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Must Have and Important Free Computer (PC) Software For Download

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Download This Must Have Important (and Free) Computer (PC) Software

There are tonnes of must have computer software to help you with your everyday computing needs. Using this important computer software can definitely make your PC life alot easier! Best of all alot of this computer software is available for free download.

Got a new computer? Lost all your files or important programs? Or just looking for some new ones? This page lists the most important computer software to date including download links, descriptions and advice. I often struggle to find all the software I used to have when i get a new computer, that I relied on to keep my system running smooth. You will never be lost again with this comphrensive list of must have software.

Please note that this is not a guide to computer software in general. This is a simple list of the most important and must have computer software, for further description and information please use the links provided. Most sections will not include explanations of computer terminology or program descriptions.

Table of Contents

  1. MotherBoard Drivers
  2. Video Card Drivers
  3. Anti-Virus & Spyware Removal
  4. Overclocking Tools
  5. Benchmark
  6. Game Related
  7. Unzipping Programs
  8. Instant Messages
  9. Media Players
  10. Internet Browser
  11. Misc
  12. Microsoft Office Home/Student
  13. Other Great Pages

MotherBoard Drivers

The Heart Of Your Machine

First thing your going to need is good and up to date motherboard drivers to keep things running smoothly. Motherboard drivers are vital in making sure all the parts connected to your computer can operate effectively. Its a good idea to check if you have the latest and best working drivers.

Video Card Drivers

The Eyes of Your Machine

video-card-driversIf you want crisp graphics and video stability, you want the latest graphic drivers, especially if you are a pc gamer. If your having any visual related issues such as flickering. blurriness or general poor video quality it might be time to look at your video card drivers.

ATI Graphic Drivers
Nvidia Graphic Drivers

Anti-Virus & Spyware Removal

Keep The Pests At Bay

Your computer wont stay healthy for long, if it builds up with viruses and spyware, keep your computer clean. For top performance tips check out PC Tweaks.

Norton 360 - Version 5

The Best Paid Anti-Virus & Computer Maintenance Program

Norton 360 5.0 1-User/3PCs

Norton 360 5.0 1-User/3PCs

Amazon Price: $28.49 (as of 02/14/2012)Buy Now

Norton has a long and proud history of antivirus software and is a great purchase for anyone who is serious about protecting their identity, computer and files. Not only is Norton easy to use it also offers complete and easy-to-use protection. Norton 360 comes with anti-virus, PC tune-up tools, online and local backup software and an internet browser blocker that blocks out harmful websites and prevents identity theft while shopping online.

Overclocking Tools

For All Your Performance Needs

Into abit of computer overclocking? Your going to need the best tools around to do it safely and effectively. Note: Only Overclock if you know what you are a doing.
  • ATI Tool ATI Tool is an overclocking utility designed for ATI & NVIDIA video cards. ATI Tool.
  • NVTray Tools NVTray provides some extra quality tweaks that both the default NVIDIA tray icon and control panel are lacking. NVTray Tool.
  • Speedfan SpeedFan is a program that monitors voltages, fan speeds and temperatures in computers with hardware monitor chips. SpeedFan can even access S.M.A.R.T. info and show hard disk temperatures. SpeedFan supports SCSI disks too. SpeedFan.

Benchmark

Test Your PC

future-mark

The leader in computer benchmarking, they offer 3DMark06 for Windows XP & 3DMark Vantage for Windows Vista/Windows 7.

3DMark06 is available as a free Basic Edition with standard Online ResultBrowser functionality. The Advanced Edition is restricted to home/personal use only, and offers expanded features, a playable mini-game and Pro-Online ResultBrowser access. The Professional Edition for all commercial uses includes all Advanced Edition features, plus command line scripting functionality, full control over all tests, looping game demos and full publishing rights for 3DMark scores.
3DMark06.
3DMark Vantage.

Game Related

All Your Gaming Essentials

If your a gamer, you should have these must have computer programs. You can't call yourself a true pc gamer without them!
  • Steam Great Digital Download program must have for Valve games. Steam.
  • Teamspeak VOIP program chat online with friends. Teamspeak.
  • Ventrilo Very similar to teamspeak, Ventrilo offers a great audio experience.
  • Skype is becoming increasing popular amongst gamers and is also a great choice to keep to in touch with long distance relatives. Download Skype
  • XFire Lists the games you play, how many hours you play and allows you to chat with your gaming buddies. Even if your playing different games. XFire

Unzipping Programs

Extraction & Compression Tools

Quality tools for extraction and compression are important for all computer users.
  • WinRar The best unzipping tool. Winrar.
  • ZipGenius Similar to WinRar, great program. ZipGenius.
  • 7-Zip Decent unzipping tool with good compression rates, doesnt support all files types though. 7-Zip.

The Top 10 Free Computer Programs And Software Applications

The Top 10 Free Computer Programs And Software Applications
by WorldTravelerMan | video info

130 ratings | 37,953 views
curated content from YouTube

Instant Messages

Stay In Touch

Keeping your friends close, you'll never be out of the loop with these messaging programs.
  • MSN The most popular and well-known instant messenger. Windows Live Messenger.
  • AIM Run by AOL, a very simple and stable instant messenger. Good for Linux or Mac. Get AIM.
  • Trillian More then just a simple instant messenger, packed with features. Get Trillian.

Media Players

All Your Music and Movie Needs

Some audio types these days may require more then just your simple media player, there are some great 3rd party audio players out there for the music fanatic.


  • Windows Media Player Comes with windows, is a great and versatile music player. Does all the basics while packing several features. Keep your media player updated. The Latest Windows Media Player.
  • VLC Media Player Cant play a movie? Get VLC, supports nearly all video types, very handy for movies downloaded off your phone. VLC Media Player.
  • Winamp The best MP3 Player around, winamp features low memory usage, audioing tuning and tonnes of customised skins. Upgrade to Winamp.
browser-wars

The Browser Wars 

Internet Browser

Browse The Web Safely & With Speed

These days even your browser is an important piece of software, so why not get something that suits your needs?
  • Internet Explorer The standard browser for your web needs, comes free with windows. Upgrade your Internet Explorer.
  • Mozilla Firefox The best web browser, offering stability, security and countless add-ons. Start Using Firefox.
  • Opera A very sleek and stylish web browser. Opera.
  • Google Chrome Even Google has joined the browser industry, Google Chrome is a browser that combines a minimal design with sophisticated technology to make the web faster, safer, and easier. Try Chrome.

Misc

The Remaing Odds & Ends

Tonnes of handy software to help you and your computer.
  • Advanced System Optimiser Microsoft Certified, has REG edit, spyware remover, backup tools and much more. Trial It Today.
  • Free Download Manager Tired of waiting? By Using a Download Manager you can increase your download speed by up to 600%. Download Now.
  • WinBar WinBar is a program that lets you monitor your system and provides easy access to frequently used controls. Winbar Download.
  • Foxit Foxit Reader is a free PDF document viewer and printer, similar to Adobe. Get Foxit.
  • PowerToys For Windows XP PowerToys add fun and functionality to the Windows experience for those of you still running XP (im sure there are some!). PowerToys are additional programs that developers work on after a product has been released. Feel The Power.
  • NoteTab NoteTab Light is the ultimate free Notepad replacement and a capable HTML editor. This slick application makes text editing a breeze. Start Writing Now.
  • Taskix Small program that allows manipulation of the windows taskbar Start The Manipulation.
  • Irfran View Multi format graphic viewer. View It Now.
  • Folding@Home Cure cancer with your computer. Folding@Home
  • Torrent Websites For those looking for an easy way to share files, see the full list of The Best and Most Popular Torrent Websites.

Microsoft Office Home/Student

Microsoft Office Home & Student 2010 - 3PC/1User (Disc Version)

Microsoft Office Home & Student 2010 - 3PC/1User (Disc Version)

Amazon Price: $124.99 (as of 02/14/2012)Buy Now

The final piece of software that no machine, business or household should ever be with out. Microsoft Office is the leader in publishing tools. Featuring Word 2010, Publisher 2010, PowerPoint 2010 and many other popular Office programs.

This edition comes with three licenses allowing you to install it around the local office or around the home.

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