PC Configuration Utilities

Last updated 9-May-2008

A Really Small App 2.0    1.3Mb   (11-August-2006)
A fun and free Really Small App showing Running Tasks, Current Startups, CPU and Memory utilization graphs, and the number of connections to your PC from remote computers (e.g. Trojan viruses, Spyware).

AMD's CPU Detection Utility    70K   (20-May-2001)
A handy little freeby from AMD which tells you what your CPU is and what facilities it supports.  If all you want to know is what CPU you are running, and what it supports, then this is for you.  For a more extensive inventory of your PC, however, download The Ultimate Troubleshooter.

Directory Compare 2.1    1.3Mb   (3-February-2007)
Another gem from Glenn Alcott who brought you the indispensable Directory Printer.  All Systems Consultants, Software Developers, and IT specialists should have this tool alongside Directory Printer.  In a nutshell this program allows you to compare two folders and pick out the differences (files missing from one folder, or files with the same name but with a different date, size, or time).  You can then synchronize the two directories, in either direction, rename files, copy files from one directory to the other, check file version information, print listings of directories or export to a CSV file, and you can even compare text files visually.  Top stuff.  This is a 15-day evaluation.  Price :  $29.  All versions of Windows.

Directory Printer 3.7    1.1Mb   (3-February-2007)
One of the most useful little programs for Windows 95/98/NT/ME/2000/XP/2003. This program fills the biggest void in Windows 9x/NT4/ME/2000/XP/2003 by giving you the ability to print lists of folders or files on your hard disk or network. Thoroughly comprehensive and brilliant.  This is a 15-day evaluation.  Price :  $29.  All versions of Windows.

NetSwitcher 3.3.4    1.2Mb   (11-December-2005)
Ever had to change your network settings every time you sit down at a client's site, or fumble with your IP address configuration, network shares, printer captures, e-mail clients, and network protocols and clients every time you plug into your home network, your office network, or a client's network ?  If Yes then NetSwitcher is the tool for you.  Dead easy to use :  simply set up various configuration profiles, and then use the relevant profile for your current location.  You're at home, click on the Home Profile to activate it; you're at work, click on the Work profile to activate it; you're at a regular client, just activate that profile, and so on.  A breeze.  $14 to purchase when this full-featured demo expires.  Windows 95/98/ME/NT4/2000/XP.

PropertiesPlus 1.65    230K
For developers and systems people.  Ever wanted to change the date and time created or modified on a file or group of files, so that they all have the same uniform date and time ?  Or have you ever copied folders from a CD-ROM to your hard disk and then had to go through every single subfolder and files to take off the Read-Only attribute, and wished there was a program that enabled you to do it in one fell swoop ?  —  then this is what you want.  It's free and works like a dream.  For Windows 95/98/NT.

SoundCard Detector 2.0 E    210K   (8-March-2002)
If your version of Windows is unable to detect your sound card correctly, then this little program may save you having to open your PC in order to determine what sound card you have.  The clue is in the "Name" field in the right-hand column of information.  Free.

THE Rename 2.1.6    2.8Mb   (17-May-2004)
Suggested by an AnswersThatWork user, this program is every bit as amazing as we were told it was.  For Advanced Users only.  THE Rename's prime use is to enable you to rename files en-masse;  however, you can also change the extensions of a group of files, change the case of filenames from upper to lowercase for publication to a website, you can sequence files, you can have the program add the date and time to the names of files (Ahh, those holiday pictures finally properly sorted!), you can get the program to automatically create sequenced folders for you, e.g. for testing purposes,.... and there is more.  If you decide to use THE Rename, make sure you first read the "Suggested uses for THE Rename" in the Help.  Then, whenever you use it, always preview the results – it will save you a lot of grief.  An extremely powerful and amazing tool.  FREE.  Works on Windows 9x/NT4/ME/2000/XP.

TweakUI v1.33  (Microsoft)    113K
This great little Microsoft utility should be part of Windows rather than an add-on which one discovers on websites like Answers That Work.  For Win95/98/NT4/ME/2000.  Download it, run it, click Unzip, click Close, go to C:\Windows\Temp, right-click on  TWEAKUI.INF  and choose Install.  Then go to your Control Panel and have a look at the TweakUI icon.  See our installation document in the Windows Miscellaneous library for more detailed installation instructions.  Free.

XQDC X-Setup Pro 6.6    4.8Mb   (21-November-2004)
If you doubted it, real Magic does exist – it's called XQDC X-Setup.  The ultimate Windows 9x/NT4/ME/2000/XP tool for System and Network specialists.  This tool blows the mind.  It gives you access to every single registry setting and tweak available.  Browsing help files is a thing of the past :  you want to hide the Control Panel, use this;  you want to automatically logon to your network, use this;  you want to hide the  "Add/Remove Programs"  icon so end-users do not do damage, use this.  This tool gives you access to hundreds of Registry tweaks and settings you didn't even know existed :  Shutdown settings, Startup settings, DVD Region, transferring entries from parts of the registry to others, etc...,  the list goes on.  A must for advanced users.  Free for home users, charities, public libraries, and government controlled educational institutions;  commercial users must pay after the 30-day evaluation.