1-2-3 Synchronize & Backup 1.3 enables you to synchronize files between two folders, or between a folder and a floppy disk. $10 from www.123syncbackup.com/.

1-4a Rename 1.56.0 handles the specific, time-consuming chore of renaming lots of files at one go. Not a utility that will get a lot of use, but when it comes time to use it, you'll be glad you have it. Free from www.1-4a.com/rename/.

1st Jump 2.0.4 provides fast access to your favorite folders by making your folders accessible with a single click through an addition to your right-click menu. $18 from www.dntsoft.com/jump/index.php.

1toX 2.02 is a file-splitting and compression utility with a number of useful options that other splitters don't have. $22 from www.logipole.com/indexe.html.

2XExplorer 1.3.1.12 is a replacement for Windows Explorer. It's faster, has more features, and emulates Norton Commander, an old DOS program. Free from netez.com/2xExplorer/.

4t Tray Minimizer Free 2.01 enables you to minimize any application to the System Tray, thereby allowing you to keep your Taskbar less cluttered. Multiple instances can be grouped into a single icon to further organize the windows. Additional features include customizable keyboard shortcuts and more. Free from www.4t-niagara.com/.

4th Split 1.1.8.0 is a tool for splitting large files into smaller blocks, up to 1000 blocks. Free from 4thfebruary.tripod.com/products/split/.

A43 2.44 is a file-management utility for Windows 2K/XP, though it should work on 9x systems as well. Cleaner and easier to use than Windows Explorer, and free from www.shawneelink.net/~bgmiller/.

AB Commander LITE 6.1 is a dual-panel file manager that allows you to work simultaneously with two different folders side-by-side. Free from www.winability.com/abcommander/lite.htm.

Accelerator and Shortcut Show 1.20 is a free utility that shows you the shortcuts used by different applications. Who can remember which app uses Ctrl+Enter to send a message and which one uses the same shortcut to start a new paragraph? This program, available from www.thinkred.com/access_index.htm, does the remembering for you.

Active Backup Expert 1.40 maintains the backups of files in ZIP compression format on floppy, hard drives and CD. Easy to use; $20 from www.backuptool.com/.

Active@ UNDELETE 1.0 undeletes files after you've accidentally scragged them. $30 from www.active-undelete.com/undelete.htm.

ActiveX Manager 1.3 is for those of us who are drowning in different versions of ActiveX controls; this $30 goodies from www.4developers.com/xmgr/ lets you see which versions are on your PC, install new ones, and delete those that don't function properly.

Advanced Disk Catalog 1.31 is a file-organization utility that lets you organize your files and folders for easy perusal. Lots of advanced features, some of which are disabled in the shareware version. $20 from www.elcomsoft.com/adc.html.

Advanced Find and Replace 1.4.2 lets you search for text in local documents as if you were using an Internet search engine, even going so far as using Boolean search terms. $29 from www.vknoware.com/afr/index.htm.

Advanced Hide Folders 4.0.1 makes the contents of folders (including sub-folders) invisible. It features a stealth mode, password protection, files cannot be accessed through the MRU (most recently used) file list, offers hotkey function, drag & drop, and more. Free from www.softbe.com/.

Advanced Tree Explorer 3.2 is an alternative to Windows' own file structure. $23 from www.jpowered.com/tree/index.htm.

Adhaero Transit 1.2.0.0 delivers files simply and securely. It compresses and encrypts the files to produce an executable package (a 'SEED') that can be safely transferred to the recipient by e-mail, on disk, etc. The recipient, who does not need additional software, then runs the executable and enters the required pass phrase to access the files. Free from www.adhaeroutilities.com/.

A.F.5 Rename your files 1.1 is a file renaming utility that offers an easy-to-use interface and several useful functions to rename your files. Free from www.fauland.com/.

After 1.0 is a freebie that lets you postpone the execution of programs on startup until others are done. Does not work on Win ME. The home page has disappeared, but you can download it from download.com.com/3000-2344-885342.html?legacy=cnet.

Agent Ransack 1.7.1 hunts through your file directories for the data you're missing. Lots more functional than the regular Windows Find utility, and free from www.agentransack.com/.

AimingClick 1.2 is a file search utility that also links to online dictionaries, search engines, and more. Free from www.aimingtech.com/aimingclick/home.htm.

AlphaCuts 1.00 provides quick, searchable access to your programs in the Start Menu, IE Favorites, and My Documents via an alphabetically organized list. Free from www.cocoholo.com/.

Amn Task Manager 2.0 is a utility for experienced Windows users who need access to the higher-level Windows management functions. $21 from www.amn.ru/ (the site is currently down; you can find this on most major shareware sites).

Another Task Manager 3.0 is a free, souped-up task manager for Windows, available from atm.rm.it/.

AnyWhere 5.0 adds itself onto the Send To menu to help you move or copy files faster than Explorer does. It shows you a list of directories you can move data to, and you can create a list of favorite directories. $10 to keep from www.liquidmirror.com/anywhere.asp.

Application Paths 1.0.2 is a free utility from www.image.dk/~skovdal/ that performs a similar function for Windows that DOSKEY does for DOS -- lets you access various apps by keywords ("aliases") without entering those keywords in "paths" or cluttering up your Start menu. (The site address no longer works; if anyone knows where this utility can be found, please let me know.)

ARen 1.06 provides options for renaming many files at one time. Free from www.hulubulu.dk/eng/software.php.

Argentum Backup 1.90 is a handy tray tool that lets you easily backup your documents and folders as well as protects you from accidental deletes, overwrites and viruses. Backup copies are stored in Zip files and can be created both manually and automatically using the schedule. $24 from www.argentuma.com/.

Ashampoo UnInstaller 2000 2.0.0.1SE gives you further options in the uninstall process by creating "before and after" versions of uninstalled files, letting you reverse any install/uninstall decisions you make. $20 to keep from www.ashampoo.com/.

Association Manager 1.3 is a little goodie that lets you see your machine's file associations. For some reason, the program doesn't have a Print option, but you can sidestep this little problem by going through the File/Export HTML option to create a printable HTML file. Free from www.weyoun.freeserve.co.uk/project/.

Attribute Changer 4.0 changes file attributes through right-click options. Even compresses files. Free from webplaza.pt.lu/rpetges/.

AutoExit 3.02 is a utility that handles your startup and shutdown routines for your PC. Also works with networked PCs, and locks others out of your machine if you desire. Free from www.asoft.be/index.html.

AutoMate Pro 5 is an expensive ($180) utility that lets you automate repetitive tasks your PC performs regularly. Checking e-mail, running virus scans, and downloading files are some of the tasks this program can perform. Try the trial version for free to see if it's worth the money from www.unisyn.com/Automate/automate.htm.

AutoNOC Port Scan 2.0 is a free Web utility from www.autonoc.com/downloads.htm that checks what ports are open on your computer (among other things, open ports invite hackers). You can also get Trace3D from the same site; this freebie tells you what is happening at a link you'd like to visit.

AxMan 3.12 is a shareware utility that splits large files into smaller ones suitable for storing on floppy disk or sending through e-mail, and later restores them to their original state. $15 from www.mosaicware.com/axman.html.

AWbackup 3.0.2 automates your file backup process. $40 from www.awicons.com/awbackup.html.

AZZ Cardfile 3.0 is a freeware goodie from www.azzcardfile.com/ that acts the same as Win 3.1's Cardfile accessory (except it has even more features). Why Microsoft left Cardfile off of Win9x is beyond me, but if you've been missing it, try this one out instead. It even imports files from the original Cardfile.

Back it up! 5.1.2.91 creates ZIPped backup archives. Free from w1.321.telia.com/~u32102551/.

Back4Win 1.0 is an easy-to-use backup tool that uses ZIP compression to store all selected files and directories in a single archive. Free from www.downloadit.gr/~v_bigal/b4win/.

BackTrak 1.0 saves your data from irreparable loss or damage. $25 from www.technopundits.com/backtrak.htm.

Backup Maker 2.0 is a free backup utility that lets you make system file and folder backups quickly and easily, from www.ascomp-software.de/; the site is in German, but you can figure it out.

Backup Plus 7.1.1 provides features that the standard MSBackup left out, including the ability to back up selected files, folders, or disks, support for removable storage disks such as Zip and Jaz drives, and an intuitive task manager. $40 from www.backupplus.net/.

Backup Wolf 3.10 lets you create backup profiles for any file, file group, or folder on your computer. Makes backing up specific items simple. $30 from www.lonewolf-software.com/backupwolf.htm.

BackUpTime 1.1 securely stores your data. $25 from www.backuptime.com/.

Badger 2.0 download multiple files using whichever browser you choose, and it won't compromise your privacy, as other programs of this nature will do. Free from get.to/badger.

The Bar is a powerful little goodie that hides on the side of your screen; move your cursor to its hideout and it springs into view, allowing you to take notes, make and view schedule reminders, displays all fonts on your system, and let you lock files away from prying eyes. It costs $15 to keep and is available from members.tripod.com/~The_Bar/.

BareGrep is a tool for searching files in Windows. Similar to the Unix grep tool in that the search strings are specified with a regular expression, BareGrep performs an incremental search and presents the search results in a tabular format that allows easy navigation and sorting of the results. Can be used for searching multiple files, and supports DOS/Windows and Unix text files and binary file formats. Free from www.baremetalsoft.com/.

BatchZip Toolkit 2.03 lets you compress and decompress files for archival purposes with no muss nor fuss. $29 from www.dtrleisure.com/.

BCWipe 3.03 proves that there's deleting files, and then there's deleting files. When you delete with this utility (free for noncommercial users), it wipes the file out permanently, even scrubbing the section of hard drive that the file used to reside on to ensure that not a trace remains. Just be sure that you really do want that file gone, because once it's "wiped," it's gone for good. Get it from www.jetico.com/.

Be Clean keeps your system clean of unnecessary files and assorted chaff. Can be customized to suits your needs and contains tools to work the registry, temporary files, Internet history and cache as well as a disk, start menu and desktop cleaning tools. Free from boozet.xepher.net/.

BearShare is a file sharing system similar to Napster, except that the system allows for the sharing of all kinds of files, not just audio files. Free from www.bearshare.com/, but don't forget that copyright laws always apply, and don't forget to keep an eye on the spyware.

Better File Rename is a versatile, easy-to-use utility that renames files in bunches. Lots of options for $15 from publicspace.net/.

Beyond Compare 2.2.7 lets you compare the contents of different file directories, folders, FTP files, zipped files, and more. Great for keeping your laptop and desktop in sync. $30 from www.scootersoftware.com/.

Interested in working with archived files like .CAB and .ZIP files? To find information within these kind of files, it's easiest to turn the task over to a shareware program, BigSpeed Zipper from www.bigspeedsoft.com/. It's a basic compression program that will cost you $29, but its "Locator" function hunts nicely through .ZIP files.

BinManager 1.2 is a shell context menu command for deleting old items from the Windows recycle bin, as well as a scriptable component for managing the recycle bin. You can use either feature, or both. Free from www.cheztabor.com/binmanager/.

BitZipper 3.3 is another in a long line of compression utilities. This one supports a good many more archive formats than WinZip, provides archive tree views, lets you extract and view individual files from an archive, and more. $25 from www.bitzipper.com/.

BootBot 2.0 is an enhanced version of the Windows shutdown screen that lets you reboot in a particular version of Windows. Good for those of us with multiple OSes, and free from www.toptensoftware.com/bootbot/.

BossKey 2.0 lets you keep up to 10 screens with different apps and files open on each one -- think "virtual desktop." Good for the Type A personalities among us. Free from www.pcworld.com/utilities/.

The Brain is a unique organizational tool that allows you to reorganize your data in an intuitive, very non-Explorer fashion. This is one of those tools that you will either hate on sight or fall in love with. $80 from www.thebrain.com/. The Brain seems to have expanded into a number of versions; we would probably be most interested in PersonalBrain 2.01.

Bulk Rename Utility 2.0.3.3 allows you to rename multiple files and directories, based on criteria. Free from www.jimwillsher.co.uk/Site/Software/BRU_Intro.html.

Buzof 1.7 does one thing only: dismisses selected dialog boxes without your having to click them away. For those of us tired of having to say "yes, yes, yes!" to Windows's ever-present "are you sure?" boxes, Buzof is a steal for $15. Buzz over to www.basta.com/ProdBuzof.htm.

A neat way to clean the junk your surfing habits leave behind (on your disk - no software program can handle the three weeks' worth of dead pizza crusts some of you guys collect) is to use CacheCompactor. This $10 utility sweeps out the cache, history, and cookie files, removes stray temp files from your Windows directory, and can be used with any version of IE or Navigator. Try it out from www.triceris.com/ (the Triceris home site is undergoing reconstruction, so you might do better to download this from PCWorld or another site.)

Cacheman 5.50 is a venerable freebie that lets you tweak the file cache, name cache, and disk cache sizes easily and painlessly. Upshot: your OS runs faster. Get it at www.outertech.com/. Fred Langa points to this utility as an essential for tweaking your VCache, one of the major steps you take to reclaim lost system resources.

Captain Tray Pro 4.0 minimizes any program to the desktray (next to the clock) so that it does not clutter the main system tray area. $24 from www.brotherstools.com/.

CapsUnlock 1.4 prevents the accidental activation of the CapsLock key as well as the Insert key. Particularly useful for laptop users and others with ittybitty keyboards who find themselves constantly hitting these buttons without intending to. Free from www.brainsystems.com/capsunlock/.

CatFish 1.9 takes a "snapshot" of your file structure, letting you see what's what at a glance. Also lets you open files from within its display. Free from www.equi4.com.

CCZip 5.06 provides intuitive zipping, unzipping, disk spanning, SFX and encoding. $20 from www.castillobueno.com/cczip.htm.

Chainsaw 3.5 lets you drag and drop a file into smaller, floppy disk-size chunks. A .BAT file organizes the files and places them in the correct order. Chainsaw can process files only, not directories or drives. Free from www.schmeusser.siw.de/software/chainsaw.html.

Change Icon 1.2.1 uses MSIE's Active Desktop to allow you to select various icons for different kinds of files -- i.e. headphones for audio files, etc. Free from home.nordnet.fr/~pmdevigne/. Pages are in both French and English.

ChangeExt is a Windows Explorer add-on that will display additional information about a file when the file's icon is right-clicked, including file extension, size, attributes, creation/modification date and short-cut info. Free from justaskcomputer.com:8099/.

CHAOS Shredder 2.2 will completely erase files from your disk without the possibility of recovery by any practical software or hardware method. Free from www.safechaos.com/cs.htm.

Charly 1 is a utility that lets you assign hotkeys to various apps, store icons for apps in the System Tray, and schedule tasks to run at desired times. $18 from www.bashnet.ru/evgenyww, and good luck wading through the Russian text.

CheckIt Fast Move, part of Smith Micro's CheckIt Suite, works well for transferring files from one computer to another. $60 from www.smithmicro.com/; a $20 standalone version is now available.

Chris Free Software Cleaner 2.0 is an easy-to-use uninstaller that works to delete all traces of a program from your PC, something that the usual Add/Remove process doesn't always do. Free from chrisdeepmind.windowpictures.com/.

Clean Disk Security 6.3 gives you secure file deletion; deleted files cannot be undeleted. Clean Disk Security cleans the Window's swap file and, optionally, unnecessary temporary files, such as Internet browser cache and files in the recycle bin and the "recent files" list, from your hard disk. $25 from www.theabsolute.net/sware/index.html.

CleanDisk 2.5 helps you automate the task of removing unwanted files from your hard drive. Free from www.winappslist.com/utilities/disk_cleaners1.htm.

CleanReg 3.7 is like many other housecleaning tools that are used to remove invalid file references from the Windows Registry. But unlike many other Registry utilities, this is aimed at advanced users who know exactly what they want and don't want hanging around. Separate windows show missing files and associated references, all referenced files, undo logging, and an ignore list. CleanReg does not automatically remove files; rather, it presents complete file path information and lets the user do the trimming. $19 from www.cleanreg.net/.

Clipboard Assistant 1.1 creates collections of text clips for use in other applications; also functions as a full-featured text editor. $25 from www.softheap.com/ca.html.

Clipboard Viewer, free for the download from www.karenware.com/, is a more muscular version of Windows's own Clipboard Viewer. Download the VB source code also, if you like.

ClipCache Plus 2.6 is a free utility that saves multiple clipboard items for your later use. Download it from www.xrayz.co.uk/.

ClipMate 6.3.08 lets you copy multiple selections, then paste them to the Clipboard. Also allows for editing and saving. ClipMate won the Shareware Industry 1999 "Best Overall Utility" award. $30 from www.thornsoft.com/.

Clipomatic is another free Clipboard utility, and more versatile than others of its ilk. Find out more from www.mlin.net/.

ClipperKeeper 1.0 Beta is yet another goodie that keeps multiple clipboard items stashed for you. Free from elitemrp.net/clipkeep.htm.

ClipTrak is a free utility from www.pcmag.com/utilities/ that operates in the same vein as ClipMate.

ClipTrakker 1.1 is another utility that works the same side of the street as ClipMate, even charging the same price -- $25 to keep it. Find it at www.cliptrakker.com/cliptrak.htm.

CloneMaster 2.19 searches for true duplicate files (byte for byte), same-name files, and zero-length files and brings them to your attention, identifying duplicates based on name, byte size, data, and so on. The Smart Delete function lets you choose to ignore folders that aren't currently open, and you can flag for deletion only the duplicate files that are the oldest or the newest. You can enable its security feature that leaves your Windows directory alone. All in all, quite useful; $30 from www.softbytelabs.com/Frames.html.

CloneSpy 1.51 identifies duplicate files on your system, making it easy to discover which files can easily be deleted. Free from www.clonespy.de/english/.

Cobian Backup 5.1.3.0 is a multi-threaded program for backing up files and directories from their original location to other directories/drives in the same computer or another computer in a network. You can also back up to a FTP server. Free from www2.educ.umu.se/~cobian/cbu5.htm.

CoffeeCup ZipWizard 2.0 is a full-figured compression utility, with built-in FTP and e-mail utilities to make it easy to mail or upload compressed files. Lots more features, and all free from www.coffeecup.com/zipwizard/.

Columbus 2.4b creates a document-tracking facility on your PC or network, making it easy for you and everyone else to find and edit documents. Free from columbus.arup.com/.

Command Creator 1.0 lets you run most any program from your command line (the Start, Run address line), and creates commands for some programs that don't ordinarily run that way. Free from hem.passagen.se/j-zoon/program/cmdcreator/.

Comparator 3.13 compares the files on your hard drive to themselves, making it easy to find and purge duplicate files. Also works well as an alternative to MS Briefcase for keeping shared files in sync. $20 from www.softbytelabs.com/.

Compress 1.5 is a free disk utility that compresses files currently in use to save hard disk space. It doesn't change any files, just compresses them to save disk space. Available from www.roadside-software.com/.

Copy It Anyway 2.2 is a program for copying corrupted files which can't be copied the standard way because of some error on media the file is stored on. Free from www.digitalsystem.co.yu/.

CopyTo 2.5 is a strong little utility that keeps your files synchronized and up-to-date. Especially useful for those of us who move data around from computer to computer. $10 from www.ne.jp/asahi/cool/kish/.

Context ThumbView v1.0.b1 provides a pop-up menu containing a thumbnail of selected image file. It supports most of popular image file formats including BMP, GIF (not animated), JPEG, Kodak PhotoCD, PCX, PNG, TARGA, TIFF, WMF, etc. Free from contextmagic.netfirms.com/image-viewer/.

CROA 1.4 is a free file utility from www.davidcrowell.com/ that lets you clear the annoying read-only bit from specified subfolders and files. Useful when copying files from a CD-ROM to your hard drive. The program includes install/uninstall support, displayed results, and easy access from the context menu.

CSDiff 3.0 allows you to compare two copies of the same file for differences. Useful for comparing extremely large files with lots of data. Free from www.componentsoftware.com/Products/CSDiff/.

CuteZip 2.0 is a $20 compression utility from the folks at CuteFTP. Visit www.cuteftp.com/ for the latest info.

CyArc - File Archive and Recovery 1.1 takes copies of files as you create and change them. Multiple versions of files are kept, reflecting the history of file changes. $15 from www.cywarp.com/cyarc.htm.

Darik's Boot and Nuke (DBAN) 0.4.0 is a serious piece of software; it automatically and completely deletes the contents of any hard disk that it can detect, which makes it an appropriate utility for bulk or emergency data destruction. Free from dban.sourceforge.net/.

Dariolius 1.8.105 is a file splitting utility that gives you control over how the files are split; works well with already-compressed files such as MP3s. Free from www.kanastacorp.com/dariolius.php.

DataDestroyer 1.2 allows you to safely remove sensitive data so that it cannot be retrieved by any known methods. Free from tomorroware.blix.com/.

DataSafe 1.7.026 is a $20 utility from www.hacksystems.com/ that backs up files and folders to any removable or fixed storage device, such as Iomega Zip and Jaz, Orb, CDRW, network server, floppy or hard disk. DataSafe also provides a place for you to store important passwords and send encrypted messages to your friends using the Accounts and Private Message features. DataSafe uses standard PKZip compatible compression and runs from the system tray.

Deductus 1.06 is a disk catalog/organizer and full-text search engine with an Explorer-like interface. Allows you to search your disk collection, text files, HTML files, documents and MP3s. $29 from deductus.kgb.cz/.

Defrag_to_shutdown 0.9 runs Defrag and then shuts down the computer with three defragmentation options: A) All drives/RAM, files, no prompt, minimized, shutdown; B) All drives/RAM, freespace, no prompt, minimized, shutdown; and C) All drives/RAM, files and freespace (complete), no prompt, minimized, shutdown. Be sure that your computer supports direct shutdown from Windows and doesn't prompt you to turn it off manually at the famous 'it's now safe to turn off your computer' screen. Free from medlem.tripodnet.nu/mokkelmannen/defragtoshutdown.html.

Deleted File Analysis Utility 2.0 scans your hard drive partitions and lists all deleted files that may still be recoverable. For Win NT/2K/XP. Free from www.execsoft.com/coverpage.asp.

Desk Pad 98 1.50 lets you store notes, launch programs, and search the Internet from one small screen. $15 from www.onax.com/deskpad/.

DeskCritter 1.0 is a small freebie that, from the System Tray, shows the contents of your Desktop or of any folder/file structure on your machine, and allows you to launch any file from the Critter menu. Scope it out from www.zemerick.westva.com.

Deskey is a tiny utility for Internet Explorer users who get ticked when the IE window insists on opening up half on and half off the screen. Who knows why it does that, and who cares? This little goodie takes care of the problem. It also minimizes any or all open windows with one click, or hides them entirely from sight - good for hiding extracurricular surfing from the nosy boss or the inquisitive parent. Get it from www.spiresoft.com, and surf responsibly, you perverts.

Desktop Referee 2.54 is an aptly named little goodie that makes it easy to stop rogue programs from taking over file types. $10 from mc1soft.com/ or desktopreferee.com/

DeskTool 2.4 is a dockable/floatable toolbar that lets you access your most-used apps from an organized row of buttons. $15 to keep; the home page is currently inaccessible, but you can find it at www.zdnet.com/downloads/stories/info/0,,000F5R,.html or on most other software sites.

Dialog Box Assistant 1.01 is an enhancement to the "Open" and "Save As..." dialog boxes, adding two new buttons to their toolbars, one for recently used files and the other for recently used folders. Free from www.dualitysoft.com/osdex/.

Dialog Navigator 1.01 BETA is a replacement for the standard Windows open/save dialog box, saving you time when using document-oriented applications. $20 from www.nicomsoft.com/dn/.

Digest Source 1.1.3 takes entire webpages or text files, looks for keywords (words most commonly used), and takes out highlights with the most of the keywords in them. Displays in a neat easy-readable format, on its own page, and allows you to specify any keyword you want, or work completely automatically. You can also denote words to skip/ignore (it already has a list of common ones like a, at, etc...). Comes in two languages, German and English. $29 from www.digestsoftware.com/.

Direct Folders 1.50 adds entries to your Open and Save menus that allow you to access favorite and recently-used files. An info panel shows file paths and specs, and hotkeys can be assigned for Favorite and Recent menus. $20 from www.codesector.com/.

Directory Lister 0.6 creates a printable or Web-ready copy of your file directory. Free from freeware.prv.pl/.

Directory Print Pro 2 compiles a list of the files on your hard drive based on your settings. $20 from www.angelfire.com/pa/SteirerSoft/index1.html.

Directory Printer 3.44 is a $29 utility from www.galcott.com/ that gives you a Win 3.1-like tool for printing directories straight from Windows Explorer. Highly recommended by a variety of sources.

Directory Printer Power Tool 3.3 is a freebie that lets you directly print the name of every directory, subdirectory, and file on a drive. Includes info about the attributes, sizes, dates modified, and so on. Like all of Karen's Power Tools, it requires the VBRUN 6.0 Runtime files to function. Get it from www.karenware.com/.

Directory Settings 1.5 is a $29 goodie from www.galcott.com/ that compares the contents of two directories. You can also synchronize them, open, delete, copy, and move files from any directory to another.

Directory Snoop 3.11 lets you find erased files and restore or purge them, thus eliminating any unwanted tidbits from previous deletions. It also shows you the FAT and raw clusters for any file or directory. $29 from www.briggsoft.com/software.htm.

DirGraph 2.0 gives you a graphical representation of how much space your files are taking up, file by file. Free from www.spillett.net/~dirgraph/.

DirPrinting 0.8.5 prints your directory structure with no muss nor fuss. Free from www.majusoft.de/DirPrinting/index_en.htm.

DirSync Directory Synchronizer 1.30 is designed to synchronize directories or folders smartly and quickly. It supports bi-directional synchronizing, scheduling, logging, simulating, files/folders filtering and path variables, and more. $25 from www.archersoft.com/.

DiskArella 3.32 is a $16 goodie from www.chabonk.com/diskarella/index.html that searches your system for orphaned, obsolete, or duplicate files. The utility performs searches based on the criteria you set up. Search with wildcards or specific file dates, look for files that haven't been used since a set date, or view informative graphs about your drive's file particulars.

DiskJockey 2000 Professional 3 is another WinEx replacement that offers dual panes, FTP and ZIP utilities. $55 from www.clear-simple.com/.

DiskSpan 2.0 is a freebie that zips files larger than 1.44mb and fits them on floppy disks. Get it from www.flash.net/~friesenh/index.html/.

DiskVision 1.2.3.0 tells you how much hard disk space is being used, and by what. $20 from www.ascendis.com/diskvision/diskvision.php.

DLL Archive is a program that surveys .DLL files as to whether they are currently associated with installed software and creates a backup file of the theoretically unneeded ones for you to copy back in later if you find they were being shared at the time DLL Archive removed them from Windows. Free from www.analogx.com/contents/download/system/dllarch.htm.

DLL View is another utility that allows you to sort through the .DLLs on your system. Free from www.sysinternals.com.

DoubleKiller 1.3.3.45 helps you seek out identical files, using search parameters that you configure. This application can search and compare files by name, date, size and CRC32-checksum. You can also configure DoubleKiller to exclude DLLs, system files, files of specified file attributes (example: hidden and/or read-only), and files greater than (or less than) a certain size. Finally you can purge your machine of unneeded duplicates. Free from www.bigbangenterprises.de/en/doublekiller/.

Drag and File 95 4.501 is a replacement for Win95's rather attenuated File Manager. Try it for free; keep it for $30. Check it out at www.canyonsw.com.

Drag and View 95 4.0c is a $30 goodie from the same guys that make Drag and File that lets you perform basic editing functions on over 40 file types, from animated GIFs to WAV files. Download a 60-day trial version from www.canyonsw.com.

Drag, Compress and Email 1.0 lets you compress files for e-mailing. $15 from www.bettereasier.com/.

DMEXMenu 3.19 is an extension to Windows Explorer that provides a few things Explorer forgot to allow for, including quick navigation to and from file folders, the ability to launch batch files that send folder listings to a text file or the printer, copying files to the Clipboard, and other functions. Free from www.simtel.net/simcgi-bin/win95find.cgi?dmex.

DoWinStartup 1.0 lets you skip or launch startup apps. Free from www.mrdo.com/dowinstartup/.

Drag and File Gold 4.54g is a well-known file manager and Windows Explorer enhancement/replacement. $50 to keep from www.canyonsw.com/.

DRMenu v3.01 isn't for Windows users, but instead for DOS diehards who want a nice, flexible menu utility that launches .EXE, .COM, or .BAT files. Free from www.completelyfreesoftware.com/du2_w31.html#DRM (the CFS link takes you directly to the .EXE download).

DtSearch Desktop 6 is a pricey ($167) but useful search utility that hunts down material in your files and documents quickly and easily. A trial version is available from www.dtsearch.com/.

Dupeless is a freebie that helps you identify duplicate files on your hard disk and decide whether or not to toss the dupes. Get it from www.pcmag.com/utilities/.

DupeLocator 1.1 searches files for duplicates. It doesn't care about file names or dates, only the contents of the files. Files are considered duplicates only if their entire contents are identical, bit by bit. Free from www.midnightblue.com/dupelocater.htm.

Duplicate Files Manager 2.5 is another management utility that hunts down duplicate files for you. $10 from www.cequal2000.com/dfm/.

DVD Shrink 3.2.0.15 lets you copy your DVDs to your hard drive, as backup files, of course. Free from www.dvdshrink.org/what.html.

DZSoft Paste & Save 2000 allows you to keep the little snippets you send to the Clipboard on file for future reference. Free from www.dzsoft.com/paste.htm.

EasyCleaner 1.7f is a free utility from a Finnish whiz kid (don't let his tenuous grasp of English put you off) that cleans your file tree and Registry of "dead" and useless entries. Check it out at www.saunalahti.fi/tonihele/.

EasyRecovery 5.10 is a do-it-yourself software solution for recovering valuable data lost due to accidental deletion, viruses, power outages, and corrupt or missing critical-file-system structures. The trial version is free, but only recovers 5 files. The Personal Edition costs $179, and is available from www.ontrack.com/easyrecovery/.

Edit History 2.0 is a program that converts regular edit fields into combo boxes and adds a list of your most recently used folders or accessed documents to your Open/Save boxes. Free from www.edithistory.com/.

EF Commander 3.31 is a complete file manager with a large selection of commands for files, directories and logical drives. Quite powerful and feature-loaded, and goes for $25 from www.efsoftware.com/.

Effective File Search 3.3 works exactly like "Find," with the addition of simplified Boolean search and a few other cool options. $30 from www.sowsoft.com/search.htm.

Empty Temp Folders 2.8.3 is a neat little utility that does just what it says -- empties temporary folders quickly and completely. Considering the spotty job Windows and MSIE does emptying its temp folders, you may find this app useful. Free from www.danish-shareware.dk/soft/emptemp/.

Eraser 5.3 is a utility that deletes files for good. Free from www.tolvanen.com/eraser/ or www.heidi.ie/eraser/.

EscapeCloseInstall 1.5 is one of those tiny little utilities that does one thing, and does it well. It turns the ESC key into an instant shutdown key and the tilde (~) key into an automatic minimizer. You can also have it perform the operations in two clicks instead of one, giving you an out in case your cat steps on your keyboard. Free from www.sanapesoft.com/download.htm (the $15 Pro version gives you more options).

Explorer Menu Extension 3.19 is a free file management tool that adds options to Windows Explorer, including the ability to make batch changes to the names of multiple files, DOS support, subdirectory creation, and more. The author, Andre Ruebel, doesn't seem to have his own Web presence, but you can get his program from www.pcworld.com/fileworld/file_description/
0,1458,7155,00.html.

Explorer Notes 2 is a freebie from www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,3871,00.asp that gives Explorer added right-click menu options that let you annotate a file, edit, and delete the note.

Extension Changer 0.2 Beta changes the file extension quickly and easily. Free from www.geocities.com/extchanger/.

Extension Viewer 1.1 is a free utility from www.clickomania.ch/progs/Eview.htm that lets you see a file's true extension. Good for sorting through piles of poorly labeled files.

Extract Link 1.2 lets you search for, and extract links from, any type of file. You can save the results in an output text file, then import them to any database tool. Supports link compare, extraction depth, duplicate link/base removal, domain checklist and more. $29 from www.spadixbd.com/elink/.

EZ Fld Fx 1.2 compares two directory structures with sub-directories and sums up the difference in a simple display. You can see which files are not present in the other folder or which ones have been added. Files can be compared based on size and date. Free from xout.free.fr/

Fast Directory Finder 1.1.0b indexes your hard drives' directories and lets you find folders and files in a jiffy. It works on individual PCs or network drives. Free from apps.docmusic.com/. Requires the Microsoft .NET framework to operate.

FastOpen 2.2 lets you quickly open seelcted apps and folders through a single tray icon. Free from www.piquest.com.

F-Cutter 1.0 is a file splitting tool which can break a large file into smaller parts which are more suitable for transporting. Free from www.mandorg.com/f-cutterinfo.html.

File-N-Sync Plus 1.01 provides fast, flexible and easy file backup, synchronization, mirroring and replication. $79 from www.peersoftware.com/file-n-sync.html.

File & Folder Protector 1.61 lets you protect files and folders. You also can hide files and folders from viewing and searching. $50 from www.softheap.com/ffp.html.

File Backup Watcher Professional 2.5.2 can back up your data on HDD, floppy, ZIP, CD-RW, FTP or e-mail and also includes a scheduler. Plus, it can work through the network. $30 from www.dswsoft.com/fbw.php.

File Commander 1.1 helps with moving, copying, or deleting files. Free from www.cinnamonsoftware.com/file_commander.htm.

File Detective 1.1 allows you to create a simple HTML index of files in a drive or folder. You can choose to include all files or limit the output to certain file types. Free from users.pandora.be/kenvh/.

File Ferret 32 is a $28 utility that hunts down the most elusive files on your PC. Search by title, by date, or by text strings, or create complex search criteria that you can reuse. Easy operation. No longer supported by FerretSoft, but still available on many shareware sites.

File Fission Wizard 5.00.2 is a $20 "file-splitter" utility that lets you split large files among several floppies and reintegrate them using the contained .BAT file. Look it over at www.gavers.com/.

File Informer 1.2 lets you hover the mouse pointer over the file to get a quick glance of the properties of any WAV, MP3, or image and executable files. Free from webtools.arisesoft.com/fileinfo/.

File Protector 1.60 is a $30 utility that lets you hide and restrict access to programs, files and folders on your hard drives. Available from mikkoaj.hypermart.net/.

File Shredder 1.0 securely destroy files beyond recovery using drag and drop and an easy interface. Free from www.east-tec.com/; a heftier version is available for a charge that uses government-approved file destruction methods, though you and I will probably never need this.

File Splitter 1.0 lets you split any file into separate parts and combine those parts when needed. Free from www.hhdsoftware.com/filesplitter.html.

File Splitter 1.2 lets you "split" files too large for single floppy disks into chunks that can be copied onto multiple disks and reintegrated into a single whole on a second machine. Free from members.xoom.com/mbjorklu/file_splitter/.

File Touch 2.0 lets you manage the time stamps that Windows puts on its stored files, including modifying and resetting the Created and Modified dates, copy dates from like-named files in another folder, or set the date/time stamps to specific values. Free from www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,26683,00.asp.

FileAlbum lets you organize different files in one folder or directory without actually moving them onto your hard disk. Especially useful for organizing files shared from different projects. Available for the downloading from www.pcmag.com, and an article about how to use it is at www.pcmag.com/pctech/index-ut.html.

fileAlert! 1.8 is a utility that lets you know when you've made any created, added, modified, or deleted files (starting from a specific date). Hidden or otherwise, you'll know what went where. Free from www.topcities.com/Computers/jfchua/falert.htm.

FileBack PC 3.21 automatically backs up selected files to second hard drives, removable media, or network drives. $20 from www.fileback-pc.com/.

File-Ex 3 adds useful features such as "Favorites" and "Recently Used" options to Windows's File Open and File Save dialog boxes. $20 from www.file-ex.com/.

FileFerret is a utility that finds and matches files from anywhere on the Net. It searches the Web and Archie databases, and allows downloading through its inbuilt, one-way FTP client. Free from www.ferretsoft.com/netferret/products.htm.

FileMaker Pro Trial 5, from www.claris.com/products/trialsoftware.html, is a trial version of the old reliable shareware database program, which includes templates for easy data entry at home, school, and office, and CGI and CSS templates. It expires after 30 days and/or 50 records; keep it for $249.

FileMap by BB 2.1 lets you create an inventory list (snapshot) of the files in your Windows and System folders, so that you can do a comparison check later to determine what has been added or removed. This can be useful to find out what files have been added or removed during software installations or other system modifications. Free from www.dogkennels.net/filemap/.

Filemon 4.34 monitors file system activity in real time and lets you filter the result. Free from www.sysinternals.com/.

File-N-Sync Plus 1.01 is a fast, flexible and easy file backup, synchronization, mirroring and replication utility. $79 from www.peersoftware.com/file-n-sync.html#fns.

FileNavigator 2.10 simplifies the task of finding files on your PC. Free from www.filenavigator.com.

FileOps 1.02 incorporates 5 utilities into one interface. It includes a file renaming tool, a timestamp changer, a small but complete FTP uploader, a file shredder, and an encryption function that allows you to choose from the most popular strong encryption algorithms - DES, Blowfish 448 bit, RC6 256 bit and TwoFish 256 bit. Lots to like here, and all of it free from homepage.eircom.net/~informail.

FileQuest 2.0 is a $25 file management utility that does a lot more than the standard Explorer utility. The "lite" version doesn't offer network support. Check it out at www.piquest.com.

FileSearch 1.1 is a free applet that searches out duplicate files from selected directories. Find out more from www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Hardware/2825/.

FileSnoop gives you detailed info about the files on your PC quickly and simply. Free from www.pcmag.com/utilities/.

FileSplit 2.2 is a file splitting utility, good for moving large files onto floppy disks for transport. Free from www.partridgesoft.com/fsplit.htm.

FileTip is a freebie from www.pcmag.com/utilities that works like the ToolTip function in MSOffice -- put your mouse over a file's icon in Explorer or the Desktop, and pertinent file information pops up.

FileVault 1.81 encrypts and stores files for sending over the Internet. Only those with the proper decryption sequence can unlock it. Free from www.parisien.org/.

Filing Cabinets 1.20.147 is a $18 utility from www.macroworx.com/ that gives you immediate access to your most-used programs and files. All your favorite shortcuts, icons, and documents can be at your fingertips without your having to sacrifice desktop space. Filing Cabinets appear as colored tags on the side of your desktop. When your mouse moves over a tag, the Cabinet opens, revealing the shortcuts you placed there. Easy enough.

FilZip 2000 1.54 is a well-regarded file compression utility. Free from www.filzip.com/.

FinalRecovery File Undelete, Clean Up Utility 1.3 recovers and cleans up deleted files and folders from hard disks and floppy disks formatted in FAT12, FAT16, FAT32 and NTFS file systems. $40 from www.finalrecovery.com/.

Find 122 (beta) indexes your hard drive so that you can find missing files quickly. Also helps your search your e-mail or the Web; just choose files, Web, or e-mail, and then type in the name of what you are looking for. Free from download.find.com/ (for 2K/XP only).

Find++ 2.51, an $18 utility from www.bytewise.com, lets you search and replace text in multiple files across drives.

FindOrphans is a free little goodie from www.pcmag.com/utilities that scans your disk for orphaned and problem files, identifies them, and removes them as you choose. The deletion process is fully reversible, in case the "orphaned" file really has a use. An article about this utility's functions, and its source code, is available as well.

FineCrypt 8.1 is a professional encryption tool that features high security encryption, secure communication by e-mail, a task manager, key manager, and file manager, encryption of files, folders and directory trees, creation of encrypted archives, creation of self-decrypting executables, and more. This is a "lite" version of this program. Free from www.finecrypt.net/.

FmEdit98 2.4 is a $25 replacement for Windows Explorer that comes with a double-pane display, built-in ZIP compression, and viewers for text, graphics, HTML, fonts, and ZIP files. Try it from www.fmedit.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/html/fmedit.htm.

Folder Cache 1.6 lets you access networked directories quickly from any Windows Explorer "Open/Save" dialog box. Free from www.nesoft.org/foldercache.shtml.

Folder Counter 1.1 counts the files in a folder or subfolder and lets you remove unneeded files as they're filed. Free from www.dgdr.com/foldercounter/.

Folder Organizer lets you access My Documents, the Start menu, and your own selections from the system tray (the little screen at the bottom right with the time, etc. displayed in it), where they can always be found. Extra goodies include the ability to change screen modes without rebooting, and makes it easy to clear various caches and history lists. Go to tp.ic.ehu.es/jma.html.

Folder Pointers is a free utility from www.pcmag.com/download/ that lets you place any folder you choose on the Start menu, and view its contents as a submenu, without going through Explorer. Go to www.pcmag.com/utilities for an article about Folder Pointers and the Delphi source code.

Folder Size Shell Extension 3.2 adds a "Size" tab to your folder and drive-property dialog boxes, so you can see just how much disk space these guys are hogging. Free from space.dolphin.free.fr/ (the site is in French, but you can muddle through well enough to find the download option for the program).

FolderBox 1.10 is an add-on to Explorer that allows up to 5 configurable tabbed panes to the existing 2 main panes in the lower right quadrant of Explorer. Gives Explorer a "Norton Commander"-like feel. Free from www.baxbex.com/products.html.

FolderMatch 3.3 lets you compare and sync your folders, say, between your desktop and laptop, etc. $35 from www.foldermatch.com/.

FolderMon 1.0 is a utility that monitors all file activity, including additions, deletions, and changes in the specified folders. Useful for shared folders over a network, among other things. Free from www.pcmag.com/utilities/.

FreeZip 1.4.9 is a small, fast, free compression utility from members.ozemail.com.au/~nulifetv/freezip/index.html.

Free Zipper 1.0 is a full-featured compression utility that also generates a detailed list of content-specific data in an archive, retrieves information on a specific file by file name or index, and runs integrity tests on .ZIP files. Free from www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,6591,tk,hsx,00.asp (the vendor no longer supports this program).

Fresh Diagnose 5.80 analyzes and benchmarks your computer. Free from www.freshdevices.com/.

GetInfo 1.4.0.3 Beta 1 searches text documents on your hard drive(s) and records the results in a text file. Free from www.gubbelsonline.nl/.

GetPaths automatically copies the path of a file to the Clipboard and lets you quickly view both text based and image files. Files types supported are .TXT, .BAT, .LOG, .DIZ, .REG, .FRM, .VBP, .VBW, .CTL, .BAS, .BMP, .GIF, .JPG, .JPEG, .ICO, .TIF, .TIFF, .WMF, .EMF, .PNG, .MIX, and .EXE. Free from camtech2000.com/Pages/Useful.html.

Ghostfiles 2.0 is a 2K/XP-only file-mirroring application. Just configure the source directory and the destination to where you want to mirror the directory, and the application will do the rest. Useful for laptop users on a network; you can use the program to mirror the contents of a local directory to a network location for your colleagues to access. You can also use the application to track the files installed during a program installation. Free from www.lowrieweb.com/ghostfiles.htm.

Gigabyte Express 5.016 is a P2P network app that lets you exchange large data files. Beats breaking up those large files into smaller chunks and e-mailing them separately. The maker recommends that you use this utility with broadband connections only. Free to try, but stunningly expensive to keep at $715; find out more at www.gigabytex.com/.

goBCL is not a downloadable utility, but a site that performs free HTML file conversions (even PDF). Free for use at www.gobcl.com/.

GrafixCat 1.0 is a specialized search tool used to search your computer for specified image files (bitmaps, .JPGs, .PNGs, .GIFs, Metafiles, .PCX and icons). Free from chesterway.co.uk/.

GRBackPro 5.4.5 is a data-backup program that lets you define multiple backup sessions and customize them, back up a whole disk, a single folder or just a few files. Includes a restore function, a scheduler, and more. Supports network, floppy, hard drives, CD-RW and all removable hard drives, but not tapes or CD-R and CD-RW media. $59 from www.grsoftware.net/.

Hackman 6.02 isn't a hacking tool; it allows you to edit and reprogram almost any file with the ease of a word processor. This program comes with cryptography capabilities, decoding with ready-made and self-made algorithms, and a full-featured editor. Not bad for a freebie, and available from technologismiki.com/hackman/.

HandsDown, another freebie from www.pcmag.com/utilities/, lets you create a list of files for download from Web or FTP sites, download the files all at once, and save the list of files for later reference. It works with Win98's Task Scheduler or the Win95 System Agent, a utility found in the Win95 Plus! Pack, so if you don't have Win98 or Win95 Plus!, save your download time.

Handy Backup 3.7 is a $30 utility that makes it easy to do your file and disk backups. Find out more at www.handybackup.com/index.html.

Handy File Find and Replace hunts down and finds/replaces text strings in any ASCII (including HTML) files on your computer. Free from www.silveragesoftware.com/handytools.html.

HandyBits File Shredder 5.4 deletes files with a simple drag&drop, and ensures that they are completely obliterated off your hard drive. Free from www.handybits.com/.

HDValet is a freebie from www.pcmag.com/utilities/ that finds and removes all the unnecessary, space-hogging files on your system. Gurus can also download the Delphi 4 source code.

Hide Folders 2.3 does exactly what its name suggests without letting anyone see what program is running. It protects your hidden files from deletion, so even if someone trashes a public folder, any hidden folders within it remain safe. The free version runs a banner ad for the $25 Pro version, which hides more folders and offers password-protection. Find out more at www.fspro.net/.

Hilitext 1.1 is a souped-up search&find utility that hunts down words and phrases within Web documents and e-mails. Free from www.fanix.com/hilitext/index.htm.

HSLAB Shutdown Folder Lite 1.4.1.38 is a tool which adds a "Shutdown" folder (like the "Startup" folder) to Windows so that programs can be automatically launched when Windows shuts down (data backup, deletion of temporary files, synchronization of data with mobile systems, etc). HSLAB Shutdown Folder Lite is a cutback version of the full shareware product but is still functional within its own right. The Helpfile indicates that the program will only work for 15 days until registered, but this is incorrect; the program will run forever. Free from www.hs-lab.com/.

iISystem Wiper 2.1 cleans your machine's browsing tracks more thoroughly than the usual utilities of this nature; scrubs file histories from file-sharing networks such as Kazaa, along with other utilities such as WinZip and AOL IM logs. Free from nn101.virtualave.net/clean.html.

iBrowser 0.6 isn't a browser per se; rather it lets you browse through folders stuffed with graphics quickly and easily. Free from ibrowser.fcodersoft.com/.

ICEOWS 4.10 (formerly ARJFolder) is a free utility from home.worldnet.fr/mounierr/ that extracts files compressed with .ZIP, .GZIP, .TAR, .CAB, .RAR, .ACE, and Unix Z compression without muss nor fuss. It has a new home at www.iceows.com/.

IDAutomation File Replicator 2.0 is a directory mirroring and file synchronization utility that also creates additional back-up copies of all updated, replaced or deleted files. It allows laptop users to access data on the server when away from the office as well as provides data back up and disaster recovery without additional hardware. $79 from www.filereplicator.com/.

Idem 1.2 is a pricey ($80) utility that allows you to automate file replication and synchronization; useful for moving file structures from one machine to another. Try it out from peccatte.karefil.com/.

Idex 3.05 lets you index and archive your documents (graphics, text documents, etc.), even providing thumbnails for easy viewing. Free from 194.164.209.22/idexworld/home/home.jsp.

iDisk Utility 1.0 makes sharing files and connecting public folders and iDisk easier. Free from www.mac.com/1/idiskutility_download.html. Windows XP only.

iEdit 1.0 combines file editing and interactive chat/messenging for team editing of files. Nice program for some businesses, and free from www.silvernetwork.net/~quiksw/othersoftware/iedit.html.

InstallFile 1.2 is a free utility that reinstalls system files when they become lost or corrupted. Useful, especially for techie folks. Find out more at www.kraftig.com/InstallFile/.

Internet Neighborhood Pro 4.0 adds FTP capabilities to Windows Explorer. $30 from www.deerfield.com/.

Invisible Launcher 1.01 lets you quickly organize and start applications, open folders, create shortcuts and document what you frequently access. $15 from www.segobit.com/inl.htm.

ISOBuster 0.99.6 lets you extract the image files (ISO, BIN, IMG, CIF, NRG, GCD, or C2D) from CD-ROMS without using a CD burner. Free from www.ping.be/vcd/isobuster.htm.

IZArc 3.5 is an archiving tool that you can use to open and create compressed files in many different formats. Free from www.izsoft.dir.bg/.

JR Directory Printer prints a listing of the folders, subfolders, and files in a directory or subdirectory. Free from www.spadixbd.com/freetools/JDirPrint.htm.

JR Split File Pro 2.1 lets you split a large file into CD-sized segments and create a standard .bat file that can be used to reconstruct a copy of the original file. $19 from www.spadixbd.com/.

Konverter 2.24 converts almost 300 file formats. More useful and flexible than this description can say; $22 from www.logipole.com/indexe.html.

LFNDir lets you view Windows' long filenames under DOS. This doesn't sound useful, but when you reboot your computer using your boot disk and find that all your files are now named WHOSIS~1.DOC, you'll see why LFNDir might be useful. Get it free from www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1559008,00.asp.

LinksOrganizer 1.8 gives you a single place to access all of your links and apps, from Start Menu items to Web pages. $25 to keep from www.metaproducts.com/.

List2000 1.03 is another program that, like LFNDir above, restores long file names. It has most of the features that the DOS command DIR has, and even color-codes files by their extensions. Free from members.tripod.com/~mgiar/index.html.

ListXP 0.88 is a file viewer for Windows that works with any file that you access and displays the data exactly as it was stored on the disk. Advanced features include Boolean expression searches and tailing (for when a file has new data appended to it). Built-in parsers support ASCII text, untranslated binary, Unicode text, and mIRC log file display, and formatting such as colors, bold, and underline. Very similar to the old DOS LIST program. Free from www.listxp.com/.

ListZapper 1.0 is a little utility that clears Windows' MRU (most recently used) lists. These lists store information about the documents you've most recently accessed. Free from www.pcmag.com/utilities/.

LookDisk 2.64 is a multi-functional disk tool that you can use to search for files using various parameters. Free from www.fxsearch.com/ldw_eng/.

MacVision 0.8.204 is a free, but timed, utility that helps soothe the nerves of Mac users by making the PC desktop look like a Mac's. It times out to make sure that you download the latest beta version (the makers haven't ironed out all of the wrinkles yet). Better than nerve tonic for Mac users who can't get a grasp on Windows quite yet. Get it from members.aol.com/JMB1984/MacVision/.

MadCopy 1.0 is a free utility that lets you cut, copy, and paste multiple file snippets in a few simple steps. Snip it from members.xoom.com/jwoltman/.

Magellan Explorer 2.2 is a powerful replacement for Windows Explorer, with a number of features not found in WinEx, including FTP support. $30 to keep from www.enriva.com/.

Magic Folders renders designated folders and files "invisible," thus protecting them from deletion or modification by other programs or other users. $30 to keep from www.touchzones.com/.

Magic Tags 0.5b is a nice file renaming utility. Free from www.anarelion.com/aalku/MagicTags/.

Master Splitter 3.5i is a powerful file-splitting program; $13 from www.tomasoft.com/.

MaxDIR 2.22 shows you a directory of files, color-coded for easy reference. Free from www.c-shore.com/mdirinfo/.

MaxLister 2.41 creates a listing of files and folders on your drives which can be printed, perused, or shared. Free from www.acc.umu.se/~max/maxlister/.

MaxSplitter 1.3 makes it easy to split up large files into floppy-size pieces. Free from www.acc.umu.se/~max/maxsplitter/.

Meazure 1.0 measures images, icons, or windows; magnifys portions of your screen, takes screen shots of any area, and see what color certain pixels are. Small, fast, easy, and free from www.cthing.com/Downloads.asp.

MetaTreeX Control 1.2 shows hierarchical information as a graph tree on an elliptical parabolic surface so you can view all the selected information at once, rather than drilling down through folders. $70 from www.metaproducts.com/.

Minimizer 1.04 sends any or all open programs to your System Tray, thereby keeping your Taskbar less cluttered. Free from thebluescreens.go.ro/.

MouseTrax File Cataloger 1.0 creates an HTML page that hyperlinks any .JPG and .GIF files to any Word document you create. Useful for those Word documents that require lots of graphics from lots of different sources. Free from www.mousetrax.com/.

mst IsUsedBy 1.3.4.67 identifies odd files that might refuse to be deleted by telling Windows that it is still in use. Free from www.mstsoftware.com/cFreeware.aspx.

Multi-App 2.1 lets you associate a file extension with multiple applications, along with editing and removing associations. $10 from content.techweb.com/winmag/software/1997/1197/11share.htm, since it doesn't look like Media Comm Software, the makers of this program, currently has a Web presence.

MultiError Pro 1.05 is a message manager utility for making and managing every kind of message, like reminders, fake errors, etc. It can even launch programs. Free from www.hot.ee/multierror/.

MultiRen is a free utility from PC Magazine that gives Windows Explorer the ability to rename multiple files with a single command, thereby relieving you of the chore of having to visit the DOS prompt and use the REN command. Look for it at www.pcmag.com/utilities/.

My Clips 1.0 is a utility that saves the various clips and snippets from your Clipboard for later use. Free from www.fireup.freewire.co.uk/.

My Own Backup 2.1 is ineptly named, but proves itself in the field. It's a fully functional backup program (discussed earlier on this same page) that works with many different kinds of disks, compresses backed-up files in .ZIP format if you choose, and comes with lots of other options. Check it out for free from home4.swipnet.se/~w-42000/MOB/ (the page is currently forbidden for viewing, but you can use Google's cached copy or download the program from www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,7023,00.asp, among other places.

MyInfo 1.8.1 lets you organize notes and memos in a single, hierarchical file structure. Free from www.milenix.com/.

mySB lets you customize your Windows Start button through the use of themes, which are a set of images plus other options used to personalize your computer's Start button. You can change the up, hover, and down images of the Start Button, and also the tool tip ('Click here to begin') with any other phrase. $10 from www.sayesoft.com.au/mySB/.

NameWiz 4.03 lets you rename files, folders and sub-folders any way you want. Add prefixes and suffixes, leading, replace, remove, move, swap, insert, delete and trim, all or parts of file names. $25 from www.softbytelabs.com/.

nnCron Lite 1.09 is a small full-featured scheduler (UNIX 'cron' ported to Windows) that can launch applications and open documents at a specified time or at a chosen interval. Uses a text file called CRON.TAB to launch your applications or open documents on your computer. Ideally launched through a .BAT file (often called from the AUTOEXEC.BAT file), nnCron Lite comes with two BAT files (STARTCRON.BAT and STOPCRON.BAT) which can be called to start the program and then stop it once it has carried out its duties. Otherwise, it can be left open on the desktop to continue working. Free from www.nncron.ru/index.shtml.

No Hands Backup 2.0 is a directory backup tool that allows you to create an exact mirror of selected folders either on another drive, a removable media or a computer on the network. After the initial copy action, only new or changed files will be transferred. You can create as many backup sets as you want and specify whether redundant files should be deleted and the results verified. No Hands Backup supports command-line input and can be completely automated using Windows Task Scheduler. Lots of pluses for a freebie; find out more at hem.spray.se/anders.peterson/.

NodeSoft Search And Replace 2.0.0.1 allows you to search several files or directories and replace a specified text within the files. Requires the .NET framework. Free from www.nodesoft.com/.

Ontrack Power Desk 5 is an excellent file manager with plenty of extras. The regular version is free, while the latest (Pro) version costs $30; both are available from www.ontrack.com/powerdesk/.

Open + 2.0 lets you choose which programs are opened by which application. $30 to keep from www.capio.cc/index.htm.

Open Subfolder 1.0 is a free utility that lets you see your subfolder structure without going into Windows Explorer. Get it at www.bubblepop.com/opensub/.

OpenExpert 1.40 allows you to configure every existing filetype with its own "Open With" submenu extension through this Windows Explorer right-click context menu add-on. This is something that should have been part of Windows Explorer all along. Free ($20 for corporate users) from www.baxbex.com/.

OpenWin 1.0 goes farther than the usual Ctrl+Alt+Del method to close problem windows and programs. It's a replacement application that will tell you about the open windows, but the hidden windows, too, along with info on the handle, title caption, and class of an open window. You can also save all of this information to a text file, which is great when troubleshooting an application problem. Free from www.bsoft.ic24.net/openwin.htm.

PaneKiller 1.31 lets you display a listing of every directory and file on your PC using Context menus. $10 from www.maddogsw.com/panekiller/.

Parasites gets rid of unwanted programs and their related files from your PC, even the ones that figure out ways to dodge the Add/Remove list. Free from and.doxdesk.com/.

Path Creator 2.0.0 creates file structures, including subdirectories, as fast as you can type the names. Nifty little freebie that fits on a floppy and can run from a command line (so the computer techs among us can get plenty of mileage from it), from gms.cyberrock.net/products.html.

PC Data Finder 5.5 does a good job of searching through your files for specified data. $40 from www.silverlaketech.com/.

PC Inspector File Recovery 3.0 is a data recovery program with support for FAT 12/16/32 and NTFS file systems. It recovers files with the original time and date stamp, and can optionally restore them to a network drive and can recover many files, even when a header entry is no longer available. Free from www.pcinspector.de/.

PC Search Light 1.3 adds a document keyword search facility to any computer with full keyword search. Only searches 5000 documents, has a 3MB file size limitation, and requires MS Word to function. If these limitations don't bother you, download this freebie from www.softpit.com/download.asp.

PCSync 2.0 lets you transfer synchronized files over USB or serial cables as well as over the Internet. $80 from www.laplink.com/.

PentaZip 5.1 is a $50 file archive utility that lets you do what most other file compression utilities do, and supports most formats, including .ZIP, .ARJ, .TAR, .ARC, .CAB, .RAR, etc. Also offers a file viewer. Get a demo version from www.pentazip.com/.

PhileSplitter 2003 4.0 lets you split a file into a number of smaller, more manageable pieces that can be re-assembled back into the original file later. $36 from www.cybersoftcentral.com/products/philesplitter/.

PicoZip 2.02 creates archives in seven formats, extracts files from 15 archive formats and create self-extracting archives in eight formats. Other PicoZip features include quick backup, batch processing, Windows integration, e-mail support and archive format conversion. $25 from www.picozip.com/.

PKZip Standard and Professional 6.0 is the granddad of file compression utilities, and still a robust, powerful program. $30 from www.pkware.com/.

Polder Backup 2.6.1 is a file backup utility that makes it simple to keep backups of critical files and documents, and supports file compression. Free from www.xs4all.nl/~philippo/PolderBackup.htm.

Power Drawers 2000 creates folders and puts files in groups based on functional categories (including Internet, utilities, games, and development tools) that are appropriate for your installed applications. This highly touted utility gives you easier access and more control over your file structure. $35 from www.dynamickarma.com/.

Power File Gold 1.0 is a file manager and Internet Explorer replacement. It copies, moves and deletes files from multiple directories or drives. It includes complete FTP client uploading and downloading from the Internet, creates and opens Zip files and synchronizes files. The file preview displays the contents of word processing, graphics, spreadsheets and more. $35 from www.canyonsw.com/pnf.htm.

Power Searcher 2.07 is an advanced file search and print utility that can find files by full or partial name, size, date, attributes, or contents. Free, for now, from www.beatbrowser.co.uk/software/home.html.

PowerArchiver 2000 6.0 is a multifeatured file archive utility that supports most formats and lets you repair corrupted compressed files. Free from www.powerarchiver.com/.

PowerDesk 5.0 is a highly regarded $30 file manager/Windows Explorer-alternative. It combines the best features of Win 3.1's File Manager and Windows Explorer, supports file transfers and compression, interfaces well with Quick View Plus, and has a customizable interface. It even translates indecipherable MIME- and BinHex-encoded e-mail messages. Check it out from www.ontrack.com/powerdesk/. A basic version is free for the download.

PowerGrep 1.1.0 searches for keywords within text and binary files to find exactly what you want as well as performing the usual "search and replace" function. The Collect feature lets you gather statistics and extract data from files; the Sequencing feature allows you to search and replace on every file automatically, with no user intervention required. Meant for the hardcore search and replace person and for those who want to find certain words within a file with options to edit it. $99 from www.powergrep.com/.

PowerZip 5.2 is another powerful compression utility along the lines of WinZip or PKZip. $20 from www.powerzip.lco.net/.

Presto OCR Pro, from www.newsoft.com.tw/product/ocrpro.html, works with your scanner to feed scanned text directly into apps such as MSOffice, Lotus WordPro, and Corel WordPerfect. After a 14-day trial, you'll need to ante up $50 to keep it.

Print Directory 3.1 is useful for printing the file directory structure of a hard disk (or portions thereof). Free from widget.bizland.com/

PrintFolder 1.2 is a free utility from no-nonsense-software.com/freeware/ that prints your directory structure. This is one of those programs that doesn't do a lot of different things, but does one thing and does it well. Note: the Pro version, 3.0, costs $25.

Professional Renamer 1.10 lets you rename multiple file names at once. $15 from miklsoft.mastak.com/ (look on the major shareware sites if the Russian site confuses you).

PropertiesPlus 1.65 is an add-on to Windows Explorer that gives you detailed info about a drive, folder, or file via a right-click. Free from www.ne.jp/asahi/cool/kish/.

PrnPrint 2.15: Do you have a file with a "PRN" extension and you don't know what to do with it? .PRN is the default file extension for a printer's output that is sent or saved to a file instead of a printer, and this utility lets you print such a file. Free from www.magmacom.com/~russrite/software/PrnPrint/prnprint.htm.

Q-Copy 2002 1.0.342 is a Windows Explorer Shell Extension for copying, moving, splitting, zipping and unzipping files. $15 to keep from www.hyperq.com/qcopy.htm.

Qtraxmax connects you to the Gnutella network for file downloads, and provides a search function for audio, video, and other files. Also has file-resumption and file-fixing utilities bundled in. Free from www.qtrax.com/.

Quick File Rename PE 3.0 does just what it says, and does it well. Free from www.skyjuicesoftware.com/software/qfr_info.html, though a Pro version will cost you.

Quick Menu Builder 1.2 allows you to build a menu for a data CD. Free from quickmenubuilder.free.fr/Menu.php3?page=Welcome.

Quick View Plus 7.0, mentioned elsewhere in this article, is a souped-up version of the Quick View utility included with Explorer (well, some Windows users have it and others don't) that previews files in its own viewer without actually opening them. It adds 225+ file types to the skimpy 30 provided with the older version. Check it out at www.jasc.com/qvp and be ready to pony up $35 to keep it.

Radiate/Aureate DLL Uninstaller is a utility from Radiate (formerly known as Aureate) that removes any DLLs that its software might have installed on your computer. Free from www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,17340,tk,hsx,00.asp (the home page, www.radiate.com/, seems to be gone).

Rainbow Folders 1.01 allows you to change the color of selected folder icons. Free from www.rainbowfolders.k7.pl/.

RecentCommands 1.0 records your menu commands for your frequently used apps and makes them available for reuse; this program lets you skip the usual hunting through long, and often shifting, menu choices. Free from www.pcworld.com/utilities/.

Relative Rev Backup 2.6 incrementally backs up your files as often as you like. Nice program. I'm not sure of the price; the site is quite coy about giving out information, and wants you to contact them for download and pricing info. Try datamills.com/ for the necessary info.

Rename All 1.1 handles file-renaming duties quickly and easily. Free from www.geocities.com/neerajishere/.

Rename4U 1.05 makes it simple to rename lots of files at one time. Free from www.design2graphics.com/html/software/Rename4u.html.

RenameStar 1.1 renames inconsistently named files with sequentially numbered and organized names. This is a powerful file renamer which can handle read-only files (it even reinstates the original attribute to a file once it is renamed). Free from home.earthlink.net/~tm120176050/.

Replicator 2.1 dupes files and folders to a different location on a scheduled basis. Free from www.karenware.com/powertools/ptreplicator.asp (requires the VBRun 6 files).

Restoration 2.514 can rescue your accidentally deleted files and permanently delete the files you want gone. It can live on a floppy, so it leaves no trace of its activities. Free from www3.telus.net/mikebike/RESTORATION.html.

RestoreBack 1.0 is a free Java-based program for backing up files and folders on your hard drive. Backs up the data in a single zip archive and has facilities like adding newly added or modified folders or files to the current archive, mirror deletions, and more. It also enables you to write a backup script so that your backup is automated. Free from www.aniyog.com/.

Resource Explorer 1.0 lets you scope out the contents of .EXE and .DLL files with no muss nor fuss. Free from www.angelfire.com/or/Seb/resexp.html.

Resource Hunter 1.20 finds all the bitmaps, icons, cursors, JPEGs, GIF images, sound files, video clips, and animations inside the programs and DLL files in any directory of your choice. Also lets you save them as regular image/media files. $30 from www.boilsoft.com/.

ReXtend 1.3 gives you a simple way to change a file's extension -- say, from .TXT to .HTML. Free from zeshin.fictionworld.com/.

rjhExtensions 1.1 is a utility that adds several useful functions to Windows Explorer, such as one-click deletion of files, printing of file directories, easy access to command prompts, etc. Useful for the real geeks among us, and free from www.rjhsoftware.com/rjhextensions/.

RKRun 1.1.0.5 assigns keyboard shortcuts to the startup protocols of various apps. Free from jump.to/raykrueger/.

RName-It 3.1.1 is a free renaming utility that renames extensions, prefixes, letter cases, can insert or replace strings, what have you. Powerful for a freebie; get the lowdown at members.xoom.com/listerman/fileutil.html.

Rocket Retriever is a $15 search utility that isolates the file you're searching for as fast as you can type the name. Find out more from www.pankhurst.com/.

RunFast 1.22 is a command-line utility for Windows that allows you to quickly launch programs, files, folders, and even websites. Useful for those of us who put the Run command to work a great deal. Free from www.idiogensoftware.com/runfast/.

RunIt 2.6.6 is a tray-based program that keeps track of your most recent programs (up to 50 at once) so that you can get back to where you left off in two clicks. If you run the same few programs regularly, RunIt can save steps. $20 from www.runit.com.ua/.

RZSplit 97 is a $12 app that cleanly and easily "splits" files into chunks small enough to be loaded onto single floppy disks;