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Filed under: Audio, Internet, Security, Utilities, Video, Windows, Office, Productivity, Commercial, Freeware, Ask DLS

What programs do you load after a clean Windows install? - Ask DLS

Fresh Vista install
Here at Download Squad HQ, we install and uninstall a lot of applications, tweak a lot of settings, and do a whole bunch of other things that generally makes Windows unhappy with us.

When I brought home my shiny new laptop running Windows Vista Home Premium earlier this year, I didn't know how lucky I was. My new PC shut down when I asked it to, slept when I closed the lid, and didn't cause glitches every time I started playing audio.

After spending some time pulling my hair out trying to get to the bottom of things, I figured the easiest way to solve some of my problems would be just to do a clean install of Windows. While programs like CCleaner are great for dusting the cobwebs of your windows registry, nothing works as well as reformatting the hard drive.

Of course, this was also an excellent opportunity to make sure I have a good backup of all my important data files, and to download and install just the applications that are most important to me in daily life. So after the jump is a list of the applications I started loading on my PC after restoring Windows. We'd love to know what programs you can't live without and what are the first things you load on a new PC?

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Filed under: OS Updates, Security, Windows, Microsoft, Beta

Windows Vista SP1 lets you create a recovery disc

Create a Recovery Disc
Now that a few thousand beta testers have got their grubby paws on Window Vista SP1, a few more details are leaking out. One feature we hadn't heard about until now is a new utility for creating a Windows recovery disc. This isn't the same as a system restore disc you get from your computer manufacturer that will restore your system to its factory default settings. Instead, it's a disc that helps you boot into a basic version of Windows to repair problems with the operating system.

There have always been ways to create a recovery disc, but they've required jumping through a few hoops. You could probably argue that if the instructions were too complicated, you probably shouldn't be messing around with a restore disc in the first place. But even advanced users like to save some time every once in a while.

Vista SP1 makes the process about as simple as possible. Select "All Programs," from the Start Menu, then select "Maintenance," and then "Create a Recovery Disc." That's pretty much it. And since the whole thing only takes a few hundred MP, you can easily burn a CD in just a few minutes.

Once you have a disc, you'll be able to boot directly into the Windows Recovery Environment if anything happens to your PC. This will let you perform startup repairs, system restores, restore your entire PC from a backup image, check for memory problems, or pull up a command prompt.

Featured Time Waster

Forumwarz - a potentially offensive time waster

I pwn UAfter spending the better part of an hour on Forumwarz I still can't decide if it's just sick or if it's kind of fun. It's a bit like a car wreck on the highway. I know I shouldn't be looking but I can't quite turn away.

It's sick, it's twisted, it's the internet on it's worst level and darn it, it's kind of fun. At least for a little while.

Forumwarz is a parody role-playing game that takes place on the internet - or at least the Forumwarz version of it. Your goal is to complete missions that are given to you through a mock up of GoogleTalk called Sentrillion.

Your first "friend" is ShallowEsophagus who begins giving you missions to pwn various forums by being a troll. Depending on the character type you are assigned at start up, you have tools like drooling on the keyboard or bashing your head on the keyboard that you can use to destroy forum threads and eventually, pwn a forum.

Future missions involve buying illegal software from the Russians, pwning more difficult forums and other internet oddness.

Completing missions gives you cash, called Flezz in game, and items that you can pawn or use in other missions. The game is NOT for those easily offended. It's crass, coarse and there are frequent f-bombs in the fake chat sessions.

This is also a game for a more mature audience as it requires you to shop at the Drugs R Fun store to get various concoctions to improve your playing, engage in certain cyber activities to get more Flezz and just generally use a more adult perspective.

If you can get past that, here are the more enjoyable and time-wasting aspects.

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