Fresh Install of Windows -- What apps do you install?

[Big Dan]

Just wondering what everyone rushes to install on a fresh install of Windows. If this type of thread has been done already, sorry feel free to merge.

I tend to format and reinstall so often that I keep all my apps on a USB stick install them all then use File Hippo's update checker to update anything that's been updated since I put the installers on my stick, I also copy the new installers over to my stick for the next time I reinstall.

My first install is Anti-virus, which used to be Avast but i'm now using MS security essentials. I let it update and scan then reboot install any available Windows updates.

Second install is Firefox which is my favorite browser and I use to surf around while windows update is running.

After closing Firefox my third set of installs are plugins: Java, Flash Plugins (IE & non-IE), Shockwave, Adobe Air, and Python.

The rest are:

7-zip: Great utility for handling all kinds of archives (doesn't integrate into the shell well on Windows 7 yet)

Abiword: Light weight word processor. For the most I use this to compose longer blog posts and replies to private messages. It beats launching Open Office.

Audacity: Program for manipulating audio files. Mostly use this to cleanup intro and outro gaps on rips.

Any Video Converter: Pretty simple and easy to use video converter so I can play them on my Zen.

Ccleaner: An awesome temp/internet files cleaner.

Google Chrome: I use this as my secondary browser.

Coffee Cup Free HTML Editor: Really nice WYSIWYG HTML editor and it's free.

Context: A free text editor supports syntax highlighting and lots of fun stuff. I don't use it much, mostly use Notepad++ but am planning to dive into Context a bit more.

Defraggaler: A defrag utility from Priform (the makers of Ccleaner). I find it easier to use then Windows built in utility.

Digsby: A multi-protocol IM client. I don't use it much especially after the whole crapware fiasco. Pidgin is my favorite IM client

Dropbox: An awesome file sync tool that works on all platforms.

Easy Tag: Bulk MP3 tag editor / file renamer. Really nice piece of software, I like it because it's simple and to the point. Easy Tag requires GTK but that gets installed with Pidgin anyhow.

FileZilla: A great cross platform FTP client with the ability to save connection profiles.

Flock: The "social" web browser mostly just have it in order to have another browser to use if need be.

Foxit Reader: A lightweight PDF reader, a good alternative to Adobe Reader. Don't bother installing the Firefox plugin though as it locks up FF for a good 2 minutes every time you try opening a PDF.

Primo PDF Printer: Setups a virtual printer to 'print' a PDF from any program.

GIMP: A free advanced image editor.

Google Earth: Hey who doesn't like spying on their old neighborhood from the sky?

Google Talk: Google's IM client, I don't use it much, mostly for Gmail notifications

Intellipoint/Intellitype Pro: Enable the features on my keyboard and mouse.

InfraRecorder: A decent utility to burn CDs, mostly use it for ISOs. I'll probably drop this with Windows 7 since ISO burning is built into the shell.

KeePass: Hands down the best password/wallet saver.. Cross platform. I use it in conjunction with Dropbox to have all my passwords synced and available to me on all my computers.

Notepad++: My favorite text editor, I set it for all text file associations. Syntax highlighting and a tabbed interface make this the best text editor out there IMHO.

Open Office: A great free office suite a little on the bloated side but not too bad. After installing, launch open office and disable the 'auto-starter' from starting all the time in the system tray.

Opera: Yet another browser, mostly for testing.

Paint.net: Another image editor, haven't really used it much so cannot say much about it.

Pidgin: A great free multi-protocol IM client. No ads in your face either. This is my default IM client.

Putty: An ssh client, I use it to connect to my web servers

Recuva: A file undelete utility from the makers of Ccleaner. I haven't had an occasion to use this.. It's a just in case app.

Safari: Yet another brower

Skype: Free voice/Video calls. I've got a subsciption and Skype In number. Mostly use my Skype phone though. Only use the client for video and text chats.

Songbird: My favorite media player mostly use it for streaming Shoutcast.

Thunderbird Beta: Mail client, use it for connecting to Gmail via IMAP when I'm busying doing something and don't have my browser or Gtalk open.

TweetDeck: Twitter, Facebook, and Myspace updates.

Unlocker: A utility to unlock files so you delete them. Auto-start doesn't behave well under Windows 7

Virtual Box: Virtual Machine utility I use it to run beta of Ubuntu and even a stable version to test things out instead of rebooting.

VLC: Hands down the best media player. Plays just about any format without shady codec packs.

WinSCP: A handy GUI for SSH connections.

Windows Live Messenger and Writer: Don't know why I install the messenger as I almost never use it and use Pidgin instead. The Writer I like to short blog posts.

Xchat: An IRC client

Yahoo Messenger: I only install this so I can play games with some of my friends, something that Pidgin doesn't' support.

All programs except those linked are available on File Hippo.

Whew that was pretty long.. Anyway there you have it. What do you install any suggestions for a webmaster / music addict? As you can see I try to use as much cross platform stuf as possible so I can use the same interface and often times configuration files on Ubuntu and my Mac.

What are your first installs?

 

[Bill]

Don't forget to install Malwarebytes:

http://www.www.malwarebytes.org

-Bill

 

[Stabgotham]

I was recently turned onto Volery to make downloading and installing many of the programs I quickly install easy. Here is the list I usually go with (not in any particular order):

• Eset NOD32 x64 - not free, but it's the best
• Firefox 3.6 - yes that says 3.6
• 7-zip x64 - I have experienced no issues with shell integration as Big Dan has expressed
• Launchy
• Batterycare - better battery monitoring than standard Windows app
• CCleaner
• uTorrent
• ImgBurn
• Songbird
• Dropbox - god, I love Dropbox!
• Revo Uninstaller
• VLC Media Player
• Steam - Team Fortress 2 FTW!
• Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro - not free and also bulky, but its the best for my line of work
• Office 2007 Suite - I just can't get behind Open Office no matter how hard I try
• OfficeTabs - an add-on for Office 2007 that brings tabbing to the programs rather than using multiple windows. This is a GREAT add-on!

I'm sure that there are more, but that's all I can think of for now.

 

[Murdear]

1. Microsoft Security Essentials - One of the best free antivirus I've ever used.
2. Revo Uninstaller.
3. QuickTime Alternative
4. iTunes Switchless 9.0.1.8 - It cuts all the unnecessary crap that Apple tries to install together with normal iTunes.
5. MediaMonkey - To organize my Mp3 collection.
6. VLC Media Player.
7. uTorrent.
8. Adode Reader 9
9. Adobe Photoshop CS4.
10. Microsoft Office 2007.
11. IMGBurn

Other programs I use the portable version so I won't install too much crap.

 

[nate42nd]

That "volery" looks pretty cool. Maybe I'll give it a try. Thanks.

 

[swarfega]

You guys might be interested in this installation guide.

Does that Volery service detect if there are 64-bit apps?

 

[Stabgotham]

It does not, but you can suggest apps to be added to their list. They seem to be very open since the few apps that I suggested have been added. It would be nice if they included a 64-bit section (possible suggestion!).

I've used Volery for 3 separate installs and it works great. Super fast and I've had no problems at all.

 

[Big Dan]

Volery is great, tried it last night got an invite code from the How To Geek (Volery Makes Installing Software Incredibly Simple :: the How-To Geek)

The only thing I disliked is for some reason apps that installed with Volery and set themselves to run on startup do so under every user profile where as if I install them individually they don't set themselves to run on startup unless you run them from that user account first.

 

[ViperChief]

Here's my list:

1) Visual Studio
2) Dev C++ (Required for school...I just make sure my crap compiles correctly here)
3) Notepad++
4) MS Office
5) X-Chat2
6) Gajim (Jabber IM client)
7) Opera
8) Firefox
9) Virtual PC
10) PuTTY (to ssh into my website VPS)
11) WinMerge
12) Google Earth
13) "Standard" web needs: Flash, Acrobat Reader and Java

I think that pretty much covers it. Most of my time is spent surfing the web, doing schoolwork or programming.

I forgot, I also use the new MSE for anti-virus.

 

[Big Dan]

• 7-zip x64 - I have experienced no issues with shell integration as Big Dan has expressed

I stand corrected. I didn't realize there was a 64-bit version as I normally download from File Hippo. I went to 7-zip.org and got the 64.bit version it works great. Thanks for the tip.

 

[MilesR]

I'm at work so trying to remember off the top of my head...but I think the 'installed' apps I usually put on are:
* Avast Antivirus
* Firefox
* Thunderbird
* 7-zip
* CCleaner
* Defraggler
* Office
* iTunes
* Handbrake
* Windows Live (Messenger & Sync)
* Skype

However, I'm a big fan of standalone apps that I can just shortcut to rather than do an install...so these always live on a separate drive (with shortcuts on the desktop):
* VLC
* InfraRecorder
* FileZilla
* Foxit PDF Reader
* UltraEdit
* PuTTy
* Xview

 

[rsquare]

Here's my list of programs that I install on a fresh copy of Windows:

uTorrent
TweetDeck
All products from Adobe CS4 Master Collection
Boxee
Crossloop
Defraggler
iTunes (just in case)
iZark
inSSIDer (great to check signal strength of wireless network)
Microsoft Office
Firefox
Songbird
Tversity (one of the best programs ever)
Vmware Workstation

 

[Clickster]

1.) Internet Explorer 8 w/ IEPro Addon
2.) Microsoft Security Essentials
3.) Microsoft Office Enterprise 2007
4.) Windows Live Essentials
5.) Adobe Creative Suite 4
6.) CCleaner
7.) Driver Detective
8.) Various Games

-That is my very basic list of my applications when I do a fresh install on my machine.

 

[InternetLord]

Clean install.

1. Wipe the drive 3 times.
2. Install Win 7.
3. Install my drivers.
4. Install the Windows updates.
5. Install my security software.
6. Install the remainder of my programs.
7. Perform all of my tweaks for the OS, programs, and hardware.
8. Install the remainder of the Windows updates.