# Your MUST HAVE software tools for an IT Professional



## Teletubby

Ok, I was wondering, what are some of your *must have* tools/utilities/software for working with/managing/troubleshooting and repairing computers in a small business/midsize business environment. I will stick with software that works with Windows, since that is what I am accustomed to. (I'm new to IT, so cut me some slack lol)

I will start with some basic categories, and my own humble list. 

Please, feel free to suggest further categories, as well as changes/amalgamations to current ones.

*Note:* Please indicate free software by a # before the software name, and paid software by a $. Example: $ Norton Ghost vs. # XXclone


The List

*Security:*

*Antispyware/Antimalware:*

# Adaware
# Spybot Search & Destroy
# Window Defender?
# Norton 

*Antivirus:*

# AVG Free Edition
# Avast Free Edition
# Avira Antivir

*Security Auditing:*

???

*Theft Recovery*

$ LoJack

*Firewall:*

# Comodo Firewall Free Edition
# ZoneAlarm Free
# Windows Firewall

*Hard Drive Related Tools:*

*Disc Cloning/Imaging Solutions:*

$ Norton Ghost
# XXclone
# Clonezilla

*Formatting/Partition/Management:*

# GParted

*Data Destruction*

#

*Backup/etc.:*

# Comodo Backup
# FBackup
# GFI Backup Home Edition
# Titan Backup
# SyncBack

*Data Recovery:*

# Recuva
# Undelete
# Unerase

Live CD's: What category does this go in???

# Knoppix
# Ubuntu

*Network Related Tools:*


*Remote Administration:*

# SpiceWorks
# LanSweeper

*Network Diagnostics:*

# Wireshark
# Ethereal
# Axence NetTools
# NetStumbler


*Performance and Maintenance:*

???


*Misc.:*

*Misc Utilities:*

# SysInternals Suite
# WinPatrol
# PendMoves

*Asset Management:*

$ Norton Altiris


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## Teletubby

Modified.....




The List

*Security:*

*Anti-Spyware/Anti-Malware:*


#$ AdAware
# Spybot Search & Destroy
#$ Windows Defender
#$ Norton 


*Antivirus:*


#$ AVG Antivirus
#$ Avast Antivirus
# Avira Antivir Antivirus

*Security Auditing:*

???

*Theft Recovery*


$ LoJack

*Firewall:*


#$ Comodo Firewall
#$ ZoneAlarm

*Hard Drive Related Tools:*

*Disc Cloning/Imaging Solutions:*


$ Norton Ghost
# XXclone
# Clonezilla

*Formatting/Partition/Management:*


# GParted

*Data Destruction*

#

*Backup/etc.:*


# Comodo Backup
# FBackup
#$ GFI Backup
#$ Titan Backup
# SyncBack

*Data Recovery:*


# Recuva
# Undelete
# Unerase

Live CD's: What category does this go in???


# Knoppix
# Ubuntu

*Network Related Tools:*


*Remote Administration:*


# SpiceWorks
# LanSweeper

*Network Diagnostics:*


# Wireshark
# Ethereal
# Axence NetTools
# NetStumbler

*Performance and Maintenance:*

???


*Misc.:*

*Misc Utilities:*


# SysInternals Suite
# WinPatrol
# PendMoves

*Asset Management:*


$ Norton Altiris


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## Ddraig

Looks like a nice list, I'd suggest backtrack for security auditing. Or even SysInternals...

[email protected] is a good one for doing a sweep of the network to let you know if someone has hopped on the network. Not sure if the others you've listed are the same or not.

I'd suggest Carboinite for an offsite backup solution, although not too happy with them right now.


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## GrTech2009

Can anyone suggest a good program for readding CPU temps and fan speeds and POST signals.


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## Phædrus241

Hardware Info and Monitoring:
SpeedFan
CPU-Z
GPU-Z
CoreTemp
RealTemp

Harddrive Tools/LiveCDs
GParted Live


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## drummingpariah

This is interesting. I was brought to TSF by this thread, and was searching because I'm assembling a bootable USB drive that has the different-os "tools" in a grub menu. Hopefully, that will negate the need to carry 50 cd's to customers' houses and instead allow me to just bring a small usb flash drive (plus a backup) instead. I would definitely add

#IBM Drive Fitness
#UBCD
#Bart's PE

to this list. I'll probably add more later, and if you're interested I could post the process to create the multi-boot USB drive. It's a little complex, and I just broke my script last week trying to get all the operating systems to play nicely.


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## Teletubby

Sounds great pariah! I am likewise working on the list on my computer (have not posted anything here yet), but yeah, I will once I get it finalized...


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## drummingpariah

Oh, add

#$ Windows Disks (for repairs... make sure you have a copy of EACH Windows distribution)
# Driver disk (common network+motherboard drivers that aren't included in a base Windows install)


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## Teletubby

# Memtest86
# Memtest86+

For testing/diagnosing memory.


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## drummingpariah

Teletubby said:


> # Memtest86
> # Memtest86+
> 
> For testing/diagnosing memory.


you already have those built-in with nearly any Linux live image (even DSL). You may want to check out UBCD or Bart's PE, they include pretty much every piece of software you could need for Windows troubleshooting. I still think it's a good idea to have a few specialized tools, but for all-around diagnostics they're just what the doctor ordered.


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