Blog Archives

Disktective Helps You Visualize Hard Drive Usage [Download]

Posted on December 21, 2009
by

Windows: If you’re on the hunt for which folder and files are chewing up the most hard drive space, Disktective is a free and portable app that makes short work of it.

Disktective scans any drive or folder you point it at and returns a list of the folder and files sizes container therein and a pie chart displaying the portion of the disk or folder in use by the folder or files in question. Once you scan you can drill down through any sub-folders and the chart will automatically update to reflect the ratio in the new folder.

If you want to visualize your data as a radial map, check out previously reviewed OverDisk, and definitely check out our guide to managing your diskspace with the popular WinDirStat and JDiskReport. Diskective is free, portable, and Windows only.






Leave a Reply ?

Disable the New Libraries Feature on Windows 7 [Windows 7]

Posted on September 8, 2009
by

We’ve referred to Windows 7′s Libraries as a top thing to look forward to, and then as one of the best underhyped features—but if you really can't get used to them, you can disable it.

The new Libraries feature in Windows 7 creates what are essentially virtual folders—you can combine multiple document folders together into a single library that combines them all into a single folder, create new libraries, and access them from common file open dialogs.

It's an excellent feature that's a huge step forwards in Windows file management—but if you aren't able to get used to a new way of doing things, the Tweaking with Vishal blog has a registry hack to completely eliminate them. Simply download, extract, and double-click on the provided registry hack file, then restart your computer and you'll see that the Libraries are completely gone. There's also an uninstall registry script provided just in case.






Leave a Reply ?

LockHunter Deletes Stubborn Files and Applications [Downloads]

Posted on August 10, 2009
by

Windows: Everyone has run into the problem at some point. You want to move or delete a file and Windows flat-out denies you because the file is supposedly in use. Break your file free with…

Leave a Reply ?

Open a New Command Prompt from Explorer with a Hotkey [Autohotkey]

Posted on July 2, 2009
by

Reader Kevin used his ubergeeky AutoHotkey scripting skills to create a hotkey that opens a command prompt window at the same location as the folder you are browsing in Windows Explorer.

To use the script, you simply hit the Ctrl+Alt+H shortcut key sequence while looking at a folder in Windows Explorer and a new command prompt window will open, already set to the same working directory. We’ve already covered how to open a command prompt window from the context menu, but this method is even simpler.

To create this hotkey for yourself, create a new AutoHotkey script or add the following to your existing script:

#IfWinActive ahk_class CabinetWClass ; for use in explorer.
^!h::
ClipSaved := ClipboardAll
Send !d
Sleep 10
Send ^c
Run, cmd /K "cd `"%clipboard%`""
Clipboard := ClipSaved
ClipSaved =
return
#IfWinActive

Once you’ve added, saved, and launched the script, you should be able to start using the hotkey immediately. Thanks, Kevin!

For more Windows shortcut goodness, check out how to make Win+E open the folder of your choice, learn how to use Caps Lock for hand-friendly navigation, and see how Taskbar Overlord tweaks the Windows 7 taskbar. Brand new to AutoHotKey and its time-saving ways? Peek at our beginner’s guide to learn how to add this script, or write your own.





Leave a Reply ?

Fast Duplicate File Finder Finds Your File Dupes [Downloads]

Posted on June 17, 2009
by

Windows only: A little sloppy file keeping can lead to a lot of duplicate and space-hogging files. Dig up all your dupes with the speedy Fast Duplicate File Finder.

You can scan local, external, flash-based, and network drives with Fast Duplicate File Finder. There are several convenient features like the ability to automatically mark the older of the two duplicate files as the one that will be deleted or moved, protection of system and program files, and a shortcut to immediately jump to the actual folder where a duplicate you’d like to examine is residing.

Fast Duplicate File Finder supports projects, essentially profiles, so you can customize your scanning technique and the locations to be included based on your various needs. There is in-program preview for images, video, music, text, and binary files. When you find duplicates you can dump them into the recycle bin, delete them permanently, or have the files and their folder structure copied to a backup folder to serve as a holding area until you’re certain you want them permanently deleted. Fast Duplicate File Finder is freeware, Windows only.





Leave a Reply ?

Move Your iTunes Library to an External Hard Drive [Video Demonstration]

Posted on May 19, 2009
by

If your hard drive is filled to the brim now that all of your music and movies have hit the digital realm, it may be time to move that iTunes library to an external drive.

We walked you through how to move your iTunes library to an external drive a few years ago, but CNET has just published a great video step-by-step for achieving the same goal—so if you get more out of a video demo, the embedded video may be for you (once you make it through the front-end commercial, that is).





Leave a Reply ?

DirSync Pro Keeps Your Files Synchronized [Downloads]

Posted on May 18, 2009
by

Windows/Mac/Linux: Java-based DirSync Pro provides cross-platform file synchronization with an easy to use interface, incremental backup, and a profile system.

DirSync Pro is a robust and open-source file synchronizing tool. Thanks to its Java-based construction it has cross-platform support and a self-contained directory for easy portability.

You can use DirSync to perform bidirectional and unidirectional syncs, making it easy to only update files on one side of the transfer or sync both locations to each other. There are numerous variables you can tweak to control the transfers including only syncing new, larger, or modified files. You can set filters to include or exclude sub-directories, create backups of the synced and changed files, and create configuration files for your most frequently used locations and settings.

The configuration files are handy feature, especially if you’re running the application in multiple environments off your USB drive. You can create unique setups and execute them independently making it super easy to create a specific routine for backing up files at work, syncing files at home, or whatever situation you find yourself in. DirSync Pro is open source and works wherever Java does.





Leave a Reply ?

iWatchSyncer Automatically Adds New Music to iTunes [Downloads]

Posted on May 15, 2009
by

Windows only: Free application iWatchSyncer monitors any folder on your computer and automatically adds new MP3s to your iTunes library, bridging a very annoying gap in the default iTunes behavior.

Unlike most modern media player applications that sport the elementary ability to set up a folder (or folders) to watch for new content, you've got to manually add any new MP3s to iTunes unless you purchase said MP3 from the iTunes Store. (Hmm, I wonder why that might be.) iWatchSyncer monitors any folder on your computer and automatically adds any new track it sees there—meaning that whether you downloaded some new tracks of the internet or bought a new album via some source other than iTunes, you don't have to hassle with the manual import every time.

Previously mentioned iTunes Folder Watch offers the same functionality (and then some), and I’ve highlighted a command line method that does the same thing, but it’s always good to have options. iWatchSyncer is a free download, Windows only, requires .NET 3.5.





Leave a Reply ?
Leave a Reply ?

SkipScreen Lets You Pass Go and Collect Your Download [Firefox]

Posted on April 2, 2009
by

Firefox: Thanks to an explosion in their popularity, it’s hard to avoid the ad-filled countdown screens of file services like Rapidshare and Megaupload these days. Skip the wait with this handy extension.

SkipScreen is a no-frills Firefox extension with a singular focus. Once you install SkipScreen the splash screens on popular file sharing services, that show you advertisements and encourage you to upgrade to premium service to avoid having to wait, are a thing of the past. As you can see in the screenshot above, the save file dialogue box popped up immediately while the count down was still in progress. Check out the video below to see it in action:

SkipScreen works on the following services: zShare, Mediafire, Sendspace, Sharebee, Rapidshare, Megaupload, DepositFiles, Divshare, Linkbucks, and Link-protector, with more on the way. If you have your own tips, tricks, or work arounds for getting the most from free file sharing services, sound off in the comments below. SkipScreen is free and works wherever Firefox does.





Leave a Reply ?
WP Like Button Plugin by Free WordPress Templates