Get AOMEI Partition Assistant Pro for free
Normally $36, this handy utility includes a "Windows to go" feature for creating a bootable Windows flash drive.
If you're working with a big hard drive, migrating to an SSD, or trying to reclaim storage that was originally allocated to, say, system-restore data, you need a good partition manager.
There are freebie options out there, sure, but why not go pro if you can? From now until Monday, December 16, you can get AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional Edition 5.5 (Win) for free. Regular price: $36. That's a Cheapskate exclusive, cheeps.
True to its name, Partition Assistant Pro (PAP for short?) enables you to do just about anything with hard drive partitions: copy, create, delete, extend, format, merge, move, resize, split, etc.
However, it also offers some handy rescue features, including partition recovery and a boot-CD creator, both of which are operated via simple wizards. Better still, a new Windows to Go Creator lets you slipstream your Windows 8 or 8.1 installation onto a bootable flash drive. Pop that drive into another PC or laptop and presto, there's your Windows environment. (It's not unlike a "live" Linux boot.)
PAP is compatible with all versions of Windows, including 8 and 8.1. To get it, simply enter your e-mail address and click Get Free Key. Note that by doing so, you'll be signing up for AOMEI's newsletter, though obviously you don't have to remain a subscriber if you don't want. For what it's worth, my activation key arrived via e-mail about 30 seconds after I submitted my address.
After downloading and installing PAP, make sure to use that activation key, otherwise you won't get the full, unlocked version.
By the way, AOMEI Partition Assistant Pro has an average rating of 4.5 stars from 10 CNET users -- an exceptionally good score for any such utility. If you have even the slightest need for a partition manager, grab this one while it's free.
Bonus deal: In case you missed it last time around, here's another chance to score an incredible Roku deal. While supplies last, Woot has the refurbished Roku 3 streaming media player for $64.99, plus $5 for shipping. This is the top-end Roku box and a steal at this price. Best feature by far: the headphone jack in the remote.
Bonus deal No. 2: Talk about a win-win: For a limited time, when you download SoftMaker FreeOffice for Windows or Linux, or SoftMaker's Elegant Holiday Fonts collection (Win/Mac/Linux), SoftMaker will make a donation to charity via betterplace.org. FreeOffice offers word processing, spreadsheets, and presentations, with an interface that resembles Microsoft Office 2003. It's ideal for older PCs, and for users who don't need a bunch of bells and whistles.
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