audit all hardware and software installed : Belarc Advisor

automatically logon without the login screen : Autologon by SysInternals

automatically adjust cpu loads : Process Tamer

backup/restore the windows registry : ERUNT

boot machine from a CD : Ultimate Boot CD 4 Win

boot windows faster : StartRight

build custom install windows CD : nLite

burn/create CD/DVD iso image files : ISO Recorder

capture all text written to screen : Textractor

change system settings : Microsoft Tweak UI

clean up temp folders : Empty Temp Folders

clean up temp folders : CCleaner

clean up the registry : EasyCleane

clean up the registry : RegSeeker

completely wipe/delete a file : Simple File Shredder

completely wipe/delete a hard disk : Eraser

customize windows install CD : nLite

defrag the hard drive : PageDefrag by SysInternals

defrag the hard drive : DirMS-S

defrag the hard drive continously : Buzzsaw-S

display CPU information : CPU-Z

display CPU information : WCPUID/XCPUID

display Microsoft ProductID and the CD-Key of MS-Office, Windows, Exchange Server, and SQL Server : ProduKey

display NTFS compression ratio of folders : NTFSRatio

display TCP/UDP endpoints and applications using them : TCPView by SysInternals

display all file activity in real-time : FileMon from SysInternals

display all processes running : PrcView

display all startup programs that run on my computer : Autoruns by SysInternals

display all windows updates (hotfixes and service packs) installed : WinUpdatesList

display and automatically optimize memory usage : FreeRAM XP Pro

display hard drive status information : HDDlife (small print freeware)

display motherboard system information : Motherboard Monitor

display system benchmark report : Fresh Diagnose

display system information : Everest Free Edition

display system information : Samurize

display system information : StatBar

display system information : SysMetrix

display system information : TinyResMeter

display system information : WinBar

display system information : SIW - System Information for Windows

display which pgrogrms are accessing the registry : Regmon by SysInternals

display/edit registry entries neatly : Registry Jumper

find which program has a particular file or directory open : Process Explorer by SysInternals

find which program has a particular file or directory open : WhoLockMe Explorer Extension

monitor bandwidth usage : BitMeter 2

monitor bandwidth usage : NetMeter

monitor voltages, fan speeds and temperatures : SpeedFan

optimize the windows registry : NTREGOPT

optimize TCP/IP settings : SG TCP Optimizer

recover passwords of network connections : Network Password Recovery

recover that password : Cain & Abel Password Recovery

remove unused files from the system : CCleaner

remotely control another computer : TightVNC

reveal the password behind the ***** in some applications : Asterisk Logger

run benchmark tests : 3DMark06

run only approved programs : Trust-No-Exe

scan IP/ open ports : Angry IP Scanner

stress test the system : HeavyLoad

tweak security settings : Safe XP

unlock the file/folder being used by another process : Unlocker

view/kill running tasks : Taskill

Check out Open Source Software : Open Source Freeware : 400+ free applications and utilities.

Suggestions/corrections : eConsultant : Blog Archive : I want a Freeware Utility