Programs in the light blue highlights are ones I use and
recommend if you're not an experienced user...

This page is a little out dated, will be updating shortly...

1/ Virus Protection - Free

Avira Anti-Virus
A very good, possibly the easiest to use anti virus program. Once a day you will need to close a popup window when definition updates are done.

AVG anti-virus
Highly rated, free...

Avast

Another good free one,

Inserting (the pain in the butt) Key tutorial

2/ Trojan and Spyware Scanner - Choose Free Version

A-Squared Free:Remove infections of Trojans, Spyware, Adware, Worms, Keyloggers, Rootkits, Dialers and other malicious programs. Very easy to use. Full system scan takes a while, but in my opinion... it's worth it. My new favourite. See top right for full professional version... it's worth upgrading for real time monitoring.

download free version from www.emsisoft.com - (3rd section)

3/ Anti Dialer Scanner - Free

A-Squared Anti-Dialer: Check for programs that dial out from your PC, and possibly cost you a small fortune. Please make sure no legitimate dial up programs are removed (like your dial up connection)

download free version from www.emsisoft.com (5th section)

4/ Firewall - Choose Free Version

Zone alarm: Firewall protection is a must. This easy to use firewall blocks hackers and other unknown threats. Automatically makes your computer invisible on the Internet  Use free version, don't go for the upgrades... unless  money is no problem. Check your default Windows firewall is off. Zone Alarm will ask what programs you want to allow  to connect out as they attempt to connect. Don't go for the free trial of the pro version, don't accept the extra toolbar crap.

download from snapfiles - official zonelabs website (skip the trial pay offer... use link on far right)

5/ Adware Scanner - Choose Free Version

Adaware: "Our free anti spyware version provides you with protection against spy ware that secretly attaches and takes control of your PC." Use often, but remember to update definitions before each use. Free version is good.

www.lavasoftusa.com

6/ Spyware Scanner - Free

Spybot: Spyware is very common, and can cause a lot of problems with your personal details being stolen. use this program to detect trojans,(trogens) dialers, keyloggers etc. This program  is free. I recommend only experienced users use this, or at least when deleting files. Files I don't delete when picked up are microsoft and bearshare.

www.safer-networking.org

7/ Privacy Cleaner - Free

CCleaner is a system optimization and privacy tool. It removes unused files from your system, allowing Windows to run faster, freeing up valuable hard disk space. Free...

www.ccleaner.com

8/ Downloads Manager - Free

Free Downloads Manager: great for downloading large files, also good for grabbing youtube videos, converting them to avi, and also for grabbing bit torrent files. Really good program. Looks a little complicated at first... but it's not, trust me... you will love it.

freedownloadmanager.org

or Star Downloader... which is simpler, and works well

stardownloader.com

9/ Image Viewer - Free

FastStone Image Viewer is a fast user-friendly image browser, converter and editor. Once you get used to this... you wont change back. Free...

Tip: Open program, and go up to the settings.

• Make sure under "viewer" that the right/left click box is ticked. This lets you view all files in a folder easily.
• Under "JPEG" move quality to 100%.
• Under "associations" select all.
• Under "programs" add the "image editor" program listed below on this page, along with any other
  art programs you use.

Also: Once installed, double click on picture to view full screen in this program, then move mouse to all 4 sides of the computer screen to see the options.

Expand "navigator" bottom left to enlarge pictures, use "edit with external programs" on the left to edit photo in art program you have pre installed.

www.faststone.org

10/ Image Editor - Free

Photo Filtre is a complete image editing and effects package, that will amaze you with features. Add it to the menu of the image viewer above for easy access. Also free...

download from snapfiles

11/ Picture Resize - Free

Very useful, and fast way to resize your graphics. When you load pictures from your digital camera, they are usually 2 times bigger than what you see on screen, plus also heavy in megabytes, making them hard to share with friends. Type the size you want on to the icon file name, drag file... or whole folder onto icon, and size and weight are both reduced, with only a very slight loss of quality. Originals will not be touched.

www.rw-designer.com

12/ Art Program - Choose Free Version

Twisted Brush:The digital paint software with complete natural art tools. Software for artists without the complexity. Free version is good, and with many features.

www.pixarra.com

13/ Password Manager - Choose Free Version

Roboform is the top rated Password Manager and Web Form Filler that completely automates password entering and form filling.  Great to avoid logging into fake pages, and to stop passwords being stolen by keyloggers. Free Version is Limited to 10 entries... which is enough for the average Internet user. Once you have gotten used to it, you won't be able to do without it. Don't forget your password! You can also quick access your saved sites through the robo menu from taskbar icon. It will open page, fill in your details, and log you in... all with one click. You can also take your passcards and use them on other PC's

www.roboform.com

14/ CD/DVD Burning Software - Free

CDBurnerXPPro is a CD/DVD burning solution. With this software you can burn all DVD+R/RW DVD-R/RW CD-R, CD-RW discs. Free...

www.cdburnerxp.se

15/ Rouge Remover (free)

Utility that can remove various rogue (fake) cleaning utilities that some spyware programs can't. Easy, fast... worth doing.

16/ Secure File Shredder (free)

Deleting private files off the hard drive using the recycling bin is not a permanent removal. There are tools to retrieve that information. This program will remove it permanently, and if you delete the "free space" as well, it will make everything else you have previously deleted a bit harder to detect.

17/ Firefox Browser (free)

Recommended by experts as a more secure browser, with security holes updated faster than the standard Internet Explorer. Once you get used to it... you wont go back.

18/ Open Office (free)

This is a well known free alternative to Microsoft Office. Tip: When installing, don't set as default for powerpoint presentations... as that will open them up for editing. Use the following program for viewing powerpoint files. If mistake made... just re-install following program to over ride the settings.

19/ Powerpoint Viewer (free)

Watch those (ppt) power point files you cant open. Tip: To view  powerpoint attachments from emails... save attachment to PC first.

20/ CD Ripping Software
very good, simple, easy and free to use CD to MP3 converter. even names the files of most CDs

21/ WinPatrol - Start up Manager

choose free version, very good start up manager...

22/ msn messenger

free, talking, web cam, sharing files, play games against other messenger users..

23/ crazybrowser

free, another browser, using the IE setup, but with, IMHO... a better interface.

24/ skype

free, talking to other users

25/ itunes

free, mp3 player & write CD's. Also convert old CDs into MP3s. Tick in options to make this your default player. Can load songs automatically downloaded from the bearshare file sharing program down below. Can set smart playlists, rank songs by stars etc. What's sad about itunes is that now when you install it, they add all this extra junk stuff, and keep wanting to do updates. In the settings turn the updates off, and if you just want to use it to listen to music, not buy anything... disallow it to connect out with your firewall. If you want to remove the extra stuff, go to add/remove programs and take out the "apple mobile device support" "apple software update" and "bonjour" and as long as you don't upgrade itunes... you wont have to bother with that crap again. Of course, you don't have too... just a suggestion, as they all want to run on start up. It also installs quicktime, but I leave that in as sometimes it's needed on some websites, and... the itunes program won't work without it, (stupid I know) but I choose not to allow it to start up with my very useful winpatrol start up manager

26/ mp3ext

free, mp3 info, plus shows bit rate on mp3 icons.

27/ reflexive

free (1 hour) trials of games

28/ webshots

free, pictures for screensavers... or just for looking.

29/ bearshare light

free, file sharing, mp3's, this version has the adware crap stripped out. please don't accept program updates

Some file sharing is illegal... you are responsible for what you do. Make sure your anti virus is up to date, and most important to have your firewall in use. Free versions for both are up top.

30/ azureus

free, file sharing for advanced users using bit torrents, see torrent search in top section.
Peer Guardian, for privacy when file sharing

31/ ext-changer

free, file extension changer

32/ google earth

choose free version,view the earth from afar, then zoom in...

33/ Hijack This

free, for experienced users... PC scan for security info.

34/ klite codec pack

these are the codecs needed to play most audio and video formats.

35/ avg antivirus

AVG free anti virus.

36/ Star downloader

Star Downloader is a simple downloads manager that downloads by splitting the files into several parts and downloading them simultaneously.

37/ Bulk File Renamer

http://www.bulkrenameutility.co.uk/Main_Intro.php

38/ Sound Editor

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

39/ Unit Converter

http://www.calcexpert.com/

40/ Spyware Blaster

Stops spyware from installing, remember to update definitions often.
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

41/ Spyware Guard

Runs and protects live against spyware...
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareguard.html

42/ AVi and MPG to DVD

Does what it says... takes videos off your PC and writes them to DVD's.
http://www.sothinkmedia.com/movie-dvd-maker/

43/ pcdecrapifier

Gets rid of toolbars and other annoying addons

44/ free-av

another useful free virus scanner, and it picked up a few things the others didn't. I now use this and my avast together. (no conflicts so far)

45/ prevx.com

free scan for infections

46/ runscanner.net

free start up and process monitor

47/ Check Folder Sizes

jam-software.com

48/ Clean Up

Another useful cleaning utility. In options, choose "standard" clean up.

49/ Speed Typing

Useful shortcut tool for typing the same text over and over

50/ tweakUI

(look in blue section on right for download link)

Another useful free tool. One use after downloading is click on the explorer section, and choose to un-tick the "shortcut to" box. This gets rid of the annoying "shortcut to" words all over your desktop shortcuts.

51/ Password Recovery

Actually works, great for recovering lost passwords on your PC, like outlook express, msn messenger

52/ Spyware Terminator
Possibly the best free "live" spyware monitoring system...

53/ MSN Photo Virus Removal Tool
If you were silly enough to have accepted an attachment from a MSN buddie, without verifying it... by now you will have found that ordinary anti-virus programs don't remove it. I used this program on a friends PC, and it did the job (after many other attempts). It would have been a message with an attachment, something like "I found this photo of you on facebook" etc. Also, without realising it... you will have passed it on to your MSN messenger friends, so I suggest you pass along this info, and maybe type a message next to your name warning them not to download attachments.

Orphans remover
removes broken shortcuts

lock folders
use this to keep folders private from kids and other users of your PC, it has a pop up box you need to close each time with the free version. make sure you don't forget your password, and also, don't do what I did and fully restore your PC, while forgetting to save the invisible folder. Also, choose the lock on exit option, automatically locking folders when closing program down.

warning: files can be accessed in safe mode, if you need full security you need to buy a program like this folder lock program (and lock in encrypt mode for full security)

dslnuts
cablenut system tweaks

2brightsparks
use the free version to sync your hard drive back up to an external hard drive.

bulk rename utility
renaming folders and files, looks complicated, but it saves a lot of time once you get used to it.

mwsnap
a simple screen capture tool

smitfraud fix
remove desktop hijack malware, for more advanced uses

mp3tag.de
mp3 tag editor

iobit
auto/easy to use smart defrag program, can just run it in the background

tokiwa
a data recovery program, recover files you have deleted by mistake... even from your trash

password recovery
recovers many passwords off your PC

foxit pdf reader
Easy to use PDF reader, I prefer this over the adobe one.Scrolls beter, is faster loading, and doesn't keep doing 30 meg upgrades all the time.

crossloop
Remote desktop software, works well, use low graphics option if on slower connections.

bootsafe
possibly the most simplest way to reboot your pc into safe mode

system explorer
choose to run at start up, very useful short cut to pc information and tools.

rapid typing
a program to practise your typing skills.

idump
Transfer mp3's from ipod to PC

http://www.mediamonkey.com/

http://www.winamp.com

http://www.glaryutilities.com/gu.html?tag=download

great for folder file sizes, seeing which programs were installed most recently, ask bar annoying

http://www.malwarebytes.org/

scan for malware and remove it, free version works well, upgrade if you want 'live' protection

process explorer

see whats running, and how much cpu its using, useful in finding exactly which program is hogging the system. I used it to find a useless svchost running at 100% every 10 min, and was able to disable it. without this program I wouldn't have know what it was. I disabled it in 'services'. Right click on 'my computer' choose 'manage' then 'services' under 'services and applications'. In case you're wondering, you will find many svchosts running in your task manager. They hold multiple programs each, and this program shows which is running in each. The one I shut down was running on it's own.