Windows: If you’re setting up a new system or helping a friend to see how much great free and open source software exists, ZeuAPP is a portable installation tool for nearly a hundred applications. More »
Windows: Windows 7 install discs are edition-specific — if you’ve got a valid licence key, you still need the right disc for installation. The ei.cfg Removal Utility, however, lets you create a new, universal installation ISO for Windows 7. More »
Windows/Linux: One of the most irritating things about reinstalling your operating system is installing all the non-OS applications you love. Allmyapps lets you select all your favourite apps and roll them into a bulk installer to make rebuilding easy. More »
Windows only: Hunting down application after application to fill a new computer with your favourite software can be a pain. Free application Smart Installer Pack makes it easy. More »
Windows only: Update Notifier isn’t a new kind of software, but it is a rather straightforward and simple one that seems to Just Work—especially in its support for portable applications. More »
Next time you wipe your PC’s hard drive clean and reinstall Windows with that old installation disc, you don’t want to connect your fresh, unpatched and vulnerable system to the internet only to download 176 new updates from Microsoft. If your XP installation CD is older than 2004, once your system is online, you’ll have to wait for hefty service packs to download, chained to your mouse while pushing the Next button, watching progress bars, and rebooting multiple times. Wouldn’t it be better to start your installation, head out to run errands or grab coffee, and come back to an up-to-date system before your system gets online? It’s possible, using some free software and a blank disc. After the jump, I’ll show you how to create an automated, customised XP installation CD or DVD, that includes Microsoft’s official-but-not-released Service Pack 3 for Windows XP.
