Software Suggestions Wanted

irishgeo

Lately as people get to know that i am interested in computers and i am doing a computer technicains course i keep getting asked to fix computers and have a look at this problem with my computer. Its a bit of money in the hand so i am not bothered yet.

But what i am looking for is software that i should be using to clean up computers and get them running correctly.

I have a USB pendrive and i am hoping to fill it with software that i can use to clean up computers etc.

I do have lots of software already like adaware and sbybot etc do get rid of them nasty ads crap. I am looking for some free antivirus as well as most people dont upgrade their licensce etc. I am trying to get away from breaking copyright laws when dealing with other people's computers i.e installing my copy of something on thier computers.

the reason i am asking is just to make sure that i am not missing any important software that could make my job easier.

So get posting the software a guy fixing computers should never home without.

Fabre

Regarding antivirus there is antivir PE and avast! Home edition that are freeware

more freeware antivirus here

Regcleaner could also be usefull.

aclane

I find AVG very good grisoft.com

Mr E

Very handy boot CD ... could be a lifesaver if fixing PCs is the business you're getting into...

http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/

- Dave.

seamus

Check out the file sharing board - I posted up a list of stuff I carry about on a CD. Not just anti-virus stuff, but handy apps that get removed in the process of reinstalls/crashes, such as browsers, mail clients.

There's hard disk scanning and repair tools available from the Maxtor and Seagate websites, which are useful if it won't boot at all. You may also want to make a Windows/DOS boot disk so you can have a gander at the files and run stuff like scandisk if needs be.

There are also the builtin tools with Windows to save your ass - msconfig, defrag, chkdsk/scandisk, sfc, System restore.

Afaik, there's a WinXP restore pack available to d/l from Microsoft that can make a bootable CD, but I'm not sure.

irishgeo

Thanks guys for the help.

I am downloading the ultimate boot cd as we speak as well as AVG antivirus and ill check out the file sharing board as well.

Cabaal

I can't help myself, no harm having a alternative WWW/Mail client (ie: Mozilla), also maybe a free ftp client like filezilla?
Also winrar/winzip the really obvious stuff
Oh and why not openoffice for those people that don't really need MSOffice or can't afford it but still want to open the odd .doc file

Mr E

With regard to winzip/winrar etc., a better alternative would be to download the command line extraction tool from http://www.powerarchiver.com (works with ZIP, CAB, LHA, ARJ, RAR, ARC, ACE, TAR, GZIP, BZIP2, UUE, XXE, ZOO, BH, JAR). I use it all the time, and saves me from installing (and paying for!) other extraction tools. Totally freeware, and extremely useful.

Rgds,
Dave.

Fabre

Knoppix can also be usefull.

What is KNOPPIX®?

KNOPPIX is a bootable CD with a collection of GNU/Linux software, automatic hardware detection, and support for many graphics cards, sound cards, SCSI and USB devices and other peripherals. KNOPPIX can be used as a Linux demo, educational CD, rescue system, or adapted and used as a platform for commercial software product demos. It is not necessary to install anything on a hard disk. Due to on-the-fly decompression, the CD can have up to 2 GB of executable software installed on it.

tman

Originally posted by TmB
Very handy boot CD ... could be a lifesaver if fixing PCs is the business you're getting into...

http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/

- Dave.

oooooh, that looks handeh!
i'll be downloading that for myself when the next release comes out