Some Useful Software

I've copied a list from PC Magazine. All the programs work extremely well, and have cleaned my PC of severeal Trojans, Viruses, and Spyware.

I am looking for the link that includes the entire list of programs. Some programs ranged from $10 to $50. Below are the best freeware programs that I would recommend.

CCleaner: Cleans out your temporary internet files, cookies, scans for problems on your PC and tells you how to fix them, and a whole lot more. It is free and can be found at: www.ccleaner.com

WinDirStat: Tells you what exactly is taking up space on your hard drive, makes it easier to locate files that are taking up the majority of space. This program is free and is located at: windirstat.sourceforge.net

ZoneAlarm: ZoneAlarm marks everything that is coming in and going out. This program will help stop harmful programs from entering your PC without your knowledge. It is free and located at: www.zonelabs.com

A-Squared: A-Squared scans for all kinds of spyware that other scanners couldn't locate. This program foun one virus on my PC that ZoneAlarm was not able to detect. Program is free and located at: www.emsisoft.com/en/software/free/

Blacklight: Looks to see if a harmful program is on your PC. This program is called Rootkit. No other free scanners can pick up Rootkit, so this is a very useful program. It is free and located at: www.f-secure.com/blacklight

SpeedFan: Controls the fans on your PC, and helps coll it off. I use this program a lot when I play games. It keeps the computer cool, and allows it to run better. Program is free and located at: www.almico.com/speedfan.php

UDPixel: Looks for dead pixels as well as stuck pixels on your monitor. USPixel is capable of fixing them. Program is free and located at: http://udpix.free.fr

Some advice from the PC Magazine guys on how to maintain your PC:

Weekly: Defrag, Clear the Cache, Virus Scan, Spyware/Malware scan, Incremental Backup, Outlook/Thunderbird Backup
Monthly: Full Backup, Remov Unused Software, Check System Drivers, Check Load Temperatures, Clean Fans/Filter, Check Hard Drives
Bi-Annually/Annually: Check Coolant Level (If you have a water cooling system), Check Filters, Look For Dead Pixels, Update Software, Update BIOS, Check Wiring