HOW TO

Regular removal of temporary files is an important part of keeping your computer well maintained. Unfortunately, many empty files and folders are often left behind when uninstalling applications, and these aren't always picked up by system tuning utilities such as CCleaner. FMS Empty File Remover scans your computer for "zero size" files and folders, then allows you to remove them with a single click. more

There are times when it is preferable to disable the screensaver from kicking in, but you might not want to disable it completely. To do this on a per-application basis, a tool called AntiScreensaver comes highly recommended. Easy to use, you can instruct it to override the screensaver if you are (for example) using PowerPoint or watching a DVD - just two common situations you wouldn't want a screensaver to start. more

Most of us have files and folders on our computers that we would like to restrict access to. It is part of the nature of owning a "personal" computer, and nowadays, almost every aspect of our personal and professional lives is managed and catalogued by data stored on a PC somewhere. Protecting this data from prying eyes and accidential deletion, therefore, should be a chief concern for us all. Wise Folder Hider gives you complete control over the visibility and accessibility of files and folders stored on your computer. more

It seems with every iteration of Windows, the folder options in Explorer become less intuitive and harder to get to grips with. Let's hope that this changes in Windows 8, with its new focus on usability. In the meantime, Hifito is a tiny, lightweight tool that offers direct hotkey access to two key Explorer options: Show Hidden Files and Show File Extensions. more

There are a number if useful situations in which you would want to capture a screenshot - maybe you saw something on the web that you want to share quickly, or are producing a software tutorial. CapShare is a free desktop utility that allows you to quickly capture any region of your screen and save it as an image file. It also allows you to instantly post it to your Facebook timeline, so you can easily share items of interest with your contacts. more

A two, three or even four-monitor setup is great for viewing more applications simultaneously, but that increased desktop size means getting from left to right takes much longer. This can outweigh the benefits of a multi-display setup by slowing you down and increasing the risk of repetitive strain injury. Multi Monitor Mouse is a tool specifically designed for users of multiple displays, allowing them to "warp" the mouse pointer to pre-determined locations on each monitor via hotkeys. more

AVG LiveKive is one of a number of cloud backup/restore/sync solutions aimed at professional users and small to medium sized businesses. Easy to setup, it allows you to specify folders and files on your computer to watch and periodically backs them up to a remote server. All data can be accessed via any device with internet capability, from any location - providing internet access is available. Better still, it offers a free 5gb storage account, which is more than enough for most individuals. more

There is only one thing more boring than watching paint dry - and that is watching web-pages that don't automatically update data listings, forcing you to hit F5 to reload the page every few seconds. This includes eBay, share price sites and online banking. Many sites will even force you to log back in again after a period of inactivity, and refreshing the page is the only way around this. ReloadEvery automates this process, saving both your sanity and your F5 key from eventual destruction. more

If you accidentally delete a file in Windows, it's not the end of the world. Firstly, you can often restore the file by checking your Recycle Bin. If that doesn't help, the data is usually still present on your hard drive and can be salvaged using a file recovery tool such as PC Inspector File Recovery. You have to act quickly, however - and it is much better to have the application installed before the data is lost, to avoid it being overwritten during installation. more