Free Windows Software Tools

This page contains links to many free window software tools and some office applications. The software has been grouped according to their primary purpose. A short description of the software is included. None of them should include any spyware.

For a list of free portable applications, see this web page.









Internet


Free Browsers and Tools

  • Internet explorer v7 browser is latest release of Microsoft's browser. It added tabbing, phish site detection, and other features. It replaces Internet explorer v6 upon installation and requires windows XP or Vista.
  • Opera browser is very secure and contains many time saving features.
  • Firefox browser is very secure and is more compatible with sites than Opera.
  • LYNX is text browser that allows you to review how websites content looks to search spiders.
  • LinkaGoGo is an on line book manager with the ability to Synchronizing your on line bookmarks with your favorite browser. It works great for copying bookmarks between browsers and PC's. A subscription to the site is required by it does not require any installation. I have seen used by I-Phone owners to keep their bookmarks.
  • AM-Deadlink checks for duplicate and dead favorites/bookmarks. It works great for cleaning up old dead links.

Optimizing Internet Connection

  • TCP Optimizer - Optimizes network card settings providing the fastest Internet connection. It is very easy to use.
  • OpenDNS - Offers a free DNS service that is suppose to speed up your internet  access and protect against phishing sites. 
  • HOST file -  Adding sites to the HOST is suppose to speed up access but my results have not been positive enough use this approache. Whenever I try it,  I keep going back to my original empty HOST file.
  • Comcast TCP Optimizer (Webbased) - Windows XP Only - Comcast Speed test
  • Testing Internet Connections (Web based) - DSL Reports
  • SpeedTest.net - Nice speedtests. I do not if optional install Uniblue SpeedUpMyPC is reliable/safe. I've read conflicting information on the product. No links to reviews, why?

Free Spyware Protection

Spyware Scanner/Removal

  • Windows Defender (free) - great at protecting Windows XP in real time. Is now part of Windows Vista.
  • Ad-aware (free) - scan and removal of spyware
  • Search & Destroy (free) - scan and removal of spyware. Has an immunization option used to block sites and secures some IE settings. The real time protection feature can be optionally enabled.
  • Bazooka (free) - small very fast scanner catches some spyware the others miss.
  • Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware (free version). I read some positive opinions of this tool and decided to give it a try. It is available as both a free and registered version with extra features. It provides two  types of scans quick and very thorough. I used the quick scan and it caught some stuff missed by the others. What I liked most was it skipped all the cookies. 
  • Spyware Doctor (free edition) has a free starter edition available at VNUNET.COM and from Google Pack. In addition,  free starter edition with anti-virus protection is also available. 

Block sites and secure settings

  • Spyware Blaster (free) - protects from spyware by making IE and Firefox browsers more secure from spyware.  You manually check for updates. The automatic update feature only included in the purchased version.
  • Search & Destroy (free) - has many settings that make IE, Firefox, and Opera browsers more secure. In addition, it is an excellent spyware scanner. Recently it started blocking a cookie from a site I want to use (StatCounter) so I have stopped using it for now.
  • IE-SPYAD (free) has a long list of sites that should be blocked. It has not been updated it in a while and only works for IE.

Free Anti-virus

  • AVG anti virus (free version) - very popular - V8 added Spyware protection.
  • Avast (free version) - Recommended by some instead of AVG V8.
  • ThreatFire AntiVirus - Behavioral Virus and Spyware Protection. Provided by the makers of Spyware Doctor PcTools. It takes a different approach to detecting virus. It does not rely on virus signatures, instead it look for virus like behavior. Using such an approach it can detect recently released viruses and not so well known viruses.  I tried this on an old PC and it took up to much CPU and I had to uninstall it.

Free Firewall

  • Zone Alarm (free version) - the first firewall installed by many. Easy to configure and use. 
  • PC Tools Firewall Plus (free)- free personal firewall for Windows provided by the makers of Spyware Doctor.
  • The matousec.com site compares many firewalls on how secure they are. It does not compare them on how easy they are to use or how compatible they are on different Hardware/Software. Many of the firewalls tested are free.

Monitor and Prevent PC Startup Changes

  • WinPatrol (free) - monitors changes in auto startup for your PC.

    Spyware and many other products love having their programs started when you log onto the PC. This tool allows you to decide which software can be added to your windows startup.  You decide whether not a program should be added. If a program is constantly pestering to be added. You can add it and then disable it using this tool. I do this for RealPlayer and Adobe.

    It also monitors for changes in file associations such as your default player for MP3 files allowing you to prevent the change.

Additional Related Links

  • SpywareGuide - Spyware reference site that includes procedures for removing them.


Free Website Hosts and Tools

Free Web Host sites

  • 110MB is the best free web host site I have found. It is ad free, spam free, and has many free features. Most purchase features are available for a small one-time fee.
  • Yahoo geocities provides free websites with a small amount of Yahoo advertisement.
  • Free Webspace and Free Web Hosting Services  contains an long list of of free web host which relies on users reviews to rate services.

Free Website Editors

  • KompoZer (free) is the easiest website  editor I've found. It is the unofficial patched version of NVU. You do not install it. Instead, you download it and unzip it. Then put a short cut on your desktop or quick launch pad. I use it over NVU because it fixed more things than it broke.
  • NVU (free) is just as easy to use as Kompozer. Even though it is not being developed anymore it is still very popular. I sometime go back to using this version hoping he bugs with these tools are fixed in one of these versions.
  • For an extensive list of free website editors see this web page.

Free File Download Tools


P2P 

  • Lime Wire - is very popular with a nice search feature 
  • Frost Wire - an open source version of Lime Wire that is expected to be free forever
  • Bit Turrent
    • Opera browser has built in support for Bit Turrent
    • BitComet is faster than Opera and AnalogX Bitpump. It has a executable only version.
    • AnalogX Bitpump - very small Bit Turrent download client.

FTP

  • Filezilla (free) - The best open source FTP with utility with an available portable version.
  • WinSCP3 - free FTP tool with encryption. It is slow
  • FTP Sync - use to backup website files onto your PC and visa versa

Free File Tools

Free Text editors

  • PSPad (free) - Great all purpose editor. Provides a variety of features; compare files, search for files containing a value, and color syntax for a variety of scripting languages (vb script, SQL,..). Additional features can be added through the many extensions available.

  • Notepad++ (free open source based on Scintilla) - This free file editor contains many of the same features as PSPad. In addition, there are many plug-ins available that add other features such as “text to voice”. Its menu items are better organized and labeled than PSPad. 

    It is hard to say which is better PSPad or Notepad++, but since they are free you can use both. 

    Here are some other Scintilla-based (wiki site) editors: Scintilla. SciTE, Notepad2, Programmer's NotePad, CUTE, Pepppy.

  • jEdit (free) This programmer text editor is written in Java allowing it to run on Windows, Mac OS X, OS/2, Unix, VMS, and Linux.  There are separate installs for the various operating systems. The base editor is very simple but it has built-in access to over 150 plug-ins making this editor very powerful and still simple to use.

    The windows install allows you to place it location on the start menu. Window explorer's right-click menu is updated with a quick link to this editor.  A portable version is available here.

Free File Viewers


Free File Compression Tools

  • Universal Extract (free) - extract all types of compressed files including installation files.
  • IZarc (free) - is a freeware compression supporting many formats. It supports CD images and 256-bit AES Encryption. IZArc2Go is a portable version of the tool. Has super fast option that changes a compressed file from 660 mb to 716 mb but reduces the time by 50%
  • 7-Zip (free) - open source compression tool that eliminate the size limit of earlier win zip tools. It runs slower than the new versions of Win Zip. Has nice compression report while its running. Is slower than IZArc 6 to 4 time difference

Release Lock File

  • Unlocker (free) is used to quickly free locked files

Miscellaneous

  • Folder Size - add-on Shows Folder Size through file explorer.


Free ISO Tools


  • XP-ISO-Builder
    • Create an ISO image from the XP CD slipstream SP2. Its suppose to work with recovery CDs as well.
  • BURNCDCC
    • The easiest ISO burn software available.
  • Other recommended CD Burner Software that I have yet to try
    • Burn4Free. - is recommended but had spyware at one time.
    • CDBurnerXP is a free application to burn CDs and DVDs, including Blu-Ray and HD-DVDs. It also includes the feature to burn and create ISOs, as well as a Multi language interface. Everyone, even companies, can use it for free. It does not include adware or similar malicious components. Snapfiles claims no spyware.
  • Here are sites with collections of CD Burning software.
  • http://www.canadiancontent.net/tech/freeware/CD+Burning/ http://www.softpedia.com/get/CD-DVD-Tools/Audio-CD-DVD-Burning/ http://www.snapfiles.com/Freeware/gmm/fwcdburn.html
  • MD5 Checker

    • Is used for checking the MD5 hashes of files. Simply copy the MD5 string into the clipboard, run the program and select the file to check. It is also able to generate MD5 checksums for selected file.


Free System Tools


Free Cleaners:
  • CCleaner (free) is used for cleaning up files and can be used for cleaning registry. Very useful for cleaning up registry after uninstalling Realplayer.
  • EasyCleaner (free) is used for Registry Cleaning. It can be used for file cleanups but I use CCleaner for that. Having a second registry cleaner helps with stubborn uninstalls and spyware cleanup.
  • Comodo System Cleaner includes registry and disk cleaner with support for XP, Vista, Windows 2003 Server, 32 bit and 64 bit. It is free to both home and business users. Note: I have tested it but is looks promising.
  • Glary Utilities (freeware version) free disk and registry cleaner that is suppose to help performance.  Supports Windows Vista, 2000, XP and 7.
Free Program Removers:
  • MyUninstaller (free) is used to uninstall programs. It works the same as the Control Panel Add/Remove programs except it has sorting options and provides additional information. For some uninstalls I can only find them using this tool. Executable only program.
  • Free Uninstaller is used to uninstall programs. It is similar to MyUninstaller but has some nice extra features. Such as quick link to search on Internet for installed program.

Free File Recovery
  • There are many free tools available for file recovery. Here is a good collection at the Portable Applications Freeware site

Free Registry Cleaners
  • EasyCleaner is my preferred registry cleaner. It seems to do a good job along with backing up any changes. Using a single registry cleaner provides me a single source for restored in case the wrong thing was deleted. Spyware tools do clean up the spyware registry entries. So I guess I don't follow my single registry cleaner tool 100%.
  • CCleaner can be used to cleanup registry.  It is good at cleaning entries left by uninstalled applications.
  • RegCleaner 4.3 by Jouni Vuordi has both an automatic and manual registry cleaner. To shows settings for startup list, uninstall menu, file type, Shell extensions, and other items. You identify what you want to remove and it takes care of removing it from the registry. For example you uninstalled some trial software but it left behind some registry entries preventing you from installing and trying it again.
  • Microsoft Regclean is an executable that cleans up the registry a little bit.
  • Comodo System Cleaner includes registry and disk cleaner with support for XP, Vista, Windows 2003 Server, 32 bit and 64 bit. It is free to both home and business users. 
  • Glary Utilities (freeware version) free disk and registry cleaner that is suppose to help performance.  Supports Windows Vista, 2000, XP and 7.
  • Auslogics Regsitry Cleaner (Free) Supports XP, Vista, Windows 2003 Server, 32 bit, and 64 bit

Free Disk Defragmenter

  • MyDefrag (Open Source) 4.1.2 - Supports Windows 2000, 2003, XP, Vista, 2008, and for X64
  • UltraDefrag (Open Source) 3.1 - Supports Windows NT, 2000, 2003, XP, Vista, 2008, Windows 7, and for X64

Free Windows XP Tweaks

Free Resource Meter
  • Process Explorer (free) - an improved version of Perfmon which can help with finding the cause of locked files.
  • Whats Running (free non-commercial use) (Windows 2000/XP/2003) - This tool that shows processes, services, modules, connections, startup, and system information. The installation includes a portable option for USB drives.

Free System Information Utilities - provide valuable hardware and software information.
  • System Information for Microsoft? Windows (SIW) provides detail information about the hardware and software on a PC. Its my first choice when needing to know all the setup of a PC/Server.
  • CPU-Z - gathers information on some of the main devices of your system.
  • WinAudit - computer audit and inventory software.
  • EvonSoft - might be worth a look. Executable only. The site has other tools such as Win Mechanic Beta and Advanced Spyware Remover Free Edition
  • Karen's Computer Profiler - is very simple. I do not know if it updates the registry. May not keep it.

Free Startup Check Tools
  • Autostart Program Viewer - contains shell extensions the same as ShellExView from sysinternals
  • ShellExView - view and alter shell extensions - seems to lack many file types. May get rid of it
  • Startup List - executable only
  • Runscanner - is another startup checker program. Executable only. The program was created as a "best of both worlds" effort to combine all positive features in similar programs like Hijackthis, Autoruns and Silentrunners. Unlike similar programs, Runscanner connects to an on line database to rate the good and the bad items. The main purpose of the database it to do white listing instead of black listing.

Free Multimedia Software


Free DVD Player:

Microsoft's Media Player does include a DVD decoder on all releases of Windows Operating System. Instead, Microsoft provides a web page of DVD Decoders that you can purchase and download. I found a free DVD player that works just fine on Windows XP.

  • VLC  media player (free, open source) plays DVD, audio, and steam media. Supports many audio and video formats ( (MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, DivX, mp3, ogg, ...). Plus is runs on windows, MAC OS X, BeOS, Syllable and many flavors of Linux. It is small and easy to use with very good video quality.

  • Winamp (free) media player that includes a large collection of online radio stations from Shoutcast (18,000 stations) and AOL. 

Free Video and Image Converters

Free Office Software

 

Free Windows Software Sites


Best sites to visit when looking for free software tools Additional sites with collections of free software tools
  • Freeware Wiki - many mini reviews of free software with a weekly Newsletter along with a RSS Feed.
  • WinPenPack (free) - created several packages of free applications that run on a USB Drive. These can be installed and used from your PC without a USB Drive.
  • Top Freeware List -  large collection free software that includes a short and simple descriptions with links.
  • VNUNET.COM - has both free and purchasable tools.
  • Nill Mullins' Weblog - Tech Thoughts - nice and quick reviews of free software.
  • Giveaway of the Day - Every day this site offer for FREE licensed software you’d have to buy otherwise.
  • Free Download a Day.com - Each day this site publishes a review of one great and a 100% free program for Windows, MAC or Linux. This site has hundreds of free programs reviews starting in 2005.  
  • Top Free Software from PC Top Tips. Long organzied list of free software. 

Providers of Freeware


Additional Resources


Disclaimer


The information provided on this web site comes without any warranty whatsoever and is for personnel use only. Use it at your own risk. 
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Last Updated:Friday, 25-Sep-2009 20:42:54 CEST