I prefer fresh installs instead of upgrading to another OS. In the worst case scenario I would probably create a dual boot, but if you want to upgrade from XP or Vista to Windows 7 this small application makes it easier.

This tool allows you to customize all your favorite apps into one, let’s say, standalone installer. You then download the package that you created, and run the install. Ninite will install all the apps you picked without fuss. Walk away. Do whatever you need to do. Read a newspaper, drink your coffee, and when you come back, all your apps are ready to go. There’s no need for you to search for the latest version of an application, download it, and then install it manually. In short terms, you pick from the predefined applications or you can create you custom ones, that you use more often, create an online package installer and after the upgrade you will only have to run the installer and your applications will be installed automatically by this tool.

This is how the installing process is done.

Ninite currently supports all the popular browsers like Firefox, Chrome, Opera, etc., and includes utility apps such as VLC, Skype, Thunderbird, Adobe PDF Reader, Flash, bit-torrent tools, RealVNC, WinRAR, PuTTY, and other common apps, or your suggested ones.

Go to Ninite website – click -, pick your applications or suggest one, download the installer, copy to an USB stick so that you’ll have it ready to go before moving to a fresh Windows 7 install. The best thing about this tool is that it’s free and grabs you the latest version of the applications at the moment of the creation of the package.