8 Desktop Utilities for a Better Windows Experience
By Syed Talal · Monday, Jul 11, 2011 17 Comments
Today I'll be recommending free utilities for windows that can make your user experience better. All of these tools are small in size and are ones that I have personally tested and used on a daily basis.
Ccleaner:
Link: http://www.piriform.com/CCLEANER
I'm sure many people must already be using this but I had to include it for those who don't know about it. It's the best tool for cleaning your PC. It removes temporary files, clears out browsing history and also helps to clean your Windows registry.
Treesize:
Link: http://www.jam-software.com/treesize_free/
This utility is definitely one of the most useful tools for finding out exactly what is taking how much space on your hard disk. It has got an uncluttered interface, you can scan your drives and it shows an explorer styled expandable view of all folders, the subfolders and files in them and their sizes.
If you often find yourself wondering where the space went, then this tool is for you.
Unlocker:
Link: http://www.emptyloop.com/unlocker/
Ever tried to delete/move a file/folder and you were greeted by message like:
- Cannot delete folder: It is being used by another person or program
- Cannot delete file: Access is denied
- The source or destination file may be in use.
- Make sure the disk is not full or write-protected and that the file is not currently in use.
Then Unlocker is for you. Just right click the file/folder and select Unlocker. If there is any lock handle on it, you can remove it. As simple as that.
Everything
Link: http://www.voidtools.com/
If you still use windows XP, you know how painfully slow it is when you have to search for a file buried somewhere in your hard disk. Everything is the answer to that. Its small, light and search results are updated in real time. On top of that, it has a very simple user interface.
Revo uninstaller:
Link: http://www.softpedia.com/get/Tweak/Uninstallers/Revo-Uninstaller.shtml
It's a tool for easily removing software, which once got installed, but now refuses to uninstall. It also contains additional tools which help in the upkeep of your system. Some of them are include a manager for defining which application start with windows and secure deletion of data so that it becomes unrecoverable.
LockCrypt:
Link: http://www.lockcrypt.com/
Most tools for password management are needlessly complicated and are difficult to setup. Not this one. LockCrypt has got a simple interface that anyone can get the hang of and has various features to organize your passwords.
LockCrypt also includes a secure password generator as well as synchronization capabilities to keep your data with you at all times.
7z:
Link: http://www.7-zip.org/
An alternative to WinRAR and WinZIP, it supports more archive formats than either. Specifically its ability to handle TAR and GZ archives is useful for those who dabble in Linux as well as Windows. Its compression ratio is simply awesome. Though it takes a fair bit of time, once compressed, the files archives are up to 40% smaller in size.
Game Booster:
Link: http://www.iobit.com/gamebooster.html
The more a PC runs, the slower it gets and game performance suffers as well. Game booster is designed to free up RAM from services that aren't needed and it closes all unnecessary programs. The result is that you can squeeze more FPS and get a better gaming experience. But this app is not for gamers only. It has quite noticeable effect on general PC usage as well as its one software that's always running in the background for me.
Feel free to share your favorite utilities in the comments!
