Freeware Directory

Freeware - System Tools - Tweaking Tools

SafeTweak XP is a free and safe utility for tweaking Windows XP, there are 235 settings available in 32 categories. (the following 4 features are only available in the shareware version - log of changes; password feature; options feature; miscellaneous cleaner).

Folder Iconizer is a three-step wizard (which always keeps a backup of everything it changes) to create/change, rename, iconize/de-iconize folders. After the First Step (the folder's selection or creation), all the steps (including the Recovery procedure) guide the user through the available options (by automatically enabling or disabling the appropriate buttons). Drag + Drop Folder option, is suported.

DiamondCS Advanced Process Manipulation (APM) is an advanced process/module viewer and manipulation utility that allows unique control over target processes by literally becoming a part of them. Unlike conventional process viewers, DiamondCS APM doesn't control processes by remotely sending them instructions. Instead, APM safely attaches a part of itself to the target process, essentially becoming a part of that process.

Forty valuable mini freeware utilities in one install, fully functional freeware with no hidden tricks. AttriBat, AlphaBook, BlockIt, Stay OnTop Text, US and Country area codes, Calculator, Calendar, Color Converter and more.

Windows Service Finder is an handy tool that shows the complete list of installed services on the operating system, both device drivers (kernel) and Win32 EXE. For each service it reports detailed information about: name, description, actual status, execution start mode, name and dimension of the associated executable file. Windows Service Finder allows you to terminate a service and to delete the associated executable file using the "/ks" option (it means "Kill service"). This functionality is especially useful for deleting device driver services (kernel), that the default service manager of Windows doesn't allow you to delete.

XPepius is a free tools suite for tweaking, optimizing and tuning Windows XP. It helps you increase performance and manage your system using various tweaks and utilities. In addition to the tweaks, the program also offers several tools (Utilities) that include a Start-Up Manager, Uninstaller, Cleanup Center (includes registry cleaner and track cleaner), Disk Cleanup, and Designer XP. Fully skinned interface with 13 available skins; HTML help system with detailed info about each tweak and step by step explanation about utilities; Drag & drop support; and more.

This PowerToy gives you access to system settings that are not exposed in the Windows default user interface, including mouse settings, Explorer settings, taskbar settings, and lots more. There's a version of TweakUI for every version of Windows, XP & Itanium™-based (64-bit)system versions are available directly from Microsoft here.

Power Toys for XP include HTML Slide Show Wizard - Open Command Window Here - Alt-Tab Replacement - Power Calculator - Image Resizer - Virtual Desktop Manager - Taskbar Magnifier - Webcam Timershot. Full description & download links on home page.

NirExt utility adds 3 useful context menu extensions to your Windows Explorer environment. Folder Properties: Change the icon of any folder; Advanced Run: Run an application with command-line and some other options; Create Shortcut+: Instantly create a shortcut and drop it into one of the following folders: Desktop, Start Menu, Programs folder under Start Menu, and more...

Take control of your PC, make Windows (ALL versions) run faster and more securely, protect your privacy and strengthen Internet protection. Disable Spyware-like activities of Windows Operating System, Media Player, Internet Explorer and Outlook. Disable unnecessary Windows services like System updates, error reporting and much more. Prevent Internet attacks, any RPC/DCOM related vulnerabilities and fix exploits like DSO. Disable script-based attacks on Windows Media Player, Internet Explorer and Outlook. Block Windows Messenger (spam) vulnerabilities. Restrict the actions of potentially dangerous "HTA" (Hypertext Application) capabilities in any version of Windows. It does not need any DLL or other files, no installation necessary. Take control of your PC, suitable for beginners and experts!

UninstallIt is a simple system tool which will help you remove redundant uninstall entries from the Windows "Add/ Remove Programs" Control Panel feature. UninstallIt will also allow you to tweak the notorious "Sysoc.inf" system file which, sometimes, prevents you from uninstalling software components by hiding them.

System utility to improve system performance, also includes a right-click additional functions menu. Clean MemXP includes clean memory, set cache, show system status and system info, Windows functions. Show CPU usage, processes, hardware info, memory status, drives info. Stay in system tray, supports systems with up 2 GB memory.

Tweaks, not to speed up Windows but to enchance the way it works with just a few mouse button clicks. Add some extra items in the Windows Explorer context menu, control files' and folders' attributes, iconize the tasks in the Taskbar and ungroup them if you wish. Make any program or file run with a short name, create System Commands' shortcuts, give Internet Explorer or Outlook Express 6.0 the ability to be re-installed again. Restrict permission to System Tools, change the default System fonts, manage the SendTo menu contents. Remove the small arrows from your shortcut icons, show Windows version on the desktop, change Internet Explorer's title in its Title Bar.

Ever tried to play an old game, or run an old program on a modern PC but everything runs way too fast? CPU Speed Adjuster lets you slow down your PC so that you can run all your old programs again at the speed that you require. CPU usage can be limited to within a percentage.

MyToolkit is a simple tweaking program to Add/remove theme support to/from programs that don't have it - Set the desired priority to all running processes (including system ones) - Replace in-use or system files.

X-Setup Pro is the ultimate tool for Black Belt system tuning and tweaking. It allows you to change settings, that are normally hidden deep in some configuration-files like the registry, quickly and easily. Over 1.600 hidden functions can be controlled. Step-by-step process with wizards. All recorded changes can be applied to other machines. Extendible with additional plug-ins and wizards. With plug-ins for Microsoft Office 2003. Automatic updates via internet FREE for non-commercial users. NB.6.5 is the last freeware version.

WMPopKill is a handy utility for turning off Scripting in Microsoft Media Player. By default, any video or audio clip that has scripts within it can cause your Media Player to pop-up Internet sites, files or in some cases much worse. This utility will switch scripting on OR off. Your version of Media Player may need to be updated with a patch from Microsoft in order for scripting to be turned off. WMPopKill will tell you if this is the case and will offer to download it for you.

Cacheman is a utility which tweaks the Disk Cache settings of Windows and prevents frequent swapping of the data to hard drive resulting in an improved performance, system reaction time and even stability. Besides this Cacheman corrects generic problems on systems with more than 512MB of RAM.

ShareFix is a utility for automatically removing and disabling the default admin shares created by Windows (this program does not remove any custom shares). These default shares can potentially compromise the secuirty of your computer. If you dont use these shares, use this fix to get rid of the potential security threat; if you do use these shares, dont!, create custom hidden shares which you have more control over. ShareFix is freeware and the source code is available.

bScreen is a freeware application that allows you to change colors on the blue screen of death. Next time all your work is lost, at least you will have something to show off to and impress your mates, even if you don't have much to impress your boss with! Enjoy!
* Garrett's Pick! And why not at least have some fun with the Blue Screen of Death! :

MIDICLOCK can be used for synchronization of MIDI devices. The BPM rate of the clock signal can be set, and the MIDI real time clock protocol is sent out with the precision of the Windows multimedia timer.

Fresh UI is the fresh solution for configuring and optimizing Windows. Loaded with hundreds of useful hidden settings in Windows this software covers the customizing and optimizing technique that you'll be glad to know, such as: customizing Windows User Interface (UI), optimizing system settings, optimizing hardware settings, customizing Windows application settings, control user environment with policies. Fresh UI is organized by section for easy navigation and completed with detail description for easy reference.
Program is FREE but requires a free registration code which is sent by auto responder when you give name & email address before downloading.

Paris Performance (PP) is a CPU performance meter, designed with the same GUI (graphical user interface) as the Ensoniq PARIS Digital Audio Workstation. PP was developed due to the fact that the PARIS system can not be monitored by normal Windows CPU performance tracking utilities, due to fast video refresh rate; PP uses a special technique of getting a system performance bassline, and then extrapolating the utilization. While not quite as accurate as PP's normal mode, this DOES work in conjunction with the PARIS.

Control the reverb and chorus of the Roland RAP-10 soundcard in detail. Can run in the background, settings can be saved and loaded

If you're a Windows power-user, go ahead and try them out. Great care has been take to ensure that PowerToys operate as they should. But please keep in mind, these tools are not a part of Windows and are not supported by Microsoft. For this reason, the Microsoft Technical Support is unable to answer questions about PowerToys.