Useful apps

**Aaron_8015** · June 20th, 2009, 12:45 PM

Well figured it would be nice to have a thread with useful apps, as I couldnt find anything else like that on here.

Temp monitoring:

Hardware monitor - <LINK> - Monitor's voltages, North bridge, CPU and GPU temps

Core temp - <LINK> - CPU temperature monitor
Real temp - <LINK> - Intel CPU monitoring utility

Hardware analyzer:
Everest - <LINK>
AIDA32 - <LINK>
Belarc adviser - <LINK>
Blackbox - <LINK>

Overclocking utilities:
Cpu-z - <LINK> - Displays detailed information about CPU and memory.
Gpu-z - <LINK> - Displays detailed information about your GPU.
EVGA precision - <LINK> Overclock tool for nVidia gpu's only.
Prime95 - <LINK> - CPU stability test, good for testing stable overclock.
Orthos - <LINK>
Super PI - <LINK>
AMD overdrive - <LINK> - Overclocking utility exclusively for AMD cpu's.

Benchmarking:
3dmark - <LINK> - A good computer benchmarking tool.
HD tune - <LINK> - Tests hard drive's read/write speed.
Fraps - <LINK> - Monitor's ingame frame rates, also records and takes image's.
Lightsmark 07&08 - <LINK>
Cinebench - <LINK>
HD Tach - <LINK>
Passmark - <LINK>
Aquamark 3 - <LINK>
Intel burn test - <LINK>
Folding@Home - <LINK> - Save the world.

Virus's, Malware, Spyware:
Malwarebytes - <LINK> - Great anti-malware tool.
Spybot - <LINK> - Spyware and malware removal tool.
Hijack this - <LINK> - Scans and logs current process's to identify spyware.
AdAware - <LINK>

Maintenance:
CCleaner - <LINK>
Auslogics Disk Defrag - <LINK>
HDD Scanner - <LINK> - Show's detailed information of whats on your hard drive.
Memtest86 - <LINK> - Memory scanning app.

Media:
VLC Player - <LINK> - Media player that will play most files.
Real player - <LINK> - Media player/organiser, web browser.
DVD shrink - <LINK> - DVD back up software.
DVD Fab - <LINK>
Active ISO burner - <LINK> - Great easy to use app for burning image files.

Other:
Process explorer - <LINK>
Screamer Radio - <LINK>
Portable apps - <LINK>
Window Blinds - <LINK>
GT Ripple - <LINK>

Drivers:
Nvidia - <LINK> - Latest drivers for nVidia gpu's.
Ati - <LINK> - Latest drivers for Ati gpu's.
Creative - <LINK> - Latest drivers for creative products.
Realtek - <LINK> - Audio drivers for realtek chipset.
Driver cleaner - <LINK> - Driver removal tool.

Photography:
Picasa - <LINK> -
Hugin - <LINK> - Panorama photo stitcher.
GIMP - <LINK> - photo editor.
Paint.NET - <LINK> - photo editor.
Photo Razor - <LINK> - resize photos en masse.
Photomatix - <LINK> - HDR photo processing.
Paint.net - <LINK> - Free image and photo editing.

Suggestions from people will help make the list bigger than what I know of.

**Wolfegang16** · June 20th, 2009, 02:15 PM

Hardware and Temp Monitor
Everest... Lavalys - Comprehensive IT Security and Management

Spyware
Super anti-spyware free edition... SuperAntiSpyware.com
Disk Defrag
Auslogics Disk Defrag... Disk Defrag - Reclaim the Speed Of Your Disks

Stress Test CPU
Prime95...Prime95 (32bit) - 25.8 Download - EXTREME Overclocking

Stress Test GPU
Furmark...FurMark: Graphics Card Stability and Stress Test, OpenGL Benchmark and GPU Temperature | oZone3D.Net

Some i could think of that were not there

**Aaron_8015** · June 20th, 2009, 02:25 PM

Okay updated list if you could give links to the main site and not a 3rd party site will make it much better.

**ShyguyXPC** · June 20th, 2009, 07:38 PM

System Information category would be nice too, for the likes of PC Wizard, Everest, Belarc etc etc.

PC Wizard (didn't include the others since their a bit out of date)

ah hell, add some of their download mirrors/sites for people with older hardware...

AIDA32 |MG| AIDA32 - Personal System Information 3.93 Download

Everest Free Edition |MG| EVEREST Free Edition 2.20 Download

Belarc Advisor (is actually an updated one) |MG| Belarc Advisor 7.2.24.23 Download

(main Belarc Site/Link Belarc Advisor - Free Personal PC Audit )

GPU Benchmarking, Lightsmark 2007 and 2008, LIGHTSMARK - next generation lighting benchmark

System 3D Rendering time Benchmark (Tests CPU power with 3D rendering, and GPU power with low and Medium demand on most OpenGL capable cards), still a nice benchmark to run overall to add to all the rest. Cinebench MAXON - The makers of CINEMA 4D and BodyPaint 3D

HDD benchmark, HD Tach, HdTach

Virus's, Malware, Spyware: AdAware Ad-Aware by Lavasoft - Antivirus software, free spyware removal, firewall

Internet Radio (Listen to and even record Internet Radio), Screamer Radio www.screamer-radio.com

Main site not working for some reason, get an about blank page, last I read there wasn't going to be any further updated versions any time soon, author just didn't have the time, could be website or domain or whatever expired or no longer in use... anyways, here's an alternate download link, Download Screamer Radio 0.4.3 - An radio player, that will stream audio data to your PC via your Internet connection - Softpedia

**Aaron_8015** · June 20th, 2009, 07:49 PM

Cheer's 'shy'.

Will mabye re-sort the list I will make other catagory's and move things from the other box. May even add a brief summary of what it does etc...

**ShyguyXPC** · June 20th, 2009, 07:51 PM

Portable Apps SourceForge.net: News: PortableApps.com: Notepad++ Portable 5.4.3 Released (Download link SourceForge.net: PortableApps.com: Portable Software/USB: PortableApps.com: Portable Software/USB ) main site seems to be timing out as well, at least on my end. Main site www.portableapps.com

Another Old School gaming Benchmark, Aquamark 3 (don't think their site or company is still around, can't find it, so here's the download link from Guru3D) AquaMark 3 download from Guru3D.com

Window Blinds, Stardock.com - Your Edge In Software

GT Ripple (main site is down or something) GT Ripple Software Informer: Latest version download, news and info about this Gareth Hadfield program. You can add ripple effects to your desktop wallpaper like water or mirror.

**Atomic Rooster** · June 20th, 2009, 09:12 PM

A list of "useful apps" is not complete without one of the best apps ever created:

NaDa 0.5

NaDa™ is a new concept. A thought, really. It is very light : 1 byte. It doesn't take long to fetch. It doesn't take long to understand. It doesn't disturb your habits nor does it makes you feel insecure. It is a reassuring piece of software that does nothing, and does it very well. That's a lot !

**Aaron_8015** · June 20th, 2009, 11:52 PM

Originally Posted by Atomic Rooster

A list of "useful apps" is not complete without one of the best apps ever created:

NaDa 0.5

Thanks 'Rooster' but I think mabye will go in the useless apps section. Some people just have nothing better to do.

**2monsters** · June 21st, 2009, 12:04 AM

dvdshrink.org: FREE Backup Solution for your DVD movies!
Fastest DVD Copy Software | Best DVD Decrypter from DVDFab
Active@ ISO Burner. Data CD DVD burning software. Write ISO image to CD,DVD,CD-RW,CDR,DVD-RW.

For your media section.

IntelBurnTest v2.2 download from Guru3D.com
For benchmarking

RivaTuner v2.24 download from Guru3D.com
For overclocking utilities

CCleaner - Home
For system maintenance

Driver Cleaner Professional download from Guru3D.com
For the drivers section

**Atomic Rooster** · June 21st, 2009, 02:50 AM

Here's a nice app that has overclocking abilities along with system monitoring and control utilities, and benchmarking and stability tests: AMD Overdrive

**bigBonehead** · August 23rd, 2009, 04:30 AM

Great list/concept Aaron.... thanks!

**Aaron_8015** · August 23rd, 2009, 08:06 AM

Thanks.

I have just updated the list adding info about each app. The link to this thread is in my sig for easy access.

**vass0922** · August 23rd, 2009, 10:36 AM

What about photography section?
Picasa 3: Free download from Google - Picasa
hugin - Panorama photo stitcher - Hugin - Panorama photo stitcher
GIMP - The GNU Image Manipulation Program - GIMP - photo editor
Paint.NET - Free Software for Digital Photo Editing - Paint.NET photo editor
PhotoRazor Photo Resizer Free Software - Overview - resize photos en masse
HDR photo software & plugin - Tone Mapping, Exposure Fusion & HDR Imaging for photography - Photomatix - HDR photo processing (not free to buy, but does have a free trial)

**Nude_Lewd_Man** · September 9th, 2009, 11:50 AM

Possibly add Spotify to the list - maybe even create a "Music" section..?
Spotify â€“ A world of music. Instant, simple and free

Also, as Sharder has said in the F@H SPAM thread, maybe move/add F@H into the Benchmarking group...??

**KarmaKiller** · September 9th, 2009, 11:56 AM

Hey newd, Spotify is not available in the US yet.

**Aaron_8015** · September 9th, 2009, 12:02 PM

Well I moved th F@H link... Didn't add the music thing as its not available in US... If you have any other good must apps then I will create a section.

**ShyguyXPC** · September 9th, 2009, 06:50 PM

Originally Posted by vass0922

What about photography section?
Picasa 3: Free download from Google - Picasa
hugin - Panorama photo stitcher - Hugin - Panorama photo stitcher
GIMP - The GNU Image Manipulation Program - GIMP - photo editor
Paint.NET - Free Software for Digital Photo Editing - Paint.NET photo editor
PhotoRazor Photo Resizer Free Software - Overview - resize photos en masse
HDR photo software & plugin - Tone Mapping, Exposure Fusion & HDR Imaging for photography - Photomatix - HDR photo processing (not free to buy, but does have a free trial)

Not necessarily a Photo app as it is for making large scale printable images...

The Sect of Homokaasu - The Rasterbator

very handy for if your looking to make a large bill board sized image

haven't used in a couple years, but I used to use this music app, FineTune, finetune

make my own custom playlists of music they had in their library, but you do need a net connection to use it though.

for the Aspiring 3D artist/modeler....

Blender blender.org - Home

Google SketchUp Google SketchUp

TrueSpace 7.61 Full Free Suite, No Time/License Restrictions Fully Enabled (Direct from Caligari's Website, Makers of TrueSpace) trueSpace Downloads