Followings are the must-haves recommended by MeroGuff.
NVIDIA ForceWare 169.32 Windows XP/Vista Drivers: These drivers are far more superior than the one that is provided in Graphics card's driver CD. So, if you've GPU based on nVidia Chipset, always use Forceware drivers.
http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us
ATI Catalyst Drivers Windows XP/Vista: For latest updates/downloads on ATI card drivers, click here http://ati.amd.com/support/driver.html
AutoPatcher is a thirdparty software which loads Microsoft operating system with necessary security fixes and add-ons for extra usability. I came to learn that autopatcher.com is currently facing issues with Microsoft but lets hope for the best and get ready to download AutoPatcher for your favorite Microsoft Operating Systems whenever it's available. Here is the link :
http://www.autopatcher.com/downloads
For older Autopatcher download, please refer to download sites like softpedia.com
http://www.softpedia.com/progDownload/AutoPatcher-XP-Download-6278.html
USB Disk Storage Format Tool 2.0.6:
This tool formats any USB stick with any desired file system like FAT,FAT32,NTFS. This is especially helpful when you want your USB stick to bootable one.
http://download.chip.eu/en/USB-Disk-Storage-Format-Tool-2.0.6_176935.html#
Antivirus: I recommend Eset NOD32 as the best antivirus but there is a new kid on the block, COMODO antivirus. Download COMODO antivirus free for XP/Vista, here
http://antivirus.comodo.com/
The reason, I'm recommending you to download COMODO antivirus is because it's great software with no price to pay,it's freeware but if you could afford, stick to Eset
NOD32. or can try Trial version:
http://www.eset.com/download/index.php
Firewall: COMODO firewall is great in town and anyone thinking of ZoneAlarm as a great firewall, well, I've to admit ZoneAlarm didn't protect my system and let pass some of my data to other end. It could be basic firewall protection if you insist but COMODO is the most powerful and smart Firewall, So, download it because, it's free too.
http://www.personalfirewall.comodo.com/
Anti-Spyware : I recommend Spybot - Search and Destroy because it's the most advanced antispyware software to detect and delete all spywares and unknown spywares by many other anti-spywares at one go. Believe me, it works great and the tea-timer, silent memory resident tool is always on watch to catch spywares. Moreover, it's freeware.
Download it from here
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/mirrors/index.html
WinRar: For all your zipping/unzipping files need, use WinRar because, it gives you all the possible way to customize your Zipped files. Be it self-extracting file or
password protecting a zip file or spanning your archive on many parts, it's a piece of cake with this software, albeit it's not free. Download it from here
http://rarlabs.com/download.htm
FTP: Smart Ftp is the best ftp tool around and you should use it because, it gives you all features at one place. You don't even need to care about which mode to transfer files, because, it automatically detects the file type and transfers it. So, CHMOD-ing and all other ftp execution is again so easy to perform. But, this is not freeware too but gives you 30 days trial. Freeware FTP?? don't rely on them, I had trouble with them most of the time. So, 30 days is enough to give you all things you want to do, If you liked it, purchase it. For trial version, download here:
http://www.smartftp.com/download/
Notepad2: Guys seriously, I'm telling you replace that blunt Notepad with Notepad2. It gives you more power to your old notepad. It has all that syntax highlighting with
row numbers and so, best suited if you are programmer/developer. I'm using Notepad2 and replaced old Notepad with Notepad2.
It's freeware, download it from here
http://www.flos-freeware.ch/notepad2.html
Paint.Net: Want to try power of photoshop at extremely easy to use environment of this freeware tool. Try Paint.net, it's freeware and you can mostly do anything with your image files. It's low on memory consumption too. But, if you've photoshop, don't bother but I bet you'd love to give it a try.
http://www.getpaint.net/download.html
CDburnerXp: CDBurnerXP is a free application to burn CDs and DVDs, including Blu-Ray and HD-DVDs.It also includes the feature to burn and create ISOs, as well as a multilanguage interface. Everyone, even companies, can use it for free. It does not include adware or similar malicious components. <<--<
Download here:
http://cdburnerxp.se/download
Codec Pack All in 1: If your media files are not playing properly, all you need is codec(Code/decode) for each file type to play properly. Previously, it was pain in ass trying to figure out which codec is needed and then installing them individually. But now-a-days, concept of codec pack has come and developers have made single-package codec concept. It will allow you to play all kind of media files without any error message.
Download, Codec Pack All in 1 here, it's freeware
http://www.free-codecs.com/Codec_Pack_All_in_1_download.htm
Media Player Classic: It's the opensource software which is very lightweight media player(CD/DVD) and you can actually, use it to replace windows media player. Download it from
http://www.afterdawn.com/software/video_software/video_players/media_player_classic.cfm
VLC Media player: It's the media player which can independently run any media files without the need for codec installed in system, that means, it runs off it's own codec files and it doesn't hamper your current codec installed on your system. It's primarily targetted for network environment to stream Video.
Download it here http://www.videolan.org/vlc/
Most of them above listed are my must-haves. May be you don't require them all but don't miss antivirus/anti-spywares one.
Thank you for reading.
Comments
gimp is okay but the interface is terrible..
For another image editor, try GIMP.
An alternative to WinRAR is 7-zip. It also works with most compression technologies, and it runs under Windows. I think it also works with RAR archives, but not 100% sure.
The Necro Files
thanks for your words. GIMP i've tried, and 7-zip? I've downloaded it and using it.
Major Geeks also have a great list of essemtial freeware that they split into categories and also into whether each program is good for newbies, intermediates or more experieced peeps:
http://www.majorgeeks.com/page.php?id=20