Stand-Alone Software Every 7 System Should Have Available

I thought I would make my first post a bit different from the usual "Hi it's me" type, I'll save that for the second!! So, here goes!!

This is a condensed list of the stand-alone software/utilities I have available on my Windows 7 set up. I used all of them on my 32bit WinXP but they run O.K on my 64 bit Windows 7 (always check to see if there is or isn't a 64bit version available first though, that is, if you're running 64bit). Please don't think I'm trying to teach your granny to suck eggs if you know of them all, they may be new to somebody!!

How I ever lived without any of them is beyond me..... The Best Part? They're all FREE!!

ResHacker (3.5.2) by Angus Johnson, is, has and always will be a cracking (no pun!!) little program for editing system files. It's not included below because it's not in essence,"stand-alone", but it is essential if you're into "Tweaking" your system.
(Angus Johnson has only updated it to 64bit because he needed to work on a 64bit PC (Selfish Bugger!!). Personally I think Angus should have a "PayPal" donate link. If every WinXP user who has benefited from using his program had donated 10 pence/cents/ shillings /pounds/dollars/ euros/wives (neighbours wives)/mothers/daughters he'd be a millionaire!! He could then desist from attempting to have a life of his own and devote himself to us, the mere plebs.

SysInternals stuff is not mentioned below either because I think everyone should know about them anyway!! A minimum of Process Explorer and AutoRuns are essential, I think.

1. Ever Wondered What That Colour Was? Check it out with Anry Color Picker.
A fantastic utility for searching out the code for a nice colour you spot on the T'Interweb. You can save the colours info via keyboard short-cuts. The only downside is when you close the program you lose the colour codes you have saved, so make a note before you do. An essential, I think, if you run any sort of art based software, a.k.a. Photoshop.
BTW, written in HTML #00718b colour code, if you're interested!!

2. What The F*k Do I Do With This UIF File? Well, UIF files are encoded ISO files. For UIF read MagicISO. The U stands for Universal, which it hardly is. The trial version limits the file size you can open, the "universal" bit takes effect when you cough up your hard earned spondoolics. Fortunately we have UIF2ISO (second one down on the page) thanks to Luigi Auriemma. Check his page full of useful stuff through the UIF2ISO link.

3. Want To See If There's Any Nice Icons In An Executable File(exe)? Then you need Batch Icon Extractor from Real World. Just drag and drop your exe/dll (etc.) file onto the Batch Icon Extractor icon and that's it (it runs a command script window, so don't panic the first time you use it!!). Inside the folder you've stored the Batch Icon Extractor.exe file will be a newly created folder called Icons (Ironically! The wit of these developers, eh??) containing all the icons you were looking for.

4. Into Modifying Your System Files Icons? Sometimes the system rejects the file you have modified due to incompatibility. Uh, Oh, Crash Time (takes a break to do Hammer time dance routine (can't touch this!!)). It could be as simple as the difference in the file properties "Last Modified" date**. Bulk File Changer lets you, amongst other things, reset the "Last Modified" date that Windows is (possibly) looking for. That makes for one less variable to worry about.
**It's usually down to un-matched checksum values (??) to be honest, but until Si Components make Resource Editor 64bit compatible, I'm stuffed. Unless, as they say, you know better.

5. Want To Change A Default File Type Icon? Well File Types Manager does the job. Lists all file "types" on your system plus "others". Double-click the file type you are interested in and you get some changeable "options" as well as the icon.

6. You Ever Been Accused Of SHOUTING On the T'Interweb? Because you've hit the CAPSLOCK WITHOUT NOTICING? HandiCapsLock stops that without disabling CapsLock. It makes you have to tap CapsLock twice to enable its function. Drop a short-cut to it in your "C:\Users\All Users\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Start Up" folder and never be accused of SHOUTING again. St. Vitas Dance sufferer? Sorry m8. You're on your own !!

7. Ready To Do A Re-Install? Installed Program Printer will knock out a list of installed software programs in seconds. Save as a .txt file. Remind your addled memory of what you did have installed but errrm,. Sorry, can't remember.

8. Stubborn File Won't Delete (In Use)? KillBox Sets up a "Kill at Re-Boot" option. 'Nuff said.

9. NirCmd Lets you create, amongst others, short-cuts to whatever. BE LAZY!! Shut the DVD drawer without moving anything except the mouse!! "NirCmd is a command line function utility". This is, for once, when you really should read the "Help" files if you are new to using command line functions!! There isn't a "user friendly" options/interface list as such. You make your own.

10. JavaRa clears up behind JRE runtime installs. Removes old "un-safe" JRE files/registry entries. You don't need the Java SRE Update Manager. Any site you visit that uses JRE will tell you if JRE is O.O.D.(But you all know about this one, don't you).

11. RegShot Takes a registry (and optional system folders) snapshot "before" and "after". As in, before and after a program install to see what has changed. Handy when you don't want to use the "Big Gun" monitoring programs. Typically does a before scan of (my) registry in under 4 seconds.

12. Xperos' Reg File Merger. Not quite as it sounds if you've never seen it. If you've ever changed, say, a system folder registry entry and saved every registry change ready for your next install, you could have six or more .reg files to click on to "merge" them in the registry unless you cut 'n' paste, cut 'n' paste, cut 'n' paste.... to make one .reg file. This little beauty merges the (insert number here) .reg files into one .reg file. Two mouse clicks to install the .reg file instead of twelve or more? Sounds good to me, think green. SAVE ENERGY. Check out his other stuff while there. I personally use eXPander as well.
If the link is down, which it can be, do a web search for Xperos', you'll get pointed to other forums (msfn is one) where you may have to register to download, that's why I've linked to the page I have.

13. The Context Menu (Right-Click) Seems to be everybody and his dogs favourite first port of call when you install new software. ShellExView and ShellMenuView from Nirsoft (AGAIN!!) give you some control back.
As an example, I use MediaMonkey as my chosen weapon of audio media play back (WMP long dumped, B.O.S that it is). Now MediaMonkey lets you choose file associations so when you r-click on an associated file you get the MediaMonkey options there. However, MediaMonkey also likes to give you context menu options to play, play next, play last on folders. Doesn't matter how many times you delete the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\MediaMonkey.1Play / 2PlayNext / .3Enqueue registry entries, the next time you start MediaMonkey they get re-installed to the folders context menu. ShellExView is the only one that kills it for me. This, I add is my only downer with MediaMonkey.

The Complete list of stand-alone folder names (program name may/will vary) I have in my Windows 7 64 bit set up.

Alpha Icon Converter (more for XP, but I won't throw it away!!)
Anry Colour Picker
ATF Cleaner
Autorun.inf File Editor 1.0
AutoRuns 9.57
Bat 2 Exe Converter (Basically makes a short-cut to run a .bat file without having to open a command prompt window)
Batch Icon Extractor
Bulk File Changer
Cookies Manager E
CUE Tools
GUID Generator (Make your own CLSID number)
Driver Signature Enforced OverRide (Testing Un-signed driver Software)
File Types Manager
Font Renamer 2.1.6
HandiCapsLock
Hijack This (Security. NOT compatible with x64, but I still use it for a looksee)
Installed Program Printer v1.50
Instant Restore Point
JavaRa 1.15
Kill Box
Known Folders Browser
New Folder Wizard 2.0 (creates new named folders, including sub folders, from a txt list of names)
NirCmd
PDF Unlocker 2.0
Process Explorer
RegASSASSIN
Regshot x64
ResHacker 3.5.2
Shell Menu View x64
Ext. Menu View x64
Smart PDF Converter Pro
Theme Editor 7.00
Transparent PNG
Turbo Boost Services Manager
Xperos' Stuff
UIF To ISO
GBI to ISO

Well that's the end of my first post.
Away to dip me fingers in TCP.

Elmer BeFuddled

Hi elmer, welcome to the forums. There are a couple here I may find useful.

You might check our suggestions out and I think our moderator might move your post over there, what do you think Clifford?
Favorite Utilities?

Interesting thread... very concise and detailed.

Yikes, I missed this one.

Sorry TM, It has been nearly a year and I am just now seeing your question.

Looking at the list are there any of the apps that still need to be added to the Free Software Database?

Yikes!! Did I type all that??

yea well wriiten

That's an impressive list of apps there, Elmer.

I've bookmarked this page for future reference. At some point, I may need a few of them.

Cat