Testing new programs

motim · 18 Mar 2016

Hello Forum,
1 ) Sometimes when I look for a program, I often find more then one, to test if it suits me I have to install it, learn how to use it and test it - if suits me it stays installed, if not I have to uninstall it. So with another and another, in the meantime the system becomes crowded, heavy and remains left in the registry.
Once I had another old xp pc doing all the tests there, but now I have only this one and want to keep it clean as possible. What I am thinking is to keep a good full (macrium) backup, and after some installations and uninstallations to restore from that backup. Is there some easier / shorter way to do it ?

2 ) Again about music : Can you recommend a program where I can record music played with the speakers while being online - say music from internet radios. Asking friends they recommended to make a loop from the output audio port to the input, making mess with wires.

Answers will be appreciated.
Thanks
Motim

akjudge · 18 Mar 2016

The experts here will weigh-in with better recommendations than I can give, but here is what I do..

For short term testing programs, I use Time Freeze (a free sandbox type program). I active Time Freeze, install the test program, play with it to see if it is a keeper. When you turn Time Freeze off, all the parts of the test program are lost (it actually uses a virtual registry where changes are not kept). If I want the program, I then download and install it as normal. If I don't want it, I turn Time Freeze off and nothing is kept. This will not work for test programs I play with over several days, since Time Freeze will not save ANYTHING while it is turned on.

For long term testing, I install the test program and play with it. If I decide to not keep it, I use Geek Uninstaller (free) which will uninstall both 32 bit and 64 bit programs including any registry left overs.

For your music issue, Audacity may be something to look at. It will do what you are talking about without any extra wires.

GokAy · 19 Mar 2016

Audacity is among the first to come to mind.

You can also explore free Linux distribution specialized in multimedia creation. Just Google "Linux for multimedia creation"

Also we have a Sound and Audio section - https://www.sevenforums.com/sound-audio/ for better answers

Barman58 · 19 Mar 2016

I have to state that recording from internet Radio is, in some countries treated as illegal

Audacity is the way to go although there is a potential issue, some recent sound cards do not have the What I Hear or Stereo mix recording option, which allows digital recording of any source into the sound card, this is due to pressure from the performing rights lobby in the US, so a cable feedback as you described may be the only way to record the output, but of course quality will be reduced as you have to go Digital-Analog-Digital rather than the Digital-Digital of the Stereo Mix option to get the sound recorded.

I use Comodo Internet Security an the free version comes with an optional auto sandbox which can allow you the run programs isolated from the rest of the system, if you do not like them they have not affected your system. The only downside is the big ugly green border around the windows :)

motim · 19 Mar 2016

Hello,
Thanks for all the answers.
Would like to have some more details about this "Time Freeze" program, do I have to install it permanently,
(what if I do not like it - joking), for how long it is effective, does it stay 'active' until turned off.

And about recording, if on the "sound recording devices" stereo mixer is default device (as on attached screenshot), I tried the windows built-in sound recorder while some internet radio was playing - nothing was recorded (stupid question ?) ?
Thanks for answers
Motim

akjudge · 20 Mar 2016

Here are some details about Time Freeze where most of your questions will be answered:

Time Freeze Review ? Better than System Restore

"And about recording"... it appears that since you can set Stereo Mixer as your default device, Audacity should work (it works using the Stereo Mixer as default device). You can only install Audacity and try it to see if it will work.