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Forum Index » » Soap Box » » Neat programs to keep your PC tidy and speedy.

Author

Neat programs to keep your PC tidy and speedy.

BackSlash
Marshal
Galactic Navy

Joined: March 23, 2003
Posts: 11183
From: Bristol, England

Posted: 2010-02-26 08:39

Hey, Jack here. Long time poster, first time sexy.
(Ok, that's a lie, I'm always sexy...)

Thought I'd give you a few links to a couple of programs that I swear by, and are absolutely awesome.

I'm pretty niggly about the speed of my machine, and I rigorously check online for the best programs at any task I require my machine to do. So here are the results of the many years of this knowledge and secretz. If there's a type of program you require that I haven't posted, I can certainly try and find a better one for you. Anway, on with the show!

Most of these websites describe the program in more detail, so if in doubt, just click on the links and do a little research for yourself.

CCleaner - http://www.ccleaner.com
First off, CCleaner. Scans every nook and cranny of your PC in seconds (usually) for stuff you simply don't need. From stuff in your recycle bin that you forget to clear out, to .log files left about your PC that you'll never, ever need (things like the installation log for DS). It can even check your browser history and clear it out for you, along with a multitude of other things.

Defraggler - http://www.defraggler.com
Here's Draggler. Done by the same company who develop CCleaner. It's a lightweight, but insanely powerful de-fragmentation tool. It has the industries fastest analyse time, and the best free de-fragmentation tool you can get (even if you get your professional tools via other means, it's not noticeably slower). I use this to defrag my machine every night from 7-12.

Update Checker - http://www.filehippo.com/updatechecker
This is a tool that was released only last year, and is something I cannot live without. It's a stupidly tiny program that scans your pc in seconds (via the registry and other means) for your programs. It then records the version of the proram you use, and cross references it with the database of its own. You can then see if you're using an out-dated version of a program. Not only that, but it'll also let you download it via the website. FileHippo is the company that develop this, and they host files for many companies as a mirror (INTEL, AMD, ATI, NVIDIA, Microsoft, etc), and it's completely safe.

Dropbox - http://www.dropbox.com
Ever used something like imageshack, where you want to upload an image you've just taken to a friend? Use dropbox. It syncronises a folder of your choosing to an account you create. It's completely free, and you get 2 GB of storage. All you do, is drag a file into it, and dropbox uploads it. You can then right click on the file, and get a URL from it to link to anyone. You can also upload text files; in fact, you can upload anything. Not only all this, but if you make a change, lets say for example you add "Hello" to an empty text file, all it does is upload the information that changed, not the entire file, so it doesn't take anywhere near as long!

Irfanview - http://www.irfanview.com
Want to view ANY type of picture out there in the world of computing and quickly? This is your best bet. It's lightweight, and opens insanely quick. It'll open any image format you can think of, even photoshop files.

If anyone else has any secret programs that are nifty and generally help clean up your machine/speed it up, do share (none of that tosh that like Systems Analyser 2010, etc)!

- Jack
_________________

Doran
Chief Marshal
Galactic Navy

Joined: March 29, 2003
Posts: 4032
From: The Gideon Unit

Posted: 2010-02-26 10:18

spybot search&destroy.

JDiskReport - pie charts showing how much disk space various folders are using
_________________

Eledore Massis [R33]
Grand Admiral
Templar Knights

Joined: May 26, 2002
Posts: 2694
From: tsohlacoLocalhost

Posted: 2010-02-26 10:37

I'm surprised you haven't thrown in the Chrome browser jack.

But i got some other kind of tools, that may make your life easier, unfortunately they won't keep your PC tidy or speedy.

First up is a alternative for irfanview
Xnview
http://www.xnview.com
linux, solaris, cellphones and there is a beta for the Mac and yes off-course it works on windows as well.
Not originally created to just view all sorts of picture formats and it can view a while range of them, but the option to exporting to another format got added quickly and the development didn't stop there, there are a whole lot of features build.
Greatest feature i find is the option to batch a selection or whole map and convert them to another format, size, or even both and watermark them.
The program is free for personal usage but requires a license otherwise.
(Development of the program is like "Two Weeks™" but it is a development team consisting of two persons, with lives and wife's etc.)

Next up is a alternative to winzip or winrar
PowerArchiver
http://www.powerarchiver.com
Just for windows this time, no mac version either.
Zip, Rar, Cab, ISO, 7z, tar .gz .bz2, ace, and some more, all supported in a single program, with the Official price less then that of Winzip or winrar.
Powerfull simpel and optional to create backup scripts, i have found this program to be just all i need for archiving on windows.
(haven't tried 2010 yet. but my 2009 license works just like normal on windows 7)

Full partition backup.
DriveSnapshot
http://www.drivesnapshot.de
Designed for windows but is written to be compatible with 16/32 bit dos. And runs from a Bart-PE CD.
This program allows you to create a complete snapshot of a partition, it reads the partition information down to the sector information on the hard drive and stores all information in it. The program skips empty sectors and compresses the data into single or spanned files.
This program is just a time and life saver, with the option to backup a whole system OS and the option to restore it from USB or DVD, this program is godly. If you can't think of a option yet let me put it in perspective. [list]
[*]I never re-install windows on my workstations, i just put in a DVD and in less then a hour i got a workstation with what ever operating system i needed with all tools installed, that would have required about 4 hours. Of-course this requires that you had it installed in the first place and created a snapshot, but if you go to change or reinstall a lot, and don't have the luxury having multiple hdd's and swapping them out.
[*]Storing all information on a second partition or separate drive seems like a good idea, heck its a darn good idea when you got drivesnapshot, just create a scheduled task to snapshot the drive. Or when you got to reinstall a customers PC? or the customer is buying a new one. just Snapshot the old drives and burn them to a DVD incase they forget to backup a file or we missed some important directory to backup. The extra service is worth it we say./list]
P.s. Be warned when using USB, USB booting needs to be supported by the motherboard and the boot USB partition needs to be no less then 4 Gb.

Last one, Security.
Active Webcam
http://www.pysoft.com
Ever wondered about those security camera workstations? Displaying all those camera's and recording everything.
This is one program that has most of the functions of a true professional Camera security workstation. If you want something more hardcore you will need to sneak into a Casino.
Security Camera board, IP Camera Or Webcam all of these are supported, you can record 24/366, add sound input, selectable framerate, add text and time, a whole bundle of options.
I personally use it to keep tabs on my office's, house entrances, car park. At work we use it for everything, RackSpace camera, RackRow camera, Floor Camera, Sell it to customers, Company's, Schools.
There is a lot of need for cheap security camera solutions, "Active Webcam"provides just that.
P.s. If you are interested, I would recommend NOT standard, the options for recording are to limited, unless you just want just a camera monitoring station don't get it.

That is it, there are more handy tools that i use but they would fall into either to professional or Not really suitable in here..

[edit] list=1 didn't work.
[ This Message was edited by: Eledore Massis =ADM= on 2010-02-26 11:42 ]
_________________
DS Discordion

Tael
2nd Rear Admiral
Palestar

Joined: July 03, 2002
Posts: 3695
From: San Francisco Bay Area

Posted: 2010-02-26 19:03

my favorites are

rm *.* -r
and
format c: /y

Cleans nearly any system right up...
_________________

Dwarden
Admiral
CHIMERA

Joined: June 07, 2001
Posts: 1072
From: Czech Republic

Posted: 2010-02-26 19:09

i though real hardcore man use

rm -rf /

p.s. i take no responsibility for anyones life after trying it
_________________
... Ideas? ... that's Ocean w/o borders !

Eledore Massis [R33]
Grand Admiral
Templar Knights

Joined: May 26, 2002
Posts: 2694
From: tsohlacoLocalhost

Posted: 2010-02-26 19:57

Quote:

On 2010-02-26 19:09, Dwarden wrote:
rm -rf /

Usually that function is protected even for Root.
Now dd if=/dev/urandom of=/dev/hda is what the HardCore fanatic might use..
But i'm not such fanatic, it takes to long. I just chance the partition File System to something else and back, then format it normally.
_________________
DS Discordion

Challenger
Marshal

Joined: March 28, 2002
Posts: 886

Posted: 2010-02-26 21:07

Thanks for sharing guys I have already put a couple of the programs to good use.

-Chall
_________________

$yTHe {C?}
Grand Admiral
Sundered Weimeriners

Joined: September 29, 2002
Posts: 1292
From: Arlington, VA

Posted: 2010-02-26 23:50

A couple of very good ones you gents left out:

Malwarebytes
www.malwarebytes.org/
Very speedy, very powerful, very free. We use Malwarebytes at work, and it solves probably 85% of the problems are clients cause themselves. This is NOT virus protection. This is the tool you use when you were downloading Hello Kitty torrents and didn't bother to check the contents of the zip file it came in.

Process Explorer
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896653.aspx
Possibly the greatest piece of software ever created. This application can replace your task manager (literally, there is an option that causes it to open with the CTRL+ALT+DEL command), and does all of the normal things that your task manager does, but better. In addition, Process Explorer gives you an easy way to set priority and resource allocation to certain programs if your OS is not doling out DA MEGABITS in the way you want.

Teamviewer
http://teamviewer.com/index.aspx
Teamviewer is a fantastic tool used by IT professional everywhere. However, a free version exists for non-enterprise use that is nearly as powerful. Essentially what this program does is opens a portal between your computer and another one, allowing you or someone else to control and see the other's screen. Unlike RDP, the person that is getting their screen controlled can see what is happening. Additionally, to initiate the connection, the user being helped must give the helper an ID and a password, making teamviewer completely safe to use.
_________________

Sixkiller
Marshal
Courageous Elite Commandos

Joined: May 11, 2005
Posts: 1786
From: Netherlands

Posted: 2010-02-27 05:48

Since we are in this handy topic, i have a problem. I downloaded a movie, and there was a folder in it. In that folder, another folder, with the same name, in that another with the same name, etcetera etcetera. I dont really know how far it goes, but i cannot delete it because the filename is to long. There are no files in the folders, just 1 folder in each. Any ideas how to delete it?
_________________

Eledore Massis [R33]
Grand Admiral
Templar Knights

Joined: May 26, 2002
Posts: 2694
From: tsohlacoLocalhost

Posted: 2010-02-27 08:46

Quote:

On 2010-02-27 05:48, Sixkiller wrote:
Since we are in this handy topic, i have a problem. I downloaded a movie, and there was a folder in it. In that folder, another folder, with the same name, in that another with the same name, etcetera etcetera. I dont really know how far it goes, but i cannot delete it because the filename is to long. There are no files in the folders, just 1 folder in each. Any ideas how to delete it?

Start renaming it from the root down.
\1\2\3\4\5\6\7\8\9\0\1\2\3\4\5\6\7\8\etc. this in all will reduce the total file length considerably (unless it is in this form already).
That should allow you to delete it. Shift Del works wonders in these situations btw. (Direct delete, skips garbage bin)

Next time just pay attention to what your downloading.. and keep your downloads folder somewhere close to the root, D:\dlds\ for example.

E.
_________________
DS Discordion

0stego
Fleet Admiral
United Armed Corps

Joined: October 04, 2008
Posts: 153
From: Sol System, Earth, Canada, AB.

Posted: 2010-02-27 22:39

I also swear by Spybot S&D, Defraggler, and CCleaner.

_________________

Starcommander
Marshal

Joined: December 14, 2005
Posts: 579
From: In your base, stealing your cookies

Posted: 2010-02-28 06:00

Not something that helps speed things along or anything but it helps keep an eye on whats going on in your system.

Drive GLEAM http://www.dirtcellar.net/documentation/DriveGLEAM/index.html

Site says more.

Its a nifty little tool that sits on your task bar and just shows you want you have selected, activity. So if you want to keep an eye on that 2nd HDD or see how much Vram you have left it tells you that. Its not a bad little program if you are picky about seeing what Win is checking or if that drive is getting used even tho you aren't using it.
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WH 40k armies, Grey Knights, Dark Angles, Imperial Guard (Vostroyan First Born) and Orks.

There is a thin line between knowing when to give up and when to try harder.

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