free software links
- avast!: Home version of the anti-virus program that is free for personal use. Make sure to register it on-line.
- AVG Free: Free anti-virus.
- Avira AntiVir: Anti-virus program with a really high detection rating.
- ClamWin: Windows version of the UNIX-based Clam AntiVirus. Licensed under the GPL. Free for both home users and businesses.
- ComboFix: Malware removal tool.
- Emsisoft Emergency Kit
- GMER: Detects and removes rootkits
- HijackThis: Helpful tool for finding problematic things in Windows. Make a log file and send it off to a knowledgable person to help you get rid of the grabage.
- Malwarebytes.org: Detect malware and remove it.
- Microsoft Security Essentials: Microsoft's anti-virus program
- MVPS HOSTS: Restrict access to known bad DNS addresses.
- Sophos Anti-Rootkit: Helps you find rootkits that can allow someone to take over your computer without your knowledge.
- SpyBot Search & Destroy: Spyware scan & remove tool
- SpywareBlaster: Passive spyware blocking program that works well with Microsoft Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox.
- SuperAntiSpyware: Spyware scanner that finds the hard to detect stuff.
- TDSSKiller: Rootkit scanner from Kaspersky.
- Windows Defender Offline: Create a bootable CD or USB drive for malware removal. Similar to Microsoft Security Essentials.
- Windows Repair by Tweaking.com: Automates fixing problems left behind after malware removal.
- Dungeons and Dragons Online: The classic paper and dice role-playing game working off the same formula as World of Warcraft. Go adventuring with others on-line.
- Endless Sky: 2D space trading and combat.
- FlightGear: Open source flight simulator.
- FreeCiv: Open source version of the turn-based strategy game Civilization.
- Oolite: Open-world space-flight simulator.
- Rigs of Rods: Soft-body physics vehicle simulator.
- Simutrans: Build a transportation company.
- Speed Dreams: Open source motorsport simulator.
- Unknown Horizons: Realtime city-building strategy.
- Arora: Webkit-based Web browser.
- Brave: Brave Web browser.
- Deluge: Lightweight cross-platform BitTorrent client.
- Falkon: Lightweight Web browser formerly known as Qupzilla.
- FileZilla: FTP client
- GNU IceCat: Web browser. Free/libre version of Firefox
- GRC's DNS benchmark utility: Test DNS server speeds.
- HTTrack: Allows you to copy a Web site to your computer for offline viewing.
- Jitsi Meet: Free, open-source, secure online video conferencing.
- K-Meleon: Light-weight open-source Web browser based on the Gecko engine.
- Midori: Open-source Webkit-based Web browser.
- MailStore: Backup or archive your e-mails.
- Miranda: Instant messenger for multiple protocols.
- Mozilla.com: Download the Firefox Web browser.
- namebench: A benchmarking utility for tracking down the fast DNS servers near you.
- NetWorx: Bandwidth monitoring and usage reporting tool.
- Opera.com: Web browser that also integrates e-mail and RSS feeds.
- Pale Moon: Fork of Firefox.
- Pidgin: Instant messaging client.
- Privoxy: A proxy/filtration program
- qBittorrent: Free Bittorrent client
- SeaMonkey: Internet application suite for those that miss Netscape.
- SRWare Iron: A Web browser built from the Chromium source. Like Google Chrome, but without privacy issues.
- Thundrebird: E-mail client created by Mozilla.
- Vivaldi: Vivaldi Web browser.
- Wireshark: If you really want to know what goes on behind the scenes in networking.
- youtube-dl: Command-line tool to download videos from Youtube and other sites.
- youtube-dl-gui: A graphical front-end to youtube-dl for those not familiar with the command line.
- alternativeTo: Find alternative programs to ones you already use.
- DesktopOK: Tiny program that remembers the location of desktop icons.
- Dropbox: Share your files between Windows, Mac, and Linux machines over the Internet. Useful for people with multiple computers or colaborating on a project.
- FreewareFiles.com: Free software repository.
- I want a Freeware Utility To ...: Free programs for whatever you may want to do.
- NirSoft: Various utility programs including password recovery tools.
- OldVersion.com: A place to visit when you're looking for that older version of a program that worked, but the new version does not.
- PortableApps.com: Programs that can run off a USB flash drive without the problem of installing it first.
- Prey: Keep track of your laptop or phone in case it gets stolen.
- Quad-Lock Unit Converter: When you realize that the metric system is better.
- Rainlendar: Robust cross-platform calendar program.
- SourceForge.net: Software projects galore!
- SyncToy: A Microsoft tool for synchronizing file between locations.
- Audacity: Sound recorder and editor.
- Blender: 3D content creation suite. For those that want to directly compete with Pixar's movies.
- CamStudio: Record screen activity and audio from your computer. Good for creating demonstration videos.
- CCCP: Combined Community Codec Pack
- Clementine: Music player and manager like iTunes.
- CDBurnerXP Pro: Free CD burning program as powerful as the big names. Requires .NET Framework download from Microsoft.
- digiKam: Photo management software similar to Picasa.
- DVD Flick: Take video files and turn them into a DVD you can watch on your DVD player.
- FastStone Image Viewer: Image viewer, converter, editor.
- GIMP: GNU Image Manipulation Program - it's as powerful as Adobe Photoshop without the hefty price tag!
- HandBrake: Rip unencrypted DVDs to your computer.
- ImgBurn: Lightweight disc image burning.
- InfraRecorder: A CD/DVD burning program.
- Inkscape: Graphics editor similar to Adobe Illustrator or CorelDraw.
- IrfanView: Image viewer to help you sort through all your pictures.
- K-Lite Codec Pack
- Media Player Classic Home Cinema: Picks up where the Media Player Classic program left off.
- Media Player Classic: Play video and DVDs in a lightweight player that looks like the old Windows Media Player.
- MusicBee: Music manager and player similar to iTunes.
- musikCube: If you feel iTunes is becoming to hefty for your system, try something lighter.
- Paint.NET: Image and photo manipulation program. Requires .NET Framework from Microsoft.
- Photoscape: Photo editing.
- VisiPics: Duplicate photo finder.
- VLC: Play DVDs and other multimedia files.
- Winamp: Play audio files, stream live music, etc.
- XnView: An image viewer.
- YamiPod: An iPod manager for those that don't like or have trouble with iTunes.
- AbiWord: A free word processor like Microsoft Word.
- Adobe: Home of the Flash player and Adobe Reader.
- Foxit Reader: PDF reader.
- GnuCash: Personal and small-business financial-accounting software.
- LibreOffice: Full-fledged office suite allows you to create and work with Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, and Powerpoint presentations.
- OpenOffice: Full-fledged office suite allows you to create and work with Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, and Powerpoint presentations.
- PDF-XChange Viewer
- Scribus: Desktop publishing.
- Sumatra PDF: A lightweight open-source PDF viewer.
- Advanced IP Scanner: Scan your network to discover attached devices.
- Auslogics Registry Defrag: Defrag the Windows registry.
- Bitwarden: Password management tool. Cross-platform, mobile apps, Web-browser integration.
- BootVis: A tool to decrease boot and resume times in Windows XP.
- Cobian Backup: You'll need to back up your data. Do it on a regular basis.
- CGSecurity.org: Home of TestDisk, PhotoRec, and other free recovery tools.
- CPU-Z: Simple tool that gathers technical info about your CPU, motherboard, and memory.
- Darik's Boot and Nuke: If you're going to get rid of a computer make sure to wipe the hard drive first.
- dupeGuru: Duplicate file finder. Versions available aimed at music and photos as well.
- Duplicate Cleaner: Find duplicate files on your system.
- EASEUS Todo Backup: Make backups of your hard drives.
- Eraser: Secure file eraser released under the GNU GPL.
- GSmartControl: Check the SMART data for your hard drives for signs of failure.
- HostsMan: Tool to easily manipulate your HOSTS file.
- IObit SmartDefrag: A free disk defragmentation tool.
- Java.com: Download the Java Runtime Environment.
- KeePass: Open-source password management tool. Put all your passwords in one secure database and carry it on a USB flash drive.
- Launchy: Start typing in something you want to run and it guesses for you.
- Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer
- OpenWith.org: Download a small tool that tells you which program will open an unknown type of file.
- PatchMyPC: Check for updates to your programs or install new ones without interaction.
- PC Inspector File Recovery: A file recovery program for FAT and NTFS file systems.
- PhotoRec: Recover photos from memory cards.
- Piriform.com: Home to CCleaner and Defraggler.
- Revo Uninstaller: Allows you to go that extra mile of removal when uninstalling a program.
- Rufus: Create bootable USB drives.
- 7-Zip: A file compression program you can use to open .ZIP, .RAR, and other compressed file types.
- Space Sniffer: Find out what is using up space on your hard drive.
- SpeedFan: Monitor your computer's temperature, fan speed, and more.
- SUMo: Software Update Monitor allows you to easily check if your installed programs are up to date.
- Sysinternals: A group of tools for Windows for doing high-end maintenance.
- TestDisk: Recover lost partitons and data from hard drives.
- TrID: Tool to identify file types from their binary signature. Useful when a file is missing its extension and Windows doesn't know what to open it with.
- TrueCrypt
- VeraCrypt
- WinDirStat: Visually represents your hard drive to find out what files are eating up space. Useful when you're short on hard drive space and need to make room.
- NetSpot: Wi-Fi analyzer
- NetStumbler: Allows you to scan for wireless networks and their relevant information. Plug in a GPS unit to your PC to map their locations.
- Vistumbler: Wireless scanning tool with GPS support.