audio, video, and screenshots in many ways. The player provides both internal and external filters with a fully controlled environment without grappling with DirectShow merit system.

The player can set multifarious audio and video effects, control playback speed and octave, select parts of a video as favourites, do a powerful A-B repeat, remap the keys of remote interface for HTPC including overlay screen controls, change a skin dynamically depending on a media type playing, and many more.

It is completely customisable thanks to a wide selection of skins and colour schemes, and configuration options are extensive.

NOTE : The program will offer to install various toolbars and launch bars. To prevent this happening, please remove the ticks from the relevant boxes.

Minimum requirements: Windows all

Vallen Jpegger - Ver: 5.62 Build 9.1221

Vallen JPegger is the international, handy, and full featured image viewer, which shouldn't be missing on any PC. Now in 26 different languages including full Unicode language and file support.

It is designed for large image libraries with thousands of files. In addition, Vallen Jpegger is a software that helps you to view images, reads 40 different image file formats and it also features lossless JPEG rotation.

It includes an unique MP3 Organiser including a simple player: MP3 files are categorized according their MP3 tag information into artist, genre and album in a comfortable tree structure. Great for larger music archives. No installation required - executable files can directly be copied onto CD. Most important start options can be configured by command line parameters.

Minimum requirements: Windows all

Win7codecs - Ver: 2.2.3 Final

Win7codecs is an audio and video codec package for Windows 7. The installer will automatically remove most other popular codec releases from your computer before installing this concise yet comprehensive package.

You won't need to make any adjustments or tweaks to enjoy your media content immediately. Windows Media Player and Media Center will instantly recognize all your files as playable.

It does not contain a media player and it does not associate file-types. With this package installed you will be able to use any media player, limited only by the players' capabilities, to play all movies and video clips. Streaming video is supported in several formats in all popular web browsers.

Users of the Win7codecs have the ability to choose what is installed and where to install it using the public redistributable. After installation you can select to remove specific portions without removing the entire package. You can also re-add the removed items at any time.

Minimum requirements: Windows 7

P.D.F.

BullZip PDF Printer - Ver: 7.1.0.1080

The BullZip PDF Printer works as a Microsoft Windows printer and allows you to write PDF documents from virtually any Microsoft Windows application.

BullZip PDF Printer is a program that works like Windows printer.

NOTE : BullZip PDF Printer is FREE for personal and commercial use up to 10 users

Here are some key features of BullZip PDF Printer :-

  • Print to PDF from almost any Windows program.
  • Supports 64-bit operating systems.
  • Direct output to the same file each time or prompt for destination.
  • Control if the printer should ask if you want to see the resulting PDF document.
  • Control output and prompts programmatically.
  • Setup can run unattended.
  • Graphical user interface.
  • Password protect PDF documents.
  • 128/40 bit encryption.
  • Quality settings (screen, printer, ebook, prepress).
  • Set document properties.
  • Watermark text, size, rotation, and transparency.
  • Supreimpose/background documents.
  • Appending/prepending documents.
  • User interface control.
  • Command line interface to all settings.
  • COM/ActiveX interface for programmatic control.
  • Support for Citrix MetaFrame
  • Support for Windows Terminal Server

Minimum requirements: Windows 2000/ XP/2003 /Vista/ 7

PDF24-creator - Ver: 2.6.2

PDF24-creator is the tool you need to create PDF's from almost any application. All you need is the option to print in the reader of a document.

THe PDF24 PDF creator installs you an own printer named "pdf24". You can use this printer in windows just like any other printer. After you have printed a document on pdf24, a PDF file will be created automatically and an assistant will open.

Here you can save or show your PDF document. Furthermore you can merge multiple PDF so one, split PDF, extract pages from PDF, copy one or more pages from a PDF to another, set document properties such as title and author, encrypt PDF and prevent from unauthorized printing, convert documents like Word, Excel or images to PDF and extract and save images from single pages with the integrated PDF viewer. An integrated explorer ease handling of documents. The preview of a document gives you a fast overview and assists in editing.

Here are some key features of "PDF24-creator" :-

  • Once installed, you can use it at all times
  • Free upgrades included
  • Conversion is simple and from all current programs possible
  • Freeware-program at no charge
  • Create PDF files from almost any application
  • Easy handling
  • Multilingual

Minimum requirements: Windows all

Registry

Free Registry Cleaner - Ver: 4.20.3

Free Registry Cleaner is a powerful tool for cleaning the Registry, Fixing PC errors and optimising your PC.

It will safely clean and repair Windows Registry problems with a few clicks and enable you to enjoy a cleaner and more efficient PC.

The Registry is the nerve center of your PC, and problems with the Windows Registry are a common cause of Windows crashes and error messages.

Free Registry Cleaner will also find and remove common junk files that accumulate over time. It comes pre-configured with 22 types of file extension that can usually be considered disposable, and you can extend the range by adding your own file types.

Minimum requirements: Windows 2000/ XP/ 2003/ Vista

Vit Registry Fix Free Edition - 9.5.31

Vit Registry Fix is a powerful application for cleaning the registry of errors and outdated data. The program has a powerful tool for automatic scanning and removal of many different types of errors.

Users have the possibility of manual removal of keys from software sections. Also by using Vit Registry Fix, one can easily delete the recently opened files history on their Windows OS. In addition to cleaning the registry program can find and remove labels from incorrect references.

The program also comes with some separate programs: one for the optimisation of physical damage and fix the registry files, one for removal of temporary/old files, a third for managing programs automatically loaded at startup and the fourth for a convenient and proper disposal of installed applications.

Minimum requirements: Windows XP/ Vista/ 7

Security

Efficient Password Manager - Ver: 1.50 Build 72

Efficient Password Manager, a powerful and unique password management package. It can not only help you remember general password information, but also record website login passwords, software registration codes, e-mail account passwords, or even passwords for your FTP accounts, etc.

A random password generator is integrated which saves your time thinking for passwords. Actually, the passwords generated by this tool are usually safer. Your private information is fully protected - the main login password is encrypted by the irreversible SHA algorithm, while the password information itself is encrypted by 256-bit AES algorithm, the encryption strength of which is among the highest in the world.

The software also offers many special features such as password management in hierarchical grouping, adding attachments to password entry, setting record importance, displaying record list in card view. The interface of the software looks fashionable and modern. It has up to 8 interface styles of different tones of colour for you to choose from.

Minimum requirements: Windows all

Eraser - Ver: 6.0

Eraser is an advanced security tool that enables you to completely remove sensitive data from your hard drive by overwriting it several times with carefully selected patterns.

Most people have some data that they would rather not share with others - passwords, personal information, classified documents from work, financial records, self-written poems, the list can be continued forever.

Perhaps you have saved some of this information on your computer where it is conveniently at your reach, but when the time comes to remove the data from your hard disk, things get a bit more complicated and maintaining your privacy is not as simple as it may have seemed at first.

Your first thought may be that when you 'delete' the file, the data is gone. Not quite, when you delete a file, the operating system does not really remove the file from the disk; it only removes the reference of the file from the file system table.

The file remains on the disk until another file is created over it, and even after that, it might be possible to recover data by studying the magnetic fields on the disk platter surface.

Before the file is overwritten, anyone can easily retrieve it with a disk maintenance or an undelete utility. Eraser makes sure that the files you want to delete and permanently erased.

This is the brand new Eraser 6 and has been two years in development and ships with a new user-interface, Windows 7 support and much more.

Minimum requirements: Windows 2000/ XP/ Vista/ 7

Free Privacy Eraser - Ver: 3.0

Every time you use the Internet, your activities are recorded by your own computer with programs like Internet Explorer, Netscape, Firefox, and many others.

Anyone else can see where you have been on the Internet and the images, movies you have viewed, even everything you did on your computer would leave trace on your computer. Using Free Privacy Eraser you can easily protect your privacy and keep your surfing private with a single click.

Free Privacy Eraser allows you to erase common Internet and computing tracks, including browser cache, cookies, visited website's, typed URL's, recent documents, index.dat files and more. You can also easily erase the tracks of up to 100 popular applications. It also includes an option to overwrite deleted data multiple times, so it cannot be easily recovered. The cookie cleaning feature allows you to specify which cookies to keep, so that you don't erase your important login cookies. You also can schedule automatic erasing for any time you like and use boss key to hide all browser windows in one quick keystroke!

1. Windows Item :-

  • Erase Windows recent documents history
  • Erase Start Menu -- Run/Find history
  • Erase the files in Window recycle bin
  • Erase Windows temporary files directory
  • Erase clipboard
  • Erase memory dumps
  • Erase chkdsk file fragments
  • Erase Windows log files
  • Erase menu order cache
  • Erase open/save dialog history
  • Erase tray notifications cache
  • Erase user assist history
  • Erase MediaPlayer/Real Player history
  • Erase Paint history
  • Erase Microsoft Office
  • Erase Instant Messengers, Support MSN Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, ICQ, AOL Instant Messenger, Skype
2. Browser Items (Internet Explorer/Netscape/Firefox/Opera) :-
  • Erase cache files (Temporary Internet Files)
  • Erase Internet cookies
  • Erase visited URL history
  • Erase recently typed URL's
  • Erase IE index.dat files
  • Erase last download location
  • Erase AutoComplete history
  • Erase preferences.

3.Plugin support
With the support for plug-ins, Free Privacy Eraser can easily erase the tracks of the popular applications. Removing these stored activities will further help protect your privacy. We currently offer more than 100 plug-ins which supports the most popular programs such as ACDSee, Acrobat, KaZaA Media Desktop, Morpheus, Winzip, WinRAR, PowerDVD, and much more.

4.Custom Items
Custom Items allow you to add, and edit the Custom Item, with which you can erase file(s), folder or registry entry(s) that you want to erase.

Smart Cookie Saver
Cookies Manager enables you to decide which cookies to keep and which to erase. This is useful as some of these files keep information that helps you browse more easily sites that you often use and trust.

Schedule Mode
You can start a clean on windows startup/shutdown, and even a specified interval based on your choose.

Secure Delete
Free Privacy Eraser can completely overwrite files with random characters up to 10 times. So they cannot be easily recovered.

Boss key
Immediately hide all web browser windows with the press of a Key when someone you don't want to see your files walks in.

Minimum requirements: Windows all

Utilities

7Tweak - Ver: 1.5

7Tweak - Brand new and already in top of users preferences, 7Tweak comes with a bunch of features and tools designed especially to tweak, optimise and customise your Windows 7.

Being able to quickly analyse your computer's hardware, operating system and programs and supporting native x64 mode, it is an excellent solution for effective and fast Windows optimisation.

7Tweak is the only tuning software for Windows 7 with the right suite of tools :-

  • Intelligent Disk Cleaner and Safe Defragmentation tool.
  • Smart hard chives monitoring capability.
  • Registry Backup/Restore, Intelligent RegCleaner and Registry Safe Defragmenter.
  • Security Tweaks: Firewall, IE, Windows Update and many other.
  • Optimisation tools: Autorun Manager, StartUp Manager, Cache and Visual Effects tweaks
  • Outlook Mail Tweaks
  • Start Menu Tweaks
  • Media Player Tweaks
  • Control Panel Tweaks
  • Internet Explorer
  • and many other tweaks

Minimum requirements: Windows 7

ArsClip - Ver: 3.1.3

ArsClip is a utility for the Windows clipboard. ArsClip monitors the clipboard and keeps track of the entries.

Press a configurable hotkey and select an item (or items) to quickly paste into a program. ArsClip used to be barebones, but one can safely say that it has become a nicely featured program (due to user requests for changes).

ArsClip remembers the last 15 (default) text entries entered into the Window's clipboard. Delphi 6 (Personal) source code is included - modify it freely for any non-profit use.

Minimum requirements: Windows 98/ Me/ 2000/ XP/ Vista

CSMenu - Ver: 1.1

This program allows you to change the Windows 7 Start Menu to the good old days before Windows Vista.

CSMenu gives you the best of both worlds, because you don't have to give up the new-style start menu. It runs as a separate program, and still lets you retain the existing Windows 7 Start Menu. So click on the CSMenu icon for the old-style menu, or the Windows 7 Start button for the Windows 7-style Start menu.

It takes a little bit of effort to get the program working. After installing, look on your desktop for the CSMenu First Run icon. Double-click it and it scans your system, looking for your applications. After it completes, log off, then log back on again. After that, delete the CSMenu First Run icon and drag the Launch CSMenu icon to your Taskbar. Then click the icon, and you'll see the old-style Windows Start menu, in all its retro glory.

NOTE : The installation will try and install the ASk Toolbar and change your home page. If you do not want this to happen, please remove the ticks from the relevant boxes.

Minimum requirements: Windows 7

Database Editor - Ver: 0.1.6.1

Database Editor is an easy access to any database. It helps developers and database administrators get the job done quickly and efficiently.

Minimum requirements: Windows all

FixWin - Ver: 1.1

FixWin is a handy tool, which is also portable, that will offer you the possibility of repairing common Windows issues.

While there were several tutorials and how-to’s already available on the Internet to deal with such annoyances, FixWin as a single utility was conceptualised, to fix some of the common annoyances which may be faced by a Windows user.

Does your Recycle Bin not refresh correctly? Or maybe you find that for some reason your right click context menu has been disabled in Internet Explorer! Or perhaps things are not ok with your Windows Media Center and you need to flush & rebuild Windows Media Center database! Maybe you opted to be not-warned while deleting Sticky Notes and you now want the warning dialog box back! Or then perhaps, post a malware attack you find that your task manage or cmd or your Registry Editor has been disabled! Fixes for these and many more such common Windows problems are being offered here.

The solutions to repair and fix 50 common Windows annoyances, issues and problems have been categorised under 5 tabs, viz : Windows Explorer, Internet & Connectivity, Windows Media, System Tools & Misc Additional Fixes.

Minimum requirements: Windows Vista/ 7

PC Wizard - Ver: 2010.1.92

PC Wizard 2010 is a powerful utility designed especially for detection of hardware, but also some more analysis. It's able to identify a large scale of system components and supports the latest technologies and standards. This tool is periodically updated (usually once per month) in order to provide most accurate results.

PC Wizard can analyse and benchmark many kinds of hardware, such as CPU performance, Cache performance, Hard Disk performance, RAM performance, CD/DVD-ROM performance, Removable/FLASH Media performance, MP3 compression performance, Video performance.

Hardware Information :-

  • Mainboard / Bios (Connectors, ID String, MP Support ...)
  • Chipset (FSB Frequency, Norhtbridge, Hub, Direct Media Interface, XMB, NSI, ...)
  • Main Memory (FPM, EDO, SDRAM, DDR SDRAM, DDR-2 SDRAM, RDRAM, FB_DIMM, Timings ...)
  • Cache Memory (L1, L2, L3, Size, Frequency ...)
  • Processors (Type, Speed, Multiplier coeff., Features, Model Number, Vanderpool Technology ...)
  • Coprocessor
  • APM & ACPI
  • Busses : ISA, PCI, AGP (2x, 4x,8x), SMBus/ i2c, CardBus, Firewire, Hyper-Transport ... )
  • DMI / SMBIOS
  • Mainboard Sensors, Processor, Hard Disk & Battery (Voltage, Temperature, Fans)
  • Video (Monitor, Card, Bios, Capabilities, Memory, Integrated Memory, Frequencies ...)
  • OpenGL & 3Dfx
  • DirectX (DirectDraw, Direct3D, DirectSound (3D), DirectMusic, DirectPlay, DirectInput, DirectX Media)
  • Keyboard, Mouse & Joystick
  • Drives (Hard Disk, Removable, CD-ROM, CDRW, DVD ...)
  • SCSI (Card, Controller, Adapter, Devices ...)
  • ATA/ATAPI & S-ATA (Devices, Type, Capabilities, S.M.A.R.T. Features, RAID)
  • Ports (Serial, Parallel, USB, IEEE-1394)
  • IDE & SCSI Devices
  • Twain & WIA Devices
  • PCMCIA (PC Card) Devices
  • Bluetooth Devices
  • Sound Card (wave, midi, aux, mix, AC'97 codec, High Definition Audio)
  • Printers (Local & Network)
  • Modem (Features, Speed ...)
  • Network (Server, Connexion, Firewall ...)
  • Security (Scan Ports ...)
  • PocketPC & SmartPhone Devices

System Information -

  • MCI Devices (mpeg, avi, seq, vcr, video-disc, wave) & ACM
  • SAPI
  • Passwords (Outlook, Internet Explorer, MSN Messenger, Dialup ...)
  • MSN Password Recovery
  • DOS Memory (base, HMA, UMB, XMS, EMS, DPMI, VCPI)
  • Windows Memory
  • Windows (Version, Product Key, Environment, Desktop, XP Themes ...)
  • Windows UpTime (Boot, Shutdown, BlueScreen, System Restore Points ...)
  • TrueType & OpenType Fonts
  • WinSock (Internet), Telephony et Remote Access
  • OLE (Objects, Servers ...)
  • Microsoft Applications
  • Activity (Process, Tasks, Threads)
  • Modules (DLL, DRV, 32 & 16-bits) & NT Services
  • Internet Navigator (Microsoft Internet Explorer, Netscape, Mozilla, FireFox)
  • ODBC
  • CMOS/RTC
  • Resources (IRQ, DMA, E/S, Memory)
  • System files (.ini, .log, .bat, .nt, .dos ...)

System Benchmarks :-

  • Processor (MFLOPS, Whetstone ...)
  • L1, L2, L3 Cache, RAM (Bandwidth, Latency ...)
  • Main Memory (Bandwidth, Latency ...)
  • Hard Drives
  • CD/DVD Rom
  • DirectX 3D
  • Video
  • Removable/Flash Support
  • MP3 Compression

Tools :-

  • Can save, print, e-mail a report
  • Can save a TXT, RTF, HTML, or PDF report
  • Can compress report to .CAB or .ZIP
  • Can export any graphics as BMP file
  • Can export text and graphic with the clipboard
  • Web update Wizard
  • Communicate with Motherboard Monitor
  • Dump (Hardware registers, System BIOS, video BIOS

Minimum requirements: Windows all

Restoration - Ver: 2.5.14

Restoration is an easy to use and straight forward tool to undelete files that were removed from the recycle bin or directly deleted from within Windows, and we were also able to recover photos from a Flash card that had been formatted.

Upon start, you can scan for all files that may be recovered and also limit the results by entering a search term or extension. In addition, it also provides the option to wipe the found files beyond simple recovery. The program is small and standalone, it does not require installation and can also run from a Floppy disk. Restoration works with FAT and NTFS as well as digital cameras cards.

NOTE : This is a Standalone, no install needed

Minimum requirements: Windows 98/ Me/ 2000/ XP/ Vista

XdN Tweaker - Ver: 0.9.1.8

XdN Tweaker is a free tweaking program for Windows.

Just a few of the settings you can control with XdN Tweaker include :-
  • Change the number of Folder views Windows saves.
  • Reset the folder views Windows has saved.
  • Add/Remove classic Windows 2000 user control panel icon.
  • Disable/Enable ATI Catalyst Control Center right click on Desktop (only for use if you have an ATI video card and have the Catalyst Control Center installed).
  • Disable/Enable/SendTo/right-click menu.
  • Allows you to adjust and tweak TCP/IP settings.
  • Disable/Enable ZipFolders.
  • Disable/Enable the Outlook Express/Windows Mail splash screen.
  • Put the File menu above the Back/Forward buttons in IE7.
  • Remove or Replace the Search box in IE7.
  • Disable/Enable User Account Control prompts under Vista.

Minimum requirements: Windows all/ .Net Framework 2.0