An troy ounce of prevention is worth , what , a influence rendering of your operating system ? A few hours of a Windows reinstallation ? All of your organisation ’s data ? When it occur to divvy up with issues with your microcomputer , apps that help you prevent problems before they occur are deserving their file size of it in gold .
A clean , efficient , and smoothly running PC only make your lifetime that much easy as a drug user : Your data is organise and accessible ; your operating system is free of errors and other third - party problem ; your system , well , works – and it ferment nearly as well as it did the first twenty-four hours you set up the OS .
In short , apps that help protect your organization from yourself , from the outside populace , and from its dour push button toward chaos are vital part of the PC user experience , period . As it just so happens , we ’ve come up with a list of the 21 best programs that can help preclude ( or mitigate ) PC carrying out problems before they make your life miserable .
“ But wait , ” you ask . “ Do I really need all 21 ? ” No . handle this clause like a spiciness stand : look on how strong of a mix you think you need for your individual computing setup , you might benefit from all , some , or a scant few of the apps we ’ll be suggest .
The Reinstallation Blues
Clonezilla
Let ’s start from the beginning . Something ’s gone cataclysmically improper with your Windows operating system and your only option is to either restore it back to its original options – potentially wipe your data point , your record of programme instalment , or just generally fix your hard cause ’s contents helter-skelter – or pass over your drive and reinstall Windows from scratch . Use Clonezilla to clone your basal surd cause ’s substance to a separate drive before you undertake this process , and you ’ll then be able-bodied to copy your decisive files back once your reinstallation is stark .
scheme Information for Windows
If your current Windows issues are n’t catastrophic , but you still need to start up the time - consuming summons of reinstall the operating system from scratch , be sure to make sizable use of the freeware app System Information for Windows .
The beauty of this app lie in its ability to tell you precisely which programs are installed on your system ( which can be copy and pasted to make a printable list ) , as well as which keys you ’ve used for various apps .
Semper Driver Backup
Laptop users , take note : If you ’re apprehensive that a Windows reinstallation might somehow leave you hanging without critical drivers that your laptop need to function ( perhaps your laptop computer is super - sure-enough ! ) , then get some peace - of - judgement via Semper Driver Backup . This app does just what its name implies : It copies all of your system ’s drivers to a unmarried folder for keeping , which you may then use to rejuvenate your organisation hardware to a workable state post - Windows reinstallation !
WinToFlash
get ’s face it : standard candle and videodisc are go the room of the Raphus cucullatus . They ’re super prone to annoying scratches that can render them unserviceable , they ’re slow to practice , they have a skilful leaning to be misplaced and squashed around the oecumenical messiness of your desk – the listing croak on . WinToFlash saves the mean solar day by transfer the contents of your Windows installation disc to a flash drive , which the program then make bootable . cater your motherboard supports flash - free-base booting , hello speedy Windows installations !
Ninite / Allmyapps
While we ’re big fans of Ninite – the tool that allows you to customize and automate an installing software system for a ton of must - have package apps on a brand - new PC – there ’s always something to be articulate for new blood .
So that ’s why we ’re also include Allmyapps as a Web tool that you should decidedly keep your heart on . These two platform let you quickly and easily aggregate - instal all variety of apps onto your organisation , saving you multitudinous hours ( and mouse - click ) in the cognitive operation !
A Spotlight on Ninite
Since we just recommended that you see out Ninite to aggregated - install apps on your system , let ’s take a deeper facial expression at the must - have freeware programs that will aid keep your PC run perfectly .
Google Chrome
It goes without saying , but Google ’s abilityto sandbox web internet browser activityfrom the rest of your operating system goes a long manner toward hold on certain kinds of malware from change state your desktop into a pile . But there ’s also Chrome ’s built - in “ Safe Browsing ” lineament that allow you to avoid Website traps before you even load a single line of code . The list goes on !
Microsoft Security Essentials
Stop us if you ’ve listen this one before . Microsoft Security Essentialsis an excellent freeware antivirus software for three major reasons : It ’s consistent in its ability to observe and rid of threats , it ’s a lightweight and often - updated app that offers herculean auspices without eating up key system resources , and it ’s one of the few freeware antivirus apps that delivers veridical - time scanning for any Indian file that touches your system .
Malwarebytes ’ Anti - Malware
allow ’s present it ; we all sometimes download something we should n’t ( by stroke , of course of study ) . And when we find our systems infected with an vexing toolbar or kill - up chemical mechanism , the first pecker that we should practice to eradicate such bunk from our system of rules isMalwarebytes ‘ Anti - Malware . Simply put , weekly scan with this app will keep your PC ( mostly ) problem - loose !
Auslogics Disk Defrag
Spare your tomatoes : We make that disk defragmentation is n’t for everyone , particularly you fancy Maximum PC reader with your SSD reposition array ( or SRT - based storage apparatus ) . But if you ’re looking for a tool that offer a flake more power than the received Windows 7 disk defragmentation service program , Auslogics ’ Disk Defrag is your tag . We especially enjoy its motorcar - defragmentation mode – scheduled defragmentation can be so easily forgotten !
Revo Uninstaller
This one ’s the big one . We ca n’t count how many sentence removal utilities for the apps that we download do n’t always do the best of jobs at deleting files , folders , and the register entry colligate with programs that you just do n’t want any longer .
The freeware version of Revo Uninstaller purge your organization to move out every last trace of an app that you ’re quetch to the curb . For the PC sportsmanlike - freak , Revo Uninstaller is a elephantine nursing bottle of digital blanching agent .
Fervent File Management
CrashPlan
Simple , easy , efficient - we fink , part of the appeal of this freeware backup program is that its makers , Code 42 , just seem to get backups . This is n’t an app that ’s going to spend 8 60 minutes copy every single filing cabinet on partition cytosine : to zone vitamin D : . Oh no .
CrashPlan , by default , only cares about the decisive files in your Home / User folder . It ’s an excellent recommendation blend into a no - fuss political platform for users that just desire a dim-witted means of gettingimportant filesfrom one hard drive to another .
Syncback Freeware
Of course , if you want a little more oomph to your patronage than a unsubdivided “ folder goes here ” kind of a result , Syncback bring a picayune more advanced functionality to conduct on your backup practices . And , yes , as the name implies , Syncback can do more than just copy pamphlet , filter files , and agenda backups – it can also mechanically match the subject matter of two folders to one another ( the “ synchronize ” bit ) . This app is so slick , it almost get us want to spring for the paid - for version !
Belvedere
https://lifehacker.com/belvedere-automates-your-self-cleaning-pc-341950
Good ol’ Belvedere – yes , this app really is like having a practical butler for your screen background system . It ’s a wide-eyed tool that allow you to reconfigure and resort folder subject matter based on rules you specify . For example , you’re able to sort all files in a folder match a particular extension that are more than , say , 7 days old into a Modern folder call “ archive . ” Or if you ’re hard-core , you’re able to have this app cancel these sure-enough file ( or any kinds of filing cabinet you specify ) with but one click of a button !
Advanced Renamer
An organized PC is a loyal PC – not in benchmark , perhaps , but “ fast ” in the sense that you wo n’t have to spend 20 transactions of your life navigate through leaflet to feel the particular file you ’re looking for .
Advanced Renamer is a super - powerful freeware app that not only helps you rename files in a mixture of rules - based ways , but it can also move or copy these file into a new booklet power structure mechanically . Now that ’s organize !
disc Space Fan / SpaceSniffer
It ’s rugged to start machinate your file if you do n’t even know what ’s taking up so much tinker’s damn way on your hard drive . disc Space Fan is the dim-witted , pretty fashion to see a generic overview of just how your hard parkway ’s space is being corrode up .
But if you require to dig a slew deep into your drive analysis , then you ’re going to desire to pluck up the freeware app SpaceSniffer - what it lacks in feel , it makes up for with filter - drive scans combined with drill - down analysis and printable reportage .
Junk Removal
Ccleaner
Want to give your system the digital equivalent of a automobile wash in only two clicks of a mouse button?Ccleanerscours your hard effort for junk – impermanent files , vane cache , cookie , the contents of you recycle bin , and other unnecessary skank – before removing it all in one big batch outgrowth . All you have to do is prize the kinds of file you ’d wish to get disembarrass of ( we urge : all ) , let the app appraise your thrust to see how much space you might save , and pull the practical trigger . Cleaning house is that light !
DrivePurge
For a bit more oomph to your organisation cleaning , checker out DrivePurge . This freeware app almost extend too many pick for initiate user to comprehend . Just how many , you expect ? DrivePurge abrade your system for more than 750 different kinds of data file and , depending on what you ’ve take for remotion , automatically wipe these fuddle - causing bits off your arrangement for good . gratefully , you could have the app ignore certain form of files – including organization folders and files – if you ’re afraid that you might be removing too much !
SlimComputer
Congrats , new personal computer proprietor ! If you ’re lucky , you ’ve purchase your system from a vendor who deal about your well - being and has n’t loaded your transcript of Windows with all sorts of detritus package , test version of apps , time - limited promotional material , toolbars , advertising offers , and other such nonsense .
And if you ’re not so lucky , there ’s SlimComputer – a freeware app that ’s designed to quickly and efficiently restore your scheme to as close to a default Windows installation as is potential .
Driver Sweeper
Depending on the specific hardware manufacturing business of your system ’s devices , the physical process of installing raw , updated drivers for your role might be seamless and muddle - free . If you ’re unlucky , however , it could tote up just add one more batch of files on top of an increase pile of older drivers that pose on your scheme , bait you to ostracize them into digital nothingness . Driver Sweeper , a freeware app , helps you get rid of these legacy driver that you just do n’t need anymore . Begone !
Soluto
occur to remark that Windows is taking forever to reboot nowadays ? Annoying “ load at inauguration ” apps could be the grounds for the retardation , and Soluto is an excellent fashion to go about influence how these platform play a function in preventing your computing machine from quickly loading .
And once you ’ve reckon out the issues , you may use this programme to straight disable apps that you do n’t really need execute the 2nd Windows loads .
An Ounce of Prevention…
VirtualBox
Finally , we amount to the biggie . If you have the system resources and backbreaking drive space to run another engage arrangement inside of you main atomic number 8 , then do so : It ’s a great way to tighten apps , utilities , and other political platform you ’re just “ testing out ” to a spot that ’s far prosperous to maintain , purge , and fix than your master operating scheme . And VirtualBox is the freeware virtual machine that makes this advanced computing all possible – like , say , trying out a developer preview ofWindows 8 !
HWMonitor
Twenty - one different apps and we have yet to say anything openhanded about the your system ’s actual hardware . Sure , keeping your software refreshed , uncluttered , and happy is an important , prophylactic aspect of computing . But equally important is make indisputable that you have all the warnings you need if your system ’s internals are about to go supernova .
We ’ve always been lover of HWMonitor for that , as it provides you with an easy - to - decipher look at your CPU and GPU temperature and lover speeds .
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