Windows fact of the day thread.

I thought we could have a thread where everyone shares a useful fact or tip about Windows. This should benefit everyone I hope.

I'll start.

Press Ctrl-Shift-Esc to access the Windows Task Manager. I frequently see people pressing Ctrl-Alt-Del then accessing it that way. Just a little quicker to do it with Ctrl-Shift-Esc.

 

The snap tool is very useful for me.

Drag one window to the left of the screen, and the other to the right of the screen. Now both windows are evenly split!

 

The snipping tool is really useful. If you want take a screen shot a part of page that tool comes in really handy. I agree on the snap tool, I use it all the time. Also if you hit windows key +p it'll be bring up the connect to another monitor/projector menu.

 

windows key + L is a quick way to lock your screen if you need to walk away from your desk.

 

Windows + D to minimize everything on your screen.
Windows + tab to cycle through your open tabs in aero.

click and shake a window to minimize all the background windows.

 

As an administrator (Vista/ Win 7), from the start menu, type "powercfg -h on" (no quotes) to enable hibernation and powercfg -h off to disable it.

 

Winkey+up-arrow will maximize a window.

Very useful if somehow the top edge of your window has been dragged away from the active desktop.

Winkey+ all of the arrows will toss your active program window into the various corners of the desktop.

This msft KB article lists the current windows Winkey combinations...

Keyboard shortcuts for Windows

 

Awesome idea for a thread. +1. I'll be checking in to learn some cool tips.

I think you mean Windows key + Up arrow for maximize. At least this is what works for me.

 

yup, winkey+, sorry

Sitting in Chubu Airport after a 36 hour layover. Had a blast in town seeing the shrine, castle, and Toyota museums.

Off to Thailand in a few hours to deal with flood recoveries.....

 

Never knew this.
Definitely will help me a lot!

 

If you miss the Quick Launch toolbar in Windows 7 (as opposed to pinning apps which moves about from its position when you open a lot of programs), right-click on the taskbar, choose "Toolbars" then "New Toolbar..." and type in " %userprofile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch" without the quotation marks. Quick Launch is then revived as a selectable toolbar option.

 

Win + P will cycle through your display options (if you have multiple monitors).

Right Click "Computer" and select Manage to quickly access your device manager and disk management utilities (among many others).

 

Download Windows 7 with Service Pack 1 integrated from my sig.
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Size of a clean installation of Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 64-bit: ~7.3 GB,
excluding pagefile, hibernation, hardlinks.
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The C:\Windows\winsxs folder in a clean install of Windows 7 SP1 64-bit is reported as being 5.5 GB, but it's actually only 1.1 GB.
The difference is caused by hard links, which (simply put) causes Explorer to count some files more than once.
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Win + R gives you the Run window.
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Win + Pause gives you the System Properties.
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Disable logon password locally, but ask for password for remote logon:
Win + R, type control userpasswords2 , press enter.
Uncheck the box.
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Make window borders thinner:
1 - Control Panel > Personalization > Window Color > Open Classic Apperarance...
2 - Set Active Title Bar = 18, and Border Padding = 0.
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Move \Users\ subfolders for current user to another HDD/partition:
1 - Go to shell:UsersFilesFolder in Explorer
2 - Pick all folders you want to move while holding down Ctrl.
3 - Press right mouse button, move the folders to the new location, release button, select Move in the popup window.
4 - Your folders are now moved, and all the settings have been changed in the registry.

Pros: Can be done after installation, System image will treat the second partition independently, ie you can make an image of C: only.
Cons: Can only be done with the subfolders for one user at a time, the \Users\ folder itself can't be moved.

HTWingNut have a different method which involves moving the complete /Users folder during installation.

Pros: You do it once, not for every new account. You can also move the \Programdata\ at the same time.
Cons: Unfortunately, System Image will make one image of both C: and D:, you can't just make an image of C:. Only possible during installation.

 

Winkey + Tab = Flip 3D

You'd be surprised how many people ask me about that still when they see me use it... kind of weird to be honest.

 

When pressing win + r there is a way to access setting quickly. Typing powercfg.cpl brings you directly to the power management settings, intl.cpl brings up the language settings (thanks to Charles P. Jefferies for showing me that one). I'm certain there are others and it's way faster than navigating the control panel.

In vista, the defrag tool is rather basic. You can however do a few things via the command line. As an admin, type defrag c: /a /v to get an analysis of the fragmentation state. Type defrag without any arguments to get the list of commands. Works in 7 too, but the GUI for the default defrag is better in 7.

Contig is a utility from microsoft that allows you to defrag individual file. Ideal for large files and tweakers: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897428.aspx. There is a utility called power defragmenter GUI if you want to use it without having to use the command line.

And now a little somewhat known trivia, Windows 7 is actually Windows version 6.1

Edit: one for lols, typing exit in the command line closes it.

Edit 2: When you rename a user account, internally windows still uses the first name you gave to the account. Nightmarish when trying to setup password protected file sharing.

 

Here's a list of Run commands:

Start | Run Commands for Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7

And a list for CMD:

Windows CMD Commands

 

If you have multiple windows open and you want just one to be visible and others to be minimized to task bar, hold the window and shake it. Other opened windows will be minimized. If you want to restore everything - shake the visible window again.
Hope someone will understand what I wrote .

 

just press [win] and type it into the search box. i actually never used win+r since vista.

in my case (german), i type [win]ene[enter] to get to the power management (energie optionen). faster than [win][r]powercfg.cpl[enter]. but the nice thing: it all works

 

Another method, select window, Win + Left will snap to left, Win + Right will snap right, Win + Down will minimize, Win + Up will Maximize.

If you've snapped left, Win + Right will take it back to original windows size, and same thing if snapped right, Win + Left will take it back.

 

Any folder can morph to a tool bar- right click task bar- toolbars - new toolbar - select folder ....

 

Windows-Left or Windows-Right will do the same thing.

 

Very useful if you put toolbars side by side and have your tasbark on the left side of a 16:9 monitor...

 

You can also do this by right clicking on the taskbar and select start task manager.

 

The control-shift-esc to the taskbar, and the snapping Windows with Win key + arrow keys (as opposed to mouse dragging, which in all fairness is still better than what any other OS has), are AWESOME. Learn something new every day.

 

Ah yes forgot about that one. So used to three-finger-salutes from days of yonder.

 

Whoa, these are AWESOME!
+1 HT!

 

That is what i use too.


When i have to reboot i like one thing that in w2k was on by default: automatically open the windows explorer that were open when turning off.
it can be done in Folder options>restore previous folder windows at logon.

 

Win + X to open Windows Mobility Center, Win + X to close it again.

 

{win][r]msconfig[enter] and then click on Startup in order to toggle which applications you want to run at boot. Major help when trying to reduce boot time.

 

Totally forgot to mention that one, it's like second nature now . Extremely useful to check after installing a new program to see if it inserts itself as a startup item. Points finger at itunes...

In the same spirit: typing regedit brings up the registry editor. DO NOT mess with the registry editor unless you know what you are doing though, this has the potential to mess up your windows installation forcing a reinstall.

 

typing systeminfo into a command box (start > run > cmd) will list a bunch of information about your computer including windows install date, last time booted, memory usage, and a list of the core windows updates you have installed.

 

This may seem basic, but you can move your taskbar to any location on the edge of the screen just by clicking and dragging it. I get people asking "how'd you do that?" on occasion, lol.

 

Make certain the lock the taskbar option is not ticked in the taskbar properties though .

 

CDplayer.exe from windows 2000 works fine on win 7 64 Bit, Very light on resources but will only play from CD (not hard drive)

 

Clearing unchecked item in MSconfig - startup tab
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shared Tools\MSConfig\startupreg and delete any folders there
Work on 7 and Vista

 

Windows key + T will cycle through live previews in the taskbar.
Windows Key + D will minimise all windows.
Windows key + Left/Right will move the active window to the left or right of the screen.

 

Instead of holding ctr to select various files in the same folder, go to folder options-view and select "Use check boxes to select items". Pretty self explanatory, all files have check boxes next to them now (it can be annoying when you have selected a lot of individual files to accidently unselect them all, this makes it easier).

 

Search for "reliability" from the Start menu, and run View reliability history
Now figure out why you have red x's
Pengy I got 5 in the last week. Can U reload windows for me???

 

Thanks, neat tip.


As per expected, Third party software issues.

In my last 6 months I had two red X's, One windows wasnt shut down (doh couldn't reach socket in time) and Chrome crashed.

 

Tip 1: Resume an Internet Explorer or Google Chrome session after rebooting Windows

How-to: "HOLD SHIFT + Press restart"

Explanation: On Vista/7 systems, if you hold the SHIFT key and then click restart you can resume an IE or Chrome session when you log back in.

Try it. Leave this page open right now and hold the shift key first. While still holding shift key, click Start > (right arrow) > Restart

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Tip 2: Permanently delete a file (bypass recycle bin)

How-to: "HOLD SHIFT + Press delete"

Explanation: Right clicking on a file and selecting "Delete" will visibly remove a file but its contents will not be erased. It will temporarily be stored in the Recycle Bin until you choose to manually remove it for good.

To bypass the recycle bin completely and just permanently remove a file, right-click on a file, and before you click delete, hold the shift key to bypass the recycle bin and permanently delete a file, which will free up disk space.


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Tip 3: Send a file or folder to any folder inside your user profile

How-to: "HOLD SHIFT + choose Sendto"

Explanation: To send any file or folder to any subfolder that exists inside C:\Users\USERNAME, right-click on the file and before you select "sendto" hold the shift key. The sendto option will be expanded to include all your folders inside your user profile (documents, pictures, videos, downloads, saved games, and any user created ones...)
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Tip 4: Access Network Connections quicker and more easily

How-to: "In Run dialog, type shell:connectionsfolder"

Explanation: The network connections utility in Windows gives you a centralized interface to manage all of your adapters in Windows, both virtual and physical. The updated control panel for Windows 7 is not very user friendly at finding "Network Connections" for the average user.

To access Network connections much quicker, Hold WINDOWS button and press R to open up RUN dialog (WIN+R). In RUN Dialog type in shell:connectionsfolder
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Tip 5: Start a command prompt inside a desired directory

How-to: Hold shift, right-click on folder then choose "open command window here"

Explanation: By default the command prompt will take to into your USERNAME folder by default... C:\Users\USERNAME>

If you need to access a file or program requires command line scripting but you want to access the folder quicker instead of having to manually "CD" your way to the directory.... simply locate the folder that you need to access in command prompt, hold shift then right-click on the window and choose "open command window here". Instead of being taken to C:\USERS\USERNAME you will be taken to the working directory of that folder you specified!

 

Press Win-key, type "connections" and click "view network connections" on appearing list.

After using that for a while, Network Connections moves up to the top of the list and then you can just type "connections" and hit enter. Win+r is so... XP.

 

Good one KLF<
"Tip 2: Permanently delete a file (bypass recycle bin) "

I just set recycle bin to don't move.... and disable display .. dialog

 

On Windows 7 (maybe others I don't know for sure) to print multiple text files...and probably other file types as well...



open devices, double click on printer you want to print to then drag the txt files into the printer window (you can copy and paste as well i think) and that is it

 

didn't seem to want to work with text files of course i was printing like 30 or so at once...

 

Right click a program/ shortcut. Properties. Assign shortcut.

You can now own that program with Ctrl + Alt + SomeKey.

 

That is true my friend (assuming you are the same guy from the win2008workstation site like I).

Do I get a +1 for mentioning a retro Windows 98 tip though?

Maybe a cookie perhaps? Oh wait my browser just gave me one. Nm

 

Hit [F11] to toggle windows to fullscreen on/off.

 

Fail. 10char.

 

there's a limit to how many files you can select and print with one click. it's a security thing. one can disable this, if needed, trough the registry. had to do this once at work to print out 100ts of single-page documents. but yes, we had to learn, the limit is there for a reason..

 

found it:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MultipleInvokePromptMinimum
a value between 1 and 16 tells how many files are allowed to right click'n'print (or open, or what ever), a value of 16 means unlimited amount of files. enjoy.