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10 Must Have Apps for IT Pros

Roman Rafacz — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 21:38:36 +0000

There are so many useful applications out there in the IT world it’ll make your head spin.

Here are 10 apps I’ve always found helpful — not only for personal use, but helping friends and family with their computer problems and issues with viruses, spyware, sharing files, etc.

Most of them are free and all are great tools you will no doubt find useful.

Also, make sure to check out Brian’s 8 Must Have Windows Utilities and see what you’ve been missing.

1. Avast

Avast is a great anti-virus program that is reliable and easy to use. Avast protects your PC against viruses, spyware, adware, rootkits, and other malware.

I can’t rave enough about it. No installation or compatibility problems, no noticeable slowdowns and updates available almost every day. Also, it gives you the option to run a boot-time scan.

There are a lot of anti-virus software out there, if you want a reliable one, Avast is a great choice. The home version is a 2 month trial but can be extremely effective if you need to do a quick scan on someone’s infected computer.

Link to Avast: www.avast.com

2. Dropbox

Dropbox is a free online service used to backup and sync your data. It also allows you to share your files and photos with friends.

Dropbox works just like a folder on your computer except it automatically synchronizes with other computers linked to your account. Meaning a friend can be linked to the folder on my desktop and as soon as I drop in a file, the remote folder will shortly be updated and my friend can retrieve the file.

The best part is the convenience of having Dropbox wherever you are without the hassle of portable hard drives, CD’s, and other storage devices.

Free accounts come with 2GB of storage. You can also get 5GB through the referral program and as much as 50GB for a monthly fee.

If you’re interested in learning more, check out Brian’s article on Dropbox that talks about usage, security, and other info.

Link to Dropbox: www.getdropbox.com

3. CrossLoop

This is the quintessential app for helping those remote buddies trying to untangle their PC mess. Similar to LogmeIn or some other remote access program, CrossLoop is free, extremely easy to install, and is a convenient way to log onto someone’s computer remotely.

All you have to do is download, signup, and you get an access code you can give to another person to log in remotely. Give it a whirl, you won’t be disappointed.

Link to CrossLoop: www.crossloop.com/

4. UnDelete Plus

Undelete Plus is a free tool used to recover deleted files from your PC. Whether you emptied the recycling bin, deleted within a DOS window, or a networked drive, Undelete Plus is there to the rescue.

It scans your system for files that have been deleted and tells you whether or not they can be restored (some deleted files have already been overwritten).

It’s not 100% guaranteed, but since it’s free it’s worth a try.

Link to UnDelete Plus: www.undeleteplus.com

5. Everything

Everything is a great search tool that puts Microsoft’s Folder search to shame. Instead of wasting time waiting for MS to find what you need, use Everything to find exactly what you are looking for at lightning speed.

It’s also useful for those hidden files you can’t find. Really a great free to tool that makes life just a little bit easier.

Link to Everything: www.voidtools.com

6. Unlocker

This is a great tool for all those annoying file restrictions you get from Windows. You know what I’m talking about; those “Can’t delete file” or “Please close any other processes that may be using the file and try again”.

This program is used to terminate a running process for files that can’t be accessed due to Windows file-access bugs. Unlocker successfully bypasses these bug restrictions and gives the user access to that file.

Basically, it lets you override those pesky Windows errors and do exactly what you want to do with your files.

Link to Unlocker: www.download.cnet.com/Unlocker

7. ClamWin

This is one of those “sleepers” out there in freeware land, but is a great anti-virus program. It boasts real-time monitoring along with other options.

Since it’s just under 6 MB in size (rather small for an anti-virus program) it does not bog your system down. It’s also known to find some threats which other anti-virus tools fail to detect.

The biggest knock against ClamWin is that the program still doesn’t have the ability to scan files on demand, something found in many newly released anti-virus products. But this isn’t a bad trade-off when you’re getting a free virus scanner in return.

Link to ClamWin: www.clamwin.com

8. Keepass

Keepass allows you to create a database with all of the passwords and use one master key to access them all. Not a bad idea for obvious reasons.

Keepass makes it easy to handle 10 different usernames, 9 different email accounts, etc. If you’re having trouble with passwords, this app is the solution for you.

It’s free and is small enough to fit easily on to even the least capacious USB drive.

Link to Keepass: www.keepass.info

9. MalwareBytes

There are a lot of spyware tools out there, but MalwayreBytes is an excellent one and far more useful and up-to-date than the forever behind-the-times Spybot Search and Destroy.

Malwarebytes is fast and doesn’t use a lot of resources. Quick performance, real time protection, and deep file scan are only some of the pros.

These days you can never have enough removal tools and MalwareBytes won’t disappoint. Oh yeah, you can get it for free too!

Link to MalwareBytes: www.malwarebytes.org

10. Ccleaner

Keeping your PC free of unwanted files, cached data and unneeded registry entries has never been easier. Ccleaner frees up hard disk space and cleans traces of your online activity.

Ccleaner doesn’t take a lot of time to run and definitely cleans out the crap, especially for novices or those who don’t performing regular PC maintenance.

It’s designed to be safe and secure to use, meaning it has multiple checks in place so that it won’t delete any useful information or documents you need. It’s a great tool and free software is always a plus.

Link to Ccleaner: www.ccleaner.com

So… Which One’s Your Favorite?

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How to Recover Lost Data from a Formatted Drive in 7 Steps

Lisa Szpunar — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:00:53 +0000

Last time we talked about when to use data recovery software and 10 features to look for when choosing recovery software.

Today, we’ll take it one step further and look at the steps involved in using one such product. Then, we’ll discuss what to do to keep yourself out of these predicaments to begin with.

Before we can begin, there are a few basics we need to go over.

The Basics That You Need to Know When Using Data Recovery Software

If possible do a back-up before you try the recovery
Don’t install the software on the drive that has the problem
Be sure to save the recovered files someplace other than the problem drive

Installing the recovery software on the unstable drive could write on top of your files. This is a no-brainer if you are trying to recover removable storage like the below example.

In this case you don’t have to do anything special. However, there is an extra step if you want to recover an internal drive.

When recovering an internal drive, you will have to remove the unstable hard drive and connect to a stable computer with a stable operating system. I have dealt with this in the past and had decided to purchase a case that turns my hard drive into an USB connected external hard drive.

This is the cleanest and easiest way but has an additional cost (approximate $10-30 depending on quality and appearance of the case) and slows down the scan because it is running through USB. Buying this is unavoidable in most instances when you are trying to recover a laptop hard drive.

If it is a tower you are attempting to recover, you can bust open a second tower and plug in the unstable hard drive. Then you should see the unstable drive show up in (My) Computer or in Disk Management.

You may, or may not, be able to see some of the files you are looking for without any recovery software at all.

A Step-by-Step Example of How to Use a Data Recovery Product

If you remember from my last article, all the files were absent from my frantic mother-in-law’s USB flash drive.

I am still not sure exactly what happened to it, but my theory is that a coworker had inadvertently done a quick format, perhaps when hastily clicking through prompts. The actual name of the drive was changed to "public", along with the fact that all of her files had gone missing, hinted me to this conclusion.

I knew right away that using a data recovery program was the route for me. There was no physical damage, and system restore was not an option.

As mentioned last time, I already had GetDataBack for NTFS from a previous mishap. I decided to use their FAT version too because I was familiar with the software.

If I knew then what I know now, I probably wouldn’t have chosen that product. The reason is not that it is a bad product; actually it worked quite well and was rather intuitive. I just wish I had paid for one product that did both file systems.

Now let’s get started. I have recreated the problem and will take you step by step through recovering the files.

I decided to try out a different program this time. They have very different GUIs, but the results were the same. Here are the steps I took using Recover My Files on a USB flash drive from a computer running Vista Professional.

Step 1

Have the drive you want to recover attached to a computer with an operating system. In my case I simply had to plug the USB flash drive into my computer.

Step 2

Download and install the free version of Recover My Files. Don’t forget that you need to install it someplace other than the drive that you want to recover.

Step 3

Start Recover My Files. You have 4 general options.

The first two are for files that you accidentally deleted. Use the second two if you want to recover after a format. I chose Complete Format Recover and then clicked next.

Step 4

Next an information box comes up that tells you when to choose a physical drive and when to pick a logical one. The program tells you to choose a physical drive if you have simply reformatted, and choose a logical one if you have already installed something on the drive.

The logical version of the drives will show up with their normal names. The physical version will be numbered.

I chose physical number 1. You should never be choosing number 0 because that would mean you are trying to recover the main (boot) drive that you are running the program from. Click next.

Step 5

The next window asks you for the main types of files that you want to recover. It seems like the point of this step is simply to confuse you or worry you unnecessarily.

GetDataBack didn’t have a step like this. I’m sure it is for a very important super efficient algorithm. You don’t need to rack your brain trying to remember all of the file types you had on the disk. It assures you that all of your files will be recovered even if you don’t select all your file types.

Allow for about an hour to scan 50 GB of space or even longer if you are scanning via USB. The program will maintain a list of how many files found so far in the small window, and break down the list by file type in the left pane of the main window under the file type view.

Step 6

When the scan is done you see a list of all your recovered files.

In my case the files lost their names, but they open fine. You can preview them in the lower right part of the window. Click the check box on the files you want to save, or click the box next to the name of the drive to select all the files.

Step 7

Next, click the save button. If you only have a trial version, this will be the time when you will need to obtain and enter your license key.

Direct the program to save the files anywhere other than the drive you recovered. Once your files are saved you can close the Recover My Files Program.

What To Do To Avoid Needing Data Recovery At All (Or Ever Again)

Back Up

You have heard it before but I’m telling you again. There are often warning signs that a hard drive is failing. Back up at the first inkling of a problem.

Then, if the drive does go, you can just recycle it and buy a new one. This can cost you much less than paying to recover it.

Common Warning Signs of Imminent Failure:

Loading or saving files consistently takes an unnaturally long time

Frequent lock ups that cause you to use the power button to restart

Files mysteriously turn to arble-garble or disappear all together

Freezing while booting up

Strange noises

Blue screen of death

Defrag Often

Physical damage can sometimes be caused by a drive working too hard because of a fragmented hard drive. You can help to prevent this by scheduling your Disk Defragmenter to run automatically. This is especially important if you are running pre-2000 Windows.

The bottom line is that if your files turn up missing for any reason they probably can be recovered. The price of data professional recovery services are fair if you have extensive physical damage, but unnecessary in many cases.

Many data recovery programs are very powerful, and most have thorough help files and customer support. Give it a try!

Oh and Mom… you should have had your data backed up to begin with.

10 Features to Look for in Data Recovery Software

Lisa Szpunar — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 15:00:54 +0000

I recently had my mother-in-law call me on the brink of tears! All because her data had been lost off of her USB flash drive.

The IT professional at her office’s solution was to pay $400 to get it recovered. But there is a much less costly alternative.

For this reason, I decided to share with the world how easy current software has made it to recover data from: hard drives, removable storage, files deleted from the recycle bin, deleted emails, or data that was lost due to many unforeseen catastrophes or acts of sabotage.

Topics that we’ll cover today include:

Knowing when to try data recovery software and when to seek professional help
10 features to look for when choosing recovery software

Topics that will be covered in my next article:

The basics that you need to know when using data recovery software
A step by step example of how to use one product
What to do to avoid needing data recovery at all (or ever again)

The Difference Between Logical and Physical Damage

Being able to identify the difference between logical and physical damage will help you determine when to try data recovery software and when to seek professional help.

Data recovery software works great in the cases listed above: when you accidently deleted something, formatted, or data was lost due to a virus. They also work for instances of logical damage.

Logical damage is a problem with the file system. Common causes of logical damage are a power outage or rebooting while data is being accessed or saved.

If you believe you have a hard drive with logical damage you can try to run chkdsk, or do a system restore. If these don’t give you the results you need then peruse data recovery software.

Physical damage is a hardware issue. It is a physical problem with the head, platters, or other components.

Signs of physical damage include:

Visually damaged
Drive does not show up in Disk Management or in the BIOS
No sound or a strange sound is present
Smoke is coming out
You dropped it, it got wet, or it heated up excessively

If the damage is physical, do an image of the drive that you want to recover first. Then do the recovery on that image. This is because the drive itself could fail completely at any moment.

Don’t attempt running recovery software on a drive with severe physical damage. Trying to run the drive at all will cause undue stress. Consider hiring a professional data recovery company if you absolutely must recover the date.

Recovering data from physical damage requires more that simply running an application. It is specific to the type of damage that has occurred, and opening a drive must be done in a static and dust free environment.

10 Features to Look for in a Data Recovery Program

Search Tools

Some data recovery software doesn’t have any search tools. Even those that do might not be as useful as you may think.

For example, some programs have search tools, but you cannot search by name. A good program will allow you to search by name, date, and file type.

Free Trial Version

Many companies will let you run a trial version of their software first to see if your files are recoverable. Then after you are satisfied that you found what you needed, you can purchase the full version; which in turn grants you access to your recovered files.

Multiple File System Recovery in One Application

When I was recovering my mother-in-law’s USB flash drive I made the mistake of running a NTFS recovery program—which I already had—on her removable drive (USB and SD cards as a rule use the FAT file system).

In this case, it didn’t hurt anything but got me nowhere. Make sure the program you choose does both or more. That way you don’t run into the problem of having to purchase a second product as circumstances arise.

Ability to Recover Removable Media

You never know what you will end up trying to recover. Look for software that includes tools to recover CDs and DVDs that have bad sectors. I have even seen products that include iPod recovery tools.

Recovers a Deleted Partition

If partitions are a part of your life, make sure you find software that can handle a deleted or changed partition.

Recovers Deleted E-mails

Many newer programs can even recover deleted e-mails from various e-mail clients. Check out the software you are interested in to see if they support the kind of e-mail that you use.

Version Control Recovery

This lets you chose to recover an older version of a file even if a newer one exists (some versions of Vista have a feature to do this as well). We can all think of a time when we wished we could do go back to a previous save point.

Image Capabilities

If you don’t already have software that can image, then this is an important feature. Sometimes you know that complete self destruction is looming. In this case making an image is quicker and puts lets stress on the drive. You can then run the recovery on the image.

Full List of File Types Supported (Additional File Type Plug In)

Most current software has a plethora of file types that the software will recover. All programs will recover the basics like .doc and .jpg.

If you are using any obscure applications that save in their own file types, make sure they are listed on the software you are considering. Some programs even offer additional plug-ins that support more file types.

Ability to Recover Over a Network

This solves the problem of having to open up two computers in order to connect the unstable drive to a stable one. You can run the software on a unstable computer from a stable computer across your network.

Be sure to watch for my next article where we practice using data recovery software, and talk about how to avoid needing to do a recovery altogether.