A Collection of Nirsoft Utilities

A comprehensive list of truly useful tools from Nir Sofer.

Line to install everything:

$nirs = "zipinstaller keyboardstateview injecteddll controlmymonitor wirelesskeyview bluetoothview bluetoothlogview wifiinfoview regfromapp regscanner shellexview alternatestreamview altstreamdump ntfslinksview windowsupdateshistoryviewer installedappview installedpackagesview uninstallview productkeyscanner openedfilesview networkopenedfiles processactivityview advancedrun batteryinfoview bluetoothcl winprefetchview networkinterfacesview"
scoop install --skip $nirs

Line to uninstall everything:

scoop uninstall --purge $nirs

Absolute Gems

ZipInstaller is like a fast, little installer for programs from Zip archives. It works without installation and is just one executable. You choose where to install the program, then it creates a shortcut in the desired location in the Start menu or on the desktop, creates an uninstall and an uninstall shortcut.

Must-have Utilities

RegFromApp generates a RegEdit .reg file from registry changes made by an application.

RegistryChangesView allows you to compare snapshots of the Windows registry.

UninstallView collects information about all installed programs, including the exact Uninstall String, and, of course, the ability to uninstall an app. InstalledAppView displays the apps installed from Microsoft Store, on your local system, a remote system, or on an external disk.

OpenedFilesView displays the opened/locked files on your system. If a file is being used by another program, this tool will show you which process has locked the file, and you can unlock the file. NetworkOpenedFiles is similar, but displays files opened by other computers on your network.

ProcessActivityView lists the files used by the selected process.

Delving into Windows

NetworkInterfacesView displays network adapter information, like ifconfig, but better, and allows you to toggle adapters.

WinPrefetchView displays and removes Windows Prefetch (.pf) files.

ShellExView is a Shell Extension Manager and can be used to Fix Slow Right Click and Crashes.

RegScanner is a superior tool for searching the registry.

InjectedDLL displays the DLLs that are automatically injected into every process on your system.

WinUpdatesView shows the history of Windows updates on your system, and it can even display them on a remote computer or from an external drive. Check out this article and this one for more information.

Product Key Scanner retrieves license serial keys for Microsoft products, though I’m not sure how often I’ll need this.

Hardware-related

ControlMyMonitor allows you to modify the settings of your monitor through VCP Features. It even works on my computer, you won’t believe it! This means you can adjust the brightness and contrast directly from your computer, programmatically.

KeyboardStateView displays the key code of every key you press.

BatteryInfoView lets you view battery information, so you can get a real sense of its state.

Process-related

AdvancedRun allows you to run a Windows program with different settings.

File System-related

AlternateStreamView lets you view, copy, and delete NTFS alternate data streams. NTFS streams allow you to store extra information, such as different versions or additional data, with a file. It’s like having multiple files within one file. AltStreamDump dumps the list of NTFS alternate streams found in the current directory.

NTFSLinksView lists symbolic links and junction points. To scan an entire drive, simply type ‘C:' in the folder box and choose “Infinite subfolder depth.”

FolderChangesView allows you to monitor changes in a particular folder.

FileActivityWatch detects activity on the most-used files on your system.

WiFi and Bluetooth Tools

WirelessKeyView to reveal all of your saved WiFi passwords.

WifiInfoView takes your WiFi scanning to the next level, providing in-depth information such as channel data.

BluetoothCL v1.00 is a handy command-line tool, while BluetoothView provides a visual look into the Bluetooth activity in your area. And, keep track of nearby Bluetooth devices with BluetoothLogView where you can also customize the description for each device for better organization.

Adjustments to Connect Remotely

To connect as an administrator to a remote Windows computer, often some adjustments are necessary. Check out these instructions.