Windows 7 Tips
Here is a bunch off tips from all over the web.
change logon wallpaper:
1. Click Start, type Regedit.exe and press ENTER:
navigate to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \\ Software \\ Microsoft \\ Windows \\ CurrentVersion \\ Authentication \\ LogonUI \\ Background
2. In the right hand pane Create a new DWORD value named OEMBackground or edit if it already exists
3. Double-click OEMBackground and set 1 as its value data.
4. Exit the Registry Editor.
Use the following Group Policy setting in Windows 7
1. Start the Group Policy Editor, Start, type gpedit.msc enter
2. Go to the following branch:
Computer Configuration | Administrative Templates | System | Logon
look in right pane for:
Always use custom logon background and double click it
3. Set the option to Enabled and click apply.
Exit Group Policy Editor
Next step is to place the background wallpaper (JPEG file) in the following folder:
create info and backgrounds folders if needed.
C:\\Windows\\System32\\oobe\\info\\backgrounds\\(name it as backgroundDefault.jpg
Images must be less than 256kb in size
The backgroundDefault.jpg image is loaded and stretched-to-fit so make sure its resolution/ratio are right for your screen.
How to remove the Favorites folder in navigation pane of Windows7 Explorer:
1. Open regedit and go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\\CLSID\\{323CA680-C24D-4099-B94D-446DD2D7249E}\\ShellFolder.
2. Right click \\ShellFolder and select Permissions and allow your user full control of the folder.
3. In rigt pane of \\ShellFolder go to 'Attributes' and change the value from 0xa0900100 to 0xa9400100.
4. Reset permissions.
5. Leave regedit.
6. Restart explorer.exe from taskmanager.
install WIN7 from USB
1.format usb dev as active ntfs
2.copy files from disk iso to usb dev
3.make device bootable
:note only diskpart in vista and win7 can run the format command in xp you will have to use computer management /disk management to do the formating.
so if you have vista or win7
open cmd
then type the following #>commands
#>diskpart -(to open partitioning tool.)
#>select disk 1 -(you must make sure that the target usb is disk 1 do this by going to control panel /admin tools /computer management /disk management if the target usb is listed as disk 2 type select disk 2 etc.)
#>clean
#>create partition primary
#>select partition 1
#>active
#>format fs=ntfs -(this is the one that will take the longest to complete.)
#>assign
#>exit
now back at normal command prompt type:
#>xcopy d:\\*.* /s/e/f x:\\ -(this copies files to the usb and may take some time.)
#>x:\\boot\\bootsect /nt60 x: -(this runs the bootsect.exe and makes usb bootable.)
d: is the optical drive or mounted iso image
X: is the target usb drive
enable admin account open command prompt as admin, type: net user administrator /active:true or yes cant quite remember
Windows key + Left: docks current window to the left side of the screen.
Windows key + Right: docks current window to the right side of the screen.
Windows key + Up: maximizes and/or restores foreground window.
Windows key + Down: minimizes active window.
Windows key + p:quick display settins.
Windows key + t: moves focus to the task bar.
hold the Shift key down while selecting the context menu and open command prompt here.
Simply hit Win+Home to minimize all the non-active background windows Win+Home to restore.
right click taskbar properties use small icons for smaller taskbar appererance.
If you want a more Vista-esque taskbar rather than the superbar (why anyone would revert is beyond me), right-click the Taskbar, go to Properties, check the ‘Use small icons’ option, then change the “Taskbar Buttons” option to ‘Never combine.’
Windows 7 now burns ISO files themselves instead of making users grapple with third-party applications.
For those lucky people with a multi-monitor setup, Windows + SHIFT + Left (or Right) will shift a window from monitor to monitor.
Gone is the “Add Font” dialog. It’s been replaced with a much nicer system. Download a font and double-click it (you’ll be greeted with the familar font window, but you should notice it now has a ‘Install’ button).
Windows 7 now includes Gabriola. This is an elaborate display typeface that takes advantage of OpenType layout to create a variety of stylistic sets.
If you press Windows + 1, it will launch firsticon on task bar Windows + shift + 1 will open a new instance, Windows + 2 etc.
If you right-click on a Taskbar icon, it brings up the much talked about Jump List. However, the same can be done by clicking with the left mouse button and dragging the icon “out” (so to speak). This was specifically designed for touch-enabled computers, such as your lovely HP TouchSmart PC.
To run a program as an Administrator, it’s now as easy as holding CTRL + SHIFT when you open the application.
With Windows 7, you can now create a ‘System Repair Disc.’ This is a CD bootable version of Windows 7 that includes the command prompt and a suite of system tools. Very handy for those really tough spots (which, with this still in beta, could be just around the corner). To get to this, simply open the Start Menu and type: “system repair disc” in the search field.
use windows key with + or - for zoom
windows key + tab: window selection
Explorer so that it opens at the Computer node:
navigate to Windows Explorer in the Start Menu (it’s in the Accessories folder). Then edit the properties and change the target to read:
%SystemRoot%\\explorer.exe /root,::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}
If you want the change to affect the icon on the taskbar, you’ll need to unpin and repin it to the taskbar so that the new shortcut takes affect.
Clear The Desktop
If there are too many windows on the desktop, you can clear it by shaking a window from left to right and all others will minimize. To restore the other windows you have to shake the active one again.
PC Safeguard
I rarely let anyone use my PC because I’m afraid he will mess it up, but it seems Microsoft has been thinking at me and came with a solution. The PC Safeguard doesn’t let anyone mess your PC settings, because after the user logs off, the configurations are reset back to normal. Of course it will not restore the configurations changed by you, but only the ones done by other users you define.
To use PC Safeguard, go to Control Panel -> User Accounts and create a new account, then select “Set Up Pc Safeguard” and switch it on. Then you can stay relaxed when others use your computer, because you won’t find anything changed, including configurations, downloaded software, installed programs.
Screen Calibration
Fortunately, Windows 7 comes with a display calibration wizard that lets you set up the screen brightness properly, so you won’t have any problems viewing photos or text. The problem was that on one PC a photo could look sharp and bright and on another it looks awful. Now the problem can be fixed by pressing the Win key and then typing “DCCW”.
AppLocker
If you are usually sharing your computer with someone else, then you might want to restrict their access to your applications, files or documents. Using the AppLocker tool, you have a few options to do this by blocking other users to access Executables, Windows Installers, Scripts, a specific publisher or path. You can simply do this by pressing the Windows key then typing Gpedit.msc. Then go to Computer Navigation -> Windows Settings -> Security Settings -> Application Control Policies -> AppLocker. Right click on one of the options ( Executables, Installers, or Script ) and create a new rule. That should save you from a lot of headaches.
Burn Images
We all had trouble with image burning in Windows, because it couldn’t do it itself, a standalone software being needed. With Windows 7 this will not be a problem anymore. All you have to do is double-click the ISO image and burn it on the CD or DVD that’s inserted in the drive.
Display Empty Removable Drives
Windows 7 will not show empty drives by default, so if you connect an empty drive to your PC, don’t worry, just go to Tools -> Folder Options -> View and uncheck “Hide empty drives in the computer folder”. This doesn’t seem like a good idea and it should not be default setting, because it will be hard for inexperienced users to figure it out.
