A Follow up Post to:

Run Multiple Instances of Firefox Portable

to Several Good Reasons for Using Portable Firefox

What is This all About?

The post Run Multiple Instances of Firefox Portable provided some excellent reasons for using different versions of Firefox portable to meet your varying needs. For example you could have versions with lots of add-ons or versions with add-ons that meet particular requirements, or you could set up versions for dealing with mail or RSS feeds or managing sessions for favourite sites.

The main problem was that Firefox Portable can only run a single instance (that is only one version of the portable program) at a time. So you could not have a Firefox Window and multiple tabs for say your email running at the same time as another version dedicated to RSS feed or favourite sites. (Note you can run multiple windows each with its own tabs but these will have the same add-ons, bookmarks and layout)

However a very simple change using a text editor, such as notebook, and moving a file from one folder to another can allow you to run multiple different versions  (instances) of Firefox Portable at the same time! i.e. different main Firefox executable files and the associated portable package of profile, bookmarks, add-ons, etc.

Update - N.B Since starting this tip I have found that there is information out on other blogs so this is not original

What Do You Need to Do?

Firstly you need a version of Firefox Portable- if you don’t have it you can download it here:

portableapps.com/apps/internet/firefox_portable

In my main PC I have already downloaded both Firefox 2 and Firefox 3 portable versions.

(I still use Firefox 2 for one particular add-on  that has not been upgraded for use with Firefox 3)

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Popularity: 75% [?]

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What’s This About?

FileTypesMan is a superior replacement for the standard Windows File Types dialog*. It allows you to quickly find the file type you are looking for, add new, edit existing, add or change actions, etc. in a simple but comprehensive way.

* To access File Types open Windows Explorer then go Tools-Folder Options from the menu and select the File Types tab

Why Would You Want It?

Perhaps files aren’t opening with the program you expect when double clicked in Windows Explorer and you need to find out why or change it back. Perhaps you want to just know what a particular file extension does, particularly if you are concerned about viruses, spyware or malware. Perhaps you need to change the program that a file type opens with. For example you may have a favorite freeware text editor that you wish top associate with .txt files or other text type files such as log and ini files. You may wish to add additional actions which appear under the context menu when the file is right clicked in explorer often you will see with document type files options such as Open, Print, New at the top of the context menu. These are all actions set in file types. More advanced users will also be able to add or change DDE (Dynamic Data Exchange) information.

What Does It Do - The Essentials?

Summary:

• Displays all File Type Associations
• Easy Sorting by multiple columns
• Add/Edit File Associations
• Add/Edit Actions for File Associations
•  

Pros: What’s Good?

Features & Benefits

• Freeware

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Popularity: 32% [?]

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What’s This All About?

Folder Size adds a “Folder Size” column to the standard Windows Explorer file explorer utility. It also adds a further 3 columns that report the number of files and folders that appear under the folder being viewed. This is a simple and brilliant Explorer add-on that is an essential tool for anyone interested in how disk space is being used or where all the large file/folders are.

Why Would You Want It?

Windows does not provide a utility that shows the size of folders in a simple and easily used way*.There are many reasons why you need to know the size of folders. It may be that you are running out of disk space. You may want to know why a particular folder is using so much space. Or you are simply interested in the fact that certain applications produce large files and use up so much disk space. Armed with this information you can make all sorts of decisions:

1. Do I want to use an application that uses lots of disk space?
2. Do I want to delete this folder?
3. Do I want to move this folder?
4. How can I use this utility more efficiently?
5. What do I delete now that I am running out of disk space?

I am sure there are lots of other reasons why you would want to know the sizes of folders.

*You can always use the “right click context menu” in Explorer to view propertied. This only give information for a single folder and is slow/cumbersome to use.

However, not only does Folder Size add a Windows Explorer column for the size of the folder, you can also add columns that will tell you the number of files and/or folders within that folder (sub-folders/files).

What Does It Do - The Essentials?

Summary:

• Displays Folder Size Information in Windows Explorer
• Displays Number of sub files and folders in additional columns
• Runs as a Service

Pros: What’s Good?

Features & Benefits

• Freeware

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Popularity: 27% [?]

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What is This all About?

Most users will think of Windows Explorer (Not Internet Explorer the browser application) as the program they use to access their files. In fact Windows Explore is much more than this, in simple terms it provides the graphical user interface(GUI) between the user and the operating system. It gives access to the all the programs including the control panel and various system utilities such as System Information, System Restore and the Management Console. If Windows Explorer freezes or cashes then you no longer have access to the Windows Taskbar and the Desktop icons amongst other important ways that you interact with your PC to make it do what you need. (Windows Explorer is also referred to as the shell which interacts with the core operating system).

Tip 4 may be the most important Tip as this helps to protect against fatal Windows Explorer crashes

Why Do You Care?

For a multitude of different reasons Windows Explorer may freeze or crash at any time. Windows XP is certainly more stable than earlier Windows operating systems but it still happens, particularly if you load lots of programs and give your PC a heavy workload. This is another reason why it pays to reboot your Windows OS fairly frequently, as the longer he system runs in any one session the more likely it is that it may freeze or crash.

Once Windows Explorer is no longer available then how do you access such things as the Shutdown Menu or your open programs that are still running?

What Can You Do?

First of all, except for the most inexperienced of users of a Windows OS will be familiar with CTL-ALT-DEL (or the 3 finger salute) where you press all 3 keyboard buttons at the same time as an emergency “get out of jail” solution.

By the way – if this doesn’t immediately work give it a minute after which you will need to use the powerswitch or restart button with all the possibilities of loosing data or file corruption. So only ever do this as a last resort!!!!

When you use CTL-ALT-DEL from a User Login/Password system you see the following screen:

(Click on Screenshots to enlarge)

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Popularity: 22% [?]

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What Is It?

Attribute Changer 6 by Romain Petges is a comprehensive utility to change the attributes for files and folders individually, in selected batches and for all files or by using a file filter for the files in a folder.

Why Would You Want It?

Ever copied files from a CD and found that they all have the “Read Only” attribute set? Have you accidentally change the modified date on a file when you really wanted to keep the original date? Have you found files on your system with “impossible” dates in the past or future? These have all happened to me in the past which is how I came across this very handy utility.

While you can change some attributes of files individually or for selected batches using the standard Windows Properties dialog in explorer Change Attributes lets you do so much more plus it gives you very useful options for filtering and using relative date/time adjustments.

What Does It Do - The Essentials?

Summary:

• Changes Windows Folder and File Attributes

Pros: What’s Good?

Features & Benefits

• Freeware

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Popularity: 21% [?]

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A ProReviewer Mini-me Review

What Is It?

Laptop Alarm is a simple application that emits a loud sound when certain actions are taken with an unattended laptop.

Why Would You Want It?

Are you concerned about the security of your laptop? Laptop Alarm provides a useful way of deterring casual theft or interference and snooping by co-workers, fellow students etc. when you leave your laptop or PC unattended. However it is easily and quickly turned off and should be considered only as a simple deterrent and not a solution to such problems.

However there are also some other simple steps that you can take to prevent such things.

What Does It Do - The Essentials?

Emits a very loud sound when:

• The mouse is moved
• The mouse is removed
• The power supply is removed
• Shutdown/Suspend
• Requires a password to deactivate*

*See Cons below

Pros: What’s Good?

• Freeware

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Popularity: 26% [?]

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What Is It?

CCleaner is essentially a system optimisation tool removing unwanted and temporary files from the system along with a registry cleaner. It also removes traces of your PC use on web browsers and opened documents history.

My recent post My Current XP OS is Dying (and Holiday Weekend in the UK) outlined problems with my current XP installation. This is part of the normal cycle for a Windows OS which becomes overloaded with all sorts of files and registry entries over a period of time. Particularly for my type of use where lots of programs are installed/uninstalled and all sorts of changes are constantly being made to the system to se how things work. I though that as I am about to reinstall the system this would be an ideal opportunity to experiment with some system and registry cleaning utilities.

This will be the first post outlining the main features of CCleaner in the same way as a normal review. I will follow this up shortly with my experience in using CCleaner on the system to see what improvements it makes and any problems that result.

Why Would You Want It?

Essentially to try and get your Windows Operating System into a state where it runs more efficiently. This can be partly achieved by removing invalid entries from the registry and deleting unused temporary files. It also will remove your web browsing and opened documents history along with the associate cookies, files, shortcuts, registry entries, etc. if this is important to you. As many of the files and entries are hidden or not obvious to the average user this is almost impossible to achieve without an application such as CCleaner.

What Does It Do - The Essentials?

Summary:

• Registry Cleaner
• Removes Temporary Files
• Removes Web Browsing Traces/History
• Removes unneeded System and Application Files

Pros: What’s Good?

• Freeware
• Portable (+ Installed option)

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Popularity: 31% [?]

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A ProReviewer Mini-me Review

This is an overview of the program and not a more detailed review

What Is It?

AVG Anti Virus 8 is the little brother to AVG Anti Virus 8 Pro and as you will see it provides much more than just virus protection.

Why Would You Want It?

Everyone needs to have anti virus software installed even if not connected to the Internet or behind a router. Even if you are normally vigilant and careful about what you download, email you open or files you copy from removable media, it only takes a moments distraction or perhaps hitting the wrong button in a message box for a virus or Trojan to get into your system. Once it’s there it will probably be impossible to completely get rid of the problems it has caused. Therefore you still need to take care even when you have an anti virus software properly installed and running!

Even if you can remove all traces as well as recover files and registry settings that have been deleted or changed, it will take you many hours. Even then will you be sure that nothing is left behind? From personal experience I would suggest if you get a virus follow information you will find on the major security/anti virus sites to make sure you are safe from it returning or lurking on some other drive and then reinstall your OS from your last backup.

A good anti virus should prevent this from happening (providing it is set up and used properly as well as updated regularly)

What Does It Do - The Essentials?

Summary:

• Anti Virus Protection
• Anti Spyware Protection
• E-mail Scanner
• Real Time Scanning of accessed files

Pros: What’s Good?

• Freeware

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Popularity: 58% [?]

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What Is It?

Instant Eyedropper is a small utility to identify the colour of a particular screen pixel. It sits in the system tray when started and has no main GUI only an options window and a small window attached to the mouse cursor when identifying a colour.

A ProReviewer Mini-me Review

This is an overview of the program and not a more detailed review

————————————————————–

Why Would You Want It?

A quick and easy way to get identify screen colours in the various colour definition systems used for common computer applications using a Portable Application.

The supported colour formats are:

• HTML
• HEX
• Delphi Hex
• Visual Basic Hex
• RGB
• HSB

What Does It Do - The Essentials?

Summary:

• Identifies the colour of any screen pixel

Pros: What’s Good?

• Freeware

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Popularity: 20% [?]

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Q-Dir is a multi-pane file explorer and manager based around the MS Windows Explorer core functionality and then has a lot of extra bells and whistles thrown in.

A ProReviewer Mini-me Review

This is an overview of the program and not a more detailed review

What Is It?

Q-Dir is a file explorer/file manager and acts as a replacement or alternative to Windows Explorer. It provides a single to multi-pane environment to work in and has the look and feel of Windows Explore plus many useful additions. It has a lot of useful functions built in and makes clever use of Explorer context menus built into the main menu bar which provides extra functions dependant on what additional software is installed and how it has been set up.

Why Would You Want It?

File and data management are two of the key elements of personal computing after the use of individual applications that generally create the files and manipulate the data. A really good, intuitive and easy to use program for this work is an absolute essential. Unfortunately Microsoft have never provide the tool for the job.

From my own point of view I have been trying different file managers for several years, always looking for an application that lives up to my requirements and expectations., In all that time I have yet to find the perfect solution, Q-Dir still falls short of the mark but is certainly one of the best implementations I have come across in quite a while. I have tried all the popular and highly rated freeware file mangers, most are quite good but none meet my needs in full.

As a quick idea of the essential items I am looking for the following list gives a good idea:

• Simple and Intuitive to use
• Windows Explorer look and feel (in part)
• Two (or more) panes (or tab implementation for drag and drop etc.)
• Good menus/context menus/toolbars
• File name filtering (Auto)
• User or task Profiles
• Robust file handling (Move/Copy/Paste/Delete)

What Does It Do - The Essentials?

Summary:

• Windows Explore Replacement
• Multi Pane Views
• Treeviews or substitute Dropdowns
• Colour coding of file types in display (User changeable)
• Handles

Pros: What’s Good?

• Freeware

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Popularity: 37% [?]

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