Recommended Free Software (for main page)

[SmokeyTheBalrog]

Oooh I might be using Hamachi. Nice find.

Updated AVG link: http://free.grisoft.com/doc/5390/us/frt/0

[Mista K6]

Oh, forgot to mention hamachi, awesome little program, I've been playing games in LAN mode over it for awhile. I dont fully trust it enough for file sharing, etc., but it's great for games .

[Kheldar]

ubuntu 7 - if you need a way to get files off a HD that has crashed so the OS won't load - use ubuntu - boot from CD, can read write ntfs & browse MS network - no configuration needed

[SmokeyTheBalrog]

For some reason Ubuntu 7.10 CD kept crashing after the first screen on my new comp, but Mandriva 2008 worked like a charm. Just a good backup if Ubuntu doesn't work for some strange reason.

I'm sure if I had a clue about Linux I could have fixed Ubuntu in a few seconds, but I don't.

EDIT: The reason Ubuntu might have crashed is because I needed to update my Motherboard drivers. Not sure yet.

[SmokeyTheBalrog]

Uh, anyone know a good defrager for Vista? I'm using the built in one for now, but it would be nice have more feed back beside whether it's running or not.

[BATTLEMATE]

I used Disk keeper Pro enterprise edition on Vista systems. It seems to work better then most others I tried with that OS.

[Yawgm0th]

Vista and the built-in defragger actually do more or less take away the need to defragment manually. I did go and do it manually a few times, but any time I've done it manually there has been negligible fragmentation.

[Mista K6]

Originally Posted by Yawgm0th

Vista and the built-in defragger actually do more or less take away the need to defragment manually. I did go and do it manually a few times, but any time I've done it manually there has been negligible fragmentation.

How can you tell? (seriously)

[Kheldar]

Originally Posted by Yawgm0th

Vista and the built-in defragger actually do more or less take away the need to defragment manually. I did go and do it manually a few times, but any time I've done it manually there has been negligible fragmentation.

I didn't know that vista was freeware?

vista gets better the longer you use it, strange for a windows OS but true. I didn't have TV tuner card drivers when i first installed it on one PC - they are there now, work and I did absolutly nothing except a reboot

other things get better too

[SmokeyTheBalrog]

The built in defragger is if you already have Vista (whether or not you paid for it... I did[yes it still hurts that I gave money to M$])

[johnerz]

Auslogics is a quicker defrag than the Vista standard, been using it for about a month and seems ok
http://www.download.com/Auslogics-Di...=dl&tag=button

[Zeradul]

Came looking for a classic favorite that we forgot on this list, I originally heard about it from (I think) D'art, and somehow we just forgot it.

Since we're all system builders, this is not a program you often need, but recently, while fixing (and upgrading) a super portable laptop, I realize it would be MUCH easier to use this program than to start opening the computer up.

Questions like: Does this computer have (2) 256 meg sticks, or one 512? What is the ram speed? Easily answered with this program:

Belarc Advisor: http://belarc.com/free_download.html

Still works great, and displays full results in a browser window, download only 1.6 MB.

[GoatBoy]

JkDefrag is a defrag utility that I have been using for a while. I like that it runs without any install on the computer, so you can load it on a USB stick and use it as a portable application.