My “portable” Windows USB tool collection currently contains just over over 11.5 GB worth of applications I want to keep at the ready when working on a Windows system.
I like to think of it as a “EDSC” Everyday Software Carry version of the cool "EDC" Everyday Carry analog.
Two of my long-term goals are to 1) document and post on GSD an organized lineup of the tools for reference (remember this attempt?) , and 2) to cull through the pile and week out those that I no longer regularly use or are applicable to the post XP Windows environment I now live and work in (Windows 7/8/10).
Alas, I’m far away from tackling either of those noble quests at the moment.
However one folder seemed to be “low hanging fruit” and so I whacked it out this morning.
My original collection of these particular tool files on disk was 189 MB and now it has been reduced to 80 MB.
These are the Windows “tweaking” tools that I used to modify core Windows features, settings, and appearances.
It was easy to address as I realized a while ago that I really just don’t do much post-Windows install tweaking any longer. I might modify the default shortcut icon so it is smaller, I definitely modify the Windows 7 Logon Screen background image…and on Windows 8/8.1 I will add a third-party start-menu replacement. That’s it.
So I’m posting this listing for posterity and reference.
If a tool listed below is appended with an (X) then it is one I used to use/carry but have since removed from my software “EDC”. Doesn’t mean there is anything wrong with it; just that either the features are no longer needed (say it is specifically designed for Win 2000/XP/Vista) or it may just have more features than I will ever use and want to carry.
If a tool listed below is not appended with the (X), then I still have it loaded up on my USB stick…just in case.
Almost all of these are at lease free-for-personal-use, though there may be some that have free versions with limited features that include additional options un-lockable under a $ version. Use according to license limitations.
Enjoy…
GSD Windows Tweaking Tool List - Updated
Library of Windows 7 & Windows 8 Shortcuts
http://www.7tutorials.com/biggest-library-windows-7-shortcutsCustomExplorerToolbar
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/custom_explorer_toolbar.html(X) Dial-a-fix
http://wiki.lunarsoft.net/wiki/Dial-a-fix(X) EnhanceMyVista
https://seriousbit.com/older/enhancemyvistapro/(X) Enhanso - Tweak and Maintain Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1
https://seriousbit.com/enhanso(X) eXtraButtons
http://www.xtrabuttons.com/FileMenu Tools
http://www.lopesoft.com/en/filemenutoolsFileTypesMan
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/file_types_manager.htmlFixWin (Win7)
http://www.thewindowsclub.com/repair-fix-windows-7-vista-problems-with-fixwin-utilityFixWin (Win8)
http://www.thewindowsclub.com/fixwin-windows-8(X) FreshUI
http://freshdevices.com/freshui.html(X) Vista Shortcut Overlay Remover
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3606-shortcut-arrow-change-remove-restore.html(X) Glary Utilities
http://www.glarysoft.com/glary-utilities/Handy Shortcuts
http://www.thewindowsclub.com/create-windows-desktop-shortcuts-easily-with-handy-shortcutsJumplist Launcher
http://en.www.ali.dj/jumplist-launcher/Librarian
http://winaero.com/comment.php?comment.news.8(X) Logon Workshop
http://kizza1994.deviantart.com/art/Logon-Workshop-265186911(X) MS Tweakomatic
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/scriptcenter/dd939960.aspx(X) Mz Vista Force
http://www.mztweak.com/mzvistaforce.htmlNotifications Area Cleaner for Windows 7
http://www.itsamples.com/notification-area-cleaner.htmlOpenWithView
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/open_with_view.html(X) Pitaschio
http://pitaschio.ara3.net/manual.htm(X) PlacesBar Editor - Melloware
http://melloware.com/placesbar/(X) PlacesBar Editor - MaDdoG Software
http://www.maddogsw.com/placesbar/Quick Restore Point Maker
http://www.thewindowsclub.com/create-a-system-restore-point-in-1-click-with-quick-restore-makerRapidEE
http://www.rapidee.com/en/about(X) RegToy
http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/regtoy.html(X) SafeXP
http://www.theorica.net/safexp.htmShortcutsMan
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/shman.htmlShellMenuView
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/shell_menu_view.html(X) Stardock Tweak Vista
http://www.stardock.com/products/tweakvista/(X) Stardock Tweak 7
http://www.stardock.com/products/tweak7/(X) Startup Unblocker
http://www.jimmah.com/vista/Administration/autostart_admin_program.aspxTaskbar Pinner
http://winaero.com/download.php?view.34(X) Tidy Start Menu
http://www.tidystartmenu.com/index.shtml(X) TweakUAC
http://www.winability.com/tweak-uac/(X) Tweak 7
http://www.totalidea.com/products/tweak-7/index.php(X) Tweak XP
http://tweaks.com/software/Tweaks Logon Changer
http://tweaks.com/software/tweakslogon/(X) UAC Trust Shortcut
http://www.itknowledge24.com/(X) Ultimate Windows Customizer
http://www.thewindowsclub.com/ultimate-windows-customizer(X) Ultimate Windows Tweaker
http://www.thewindowsclub.com/ultimate-windows-tweaker-v2-a-tweak-ui-for-windows-7-vista
http://www.thewindowsclub.com/ultimate-windows-tweaker-3-windows-8(X) Vista4Experts
http://ntcore.com/vista4experts.php(X) VistaTweaker 0.5 Beta
http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/vistatweaker.html(X) WinBubble
http://unlockforus.blogspot.com/2007/11/winbubbles-features-gap.html
http://blog.unlockforus.org/2010/01/winbubbles-2010-customize-and-tweak.html
http://unlockforus.blogspot.com/2010/03/winbubbles-new-free-windows-7.htmlAccess Panel for Windows 8, Windows 7 & Vista, x86 and x64
http://www.thewindowsclub.com/windows-access-panel-for-windows-7-vistaWindows 7 Logon Background Changer
http://www.julien-manici.com/windows_7_logon_background_changer/(X) Windows Tweaker 4.0
http://www.neowin.net/news/windows-tweaker-40X-Setup Pro Portable for USB 9.2.100
http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/x_setup_pro_portable_for_usb.htmlXdN Tweaker
http://xenomorph.net/files/code/vb/xdntweaker/(X) xp-AntiSpy
http://xp-antispy.org/en/(X) Windows XP Security Console
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_securityconsole.htm(X) XP-Config
http://www.gaijin.at/en/dlxpconfig.php(X) XPY
http://sourceforge.net/projects/xpy/Control Panel - My Computer Tweaker
http://keybrdcowboy.deviantart.com/art/Control-Panel-My-Computer-Tweaker-350800290Windows 7 in a Box
http://www.nextofwindows.com/windows-7-in-a-box/Windows 7 Tips and Tricks (PDF e-book)
http://windowsvj.com/wpblog/windowsvj-xclusive-release-windows-7-tips-tricks-ebook/
Cheers,
Claus Valca
