[Help Desk] Program/Software advices and recommendations

[Aura]

[Help Desk] Program/Software advices and recommendations

Hey guys, Aura here.

So I've been thinking about what kind of thread to create in this section to bring in more activity and I think I might have just found it. In this thread, I'll show you how to get a list of all the program you have installed on your system and to post it here, in this thread. Why you may ask ? Because I'll give you advice on which program to uninstall, which one to update, which one to change (alternative), what manufacturer bloatware you can just uninstall, etc. After a year of assisting people remotely on the forums, I realized that A LOT of them don't uninstall programs regulary or simply don't update them, causing their system to be bloated, run slow, waste resources and also, leave it vulnerable with older version of targetted software (such as Java, Adobe Flash, Silverlight, etc.). Therefore, I'm here to assist you and help you do a clean-up on your program and software.

To process, we'll use a simple tool called MiniToolBox (direct download link) that will help us list all the software/program that you have installed on your system.

If you want, software like SecuniaPSI, FileHippo Update Checker and Glary Utilities can also help you keep your software up to date. These programs will scan for every programs installed on your system, and check to see if there's a more recent version of these programs available, and will automatically download the installer and install it for you (for some, you'll have to go through the installer manually too). All these programs are free to use and should be part of a standard Windows installation, as they can help you increase the security of your system by keeping all your software (mostly the vulnerable ones) up to date in one easy click.

• Download MiniToolBox from BleepingComputer.com (linking the website as it have a lot of useful tutorials, programs, etc. to see);
  
• Execute it by double-clicking on it;
  
• Check the "List Installed Programs" checkbox;
  
  
• Click on the "Go" button;
  
• Once the scan is complete, a log will open.
  
  
• Copy/paste (select the Notepad, press Ctrl + A then Ctrl + C to copy, and Ctrl + V to paste) the content of the output log on PasteBin and post the link in this thread;
  

After that, I'll go through your installed software list and make you recommendations. I'll define a special reply form so it will be easy for you to read and understand the changes you have to bring to these programs.

I might add a small list of the official websites where you should download common software from and advertise you against the bloat that could be packed with the installer. Like Adobe's products have a "McAfee Security Scan Plus" offer that is checked on their website, so you have to uncheck it before clicking on the "Download" button. Java have the Ask Toolbar in their installed, and you have to uncheck the option before continuing.

If you have any questions about the thread, feel free to send me a PM or simply post in it here. Thank you.