Random Windows Vista Tips

The first time I fired up vista I found things quite different and for the first few hours quite frustrating, some of things I've found out along the way are.

1. The alt key brings back the normal file menu in pretty much any program, try it in explorer or IE7 or windows explorer if your trying to find a missing option.

2. Even if there's no icon at the top left of a window you can still click there for the menu or double click to close. (same goes here for Office 2007)

3. Auto Login - For a lot of people a single account is fine for their PC, so click on the start button then enter "netplwiz" and hit enter. In the window that appears untick the first option, hit apply and then enter the username and pw for the account you want to auto login.

4. Workgroup settings are now found by entering control panel and clicking on system look close to the bottom. Also a handy link here to the Device manager.

5. If you don't know much about User Account Control then it's a good idea to leave it on, but if your fed up with the constant demands of click here it can easily be turned off by entering control panel then click on use accounts, the option is at the bottom.

6. If you have a MS Mouse you can download intellipoint 6 here
http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/mouseandkeyboard/Download.mspx
Then if you want you can bind the middle mouse button to Flip 3d. To do this in intellipoint click on wheel button then select custom at the bottom. Then browse to c:\users\<your user name>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\Windows Switcher.lnk. When your done clicking your middle mouse button brings up flip 3d, pretty cool. you can also over ride this in IE7 or any other application for default behaviour as required.

7. In windows photo gallery if you hold down the Ctrl Key and roll the wheel on the mouse you can change the size of the thumbnails.

8. At first glance I found the new windows explorer pretty horrible but after a few weeks I understand better the concept and am starting to like it. Firstly I tend to keep the favourites section quite small and expland the folder section below which is similar to the old style explorer area. The other main differnce is there is no "up one level" button, instead you click on the top bar to go up to the folder you require, this actually works very well once you've tried it a few times.

9. "Add or Remove programs" is now called "Programs and features" in control panel

10. If you have a Pocket PC device you need to download windows mobile device centre for this to work
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...EA-9DF9-4920-AF33-3A0E2E4E7BEB&displaylang=en
Only being using it a week but seems to be an improvement on activesync.

I'm liking the fact that a lot of things in vista just work. I plug in my digital camera now and it just downloads to the pc, gives me the option to wipe the camera. No more hassle installing camera software. Also using a DV camera for work it seems easier now to quickly capture a few mins of film in wmv format and fire it onto the server. Nothing new, it all just works better.

Anyways, has anyone any other handy tips for vista?

 

11) If an older application you have installed doesn't work the first time you run it, don't despair. Some programs need to be run as an Administrator. Right click the executable (or it's shortcut) for the application and go to Properties. Choose the Compatibility tab from the new window that pops up and down at the bottom you'll see a box to check to Run as Administrator. It means you'll get a UAC popup everytime you run the application, but hopefully it'll work. If it still won't run, try the other options under the Compatibility tab.

12) Like number 7, the icons on your desktop can be resized too. Just click anywhere on the desktop, then hold down ctrl and use your scrollwheel to adjust their size.

 

excellent tips. most appreciated, if only everyone was so informative!

 

13) Use the new Snipping Tool to take screenshots when needed. Found at Start --> All Programs --> Accessories --> Snipping Tool, it is a new feature which allows you to take screenshots with ease.

When using the Snipping Tool, most users won't want the red border around their snaps. In order to remove that, load Snipping Tool, choose options and deselect 'Show selection ink after snips are captured'.

 

14. In windows xp sound often is a nussance especially on a work PC, now in Vista if you right click on the volume icon in the tray and select mixer you can get the option to allow only certain programs to generate sound. So windows sounds can be turned off but if you start windows media player or a game etc sound plays automatically.

15. Windows ultimate (not sure which others have it, business I think) has a reasonable backup package for taking a complete image of your hard disk, if you don't fancy splashing out on more advanced packages like acronis it works pretty well.

16. Vista now comes with calendar/contacts/email applications which make a reasonable subsitute for Outlook. If you don't need to sync with a mobile phone then you could save some cash using these and open office.

17. You can change the default action for the start menu power button, I prefer to shutdown rather than sleep. Go to control panel/power options/change plan settings for the active profile/select advanced settings/scroll down to power buttons and lid and then change what the start menu button does. Now I can quickly shut down my laptop by pressing windows key then Enter.

 

I have a HP All in ONE Printer.
To use the scanner Hp suggest you use the "Paint" prog that come with vista......so tried it & it worked.

 

For someone to use Snipping Tool, they must have "Tablet PC Optional Components" installed and checked under Windows Features.

 

18. Windows Vista features the "Open Command Windows Here" feature built in. All you have to do is Shift + Right Click on selected item.

 

Sorry for jumping in. Just wondering if there my be any tweaks yet or does anyone know how to improve / disable restriction etc for graphics system. I use my main machine hooked up to the telly for video playback games etc. even the web. Of course I use a conventional pc setup with monitor etc for work but I realy wanted to upgrade to vista for my entertainment pc. Its all very well having the latest (controlled) HDMI connection but Ive only ever quite happily used s-video which till now has been fine. I could barely install because the tv out graphics were so bad (crippled).
And must say was a nightmare trying to get rid of it after.

 

19. Use check boxes to select items.
This is another one I stumbled upon, if you load up your documents, choose Organize and then Folder and Search Options. Select the View tab, scroll down to 'Use check boxes to select items' and tick the box. Hit ok. Now you'll see handy little check boxes on items when you mouse over allowing you to select multiple items without having to use the ctrl or shift keys.

 

Dude I love you, been trying to make them smaller for ages!

 

It's the graphics driver. I have a GF6600 and it was very difficult to setup until you install an updated driver. I'm currently using the latest graphics driver from "Windows Update", and as it's fine since installing, I'm not wanted to upgrade to the latest!.

So tip no XXX, if installing on a CRT TV, once the initial install is complete, run Windows update to get better graphics drivers. Note that I also went through the TV setup in Media Center.

 

20. Windows Fax and Scan also gives you a nice application to initiate a scan and save the image to 'Scanned Documents'.

 

you can get standard xp sized icons by right clicking on the desktop then view then classic icons.

It's still pretty neat being able to change them with the roller though

 

21. Vista seems to forget the windows size of "Windows Explorer" every time you start, quite frustrating if you are running at a decent res. To make it remember you need to change the window to the size you want then click on Organise/Folder & Search Options/View then click on Apply to Folders. This will overwrite the view options for all folders incase you've already been customising individual folders. The good think is that unlike XP it doesn't overwrite the view layout for control panel etc.

 

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22) Turn off Secure Desktop
You know when you get a UAC prompt? And the whole screen fades out and only the popup is active/has focus. Well you can turn that bit off, without affecting UAC.

Start > Run > gpedit.msc

Then...

Computer Configuration > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Local Policies > Security Options

Then on the right hand side find the following option:
"User Account Control: Switch to the secure desktop when prompting for elevation" - it's near the bottom. Set this option to Disabled
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23) Did you know you can switch between windows by hovering your mouse over the said windows? Here's how to activate that option:

Open Control Panel, then go into Ease of Access. From there select the option to 'Change how your mouse works'. Put a check in the box that says 'Activate a window by hovering over it with the mouse'.

Click Apply then Save.

All done.

 

24. In Vista media centre when watching live TV you now get a mini guide if you scroll up down etc with the arrows key. Copied straight from a sky box and one of the features I missed most when I went from sky to freeview.

Anyone found any more useful features in vista that aren't in xp lately?

 

http://www.tweakguides.com/TGTC.html

19 essential get-started tips for Windows Vista

From the moment you start using Windows Vista, you'll find a lot of new things to get used to: new programs, new layout, new ways of doing things. Some are great, some are confusing, some are just very well hidden. These are my picks for the 19 things you should try when you first start using Windows Vista - do you think differently?

1. Use Flip3D



Okay, so it's hardly essential, but it's still one of the first things you should try: it's just a neat way to show off that snazzy new interface. Hold down the Windows key and your keyboard and hit Tab to spool through them.

2. Fix a photo - and automatically back it up

One of the most useful new programs, Photo Gallery enables you to automatically import and organise your photos. Click Fix and you can crop out unsightly backgrounds, remove red-eye and adjust the lighting, too. But the most impressive feature is that it automatically backs up every photo: press CTRL and R and it'll restore it just as it was when you first imported it.

3. Launch any program instantly

Want to open something even faster? Hold down the Windows key and press a number from 1 to 9, and it'll open the corresponding entry in the Quick Start menu next to the Start button. Windows and 1 opens the shortcut next to the button (usually Show Desktop), Windows and 2 opens the second shortcut (usually Flip 3D) and so on. To add or rearrange shortcuts, just click and drag them.

4. Save time browsing your folder



Are you regularly digging through your hard drive to open the same folder? Click and drag it into the Favorite Links pane on the left of every Windows Explorer window to keep it just one click away.

5. Get more from your laptop

If you're running Windows Vista on a mobile PC, hold down the Windows key and press X to open up the new Mobility Center. It gives instant access to controls for the battery, wireless signal, external displays and more.

6. Add a gadget to your desktop

That new strip on the side of your desktop is more useful thank you might think: click the plus symbol at the top, then click Get more gadgets online to view the 370+ (and counting) free downloads that add instant new features to your desktop - everything from BBC radio to currency conversion. You can drag and drop them on to the desktop, too - the Weather gadget, for example, is actually more useful when used like this because it gives you a three-day forecast.

7. Make search even easier

The built-in search can find things even if you don't remember what they're called. Open your Documents window, click Organise > Folder and Search options, select the Search tab and click "use natural language search." You can now search for things like "photo taken last week" or "email sent from Dave" and it'll bring back all matching results.

8. Connect to other laptops

If you've got a wireless laptop, you can quickly create a network with others by opening up Meeting Space. Create a display name, click Start a new meeting, and see if says Using: Ad Hoc Wireless Network on the bottom right. If not, click Options and tick the appropriate box. Then all you've got to do is enter a password and click the green button to create it. Other laptops nearby can join by loading Meeting Space and clicking Join a meeting near me. Once in, click Add a handout to share a file or Share a program or desktop to - wait for it - share a program or your PC's desktop.

9. Protect your files

Backing up your files is given the importance it deserves in Windows Vista - particularly compared to the crude and mostly-hidden tool in Windows XP - and it's ever so easy to use. Open Backup and Restore Center from the Start menu, hit Back Up Files and choose if you want to back up photos, email, music and more: they'll be automatically saved to your choice of backup device. Got Windows XP backups you want to add to your Windows Vista PC? You can import them by using this tool.

10. Get the old power button back

One of the neater new features in Windows Vista is that the Power button on the Start menu doesn't turn your PC off - it puts it into a new low-power state, so it's all but deactivated but is much quicker to start up. If you don't want to use this - or you've got an older PC that doesn't support it properly - you can change it by digging deep in the configuration options. Search for "power" in the Start Menu and clicking Power Options. Click Change plan settings, then Change advanced power settings and expand the entry for Power buttons and lid. Expand Start menu and power button entry and click on Sleep to pick another option from the drop-down menu.

11. Zoom in on your desktop



Open any Windows Explorer window, select an icon, hold down CTRL and scroll your mouse wheel - and your icons will expand before your eyes. It makes them easier to view, and as nearly every icon is a snapshot of the file itself, you can see what's inside them as well.

12. Check your PC's health

Troubleshooting has got a whole lot easier with Windows Vista's reporting tools. Search for "perf" in the Control Panel, click Performance Information and Tools, and then select Advanced tools from the list on the left. Click the Generate a system health report option at the bottom of the list and it'll give you a list of any problems with your PC and what you can do to fix them.

13. View files without opening them



In Windows Explorer, click Organise > Layout and select Preview Pane. You'll get an extra panel on the right of every window that shows you the contents of every file: if it's a PowerPoint presentation, you can click through the slides too.

14. Try Media Center

If you've never used Media Center before, you're in for a treat. Formerly a separate version of Windows, it's now supplied as standard in Windows Vista Home Premium and Windows Vista Ultimate, giving you a new way to enjoy your photos, music and TV. Hook it up to your telly - which you can do with ease by connecting an Xbox 360 to your home network - and you can easily set up recording of TV programmes and pause live TV.

15. Get your old programs working

Most programs work fine with Windows Vista, but older releases can have problems. If you can't get an older release working properly, search for "compat" in the Control Panel and click on Use an older program with this version of Windows. This will lead you through the required steps - if the program in question worked in Windows XP, check the options for Windows XP Service Pack 2 and Run as administrator.

16. Create a search folder

If you're regularly looking for the same thing, save the search. Click the Save Search button in the Explorer window and it'll create a Search Folder of all the items that match that search. To make it even easier to find, select the Searches entry in the Favorite links sidebar on the left, and then drag your newly created folder into the Favorite Links list.

17. Get your old menus back

Are you missing File, Edit, View and the other old stagers from Windows Explorer in Windows XP? Just press Alt and they'll appear.

18. Try tablet input

Another former exclusive now supplied with Windows Vista Home Premium and Windows Vista Ultimate, tablet input is a new way to control your PC. Handiest for desktop users is the Snipping Tool; open it and you can drag the mouse to snap a screenshot. If you want to replace the keyboard, search for "tablet" in the Start menu and fire up the Tablet PC Input Panel - you'll need a stylus to make the most of it, though.

19. Adjust your security settings



As you'll have noticed when using the tips above, the new security features in Windows Vista are very keen, prompting you every time you access a system feature. It's a very effective way of keeping the bad guys out, and I really recommend leaving it in place - but if you fancy your chances at protecting yourself, you can turn it off by clicking your user icon at the top of the Start menu and choosing Turn User Account Control on or off

 

Okay.

Taking bets on when this becomes sticky

GREAT THREAD

 

Some mice have buttons that can mapped...soooo you should be able to map Flip3d straight onto your mouse with Windows key + Tab shortcut...not earth shattering I know...but def handy!

Make sure your mouse drivers are up to date first.

 

One common irritation folks seem to have is they accidentally delete the Recycle Bin. It's easy enough to get it back* but one way to avoid deleting it is to change the delete option to a search option.

Code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}\shell\Delete]
@="Search"
"Description"=" Search system files"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}\shell\Delete\command]
@=hex(2):25,00,77,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,69,00,72,00,25,00,5c,00,65,00,78,00,70,\
00,6c,00,6f,00,72,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}\shell\Delete\ddeexec]
@="[FindFolder(\\\"%l\\\", %I)]"
"NoActivateHandler"=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}\shell\Delete\ddeexec\Application]
@="Folders"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}\shell\Delete\ddeexec\topic]
@="AppProperties"

Save that as a .reg file and double click it, or enter the above into the registry manually.

*Right click the desktop - Personalize - Change Desktop Icons (option in the left hand pane).

 

that's a life saving tip!

 

No problem mate

 

Thanks to everybody for sharing - its made my life with vista a lot easier.

 

Switch from FAT to NTFS on Vista and XP


If you havn't already converted your fat or fat32 drive to the faster, safer nfts format, click Start>Run, type cmd, and press <enter> to open the command prompt.
Type convert x: /fs:ntfs (with x being your hard drive's letter) and press <enter>



Cheers

 

Make your Vista desktop wallpaper look good in 5 mins

You don’t need Windows DreamScene and its fancy animated wallpapers to make your desktop look beautiful. In just a few minutes, you can transform your current static background to look better than ever.

So what do you need to do to carry out this makeover? Well, actually it’s really easy -all you need to do is clean-up your desktop icons, and we’ll show you how in just two simple steps.

This is my current desktop. It’s nice, but those fussy icons are holding it back from looking really good.





Step 1 - Get rid of the ugly arrow

1. Download the Overlay Shortcut Remover tool here

2. Install it to your hard drive

3. Launch the program and select the option to remove the arrow from icons and restart your PC

Once they’re gone, the desktop looks much better, but that text still looks a bit rubbish.




Step 2 - Remove all that unsightly text

1. Right click on an icon

2. Click on Rename

3. Using the number pad on the right-hand side of your keyboard, hold down the ALT key and type in numbers 2, 5 and 5. Don’t worry if you can’t see the numbers coming up underneath the icon; you’re not supposed to.

4. Obviously, you won’t be able to give each icon the same name, so for the next icon on your desktop, you once again rename, but this time hold down ALT and type 255, and then take your finger off the ALT button and type 255 once again, do this twice, and for every other icon, add another ALT and 255, so for the sixth icon, you’ll need to tALT 255, ALT 255, ALT 255, ALT 255, ALT 255, ALT 255.

It’s a subtle effect, but with all the text now removed from each icon, the background looks clean and smooth.

 

Thumbnails people! Thumbnails!!

 

Getting a message about not having rights to the Temp folder when installing Adobe Reader 8? Turn UAC back on (if only for that).

 

Or just download "foxit reader" which is an alternative to adobe reader

 

Had the same problem. Solution was to start the adobe extraction process. Then once that is complete. Go to the TEMP folder and copy the setup from there to your desktop.

Then you can install directly from your desktop.