Daphne – Kills Misbehaving Apps And Processes Dead!

Closing an application running in Windows is usually a pretty simple process, and there are more than a few ways to do just that. Occasionally though, no matter what you do, an application will refuse to close – it just hangs.

Normally, this is not much of an issue since all you need do is open Task Manager, locate the offending application or process, and kill it.

But, if I had a dollar for every time Task Manager was unable to kill an application or process in the last year, my Winter vacation costs would be well in hand. There are times when Task Manager is just not up to the job. In such a case, many users will fall back on a hard reboot as a last resort – annoying, inefficient, and possibly leading to lost data.

There are a number of applications that address this irritating condition, and one I particularly like is – Daphne. Daphne is a very small free (open source), taskbar utility that improves on Windows process management, and can kill and terminate stubborn processes saving you from having to reboot your system, when Windows Task Manager fails to do so.

Daphne can be customized to suit your specific needs, and comes with a host of additional features some of which are not directly related to process killing. (See “Fast facts”).

Click on graphic to expand.

The following graphic will give you a good indication of Daphne’s capabilities.

Fast facts:

Installed software list for inspecting installed software available in tray icon menu.

Check process hierarchy tree using the “Show process tree” at tray icon menu.

Parent process name an PID at process’ properties.

Now you can make configuration portable using INI file instead of registry base configuration.

Support for DRK’s process data base information search and contribution.

Hide application tool: drop the target over the application’s window you want to hide. Later, you can restore the application from Daphne menu.

Take care: process names may be eclipsed by malicious software.

Find process window tool: identify the process which owns the targeted window.

Traps: you can set up traps to be applied to any process being created.

Detailed process list, including full path and arguments.

Per process detail including: Windows tree, thread list, modules, environment variables.

Using the windows tree you can: Show, hide, set always on top on or off, set focus, et cetera to any give window.

Kill all by name: Kill all process using a given name.

Kill menu: Customizable menu, each menu item has a process list to kill upon activation.

Process list highlighting with colors for custom, system and high CPU-consumption processes.

Control inspector window for revealing hidden passwords.

Drag and drop tool for killing, setting alpha, enabling controls and putting windows always on top.

“Hide Java VM from command line” option in advanced tab makes Daphne strip the path to the default Java VM in full path mode.

Languages: Spanish, Italian, German, French, Chinese, Valencian, Polish, Russian, Portuguese, Japanese, Arabic and Greek.

System requirements: Windows XP, 2003, Vista, Windows 7 x32

Download at the developer’s site: DRK.com

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Fix Disk Errors And More With Free Disk Heal

So you’ve finally managed to get rid of that nasty piece of malware that’s been causing you all sorts of grief – your anti-malware application has come to the rescue.

But now you’re left with another problem; a problem which can be equally as aggravating.

We’ve all heard the horror stories where the user was left to deal with the following problems after successfully removing an infection.

Drive inaccessibility

Task Manager inaccessibility

Folder Options inaccessibility

Registry Editor inaccessibility

Scary stuff to be sure, but you don’t have to be a Techno Geek to deal with these types of problems. Even though, for the casual or new user, a manual solution may be outside their technical abilities, there is a great newbie tool which offers a free solution.

Disk Heal is a free Windows NT, 2000, XP and Vista utility that may be able to restore the condition of your Hard Drive, or a USB Flash Drive, after it has been being infected by a virus.

Disk Heal is a great free tool that has a host of additional capabilities, including recovering hidden files and performing system tweaks, The simple interface makes it easy to access these additional functions, with with just one click.

Quick facts:

Fixes disk problems

Fixes task manager inaccessibility

Fixes folder options inaccessibility

Fixes registry editor inaccessibility

Recovers hidden files and folders

Changes the default icon of any drive, external, internal, or a partition

Security and system tweaks

As you’re building your toolbox of system utilities, this is a good application to add. None of us are immune to a virus infection, and at some point you’ll be glad you had this little tool ready to go.

System requirements: Windows NT, 2000, XP and Vista

Download at: Download.com

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Get Your Priorities Right with Free Prio Software

Microsoft likes to describe Windows Task Manager as a tool which allows a user to start programs, to start or to end processes, and to view a dynamic display of a computer’s performance. Additional selective information on running applications, performance, local area connections, and on users, is also available.

While it’s true that Task Manager can handle these tasks, in my view, it still remains a barely adequate tool. It does provide the user with some usable information, but it falls far short of providing you with the information that you really need.

Recognizing the limitations imposed by Task Manager, independent developers have developed a host of add-ons to improve its functionality. A number that we have reviewed and recommended on this site include, ProcessQuickLink 2, a small application, from Uniblue Systems, Security Process Explorer from Glarysoft, the developer of the powerful, free system tool Glary Utilities, and System Explorer from the Mister Group.

One that escaped my attention to this point however, is Prio, a free add-on developed by O&K. Kudos to fellow geek TechPaul over at Tech for Everyone, for recommending this useful application.

Fast facts:

Save the priority of each process.

Obtain detailed information about the process in the list of running processes.

View services hosted by processes.

Quick access to system services control.

Detect the full path to an executable file.

Analyze the current TCP/IP connections.

Identifies processes without a valid digital signature.

Operating System requirements:

NT/2000/XP/2003 Server/Vista

Hardware requirements:

Processor: 500 MHz

Memory: 128 MB

Download at: Softonic

Replace Task Manger with Free System Explorer

Windows Task Manager falls far short of providing me with the information that I really need to monitor activity such as running tasks, processes, modules, system performance, open files, and particularly open Internet connections on my computer systems.

While there are a number of free tools available, that taken together, can provide information on any of the above, my preference has always been for an all-in one application that provides me with all the information.

Recently, I came across just such a free application; one that gives me all that I need, and more; all in a small package. System Explorer, not only monitors activity as described above but in addition, with a right menu click, provides online information including virus checking for any process, driver or service, from VirusTotal or Jotti.

(Click image for larger image)

Since I am by nature a security freak when it comes to system security on the Internet, System Explorer’s ability to provide me with details on file and process via online databases, and automatic security checking of processes, modules and selected files, is a real bonus.

If you are the type of computer user whose comfort level demands full knowledge of your system’s operations then this neat little program shouldn’t disappoint.

For those users’ who like to carry diagnostic programs on a USB flash drives a portable version is also available.

(Clck image for larger image)

Fast facts:

Detailed information on Tasks, Processes, Modules, Startups, IE Add-ons, Uninstallers, Services, Drivers, Connections and Opened Files

Easy check of suspicious files via VirusTotal or Jotti

Easy search details on file/process via online databases

Security Extension for automatic check on processes, modules and selected files

Action History for monitoring processes activities

Performance graphs for monitoring usage of system resources

System Snapshots to monitor system changes

System Report builds rich text report on system

Multilanguage

Plugins Support

System Requirements: Windows XP, Vista

System Explorer is free for both personal and commercial use.

Download at: FileForum

Free Disk Heal – Fix Your Drives/Files/Folders

While it’s true that most anti-virus applications will remove an executable virus file from your system, depending on the infection, it is not uncommon that it will be unable to reverse the damage already done.

In many cases the user will be left to deal with the following problems.

Drive inaccessibility

Task Manager inaccessibility

Folder Options inaccessibility

Registry Editor inaccessibility

It’s not necessary to be a Techno Geek to deal with these types of problems; there are a number of manual methods to resolve these issues. But for the casual or new computer user, the solution may be outside their technical abilities. Fortunately, there is a free solution that is new user friendly.

Disk Heal is a free Windows NT, 2000, XP and Vista utility that may be able to restore the condition of your Hard Drive, or a USB Flash Drive, after it has been being infected by a virus.

This free application is a very useful tool that has a host of additional capabilities, including recovering hidden files and performing system tweaks; all can be accessed with just one click.

As you’re building your toolbox of system utilities, this is a good application to add. None of us are immune to a virus infection, and at some point you’ll be glad you had this little tool ready to go.

Quick facts:

• Fixes disk problems
• Fixes task manager inaccessibility
• Fixes folder options inaccessibility
• Fixes registry editor inaccessibility
• Recovers hidden files and folders
• Changes the default icon of any drive, external, internal, or a partition
• Security and system tweaks

Download at: Download.com

Can’t Open Your Drives/Files/Folders? – Fix it With Free Disk Heal – Great Newbie Tool

While it’s true that most anti-virus applications will remove an executable virus file from your system, depending on the infection, it is not uncommon that it will be unable to reverse the damage already done.

In many cases the user will be left to deal with the following problems.

 

• Drive inaccessibility
• Task Manager inaccessibility
• Folder Options inaccessibility
• Registry Editor inaccessibility

 

It’s not necessary to be a Techno Geek to deal with these types of problems; there are a number of manual methods to resolve these issues. But for the casual or new user, the solution may be outside their technical abilities. Thankfully, there is a free solution.

Disk Heal is a free Windows NT, 2000, XP and Vista utility that may be able to restore the condition of your Hard Drive, or a USB Flash Drive, after it has been being infected by a virus. Disk Heal is a very useful tool that has a host of additional capabilities, including recovering hidden files and performing system tweaks; all can be accessed with just one click.

Quick facts:

· Fixes disk problems

· Fixes task manager inaccessibility

· Fixes folder options inaccessibility

· Fixes registry editor inaccessibility

· Recovers hidden files and folders

· Changes the default icon of any drive, external, internal, or a partition

· Security and system tweaks

As you’re building your toolbox of system utilities, this is a good application to add. None of us are immune to a virus infection and at some point you’ll be glad you had this little tool ready to go.

Download at: Download.com