Windows Secrets’ 2015 top utilities
When we set up a new PC ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
here are the first 10 utilities we install.
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware (free/paid)
Dropbox (free/paid; cloud storage/file synching)
Piriform CCleaner (free/paid; diagnostics and repair)
7-Zip (free; file compression/encryption)
KeePass Password Safe (free; see excellent alternatives below)
VideoLAN VLC media player (free)
Skype (free/paid; Web-based communications)
GWX Control Panel (free; blocks the Win10 upgrade on Win7 and Win8 systems)
Total system
ITSTH WhatsMyComputerDoing (free)
BillP Studios WinPatrol (free/paid)
Hard drive
PassMark DiskCheckup (free/paid)
Paragon Drive Copy 14 Pro (paid)
Paragon Hard Disk Manager (paid)
EFD Software HD Tune (free/paid)
Paragon Alignment Tool (paid)
Paragon Partition Manager (free/paid)
EaseUS Partition Master (free/paid)
Mobility
Softpedia CoreTemp (free)
Softpedia MobileMeter (free)
SpeedFan (free)
Imaging applications
GIMP (free)
Greenshot (free; screen-capture tool)
CodePlex Image Resizer (free)
Mp3tag (free; music metatag editor)
Paint.NET (free)
PhotoFiltre (free)
Mythicsoft Agent Ransack (free)
Avanquest PowerDesk Pro (paid)
Copernic (free/paid; desktop search)
DOSBox (free; MS-DOS emulator)
ISO Recorder (free)
Nitro Pro (free trial/paid; PDF creator)
Jujuba’s PC Benchmark (free; Win8 performance tests)
Pdfcrowd (free/paid; webpage-to-PDF conversion)
Karen Kenworthy’s Replicator (free).
TechSmith Snagit (free trial/paid; screen capture)
Microsoft SyncToy (free)
TeamViewer (free trial/paid; remote access/control)
Jam TreeSize Free
Oracle VirtualBox (free)
Browser addons
Codefocus Donotlink (free; search-site privacy service)
NoScript (free; Script blocker for Firefox)
EFF Privacy Badger (Chrome and Firefox; free; helps block online tracking)
Ove Self-Destructing Cookies (for Firefox; free; full-time cookie crusher)
Encryption
Boxcryptor (free/paid; updated to support Windows 10)
VeraCrypt (free/paid; the succesor to TrueCrypt)
Firewall checkers
Networking
Metageek inSSIDer (free)
On demand antivirus scanners
ESET Online Virus Scanner (free)
Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool (free)
Microsoft Safety Scanner (free)
Trend Micro HouseCall (free)
Online password checkers
How big is your haystack? (Gibson Research Corporation; free)
Password Meter (free)
Password recovery
Password vaults
Windows security
Microsoft EMET(free)
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