List of the best windows freeware

The List of the Best Windows Freeware

by Chris West

I have used more than 20,000 different programs from Linux and Windows. I self-proclaim myself a "program master". During my 20+ years of computer repair and web design work, I have had times where I needed a program to do a job that Windows could not do on its own. I tried many shareware programs and other gimmick programs, but the safest bet is to stick with freeware in my experience. They are more likely to do what you want without having to pay or suffer eternal adverts in your "sparkly new toolbar".

Here is what this guide is:

• List of the best freeware for Windows
• List of alternative software for Windows
• Opinion - My opinion of each of these programs, the good and the bad
• None of the programs I include are bad, only 8/10 stars or more.

If you are interested in having a freeware, trustworthy program added to our list, send me an email to submit@etcwiki.org or use the contact form on my website www.chriswest.us/contact.php I respond quick ;)

File Tools

These are tools to manipulate files, search for files, find out what files are using your space etc.

File Copy

• Microsoft Rich Tools - RichCopy
  • Sync files using multiple threads and with many other options (like compare files before copy)
• FreeFileSync
  • Sync files in different ways in multiple locations. Very fast, open source.

Various File Tools

• Junction Link Magic
  • Create soft links on Windows!!!! trustworthy level 10

Hard Drive Space Usage

• WinDirStat
  • Open source, trustworthy level 10. Scans all folders on your computer, shows whats using the space and makes a pretty picture you can click through to see visually how your drive is organized.

Cloud Storage

• Dropbox
  • A tiny bit trustworthy, but dont put your password list on here
• Google Drive
  • In my eyes, these documents might as well be public, so encrypt them or dont put your sensitive material here

File Compression

• 7-zip
  • I doubt I will replace this one for a long long time.

ISO Mounting

• MagicDisc (more than just ISO mounts!)
  • I use this now instead of Daemon Tools which seemed to become untrustworthy and deceitful to their users. MagicDisc is free and is 1.3MB (not much room for anything but the program!)

Hard Drive Tools

Tools to manage hard drives

Drive Image

• Drive Image XML
  • Useful in backing up a freshly installed OS

Defrag

• Auslogics Disk Defrag
  • Works so much better than Windows defrag-- also has an "optimize" option to prevent future fragmentation somewhat

Internet

Web Browser

• Iceweasel
  • Firefox has run themselves into the ground trying to be Google. Iceweasel is a remastered Firefox 3.5 before they tried to be Chrome.
• Google Chrome
  • The fastest browser I use. Im not to keen on the privacy policy but its a good browser.

File Downloading

• FDM
  • Free Download Manager is best for large http downloads with or without resume. Almost useless on small downloads though. Trustworthy level 8.
• uTorrent 2.0.4 (NOTICE THE VERSION)
  • Made to be a lightweight torrent download/upload program with support for magnet links, protocol encryption and NO ADS!!! Trustworthy level 9.
• uTorrent 3+ (NOTICE THE VERSION, VERY DIFFERENT)
  • Build off uTorrent 2, they just added a bunch of unneeded tools, adverts, complexity, it became a nightmare. Use uTorrent 2.0.4 until they fix version 3. Trustworthy level 1.

Remote Desktop

• RealVNC Server
  • I use the private version, but they have a free version too. Better than RDP (built in windows), safer, faster, less clutter. Must setup port forwarding to use globally. Trustworthy 10.
• RealVNC Client
  • Standalone client works great, as well as the NO-INSTALL java applet that you can connect to in ur browser!
• Synergy
  • I have 2 different computers side by side. Synergy lets me use the main computers mouse and keyboard, and just drag them across screens to the computer next to me seamlessly
• TeamViewer
  • Like remote desktop, but can bypass firewalls. It uses a third party (teamviewer.com) to do this. Very easy to use, not sure how trustworthy.

Network Tools

• Peerblock
  • Lets you load lists of IP addresses for your computer to block anytime Peerblock is on. Can block ads, education, hackers, etc
• NMap
  • Network scanner and security test. Make sure your ports arent open!
• Angry IP Scanner
  • Test to see whether specific hosts, or IP ranges are available

Communication

• Pidgin
  • Wow. Connects to all my IM providers, has plugins available that do almost anything. Provides OTR encryption.
• OTR Messaging
  • Off-the-Record messaging encrypts communication between ANY 2 instant messenger clients, end to end encryption. Talk about whatever you want. (requires pidgin or other)
• Ventrilo
  • I know people love Skype but I cannot include it in this list, its not trustworthy enough. Ventrilo is a chat room where you can talk. Freeware, requires a host for the room.

Documents and Notepads

Notepads

• Notepad++
  • Hands down this is what you want if you need a power-notepad. Highly trustworthy, no ads.

Documents

• LibreOffice (OpenOffice)
  • Full featured, sometimes clunky clone of Microsoft Office.
• AbiWord
  • More than Wordpad, less than Word. Freeware and trustworthy level 10.

MultiMedia

PDF Readers

• Foxit PDF Reader
  • A little shady on installing toolbars so watch out!

Image Viewers

• IrfanView
  • So simple, so loaded with features, so trustworthy, its what Windows Image Viewer should be.
• XnView

Movie Players

• K-Lite Codec Pack with Media Player Classic
  • Ive been using this for 10 years now. Simply the best codecs and player available. Media Player Classic is trustworthy level 10.
• VLC
  • Another good video/audio player that is trustworthy

Music Players (MP3)

• Winamp
  • Not too trustworthy, the install tries to load a bunch of junk and spy on you, but if you make it past there, Winamp is excellent.
• VLC
  • Not my first choice but much more trustworthy than Winamp

CD Burning

• CDBurnerXP
  • Free, fast, full featured. I love this program.

Other

• MP3tag
  • MP3 tag editor, no ads, easy to use and reliable in file outputs.

Administration

Computer Cleaning

• CCleaner
  • Cleans out a bunch of temporary and useless files, scans the registry, check startup items, change right click menu, very trustworthy

CPU Monitoring

• RealTemp
  • Puts your CPU (and if compatible your GPU) temp in your system tray. Lightweight and very informative.

VMs and Virtualization

• Oracle Virtualbox
  • My preference on any desktop PC that needs to run another OS inside it. Simple, but not intended to run VM servers 24/7. A great tool still.

Virus Spyware Malware Tools

Anti-Virus Freeware

• Avast! AntiVirus
  • This is what I use when there is a virus on any computer. I run a "boot time scan" which is more effective than a "full scan"
• AVG AntiVirus
  • If Avast! does not pick up a virus, AVG might. Its my second choice in AV software.

Spyware/Malware Freeware

• Spybot Search and Destroy (written about version 1.6.2)
  • Simple, Trustworthy, Catches a lot of stuff (not all!). Do not install tea-timer or IE helper, they have problems often
• Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
  • Good program, removes some nasty spyware, asks you to buy the full version a lot

Other Virus Freeware

• VTUploader
  • VirusTotals will let you right click any file, send to their website, and it will scan it with 40+ antivirus programs and give you results. Trustworthy level 10. Simple as pie to use.
• HijackThis
  • If you are a computer god, you already know about this. If you are not a god, this is a great tool to break ur PC. 10 stars, trustworthy level 10
• Norton Removal Tool
  • The best product made by Norton. Wish it came with their programs to remove!

Linux Freeware for Windows

ISO to USB bootable Linux

• UnetBootin
  • Choose any linux distro that is compatible and the program will download it, install it to USB disk and be done!

Hard Drive Tools

• Ext2Fsd
  • Mount, Read from, Write to ext partitions and files native from Windows. Essential for cross-platformers

Command Line Tools

• GOW
  • A basic set of Linux Command line tools for Windows. From ls, cp, to ssh, mkfs, sleep, about 80 tools when I wrote this
• cygwin
  • A huge set of Linux Command line tools for Windows. For people that wish Windows 7 was built on Linux. Hundreds of packages to choose from
• Putty
  • One of my favorites of all time. Can connect to SSH sessions, has lots of customizations, can create ssh tunnels, trustworthy level 10. I love this program!