Your MOST essential apps?

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
dud

dud

Diamond Member
Feb 18, 2001
7,635
73
91
You've just decided to reformat and reload your OS ...

After completing the reload ... what do you install first? What are those apps that you just HAVE to have before you install anything else?


For me it's:

Anti-virus (Avast!)
anti-malware (Malwarebytes)
Spyware Dr
Zone Alarm
Registry Mechanic

After the MOST essentials I then move on to:

Firefox
Power ISO
Nero
Winrar


What about you?
 
D

dguy6789

Diamond Member
Dec 9, 2002
8,558
3
76
Microsoft Security Essentials
Ccleaner

Those are the only apps I need to ensure that the machine has no viruses or malware and is relatively free of junk that gets left behind by some programs.

Apps that aren't for maintaining the system that I will always install/configure:

Firefox
Infra Recorder
7zip
Audacity
Avidemux
Open Office
Photoshop
Steam
Digsby
Various browser based Google apps
 
GaryJohnson

GaryJohnson

Senior member
Jun 2, 2006
940
0
0
Since installing 7 ultimate, I've got:
Word 2007
Excel 2007
Photoshop CS4
Steam
Pandora Sidebar Gadget
Notepad++

It seems to do everything else I want it to do, or the things it doesn't do I get done via web apps.

I'm using IE in protected mode, Window's Advanced Firewall, & Window's Defender for security.
 
Last edited:
N

nickbits

Diamond Member
Mar 10, 2008
4,122
1
81
winrar, demon tools, utorrent, gmail notifier, live messenger, visual studio 2008, office
 
A

Alienwho

Diamond Member
Apr 22, 2001
6,766
0
76
Funny that I wouldn't event want to install the OP's most essential software even if I was payed $5 per software to install on my machine. What kind of junk are you surfing to need all that crap? Sure, I could understand maybe installing that stuff on a relatives computer who has a knack for downloading viruses, but I don't run any of that crap and haven't had an issue in 10 years.

As for me, i'll consider the essential programs the stuff is so important I install it on every computer of mine whether it's a desktop or laptop:

Evernote
Dropbox
Search Everything (this program will change your life)
google talk
Firefox w/ necessary addons
Chrome w/ necessary addons
7zip
VLC
E-text editor
 
Nizbot

Nizbot

Senior member
Oct 13, 2004
765
1
81
dud said:
You've just decided to reformat and reload your OS ...

After completing the reload ... what do you install first? What are those apps that you just HAVE to have before you install anything else?


For me it's:

Anti-virus (Avast!)
anti-malware (Malwarebytes)
Spyware Dr
Zone Alarm ---> WHY?!
Registry Mechanic

After the MOST essentials I then move on to:

Firefox
Power ISO
Nero
Winrar


What about you?
Click to expand...

Your suite of security apps are kind of redundant and some are just plain bloatware. Just mho.

Alienwho said:
Funny that I wouldn't event want to install the OP's most essential software even if I was payed $5 per software to install on my machine. What kind of junk are you surfing to need all that crap? Sure, I could understand maybe installing that stuff on a relatives computer who has a knack for downloading viruses, but I don't run any of that crap and haven't had an issue in 10 years.
Click to expand...

+1

Edited with my contributions:

Avira
Malwarebytes
CCleaner
Firefox
Steam
IMGburn
VLC
DVD Shrink
Handbrake
Office 2007
CS4
Keepass
gTalk
WinRar
7-Zip
 
Last edited:
lxskllr

lxskllr

No Lifer
Nov 30, 2004
60,156
10,616
126
Avira
SpyBot S&D
Spywareblaster
7zip
Open Office
Infrarecorder
VLC
Foobar2000
Paint.NET
Firefox
Thunderbird
Foxit reader
excal (scientific RPN calculator)
Notepad++
ObjectDock on top, RocketDock on left side
 
billyb0b

billyb0b

Golden Member
Nov 8, 2009
1,270
5
81
Firefox
CCleaner
Foxit
Paint.NET
Kaspersky AV
PeerBlock
uTorrent
AIMP2
Notepad++
 
C

CurseTheSky

Diamond Member
Oct 21, 2006
5,401
2
0
I'm generally very picky about what I put on my computer. Ideally, I'd either use two computers (one for general use / gaming and one for work), but I don't have the desk space. I might look into running Windows Xp Mode or VirtualBox + Ubuntu for work, and everything else on the host OS.

Essentials:
Avira Free Edition
Malware Bytes
CCleaner

General Use:
Chrome (vanilla)
Steam
ImgBurn
Windows Live Messenger
Ventrilo
Adobe Reader

Work:
Firefox (Firebug, FireFTP, HideMenuBar)
Notepad++
Microsoft Office 2007 Professional
Paint.NET
GIMP or Photoshop CS2 (can't afford to upgrade :()
Pidgin
PuTTY
ColorPic
 
C

ChaoZ

Diamond Member
Apr 5, 2000
8,906
1
0
MediaMonkey
CCleaner
Volumouse
CCCP
RevoUninstaller
Defraggler
Pwalk
Foobar
RocketDock
Rainmeter
 
dud

dud

Diamond Member
Feb 18, 2001
7,635
73
91
Alienwho said:
Funny that I wouldn't event want to install the OP's most essential software even if I was payed $5 per software to install on my machine. What kind of junk are you surfing to need all that crap? Sure, I could understand maybe installing that stuff on a relatives computer who has a knack for downloading viruses, but I don't run any of that crap and haven't had an issue in 10 years.
Click to expand...


... hence the reason WHY I asked. I am not spending time in the "dark" areas of the Net ... I just wanted to see if I could do better ... and OBVIOUSLY I can do better.

I've learned SO MUCH just from reading all of your responses. I installed Ccleaner and it is indeed a great app.

Thanks all ...
 
Modelworks

Modelworks

Lifer
Feb 22, 2007
16,240
7
76
Last edited:
mmntech

mmntech

Lifer
Sep 20, 2007
17,501
12
0
Firefox
Avast
CCleaner
Steam
OpenOffice.org
VLC
Super Video Encoder
Smart Defrag
Skype
AIM
Irfanview
GIMP
 
OILFIELDTRASH

OILFIELDTRASH

Lifer
May 13, 2009
12,333
612
126
In order of importance
1. Norton Internet Security
2. Firefox
3. Ccleaner
4. Secunia
5. Anydvd
6. Powerdvd for watching blu rays
7. Radiotracker
and the honarable mentions
handbrake, imgburn, Itunes, evga precision, foxit reader, and pc decrapifier if a retail computer.
 
sourceninja

sourceninja

Diamond Member
Mar 8, 2005
8,805
65
91
I only use a few apps in windows.

IE (for testing)
Vmware Virtual Center (obviously for vmware)
and formfusion (a report builder)
 
Gooberlx2

Gooberlx2

Lifer
May 4, 2001
15,381
6
91
Security
Microsoft Security Essentials

Productivity
Open Office
Java SDK + Netbeans
Putty
Hamachi

General
Chrome + Apps (gmail)
7-zip
Adobe Reader
IMGburn

Media
Windows Live Photo Gallery
Gimp
Paint.net
RawTherapee
Avidemux
Windows Live Movie Maker
Zune software
Audacity
K-lite codec pack
 
Last edited:
eggrolls

eggrolls

Senior member
Oct 11, 2006
268
1
76
Firefox
Chrome
Pidgin
Foxit
Avira
CCleaner
ImgBurn
DaemonTools
VLC
Steam
MS Office
Winrar
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom