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Ten freeware tools for administrators

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Desktop management expert Serdar Yegulalp writes about administrative tools for SearchWinSystems.com. He regularly focuses on freeware utilities. Here is a compilation of ten freeware tools he has recently written about. He also regularly answers questions from

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readers.

#1 - Freeware tool lets admins analyze all drives in a system
A freeware tool called WinDirStat visually maps content and directories of all drives in a system to help admins see what types of files are taking up space.

#2 - Freeware easily retrieves network adapter data
The tools built into Microsoft Windows for retrieving network adapter information have limitations. Administrators will find more functionality in a new freeware tool.

#3 - Freeware recovers lost Microsoft product keys
If you lose the product key for your Microsoft Windows or Office software, a new freeware utility can help you recover it.

#4 - Freeware helps admins monitor Windows log files in real time
Administrators who want to watch the progress of a log as new entries are written to it can use a utility called tail. Until now, there was no tail utility for Windows, but now a freeware version is available.

#5 - Utility helps admins explore global assembly cache
Microsoft provides its own tools for browsing the global assembly cache in Microsoft .NET, but a freeware utility from NirSoft lets administrators explore it in greater detail.

#6 - Recover data from unreadable CD/DVD-ROMs
CDs and DVDs don't last forever. If something goes wrong on one of your CDs or DVDs, you'll want to know -- or, better yet, have a way to recover the data. The freeware utility CDCheck performs error-checking on removable media of all kinds, but, specifically, on recordable media such as CD-R and DVD+/-R/W.

#7 - Utility installs, uninstalls apps packaged in .zip files
Most applications come with an installation mechanism; others come packaged as a single executable file in a .zip archive. To deal with this, NirSoft created a utility called ZipInstaller that installs and uninstalls applications that lack a formal installer.

#8 - Utility deletes 'undeletable' Registry keys
REGEDIT is a useful tool if all you want to do is make one quick change to the Windows Registry. But if you have to delete a Registry key with an embedded null character in its name, you'll need to turn to an auxiliary utility.

#9 - Freeware detects insecure wireless networks
If not properly secured, wireless networking can be a loophole through which hijackers can gain free network access. NetStumbler, a free utility, helps network admins determine if a wireless network is insecure or just lacking in signal strength.

#10 - Freeware maps hard drives to help you find giant files
Graphic maps of hard drives are a good way to see what's using up space on given volumes.

More information from SearchWinSystems.com

 


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