Guy’s Top Ten Computer Tools for Windows

Guy’s Top Ten Tools for Windows Computers

Here are my collection of tools that have served me well over the last 10 years.  Many are completely free, while others offer a free trial of a fully functioning product.

  1. Belarc Advisor
  2. Network Performance Monitor v11.5
  3. FreePing 
  4. PuTTY
  5. Bandwidth Analyzer Pack
  6. Secunia – Free Security Check
  7. Net-SNMP
  8. Active Directory Permissions Analyzer
  9. DNS Stuff
  10. WinDiff

1) Belarc AdvisorBelarc - Free download

I first used the Belarc Advisor to find my Windows 8’s product key (xxxx-xxxx…).  As a bonus, it also supplied a detailed profile of all my software.  The Belarc advisor also listed my main circuit board, memory and display hardware manufactures.

In addition the Belarc Advisor creates a network inventory, and surprises you with a automatic display of the results in your Web browser.  Finally, the details of your PC profile are kept private and there is no spamware with this Belarc freeware.

2) Network Performance Monitor v11.5Network Performance Monitor v11.5

This comprehensive network monitoring software will allow you to quickly detect, diagnose, and resolve network performance issues and outages.

It's application-aware functionality enables you to determine instantly if it is indeed the network, or whether some app is the root problem. The deep packet inspection and analysis features available in the most recent version of NPM allow you to get a quick and accurate identification of network & application reliability.

Download the software, which is 100% functional for 30 days.

3) FreePingFreePing - Free downloads at Tools4Ever

FreePing was the first computer utility that I ever used, thus it has a special place in my heart.  It’s still wonderful for troubleshooting intermittent network connectivity problems.  Here is where you can get a copy of FreePing.

4) PuTTY

One of my biggest computing regrets is not being fluent in UNIX.  To help me overcome this skill deficiency I use the PuTTY computer utility to connect to various UNIX servers that I need to check.

PuTTY runs on a Windows operating system, connects to a UNIX machine, and then opens a window.  From there I can type commands to interrogate the UNIX machine.  While it’s also possible to make changes, because of my ignorance of UNIX, I only rarely use that facility.  Download PuTTY and review this computer utility

5) Bandwidth Analyzer PackBandwidth Analyzer Pack

The problem: Your network is running slowly; what can be the root cause of the latency?

This SolarWinds pack consists of the Network Performance Monitor (NPM), and the NetFlow Traffic Analyzer (NTA). 

As you may deduce from its name, the Network Performance Monitor suggests gives you key indicators, such as disk space, CPU load, memory utilization, bandwidth utilization, packet loss and latency.

The other component is the Traffic Analysis Dashboard where you can identify the root cause of bandwidth issues.  When all is working as planned, you can also see who are the top talkers and applications, as a result you always know who is using the most bandwidth

Evaluate Solarwinds Bandwidth Analyzer Pack

6) Secunia – Free Security CheckSecunia PSI

I first used Secunia when my computer was behaving eratically and I thought I had been hacked.  Thanks to the Secunia Personal Software Inspector (PSI) I was reassure that all was well, it turned out to be a rouge toolbar that had bullied its way into my browser.

However, I have kept this free computer security utility, and am reasurred to study its reports about vulnerabilities in non-Microsoft (third-party) programs.  The PSI's biggest complaint is an out-of-date copy of Paint Shop Prop, but it also alerts me when the various Adobe programs need updating.

 I particularly like these three features:

  1. Non-intrusive authenticated vulnerability and patch scanning
  2. Covers programs and plug-ins from thousands of vendors
  3. Unprecedented accuracy, no more false positives

Give the Secunia PSI scanner a chance, it will be complementary to your antivirus software.

Secunia PSI

7) Net-SNMP

I use Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) to monitoring network devices such as routers.  Net-SNMP is a whole suite of applications that I have started to use for collecting information from such network devices.  A Net-SNMP policy is a set of rules and filters which decide what actions are necessary for that packet.  For example, you could base roles on: router, firewall, switch, web server or UNIX servers.  The net-policy policy distribution daemon (np-distd) then actions the appropriate rules and filters.  See a more comprehensive review of this crucial computer utility Net-SNMP.

8) Active Directory Permissions AnalyzerReview of Solarwinds Active Directory Permission Analyzer

This free utility displays a user’s active directory permissions and thus helps you to troubleshoot why people have access to network shares, when they shouldn't.  Alternatively, the Permissions Analyzer will explain why an authorized user is unable to open a file.

NTFS Effective Permissions don't tell the full story.  The frustration with using the built-in Active Directory security setting is that the Effective Permissions don’t take the network share into account.  Overcome this frustration by using this free SolarWinds utility.

Download SolarWinds’ Free Permissions Analyser – Active Directory Tool

9) DNS Stuff

Regarding DNS and email, here is an program which will give you an online check of your email domain.  This utility pinpoints what’s wrong with settings and offers steps to fix the problems.  Run a free health check on your domain and mail server.

10) WinDiffWindiff compare files

WinDiff is a relatively insignificant and uninspiring computer program.  However, I love it because it brings to life a wonderful troubleshooting idea.

  • Take a snapshot of a clean configuration.
  • Make the change, force the error.
  • Take another snapshot.
  • Compare the two snapshots, find the difference, and solve the problem.

WinDiff is also worth its place in my top ten because it reminds me of all the wonderful and unsung tools that Microsoft provides for free.  See here for WinDiff compare and so much more.

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One Man’s Meat is Another Man’s Poison

Here is the scene, it’s a Windows training course, the delegates and Guy are chatting informally waiting for stragglers to arrive before I start the session.  The discussion gets around to which Resource Kit tool has the shortest name.  Nobody could beat two letters OH (Open Handle), however all those present agreed that it was a rubbish utility.

Then, one of the delegates rolled up a little later than the others, thus he was unaware of the previous review of computer utilities and surprised us by extolling the virtues of OH.  He went on to explain that the secret was to use the OH +otl (Object Type Lists) switch.  The rest of the delegates were entranced while he regaled us of how Open Handles had helped him cure a file sharing / violation problem.  I could not help smiling and thinking to myself, hmm… ‘One man’s meat is another man’s poison’.

My point is that, you may find that WinDiff or BgInfo is not the sharpest tool in the box, but if you look at the rest of the utilities in the Windows Server Resource Kit you WILL find a tool to solve a problem or speed up a task. At an even higher level, realize that other Microsoft products also have ‘ResKits’, for example, Exchange 2007 and SQL.  Perhaps you now realize why I encourage you to look at all the tools in the Download areas and fill you boots with goodies.

Summary of Guy’s Computer Utilities Review

Many of these computer tools are completely free.  Some are designed for small networks, but also have a bigger commercial or industrial version.  To me this is good because we small-time operators benefit, while bigger enterprises get a chance to try before they buy.  The rest of the computer tools offer free trials.

Additional Free and Trial Network Software

Here are my reviews of tried and tested applications to monitor your network.  Most of these utilities are free, while the others are the full program, but time restricted.  SolarWinds are a great source of free specialist tools.  A constant theme is a free gadget for testing, backed-up with a comprehensive suite for programs for larger organizations.  I like the way that big companies subsidise their smaller brethren… until they become large companies!

Network Traffic Analyzer Freeware  • Free Log Viewer  • Guy’s Top 10 Free Tools

SolarWinds NPM Review  • Network Device Manager Review  • SolarWinds Product Review

Free Network Config Generator  • Review of WOL Gadget  • Review of Web Transaction Watcher