If you miss the Timer feature the most in Windows then third party timer tools should suit your needs. There are lot of timers available for Windows but they are not that simple to use as this tool called SnapTimer.

SnapTimer is a free Windows Countdown timer that you can run to time your activities. Along with being free, it is also one of the simpler timer tools available for Windows. Just run this tool and type in any time you want to count, SnapTimer should work for you.
SnapTimer is also light, portable and require no installation, thus can be run directly from the USB drive as well. Find all the features below:
•    Simple, clean interface
•    Displays time in the taskbar, as a hint in the tray and even in the right-click menu of the tray icon.
•    Tray icons indicate the mode of the timer (running, paused, completed)
•    Multiple alert types - message box, tray icon popup, audio file and any application
•    Stopwatch mode when you set minutes to 0
•    Play an optional ticking sound while the timer is running
•    Countdown can be paused and restarted, or reset
•    Portable (runs from your USB flash drive)
•    Can stay on top of other windows
•    No install required
•    Low RAM usage
•    Can automatically start counting down immediately
•    Includes over 20 loop-friendly alarm sounds (Meaning they’ll play over and over until you reset the timer)
•    Can automatically restart timer when it finishes
•    Lets you quickly and easily change the countdown time with mouse or keyboard shortcuts
•    Automatically saves all settings (optional)
•    Accepts time as command line argument, so you can create preset timer shortcuts or run the timer from a launcher (FARR, Launchy).
•    Can be minimized to tray
•    Supports multiple instances (You should disable always on top and probably autosave settings as well)
•    Can be docked to a corner, in the center or restore the last screen location
•    No internet access required
•    Doesn’t write to your registry
•    No ads, spyware or malware
•    100% free
Being a freeware, it can be used for all the purposes without any limitations. SnapTimer supports all the versions of Windows on both 32 and 64 bit systems.
Download SnapTimer