[irlrobins]

This thread will be worked in the same way as the useful software sticky: PM one of the mods if you have additions / removals. Help to keep the information relevant!

Updated: 15/08/06 by irlrobins. Added download sites.
Updated: 10/03/08 by irlrobins. Removed dead links


* means "used regularly by boardsters"
IE means Irish shop (please point out actually Irish shops....I prefer to purchase from Irish companies).

For purchasing computer parts:

Aria
Asena Shop - ebay, us store
Avitos
Back from the future IE
CCL Computers
Complete Computer Care
Computer Bits IE
Computer Centre IE
Computer City - Trade only IE
Crucial Memory
Dabs*
Discount Computers NI - Belfast
E Buyer
Elara* - Dublin
Encom IE IE
Gladiator
HiTide* - IE
Hardwareversand
IT Direct IE
Jaguar IE
Jes* - No longer taking CC or Paypal payments from Ireland
Komplett*
KM Elektronik
Kustom PC's
Laser IE
Low Price Hardware IE
Marx Computers* IE
Memory 4 Less
Memory C* IE
Micro Direct
Microaid.ie* IE Poor website, but seach by part/model number and you'll find it. If not, they will order in. Great customer service.
New Egg
Novatech
No Waffle Computers IE
Overclock*
Overclockers*
PC Look
PC Memory Upgrade - Kildare (shop4memory UK site)
PCN IE
Pixmania*
Primus
Pushing Tin
Sava
Scan
Shop4Memory IE* - Kildare
Silicon Group
TekHeads


For interesting articles:
2 CPU - Articles on multiprocessing
Ars Technica* - News / articles / etc.
Ars Technopaedia - In depth info on computer hardware
CD Recordable FAQ
Doom9* - All your DVD / VCD / etc. queries answered
DVD Demystified
Extreme Tech* - Tech news / reviews
How Stuff Works - Gives decent explainations of "how stuff works"
PC Mech - Modding tutorials
Real World Tech - Articles about processors
Shacknews - Tech news portal
Sysopt - System optimisation community
Tek Guide - Directory of tech tutorials / articles
Tek Tips - forums
What Is? - Explains technical terms / standards
X-bit labs - Tech news / reviews

For reviews of hardware:
3D Game Man - Video hardware reviews + forum
Anandtech* - In depth hardware reviews
Bit Tech - General hardware reviews
DP Reviews - In depth digital camera reviews
ECoustics - Audio reviews
EPinions - End user reviews
Guru 3D - GFX card reviews
HardOCP - General Hardware Reviews
Hardware Zone - Tutorials / news / reviews.
Hardware Zoom - General hardware reviews
Head-Fi - In depth headphone reviews
Hot Hardware - General hardware reviews + forum
Lost Circuits - General hardware reviews
Overclockers Club - Hardware reviews with overclocking slant
PC Pro Mag - General hardware reviews
Projector Central - Projector reviews
R&B Mods - Hardware reviews with a modding / overclocking slant
Sharkey Extreme - General hardware reviews
SL Central - General hardware reviews
Steves Digicams - Beginners digital camera reviews
Storage Review - HDD reviews
Tech Report - General hardware reviews
Tech Republic - General hardware reviews
Toms Hardware* - General hardware reviews
Virtual Hideout - General hardware reviews

Other:
PSU Calculator

[irlrobins]

Thanks to Tar.Aldarion for the following list:

For hosting files:
0-10 megabyte:

http://www.albumtown.com/
http://www.bestupload.com
http://www.flypicture.com
http://www.uploadx.net
http://www.webfilehost.com
http://www.wirefiles.com
http://www.zippyvideos.com

10-100 megabyte:

http://www.35mb.com
http://www.da_insane.boo.pl/d/upload/
http://www.filesupload.com
http://www.fileupyours.com
http://www.freeuploader.com
http://www.myfilestash.com
http://www.mytempdir.com
http://www.picapic.net
http://www.putfile.com
http://www.rapidsharing.com/
http://www.ripway.com
http://www.savefile.com
http://www.sendmefile.com
http://www.swiftdesk.com
http://www.turboupload.com
http://www.uploadfront.com/
http://www.uploadsend.com/
http://www.ultrashare.net
http://www.ushareit.com
http://www.yourfilehost.com

100 - unlimited megabyte:

http://freespace.filefront.com
http://www.4shared.com
http://www.bigupload.com/
http://www.come2store.com
http://www.content-type.com/
http://www.dropload.com
http://www.filebull.com/
http://www.filecache.de
http://www.filefactory.com/
http://www.myfilehut.com
http://www.megaupload.com
http://www.mysharebox.com/
http://www.rapidshare.de
http://www.rapidupload.com/
http://www.sharebigfile.com
http://www.spread-it.com
http://www.transferbigfiles.com
http://www.updownloadserver.com
http://www.yousendit.com

Sources of Freeware/Shareware Programs:

www.download.com
www.snapfiles.com
www.majorgeeks.com
www.sourceforge.net
www.pricelesswarehome.org
www.filehippo.com
www.tucows.com
www.softpedia.com

Be aware that even reliable download sites can provide links to software that contains viruses or spyware. Rare, but it does occasionally happen.

[AlmightyCushion]

[GUIDE] - Boot Multiple Live Operating Systems from a Flash Drive

Hopefully we'll have more to add.

[AlmightyCushion]

To add: a list of Run Commands for XP, etc.

To Access… Run Command
Accessibility Controls access.cpl
Accessibility Wizard accwiz
Add Hardware Wizard hdwwiz.cpl
Add/Remove Programs appwiz.cpl
Administrative Tools control admintools
Adobe Acrobat (if installed) acrobat
Adobe Designer (if installed) formdesigner
Adobe Distiller (if installed) acrodist
Adobe ImageReady (if installed) imageready
Adobe Photoshop (if installed) photoshop
Automatic Updates wuaucpl.cpl
Bluetooth Transfer Wizard fsquirt
Calculator calc
Certificate Manager certmgr.msc
Character Map charmap
Check Disk Utility chkdsk
Clipboard Viewer clipbrd
Command Prompt cmd
Component Services dcomcnfg
Computer Management compmgmt.msc
Control Panel control
Date and Time Properties timedate.cpl
DDE Shares ddeshare
Device Manager devmgmt.msc
Direct X Control Panel (if installed)* directx.cpl
Direct X Troubleshooter dxdiag
Disk Cleanup Utility cleanmgr
Disk Defragment dfrg.msc
Disk Management diskmgmt.msc
Disk Partition Manager diskpart
Display Properties control desktop
Display Properties desk.cpl
Display Properties (w/Appearance Tab Preselected) control color
Dr. Watson System Troubleshooting Utility drwtsn32
Driver Verifier Utility verifier
Event Viewer eventvwr.msc
Files and Settings Transfer Tool migwiz
File Signature Verification Tool sigverif
Findfast findfast.cpl
Firefox (if installed) firefox
Folders Properties folders
Fonts control fonts
Fonts Folder fonts
Free Cell Card Game freecell
Game Controllers joy.cpl
Group Policy Editor (XP Prof) gpedit.msc
Hearts Card Game mshearts
Help and Support helpctr
HyperTerminal hypertrm
Iexpress Wizard iexpress
Indexing Service ciadv.msc
Internet Connection Wizard icwconn1
Internet Explorer iexplore
Internet Properties inetcpl.cpl
Internet Setup Wizard inetwiz
IP Configuration (Display Connection Configuration) ipconfig /all
IP Configuration (Display DNS Cache Contents) ipconfig /displaydns
IP Configuration (Delete DNS Cache Contents) ipconfig /flushdns
IP Configuration (Release All Connections) ipconfig /release
IP Configuration (Renew All Connections) ipconfig /renew
IP Configuration (Refreshes DHCP & Re-Registers DNS) ipconfig /registerdns
IP Configuration (Display DHCP Class ID) ipconfig /showclassid
IP Configuration (Modifies DHCP Class ID) ipconfig /setclassid
Java Control Panel (if installed) jpicpl32.cpl
Java Control Panel (if installed) javaws
Keyboard Properties control keyboard
Local Security Settings secpol.msc
Local Users and Groups lusrmgr.msc
Logs You Out Of Windows logoff
Malicious Software Removal Tool mrt
Microsoft Access (if installed) msaccess
Microsoft Chat winchat
Microsoft Excel (if installed) excel
Microsoft Frontpage (if installed) frontpg
Microsoft Movie Maker moviemk
Microsoft Paint mspaint
Microsoft Powerpoint (if installed) powerpnt
Microsoft Word (if installed) winword
Microsoft Syncronization Tool mobsync
Minesweeper Game winmine
Mouse Properties control mouse
Mouse Properties main.cpl
Nero (if installed) nero
Netmeeting conf
Network Connections control netconnections
Network Connections ncpa.cpl
Network Setup Wizard netsetup.cpl
Notepad notepad
Nview Desktop Manager (if installed) nvtuicpl.cpl
Object Packager packager
ODBC Data Source Administrator odbccp32.cpl
On Screen Keyboard osk
Opens AC3 Filter (if installed) ac3filter.cpl
Outlook Express msimn
Paint pbrush
Password Properties password.cpl
Performance Monitor perfmon.msc
Performance Monitor perfmon
Phone and Modem Options telephon.cpl
Phone Dialer dialer
Pinball Game pinball
Power Configuration powercfg.cpl
Printers and Faxes control printers
Printers Folder printers
Private Character Editor eudcedit
Quicktime (If Installed) QuickTime.cpl
Quicktime Player (if installed) quicktimeplayer
Real Player (if installed) realplay
Regional Settings intl.cpl
Registry Editor regedit
Registry Editor regedit32
Remote Access Phonebook rasphone
Remote Desktop mstsc
Removable Storage ntmsmgr.msc
Removable Storage Operator Requests ntmsoprq.msc
Resultant Set of Policy (XP Prof) rsop.msc
Scanners and Cameras sticpl.cpl
Scheduled Tasks control schedtasks
Security Center wscui.cpl
Services services.msc
Shared Folders fsmgmt.msc
Shuts Down Windows shutdown
Sounds and Audio mmsys.cpl
Spider Solitare Card Game spider
SQL Client Configuration cliconfg
System Configuration Editor sysedit
System Configuration Utility msconfig
System File Checker Utility (Scan Immediately) sfc /scannow
System File Checker Utility (Scan Once At The Next Boot) sfc /scanonce
System File Checker Utility (Scan On Every Boot) sfc /scanboot
System File Checker Utility (Return Scan Setting To Default) sfc /revert
System File Checker Utility (Purge File Cache) sfc /purgecache
System File Checker Utility (Sets Cache Size to size x) sfc /cachesize=x
System Information msinfo32
System Properties sysdm.cpl
Task Manager taskmgr
TCP Tester tcptest
Telnet Client telnet
Tweak UI (if installed) tweakui
User Account Management nusrmgr.cpl
Utility Manager utilman
Windows Address Book wab
Windows Address Book Import Utility wabmig
Windows Backup Utility (if installed) ntbackup
Windows Explorer explorer
Windows Firewall firewall.cpl
Windows Magnifier magnify
Windows Management Infrastructure wmimgmt.msc
Windows Media Player wmplayer
Windows Messenger msmsgs
Windows Picture Import Wizard (need camera connected) wiaacmgr
Windows System Security Tool syskey
Windows Update Launches wupdmgr
Windows Version (to show which version of windows) winver
Windows XP Tour Wizard tourstart
Wordpad write