VirtualBox is a general-purpose full virtualizer for x86 hardware. This means that you can generate and run virtual machines using an operating system which is completely different from the one installed on your computer.

Presently, VirtualBox runs on Windows and Linux 32-bit hosts and supports a large number of guest operating systems including but not limited to Windows (NT, 2000, XP, Server 2003, Vista), DOS/Windows 3.x, Linux (2.4 and 2.6), and OpenBSD.

The virtual machines created with VirtualBox offer support for USB devices by means of a virtual USB controller, can be remotely run and controlled and can also share files and folders with the host system.

VirtualBox is being actively developed with frequent releases and has an ever growing list of features, supported guest operating systems and platforms it runs on. VirtualBox is a community effort backed by a dedicated company: everyone is encouraged to contribute while InnoTek ensures the product always meets professional quality criteria.

Download VirtualBox 2.0.0 in Softonic

To extract and compress your files, 7-Zip is a perfectly viable alternative to the better known WinZip or WinRAR. The application works exactly like its main competitors yet manages to mix in WinZip’s selection of tools with WinRAR’s versatility.

The 7-Zip interface is similar to that of its competitors, with a main file manager and a command line to search and select files to extract or compress. The control panel is comprised of the essential buttons like extract, add and test, but also features copy, move and delete functions to allow you to manage your files. 7-Zip extracts and compresses files as fast as WinZip and WinRAR and handles the main archive formats like ZIP, TAR, RAR and ISO.

The archiving process is where 7-Zip differs most from its rivals. Where WinZip only lets you compress to ZIP and WinRAR to RAR or ZIP, 7zip offers you up to 5 different archive formats to choose from. The application lets you choose the update mode, depending on whether you want to add and replace files, refresh the archive or just synchronize files. If you don’t want somebody opening up your archive without your permission, you can set a password to protect your archive.We particularly liked the split tool because it can cut up your archive into equal parts which fit on a floppy, CD or DVD, handy if you need to distribute a particularly large archive.

Security is where 7-Zip lags behind its main rivals. There is no option to scan archives for viruses and you can’t repair damaged or corrupted files. While you can set a password to protect your archive, you can’t choose between different levels of encryption.

7-Zip might not be as secure as WinZip or WinRAR but it is definitely more versatile. It works with more archive formats and offers many useful tools like update mode or splitting. If you feel too limited by WinZip and if you don’t like WinRAR we suggest giving 7-Zip a try and taking advantage of all its possibilities.

Download 7-Zip 4.60 in Softonic

The Windows Registry is one of the key system elements of the OS, meaning you should always try to keep it in perfect shape with tools like Argente Registry Cleaner.

Argente Registry Cleaner analyzes the whole Registry in just a few seconds and finds all the invalid entries that programs usually leave behind after an incomplete uninstallation process. These entries can end up collapsing the Windows Registry and causing serious performance issues, but with Argente Registry Cleaner you have nothing to fear: the program will scan all the Registry areas, create a list with all found errors and provide you with the necessary tools to erase them. And for those of you who don't like messing up with the Registry, Argente Registry Cleaner also includes a backup option to be on the safe side.

Argente Registry Cleaner includes some interesting configuration options with which you can select which areas in the Windows Registry you want to scan, but unfortunately there's no option to set automatic scans according to a user defined schedule.

With Argente Registry Cleaner you can keep the Windows Registry fully clean, optimized and functional in just a couple of clicks.

Download Argente Registry Cleaner 1.4.3.6 in Softonic

Maintaining Windows in decent working order can be a full time job and it's a pain to have to download multiple programs to keep everything in check.

Pristy Utils 2009 is a collection of tools to maintain your PC. It features everything from a power scheme manager to a web management utility and Vista tweaker

The first Pristy Utils 2009 utility, System PowerDown serves to schedule shutdowns, restarts, suspensions and blocking sessions in the PC after a specified time. Web assistant is the second application which works as a quick shortcut for different Web related uses such as sending mails, files over the internet etc. The third tool is called PC detector. It displays all the information from your computer hardware in eight different sections: - CPU, screen, sound, memory, network, disk storage devices, and so on.

Finally, Pristy Utils 2009 has three applications for maintenance tasks - a cleaner to free RAM Memory, File Wipeout for secure deletion of files, and a desktop clock which is basically a widget for the desktop. More recently, Pristy Utils 2009 has been bolstered with a Vista booster that defrags your boot sequence. However, what this program is crying out for is a defragmentation tool - it's all very well cleaning up your hard drive but it doesn't speed them up which is where a defrag tool would come in really useful.

Pristy Utils 2009 is a great all round lightweight maintenance and web management tool although it lacks a few essentials.

Download Pristy Utils 2009 1.0.8 in Softonic

If you have to decompress files regularly, especially image files, you may find Zipeg interesting. It's definitely one of the nicest image decompressors I've used in a while and best of all, there's no registration or payment required.

The key feature of this program is a cool preview function which allows you to see what you are going to decompress before you do it. This is great if you can't remember what's in a file or are suspicious about its contents. It supports a huge variety of archive formats including:
ZIP, RAR, ARJ, LHA/LZH, 7z, TAR, GZ, TGZ, BZIP2, CPIO, RPM, ISO, CHM, Z, CBR, CBZ, WAR and EAR.

You can extract/unzip items simply by dragging them and the interface is remarkably easy to use and good looking. It can process archives in the background whilst you work, sorts content of folders by name, size or date and automatically checks for the latest updates.

This is one of the best image compression utilities out there although the thumbnails can take some time to appear when you select a file.

Download Zipeg 2.4.0.922 in Softonic

Image burning is one of the fastest and most efficient ways to save large amounts of data to DVD or CD.

Images are increasingly popular on torrent sites and other download portals because they allow users to download high volumes of data in a relatively small file. What's more, it's instantly ready for DVD or disk burning. ImgBurn is an ultra-lightweight CD/DVD/HD/DVD and Blu-ray burning application that everyone should have in their toolkit. It has several 'Modes', with each one performing a different task.

These include "Read" which reads a disc to an image file; "Build" which creates an image file from files on your computer or network; "Write" which writes an image file to a disc and "Verify" which checks whether a disk is 100% readable. With this last option, you can also ensure that the data is correct by asking ImgBurn to compare your disk against an image file. Finally, you have "Discovery" which puts your drive to the test to find just what kind of speeds and disk types it can support.

If you are experiencing any burning problems, it may be that your drive is not fast enough to handle the settings you have configured or that you are using the wrong kind of disks.

A very lightweight an powerful image burner that requires little experience but will ensure all your images are burned in a flash.

Download ImgBurn 2.4.2.0 in Softonic

This utility, which has the most comprehensive knowledge of auto-starting locations of any startup monitor (A starting list of auto-run locations was obtained from David Solomon's "Windows Internals" seminar), shows you what programs are configured to run during system bootup or login, and shows you the entries in the order Windows processes them.

These programs include ones in your startup folder, Run, RunOnce, and other Registry keys. You can configure Autoruns to show other locations, including Explorer shell extensions, toolbars, browser helper objects, Winlogon notifications, auto-start services, and much more. Autoruns goes way beyond the MSConfig utility bundled with Windows Me and XP.

Autoruns' Hide Signed Microsoft Entries option helps you to zoom in on third-party auto-starting images that have been added to your system and it has support for looking at the auto-starting images configured for other accounts configured on a system. Also included in the download package is a command-line equivalent that can output in CSV format, Autorunsc.

Download AutoRuns 9.34 in Softonic

Fresh UI is a fresh solution for configuring and optimizing Windows. Loaded with hundreds of useful hidden settings in Windows XP/2000/NT/ 98/95/Me, this software covers the customizing and optimizing techniques that you'll be glad to know, such as:

• Customizing Windows User Interface (UI)
• Optimizing system settings
• Optimizing hardware settings
• Customizing Windows application settings
• Controlling user environment with policies

Fresh UI is organized by section for easy navigation and is complete with detailed descriptions for easy reference.

Download Fresh UI 8.14 in Softonic

Probably one of the parts of Windows most in need of a overhaul is Windows Explorer. OK, it's simple, easy to use and functional but it could surely be made far more intuitive and useful.

That's what the developers of Explorer++ have attempted to achieve and, for the most part, they've done a really good job. Explorer++ is a free multi-tab clone of Windows Explorer, featuring several enhancements and additions that make it a more useful tool.

Probably one of the most interesting features of the application is the ability to use tabbed browsing to manage multiple folders. Instead of multiple Windows, just use one and each tab represents an open folder. It's exactly the same principle as tabbed browsing that's now common in internet browsers.

It also features some handy shortcuts for simple file transfer operations and also allows you to split and merge files, which is something notably absent from Windows Explorer.

Explorer++ brings new functionality to Windows Explorer although it could have gone a lot further in revolutionizing this archaic part of Windows.

Download Explorer++ Alpha 2 in Softonic

When I saw this defragmentation tool I thought "Well... I don't really need this, Windows already has one". But then I saw Defraggler has been developed by the same people as Recuva and the almighty CCleaner, so I decided to give it a try. After all, I use external apps for many tasks that Windows can do by itself, so why not using a third-party defragmenter?

Defraggler is easy to install and goes straight to the point. Its most outstanding feature is the possibility to defragment individual folders and files simply by putting a tick next to them. In fact, the option to defragment the whole hard drive is much more hidden (either right click on the drive or use the top menu bar).

However, there are things I didn't like about this program. First, I found it a bit slow. Also, it would have been nice to have it minimized to the system tray or similar. Finally, I'd appreciate it if the program included some means to automate tasks: you can't schedule defrags, nor set the program to turn off the PC when it's done.

Download Defraggler 1.02.085 in Softonic

If you only need to burn a CD every now and then there's no need to install a mammoth
recording suite on your system. Simply use Totally Free Burner and you'll be fine.

Totally Free Burner is a minimalist CD and DVD recording tool with which you'll be able to
burn audio and video CD, data CD and DVD and also images in BIN and ISO formats. Just
make your choice on the program's main window and Totally Free Burner will take to the
next step, presenting you with a new window where you can select the data you want to
burn.

While I like simple programs, I think Totally Free Burner goes a bit beyond the limit. It's
nice to have a quick, straightforward app to burn your CD without hassle, but the
program lacks basic features such as a proper documentation and a complete settings
menu, more than just the few options you get when you're about to start burning.

Totally Free Burner is a simple, quick recording tool with which you can burn CD and
DVD, though configuration options are somewhat scarce.

Download Totally Free Burner 3 in Softonic

GAG allows you to boot up from a choice of 9 different operating systems. It can boot operating systems installed in primary and extended partitions on any available hard disk.

It doesn't need its own partition. It installs itself in the first track of the hard disk, which is reserved for this type of program. It has a timer to boot a default operating system (selectable by the user).

Hides the primary partitions which allows the user to have installed more than one DOS and/or Windows in the same hard disk. Can exchange disk drives, allowing to boot from the second, third... hard disk operating systems such as MS-DOS. Supports a great variety of keyboards (QWERTY, AZERTY, QWERTZ and DVORAK keyboards). Full support for hard disks up to 4 terabytes (4096 gigabytes).

Download GAG 4.10 in Softonic

There are tweakers and then there are tweakers which really get deep inside of Windows to the parts that others that don't reach and Nawras PC Supervisor is definitely one of the latter.

Nawras PC Supervisor runs a scan of your system and presents a list of Windows functions that are normally hidden from view but which can make a significant difference to the running of your machine. Unless you've got an in-depth knowledge of the Windows registry, then majority of the tweaks in Nawras PC Supervisor will be new to you.

Possible tweaks are categorized by type such as Control Panel, Disk Drives, Startup, or other functions involving Internet Explorer or Media Player that may be slowing down your machine. Once found, you simply ask Nawras PC Supervisor to tweak them and it makes changes to the registry. Of course, any changes made to the registry shouldn't be done lightly and it makes a backup of your current settings should the worst happen. The tweaks take no more than a few seconds and you should notice an increase in operating speed depending on what you've tweaked.

Despite the slightly misleading name, Nawras PC Supervisor is more of a tweaker than a PC protector and will help you tweak Windows hidden recesses.

Download Nawras PC Supervisor 3.0 in Softonic

Sometimes the mouse cursor can blink way too rapidly when you're trying to aim it at a particular target or area.

SlowMousion is a discreet application that slows down mouse cursor's speed when pressing and holding down a key or button. SlowMousion gives you more sensitive control over mouse movements when drawing shapes, dragging shapes and just about anything else you are doing with a mouse.

SlowMousion is extremely easy to enable and disable which is essential because it can annoyingly activate itself when you least want it to. The best option is to use the program to define a hotkey instead because this saves any confusion. With repeated taps of the key, you can define exactly how fast or slow you want the mouse cursor to move or blink.

SlowMousion is a very basic application that does a simple job but is best activated from the keyboard than mouse.

Download SlowMousion 1.1 in Softonic

Have you ever wanted to remove some Windows components like Media Player, Internet Explorer, Outlook Express, MSN Explorer, Messenger. How about not even to install them with Windows?

nLite is a GUI for permanent Windows component removal by your choice. After removal there is an option to make bootable image ready for burning on cd or testing in virtual machines. With nLite you will be able to have Windows installation which on install doesn't include, or even contain on cd, unwanted components.

Download nLite 1.4.9 in Softonic

CPU-Z is a freeware utility that provides some information on your CPU with which you can identify areas that may be optimized to improve the efficiency of your system. Some of the topics checked by this sofware include:

• Processor name and vendor
• Core stepping and process
• Processor package
• Processor current core voltage
• Internal and external clocks, clock multiplier
• Partial overclock detection
• Processor features, including supported instructions sets
• L1 and L2 cache informations : location, size, speed, technology
• Motherboard informations : BIOS, chipset, memory, AGP

Download CPU-Z 1.47 in Softonic

RegToy is a small application that enables you to tweak a variety of hidden settings in Windows XP, customize your system and improve its performance.

The tweaks offered in the program are conveniently organized into categories. You can also search for an specific tweak by using keywords in RegToy's built-in search tool. Besides tweaking, you'll be able to remove invalid registry keys, change your wallpaper according to a scheduled period of time and clean your hard drive, amongst other utilities.

Download RegToy 0.7.2.1 in Softonic

As far as free PDF converters go, doPDF is one of the best out there saving you tons of cash on Adobe's patented version and whatsmore, doing it in half the time.

The program is remarkably simple to use. Just open a document in Microsoft Word, WordPad, NotePad or practically any other text editing software, choose Print and select doPDF. The program asks you where to save the PDF file and when finished, the PDF file will be automatically opened in your default PDF viewer. This process takes less than a minute and you'll be amazed at how accurate the PDF is. Occasionally, it can suffer with unusually formatted text and images and so they won't come-out exactly as you want but this can be remedied.

Unfortunately, there's also no option to print large web pages (such as long news articles or forum pages) without dividing it into separate pages so you'll end up with lines dividing the article up throughout your PDF documents. The other slight downside is that it seems the PDF files it creates can be rather large although if you ZIP them up, this is not much of an issue.

An excellent PDF converter that's fast, easy to use and serves as more than an adequate replacement for Adobe's software.

Download doPDF 6.1.271 in Softonic

If you've got a lot of Windows open at once, it's a real pain to go through each one by one and minimize them.

That's why GameMinimizer offers an excellent solution via a simple application which sits in your tray ready for action at any moment. It works quite simply by minimizing every single window you've got open. Alternatively, you can use GameMinimizer to select a hotkey as the minmizer instead. Unfortunately, this is not customizable - you can only use the combination keys of WIN M or ALT TAB or just F12.

GameMinimizer is very useful in cases where you have several applications open and one of them crashes. Alternatively, it's useful as a "boss" key if you're using windows you shouldn't be in the office. However, the annoying thing is if you've got JavaApplet windows open, it doesn't seem to close them at the same time as other windows which is a bit frustrating or embarrassing depending on what you're doing.

GameMinimizer, despite the name, minimizes everything that's full screen including games, although it will leave certain things behind.

Download GameMinimizer 1.0 in Softonic

Recuva (pronounced "recover") is a freeware utility to restore files that have been accidentally deleted from your computer.

This includes files emptied from the Windows Recycle Bin as well as images and other files that have been deleted by user error from digital camera memory cards or even MP3 players.

It will even bring back files that have been deleted by bugs, crashes and viruses.

Download Recuva 1.18 in Softonic