Do you often install a new computer or do you often perform a clean install of Windows? Installing all your favorite programs individually is time consuming. Each program has its own installation program, which must be run separately. You prevent this by creating your own installation packages: with this you install all your own software in one go. Easy and fast!
Office, VLC, Chrome, Spotify: each user has their own set of favorite programs. When reinstalling the computer or when you start using a new computer, you will of course install it. Normally this is a time consuming job: the latest versions of the software have to be downloaded and then all programs have to be installed separately. On the website www.ninite.com you can speed up this process considerably.
With this service you can specify a selection of favorite programs, after which Ninite compiles a package that you can then install in one go. The result: you’re done faster and you can be sure that you don’t miss anything. Ninite downloads the software via the official servers of the makers and not via third parties. It also automatically chooses the 32-bit or 64-bit version and refuses to install ‘unnecessary’ components (such as toolbars) during the installation.
To work
Before that, let’s make an inventory of installed programs on the current computer. This way we can be sure that we don’t miss any important programs. Open it Start menu and make a note of the programs you have installed and actually use. For a complete overview you can also add a list Windows to ask. In the Start menu, type Program and click Install or remove programs. An overview of available software appears. Immediately take the opportunity to uninstall unused programs.
Selecting
Then open the Ninite page. In the first step you will see an overview of programs that can be installed as a package. The software is divided into different categories. This is how you will find categories such as Web Browsers, Imaging and Messaging. Place check marks next to the components you want to install. Are you satisfied with the selection? click on Get Your Ninete (at the bottom of the page). The installation package – recognizable by the extension exe – is being compiled. Save the installation package and then run it by double clicking on it.
The installation is automatic: Ninite walks through the separate installation screens (in the background of Windows) and installs the programs in the language of Windows, such as Dutch. To see the Ninite window, double-click its icon in the Windows system tray. The window keeps you informed of the progress: you can see at the top which program is currently being installed. click on Hide details to show less information. In the second part of the program window you can see which programs are being installed. The column Status indicates whether the program has been installed or has yet to be installed.
Multiple choice
The makers of Ninite have made a selection of popular programs, but not all desired programs may be available. A good alternative to Ninite is Patch My PC Updater. Go to www.tiny.cc/homeupd to download the latest version. With this program you can choose from more than three hundred programs for an automatic installation. Another great thing about Patch My PC Updater is that the installed software can be automatically updated to the latest version.
The first time you open the program, it will automatically check which software is already installed. In the window on the right you can see to what extent the software is still up-to-date. Green colored programs are current, while a red color means that the program is outdated. If the list is not complete or if you have installed new versions, click on Re-Scan Installed Apps to perform the check again. In the left part of the window you will find an overview of available apps that you can install in one go with Patch My PC Updater. Similar to Ninite, different categories are used, such as Browsers and Multimedia. Programs in the list with a color (such as green or red) already exist on the system.
Select software
Go through the list and check the boxes next to the components you want to install. At the top of the window you can read how many programs have been selected, for example 10 Apps To Install. If you are satisfied with the selection, click on this line. Check the information and then click the button Update at the bottom right of the window. The programs are downloaded and installed. In the right pane you will be kept informed of the progress. You can export a list of programs afterwards. This is handy: this way you know next time which programs have to end up on the system again. click on Uninstaller (on the left side of the window) and choose Export. Name the file and click Save. The list is saved as a csv file, which you can save in Notepad and Excel can open.
Under the right mouse button
Have you installed programs that you don’t want to be automatically updated to a newer version? In the list of apps, right-click on the relevant program. Choose Disable auto updating for this app. In the same menu you will also find other options, for example the possibility to prohibit a fully automatic installation of the program. Instead, the installer opens and you click through the different windows yourself. This is useful for programs that ask the necessary questions during installation. Choose the option Disable silent installation for this app. If you want more information about a selected app, you can open the corresponding website. From the right-click menu, choose Open description webpage.
Save settings
If you have adjusted settings in the options window, you can save them for the future. That’s handy: if you reinstall Patch My PC Updater (for example on a new computer), you have your own set of settings at once. In the section Options click on Export Settings To PatchMyPC.ini.
schedule
Interesting is the ability of Patch My PC Updater to keep the installed programs up to date. This way you no longer have to do this yourself and you can be sure that you always have the latest version. You will find the options for this in the section scheduler (left side of the window). Bee Scheduled Task Run Frequency specify how often Patch My PC Updater should check the software. For example daily (Once Everyday) or once a month (Once A Month). In the boxes below (Hour to Run and AM or PM) enter the desired time. Answer all questions and then click Save Custom Schedule to save the schedule. Do you want the program to propose a useful scheme? click on Save Suggested Schedule.
clean up
Not only for adding, but also for removing programs you can use Patch My PC Updater. Click on the section Uninstaller. On the right you will find a list of installed programs. You can easily remove selected programs via the buttons on the right side of the window. When you right-click on a program, you’ll see even more options. Have you uninstalled the program from the system before – via the associated uninstaller – but Windows still lists it in the list of installed programs? Right click on the entry and choose Remove Program Entry.
By default, Patch My PC Updater only shows programs, but you can also show the updates from Windows Update. Press the button Show All or choose in the right-click menu for Show/Hide Windows Updates. Patch My PC Updater normally removes the programs automatically, so you don’t have to click yourself (via the option Auto Uninstall). Does this not work? Then choose a normal uninstallation where you click through the windows yourself (via the option Normal Uninstall).
32-bit only
Software is now often available in a 32-bit and 64-bit version. Patch My PC Updater automatically installs the variant that is most suitable for the computer used, but you can also choose to always install the 32-bit version. This is useful, for example, if a program has more extensive plug-ins for the 32-bit version. In the section Options choose you at Technical Options for the setting Install 32-bit Apps On New Installs. You can also force that the Dutch (or English) version is always chosen. Bee Application Languages choose in the menu for English or English.
Additional settings
click on Options for the additional settings of Patch My PC Updater. below Technical Options find the most useful options. For example, you can set the program to automatically check all available apps as soon as you open it. Choose Auto Start Updates On Open. Don’t want to take any risks before updating all programs? Then you can always have a restore point automatically created in advance. That is a snapshot of the state of the computer. In case of emergency, return to the restore point (choose the option Create Restore Point Pre-update). If you want to use the latest options (with beta status), activate Enable Patch My PC Betas. Also make sure that the program is not visible while updating. Choose the option Minimize When Updating Apps.
