The no-cost utility builds a checklist of "cacheable" programs that are currently running. Check off the ones you want to restore, click Save, and you're done. (The tool also gives you the option of restoring Windows Explorer windows, a nice touch.)

Works in: XP, Vista, 7 So you just , and now you need to install all your software. Talk about a hassle, what with digging out the CDs, downloading programs from various sites, and then babysitting your system while you install one app after another. There has to be an easier way.

There is. , an awesome free service, automatically downloads and installs a variety of popular no-fee apps. All you do is scroll through Ninite's list of 70-plus programs, checking off the ones you want. The service offers the most current versions of nearly every popular freebie, including Firefox, iTunes, Microsoft Security Essentials, OpenOffice, Picasa, Skype, and Steam.

Once you've made your picks, click Get Installer to download a small executable file. Run that file and sit back while Ninite goes to work. How long it takes depends on how many programs you've selected. We chose a baker's dozen (including the trial version of Office 2007 Standard, which we already own--now we just have to type in the security key), and Ninite was done in all of 10 minutes. That makes the service a must-have for anyone setting up shop on a new PC.