As expected, many Windows 8 applications or programs will hit start hitting the internet as often as possible. This is to be expected as a lot of publishers need to play catch up or update their current applications to be compatible with the new OS. Whether or not Start8 will represent a good start-menu is a different issue altogether.

Start8 brings the “Start” menu back to Windows 8. The Windows 8 Consumer Preview is available and has taken the Windows interface to a whole new level. Unfortunately, the preview did not come with a desktop feature that the world makes use of billions times a day, the “Start” menu.

So the Windows 8 “Start” menu has been an issue with a couple of people; but should it be? Most people don’t even use the start menu that much; and that probably explains why you won’t find among features of Windows 8 in the first place. Well, this program is out to bring that start-menu feeling back. The publisher has however, introduced a few updates and changes that include the following; addition of a completely new UI, new default theme, Metro/Modern apps have their own “Modern UI Applications” folder, and a few others.

Downsides

I very much doubt if Start8 is the program to replace Windows 8 start-menu that was not even added in the first place. However, it is still a nice program for those who would want to give it a shot.

Want to check it out? Visit Stardock.

A lot of things happen behind the scene on our systems; and the truth is we all end up guessing what could possibly have happened. Not all sudden reboots can or should be attributed to hardware failure like most people are quick to assume. A computer that suddenly reboots and starts displaying any notice or blue screen of death should be assessed properly before conclusion is drawn. WhoCrashed is a program that shows the drivers that have been crashing computer with a single click.

Actually, most crashes are caused by malfunctioning device drivers and kernel modules. In case of a kernel error, most computers running Windows do not show a blue screen unless they are configured to do so; and that explains why these systems suddenly reboot without any notice.

WhoCrashed shows the drivers which have been crashing computer with a single click. Debugging skills and a set of debugging tools are required to do post-mortem crash dump analysis. WhoCrashed checks for available crash dump files and checks for responsible modules. Sometimes, the program can pinpoint the offending drivers which have been causing misery on your computer system in the past. It does post-mortem crashdump analysis and presents all gathered information in a comprehensible way.

Downside

A few users have complained about not getting results when they tried this program on their systems. The truth is WhoCrashed may not be able to address or identify all issues affecting your system. Sometimes, it is essential to check if some drivers on your system are corrupt, which in some cases could be the reason why your system keeps having issues.

Want to check it out? Visit Resplendence.

For those who truly care about how long it for their systems to boot; BootRacer should offer a helping hand. The program is free, and should not actually be overlooked as one of those applications that is regarded as a waste of time and space on a PC. However, it is no secret that all computers tend to slow down in terms of boot speed as software installation start piling up. BootRacer is more like an awareness program that draws your attention to the need to speed up your system.

Race your Windows boot using BootRacer and look at the result boot rating; and if your rating is not good or an excellent, you need speed up your Windows startup. BootRacer is an easy in everyday using and it suites for even novice users. BootRacer can detect the time to user logon and the full computer boot time. Also BootRacer writes results to the Windows event log and calculates the best boot time. BootRacer uses minimum of your computer resources.

This version low lets you enjoy improved compatibility with Windows 8, and it now measure boot time in milliseconds.

Downside

A few users have been critical of BootRacer; short of calling it a waste of time since Windows 8 was not designed to be rebooted frequently.

Want to check it out? Visit Greatis.