Maintenance
Monthly Maintenance Issues YOU can do to keep your PC running well:
* Keep your PC clean and dust free. It looks good and it reduces the risk of overheating. Depending upon your enviornment, your PC should have the dust blown out of it monthly. (fans, Power supply, intake & Exhaust vents, CPU cooling system)
* Anti-Virus updates: Manually check for updates to your AV software, then run a full scan. Always good to double check, in case the auto updater isn't working.
* Cleaning Trash: Run CCleaner program, delete all spyware found on system.
* IF USING Firefox:open firefox browser; from the "Tools" menu,
choose "Clear Private Data"
* Run defrag utility.
(Start>Programs>Accessories>System Tools> Disk Defragmentor)
Add Power protection to AC and data lines to your PC with a
UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply).
Make sure to get one that matches or exceeds your
system power supply. (300Watt Power supply in case=300 watt UPS)
Essential Software
Avira Anti-Virus Free (AntiVirus)
Ghostwall(Firewall)
CCleaner(Crap Cleaner)
Auslogics Defrag(Disk Defraggmenting)
Todo Backup Drive Imaging (Drive backup)
Firefox Browser(Web Browser)
Foxit PDF- (replaces Adobe Reader - PDF Viewer)
PDF Forge (PDF Creator)
Open Office - Complete MS Office compatable suite for FREE
7Zip - File Compression
More Great Apps
Anti-Virus - Firewall - Cleaning - Defrag - File Encryption - Office Tools
Audio & Video - Browser & Email - File Managers - System Inventory
Photo & Image - Web Editors - Stores We Use - Gadgets
Please Report Bad Links
Security Tools:
AntiVirus Systems
Avira AV Free - Best
Avast AntiVirus - Better
Grisoft AV Free - Good
Specialty Anti-Virus tools - Not for Novices or Noobies!
Avira RootKit Scanner
FreeFixer
rKill.com - Direct Download Link
SAS - Direct Download Link
Virus Resource Page - BleepingComputer
Firewall
PC Tools Firewall Plus - Better
Ashampoo Firewall - Better
Ghostwall - Good
System Cleaning
CCleaner
Defrag Apps
JK Defrag - Simple No-brains defrag
Auslogics Defrag - Good
Defraggler - Best - However some Vista systems don't like it.
Ultra Defrag - Better
Encryption Tools
FineCrypt Suite (Windows only)
TrueCrypt (Windows, MacOS, Linux)
Inferno eraser (Windows)
File Managers
Q-Dir - Quad Directory
A43 - Dual Explorer w/ txt, hex & imaging tools
Xplorer2 - dual explorer
Office Tools:
There are lots of options when it comes to replacing Microsoft Office.
My favorite combination is GO-OO, Foxit, PDF Forge, Notepad++, Print Artist.
Open Office - Complete MS Office compatable suite for FREE BEST
G0-OO Open Office w/o Java or extras
SSuite Desktop and Office suites.
AbiWord MS Word Replacement
Angel Writer - WordPad replacement
Scribus Professional Desktop Publishing
Foxit PDF - replaces Adobe Reader
PDF Forge PDF Creator
Notepad++ Text and Coding - Notepad replacement
OpenProj - Free Project Manager for 'Nix and Win systems
Gantt Project Project Management
DIA - Diagram and Flowcharting like Visio
MSOffice "X" patch
PrintArtist Publishing suite (commercial app for various media design)
Delorme Street Atlas (commercial Mapping Program)
Computer System Inventory & Diagnostics
SIW - Inventory
Everest@Home - Inventory
SysSpec - Inventory
PC Wizard - Inventory
WinDirStat Hard Drive Statistics
LogMeIn PC remote control
Cobian Backup - File Back up tools
Todo Backup Drive Imaging - Hard Disk Backup & Restore
Recuva File Recovery - File Recovery
EaseUs_Partition Manager - Drive Partition Tools
Parted Magic - Linux based Partition manager
Internet Tools:
Browsers:
Firefox Browser
SR Ware Iron - A tiny n fast browser
EMail:
Thunderbird Email client
MailBox Dispatcher - pop email filtering
File Transfer & FTP
Free Download Manager
FileZilla FTP - File Transfer Program
Instant Messaging:
Qnext or Trillian Multi-IM apps - Replaces AOL, Yahoo, MSN, ICQ,
FaceIM, MySpaceIM,
Multi-Media Tools:
Editers for Sound and Video
Cakewalk Pyro Audio Tools (Not freeware, but worth every penny!)
Cakewalk Music Creator (Audio Authorizing-Recording Studio)
Nero Burning Rom (Commercial version)
CDBurnXP Disk burning tool - Replaces Nero
isodisk Create and Mount ISO disk images
FreeISOBurner - Burn ISO files to CD/DVD
Audacity audio recorder & editor - Similar to Cakewalk Creator
Players
K-Lite Codec pack & Media Player Classic
Quicktime Alternative
Real Alternative
VLC - Multi-Media Player - Replaces Windows Media Player
Rippers (Making mp3 files from Audio CD)
Simple 45 mp3 - Ripper and Low Resource Player
CDEX Audio Extractor/Ripper
AVC Free Video format Converter
Handbrake video recorder
Serif Movie Plus Video Production Studio
UBuntu Studio - Ubuntu Linux based Operating System and
full Audio/Video studio in one.
Photo & Imaging
GET GIMP for Free - Photoshop Replacement
XnView, IrfanView & FastStone Image Viewers
PhotoScape Image editor
Serif Photo Plus - Low Cost Photoshop Replacement
Serif Draw Plus - Low Cost Illustrator Replacement
SynFig Animation Studio (like Flash)
Inkscape Vecter Drawing Suite
Web Editors
Kompozer
AlleyCode
Serif Web Plus
Web CMS platforms
e107
Joomla
ZenCart
Online Stores We Use
NewEgg.com
Buy.com
iBuyPower.com
