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[Shelly]

After using one of my favorite programs to edit my registry per d_pert's post on logitech keyboards and reading xen-uno's post on the utility for verifying cd's,  I thought it might be helpful if we could share some of those utilities that make using MC or even Windows more enjoyable.  I'll start it off with sharing 2 of my most favorite ones:

Registrar Lite
This is a freeware registry editor that offers a search and replace function and allows you to add descriptions to registry keys.  I've found it immensely helpful when uninstall doesn't remove registry values, such as when uninstalling Norton Antivirus.  Instead of searching and deleting keys one by one, Registrar Lite finds all values and then allows you to delete them in 1 operation. It can be downloaded from:

http://www.resplendence.com/reglite

MP3Ext
This is a great little free shell extension for Windows Explorer that adds 3 features for MP3 files.

1: a tooltip with information about the file
2: a page is added to the MP3's Properties window for editing ID3 tags
3: different icons for MP3 files indicating the bitrate.  You can add your own icons and even make themes.

http://www.mutschler.de/mp3ext/

Shelly




 

[KingSparta]

01. (Registered)

02. AdsGone 2003 (Registered)
03. Norton Internet Security 2004 (Registered)
04. Norton System Utilities 2004 (Registered)
05. BulletProof FTP Server (Registered)
06. Apache 2 HTTP Server
07. Visual Basic 6
08. CompuPic Pro (Registered)
09. Paint Shop Pro 8 (Registered)
10. Dr. Tag MP3 Tagger (Registered)
11. Helium MP3 Tagger (Registered)
12. Inno Setup Compiler
13. Microsoft Office XP (Registered)
14. WS_FTP95 LE
15. WinZip 9.0 (Registered)


 

[LisaRCT]

Hi Shelly  

This is a great idea.  I not only like util's, but freeware is even better.
Suprisingly I have found myself upgrading to a paid version or making a donation far more often that I expected I would, some stuff is really that-good!

As I posted in it's own thread, a FREE Direct-X plugin which I find extremely handy for internet radio and mp3 files to help make up for damage done during the compressing/encoding is:
rgc Audio High Frequency Stimulator
http://www.thedirectxfiles.com/manufacturers/rgc_HFstim.htm
I have found this to be excellent for enhancing MP3 files to regain the 'lost' hi-freq's.

A handy yet 'well-endowed' freeware for editing XML files is
Peter's XML Editor
http://www.iol.ie/~pxe/pxe.exe
Very handy for editing colors in your favorite skins.

Fresh Download is Freeware which also happens to be a great download manager. No spyware, adware, or other and works extremely well.
http://www.freshdevices.com/downfiles.html

McAffe Internet Speedometer . . .
while not an actual downloadable software file is an online internet speed tester which comes in handy to check your broadband if it seem sluggish.
http://us.mcafee.com/root/genericURL_genericLeftNav.asp?genericURL=/root/speedometer/test_0150.asp&genericLeftNav=/en-us/wrapper/catalog_nav.asp
 edit -  This may or may not be accurate, but like my bathroom scale it is an indicator of change form the 'norm'.  Thanks for clarifing this Omni  

Lisa> fixed your link...width of it was making posts hard to read...I hope you don't mind...xen
 _ _ _ no problem Xen, thanx

[Shelly]

I not only like util's, but freeware is even better.

Free definately is better  If I didn't mention it, the ones that I listed are also freeware.  I'll check out your fav's after we quit handing out treats tonight.  

Shelly

Listening to:  The quiet before the kids start screaming "trick or treat"!

[xen-uno]

IrfanView is sort of a utility, but when you see all the formats it can handle, you'll exclaim "Whazzzup?!? This is free? No friggin way! Get out of here...right now!!!"

IV really does behave like a full blown application (the options and extensibility of it are amazing). Compliments MC nicely, as does EAC and the other utils I've mentioned recently (CDSpeed, Ogg Ext, and the Drops).

10^-27

edit: Oh yeah...one more...

ResHack, which is a resource hacker for compiled *.exe's. I haven't played with it yet...but I did with a similar program years ago. Don't like that icon for NotePad?...hack it! Having a hard time seeing the open folder amongst the sea of folders in a Explorer window?...hack it! Tired of that plain jane opening VGA res screen in windows?...live with it!

Disclaimer: ResHack is an extremely dangerous utility (to your computer) if you don't know what your doing - use cautiously

[Omni]

McAffe Internet Speedometer . . .
while not an actual downloadable software file is an online internet speed tester which comes in handy to check your broadband if it seem sluggish.

Just take note that this one is not at all accurate in the least.  It doesn't take into account data compression, so it will cite figures that are well above your true data rate.  (For instance, for me, a dial-up user, it is citing a speed of 98.72 Kbps which is not phsyically or legally possible.  My true download rate is around 46 Kbps.)

A better site to use (so you don't have to click your way around dslreports.com) is http://dfw.speakeasy.net.

UPDATE:  Actually, sorry.  The above is geared to this region.  Just go to dslreports.com and use their benchmarking tool.

[nameless]

If I listed all the software utilities I use, it would probably flow over into a second or third forum page.  So here are just a few of the gems, in no particular order.

Note: I define a "utility" as a software product that accomplishes a specific task, or a very limited range of tasks--a "one-trick pony" as it were--and not as a 55-MB software suite that takes 20 minutes to load and causes at least one system freeze per week.

I also tried to list some of the more obscure utilities I have and use, rather than the same old ones that people never stop talking about.

CamStudio (freeware)
Create video (AVI) or Shockwave (SWF) files based on screen activity (awesome for reporting bugs)

HandyThing (shareware)
Make application windows and dialogs move to the size and position of your choosing

AtYourService (shareware)
Run almost any executable or batch file as a Windows service

ColorCop (freeware)
Color picker with eyedropper color selection and screen magnifier

ERUNT (freeware)
Easily backup, restore, and compact the Windows 2000 or Windows XP registry
(I have a batch file for use with ERUNT that automatically creates backup folders named with the date and time, if anyone is interested)

Hotmail Popper (freeware)
Check or send mail with your Hotmail account, using any POP3-compliant email client

DumpSec (freeware)
Extract security and audit information from the file system, registry, printers, and network shares

Miranda IM (freeware)
Awesome multi-protocol open-source IM program, which supports a slew of plugins of all types

Total Uninstall (freeware)
Monitor software installtion and system changes, for later removal

NirSoft Utilities (freeware)
Too many freeware utilities to list, created by a guy who apparently never sleeps (my favorite: ZipInstaller)

Hyper Hasher (shareware)
Nice GUI utility to calculate file checksums and hashes, and for comparing files

WinHex (shareware)
Powerful utility for hex editing, disk editing, RAM editing, data recovery, disk cloning, etcetera

IP2 (freeware)
(Of course you do!)  Easily determine your internal and external IP address (great for router users)

Instant Version Info (freeware)
Shell extension that lets you right click files to quickly determine manufacturer, file version, and other information

PowerZip (shareware)
Little-known but elegantly-designed archiving utility

Push The Freakin' Button (freeware)
Automation utility to dismiss annoying dialogs

Monitor Off (freeware)
Allows you to put your monitor in sleep mode programmatically

FreeMeter and FreeMeter Pro (freeware/shareware)
Displays system stats in real time, with an elegant interface

Hotfix Reporter (freeware)
Lists and provides links for any Windows hotfixes that are not installed (or may be questionable)

BOClean (commercial software; no demo available)
Excellent and constantly-updated real-time trojan scanner

PTBSync (freeware)
Highly customizable system tray clock replacement with atomic clock synchronization

SoftLeds (shareware)
Put hard disk read/write LED lights in your system tray, or right on your screen (OSD)

QuickMix (freeware)
Set your volume with shortcuts or batch files, or even with Task Scheduler

PurgeIE Pro (shareware)
Clean up after Internet Explorer and other messy applications the right way

BootIt NG (shareware)
Reliable disk partitioning and imaging (and still the only imaging utility that does true byte-for-byte verifications)

WhyReboot (freeware)
Determine why that stupid installer wants you to reboot again

Eraser (freeware)
Secure file deletion and disk wiping

Resplendent Registrar (shareware)
Registrar Lite's big brother; a powerful registry editor that can prompt you before every change, and undo every change

Prime95 (freeware)
The best way to determine if your system is truly reliable, period

UltraEdit (shareware)
The best text editor available, with a built-in FTP client

Discover (freeware)
Force dialogs and windows to remain on screen (great for people who change resolution often)

[Deivit]

Wow, amazing list of utilities, nameless   Thank you very much for having taken the time to share them with us.

-----
Listening to: 'What's wrong with this picture?' from 'What's Wrong With This Picture' by 'Van Morrison' on Media Center 9.1

[Eiffel]

Girder (www.girder.nl) -- For all your pc automation needs - free (plenty of very nice plugins too)

myHTPC (www.myhtpc.net) -- Because Hairstyle is still Work In Progress -free (plenty of nice plugins too)

Powerstrip (www.entech-taiwan.com) -- Unleash the power of your video card -free (full version requires money, but you may not need it)

deamontools and dvddecryptor -- to backup DVDs on hard disks - free

[nameless]

Wow, amazing list of utilities, nameless   Thank you very much for having taken the time to share them with us.

Heh, you're welcome; no problemo.  I fear may have gone overboard, especially since most of those utilities have nothing in particular to do with MC!  

[Robert Taylor]

I just started using a product called Alcohol 52% (http://www.alcohol-software.com/)

It's a free registered version on the cover of a local (Australian) PC magazine.

It allows you to create up to 32 virtual CD/DVD drives (assigned a drive letter), and then capture images of some of your favourite disks and "mount" them on the virtual drives, which can then be shared on your network.

Very handy indeed. I've only tried it for a copy of the magazine cover disc, but I will soon put a DVD reader into my server, and try mounting an image of a movie DVD.

There is a more "industrial-strength" version called Alcohol 120%, which I haven't looked at. Prices seem reasonable considering the functionality of the software.

Hi from the land Down Under!

[crowfan]

I use one handy little plugin for Outlook that I couldn't live without.  It's called Glance for Outlook. It boots with Windows, and checks for email every X number of minutes (you designate the time). A popup message appears above your system tray with the message subject and sender. You can click the message to open it.

There is also a HUGE right click menu which lets you access all of the features of Outlook without opening it. (It runs off an icon in the system tray). The main benefits to me: checking for email constantly without having Outlook open, and having the popup message. I can't see that stupid little envelope from across the room. Outlook 2003 has the popup but I think it disappears after 30 seconds -- this one stays until you click it.

The problem is, the website's down. I don't know where else you can download it if you were interested. The website is www.idviate.com, so you can save it and check back later if you want. A quick Google search provided no other download links, but I didn't look all that hard. I think it works for Outlook 2000 and XP, and I think it's free.

I use build 183, and it works fine. I recommended it to someone else here at MC, and they had trouble with the latest build, but I think they went to build 183 and it worked fine.

Cheers,

crow

[xen-uno]

Here is ResHack at work (on Explorer.exe => Bitmap #157 for W2k Pro) on sister's machine...

(It is NOT a mockup)



Since explorer.exe is the shell for NT/W2k/XP, you copy it to a safe dir (ie d:\temp), and modify it (new bitmap must be dimensionally identical to original - that is 20 x 132 pixels, but can be 8/16/24 bit). Now reboot, hit F8, and start in Command Prompt mode. Copy the original and give it a safe extension (ie Explorer.exe.org). Now copy the modded explorer over the top of the current in c:\winnt. Reboot.

I still like the original File Manager as in NT4. The NT version runs fine in W2k and should in XP as well. Here's the Zip. Note that the help file isn't included (will be Monday). Extract it into your c:\winnt dir, then (manually create a shortcut for it - winfile.exe). If you remove a FW/USB device while it's running, it won't update the drive list (simply kill & restart FileMan). If your nostalgic and a fan of the tree view, then check it out.

10^-27

edit: CardFile is also handy (from NT4). Help file is not included. I've included a Conversions set (Area, Density, Length, Prefixes, etc.). Extract the cardfile.exe into your c:\winnt dir. Put Conversions.crd in your "My Documents" dir and create a shortcut for it. You will need to register the *.crd extension (My Documents>Tools>Folder Options>File Types>New>crd)