Tag Archives: windows help

What Is Windows 8 – The Complete Guide

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Second part of the Windows 8 – All You Want To Know Guide.

Jump Menu:

 

How to use Control Panel in Windows 8

How to add users and create picture passwords in Windows 8

New Changes in Windows Explorer in Windows 8

How to view Folder Options in Windows 8

How to hide the ribbon in Windows Explorer inside Windows 8

How to Repair Your Windows 8

 

 

How to use Control Panel in Windows 8

The control panel in metro interface is there not only for tweaking your settings but also for customizing the feel and look of the Metro Interface as a whole. When you click on the Control Panel tile in the Metro Interface you immediately start the customization process.

Personalize in Control Panel

You can change the lock screen image in right there in the first screen with User Tile that is shown at the login screen. (Swap up the screen or drag it up if you are using a PC.) User tile is the ‘picture’ that represents your account. You can also grab a fresh image using your webcam.
User Tile in Control Panel

Keep in mind that if you are using ‘Live Account’ as your login credentials then by default your Live Account Picture would be used as a ‘User Tile’ at the login screen.

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How to add users and create picture passwords in Windows 8

Creating-a-Picture-Password-GIF

 

To create a picture password in Windows 8, all you have to do is choose a picture, draw a pattern on it, repeat and you’re good to go. Be careful with those patterns and draw something that you’ll remember afterwards because you’d be allowed to login only, if you can draw the correct pattern. To create a picture password go to Control Panel > Users > Create Picture Password

 

Picture Password

Another good way to login to your computer (for touch surface users only) is to create a pin number.  Below the Pin Logon, there is a + button with Users text on it. Click on it to add a user to your Windows 8 operating system. As soon as you’ll click on Add User button it will ask you for two options. Windows Live ID, will allow you to add a user with a windows live email address. This is very handy as it allows you to sync your favorites, browsing history, shortcuts, languages and passwords for different services across different computers that are using the same Windows Live ID. The second option is of course the usual Local Account.  Keep in mind that Windows Live ID account has all the features of a Local Account, plus the look and feel of being it your own account.

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New Changes in Windows Explorer in Windows 8

Ribbon

The biggest change that you’ll notice with the new Windows Explorer 8 is the Ribbon added to the top of it. This ribbon is a replica of the one already available in other applications of Microsoft such as, Microsoft Office and Windows Live Writer. And it also works like one. A complete context-sensitive ribbon allows you to display different sections according to your selection of file or what you are doing inside the explorer itself.

Shortcut tools in Windows Explorer

 

For example if you click on something in Library, it will give you the ‘Library Tools’, click on an application and it will show you a new ‘Application Tools’ section. Same goes for the pictures and there is also a ‘Shortcut Tools’ section which does nothing but allows you to open that shortcut location. These tools are very nice addition to the explorer as they would allow you to Manage Files, Run them as Administrator or even let you pin them to the taskbar.

Quick Access Toolbar in Windows Explorer

Quick Access Toolbar

 

The added feature besides the ribbon in Windows Explorer is the Quick Access Toolbar. This toolbar allows you to quickly access the features that were previously hidden in a context menu. With this features like, Undo, Redo or Delete and Rename are easily accessible. If you want these more accessible, just check mark on them and they will be visible on the toolbar. You can also customize this toolbar more or add more buttons to it too. For example if you move your files a lot and want to add ‘Move To’ button to the quick access toolbar, just right click on it and select Add to Quick Access Toolbar. It definitely has to be enabled (not greyed out) for it to work. It also allows you to change the position of the toolbar or minimize the ribbon.

 

Add buttons to quick access toolbar

File Copying

The file copy/more dialog is enhanced, it gives more information about the status of the file transfer but also allows you to pause the transfer.

File Copying Dialog

 

The file replacement dialog has also improved so its easier now for the user to decide which files to keep and which to replace.

 

 

Replace or Skip Files

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How to view Folder Options in Windows 8

Since there is no file menu in new Windows Explorer, you can view the folder options by following one of these methods:

Go to File > Change Folder and Search Options

 

Folder Options

 

You can launch Folder Options by going to classic Control Panel and then double clicking ‘Folder Options’. Some quick and most used Folder Options, like File Name Extensions and Hidden Items are also available in the ribbon.

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How to hide the ribbon in Windows Explorer inside Windows 8

If you are working on a low resolution, or you like to have some space on your explorer, then you can also hide the Ribbon on Windows Explorer.

  • Open the Run box (WIN+R) and type gpedit.msc and press Enter. This will open the group policy editor.

Run Group Policy

 

  • Now go to  the Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Explorer section of the tree.

 

Configure Minimized Ribbon

 

  • Double-click “Start Windows Explorer with the Ribbon minimized“, set the value to Enabled and click OK.

 

Enable The Ribbon

 

Now if you start Explorer, the ribbon won’t be displayed by default. Click the Down arrow to the left of the Help icon if you’d like to see it.

 

Expand The Ribbon Button
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How to Repair Your Windows 8

Troubleshoot

Windows 8 didn’t crash even once in our one week long trial but if you are having some troubles and it is likely that you would face some as this is a pre-beta version of the Windows then there are some easy solutions to the problems. Metro Applications Not Running: Minimum resolution should be 1024 x 768. If you’re running a lower resolution, chances are that some of your metro applications won’t start at all.

For all other problems, try resetting or refreshing your Windows. Refreshing, installs your windows again but retains your personal files, whereas resetting is essentially similar to reinstallation the Windows again. Just go to Metro Control Panel, Select General and then choose your preferred option.

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How to get classic Windows 7 start menu back in Windows 8

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“The Windows 7 start menu is gone”. This is what Microsoft said in developer conference while introducing the ‘Windows 8 developers preview’. They replaced it with the new ‘Metro Interface’, that resembles to the mobile version of ‘Windows 7’.  A one week test run of ‘Windows 8’ and its turning out to be a little bit annoying. It could be the twelve years of love talking, clicking on Start and finding a large menu, all those browsing for ‘Program Files’ or just clicking ‘Start’ to ‘Shutdown’ the computer (Oh, the irony.)

Right now, metro interface is not providing the deserved replacement to the original ‘Start Menu’, adding programs to the tiles or re-arranging them is good on the mobile but not on a full fledged desktop computer. Currently, when you hover your mouse on the bottom left corner of your screen in Windows 8, it will show you a menu similar to the following

Original Start Menu

Where as when you click on the ‘Start’ button on the desktop, it will take you back to the ‘Metro Interface’ and vice versa. (Take a look at the following video.)

If you’re one of those people who are annoyed by not seeing their beloved ‘Start Menu’ in Windows 8, follow the instructions below to get it back.

 

Method 1

  • Press WIN+R to open the Run dialog box and type in regedit.exe

Runbox Regedit

  • Click Yes on the UAC (User Account Dialog) box.

UAC Check

  • While inside the Registry Editor, navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Mic­rosoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\­Explorer
  • In the right pane, double-click on the entry named RPEnabled and change its value from 1 to 0 to enable the Windows 7 Start menu in Windows 8.

Registry Editor Change Settings

If you want to restore default settings, change the value to 1 again.

 

Method 2

~Solo-Dev on Deviant Art made this neat tool to toggle the registry settings between the ‘Classic desktop’ and ‘Metro Interface’.

Deskto Toggle Tool

 

Method 3

Above methods will also disable the ‘Ribbon’ inside the Windows Explorer. If you want to keep that ribbon and also want the classical start menu (yea, its called classical in Windows 8), then run this utility. It is called ‘MetroController’ and it allows you to enable or disable some or even all Metro features in Windows 8 .

  • Clicking on ‘Disable all new features’ will disable everything that Microsoft has been working on with so much dedication. Ribbon Explorer, Lock Screen and the Metro Start Screen.
  • ‘Disable Only Metro Features’ will disable the ‘Metro Interface’ but will let you keep the ‘Ribbon Explorer’ and classic start menu.

Download MetroController.

 

That’s it, now when you’ll click on the ‘Start’ icon in Windows 8, you’ll see the menu similar to Windows 7.

Start Menu

Don’t be surprised when you confront a bug, and there are many glitches/bugs, when you’ll do this. A common one is that when you’ll hover your mouse over the Windows Icon at the bottom left, it will open up the default menu, suggesting it is never removed in the first place when you edited the registry. You’ll have to click away and the again click on the windows icon to get the start menu, otherwise it will take you to the Metro Interface.

 

Start Menu and Hover Menu

 

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How to Remove Your Windows Password?

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If you are the only user on your computer system, removing your Windows password won’t be a big issue and will allow you to bypass the whole login process on your PC. But it is never a secure practice to remove your Windows XP password as anyone can access your PC right there.

For some of us though, remembering Windows Login passwords is such a pain. And if you have seriously thought about the consequences and are sure that no one else is going to access your private data then of course you can easily remove your Windows login password following the below mentioned simple steps. It’s really easy and takes less than few minutes to delete the login password.

  • Click on the Start Windows button and click Control Panel
  • Traditional / Category View of Control Panel: Click on the User Accounts link – Classic View of Control Panel, double click on the User Accounts icon
  • You’ll see all the User Accounts listed here. Click on the User Account (Administrator if there are no user accounts)
  • Select the Remove Your Password link
  • You’ll notice a textbox here. Enter your current password in that box and click Remove Password button.
  • Close the User Accounts and the Control Panel settings windows.

Your Windows login password has successfully and very easily been removed. You would be directly taken to your desktop and won’t be required to enter the password every time you log on to your system after computer starts or resumes its session.

Note: The above outlined method is NOT applicable to the circumstances when you have forgotten your Windows password and want to log on to the system or remove your windows password. As you noticed your current password was always required to even remove it. There are other methods to remove the forgotten passwords that we will try to cover in a different post.

Organize Appointments and To-Do Lists with a Stylish Desktop Calendar

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If you’re looking for some Windows app that could let you organize your to-do lists, help you keep things manageable and schedule your routine than here is the solution. DesktopCal is a free calendar app for your Windows desktop. DesktopCal promises to help you manage appointments, to-do lists, schedules and much more.

DesktopCal is one overlaying calendar app that provides you with the facilities of organizing your files, folder according to the calendar dates. This app either uses your current wallpaper or takes multiple pictures from the specified folder and runs a slideshow for your wallpaper.

Desktop Calendar app

It is a pretty simple calendar app that blends into your desktop, is less obtrusive and very convenient to use as it doesn’t block the access to your desktop icons. DesktopCal takes half of your desktop space by default but you can change the size at any time according to your convenience and need. Apart from the size, you can adjust the size and months, week views to be displayed as personal ease and suitability.

Right click on the DesktopCal from the system tray to open the Desktop Calendar’s administrative options.

System Tray

Whenever on a busy day you want to add a reminder note or schedule your routine, just double click on the date box and enter your text to add a to-do list. It quickly lets you jump into the future dates to add the reminders and to-do lists. DesktopCal is a rather flexible application as it doesn’t permanently stick to your desktop and be exited at any time and opened from the system tray again.

Right click on the floating button on top of the calendar to switch between dates, week, months and wallpapers.

Date views

In Administrative options, choose the Display tab to adjust transparency, background color of the calendar, rows for displaying weeks and months, etc.

Display Tab

Picture tab lets you add the pictures to be run in a loop as your desktop background. Capture from Desktop allows you to use the current wallpaper.

Picture Tab

Manage to-do lists

Advanced tab gives you options for auto-start with Windows, language selection, etc.

Advance Tab

The highlights of DesktopCal are Muliti-language support, quick double click access to adding reminders, and a rotating wallpaper for your desktop.

DesktopCal works on Windows Vista, 7 and XP. Have fun with the wallpapers while managing your schedule, setting appointments or adding to-do lists.

 

Snapshot source: DesktopCAL

Download DesktopCal

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Turbo Service Manager: Configure and Sort Windows Services

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Windows performs many services that don’t require user intervention to keep the operating system running and updated. We as a user can manually play with them through the Windows Services console. Disabling, starting new process, closing or resuming them is quite easy within this console. Earlier we wrote a review of Process Explorer that intends to make your windows services manipulation easy and informative and less confused. Turbo Service Manager is another, better than Process Explorer, portable application that can help you to configure and sort windows services.

As stated in our previous posts regarding Windows services, all the applications for windows services configuration should NOT be used by newbies, because it can cause major system issues. So make sure you know what you are doing.

There are many options available in Turbo Services Manager including but restricted to: start, pause, stop, save, disable and load service state using XML files. Sorting can be done by Win32 and Kernel. The main screen displays all the services along with their current state, startup state and location on the drive. Current state can be running or inactive and startup state would be enabled, disabled, manual and boot startup.

Windows Service Manager

The toolbar of Turbo Service Manager has three types of grouping options that could help you further sort the services which you want to view on the screen (apart from the two Win32 & Kernel types). These options let you to list the services by No Group, Group State and also by Startup Services. Only Win32 services are displayed by default that includes windows native services and applications but you can switch the view to Kernel by clicking the kernel option from toolbar.

All the services are accompanied with their name, state, startup configuration and error information. When you want to configure any service type, select a service and choose the options from the toolbar. You can save a service state to an XML file, load the state from an XML file, test load to give you the preview of changes that can occur after you load any state. Apart from these, start, pause, resume, boot system, uninstall are few other options available. Boot System lets you configure how the service will be activated or managed.

Turbo Service Manager works with Windows XP, 7, Vista and with both 32-bit and 64-bit operating systems. While Process Explorer is just an extended form of Windows Services console pointing more towards the process rather than services, Turbo Service Manager helps you configure and sort Windows services and processes with more extensive options.

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Four Pretty Things Worth Trying on Windows 7

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It has been quite a while since Windows 7 hit stores-true alright, but arguably, Windows 7 still enjoys an exalted position in the market (like it or not). Oh yes, we exactly know what we are talking about and there are reasons to back this opinion as well. One foremost reason being, Windows 7 is just downright awesome (probably a bit too school-boyish, that one). Anyway, we have genuinely developed love for Windows 7, courtesy its level of customization as well as the ease of use.

Hot on its heels, Windows 7 does deliver the punch with the way it makes things easier for the user and provides a satisfying all-round experience. Having said that, let us present before you the four adorable features that Windows 7 comes with that basically covers the user-friendliness scheme of things that people nowadays are very much concerned about.

Shake Me:

How to use Windows 7 Shake Me feature

The shake me feature is a good example of the sort of user convenience Windows 7 dons. Shake Me simply makes use of tabbing windows via menu barring, it minimizes other windows active in the background and brings them back on screen, proving to be a very helpful tool for those who value even milliseconds of their lives (umm, well maybe some of those who don’t have very responsive mice perhaps). How does it work? Simple really, press and hold the menu bar of a window and try shaking it (literally, yes). That minimizes the other windows running in the background. As you might have guessed already, shaking the window once more brings back the minimized window on-screen once more.

Drag on top and Maximize:

A little less controversial sounding this time, drag on top and maximize simply allows users to drag the on-screen window to the top upon which the window is automatically maximized (Sweet, eh?). This especially comes in handy if you are using a multi-monitor setup. Maximizing windows was never so easy, was it? Well, we shall conveniently suppose it wasn’t. Thank you.

Jump List:

How to use Windows 7 Jump List

Perhaps not so much of a secret for most, several related shortcuts appear on the taskbar upon right-clicking on the several taskbar icons on display. This, in turn, is Jump List. We do acknowledge that there have been some very obvious aesthetic changes made to the takbar, the jump list seems to be more of a plausible feat that Windows 7 has been able to manage. So then, just right-click on any icon on the taskbar and there you have it. Feel free to move between icons and watch the many shortcuts pop up before you to help you out ofcourse.

Windows 7 Library:

Windows 7 Library

This is user-friendliness at its best, we would say. The new library collects all the media of your choice in a single place without moving the files. That certainly eases some nerves and allows multimedia lovers to organize their files in a fashion that suits them best without losing a thing. So, say good bye to all the hassle of having to locate all scattered media across the hard drive and enjoy a hassle-free experience in the real sense.

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Some Common Windows Shortcuts

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Getting familiar with some common Windows shortcuts not only helps you speed up at your work, but also be more efficient. If you spend most of your time on Windows, here are some common Windows shortcuts you might want to check out and use the ones that can be most handy for your windows-time.

Common Windows Shortcuts and Combinations

F1 Help (support) menu

F2 Rename the selected item

F3 Search for a file or folder

F4 Displays Address bar in My Computer or Windows Explorer

F5 Refreshes the current screen (or desktop elements)

F6 Cycles through items on the explorer screen or desktop (More like tab)

F10 Activates menu bar in the current active program

F10+Shift (works like Right Click) opens the context menu of the selected item

 

CTRL+A Select All

CTRL+C copies text

CTRL+F Find operation

CTRL+N New browser Windows (same for Google Chrome)

CTRL+O opens window (or document)

CTRL+P Print operation

CTRL+S Save operation

CTRL+V Paste operation

CTRL+W closes window (or document)

CTRL+X cuts text

CTRL+Y Redo

CTRL+Z Undo

CTRL+ESCAPE displays the Start menu (same as Win key)

 

ALT+F4 quits a program/close a window

ALT+TAB Cycles through open windows

ALT+TAB+SHIFT Cycles through open windows in backward


TAB Tabs forward through a form/window screen
SHIFT+TAB Tab backwards through a form / window screen

 

Microsoft Win key shortcuts

Win displays (or hide) the Start Menu

Win+D shows Desktop and toggles back to current screen

Win+M minimizes all windows

Win+Shift+M restores all minimized windows

Win+E opens My Computer

Win+F search File or a Folder

Win+L locks the keyboard

Win+R shows Run dialog box

Win+U opens Utility Manager

CTRL+Win+F finds computers in the Active Directory

Win+BREAK opens System Properties Dialog Box

Win+HOME minimizes all but the current window

 

Internet Explorer Navigation Shortcuts

CTRL+B opens the Organize Favorites dialog box

CTRL+E opens Search bar

CTRL+F opens FIND utility

CTRL+H opens History bar

CTRL+I Favorites bar

CTRL+L (or CTRL+O) shows Open dialog box

CTRL+P starts Print dialog box

CTRL+R updates current web screen

CTRL+W closes the current window/screen

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Troubleshooting: Some Common Windows Error Messages

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Microsoft apparently made Windows error messages in a way to keep the user in utter confusion about what the actual error is. Why not use simple English, MS? This article will focus on few of the most common Windows error messages and also will suggest you about troubleshooting.

Though it’s not a promise that the solutions stated here will work always, some times you can simply skip the problem and go ahead with computing. Other times it could be a serious glitch that needs to be solved before moving forward. You must always wait for at least a few minutes if the problem freezes the Windows screen, next step could be power switch turn-off and then, may Microsoft save us, a complete format could be required as well.

The notorious “Blue Screen of Death” is an error message that sounds fatal but it doesn’t cause a Windows crash all the time. E.g. Some message like “Error reading pen drive” might appear on a blue screen but is not fatal.

Whenever there is an XX in any error message, try to see what it represents: program name initials, error number or something else?

Troubleshoot Windows Error Messages

Error Message: “A fatal exception XX has occurred at 00456:000045B1″ 

Fatal errors can be really nasty, causing system crash, data loss and much more. When fatal error message pops-up and if you can still use Windows (doesn’t happen normally) then save your programs and shut down. Other options are to forcibly shutting down with Ctrl+Alt+Delete and when that doesn’t work too then a manual switch off with Power button.

Error Message: “A file being copied is older than the file already on your computer”

This message appears when you’re installing an older version of hardware device driver or some application than the one you already have on your Windows. Select Yes to Skip to keep the newer version intact. If for some reason you wish to have older version than back up the newer files, uninstall and then re-install the older copy.

Error Message: “Warning: Windows has detected a Registry/Configuration error. Choose Safe Mode to start Windows with minimal set of drivers.”

Registry is a very important database on your operating system that keeps track of all your hardware/software information on the Windows. You can’t neglect this error message as a clean registry is very important for your Windows.  Just follow the error message prompts in safe mode and let the Windows restore the registry from archived copies back up. If restore finishes successfully you can reboot Windows and that’s it. But if it doesn’t solve the registry problems then you might need to re-install your Windows.

Error Message: “Missing Shortcut: Windows is searching for XX. To locate the file yourself, click Browse.”

XX is the file name that you’re trying access with a shortcut. The file has either been deleted or moved to some other place. Click on that shortcut, go to properties, and then select shortcut tab. The Target line shows the file linked with this shortcut. Click Start, find and then click on Files and Folders. Enter the file name and search in all the directories. If the file appears up, create a new shortcut to point to the valid file path. And if you’re unable to find the file then you might need to re-install the copy that specific application.

Error Message: “This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down. If the problem persists, contact the program vendor.”

The particular program is crashing because of some destabilizing error. It is difficult to determine if the program itself or some other application is creating the error. And as per Microsoft’s rule of hiding error’s sanity from a non-programmer user, here too you’ll find some nasty codes when you click on Error Details. But  still you can note down the error code number or .dll file name to google it. The easy way out is to save files, reboot and hope that it doesn’t appear again. Or you can find the details of that particular code, try to search the dll in directory and see if there is some issue in version or at least get the technical assistance number to contact for the solution.

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