Microsoft Powertoys Suit

Daniel Petri

Jan 8, 2009

What are the Windows XP Powertoys? Where can I get them?
The Microsoft Powertoys are small tools/gadgets from Microsoft that enhance Windows. Powertoys have been around since windows 95 and are a must for power users.

Get them HERE.
Note: You *can* install all of them, but since most of them are either crap or plain resource hogging, you will only need the 2 that are a MUST:

Open Command Window Here: Adds an “Open Command Window Here” context menu option on file system folders, giving you a quick way to open a command window (cmd.exe) pointing at the selected folder. You can also get it from HERE if the link at Microsoft breaks (which has happened before).
Tweak UI: Gives you access to system settings that are not exposed in the Windows XP default user interface, including mouse settings, Explorer settings, taskbar settings, and more. You can also get it from HERE, or get the Win9X version HERE).

If you really need to, read on.

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Current Powertoys include

Open Command Window Here – This PowerToy adds an “Open Command Window Here” context menu option on file system folders, giving you a quick way to open a command window (cmd.exe) pointing at the selected folder.
Alt-Tab Replacement – With this PowerToy, in addition to seeing the icon of the application window you are switching to, you will also see a preview of the page. This helps particularly when multiple sessions of an application are open. Note: If you install the Powertoys make absolutely sure you DO NOT install the ALT-TAB Replacement tool. It’ll hog down your system.
Tweak UI – This PowerToy gives you access to system settings that are not exposed in the Windows XP default user interface, including mouse settings, Explorer settings, taskbar settings, and more.
Power Calculator – With this PowerToy you can graph and evaluate functions as well as perform many different types of conversions.
Image Resizer – This PowerToy enables you to resize one or many image files with a right-click.
CD Slide Show Generator – With this PowerToy you can view images burned to a CD as a slide show. The Generator works down-level on Windows 9x machines as well.
Virtual Desktop Manager – Manage up to four desktops from the Windows taskbar with this PowerToy.
Taskbar Magnifier – Use this PowerToy to magnify part of the screen from the taskbar.
HTML Slide Show Wizard – This wizard helps you create an HTML slide show of your digital pictures, ready to place on your Web site.
Webcam Timershot – This PowerToy lets you take pictures at specified time intervals from a Webcam connected to your computer and save them to a location that you designate.