The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Software to view and interact with desktop without minimizing all the windows?

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by mikebob, Mar 13, 2009.

  1. mikebob

    mikebob Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    94
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    Ive been trying to look for a program that will allow me to view the desktop without having to minimize all the windows.

    On a google search, one particular program, DesktopOnTop, was a highly recommended program that was supposedly able to address my problem. However, when i tried it on my machine (an HP dv2700), it was buggy.

    Now, i am looking for an alternative program, but there was none i could fine.

    I was looking for something along the lines of OSX desktop peek.

    thanks!
     
    mikebob, Mar 13, 2009
    #1
  2. davepermen

    davepermen Notebook Nobel Laureate

    Reputations:
    2,972
    Messages:
    7,788
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    205
    there is aeropeek, google for a download link.

    else, there's always [win+d] to go to and back from the desktop.
     
    davepermen, Mar 13, 2009
    #2
  3. mikebob

    mikebob Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    94
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    sorry i should have mentioned, that im on a laptop, and i cant be using such a resource heavy program such as aeropeek. Also the win+D is ok, if you want to look at your desktop icons but not interact with them. The reason being is that when you win+D, and then open up another program from the desktop, if you press win+D this time, it will only minimize the newly opened window, not the ones you minimized before.
     
    mikebob, Mar 13, 2009
    #3
  4. Nebelwand

    Nebelwand Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    119
    Messages:
    213
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    You could run a lightweight virtual desktop manager like VirtuaWin (uses ~5 MB of RAM here) and just switch to an empty desktop (and back once you're done).
     
    Nebelwand, Mar 13, 2009
    #4
  5. davepermen

    davepermen Notebook Nobel Laureate

    Reputations:
    2,972
    Messages:
    7,788
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    205
    that program shouldn't be in any form resourceheavy compared to what you do normally on your desktop.. but well, i think it still wouldn't suite your needs.

    how about forgetting putting app shortcuts on the desktop? the designed way to do is to "pin to startmenu" for applications. xp and upwards can do this, and with click onto the [win] key, you get a then possibly huge startmenu filled with your favorite apps to start with one click. (or with some keyboard access, or search in vista, or what ever)
     
    davepermen, Mar 13, 2009
    #5
  6. mikebob

    mikebob Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    94
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    Nebelwand, brilliant! haha im using it now...i love it a lot!
     
    mikebob, Mar 13, 2009
    #6