Skype is a instant message and voice-over-ip (voip) communications program that allows you to communicate with friends via text messaging or by calling them over the Internet. This is Skype version 7.40.0.104, or Skype Classic, which uses the older, and what is considered the more desirable, user interface for the program.
Process Monitor, or ProcMon, is an advanced monitoring tool that allows you to see in real-time the file system, registry, and process activity occuring in Windows. Process Monitor is the successor to two different programs, FileMon, and Regmon, but also includes much more including filtering, network activity, and file logging.
Autoruns is a free Sysinternals tool from Microsoft that enumerates all the programs that automatically start on a Windows machine. You can then examine this list of programs to see if they should be running or should be disabled. Disabling unnecessary startups allows your computer to run more efficiently by reducing CPU usage and memory consumption.
Process Explorer is a system resources monitoring tool for Windows operating systems. It follows the general lead of the built-in Windows Task Manager tool, but extends the feature set greatly.
The OneCare Removal Tool is a program created by the Microsoft OneCare product team that can be used to remove OneCare from your computer in the event that it is not uninstalling properly.
The Microsoft Security Essentials Removal Tool can be used to remove all traces of Microsoft Security Essentials from your computer in the event that you are unable to remove it normally via the Windows control panel. Included on this page are different downloads for version 1 and version 2. Look at the about screen to see the version of Microsoft Security Essentials to determine the download you should use.
RootkitRevealer is a rootkit scanner from Microsoft Sysinternals. This program will search for user-mode or kernel-mode rootkits and list any API discrepancies that are found.
TCPView is a handy little program that allows you to see the network activity on your computer. When run, you will be able to see what remote devices or computers that your individual programs are communicating with as well as what programs are waiting for connections.
