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Filed under: Windows x64

Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Freeware, Windows x64

7 Taskbar Tweaker gives you more control over the Windows 7 superbar

Windowsby Lee Mathews Nov 5th 2009

The Windows 7 superbar sports some very cool improvements over the old Windows taskbar. But suppose you want to customize your taskbar a bit. Say, for example, you find the close buttons just a bit too small to be practical. What then?

Why not set your middle mouse button to close using 7 Taskbar Tweaker? By default, middle-clicking a superbar icon in Windows 7 opens a new instance of that program, the same way shift +left click does. I don't need to do that very often and holding shift really isn't an inconvenience for me.

On the flip side, I close windows and tabs from the superbar all the time. Right click -> close all windows works, but why not make use of your scroll wheel's clicking ability?

Taskbar Tweaker also allows you to change other superbar click actions. Another change I've made is swapping the default left click to open previews to cycling through windows/tabs. It's a welcome switch if your web browser happens to support per-tab thumbnails.

You can also use the app to disable thumbail previews if you choose, and the settings menu provides options to run at startup, hide the main window, and even hide the tray icon if you like keeping clutter to a minimum.

7 Taskbar Tweaker is a free download and versions are available for both 32 and 64-bit Windows 7.

Thanks for the tip, Miklos!

Tags: superbar, taskbar, tweak, windows 7, Windows7

Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Freeware, Windows x64

VHD Attach enables right-click mounting and dismounting of VHD files in Windows 7

Windowsby Lee Mathews Nov 3rd 2009

One of Windows 7's slick new features is its handling of VHD (virtual hard disk) files. You can use them for a number of handy functions - from discreetly archiving files and folders to booting a full-fledged Vista, Windows 7, or Windows Server 2008 install via your Windows 7 boot.ini.

But VHDs aren't as easy to work with out-of-the-box as they could be. To mount and unmount, you've got to head over to the Disk Management snap-in (diskmgmt.msc), wait for the screen to populate, go to actions->attach (or detach), browse for your VHD, and then wait some more.

VhdAttach speeds the process up by adding two entries to your context menu. Mouse over a .VHD file, right-click it, and you can mount and dismount right from Windows Explorer. Left click attach, and your VHD will pop up alongside your physical hard disks. When you're all done, detaching is just as simple.

The control app (inset in screenshot) which can open your VHDs and display information about them. You can also attach and detach from this screen.

VhdAttach is a free download and works with both Windows 7 and Server 2008.

Tags: context menu, ContextMenu, dismount, drive image, drive management, DriveImage, DriveManagement, mount, right click, RightClick, vhd, windows 7, windows-7, Windows7

Filed under: Security, Utilities, Windows, Microsoft, Freeware, Windows x64

Microsoft Security Essentials rated best free antivirus for Windows

Windowsby Lee Mathews Oct 31st 2009

Thousands of downloads. Countless positive reviews on software blogs around the Internet. It's been quite a ride so far for Microsoft Security Essentials.

In AV Comparative's most recent report on malware removal, MSE was the only free antivirus rated Advanced+. That ranking placed it alongside big names like Norton, Kaspersky, and F-Secure. Security Essentials also beat out technician favorite ESET, which managed only an Advanced rating.

It's also worth noting that only three antivirus apps - Norton 2010, eScan, and Security Essentials - scored marks of good or better in removal of malware and removal of leftovers. So not only has MSE beaten free competitors like AVG (version 8.5 tested, not 9.0), Avira, and Avast, it also posted test scores equal to or better than a dozen antivirus programs you'd have to pay for.

Well done, Microsoft!

[via Ars Technica]

Tags: antivirus, malware, Microsoft Security Essentials, MicrosoftSecurityEssentials, morro, mse, trojan, virus

Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Freeware, Windows x64

Paragon Backup & Recovery 10 is a great free imaging and partitioning tool

Windowsby Lee Mathews Oct 30th 2009


Paragon has long been a name respected by technicians and IT professionals. Their latest release is aimed squarely at home users, and it's a program well worth trying out.

Backup & Recovery 10 Free Edition is an excellent, multi-talented hard drive management app. So, what can you do with it? For starters, it will create and restore images of your hard drives and partitions. There's also a built-in tool for creating bootable rescue media (either CD or USB flash drive).

Tasks can be scheduled to run at regular intervals, and you can also create differential jobs (which only back up files that have changed since the previous backup). On massive partitions, the differential option can really speed up the imaging process.

You can also mount previously created images so you can explore them like any other folder or disk on your computer - or manually add additional files.

In addition to backup and imaging tasks, Backup & Recovery can also perform a number of partition management tasks. Use it to create, format (FAT32, NTFS, EXT2/3/4, Linux Swap), and hide partitions as well as check filesystem integrity and check for surface defects.

Paragon Backup & Recovery 10 Free is loaded with great features. It's simple enough for casual users and powerful enough to be of use to seasoned veterans.

It's free for non-commercial use and downloads are provided for both 32 and 64-bit Windows. You will need to register for a serial number, but it's well worth the minimal effort (just be sure uncheck any 'email me special offers' boxes).

Tags: archiving, backup, cloning, differential, ghost, imaging, paragon, partition, partitioning

Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Web services, Freeware, Windows x64

SkyDrive Explorer adds 25gb of free cloud storage to Windows Explorer

Windowsby Lee Mathews Oct 30th 2009

A lot of people overlook Microsoft's SkyDrive for free, web-based file storage and sharing. Still, it's tough to argue with 25gb of free space for your digital goodies that you can access from anywhere. SkyDrive Explorer is a free shell enhancement for Windows that makes it even better.

Once you install SkyDrive Explorer, you'll see a new icon in My Computer (under "Other"). Double click it to open your drive, and a Live login window will appear. Sign in and you've got full-on access to SkyDrive right from Windows Explorer. Add files and folders, move things around, delete old junk - all as if they were stored on your local hard drive.

I'd like to see the app allow access to SkyDrive from open and save dialogs, but it's a great addition to Windows even without that functionality.

SkyDrive Explorer runs on both 32 and 64-bit Windows.

[via gHacks]

Tags: cloud storage, CloudStorage, file sharing, FileSharing, live skydrive, LiveSkydrive, skydrive, web storage, WebStorage

Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Freeware, Windows x64

Add CPU and memory meters to your Windows 7 taskbar

Windowsby Lee Mathews Oct 29th 2009

I'm not the biggest Twitter fan, but let's face it: people sometimes share really useful information in their 140-character updates.

Scott Hanselman (@shanselman), for example, tipped users about a slick addition to your Windows 7 taskbar that you'll find over at Codeplex called Taskbar Meters.

Download developer Jeff Key's .zip file and extract the contents to a folder on your hard drive. Inside you'll find two executables - one for CPU and one for memory. Launch them, and the result is what you see in the screenshot.

The meters make use of the Windows 7 taskbar's progress indicator kung fu. Using the sliders in the ultra-simple options screens you can choose the update frequency and set at what percentage of utilization your indicators switch from green to yellow and then to red. Pin 'em to your taskbar and you've got a simple, Win7-friendly heads up display of your PC's vitals.

They're jumplist enabled as well, though right-clicking only gives you access to task manager (which you've always had by right-clicking the taskbar anyway) and the Windows Resource Monitor.

Each meter uses about 18Mb of ram and worked for me under both 32 and 64-bit builds of Windows 7.

Tags: cpu, memory, processor, ram, shell-enhancement, superbar, taskbar, windows 7, windows-7, windows7

Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Windows x64

Windows 7 Edition Switcher lets you change your ISO from Home to Ultimate

Windowsby Lee Mathews Oct 28th 2009

A lot of techy types weren't too excited when Microsoft changed the Windows 7 ISO. Beta and RC versions lumped all the versions on one DVD.

Heck, this was one big thing I thought Microsoft did right with Windows Vista. I had one DVD and I could load any of the 39 different versions using the same disc. Windows 7 ISOs and DVDs? Not so much. They're single-version.

Frustrated techs are never content to sit back and deal with annoyances - like the developer behind Windows 7 ISO Edition Switcher. Download the free, portable app and you can easily convert any Windows 7 ISO to the version you need. Sure, it's pretty easy to do this by editing a text file but Switcher is about as painless as the process can get.

Pick the patch file you need from the ones included in the zip, pick your ISO, and presto! Patched ISO, ready to burn.

Big thanks to VT4000 for submitting this via our comments!!

Tags: edition, iso, patcher, windows 7, Windows7

Filed under: Security, Windows, Freeware, Beta, Windows x64

Panda Cloud AV beta 3 boasts faster scans, inches closer to RTM

Windowsby Lee Mathews Oct 27th 2009


When our list of six free antivirus apps for Windows 7 went live over the weekend, Panda's Cloud AV made the list. While it boasted the best detection rates of any of the available options, it's still in beta testing - so I can't really recommend it for use by the average user just yet.

Panda's plugging away though, and a full release could well be just around the corner. Beta 3 has just been made available for download and it fixes a number of bugs and performance issues. The latest release also boasts improved scanning performance (the biggest knock against previous versions) and lower resource utilization.

In addition to updating the app itself, Panda is also hard at work on a new web site. Sign up for a CloudAV account, and you'll have access to forums as well as "other free services which [Panda is] still building." I'll be talking with Panda Security CEO Juan Santana and Senior Research Advisor Pedro Bustamante next week to learn more about their plans.

An account is now required to use the app, but as Pedro informed one leery commenter "It's just a unique identifier that is tied to the Tech Support Forums to be able to provide better support. You can use a throw-away mailbox to activate it[...]"

Panda Cloud Antivirus beta 3 is available for download now at Cloudantivirus.com. If you're using it - or tried it out and switched - share your thoughts in the comments!

Tags: cloud antivirus, cloud av, CloudAntivirus, CloudAv, malware, panda, trojan, virus

Filed under: Utilities, Features, Windows, Freeware, How-Tos, Windows x64

How to replace the crappy pre-installed software on your new Windows 7 PC with great free apps

Windowsby Lee Mathews Oct 23rd 2009

So you picked up a new Windows 7 laptop (or desktop) or you're planning on buying one in the very near future?

If you took a look at display models in stores like Best Buy or Frye's, you no doubt noticed that new systems come with a lot of programs pre-installed. Lots of software is a good thing, right? Not always.

Trouble is, what you get is often a) not really useful software or b) a time-limited trial. Office 2007 and the antivirus protection the salesperson told you about? They're 60 day trials. After that, they're going to ask you to pay up...But you don't have to.

No, you can tell those apps to keep their hands off your credit card! With all the great, free software Download Squad has covered over the years, there's really no need to burden your new system with that kind of software timebomb.
With just two simple apps you can quickly strip away all the bloatware (that's what us techy types call the excess crud preinstalled on your new system) and get yourself a nice selection of totally free software that will never expire!

Read more →

Tags: bloatware, cleanup, crapware, decrapifier, features, install, installer, new laptop, new pc, new-pc, NewLaptop, NewPc, ninite, windows-7, windows7

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Filed under: OS Updates, Utilities, Windows, Microsoft, Freeware, Windows x64

Vistalizator changes your display language on Windows 7 and Vista

Windowsby Lee Mathews Oct 22nd 2009

Every now and then I have the honor of reinstalling Windows on a customer's system in a language other than English - usually French, since I happen to work in Canada.

Trouble is, all my installation media is English which means the resulting OS would sport an English interface. Thankfully, Vistalizator makes switching languages a painless process. Grab the required language pack, fire up Vistalizator, and follow the on-screen instructions. In a short while, you'll be able to reboot your system into the newly-translated shell.

While this was originally a Vista utility, as of the October 17th release Windows 7 is fully supported.

Remember, you don't need Vistalizator if you're running an Ultimate edition - you can just run one of the standalone language packs. As luck would have it, they're also linked on the Vistalizator site for easy download. You'll find them grouped by OS on the download page.

Tags: interface, language, multilanguage, translate, vistalizator

Filed under: Security, Windows, Microsoft, Freeware, Windows x64

Update Microsoft Security Essentials definitions manually - no Windows Update required

Windowsby Lee Mathews Oct 20th 2009

While Microsoft Security Essentials has gotten mostly glowing reviews so far, some users are still hesitant to install it. One thing holding up some users is Windows Update.

You can't update your Security Essentials definitions automatically if the Windows Update service is disabled. And while keeping your system fully patched is a necessity, not everyone wants to allow Windows to do it for them - they prefer the going manual route.

Fortunately, Microsoft knows this. After all, Security Essentials is based on Forefront - their enterprise antivirus product. And in the enterprise it's common practice to install updates manually.

To that end, Security Essentials definitions can be downloaded as a standalone executable from Microsoft. They're available from the Malware Protection Center where you'll also find the current defs for Forefront and Defender.

Download the .exe yourself, run it, and your Security Essentials is up-to-date! Better yet, set up an app like Ketarin to handle scheduled downloads for you and save yourself a step.

Tags: antivirus, definitions, morro, security-essentials, update, windows-update

Filed under: Security, Windows, Microsoft, Freeware, Windows x64

Microsoft Security Essentials enjoys warm reception in first week

Windowsby Lee Mathews Oct 18th 2009

I'm a huge fan of Security Essentials (and Windows 7, and a number of other MS products, but I digress). It's quickly become my recommended free antivirus app of choice and protects all three of the laptops in my house. And I've got plenty of company.

The Microsoft Malware Protection Center blog has posted some interesting numbers. After its first week, Security Essentials has already been installed more than 1.5 million times. From the approximately 535,000 machines reporting statistics, MSE has logged over 4 million detections.

44% of MSE users are already running Windows 7 with XP following at 33% and the remaining 23% on Vista. The number of detections per OS is also interesting. 52% of the 4 million reported were found on Windows XP systems compared to only 32% on Vista.

Windows 7 users fared even better. Though they represent the largest group of MSE users, only 16% of detections came from systems running Microsoft's latest OS. The post also reports 1/3 of these machines are using the 64-bit version, which "is even more resistant to malware than 32-bit due to PatchGuard," states Microsoft's Joe Faulhaber.

Security Essentials is a free download, and is available directly from Microsoft.

Tags: antivirus, live-onecare, malware, morro, mse, security essentials, SecurityEssentials, trojan, virus, windows-defender

Filed under: Security, Utilities, Windows, Commercial, Freeware, Windows x64

Winpatrol 2010 is out, and the little black scottie is leaner and meaner than ever

Windowsby Lee Mathews Oct 12th 2009

It's become a common practice to defend your PC with a handful of security apps rather than relying on a single program. One lesser-known app worth investigating is WinPatrol.

Just released, WinPatrol 2010 builds on the strengths of previous versions. It's now even lighter on memory use, weighing in at about 5Mb on my Windows 7 x64 system. Scotty's also learned to play nice by tweaking internal behaviors to reduce conflicts with antivirus applications.

The new version's cookies tab now handles Firefox and Google Chrome in addition to Internet Explorer. Users of the WinPatrol Pro will also enjoy improved realtime scanning speed - 30% quicker than the free version.

Winpatrol also scores serious points for its Pro licensing plan. Not only do you pay once for the software and receive a lifetime of upgrades, but developer Bill Pytlovany believes that your license should follow you - not your computer. That means you're free to enjoy your paid WinPatrol on any and all PCs that you personally own and use. Nice!

Both the free and pro versions of WinPatrol 2010 are available for download now, as is WinPatrol To Go -- the portable version, which is also free.

Tags: privacy, security, utilities, winpatrol

Filed under: OS Updates, Security, Windows, Microsoft, Windows x64

Epic Patch Tuesday rolls a baker's dozen, including first Windows 7 RTM patches

Windowsby Lee Mathews Oct 9th 2009

It's not due to appear on stores for a few more weeks (or with major distributors like Synnex for a few more days), but the Windows 7 RTM is slated to receive a handful of critical fixes on Patch Tuesday next week.

A total of five patches are slated for both the 32 and 64-bit versions of Windows 7. Only one of the updates is considered critical, however, and it actually targets a vulnerability in Internet Explorer and not Windows itself.

That's a sharp contrast to XP and Vista. Softpedia points out that six of nine flaws in XP and eight of ten in Vista are flagged critical.

In total, there are 13 updates coming out this Tuesday -- which could make for an interesting few days for any of you who happen to be Windows administrators.

Tags: patch-tuesday, windows-7-rtm

Filed under: OS Updates, Hardware, News, Windows, Blogging, Microsoft, Windows x64

Excited about 128 bit "Windows 8"? Don't hold your breath.

Windowsby Grant Robertson Oct 8th 2009

I got a message yesterday directing me to some groundbreaking post on Ars Technica, in which the long-winded and storied tale of an in-development 128 bit version of Windows unfolded like something out of a geek spy novel.
Robert Morgan is working to get IA-128 working backwards with full binary compatibility on the existing IA-64 instructions in the hardware simulation to work for Windows 8 and definitely Windows 9.
Bullpuckey, I said. Shenanigans, I mumbled. "It must be fairy tale time over at Conde Nast", I thought to myself, and quickly moved on. I never in my wildest dreams would have figured this had legs. Surely I wasn't the only one to spot the giant hole in the middle of this story.

Today, I read it on Slashdot. So, before Windows 8 for IA-128 becomes the digital equivalent of Sasquatch or the Loch Ness Monster, I figured it was prudent to point out the itty, bitty, tiny little problem that's keeping this story from having any basis in reality.

There is no IA-128. The Abominable Snowman and the Easter Bunny could hold a press conference about the lost sex tapes of The Tooth Fairy and it would have more credibility than this rumor. In fact, calling it a rumor lends too much credence to the story. There may be a Robert Morgan, there certainly is a Windows 8, but there is no IA-128.

IA-64 was Intel's joint venture with HP to create a next generation 64 bit server processor. Finally released far behind schedule, the Itanium line has been beset with problems. Poor performance, a lagging upgrade path, and poor vendor uptake have all conspired to create what John Dvorak recently called, "one of the great fiascoes of the last 50 years""

So, while the editors at Ars are busy explaining to Emil Protalinski that there is no Santa Claus, it's probably the right moment to point out that you shouldn't believe everything you read on forums. Or, Slashdot. Or apparently Ars, for that matter.

Move along folks, nothing to see here.

Tags: IA-128, IA-64, John Dvorak, JohnDvorak, windows, windows 8, Windows8

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