This is the area for software and software updates. This is the area I have found  very useful as all the major companies such as Norton, Sage, Adobe Creative etc. are here as well as companies such as Agent, On-track (Power desk), Jasc (Paint shop pro) Digital workshop (Power DVD) etc. This will give you direct access to the update pages and where applicable the support sites will be on the support pages here>>.

 

 

A-C | E-L | M-N | P | Q-S | T-V | W-Z |  Movie Utilities : Mirror Sites : Recovery and Erasure

A-C
  • 3D plus: Serifs 3D rendering program that I used for all the text headings on this site. 3DPlus 3 sets new standards in both ease-of-use and high-end 3D power. Whether you've created 3D graphics before and want a powerful tool to add extra impact to your work, or if you've always wanted to try 3D design and have been put off by the cost and complexity of other high-end 3D applications, then 3DPlus 3 is for you.
  • AAZ Card file is an excellent address book/database. It is very easy to use and also has several ready made databases of recipes, tech tips, sewing information etc. This is a really excellent tool with a small footprint. Once you use it you will wonder what you ever did without it. Recommended!
  • Abbyy Soft: This OCR scanning software is the best as it will export the work directly into a word processor such as Word's scanning 
  • Adobe: This is the area to get details on Acrobat Reader, Pagemill, Go-Live etc.
  • Ad-ware by Lavasoft is an award winning, free multi adware and spyware removal utility, that scans your memory, registry and hard drives for known adware and spyware components and lets you remove them safely.
    Many options like scanning depth or automatic modes can be set in the preferences menu. Adaware features an easy to use wizard-style interface, guiding you through the scanning and removal process.
  • Advanced Uninstaller Pro Advanced Uninstaller PRO is an easy to use suite for uninstalling applications and keeping your computer clean, fast and in its best shape. The Start-up Manager gives you control over the programs that are automatically started by Windows. It also contains a powerful registry cleaner, defragmenter and optimizer which will help you keep your registry fast, clean and easily accessible by all programs. A registry backup utility is also included. This is much more than an Uninstaller it is an excellent tune up tool as well.
  • forte agentAgent:  Over the years many other products for newsgroup reading have arrived. Most have a prettier interface but none do the job like Agent.
  • Ati graphics: The home of the ATI video boards. The latest software can be downloaded here so that is why its in this section.
  • Bink Video tools for viewing FMV files in games like Tomb Raider. It will do much more than this such as saving in various video formats. Visit the site to see.
  • Creative: Sound Blaster and all of the family of software products can be found here.
  • Copernic: This software is thought by many to be the definitive search tool. It will search sever\al engines at once and the searches can all be categorised and catalogued.
  • Dave's quick search Deskbar is an add-on for the Windows Desktop Taskbar that lets you launch searches quickly. With dozens of search engines, a calculator, clock, calendar, and more in one little textbox, it's monster functionality in a flea-sized GUI is available from the source forge.
  • Direct X: Microsoft's site for Direct X technology.

 

  • DigiGuide has been designed for you, it gives you the power and control that's needed in today's multi-channel television environment. Helping you to find programs of interest when they are scheduled.

 

 Q-S
  • Quick View Plus: Another program I couldn't do without. Now marketed by Jasc Inc. this program takes over from Windows Quick View and enables you to view virtually any file format including Word and Excel. 
  • Quick Time: Apple QuickTime is an excellent way to watch movies. The browser plug in can be automatically downloaded enabling you to watch Internet movie trailers while on-line. The desktop file viewer software to watch QuickTime movie files can be downloaded at this site. 
  • Real Player: Is the best known Internet video streaming software. With Windows XP the re will be a real battle as this comes with a rival system built in. At the moment though Real Player offers excellent tool for the job. They do have annoying adverts and try to add software you don't want so be warned!
  • Recent Documents: Recent Documents 97 enhances the functionality of the "Documents" menu item that leads off the Start Button in Windows 95 and NT4. This excellent tool keeps track of all your recent documents and sorts them into categories. an excellent tool.
  • Registry Cleaner Registry Tuner is a great tweaking utility. It has more than 380 Windows registry settings. Experienced users can add/modify the base of Windows settings itself. When user change registry he can see what and where is changed.
  • Soft Disc is an integrated tool that allows you to open, create, edit, convert, manage, simulate and burn CD/DVD images. It take the CD image manager as a platform, integrates CD backup, UltraISO / WinISO editor, Daemon-Tools virtual CD/DVD drive, and Nero-Burning ROM to form the powerful and easy to use CD-R toolbox.
  • SpyBot - Search & Destroy can detect and remove spyware of different kinds from your computer. Spyware is a relatively new kind of threat that common anti-virus applications do not yet cover. If you see new toolbars in your Internet Explorer that you didn't intentionally install, if your browser crashes, or if you browser start page has changed without your knowing, you most probably have spyware. But even if you don't see anything, you may be infected, because more and more spyware is emerging that is silently tracking your surfing behaviour to create a marketing profile of you that will be sold to advertisement companies. Spybot-S&D is free, so there's no harm in trying to see if something snooped into your computer.
  • Start Up Organiser  is a Windows 9x/ME/NT/2000/XP program that was developed to provide quick access to all of the programs that are automatically started when you turn on or logon to your computer. Using Start-up Organizer, you can inspect, edit, and/or temporary disable such programs, and make backup configurations. You may significantly reduce the time required for your system startup disabling programs which you don't need all the time.
  • STG Print Folder: Print and visualize your folders. Find out where your HD space went, or get an easy to read list of all your MP3 files! V1.0.6.1
  • Steganos Internet Security offers Anonymity when surfing the Internet. Its now Faster than ever. Now with Pop-up Stop and protection from dangerous web content. There is also Steganos file encrypter that not only encrypts, but also hides files within files (BMP, DIB, VOICE, WAV, ASCII, and HTML files). It’s a simple, yet powerful program that delivers ultimate protection and security with a powerful 2048 bit level of encryption. A very good product that does what it says.

 

 

E-L
  • Easy Desk:   This is a superb utility that re sets the icons on your desktop after safe mode or a crash. 
  • EasyCleaner from Toni Arts, is a small program which searches Windows' registry for entries that are pointing nowhere. EasyCleaner also lets you delete all kinds of unnecessary files like temps, backups etc. You can search for duplicate files and you can view some interesting info about your disk space usage! You are also able to manage star-tup programs, invalid shortcuts and add/remove software list.
  • ERU-NT is a back up utility for all of the NT/XP registry
  • Fire Burner (FB) is a compact yet full-featured CD-R/W burning software package used by hundreds of thousands of people all over the world! FB allows users to easily burn custom data, audio or mixed mode CD's. FB can burn audio tracks from MP3 files with its on the fly decoding support. FB is shareware. Continued use past 15 days requires registration.
  • Fuji FD Software: Download software for the Fuji digital cameras and scanners. Fuji digital products home site is here>> and the main flash path driver site is here>>
  • HyperTerminal: This is the Windows standard telnet terminal program. It is made by Hilgraeve and is now up to V5.0
  • Icons-Easy Icons: EasyIcons 98 will allow you to manage your icons by creating and maintaining icon libraries.  Extract icons from other .exe or .dll type files and edit the icons and put them back into the same file or save them in a library, or as an individual .ico(icon) or .bmp(bitmap) file.
  • Icon Digger:  Icon Digger 2000 is a free utility that lets you extract icons from executable (*.exe), icon library (*.icl), and dynamic-link library (*.dll) files -- as long as the files contain them, of course. Browse through an Explorer-like file list, and whenever Icon Digger finds an icon, it's displayed in a viewing window.
  • Laplink: Is the ideal tool along for transferring files between computers. The latest version is fully XP COMPATIBLE and is a very good tool indeed. The personal help site is called MY Laplink ad it offers downloads and tech support once you are registered.
  • Logitech Software: This is the main site for the excellent keyboards and mice. The latest being cordless.
 T-V
  • Task Info:. igor larsn task infoTaskInfo2000 is combination of Task Manager and System Information Utility. It visually monitors different types of System information in Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000. TaskInfo2000  shows in real time information about all running processes and threads including ring0 VxD threads. A really excellent tool
  • Tweak UI:: With the Tweak UI 1.33 update, you can adjust your Windows User Interface, including menu speed, window animation, and Microsoft Internet Explorer.
  • Tweak XP is a superb set of tools to tweak XP. It includes a clock setting utility and a Ram booster. Recommended!
  • Terrapin FTP: This really is an excellent FTP client for downloading and uploading files. It is a must when you have a web site. They also have an excellent help department and they can be contacted on: +44 (0) 1423 530 860
  • Ultimate Anonymity: Everyone has their own reasons for wanting to obtain anonymity online. Many are tired of sites and newsgroup bots snatching their email address to add to spam lists. Email address harvesters often set up sites with scripts that pull email addresses of those who visit.  Whatever the case is, we can help you achieve the level of privacy desired while you are online and the peace of mind knowing you control your personal and private information.
  • Vivo Active Viewer: Since Vivo Active was taken over by Real Networks no development efforts have been made on its products since 1997 and Real Networks have no plans to develop them further. The program is still used as a movie file source and the player is therefore required.

 

  • VideoReDo is the perfect tool to edit your MPEG2 files. Whether you create digital video by capturing off-the-air programs, convert analog (VHS) tapes, or extract chapters from DVDs, VideoReDo makes fast work of trimming, cutting, and/or joining your MPEG compressed digital images. Download here>>


    • I must also report on the superb pre- and after sales support. Every problem has been answered swiftly and successfully. Support is so important and this company really does have it. 
M-N
  • MIRC: IRC (Internet Relay Chat) is a virtual meeting place where people from all over the world can meet and talk; you'll find the whole diversity of human interests, ideas, and issues here, and you'll be able to participate in group discussions on one of the many thousands of IRC channels, or just talk in private to family or friends, wherever they are in the world. To use IRC you need a small program like mIRC, a shareware IRC client for Windows, written by Khaled Mardam-Bey. mIRC is a friendly IRC client that is well equipped with options and tools. You can download mIRC here to try it out.
  • Microsoft Sidewinder: Software and details of the sidewinder joystick and other products are found here.

 

  • Microsoft Reg. Clean The Registry Cleaner by the Microsoft Team will check your Windows registry file for errors and let you clean invalid or outdated entries.
  • NT-REG-OPT is a registry optimising tool for NT/XP. this also optimises the hives in an NT-XP registry. The program works by recreating each registry hive "from scratch", thus removing any slack space that may be left from previously modified or deleted keys.

  • Nero Burning ROM is the best friend your recorder could ever have. Fast, ultra-stable, powerful, and user-friendly. Nero is the complete answer to your recording needs. Since 1995, Nero's development has been guided by users like you. Now, with Nero 5.5, the world's premiere recording application has gotten even better!

  • Net Medic: This superb little program monitors your internet connection and gives a visual reading of the speed. It will also give many other readouts to guarantee a good connection. The company who produced it (Vital Signs) seem to have now gone.
  • News Rover: Is another good newsnet reader with a very nice interface. I still like Agent over this but its all down to personal preference.

 

 W-Z
  • Win Amp: One of two excellent music players. This is the best known and along with... and Microsoft's Media player you cant want for playing music on your computer.
  • Win Zip: This is THE program zip file maker and extractor. Excellent and easy to use. It is now the industry standard. I also like Winrar as a file compressor also covered here.
  • WinRar: This is the other excellent zip utility although not as simple to use as Winzip. It is favored by the newsgroup posters.
  • Windows Media:.  Home of Windows media and the application. A good browsing site. Top rivals to QuickTime and Real networks. 

 

  • Zip Archivers: When using tools such as WinZip the rely on the archivers to to the actual compression. One of the oldest is ARJ Softwre and the latest release is on their site.  PKzip is the best known of the programs as it was probably the first and its site is here. There is also an excellent source through FTP at Simtel here>>
  • Zone Alarm: An excellent Firewall to prevent people from accessing your computer from outside. A must if you have Broadband. New Zone Alarm Pro 3.1 doubles your protection with enhanced Ad Blocking and expanded Cookie Control to speed up your Internet experience and stop Web site spying.
P
  • Print Folder STG: Print and visualize your folders. Find out where your HD space went, or get an easy to read list of all your MP3 files. You can filter by name, date and size to include only the files you want and customize both display and printed output to your taste. A really useful tool.
  • Power Toys: The Microsoft® Windows® Shell Development Team has put together a set of productivity tools called Power Toys. If you're a Windows power-user, go ahead and try them out, but realize these are unsupported tools. Microsoft Technical Support is unable to answer questions about Power Toys. They are only for Windows 95-98
  • Paint Shop Pro: This is my favourite paint package. The new Paint Shop Pro 7 Anniversary Edition celebrates a decade of providing digital photographers, Web designers, and home and business users with the most powerful yet easy-to-use tools at an affordable price. The main site is Jasc Inc. and it has many areas to visit. A superb site for Paint Shop help is the Paint Shop User Group. This is an excellent site and gives loads of tips and advice.
  • Partition Magic: Partition Magic® allows you to create, resize, merge and convert partitions on your hard drive without destroying data. Award-winning Partition Magic is the world's leading hard-drive partitioning software for PC enthusiasts.
  • Process Explorer shows you information about which handles and DLLs processes have opened or loaded. The Process Explorer display consists of two sub-windows. The top window always shows a list of the currently active processes, including the names of their owning accounts, whereas the information displayed in the bottom window depends on the mode that Process Explorer is in: if it is in handle mode you’ll see the handles that the process selected in the top window has opened; if Process Explorer is in DLL mode you’ll see the DLLs and memory-mapped files that the process has loaded. Process Explorer also has a powerful search capability that will quickly show you which processes have particular handles opened or DLLs loaded. The unique capabilities of Process Explorer make it useful for tracking down DLL-version problems or handle leaks, and provide insight into the way Windows and applications work.

 

 P
  • Power DVD: Explore New Dimensions in DVD Interactivity.  With Power-DVD, you will have the ultimate DVD solution to enjoy the benefits of DVD entertainment on the PC. With its high quality video and audio playback, as well as its low CPU consumption, Power-DVD has not only won praise from its growing number of users, but also from the industry experts as well. The main site for Cyberlink is here. The update patches are here>>
  • PK Zip is the original zip program used by winzip and others.
  • Power VCR: Real-Time MPEG-1/2 Digital Video and TV Recording Software
    Power-VCR II 3.0 Deluxe can turn your PC into a TV and digital video recording center. It lets you record your favorite TV programs, via a TV Tuner card and save them in either VCD or DVD quality. You can also record video from numerous DV and Analog sources. It comes with numerous advanced features like Instant TV Replay and Multi-Channel Preview, which will give you total control over the recording process. Power-VCR II 3.0 Deluxe also comes with Power-DVD. The update patches are here>>
  • Popfile KILLS SPAM! It is an automatic mail classification tool. Once properly set up and trained, it will scan all email as it arrives and classify it based on your training. You can give it a simple job, like separating out junk e-mail, or a complicated one—like filing mail into a dozen folders. Think of it as a personal assistant for your inbox.

 
File recovery and full Erasure tools
  • BC Wipe is a really excellent tool for file erasure. This is activated by a left mouse click and really does wipe files. Using Final Data Recovery no usable files were found. A Recommended tool!
  • Bad Copy Pro is a fully automatic and professional recovery tool that can be used to recover documents, images, applications, and data from corrupted media, such as floppy disks, CD-ROM's, CD-R's, CD-RW's, and DVD's.
    Bad Copy Pro can help you recover data from damaged floppy disks, CD-ROM's, CD-R's, CD-RW's, and DVD's.
    Recover inaccessible data on floppy disks, CD-ROM's, CD-R's, CD-RW's, and DVD's.
    Recover lost images or photos on digital media.
    Recover deleted files.
    Recover files lost due to quick formatting. This is a good program for the single purpose.
  • Evidence Eliminator: False advertising has duped many consumers into buying cheap worthless imitation software -  "disk-washer-erasers" that do not work.  You don't have to take risks, make sure you accept only the authentic, original Evidence Eliminator™ and be sure you are both 100% safe and secure! There is an excellent review and installation guide here>>

 

 

 

 File recovery and full Erasure tools

  • East Tec Eraser is designed to completely eliminate sensitive data from your computer. It goes beyond U.S. Department of Defence security standards, wiping the files beyond recovery, scrambling name and dates and removing all traces of it from your disk. Eraser can also completely destroy any data from previously deleted files that might still be accessible on your disk (in the Recycle Bin or in unused disk areas). Other features include support for custom privacy needs, user-defined erasure methods, command-line parameters, integration with Windows Explorer, and password protection. Also available and recommended are East Tec Format Secure which is a Windows based format tool and East Tec Sanitizer which is a DOS based format tool.
  • File Rescue Plus was my program of choice until I found Final Data. This program really does find and can recover just about everything that you have deleted on your computer. The list retrieved can be saved but not searched which is a draw back. Also it doesn't sort the found items as Final Data does. Its a great program but is beaten by Final Data.
  • Final Data Recovery USA Virtually every computer is vulnerable to data loss. The FinalData 2.0 family of products can be the difference between a potentially crippling disaster and a minor inconvenience. FinalData 2.0 empowers users with the ability to recover lost data on their own, and in private-whether the loss is due to accident, equipment problems, or intentional acts like virus attacks. even accidental formatting.
    This is a really superb set of programs. Those deleted data found spanned several years and I was amazed that other so-called deletion programs were not as good as they claimed. Highly Recommended! Download demo here>>
  • Final Data Recovery UK offers slightly different packages but its the same great software with the same excellent results. Orbit the UK software house also supplies Final Eraser to cleanup those files and folders.

 
Mirror Sites
  • File Mirrors by Headlite Software offer an excellent way to download files where the main servers are busy.
    It is an anonymous URL sharing and file searching service. Searching and sharing can be automatically done for users of GetRight to help find more mirrors for your downloads. FileMirrors is for searching for files like EXE or ZIP files--not web pages, images, music, etc. (Google is the best place to go for generic searching.) More About File Mirrors here.
  • Soft Landmark has been running for nearly THREE years. It offers information and links to get the software you need quickly. The Nero site is particularly good and is here>>.

 

 
 

 This page was last updated on 20/09/05

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