PC CLEANING UTILITIES

CCleaner

http://www.ccleaner.com/

Cleans up the crap on your computer.. Be sure to use the "Issues" button on the left also.

Advanced WindowsCare

http://www.iobit.com/advancedwindowscareper.html?Str=download

Designed to clean your PC, along with some prevention tools.

A-Squared Free

http://www.emsisoft.com/en/software/download/

If you have spyware, this is the tool to use. Be sure to scroll down, on the web site, until you find “A-Squared Free”, then click the download button. (Be sure to update)

Malwarebytes

http://www.download.com/Malwarebytes-Anti-Malware/3000-8022_4-10804572.html?part=dl-10804572&subj=dl&tag=button

Another great tool to get rid of Spyware! (Be sure to update)

ComboFix

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/combofix/how-to-use-combofix

If you caught that dreaded new virus then you’ll definitely want to use this. Please follow all instructions and use with caution. You must download the ComboFix application to your “Desktop”, then run it once it has been saved to the “Desktop”. The ComboFix application download can be located under the Using ComboFix paragraph. Click on one of the blue links under the phrase: “Next you should download ComboFix from one of the following URLs”.

I still use Spybot S&D and Ad-Aware for spyware removal as well. They are great programs, just not as thorough as the ones above.

FREE OFFICE

http://openoffice.org

I played with it for about 5 mins, but it works with microsoft word and power point. I'm a fan!

TAKE ANY FILE & TURN IT INTO A PDF THROUGH PRINTER OPTION

http://www.cutepdf.com/products/cutepdf/Writer.asp

CLICK ON "Free Converter" on the left, download and install. Now CLICK ON “Free Download”, download and install. After both have been installed you can open any document, click "file, print" in the drop down menu for printers should be "CutePDF" unless you originally changed the name of it during install. Select "CutePDF", click "OK", enter the necessary info and click "Save". Tada.. A newly formed .PDF file!

MYSPACE EDITOR

http://www.download.com/MYLT-MySpace-Layout-Tool-/3000-2068_4-10510095.html?tag=lst-0-1

Pretty sweet program, allows you to edit your myspace and then all you do is copy the code in the right hand corner and paste it in your "About Me" portion of your profile.

POWER TOYS by Microsoft

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx

lots of great little added features for mswindowsXP (have to download each separately..)

check out:

- TaskSwitch, it is the ALT-TAB replacement which is exceptional! -- julian, you'll love this one!

- PowerCalc

- ImageResizer - Great little tool, allows you to highlight the pics, right click and resize as many pics at once!

SIDE BAR:

http://desktopsidebar.com/

Great little tool to keep you informed! Plus this one doesn't have any spyware!!!!

WIDGETS

http://widgets.yahoo.com

I like this one cause I organized my desktop into one little tool called "Shortcut Launcher" by colin henderson (you have to download it separately, you'll find it in the "widget gallery" in the search located on the left side under the "Categories"). Basically you have to move all of your folders and any other item you might want to place into this shortcut launcher into a separate folder some where on your hard drive. Then drag and drop each one into the Shortcut Launcher which then cleans up the desktop. In my settings I have "display text and icons." Yahoo widget has many other great little features too (most of them are too large for my use though)!

(don't need yahoo central)

ROYALE THEME PACK / ZUNE THEME PACK

http://www.microsoft.com/nz/windowsxp/downloads/nzbliss.mspx

http://www.download.com/Microsoft-Zune-Theme/3000-2319_4-10818187.html?cdlPid=10818186

"The Royale Theme pack for Windows XP can be downloaded here..." <-- click on the "here" link then unzip it, run the program, go to the desktop, right click, properties, "Appearance" tab, in the "Windows and Buttons" drop down select "Media Center Style."

PLAY ANY VIDEO OR FILE TYPE (VLC MEDIA PLAYER)

http://www.videolan.org/vlc/

(just scroll down and click on your operating system, then click on the one with the appropriate flag next to it.)

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