program

Infopackets Reader Eric H. writes: " Dear Dennis, I recently purchased a new PC with Windows 8.1. My old PC has Windows XP on it, and I would like to copy over all my programs from Windows XP to Windows 8.1. How can I do that? After I'm done moving ... over all my programs, I want to wipe the old Windows XP PC clean and give it away. " My response: Unfortunately, migrating from Windows XP to Windows 8.1 is not as easy as 'copying' over files from one PC to another. In this case, I suggest you do one of the following: 1. Reinstall all (or some of) your programs manually on the new Windows 8.1 ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader 'Bob T.' writes: " Dear Dennis, I am trying to reinstall Windows on my computer but I can't seem to find my Windows DVD anywhere. In fact, I'm not even sure if my computer came with an install disc. Should I download Windows from ... a torrent website? Can I use a DVD or USB drive to reinstall Windows? What do you suggest? " My Response: You can download a copy of MS Windows 7, 8, or 10 for free from Microsoft and install it from DVD or USB, though the steps for installing from USB are a little more involved for Windows 7. At the time of writing this ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader Gord S. writes: " Dear Dennis, I have Windows 8.1 64 bit installed on my PC. When downloading programs I see there are options for 32 bit or 64 bit. My question is: should I download both 32 bit and 64 bit programs? [Also, what is ... the difference between 32 bit and 64 bit Windows?] Thank you for your comments. " My response: That's a great question; thanks for asking. If you are running 64 bit Windows, you should download and install 64 bit versions of programs -- but only if they are available. If there is no 64 bit version available, then running the 32 bit version will ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader Brenda T. writes: " Dear Dennis, I have a lot of duplicate word documents and pictures in my computer. I would like to know what is the best way to find the duplicate files and delete them? Do I need to buy a special program? And ... if so do you recommend one? " My response: That's a great question -- thanks for asking. You don't need to buy a special program to search for and delete duplicate files, as there are plenty of excellent freeware programs that will do just that. One program in particular that comes to mind is NirSoft's SearchMyFiles . This ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader Dan F. writes: " Dear Dennis, When I run Windows Update, it tells me there are .NET Framework 3.5 updates available. Should I install these Windows Updates, even though my computer has .NET framework 4.5? Also, should I remove old ... .NET framework (versions 1, 2, etc) from the Windows Control Panel? Or will it cause problems? " My response: I recommend installing Windows Updates as soon as they are available (for the reasons I outlined in the comments section of yesterday's article), as the latest Windows Updates usually address bug fixes or security-related ... (view more)

USBDeview 2.35 This small but very handy program lists all of the USB devices currently connected to your system. It can even provide users with a list of USB devices previously connected to the computer. Displayed information includes device type, ... serial number, date and time, and vendor ID. http://www.nirsoft.net LastActivityView 1.05 This program tracks the activity on your system and displays useful and pertinent information. Displayed information includes description (like run .exe file), file name, full path, and action time. This program can even show you when popular tools (like ... (view more)

StressMyPC 2.66 Want to know if your system is functioning the way it should? Give StressMyPC stress-testing software a try. This program will test your CPU, graphics card, and hard drive. StressMyPC is compatible with most versions of the Windows ... operating system. http://www.softwareok.com/ JaBack 10.17 There's nothing more devastating than losing all of your saved data. You can help to prevent that from happening with JaBack, an automated data backup program from Hitek Software. This program provides users with an accessible user interface for backing up their most important files and ... (view more)

VueMinder Calendar Lite 11.1.1 This program will help provide you with customizable reminders. It allows you to instantly create and access appointment, task, and meeting reminders that will keep you focused on the most important upcoming events. ... Note that the lite version is free, but there are also paid versions of this program with more features. http://www.vueminder.com/ FreeFileSync 6.5 This open source program allows you to quickly and easily synchronize all of your favorite files and folders across multiple devices, saving you lots of time and effort. FreeFileSync is compatible with ... (view more)

Monitor Asset Manager 2.80 This very useful utility provides you with a list of information related to the monitors attached to your system. Listed information includes monitor color and timing characteristics. This program is compatible with most ... versions of the Windows operating system. http://www.entechtaiwan.com Pixopedia 2014 0.1.3 Pixopedia is an absolutely free image editing program that provides you with a number of exciting features. Using this program's many shapes, brushes, and filters you can create original digital works of art or edit your favourite photographs. http://www. ... (view more)

DSpeech 1.58.5 This Text to Speech (TTS) program comes equipped with Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) technology, allowing it to effectively read the text you have typed. This program is simple and small, limiting its impact on a system. ... http://dimio.altervista.org HomeBank 4.5.6 This completely free but very effective program was designed to help you better manage your personal finances. It gives users access to filtering tools and graphs that clearly reveal your financial situation and allow you to plan for the future. http://homebank.free.fr/ (view more)