The Windows Fix » Microsoft

Get an Overview of Windows Shortcut Keys with ActiveHotKeys

T.J. Mininday — Sat, 16 May 2009 13:46:17 +0000

Most people don’t know it, but there are dozens and dozens of Windows shortcut/hotkeys out there for you to use. Whether it be using the Win, Ctrl, Alt or Shift, there are plenty to choose from. The issue that most have with it though, is that none of us really know what they are and some of us want to create our own with the available ones.

ActiveHotKeys is a simple and free application that can give you a quick and easy overview of your entire plethora of shortcut keys. Whether it be a couple key strokes with the Win key, or a few with Ctrl-Alt-Shift, this application will display them all and help you take advantage of the ones that you’re not using on a regular basis.

This program does not however list what particular application a shortcut key may be registered for, and it also does not allow you to create your own. It’s a just an easy way to get a quick look at the ones that you can presently take advantage of.

via Elite Freeware

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A Simple View of Windows Programs Auto Starting

T.J. Mininday — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 03:46:48 +0000

There are several different places that Windows looks to find programs starting automatically. There’s a couple of different places in the registry, services and of course the Windows Start-Up folder. You can of course modify these files and registry entries manually, but you can also do it with built-in Windows apps such as MSCONFIG. These still aren’t quite as easy as programs such as AutoStart Explorer though.

AutoStart Explorer is a simplified view of all the items that start in one for or another on your Windows machine. You can not only view all of these items, but also have the ability to modify them as you please, retrieving those always needed system resources.

AutoStart Explorer – via Life Rocks 2.0

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Windows Quick Tip #3 – Add Google Search to Right-Click IE Menu

T.J. Mininday — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 03:14:12 +0000

I rarely use Internet Explorer, but there are certain situations that I still have to, and I find myself right-clicking sections of text all of the time to search Google for something on a certain website. Firefox has this built-in ability, IE does not. Winhelponline has found a simple and quick fix to adding such capability to the right-click menu in Internet Explorer 7 and 8.

1. Download google.zip and extract the files to a folder

2. Move google.htm to C:\Windows\Web directory

3. Double-click google.reg to run it

4. Open a new Internet Explorer window and select the text which you want to search using Google, right-click and then select Search with Google option. (Using the option with SHIFT key pressed, opens the Google search page in a new Internet Explorer window.)

Go there to check it out: Winhelponlineblog

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Windows Quick Tip #2 – Disable the Windows Error Report

T.J. Mininday — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 16:39:22 +0000

One of the most usesless features that Microsoft implemented into their operating systems, is their error reporting. I still get the question almost daily, asking whether or not they should or should “send the error report”. Supposedly Microsoft accumulates these errors into database and references them for future fixes and releases. How many of you think they actually do such?

If they did, the count would likely be in the billions. Most of us who work on computers on a daily basis, probably see this pop-up 5-10 times/day.

That’s why I’m teaching you how easy it is to disable it.

The instructions below are for both XP and Vista:

Windows XP
START>Right-Click on MY COMPUTER>PROPERTIES>ADVANCED>ERROR REPORTING>DISABLE ERROR REPORTING

Windows Vista
START>Search for and click “Problem Reports”>CHANGE SETTINGS>ADVANCED SETTINGS>Select OFF

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Remove Factory Installed Software with PC Decrapifier

T.J. Mininday — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 14:00:10 +0000

The major problem with buying a new PC at discount prices from your Best Buy, Dell, and HPs of the world that although they do come at a reduced cost, they do come LOADED with junkware. Trial Office, AntiVirus, Cheap ISPs and added security features, just to name a few. Removing these features typically is accomplished by going to Add/Remove Programs in the control panel and removing one-by-one. Fortunately however, there is an all-in-one solution called PC Decrapifier.

PC Decrapifier is essentially an uninstaller that detects junkware that is installed on your factory built laptop or desktop. It runs a quick detection process on your PC, determines what is and what isn’t needed, and then displays what can be removed.

After you select what you’d like to remove, it runs the uninstaller for each and every specified application, one-by-one, making your machine squeaky clean and diverting you from formatting the machine completely.

The program is update every few months with new applications to remove, and it is continuously monitoring what items are being consistently uninstalled, display it on their website.

PC Decrapifier

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Windows Quick Tip #1: Make “No” Equal “No To All” During Copy/Paste

T.J. Mininday — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 04:30:19 +0000

Periodically, and maybe even daily at some point I’m going to be bring Windows Tip and Tricks from Windows XP, Vista, 7 and even Server 2003. Today, I’m going be giving you a tip that will work in all versions.

When using the copy/cut and paste utility in Windows, the “Yes To All” option to paste over the top of a particular is quite useful. A nice addition so that you don’t have to click each and every file as it goes through the process. However, it would be nice to be able to have a “No to All” option as well.

The fact is that although there isn’t a “No To All” key, you can get this effect by simply holding down the SHIFT button and clicking No.

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Discover File Extensions and Freeware to Open them on Openwith.org

T.J. Mininday — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 03:23:39 +0000

Discovering files that you cannot open can be a real annoyance. Whether you have downloaded it, received it via e-mail or found it on your company’s network, discovering an unknown extension typically leads you straight to Google. There are a lot of file extension sites out there, but none quite like this.

OpenWith.org is a simple online and offline application that can quickly find whatever extension that you are searching for and not only tell you what program it’s typically used for, but also free apps that will open them as well. Trying to find a conversion tool or combing for a free alternative has never been any easier.

In the below screenshot, you’ll see that I looked up the popular Powerpoint Presentation Extension, PPT. It has given me not just one, but two free options to opening this file type.

Openwith.org

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Backup and Monitor the Windows Registry with SpyMe Tools

T.J. Mininday — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 21:44:42 +0000

Any time a new installation is needed on any version of Windows, people tend to hold their breath or cross their fingers, hoping that it won’t screw up their computer. And as we all know, malware can really screw up your system as well, especially when it does so without your knowledge. It would be nice to see any modifications made to a system in real-time. SpyMe Tools does just that.

SpyMe Tools is an application to monitor any registry and disk changes to the system. If anything is installed your PC, SpyMe is able to detect such modifications. Which can become particularly handy when it comes to adware, spyware and just about every other file change at any given point and time.

They do this by constantly looking for changes in your computer and “dumping” them during the various states that it is in. The type of procedure it uses, also makes it work very well for registry backup purposes as well. The dump files are encrypted so that any authorized access cannot look at the specific changes made to the system.

SpyMe Tools

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Password Protect any Windows Folder from Anyone

T.J. Mininday — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 03:49:21 +0000

Protecting confidential data is highly important in today’s world. In a life scammers, identity thieves and many other crooks. The built-in security in Windows sometimes just isn’t enough protection when it comes to protecting tax documents and confidential data. If your PC is left on and someone wants to walk in and peruse your folders, it can easily be done. Having password protection on folders even against the administrator account is necessary.

My Lockbox can password protect any folder from any user account on your computer. It has the ability to require a password from even the administrator and even in safe mode. Almost any folder can be protected.

As you can see above, protecting folders is as simple as browsing to its location, selecting it, and setting your password of choice.

Just another added piece of security, in a every growing insecure world.

My Lockbox

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A Tabbed Windows Explorer Called SurF

T.J. Mininday — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 08:01:45 +0000

One of the most important and definitely most favorite items that came along with Firefox is tabbed browsing. The ability to open multiple websites without cluttering you taskbar and completely confusing yourself, made life much easier. Granted, Firefox wasn’t the first to do so. The first application that you and I probably first saw it in, was Microsoft Excel. Now several years later, we’re beginning to see it in most every app, including Windows Explorer.

SurF is a free Windows program that uses a pyramid tab style for opening Windows Explorer. You’ll get a better idea in the screenshot below, but essentially, it makes for MUCH easier browsing of Windows directories on your PC. Instead of manually browsing or entering the address of folder locations, you can simply click to where you are going in the pyramid.

Along with the pyramid style of browsing, for each different directory that you open, you begin seeing multiple tabs for each of these locations. The below screenshot has a couple of different locations, each with their separate pyramid for navigation.

It’s a very simple and free alternative to Windows Explorer. It may not be as advanced as other Explorer alternatives, but it gets the job done in a much easier and better fashion.

SurF

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