Posts filed under 'Downloads'
These are free apps I simply cannot live without. All Windows users are familiar with the annual, or quarterly re-format, and we all have those apps that we ALWAYS install- here are mine (again, they are free!):
- Mozilla Firefox – This one goes without saying. A very powerful and secure browser with tabs, themes, and countless other add-ones! This one is essential.
- RocketDcok - The power of the OS X dock, but in Windows, for free!
- WinRAR – We all need this these days. It is quickly becoming the new medium for file compression.
- ClamWin – A fast, free, reliable, and light anti-virus software.
- Malware Bytes – This is my favorite tool to get those nasty fake anti-spyware/virus infections. Check my guide on it here.
- CCleaner - one of a kind tool in cleaning temporary files, system and internet cache, registry issues, and more!
- Pidgin - a popular favorite in the Linux world, now it’s on Windows! A versatile IM client with support for many open source plug-ins.
- VLC - Plays any video file you can throw at it, any time!
- WinAmp - This one is a classic, and still on my list. A media player that is lighter than iTunes, supports skins and plug-ins!
- Unlocker - Don’t you hate it when you can’t move or delete a file because another Windows process is using it? Well, this unlocks the file, and lets you do what you want with it! Check my post on it here.
June 4th, 2009
It’s finally here- lord knows it was needed. Microsoft has officially launched Windows Vista SP2 to the masses. It promises to patch up a lot of the bugs that have been troubling users.
Users on forums report a smooth installation with no major issues- this is a safe install being that it’s official and no longer in Beta.
Click Here to download an Excel sheet consisting of all the update details.
Here are the download options:
ISO for Windows Server 2008 x86/x64/ia64 and Windows Vista x86/x64
x86 for Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista x86
x64 for Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista x64
ia64 for Windows Server 2008 ia64
June 1st, 2009
We’ve all had this happen to us. Trying to move, or delete a file in Windows, only to find out it is locked by another process. It’s both annoying, and tedious. You are forced to look for the process that has locked the file, and kill it.
This is where Unlocker comes in. I install this little application every time I restore my computer. It makes it so simple to free up a file- all you have to do is right click on the said file, and click “Unlocker”.
Here is how it works:
In this example I am trying to delete thecomputerboss.mp3, but can not do so, since it is being used by another application.
This is how easy it really is:
- Right click the file and click “Unlocker”.
- A dialog will pop up showing me the applications that are using the file, and options to Unlock (tries to leave the process running, and frees the file), or Kill Process (frees the file, plus kills the process).
- All I have to do is click “Unlock”, and I will be able to delete, or move the file!
You can download Unlocker Here.
June 1st, 2009
Windows XP is full of applications you won’t find in the Start menu. These applications/utilities perform a handful of very useful tasks- here is a list with descriptions.
To run these programs, go to Start > Run, and type in the executable name- for example: mplay32.exe
1. Character Map = charmap.exe (very useful for finding unusual characters)
2. Disk Cleanup = cleanmgr.exe
3. Clipboard Viewer = clipbrd.exe (views contents of Windows clipboard)
4. Dr Watson = drwtsn32.exe (Troubleshooting tool)
5. DirectX diagnosis = dxdiag.exe (Diagnose & test DirectX, video & sound cards)
6. Private character editor = eudcedit.exe (allows creation or modification of characters)
7. IExpress Wizard = iexpress.exe (Create self-extracting / self-installing package)
8. Mcft Synchronization Manager = mobsync.exe (appears to allow synchronization of files on the network for when working offline. Apparently undocumented).
9. Windows Media Player 5.1 = mplay32.exe (Retro version of Media Player, very basic).
10. ODBC Data Source Administrator = odbcad32.exe (something to do with databases)
11. Object Packager = packager.exe (to do with packaging objects for insertion in files, appears to have comprehensive help files).
12. System Monitor = perfmon.exe (very useful, highly configurable tool, tells you everything you ever wanted to know about any aspect of PC performance, for uber-geeks only )
13. Program Manager = progman.exe (Legacy Windows 3.x desktop shell).
14. Remote Access phone book = rasphone.exe (documentation is virtually non-existant).
15. Registry Editor = regedt32.exe [also regedit.exe] (for hacking the Windows Registry).
16. Network shared folder wizard = shrpubw.exe (creates shared folders on network).
17. File Signature verification tool = sigverif.exe
18. Volume Control = sndvol32.exe (I’ve included this for those people that lose it from the System Notification area).
19. System Configuration Editor = sysedit.exe (modify System.ini & Win.ini just like in Win98! ).
20. Syskey = syskey.exe (Secures XP Account database – use with care, it’s virtually undocumented but it appears to encrypt all passwords, I’m not sure of the full implications).
21. Mcft Telnet Client = telnet.exe
22. Driver Verifier Manager = verifier.exe (seems to be a utility for monitoring the actions of drivers, might be useful for people having driver problems. Undocumented).
23. Windows for Workgroups Chat = winchat.exe (appears to be an old NT utility to allow chat sessions over a LAN, help files available).
24. System configuration = msconfig.exe (can use to control starup programs)
25. gpedit.msc used to manage group policies, and permissions
(the disk cleanup tool for Windows XP)
Edit: I forgot to mention this nice utility by Rizla+ called “Windows XP Hidden App Launcher”. It provides shortcuts to all the apps I mentioned above.
Download it: HERE
May 30th, 2009
“How do I download a torrent?” This is a question that gets asked quite frequently- Torrents are the new form of P2P downloading these days. It is the new Napster, and just like Napster- you need to be careful with what you download. A lot of the files that are available through torrents are copyrighted, such as music, movies, and applications, so you are responsible for what you choose to download. Let’s get started shall we..
Step 1:
Download the Torrent client-
The best for Windows is: uTorrent
The best for Mac is: Transmission
The best for Ubuntu is: Transmission (search for it under Applications > Add/Remove)
Step 2:
Once installed, we look for a torrent-
Go http://www.thepiratebay.com (you have probably heard of these guys)
-We are going to search for “Ubuntu”, and specify the search by check-marking “Applications” below the search bar.
-You will be presented with the results of your search. Here is the important part- you need to know how to pick the torrents. These files are not hosted on 1 central server. They are spread out across a whole network of torrent users.
We need to pay close attention to “SE” (seeders), and “LE” (leechers). SE is the number of people hosting the file, LE is the number of people downloading the file.
- Click “SE” to sort by the highest number of seeders.
A good ratio of seeders, and leechers is one that has far more SE’s than LE’s. In my example, I found a copy of Ubuntu 9.04 with 98 SE’s, and 9 LE’s. We like this ratio- this means that the download will be pretty fast.
Step 3:
So we decided to go with the torrent mentioned above. Click the file name, and you will be taken to download page.
Click “Download This Torrent” > save the torrent file to your desktop.
Step 4:
Fire up the torrent client you downloaded during step 1.
Go to File > Open > and browse for the torrent file on your desktop (in uTorrent it will be called ‘Add Torrent’ and not ‘Open’)
This will start your download- once it is at 100%, go to the directory you downloaded the file to (you can find this under the program’s preferences menu), and move the file wherever you want.
Done!
May 28th, 2009
If you’ve ever used Quicksilver for the Mac, then you know what I’m talking about. Gnome-do allows you to simply type the name of the application or file that you want to open, and just hit Enter to launch it. A lot of us Linux users used to do this with the Terminal, I know- but this is so much faster. It’s incredible how intuitive it is.
One of the best parts of Gnome-do is how it learns from your previous queries. Let’s say you constantly launch Firefox from it- after a while, it knows to display Firefox first, right when you type ‘F’.
You can easily install Gnome-do by going to: Applications > Add/Remove > search: Gnome-do.
May 27th, 2009
If you’re like me, you use more than one computer in your day to day life. I spend half my day on the computer at work, and my home computer from time to time after work. I discover some great sites while I’m at work, which I’d like to continue browsing from home.
Before, I would just email the links to myself, and open it from the inbox at home, until I discovered “XMarks”. Xmarks is a Firefox add on which syncs your bookmarks to multiple computers at once.
This is how it works:
You create an XMarks profile, install the add on, and sync your bookmarks to their server.
Install Xmarks on your secondary computer as well, and sign in to the profile you created earlier. Xmarks will sync the bookmarks from computer 2, and merge them with the computer 1 bookmarks on their server, giving you all of your bookmarks on both computers at completely different locations.
From now on, bookmarks you make on computer 1, will sync to computer 2, and vice-versa. XMarks also has the ability to sync passwords.
I can not imagine going on without this piece of software, it has truly made my life much, much easier!
Check it out HERE
May 27th, 2009
One of the most famous and convenient features of OS X is its dock. It’s an animated panel on the desktop where you can place all your commonly used shortcuts, giving you access to them by a click of a mouse.
I’m a Mac owner myself, and to me this is essential- luckily there is a piece of free software for Windows called RocketDock, which gives you this same functionality for free. It is actually better than the OS X dock in many ways. It allows you to customize the theme of the dock, and more.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6UVb15it6A&feature=player_embedded]
Direct Download link: Click here
May 21st, 2009
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