Tools and Utilities I use

BgInfo

BgInfo writes up all the specs and configs of your computer and publishes it as your background on your desktop.  Why, you may ask.  Well if you have multiple computers, knowing the IP address and other core info at a glance really helps.  As I found out recently you can even use a bit of script to get things like the computers serial number out of the BIOS.  If you’re really good you could get this to run every time you boot your computer(s) so it is always up to date.

Get it here:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897557.aspx

ImgBurn

ImgBurn will write an image file (like an .iso) to a CD or DVD.  It’s a very lightweight and focused little program, so you don’t have to run AShampoo every time.  I think you can get it to build the .iso file from your choice of data files too, so it could be more powerful than what I’ve used it for.

Get it here:

http://www.imgburn.com/index.php?act=download

SIW

You want to know everything about your computer?  Sysinfo not good enough.  SIW – System Information for Windows – will tell all.  Even stuff you don’t want to know.

Get it here:

http://www.gtopala.com/siw-download.html

SysInternals

If you need hardcore computing tools, then look no further than SysInternals.  I’m not going to list them all.  SysInternals used to be a handful of little tools, but since they have been bought out by MS I see there are about 70!  You can do things like see hierarchy of processes, and bytes on disks, and defrag your pagefile, and kill processes, and.... scary stuff.  You need to know this exists, because one day you might need it.  Er, BgInfo is actually one of the SysInternals suite, but it’s special and the one I use regularly.

Get them here:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb842062.aspx

Taskbar Shuffle

Move your programs around on your taskbar with Taskbar Shuffle.  You want Outlook first, then your browser, then any explorer windows, then any documents.  But if you just open these programs, they will be on your taskbar in the order you opened them.  Open as you like, then reorder with Taskbar Shuffle.

Get it here:

http://download.cnet.com/Taskbar-Shuffle/3000-2072_4-10531265.html?tag=mncol;lst

WinDirStat

Windows Directory Statistics – find out exactly which folders are taking up space on your computer.   WinDirStat will tell you how much space each folder is taking up, and makes nice colourful blocks of every file / folder.

Get it here:

http://windirstat.info/  (about halfway down the page)

XP PowerToys

The PowerToys are little programs the Windows developers released after XP as little add-ins.  There are more than a few of them, and it probably warrants it own separate post.  I’m only going to tell you about a few of them though.  Synctoy : sync folders.  Useful for backups to your USB drive.  TweakUI : change some of the Windows UI features.  Image Resizer : right-click a jpg to resize it before emailing, for example.  Very quick and easy. 

Get them here:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/Downloads/powertoys/Xppowertoys.mspx