8 Tips For Securing Your Home Computer

Security is something that everyone has to stay up with nowadays with all the credit card fraud and identity fraud in the news. There are many things that you can do to help keep your computer and your self safe. Follow these 8 steps and you will be better protected against security threats.

Turn off unnecessary processes

There are alot of programs that run in the background of your computer and some of those programs open up ports that can allow a hacker into your computer. By shutting down these programs that are most of the time unnecessary we can eliminate the amount of ports we have open on a computer.

Install Anti-Virus and Anti-Malware

This one is an absolute necessity for anyone who has a computer that is connected to the internet. An up to date anti-virus anti-malware program can be bought just about anywhere including online. One popular option is Symantec which has a full featured program to cover everything. Some other third party software also works well. Adware Bot and Spy No More - Anti Spyware

Turn on Windows Firewall or install a personal firewall

As was mentioned in tip number 1 we have ports open on our computer that can possibly allow a hacker in. Windows firewall (which comes free with windows) can block these types of ports. You can also purchase a third party firewall program that will help block these ports. There are many third party companies that provide excellent firewall programs. Firewall Gold

Have a router between you and the internet

Some ISP (internet service providers) such as cable allow you to plug into their modem and it gives your computer a public IP address. By installing a router between your ISP modem and your computer you can not only share your internet connection but you are also protecting yourself by not publishing your IP address to the internet.
A simple router is pretty inexpensive depending on the features that you get with it like wireless. Places like Best Buy and Global Computers have these routers.

Disable the computer guest account

The guest account for windows XP Professional is disabled by default but it is always a good idea to check and make sure.

Keep computer up to date with the latest Windows updates and anti-virus definition updates.

Windows workstations need to be constantly update in order to keep them secure. You can go to Windows Updates and get free Microsoft Windows updates.
Virus definition updates need to be purchased from the company

Backup important data

Backuping up data is not really a security item to keep your computer secure but more to keep you secure. Should your computer happen to be hacked or just crash if your data is backed up you will not lose your data.

Only download and install trusted software

One of the most common ways computers get viruses and malware is from software downloaded off of the internet. Certain programs downloaded from unknown sources contain viruses embedded within the program.
The best way to protect yourself against this is to not download software unless it is from a site that is totally trusted.

By following these eight steps you can significantly decrease your risk at being hacked or infected by a virus. The most important thing is to use common sense and you will stay protected. Read More .....

Why Is Windows Vista Slower Than Windows XP?

Many people are taking the leap and upgrading their pc operating system from Windows XP to Windows Vista, only to be very disappointed by the distinct slow-down in performance.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that Windows Vista requires twice the computing power and resources to operate at a performance level similar to that of Windows XP. So what can you do to improve this?

Firstly, it may be worth considering if you need to have all of the Vista bells-and-whistles that are turned on by default. The Aero interface in particular, although it looks pretty, requires considerable resources and it's worthwhile turning it off to see how much general performance improves. In addition many computers from manufacturers such as IBM come with a whole suite of ancillary support programs which you may not really need, such as firewall programs, antivirus programs, performance monitor programs, etcetra. Third party firewall programs in particular can use up a lot of resources. If you've been happy with the built-in Windows Firewall, then consider turning off any third party ones.

The other two areas where a significant improvement can be made is by upgrading the amount of system ram or memory, and utilising a ReadyBoost compatible flash drive or flash card.

Upgrading system memory is very straight forward. Manufacturers like Kingston make third party ram to the specifications of the big OEM's like IBM, HP, Dell, Acer, Apple and others so it's not necessary to pay hefty prices to obtain a 100% compatible ram upgrade. Kingston also guarantee their memory for life so even if the reseller you purchased it from closes up ship you can go back to Kingston for any warranty-related issues.

Upgrading system memory as high as your budget will allow is recommended, although anything higher than 4GB with the 32-bit version of Windows Vista is pointless, as it will generally only recognise around 3.5GB of the installed memory. The 64-bit version of Vista, however, can recognise over 8GB of memory, although most computers don't yet support this.

To take advantage of ReadyBoost, simply plug in a compatible USB drive or flash card into your computer, then follow the steps to configure it using the built-in wizard. Once configured, ReadyBoost serves as an additional memory cache which can significantly improve performance by reserving part of the flash drive/card for memory management.

If you are not certain about whether your pc can be upgraded with more system memory, there are many websites which make this task relatively simple to figure out. Using your favourite search engine, type in your computer brand and model followed by the words "memory upgrade" and this should give you somewhere to start. Alternatively, if you still have your user manual this should contain specifications about how many memory slots you have, the maximum memory capacity your pc can handle, and the type of memory that is compatible.

To check your currently installed memory for Windows: Right mouse-click on the "My Computer" icon and select "Properties." The total memory is calculated and displayed under the "General" tab in the system properties window. For Mac: Click "About This Mac" or "About This Computer" from the Apple menu. (Far top left of the screen). This will provide information about your Mac's total memory (built-in memory plus DIMMs installed). Read More .....

Replacing Windows

Clinton Maxwell

If you are going to pursue a big project such as replacing your windows, you don't want to go about it in a half-cocked way.It is important to take the time necessary to know all of the options open to you and what the specific benefit of each
window type is.

Are you interested in controlling light? Do you want more or less ventilation? What about security? And is privacy an issue for you?

Are you trying to make a small room larger through the use of windows? All of these questions need to be answered before you can begin to think about the decorating and architectural aspects of the window. But these are also very important aspects. How the windows look on the outside can add a great deal to the curb appeal of the house, and it has been shown that new windows add significantly to the value of a home. Before you get started, you will also have to make sure you are familiar with the building code in your town or county. Once all of the basics have been addressed, you can start to think about installing your windows. This is a project that even a do-it-yourselfer can manage. There are any number of books and sites on the internet that can give you step by step directions on installing replacement windows. Just remember these tips when you are choosing your windows. Insist on quality. If you choose good quality from a reputable manufacturer, your windows will last forty to fifty years, so make a worthwhile investment. Use a window with a good energy efficiency rating. If you live in a cool climate, buy windows that are either double glazed or double layered with gas filling. They afford the greatest energy efficiency. Look at all of the decorating and architectural magazines and websites to find the right kind of windows for your home. Top names may be expensive, but with research you may be able to find lesser known brands of very good quality. If you are able to check out the materials and craftsmanship, you may be able to save a lot of money and still have a top quality product. For years, windows were nothing more than a pane of glass inserted in a wood frame. Today's energy consciousness has meant that windows are now highly engineered. The old single panel types of windows will only work in the mildest of climates. If you live in a colder climate, you have to use energy efficient windows, such as double paned models that create a sandwich does not allow as much cold air to leak into the house. These windows also provide sound absorption for sounds both inside and outside the home. Even more energy efficiency is attained if you have argon gas between the layers. And even more engineered than those are the double paned models that have a coating of low emissivity film between the layers to further reduce transfer of energy. The frames for the sashes of all windows can be constructed of wood, wood clad aluminum or vinyl, vinyl and fiberglass. Wood is the easiest and most traditional to use. Wood clad aliminum or vinyl is a good choice in an area
where there is high humidity or a lot of damp weather.

Homes in these areas also do well with vinyl windows, since they do not absorb moisture. Vinyl and wood clad vinyl are the lowest maintenance materials of all window frame materials. After the
type of window and type of frame is chosen you still have another choice with the type of glass you want.

Clear or tinted?

Do you want a level or bevelled edge? What about tempered safety glass? YOu can also consider films that can be applied to your windows that will help save energy costs and also provide an extra measure of privacy. Read More .....

Windows Xp Tips

This guide provides the basic tips on computer networking, hardware, security, troubleshooting and configurations in the Windows XP Professional. These tips can also be applied to Windows 2000/2003 and Windows Vista.

How to Determine the IP address of the Computer

You can determine the IP address of the computer by the following method.

Start Run > Type CMD > Type Ipconfig at the command prompt.

In this way you will get the IP address your computer.

How to Determine the Computer name ?

Start Run > Type CMD > Type Hostname at the command prompt.

You will get the computer name by this command.

How to convert FAT32 to NTFS?

If you want to convert your system’s drive to NTFS use the following command

Covert [drivename]: /FS:NTFS

This command will convert the file system of any specified drive to NTFS. NTFS provides more advanced features as compared to FAT32 such as security, disk quota, encryption and other features.

How to Enable/Disable Firewall in Widows XP?

Firewall is useful for blocking unauthorized access to your computer network as well as blocking the certain applications, URLs and IP addresses on the internet. Windows XP Professional has built-in firewall in it and if you want to enable it, do the following steps.

Start > Control Panel > Double click Windows Firewall icon

Turn on or off Windows firewall according to your choice.

How to Add/Remove Programs from the Start menu?

Click Start > Right click on the empty space > Properties > Click start menu > customize

Here you can increase or decrease the number of programs that appear on the start menu.

Click advance for more options on the start menu.

Removing the programs from Start up?

If can limit the number of programs that loads when Windows starts up.

Click Start > Run > type Msconfig > go to start up and uncheck the programs that you don’t want to load when Windows starts up. You can increase the Windows loading time by decreasing the number of programs at the time of startup.

How to install Net Meeting in Windows XP?

Netmeeting is installed by default in the Windows XP and you can load it by the following method.

Start > Run > type Conf

Netmeeting Window will appear and now you can get connected with your friends family and colleagues.

Hopefully these simple tips will help you out with you working in Windows XP Professional and Windows 2000/2003. More tips, how tos and IT tutorials will come soon. Read More .....

Replacing Windows

If you are going to pursue a big project such as replacing your windows, you don't want to go about it in a half-cocked way.It is important to take the time necessary to know all of the options open to you and what the specific benefit of each
window type is.

Are you interested in controlling light? Do you want more or less ventilation? What about security? And is privacy an issue for you?

Are you trying to make a small room larger through the use of windows? All of these questions need to be answered before you can begin to think about the decorating and architectural aspects of the window. But these are also very important aspects.


How the windows look on the outside can add a great deal to the curb appeal of the house, and it has been shown that new windows add significantly to the value of a home. Before you get started, you will also have to make sure you are familiar with the building code in your town or county. Once all of the basics have been addressed, you can start to think about installing your windows. This is a project that even a do-it-yourselfer can manage.

There are any number of books and sites on the internet that can give you step by step directions on installing replacement windows. Just remember these tips when you are choosing your windows. Insist on quality. If you choose good quality from a reputable manufacturer, your windows will last forty to fifty years, so make a worthwhile investment. Use a window with a good energy efficiency rating. If you live in a cool climate, buy windows that are either double glazed or double layered with gas filling. They afford the greatest energy efficiency. Look at all of the decorating and architectural magazines and websites to find the right kind of windows for your home. Top names may be expensive, but with research you may be able to find lesser known brands of very good quality. If you are able to check out the materials and craftsmanship, you may be able to save a lot of money and still have a top quality product.

For years, windows were nothing more than a pane of glass inserted in a wood frame. Today's energy consciousness has meant that windows are now highly engineered. The old single panel types of windows will only work in the mildest of climates. If you live in a colder climate, you have to use energy efficient windows, such as double paned models that create a sandwich does not allow as much cold air to leak into the house. These windows also provide sound absorption for sounds both inside and outside the home. Even more energy efficiency is attained if you have argon gas between the layers. And even more engineered than those are the double paned models that have a coating of low emissivity film between the layers to further reduce transfer of energy. The frames for the sashes of all windows can be constructed of wood, wood clad aluminum or vinyl, vinyl and fiberglass. Wood is the easiest and most traditional to use. Wood clad aliminum or vinyl is a good choice in an area
where there is high humidity or a lot of damp weather.

Homes in these areas also do well with vinyl windows, since they do not absorb moisture. Vinyl and wood clad vinyl are the lowest maintenance materials of all window frame materials. After the
type of window and type of frame is chosen you still have another choice with the type of glass you want.

Clear or tinted?

Do you want a level or bevelled edge? What about tempered safety glass? YOu can also consider films that can be applied to your windows that will help save energy costs and also provide an extra measure of privacy. Read More .....

All About Blinds For Your Windows

Window blinds are essential for anyone who wants to safeguard their privacy, at home or in the office. While it is true that some people prefer to use curtains, window blinds have the advantage in that you get to control the amount of light that comes in. One reason for the choice of curtains over blinds is the ease of installation. Some types of window blinds are, in fact, a bit more difficult to install … but this alone shouldn’t be the deciding factor. Blinds can add a touch of the exotic, or the elegant, to any room.

There are some factors to consider when figuring out what type of blinds to buy.

The first factor is the style of the window blinds. The most popular are the Venetian blinds, which have horizontal sections made of wood or metal. These panels can range in width from 16 to 50 mm. There are, of course, many different types of window blinds. Here are a few of the more well-known varieties.

In contrast to Venetian blinds, vertical blinds are aptly named since they have vertical panels. These sections can be completely separated if you want to have the look of natural sunlight. Vertical window blinds are not confined to wood and metal, but can be made of many different fabrics.

Roller shades typically consist of a complete sheet of treated material, such as vinyl. These blinds roll up or down and can completely block sunlight. If you can’t visualize this, think of those old Tom and Jerry cartoons. You know, the ones where Tom gets wrapped up in the window blinds? Those are roller shades.

Honeycomb shades look like, well, honeycombs. The effect is generated through layering opaque fabric. A special quality of these window blinds is that their layering allows them to insulate the room by not letting heat or cold in.

Finally, there are the decorative wood woven shades. These blinds are usually made from interwoven bamboo and don’t have an actual adjustment. They are best used in situations where you would like your blinds to block direct sunlight from coming in, but you would still like to have a little natural light.

When hanging your window blinds, you need to remember to leave enough space so that they can hang freely when extended. The great thing about modernization is that you don’t actually need to hang your blinds yourself. Many of the home furnishing stores will install the window blinds for you, sometimes at a very low cost. If you’re not sure that you can install your window blinds yourself, the best thing is to hire a professional. Read More .....

Tip's Windows XP

Backup and Restore Your OE Mail, News and Settings

Manual Backup:

Your safest bet is to move the OE Mail Store to a new folder, on a different partition, if available and export a few Registry keys to back up all your settings.

1) In Outlook Express, go to Tools, Options, Maintenance. Select the Store Folder button. Change the location of the OE Mail and News store folder to a drive/partition/folder that will not be affected by the uninstall or re-install. This is especially true if you plan to reformat the system drive. You will be prompted to log off/back on, or reboot, do so. For a small utility that will locate, and optionally open your mail store folder, click here (Find and Open the OE Mail Store)

2) Do a Find on *.wab and copy all WAB files to a folder on the same drive/partition you used in Step 1. This can even be the same folder that you moved the Mail Store to (recommended).


3) Open Regedit and go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\WAB\WAB4\Wab File Name. Modify the value to point to the folder you copied your WAB file to.

NOTE: If you only have one available partition, complete steps 1 through 3. Then backup the contents of the folder(s) that you moved the Mail Store and WAB files to. This can be to floppy media, CR-R/RW or whatever you prefer.

4) Now export the following 4 Registry keys to a location that will be available after your reinstall, or whatever (a floppy will work for the REG files). If you're going back to a Windows 9X OS, you need to ensure you select Win9x/NT4 in the Save as type pull down.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Account Manager
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Outlook Express
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\WAB\WAB4\Wab File Name

5) Uninstall XP and/or reinstall your desired OS.

NOTE: DO NOT open Outlook Express until you completed this procedure

6) Recreate the folder(s) you used in steps 1 and 2, making sure the path is the same. NOTE: If you were required to backup your Mail and WAB files to other media, you can restore them now.

7) Open Regedit and delete the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities key.

8) Locate the 4 REG files you exported in Step 3 and import them into the Registry.

9) Open OE and enjoy.

Note: Your passwords for mail and news accounts will have to be reentered. These are not saved in the Registry.


How to Share OE over Multiple Operating Systems

Start in Win98, open OE and use tools/options/maintenance to move the OE store folder to a share drive (*Note*, this drive must use the same drive letter in both OS's, while Win98 will not allow you to reletter drives, WinXP will, so plan accordingly).

Once you have it moved to a "share" drive, click Start, Run and enter REGEDIT. Navigate to each of these keys and do a file/export of the key to the share drive (call each whatever you wish):

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Account Manager
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Outlook Express

For the address book:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\WAB\WAB4\Wab File Name

Once this is accomplished, restart in WinXP. Before starting OE, open REGEDIT and go to:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities Right click on the Identities sub key and select Delete. Then locate the 4 REG files you exported in the steps above and double click each one to import them into the XP Registry. Answer yes to the import prompt.

Note for the personal e-mail: If you're exporting the keys from XP to 98, then you need to ensure that you select Win9x/NT4 in the Save as type dialog. After completing this, OE should open up with the same settings, folders, mail, and news as you had in Win98.

Note: This works in reverse as well if you prefer to use the WinXP settings, however, when you export and save the WinXP registry keys, you must change the file type from .reg to Win9x/NT4 reg file.


How to Share OE (Mail/News/Address Book) between Users in Windows XP

If you don't mind having Signatures, Rules and all the other settings the same, this method works.

From the user account that is already set up: Click Start, Run and enter REGEDIT

Locate the following 4 branches of the Registry

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Account Manager
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Outlook Express
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\WAB\WAB4\Wab File Name

Right click on each branch above and select Export and save the REG files to your hard drive.

For each account you want to have the same mail settings, log into that account. Click Start, Run and enter REGEDIT. Locate the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities branch, right click it and select Delete. Next open Windows Explorer and locate the 4 REG files you saved above. Double click each one and answer yes to the import prompt.

Now you can open OE in any of the User accounts, and all the settings, accounts, will be the same. This was tested with the Mail and News Store on a FAT32 drive. I can't guarantee it will work on an NTFS drive.

Note: You will need to re-enter the passwords for mail and news group accounts.

Note2: If you use Signatures, you should put them in a text file and change OE's settings to use them. Signatures are often corrupted during the import. This is due to the Unicode storage of the signatures in the Registry.


Sharing the Outlook Express Address Book in Windows XP

While logged on to the user's desktop that has the address book you want to use: Click Start, Run and enter REGEDIT:

Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\WAB\WAB4\Wab File Name

Note the path to the WAB file in the (Default) entry. Log into the other desktop and open REGEDIT there. Navigate down to the same location as above. Double click the entry for (Default) and make it match the entry for the first user.

Copyright 2004 - Doug Knox

Read More .....

Windows 7 Compatibility

With the next iteration of the Windows client, Microsoft is hard at work from day one to ensure that the development of every element of Windows 7 has Application Compatibility at its core, even though this was synonymous with changed features and designs that needed retouching. Grant George, the corporate vice president for testing in the Windows Experience team, has revealed that as far as Application Compatibility goes, Microsoft has just one purpose with Windows 7, namely ensuring that all the programs that currently work with Windows Vista will also work with its successor.

“Our engineering process includes automated quality checks to assure public APIs don’t change, and our test engineers have the right tools, engineering time and information that is used to find application issues as early as possible in our development cycle. Telemetry information is collected to assess and prioritize the breadth of applications our users depend on, paired with market data and install base information, across a wide variety of software categories to make sure they work as expected in our new OS version,” Grant said.

At the same time, Microsoft is carefully handling the fabric of Windows 7 in order to make sure that the evolution of the platform will not impact compatibility. One illustrative example in this regard is Legacy Code Removal. Stripping down legacy code in Windows 7 is a process involving extensive documentation, as well as Microsoft working directly with application developers that are impacted in order to resolve the issue. The Windows engineers also build automated tests designed to evaluate applications that are flagged as problematic from telemetry data.

“Throughout the development process we are running tests in the background creating an ongoing validation of new code relative to application compatibility,” Grant explained. “As code is getting ready to be checked into the main build, if a compatibility failure is detected in an automated regression test the checkin is halted. At that point the code is scanned for known compatibility issues and if an issue is detected the developer is asked to fix the problem. Of course we also develop new tests throughout the course of developing Windows 7 in order to broaden our coverage of third party software.”

But Microsoft is by no means limiting the app compatibility testing of Windows 7 to third party programs alone. The Redmond company also analyzes middle tier technologies including Java, the .Net Framework, and so on and so forth in order to ensure that they will all play nice with Windows 7. What the software giant is doing is actually isolating approximately 4 to 6% of applications belonging to the same family, namely with similar technology, data processing, etc. By ensuring compatibility with the set of 4-6% of applications in a certain family, the company provides assurance of compatibility for all similar apps.

“In addition to 3rd party stand alone applications we test a subset of OEM pre-installed software and their inbox applications for compatibility. The software tested come from the engagements we have with our OEM partners and their submitted installation images. These images are tested on clean installations of Windows 7 and upgrades from Windows Vista on OPEM standard hardware. This level of coverage allows us to best replicate the initial experience with Windows 7 for many of our customers. Because many of these applications are closely aligned with the OS, hardware and drivers, it is not unusual for an OEM to provide updates to this software with a new OS release,” Grant stated.

But in the end, Microsoft has also equipped Windows 7 in order to help end users deal with the compatibility issues that will get away. The next version of Windows will be able to detect failed application installations due to incompatibility problems. Following such a failure, the operating system will provide the user with a wizard designed to help identify a compatibility mode for a problematic app. Read More .....

Windows 7 Beta Application Incompatibility Behavior

Microsoft is not only serving Critical security updates designed to patch vulnerabilities in pre-release versions of Windows 7, but also refreshes meant to boost the operating system’s compatibility level. With Win 7, the Redmond company placed a strong focus on delivering backwards compatibility with Vista-tailored software and hardware products, and even went as far as labeling the next iteration of the Windows client with version 6.1, while its precursor was just 6.0. Still, compatibility, just as security, is an ongoing effort, and Microsoft is ready to start improving Windows 7 as early as Beta Build 7000.


In this regard, the software giant made available for download the first compatibility update for Windows 7 Beta and Windows Server 2008 R2 Beta. “Install this update to resolve issues with non-compatible applications for Windows 7 Beta,” Microsoft informed, indicating that the bits were also delivered through Windows Update, even if also available via the Download Center. It is important to note that in Windows 7 refreshes aimed to improve compatibility will be delivered under the same model as in Windows Vista.

“Application compatibility updates cause several types of behavior in Windows 7 Beta. The following are the three most common behaviors: Hard Block – the update puts a hard block on the application (a hard block prevents an application that is incompatible with Windows 7 Beta from running on the operating system); Soft Block – the update puts a soft block on the application (a soft block provides notification when an application that is incompatible with Windows 7 Beta starts to run); Update – the update improves the application’s functionality in Windows 7 Beta,” Microsoft stated.

The Redmond company failed to reveal the exact issues that the first application compatibility update for Windows 7 Beta resolved, however, the software giant is bound to continue providing such refreshes in the future.
- Download the Update for Windows 7 Client Beta (KB967062) package now.
- Download the Update for Windows 7 Client Beta for x64-based Systems (KB967062) package now.
- Download the Update for Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-based Systems (KB967062) package now.
- Download the Update for Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems (KB967062) package now.


Read More .....

Windows 7 Performance and Productivity Tips

1. Find bottlenecks

From what we’ve seen so far Windows 7 is already performing better than Vista, but if your PC seems sluggish then it’s now much easier to uncover the bottleneck. Click Start, type RESMON and press [Enter] to launch the Resource Monitor, then click the CPU, Memory, Disk or Network tabs. Windows 7 will immediately show which processes are hogging the most system resources.

The CPU view is particularly useful, and provides something like a more powerful version of Task Manager. If a program has locked up, for example, then right-click its name in the list and select Analyze Process. Windows will then try to tell you why it’s hanging - the program might be waiting for another process, perhaps - which could give you the information you need to fix the problem.


2. Keyboard shortcuts
Windows 7 supports several useful new keyboard shortcuts.


Alt+P
Display/ hide the Explorer preview pane

Windows Logo+G
Display gadgets in front of other windows

Windows Logo++ (plus key)
Zoom in, where appropriate

Windows Logo+- (minus key)
Zoom out, where appropriate

Windows Logo+Up
Maximise the current window

Windows Logo+Down
Minimise the current window

Windows Logo+Left
Snap to the left hand side of the screen

Windows Logo+Right
Snap to the right hand side of the screen

Windows Logo+Home
Minimise/ restore everything except the current window

3. Faster program launches

If you’ve launched one instance of a program but want to start another, then don’t work your way back through the Start menu. It’s much quicker to just hold down Shift and click on the program’s icon (or middle-click it), and Windows 7 will start a new instance for you.

4. Speedy video access

Want faster access to your Videos folder? Windows 7 now lets you add it to the Start menu. Just right-click the Start orb, click Properties > Start Menu > Customize, and set the Videos option to “Display as a link”. If you’ve a TV tuner that works with Windows 7 then you’ll appreciate the new option to display the Recorded TV folder on the Start menu, too.

5. Run web searches

The Windows 7 search tool can now be easily extended to search online resources, just as long as someone creates an appropriate search connector. To add Flickr support, say, visit I Started Something, click Download the Connector, choose the Open option and watch as it’s downloaded (the file is tiny, it’ll only take a moment). A “Flickr Search” option will be added to your Searches folder, and you’ll be able to search images from your desktop.

6. Schedule Media Centre downloads

You can now tell Windows Media Centre to download data at a specific time, perhaps overnight, a useful way to prevent it sapping your bandwidth for the rest of the day. Launch Media Centre, go to Tasks > Settings > General > Automatic Download Options, and set the download start and stop times that you’d like it to use.

7. Multi-threaded Robocopies

Anyone who’s ever used the excellent command-line robocopy tool will appreciate the new switches introduced with Windows 7. Our favourite, /MT, can improve speed by carrying out multi-threaded copies with the number of threads you specify (you can have up to 128, though that might be going a little too far). Enter robocopy /? at a command line for the full details.

8. Really remove the sidebar

At first glance you might think Windows 7 has got rid of the sidebar, but don’t be fooled. Gadgets are still hosted by the Sidebar.exe process, it’s just that this is now launched automatically when Windows boots. If you don’t plan on ever using gadgets then you could delete the Sidebar Registry entry at HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run, and recover a small amount of RAM. That might be a little risky, though, as we’re not quite sure what else the sidebar process does in Windows 7. The safest approach is to disable it temporarily by launching MSCONFIG.EXE, clicking the Startup tab and clearing the box next to the Startup entry. Now reboot and test Windows 7 for a day or two to confirm everything is still working, before finally deleting the sidebar Registry entry.

9. Load IE faster

Some Internet Explorer add-ons can take a while to start, dragging down the browser’s performance, but at least IE8 can now point a finger at the worst resource hogs. Click Tools > Manage Add-ons, check the Load Time in the right-hand column, and you’ll immediately see which browser extensions are slowing you down.

10. An Alt+Tab alternative

You want to access one of the five Explorer windows you have open, but there are so many other programs running that Alt+Tab makes it hard to pick out what you need. The solution? Hold down the Ctrl key while you click on the Explorer icon. Windows 7 will then cycle through the Explorer windows only, a much quicker way to locate the right one. (And of course this works with any application that has multiple windows open.)

11. Block annoying alerts

Just like Vista, Windows 7 will display a suitably stern warning if it thinks your antivirus, firewall or other security settings are incorrect.

But unlike Vista, if you disagree then you can now turn off alerts on individual topics. If you no longer want to see warnings just because you’ve dared to turn off the Windows firewall, say, then click Control Panel > System and Security > Action Centre > Change Action Centre settings, clear the Network Firewall box and click OK.

12. Parallel defrags

The standard Windows 7 defragger offers a little more control than we saw in Vista, and the command line version also has some interesting new features. The /r switch will defrag multiple drives in parallel, for instance (they’ll obviously need to be physically separate drives for this to be useful). The /h switch runs the defrag at a higher than normal priority, and the /u switch provides regular progress reports so you can see exactly what’s going on. Enter the command

defrag /c /h /u /r

in a command window to speedily defrag a system with multiple drives, or enter defrag /? to view the new options for yourself. Read More .....