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Windows Rescue HQ - Free!
Welcome to my attempt to help people who are stuck with Windows. I am going to be providing as much info as I can - even if it might leave you a bit insulted and feeling mad that you only know enough to use Windows.
If you are looking for ways to rescue your windows installation, you've come to the right place! Here, you will get the uncensored, plain truth bits of advice in order to keep your Windows installation humming along. If it can't be fixed, it can be reinstalled - and that is often the best option believe it or not.
Very often it is not worth rescuing a windows installation. Often times, it is just what the doctor ordered. You do want to get your documents, music, and pictures off of there, though. Right?
What do you want to do?
| Get data from hard drive? |
use knoppix |
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| Get data from hard drive? |
use bartpe(requires Windows installation CD) |
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| Get data from hard drive? |
use reactOS |
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| Javascript/Java/Flash Blockers? |
use noscript |
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| Block pop ups? |
use adblocker |
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| Recover a deleted file? |
use lazarus |
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| Windows/disk disaster recovery services and tools? |
use picasa! |
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| Manage photographs, online albums? |
use picasa! |
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| Measure (benchmark) Windows performance? |
use many! |
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| Back up your PC? |
use many! |
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| Ghost/clone your computers? |
use g4u! |
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| Diagnose and fix memory issues? |
use memtest86! |
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| Partition your disk drive? |
use gparted! (also useful for rescue disk and securely deleting files) |
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| Make Windows faster? |
use ccleaner |
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| Transfer files? |
use winscp |
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| Surf securely? |
use firefox |
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| Free antivirus? |
use clamwin |
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| Free Windows Office? |
use Open Office |
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| Free Adobe Photoshop? |
use The GIMP |
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| Free Adobe Pagemaker? |
use Inkscape |
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| Burn a cd ISO? |
use imgburn |
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| Free CAD? |
use qcad |
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| Encrypt your files? |
use TrueCrypt |
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| Zip/compress/archive your files? |
use 7Zip |
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| SSH for Windows? |
use PuTTY |
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| SSH and FTP for Windows? |
use WinSCP |
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| Forward X11 to Windows? |
use Xming |
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| Transfer songs from ipod to itunes? |
use many apps |
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| Securely delete files on Windows? |
use shred |
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| Free music downloads? |
use Limewire |
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| Free long distance? |
use Skype |
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Tips on creating and maintaining a reasonably clean Windows installation
- Firstly, if you don't know what you are doing, it is worth the $$ to hire your 14 year old nephew to fix things up for you.
- Upon getting a computer or laptop from an OEM (Dell, Gateway, etc), immediately reinstall Windows; this will wipe you computer of all the crap they preload on there. If they didn't give you an install disk, download and install ccleaner (listed above), and unistall as much of their custom software as possible
- DO NOT install any of that crappy software that the OEMs give you like printer managing program, photo editing software, etc. If you have to.
- DO NOT install any stupid "cute" program, screen save, or desktop widgit
- Don't visit shady websites
- Don't install "cracked" software - if you don't want to pay for something legit, look for an open source version (see above)
- If using Windows Vista, turn all visual effects off - they eat up a lot of CPU and memory
- In general, the key is to install as little software as possible - windows has a nasty habit of getting slower and less stable as more software (even MS software) is added; the reasons for this are too technical for this page, but suffice it to say that windows does a poor job of implementing sound multitasking OS capabilities
Windows thinks you're stupid
Most of your PC problems are caused by writers of official Windows software - and software written by other companies - trying to be smart for you. Reject this notion by not installing what you don't need and uninstalling or turning off what they've already burdened you with. How often have you gotten a new PC from Dell or one of those other companies only to find all of this garbage software already on your machine? How long does it take for your computer to start just because software companies thing that you have to have all of their junk start up when your PC first boots?
The consequence of software writers thinking you are stupid is that they try to implement (often very poorly) "smart" programs that try to do as much for you as possible. My question is, why do you think users are stupid when you can even right decent programs? It is often the programmers themselves that are the dumb ones.
| Suggestion #1 |
install as few programs as possible |
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| Suggestion #2 |
don't install crappy OEM software |
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| Suggestion #3 |
Reload windows when you first get your computer |
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Would you try a FREE OS if it was as easy to use as Windows?
The truth of the matter is that very few people are tied to Windows to do what the do. If you just want to surf the web, check your email, and write the occasional letter - you don't need Windows. What do you need?
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