A portable toolbox for network admins, software developers, and IT road warriors               over 750 free power-tools in an organized structure you can customize, extend, and carry in your pocket !

Q: Who is PMToolindex for ? 

        A:  Network admins, system admins, developers, programmers, IT contractors, IT Road Warriors, and hard-core geeks with a fetish for free computer tools :-).  Anyone who would like to have700 + free legitimate ( no Warez, hacks, cracks, pirated, key-gen'd,  trojan and virus-infested, etc, stuff here ! ) non-trivial computer tools in one simple place, indexed, customized, and transportable across the LAN, or to a USB stick.

Q:  What about compatibility with different versions of Windows ?

        A:  PMToolindex is compatible with every version of Windows starting at W-98 / ME, on up through Windows 7 x64, Windows Server 2008, etc, and everything in between, including all VM's and hyper-visors.  The MSC and CPL files you find in C:\Windows\System32  or C:\Windows\SysWOW64 may vary from one version of Windows to the next.

Q:  Do I have to install PMToolindex on the machine I'm running it on ?  Does it need to make registry entries, install DLL's, OCX's, etc ?

        A:  No.  I have intentionally written it to use only the common DLL's that are already installed on any Windows machine.  You can run it off any USB stick on a machine you have not touched before, without installing anything on that machine.  When you use the Unzip feature ( initial master install only, usually ), there is one DLL ( mhunzip.dll ) that I copy to the Windows\System32 folder automatically.  It is not 'registered', only copied.  If you create your 'Master folder' on a machine as I recommend and automate for you, and then copy it to a USB stick as recommended, that USB stick copy will not require copying that DLL.  IOW, it writes NOTHING to the system, or the registry, in normal usage after set-up.

Q:  Can I run PMToolindex itself 'Cross-LAN' from a server on my network ?

        A: Yes, as long as your local machine log-on has network permissions to that server and folder.  For example, you could have a server-side folder PMToolindex ( and associated sub-folders and programs etc ) that is accessible only via admin password from the local ( non-server ) machine, so that only admins can access it, and run everything from there.

Q: Is PMToolindex 'network aware' ?  Can I run programs cross-LAN, including from my USB Flash drive ( or my local hard drive ) ?

        A: Yes.  What programs are going to be happy running cross-LAN for you is dependent on each individual program ( DOS command lines will not, for instance, but VBS scripts will, etc ), but PMToolindex will happily add them to the Master list, at your instruction.

Q:  Can I load and use ISO, BIN, CCD CD/DVD images both locally and cross-LAN or from USB stick ?

        A: Yes.  ( as long as they are in a shared folder you have access to on the remote machine / server, for cross-LAN files ).  If you have installed disk-image handling software, like VirtualCloneDrive ( or others ) that auto-associate *.ISO files, that auto-association will still be in effect when you select the *.ISO file across your LAN from a PMToolindex link or folder, so it will auto-mount the remote *.ISO on your local machine.  You can ( and should ) also carry somewhere under your PMToolindex folder ( as copied to your USB flash drive, etc ) your favorite CloneDrive handler installer(s), for when you're on a virgin  machine, etc.  You can link the installers via PMToolindex like any other program, and run the installer directly from your USB flash drive or the LAN, etc.

Q:  Does all this work the same in VM's, or if a referenced server is a VM ?

        A : Yes, of course.

Q:  How do I add Internet links to my master list ?

        A:  There are 2 ways - make a link shortcut ( a disk file of type URL ) and add that using 'Add File', or use 'Edit' mode and paste the URL into the Name box ( it must start with HTTP or WWW. ).  Assign a category and save as usual.  Either way, selecting the entry to run will open it in your system's default browser.

Q:  How much room does all this take, and what do I end up with ?

        A:  PMToolindex and associated files that I distro take about 6 MB.  If you choose to download and unzip all the free tools I list and recommend, the total will be about 250 MB ( including original zips, installers, etc ).  After the two-click five minute initial setup process ( watching things download, unzip and index themselves auto-magically ), you will have over 700 power-tools indexed, grouped, identified and labeled, and in a path structure that copies easily to your USB stick or LAN server, and runs from it on any Windows machine or LAN.

Q:  Do I need the .Net framework or the C.L.R.  to run PMToolindex ?  They take a really STUPID amount of time to download and install !

        A: No, you don't need that ( spit pituey rinse ) obscene 30 MB load of crap 'n fluff.  The VB6 runtime is included in the distro, and it is all you need.