Free Windows Utilities
Tweaks and Utilities
These are all free Windows applications for PCs and laptops.
Menders
- Photo-Rec - File recovery software for Windows, Linux and Mac. Used by the foresic computer experts. Fiddly to navigate but it can extract erased images and videos, etc. From CG Security.
- Windows Repair All in One - That's its full title, available from Tweaking.com. This was for Windows 10 and has not been checked lately so it might have gone by now. It mostly uses features that are already buried in Windows. Each stage is long-winded but it delivers in the end. It also makes use of Malwarebytes. This one has saved my bacon from with seemingly intractable computer problems more than once and it ought to be in every Windows dabbler's toolkit.
- FixWin - This one has a lot of little fixes and was useful on one occasion when a Windows Update became 'stuck.' The starting point is to run the System File Checker (SFC) first (click the tab) and let it do a scan, then create a System Restore Point (again using the app) before applying any other fixes. After running a fix, it is sensible to reboot each time.
Tuners
Computer Active magazine now disowns CCleaner and recommends Bleachbit instead.
- Advanced System Care - This one might be no longer free. Deep clean-up and optimiser and it looks rather snazzy. The 'free' link goes to the CNET website which (as always) tries to trick you into following the wrong link. There is also a 'Pro' paid-for version. You might also like the Tablet version for Android - very snazzy.
- Glary Utilities - Something like CCleaner but possibly more thorough. One-click maintenance could not be easier. Make sure that you get the free version. It's very good and it was used to clean up an old laptop with no problems.
- Bleachbit (Win and Linux) - Often suggested by the experts instead of the old CCleaner. Bleachbit detects which programs are used and adjusts its settings accordingly. It is Open Source and its code is carefully monitored. My creaking old Linux netbook (made in 2009) has run Bleachbit for several years, and still runs it in 2022.
- Microsoft Powertoys - Thery're back (Feb 2022 version). This was in ComputerActive mag: Download 'PowerToysSetup-0.14.1.msi' and install. Some new features such as a 'power renamer.' Last seen as a bolt-on for Windows 95, Microsoft has resurrected the Powertoys and made them Open Source. Nostalgia!
- Snappy Driver Installer Origin - It's unlikely that you will need to update device drivers as it is built into Microsoft Update but this one can also do the job. However, there is an old adage which you ought to bear in mind: "It is isn't broke, don't try to fix it."
Analysers
Piriform's 'Speccy' used to be the go-to analyser until Avast bought it out and it became frozen in time (stuck at 2018), unless you opt for the paid-for version. CPU-Z does more and for nowt.
- Battery Monitor View - Small stand-alone app which reports on the state and other details of the laptop battery. There are a lot more little utilities on the Nirsoft site for such as password tools, system tools and network tools. All free too.
- Belarc Advisor - This 4MB freebie and stand-alone utility is pretty good. It '... builds a detailed profile of your installed software and hardware, network inventory, missing security updates, anti-virus status, security benchmarks, and displays the results in your Web browser.' And it does a very thorough job too; with hardware details, software registrations and it even prompts you which Windows updates need to be done. To save the results, you might 'Print to pdf' and choose the landscape view.
- CPU-Z - A little free-standing program to find hardware information, such as: CPU, mobo, sound, memory config, graphics, voltages, frequencies, etc.
- HDTune - Freeware for non-commercial use only. Check the hard disc for efficiency. Useful when investigating lumpy video capture. The Pro version costs money.
- Hitbit System Information - This is similar to CPU-Z and comes in two versions: Portable or Installer. Some other utlilities are on the same site.
- LCD Monitor Test - The website takes your PC monitor through some rather intensive testing.
- Sysinternals - This has been around since 1995 and is still available on the Microsoft website, although you might need to be choosey about Windows versions. A wide range of diagnostic tools, including Procmon to show in detail which processes are running. I always liked BGInfo, which harmlessly overlays info on the desktop background (try it). There's also a prank screensaver to emulate a blue crash screen (BSOD = 'Blue Screen of Death'). I used to sneak 'Page Defrag' on to work PCs (probably Windows 2000) to give them a slight boost but I think it might be obsolete now. Take a look at Live Sysinternals for the full list.
Networks
- DNS Benchmark - A very lightweight stand-alone utility at only 147 kBytes. The download link is just below the main graphic. Their website has a lot of information about Domain Name Servers (DNS) and DNS settings. These provide look-up services to translate URLs into IP addresses, which are the native numerical language used within web browsers. For example, the IP address of 'bbc.co.uk' is '151.101.0.81' in computer-speak. Run the prog, open the 'Nameservers' tab and a list of servers will appear. The top one is your PC and therefore the fastest. Use add/remove to take that one off the list and run the Benchmark, which takes about three minutes. When prompted, run the Custom List and 40 minutes later you will see a list with the quickest DNS range for your location. The app does not make changes but you can use its info for a faster DNS look-up. Recommended by Computer Shopper mag, Feb 2020.
- Glasswire - It also has a firewall, should you choose to use it (and possibly pay?), but the main point of Glasswire is its ability to watch over what network traffic goes on between the PC/laptop and the internet. You right-click on any dodgy activity pop-up and can assess the danger. You check any suspicious activity against a huge database of good/bad activities. The pop-up notifications are not much of a nuisance.
- Wireless Network Watcher - All Windows versions.
This little stand-alone app from Nirsoft keeps an eye on what is connected to your router. The idea is to keep an eye on anything that might be a neighbour hijacking your internet connection, slowing down your connection and possibly letting them browse matters insalubrious. The download links are way down the page, with a choice of stand-alone or installed versions. Nirsoft has a range of free utilities for such as password-recovery, browser tools and more.
Disc Utilities
- Bulk Renamer Utility - Available to install or as a stand-alone 'portable' version. Quite a powerful renamer which might be especially useful for organising photo albums or re-ordering pictures to make a slide show. Good also for archivers who want the data supplied by various sources to follow a consistent naming format. You can rename, replace names, set case, change dates, etc. and will see a list of the changes but which are not committed until you click the button. Fewer mistakes that way.
- Defrag? - Don't bother. Windows has a Defrag built-in which operates in the background. It originally appeared as 'Diskkeeper' before Microsoft bought them out. You can still make it run by typing defrag in the search box - but don't try to force it to defrag an SSD or other solid-state memory as you would only shorten its capacity or life-span. The built-in Windows Defrag does what it needs to for any HDDs, in the background. It recognises an SSD and (usually) treats it appropriately, which is to 'trim' it. Here's an idea, if you have an SSD as your system drive and a separate HDD for date, put the swap file on the HDD to reduce wear on the SSD. Go see Eskia to do that.
- Diskwipe - Not tried but Computer Active mag likes it for wiping drives and partitions for security, such as when you dispose of an old drive.
- HDClone - Can be used to copy a hard drive to an SSD when upgrading a laptop or PC. This is the free version. Then you will need a USB3 to SATA adapter to do the copying.
- GoFile - For file transfers (a personal favourite). Upload your files to the drag and drop box. It will create a download page with a new URL for you to send to your recipient to download the files. The link will become inactive after a few (might be ten) days. No registration required. It works well.
- Imgburn - (Win) Burn data CDs or DVDs from ISOs or your compilation of files. A bit techie but not too clever-clever. Installing it needs care. Beware of the usual 'Download' links that go to unwanted crapware. Find the 'Mirror' link. The installer also urges you to install the Yahoo toolbar and to change your homepage, both of which are bad ideas. Click 'Advanced' and untick all options. Also bypass the 'Trial' crapware box a bit later ('Advanced' again). When you do manage to jump all of the hurdles, it's a fine piece of software. Honest! Linux users can run it in Wine.
- Norton Power Eraser - Choose the 64-bit version unless you are using a really old PC. This goes deep and removes a lot of rubbish, including dodgy files. It can also remove things you don't want it to. See PC Mag.
- PeaZip - (Windows or Linux) Free file archiver/unarchiver, similar to 7-Zip below. open and extract 180+ archive formats: 001, 7Z, ACE(*), ARC, ARJ, BZ2, CAB, DMG, GZ, ISO, LHA, PAQ, PEA, RAR, TAR, UDF, WIM, XZ, ZIP ZIPX for archiving and extraction. 64-bit and Portable versions also available.
- Permadelete - Another suggestion from Computer Active mag. It is a small app which still works in Win11. Useful for shredding files and folders that you have done with.
- Test Disk - Recover disc partitions and make unbootable ones bootable again. This is also from CG Security. For Windows, Linux and Mac.
- Unzip Files - In Windows File Explorer. When you click on a zipped file in Windows, you will see its contents as though they were ordinary files in an ordinary folder. To highlight them as a group, click the top file then press Shift and click the bottom file. Now they will all be highlighted and ready to either send to the clipboard (Ctrl + C) or to simply drag them into a new folder. If you use the clipboard, you can 'paste' them somewhere (Ctrl + V). Once you have them all, you can delete the Zip file if you want to.
- We Transfer - 2GB max for the free file transfer service. Someone sent some files and it worked okay.
- Zip Files - In Windows File Explorer. Put your files into a new folder. Right-click the folder and choose 'Compressed (Zip) folder' then you have got it, the folder becomes the zip file.
- 7-Zip - My favourite File compressor/extractor, although its user interface is clunky. Pack/unpack: 7z, ZIP, GZIP, BZIP2 and TAR. Unpack only: RAR, CAB, ISO, ARJ, LZH, CHM, MSI, WIM, Z, CPIO, RPM, DEB and NSIS. Make self-extracting ('exe') compressed files. Their website has a similar philosophy to mine - keep the pages simple so that they load quickly.
Uninstallers
- BC Uninstaller - Its name is 'Bulk Crap Uninstaller' (if you must know) and you can uninstall more than one program at the same time. According to Computer Active magazine, it also removes leftover registry entries. This is the mag's suggested replacement for Revo Uninstaller which has moved some of its features to the paid-for version.
- Winget - Now in development and perhaps buggy (as per June 2021), this Microsoft offering is a new way to install, update and remove Windows apps in Windows 10. This is something like Linux applications managers, which use software repositories.
Freeware and Open Source Links
- Ninite - A website which provides an easy way to download all of the common Windows freebies.
- Filehippo - Popular and well-established source of a lot of free software. Also have a look at the anti-malware section for free protection.
- Snapfiles - Another repository of freeware, shareware and others.
- Nirsoft - A compendium of free utilities for network monitoring, password recovery, MS Outlook and a bunch of other stuff.
- Moneysavingexpert - Not an obvious place to look for Open Source and Freeware but it's worth a shufti.
Check Laptop Battery
Gleaned from ComputerActive mag. To see how well the battery is going:
- Open a command prompt (Click 'Start' then type 'cmd' and press enter),
- type: powercfg /batteryreport
- it will come up with a file path, something like - C:fred/batteryreport.html (from memory but it might be a bit longer),
- Highlight and Clipboard the path (Control + 'C' saves it to clipboard),
- Open your web browser and past the Clipboard to the address line (Control + 'V') and Enter.
In the report that opens, scroll down to find something like this (I added the 'Egs'):
DESIGN CAPACITY (Eg.) 60 mWh
FULL CHARGE CAPACITY (Eg.) 35 mWh
They say to replace the battery if it goes down to around 30% of its full capacity. Now, believe it or not, my own 2017 laptop is still showing full capacity in 2022. I don't leave it on charge all of the time but mostly run it from the battery, then fill up as necessary. It does not get much use anyway. The experts say it is not good to leave the battery fully discharged or fully charged but to charge it up and run a bit off before putting it away. I think that works.
Check Hard Drives
Another item from the same mag as above. Hard drives have a 'SMART' dignostic tool built into them to oversee their condition. To check your PC or laptop drives, do this:
- Open a command prompt (Click 'Start' then type 'cmd' and press enter),
- type: wmic diskdrive get model,status
- The response will list all drives, such as this example:
Model Status
Samsung SSD OK
USB Expansion OK
If the response for any drive is not 'OK' but something like 'Bad' or 'Caution' then that drive is about to fail and needs cloning and replacing. Visit Eskia Computers to do that.
A Safe Shutdown
Apparently, Windows has had a safe shutdown method built-in from the days of XP but it is not widely known. It is simple to do. Of course, you have always had the ability to shut down a 'stuck' computer by holding in the power button for four seconds but that is the brute force method and can corrupt any files which are being written in the moment, possibly leading to other problems.
But first, try the Task manager and see what is going on. The shortcut to get to the Task Manager is to press three buttons together: Ctrl, Alt, Delete and select Task Manager from the list. If you can get this far, the Task Manager will probably highlight in red which program or process is hogging resources and gummimg up the works, typically a web browser with too many pages open. You can end that process by right-clicking and choosing to end it.
Okay, so it is still stuck, now what? Well, click the same three buttons to get to the same place. Now hold down the Ctrl button and click the power icon (bottom-right) with the mouse, still pressing the Ctrl button. You should get the following message popping up:
"You are attempting an Emergency Restart. Click OK to immediately restart. Any unsaved data will be lost. Use this only as a last resort."
Click OK and the PC or laptop will shut down and restart in a way which does not risk further file damage.
For Tweakers:
Bits and Bobs really ...
Albert Einstein: "Once we accept our limits, we go beyond them."
