One problem with both options is that the tools are not updated automatically which means that it is up to the user to find out if updates exist and if they do download and replace the old file versions with the new.

While it is possible to directly access the tools at http://live.sysinternals.com/ it is usually better to have them available locally as they are then available even if no Internet connection is available.

SysInternals Updater has been designed to make the updating of SysInternals applications comfortable. The portable application can be used to scan a folder for existing programs, compare their versions with the latest versions and download selected program files to the local system.

It is semi-automated which means that it is up to the user to select the right folder where the applications are installed. Users should note that the tool assumes that all programs are stored in the same directory which is the case if the SysInternals Suite has been downloaded and unpacked.

SysInternals Updater checks the program versions of the selected folder automatically and auto-selects those files that are either not update or non existing in the folder. It is possible to select or deselect files which is the only way to update only those files that are already on the host system.

SysInternals Updater is a handy tool, especially for users who have downloaded the full suite of applications from SysInternals. The software is compatible with 32-bit and 64-bit editions of Windows. A download is provided at the developer website.

Some of the applications that are included in the Sysinternals suite should be installed on every computer such as Rootkit Revealer, Autoruns, Process Explorer and Regmon. This collection might confuse inexperienced users due to the sheer amount of exectuable files that are listed in the main directory. It is difficulty to find out what some of the executables are doing, do you know for instance what psfile.exe will do ?

It would have been nice if at least a readme file would have been included to make it easier to understand the executables. A gui would have been even better. I would advise everyone to visit the Sysinternals website to lookup the programs before you execute them.

Update: The latest version of Sysinternals Suite has a size of 13.3 Megabytes. The collection still contains all programs that have been developed and released by Sysinternals in the past. All you need to do is to download the zip file and unpack it on your system to start using the applications right away.

Some applications ship with Windows Help files that explain the program’s core functionality. Other programs are still listed without information.

This collection is ideal for a troubleshooting CD or stick that you carry around whenever to have it ready whenever you need it.

An alternative to that is Sysinternals Live, which lets you run all Sysinternals applications directly from the web.