The best free tools for windows. Please share your experiences here.

Discussion in 'PC' started by BEAT16, Dec 8, 2021.

  1. DoubleTake

    DoubleTake Audiosexual

    Joined:
    Jul 16, 2017
    Messages:
    2,287
    Likes Received:
    1,231
    • Like Like x 2
    • Agree Agree x 1
    • List
  2. Arabian_jesus

    Arabian_jesus Audiosexual

    Joined:
    Jul 2, 2019
    Messages:
    974
    Likes Received:
    758
    I only use a few: O&O App Buster, O&O Shut Up 10, UltraSearch, Notepad++, LiceCap, Bulk Rename Utility and LatencyMon.
     
  3. Ŧยχøя

    Ŧยχøя Audiosexual

    Joined:
    Dec 15, 2020
    Messages:
    1,098
    Likes Received:
    766
    Location:
    Neverland
    I've never had a single problem with either:
    Spybot, RegCleaner (discontinued), or CCleaner.. in what 15 years?

    There was a strange episode where CCleaner got hacked and spread some spy/malware tho..
    So I always triple check before updating it.. :yes:

    But it's Safe stuff for the most part.. > if you know what you're doing.

    If you Don't know what your doing,
    the program has the potential of obliterating your entire system in many ways.. :wink:


    Btw I also use Comodo antivirus+firewall+system behavior thing, all in maximum Paranoid mode,
    and it works very well, and looks safe for the most part.

    I tried to install the free version of Kaspersky a few times over the years,
    but it always gave me errors and just refused.. :dunno:
     
  4. Guitarmaniac64

    Guitarmaniac64 Rock Star

    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2011
    Messages:
    1,345
    Likes Received:
    317
    Bulk can rename FOLDERS its the only rename app i have seen so far that can do that
    I usually use the rename tool in Total Commander for rernaming folders along with a rename app for files
    As i havent seen a rename program can rename folders.
    I used bulk a long time ago and back then it couldn't rename folders but they added that feature so now i gonna try it again.

    Edit i just dl latest version of Advanced Renamer and now also that program can rename folders i bet soon most payed version will follow
     
    Last edited: Feb 3, 2024
    • Like Like x 3
    • Agree Agree x 1
    • List
  5. Direct drive

    Direct drive Producer

    Joined:
    Dec 16, 2020
    Messages:
    220
    Likes Received:
    113
    • Like Like x 3
    • Agree Agree x 1
    • List
  6. SineWave

    SineWave Audiosexual

    Joined:
    Sep 4, 2011
    Messages:
    4,432
    Likes Received:
    3,570
    Location:
    Where the sun doesn't shine.
    The best tool for Windows, however it does cost a bit. :rofl:
    [​IMG]
     
    • Funny Funny x 5
    • Winner Winner x 3
    • Creative Creative x 1
    • List
  7. LoveToGig

    LoveToGig Producer

    Joined:
    Oct 19, 2020
    Messages:
    121
    Likes Received:
    77
    I only use portable software, as I don't have nerves to reinstall stuff when I clean install an OS.
    I recommend HWinfo portable and Sumatra PDF reader portable (a lightweight PDF reader).
     
    • Like Like x 1
    • Agree Agree x 1
    • List
  8. BEAT16

    BEAT16 Audiosexual

    Joined:
    May 24, 2012
    Messages:
    9,081
    Likes Received:
    7,006
    • Like Like x 3
    • Dislike Dislike x 3
    • Agree Agree x 2
    • Winner Winner x 1
    • List
  9. Ŧยχøя

    Ŧยχøя Audiosexual

    Joined:
    Dec 15, 2020
    Messages:
    1,098
    Likes Received:
    766
    Location:
    Neverland
    Always on Top - https://www.labnol.org/software/tutorials/keep-window-always-on-top/5213/
    The most Basic yet Overkill feature windows is missing.. :wink:

    Classic Shell - http://www.classicshell.net/
    Classic style Start Menu and windows..

    WinAero Tweaker - https://winaero.com/download-winaero-tweaker/
    Free app for all versions of Windows that lets you adjust (i.e. tweak) hidden secret settings that Microsoft does not let you adjust from the user interface. In addition, it allows you to add extra value to existing Windows apps and tools with advanced context menus, options, and handy commands.

    VistaSwitcher - https://www.ntwind.com/software/alttabter/old-vistaswitcher.html
    Enhanced Alt-Tab for W7/Vista.


    WindirStat - https://windirstat.net/
    Disk usage statistics viewer and cleanup tool for various versions of Microsoft Windows.

    WinSCP - https://winscp.net/eng/download.php
    Free and open-source SSH FTP, WebDAV, Amazon S3, and secure copy protocol client for Microsoft Windows.
     
    Last edited: Dec 10, 2021
    • Like Like x 5
    • Interesting Interesting x 1
    • List
  10. Donut Nyamer

    Donut Nyamer Audiosexual

    Joined:
    Aug 24, 2019
    Messages:
    2,230
    Likes Received:
    864
    Location:
    Threadlockington
  11. SineWave

    SineWave Audiosexual

    Joined:
    Sep 4, 2011
    Messages:
    4,432
    Likes Received:
    3,570
    Location:
    Where the sun doesn't shine.
    After reading the whole thread, I see nobody mentioned Alcohol Portable image mounter. Only Alcohol [ha! :rofl:] and Daemon Tools [that I don't recommend] can read/play audio CDs and can mount Akai/Yamaha/Roland/E-MU CD images. Absolutely fantastic. Of course, if you need the burner functionality then buy Alcohol 120%.

    One other one that hasn't been mentioned is MPC-HC media player, or its fork MPC-BE which is a fork because MPC-HC had been discontinued in 2017. It works really great and it's faster than VLC, although I do have installed both. VLC comes into play when something doesn't work with Media Player Classic-HC.

    Everything else I use had been mentioned, and it's generally portable and free software like 7-Zip, Bulk Rename Utility, XNView, Foobar2000 with ASIO and SoX plugins, Ocenaudio audio editor that I use as a secondary editor [Acoustica is primary] in Windows and primary in Linux.

    Regarding various handy tools you shouldn't have to look further than Nirsoft Utilities, SysInternals, Puran Utilities, VoidTools and Piriform [Recuva is fantastic for recovering deleted files], but be careful with CCleaner. I do use it, but I always make a backup of the registry changes. Otherwise it's excellent and safe for cleaning unnecessary Windows crap. I also simply love Bulk Rename Utility! It's an incredible renaming utility. I use some older version [2.7.1.2] because it works faster than newer ones and does everything I need perfectly. I think it's the last v2.

    Have a great Friday night chaps! :headbang:

    p.s. oh yeah WinSCP is a great FTP/SFTP browser! It can be installed portable. :wink: I love it! Although, I use Samba v3 shares since I assembled NAS, but FTP can still be quite useful for when you're not at home.
     
    Last edited: Dec 10, 2021
    • Like Like x 8
    • Interesting Interesting x 1
    • List
  12. 9zEA8wHJ7jWG

    9zEA8wHJ7jWG Guest

    ...
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 20, 2021

    Attached Files:

  13. Guitarmaniac64

    Guitarmaniac64 Rock Star

    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2011
    Messages:
    1,345
    Likes Received:
    317
    Nope thats for Mac
     
    • Funny Funny x 6
    • Agree Agree x 2
    • Winner Winner x 2
    • List
  14. Guitarmaniac64

    Guitarmaniac64 Rock Star

    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2011
    Messages:
    1,345
    Likes Received:
    317
    Yeah i just saw that my old version didnt renamed folders but then again i haven't updated it in years so the option may has been there for some time it even came with my native langauge aswell which the old version didn't
    Still it dont beat Total Commander as it is way more easy to use
     
  15. r4e

    r4e Audiosexual

    Joined:
    Sep 6, 2014
    Messages:
    862
    Likes Received:
    1,228
    I don't have that option here, maybe it comes with another tool you've installed.
    In my case I just click on the nfo file and it opens in the viewer (wrote an installer to associate them and give 'em some nice icons).
     
  16. Xeraser

    Xeraser Producer

    Joined:
    Dec 9, 2020
    Messages:
    342
    Likes Received:
    130
    Location:
    Japari Park
    Really? I didn't know. I ditched Alcohol since it used to have problems with my W10 install (like 7 years ago) and started using Virtual CloneDrive instead and it's fine for 99% of things but I can't get it to mount Akai CD images. Seems like I'll have to dig Alcohol back out of the cabinet. Closet. Whatever.
     
  17. Djord Emer

    Djord Emer Audiosexual

    Joined:
    Sep 12, 2021
    Messages:
    964
    Likes Received:
    780
    Why are there people disliking VLC? I'd like to know.
     
    • Funny Funny x 3
    • Agree Agree x 1
    • List
  18. Xeraser

    Xeraser Producer

    Joined:
    Dec 9, 2020
    Messages:
    342
    Likes Received:
    130
    Location:
    Japari Park
    Because it sucks. Last I checked it still couldn't play VP9 and HEVC files without having a heart attack.
    No external Codec support (file doesn't play with VLC's own codecs? tough shit), awful out of the box hotkeys, VLC remote apps are.. janky to say the least. Etc etc.

    Just use MPC-HC/MPC-BE (not recommended for really old hardware)/MPC from K-Lite's Codec Pack or just spend some time configuring MPV.
     
    Last edited: Dec 11, 2021
    • Like Like x 2
    • Interesting Interesting x 1
    • List
  19. demberto

    demberto Rock Star

    Joined:
    Nov 27, 2018
    Messages:
    933
    Likes Received:
    328
    VLC plays HEVC just fine for me and my GPU is weaker than my iGPU probably.
     
  20. Tinx

    Tinx Noisemaker

    Joined:
    Aug 11, 2021
    Messages:
    7
    Likes Received:
    6
Loading...
Loading...