====== HDDScan – free HDD diagnostic utility ====== http://hddscan.com/ HDDScan is a freeware utility for hard drive diagnostics (RAID arrays, Flash USB and SSD drives are also supported). The program can test storage device for errors (Bad-blocks and bad sectors), show S.M.A.R.T. attributes and change some HDD parameters such as AAM, APM, etc. http://lifehacker.com/399102/hddscan-performs-hard-drive-diagnostics ====== Quick CPU - Cpu parked ====== Windows automatically disables or parks cores to save energy in laptops. Even with the Power Plan set to full performance, CPU cores are parked by Windows. You can disable it for better performance and poorer battery life. Instructions here and here From Quick CPU (formerly known as Core Parking Manager v3) is an application that was designed to fine-tune and monitor CPU performance settings such as: Core Parking, Frequency Scaling and Turbo Boost, as well as making other adjustments. Below you’ll find all the information about how it works, how to interpret application data and settings, and how to make these adjustments. From ====== QuickSetDNS ====== easily change the DNS servers From: http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/regscanner.html QuickSetDNS doesn't require any installation process or additional dll files. In order to start using it, simply run the executable file - QuickSetDNS.exe After running QuickSetDNS, the main window allows you to easily choose the desired DNS servers to use on your Internet connection, by using the 'Set Active DNS' option (F2). By default, QuickSetDNS provides only one alternative: the public DNS servers of Google - 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 You can easily add more DNS servers to the list by using the 'New DNS Server' option (Ctrl+N). ====== RegScanner ====== From: http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/regscanner.html RegScanner is a small utility that allows you to scan the Registry, find the desired Registry values that match to the specified search criteria, and display them in one list. After finding the Registry values, you can easily jump to the right value in RegEdit, simply by double-clicking the desired Registry item. You can also export the found Registry values into a .reg file that can be used in RegEdit. ====== TestDisk ====== From: http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk TestDisk is powerful free data recovery software! It was primarily designed to help recover lost partitions and/or make non-booting disks bootable again when these symptoms are caused by faulty software: certain types of viruses or human error (such as accidentally deleting a Partition Table). Partition table recovery using TestDisk is really easy. ====== iCare Data Recovery ====== From: http://www.icare-recovery.com/ Efficient Data Recovery Software • Recover deleted files from most storage devices • Restore deleted files emptied from recycle bin • Recover data from virus attack, damaged partition • Recover files lost without reason ====== mRemoteNG ====== From: http://www.mremoteng.org/home It allows you to view all of your remote connections in a simple yet powerful tabbed interface. List telnet to smtp servers connection for testing ====== Wireshark is the world's foremost network protocol analyzer ====== From: https://www.wireshark.org/ Wireshark is the world's foremost network protocol analyzer. It lets you see what's happening on your network at a microscopic level. It is the de facto (and often de jure) standard across many industries and educational institutions. ====== Ostinato is a network packet and traffic generator ====== and analyzer with a friendly GUI. From: https://code.google.com/p/ostinato/ Ostinato is an open-source, cross-platform network packet crafter/traffic generator and analyzer with a friendly GUI. Craft and send packets of several streams with different protocols at different rates. For the full feature list see below. Ostinato aims to be "Wireshark in Reverse" and become complementary to Wireshark. ====== Best Free Windows Software ====== From: http://dottech.org/best-free-windows-software/#computer * SOFTWARE CATEGORIES * Cleaning and Maintenance * Communication * Files & Documents * Work & Productivity * PDF Tools * Privacy and Security * Multimedia * Network/Internet Tools * Miscellaneous ====== toolbarcleaner not a recommeded piece of software ====== From: http://toolbarcleaner.com/?src=4792&gclid=CJ_pnaiO0rwCFcXm7AodNBMACg Toolbar Cleaner removes more than 1,000,000 unwanted toolbars, apps, add-ons, and plug-ins per month including Ask, Alot, Babylon, Bing and MSN Toolbars. ====== OpenedFilesView ofview software by nirsoft ====== open files From: http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/opened_files_view.html OpenedFilesView displays the list of all opened files on your system. For each opened file, additional information is displayed: handle value, read/write/delete access, file position, the process that opened the file, and more... Optionally, you can also close one or more opened files, or close the process that opened these files. ====== Svchost and Process Explorer ====== http://news.cnet.com/8301-13554_3-9867426-33.html http://technet.microsoft.com/en-US/sysinternals/ http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/list-services-running-under-svchostexe-process/ http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/windows-and-office/decipher-svchost-processes-in-windows-with-svchost-viewer/4121/ http://svchostviewer.codeplex.com/ http://blogs.technet.com/b/yongrhee/archive/2012/06/28/how-to-troubleshoot-service-host-svchost-exe-related-problems.aspx http://www.microsoft.com/security/sir/strategy/default.aspx#!malwarecleaning_explorer ====== Folder Compare ====== From: http://www.scootersoftware.com/beta.php From: http://www.deltopia.com/compare-merge-sync/overview/topten/ From: http://www.araxis.com/merge/features.en ====== Create Virtual Machine From Disk ====== From: http://www.tomsitpro.com/articles/Disk2VHD-VirtualBox-laptop-data_recovery,2-418.html A functioning hard drive from the dead system A Desktop system to serve as a virtual host A method to connect the hard drive to the virtual host Microsoft’s free P2V tool, disk2vhd Oracle’s VirtualBox, a free desktop virtualization hypervisor Sysinternals: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/ee656415.aspx ====== driveimage and Recovery ====== * http://www.runtime.org/driveimage-xml.htm Data Recovery Software Runtime Software's data recovery software will help you rescue your lost or inaccessible files from any imaginable data recovery disaster. ====== [Windows] Best free file and data recovery software ====== — TestDisk & PhotoRec vs Recuva vs Pandora Recovery vs Aidfile vs Puran vs Undelete 360 Read more at http://dottech.org/113185/windows-review-best-free-file-data-recovery- programs/#wTbFXr45eeXDF8Pk.99 All the programs reviewed here were tested by attempting to recover files and all were successful at retrieving the files. Now… here are the best free file and data recovery tools for Windows. Read more at http://dottech.org/113185/windows-review-best-free-file-data-recovery- programs/#wTbFXr45eeXDF8Pk.99 ====== Angry IP Scanner ====== From: http://angryip.org/w/Download Linux Mac Windows ====== IP and MAC Scanner Free 2.2 ====== From: http://www.colasoft.com/download/index.php#freeware Colasoft MAC Scanner is a free scan tool for scanning IP address and MAC address. It can automatically detect all subnets according to the IP addresses configured on multiple NICs of a machine and scan the MAC addresses and IP addresses of defined subnets as your need. It is provided to the public free of charge for personal or any non-commercial use. ====== SoftPerfect Network Scanner ====== From: https://www.softperfect.com/products/networkscanner/ SoftPerfect Network Scanner is a free multi-threaded IPv4/IPv6 scanner with a modern interface and many advanced features. It is intended for both system administrators and general users interested in computer security. The program pings computers, scans for listening TCP/UDP ports and discovers shared folders, including system and hidden ones. In addition, it can retrieve practically any information about network computers via WMI, SNMP, HTTP, NetBios and has a bunch of other features. It can also resolve host names and auto-detect the local and external IP address range. To assist with network administration, it supports remote shutdown and Wake-On-LAN. ====== FileSpace Drive Space scn ====== From: http://www.steffengerlach.de/freeware/index.html Scanner - This tool uses a sunburst chart to display the usage of your hard disk or other media. The chart shows all major files and folders from all directory levels at once. ====== Find Duplicate Files ====== ==== SMF – Search my Files ==== From: http://funk.eu/smf/#Version_Archive_Anchor2 is the fastest duplicate files finder and a multi-dimensional - file searcher, - file copier / mover, - file deleter / eraser, - and duplicate previewer… ==== Easy Duplicate File Finder ==== From: http://www.easyduplicatefinder.com/ Easy Duplicate File Finder helps you find and remove duplicate files on your PC. It finds true duplicates by content (instead of file name and size alone). You can scan multiple folders/drives at the same time, and the search can be restricted by using a scan mask and/or specifying a size condition. Lists of duplicates can be exported to HTML. ====== Belarc Advisor - Free Personal PC Audit - Software Key ====== From: http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html The Belarc Advisor builds a detailed profile of your installed software and hardware, network inventory, missing Microsoft hotfixes, anti-virus status, security benchmarks, and displays the results in your Web browser. All of your PC profile information is kept private on your PC and is not sent to any web server. ====== Five free apps that collect PC information ====== From: http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/five-apps/five-free-apps-that-collect-pc-information/ http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308549 http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html http://www.lookinmypc.com/ http://www.piriform.com/speccy ====== PcWinTech.com™ "Knowledge should be shared not hidden." ====== From: http://www.pcwintech.com/shanes-toolbox What is Shane's Toolbox? For all my little apps I make to help with a problem or to fix something, I add to this page (All of these tools are FREE). ======drive speedometer Hard Drive testing ====== http://www.pcwintech.com/drive-speedometer ====== iometer ====== hard drive tesing From: http://www.iometer.org/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkOUGbsnGn0 Iometer is the controlling program. Using Iometer’s graphical user interface, you configure the workload, set operating parameters, and start and stop tests. Iometer tells Dynamo what to do, collects the resulting data, and summarizes the results in output files. Only one copy of Iometer should be running at a time; it is typically run on the server machine. ====== HDtune ====== http://www.hdtune.com/index.html 35.00 HD Tune is a hard disk utility with many functions. It can be used to measure the drive's performance, scan for errors, check the health status (S.M.A.R.T.), securely erase all data and much more. ====== Smartmontools-win ====== From: http://www.netpower.fr/smartmontools I wrote this tool primary because of my work as IT staff, wanting to monitor user computers that don't come with SMART alert software like servers do. ====== dban securely erase entire drive ====== From: http://www.dban.org/ Darik's Boot and Nuke, also known as DBAN /ˈdiːbæn/, is an open source project hosted on SourceForge.[2] The program is designed to securely erase a hard disk until data are permanently removed and no longer recoverable, which is achieved by overwriting the data with pseudorandom numbers generated by Mersenne twister or ISAAC. The Gutmann method, Quick Erase, DoD Short (3 passes), and DOD 5220.22-M (7 passes) are also included as options to handle data remanence ====== My Top 10 Free File And System Utilities ====== http://techlogon.com/2012/05/02/my-top-10-free-file-and-system-utilities/ They’re all free for home users (most also offer paid versions which may add extra features/support but my reviews are of the free versions). ====== ShouldIRemoveit ====== From: http://www.shouldiremoveit.com/install-thankyou.aspx Should I Remove It? is a very simple but extremely powerful Windows application that helps users, both technical and non technical, decide what programs they should remove from their PC. This typically includes finding and removing all sorts of crapware and bloatware such as adware, spyware, toolbars, bundled unwanted applications as well as many forms of malware. The program is very lightweight and extremely fast. Should I Remove It? simply scans your computer for all its' installed programs and then ranks what should be removed by leveraging the wisdom of the crowd (and of course our technical experts) to determine what should not be installed.