There are very few utilities which I find sufficiently useful that I'm willing to configure them so that they run automatically whenever I start my PC. For the past couple of years, BGinfo has been one of those, and it remains so. And last week it received a minor update, meaning it's now fully compatible with Windows 10.

When it runs, BGinfo updates your Windows desktop image and adds 1 or more lines of text. You can choose where this text appears, and what it says. Most usefully, you can add one or more pre-defined text items such as the computer's name, IP address, Windows version, service pack level, amount of free RAM and disk space, and so on. Add the program to your startup group, so that it runs each time you boot Windows, and you'll always have an accurate and instantly-accessible readout of key information.

If you only ever use one PC, BGinfo is really useful. If you find yourself regularly using more than one, it's indispensable. You'll never forget which machine you're using, the account under which you're logged on, which network you're connected to, and so on.

You'll find the BGinfo download at https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897557.aspx and it's less than 1 MB. The program is malware-free according to VirusTotal and Web of Trust, and is completely free. If you've been using a previous version it's a good idea to upgrade - especially if you're now running Windows 10, as this wasn't previously officially supported.