1. Problem Steps Recorder
As the local PC guru you're probably very used to friends and family asking for help with their computer problems, yet having no idea how to clearly describe what's going on. It's frustrating, but Microsoft feels your pain, and Windows 7 will include an excellent new solution in the Problem Steps Recorder.
When any app starts misbehaving under Windows 7 then all your friends need do is click Start, type PSR and press Enter, then click Start Record. If they then work through whatever they're doing then the Problem Steps Recorder will record every click and keypress, take screen grabs, and package everything up into a single zipped MHTML file when they're finished, ready for emailing to you. It's quick, easy and effective, and will save you hours of troubleshooting time.
2. Burn images
Windows 7 finally introduces a feature that other operating systems have had for years - the ability to burn ISO images to CDs or DVDs. And it couldn't be much easier to use. Just double-click the ISO image, choose the drive with the blank disc, click Burn and watch as your disc is created.
3. Create and mount VHD files
Microsoft's Virtual PC creates its virtual machine hard drives in VHD files, and Windows 7 can now mount these directly so you can access them in the host system. Click Start, type diskmgmt.msc and press Enter, then click Action > Attach VHD and choose the file you'd like to mount. It will then appear as a virtual drive in Explorer and can be accessed, copied or written just like any other drive.
Click Action > Create VHD and you can now create a new virtual drive of your own (right-click it, select Initialise Disk, and after it's set up right-click the unallocated space and select New Simple Volume to set this up). Again, you'll be left with a virtual drive that behaves just like any other, where you can drag and drop files, install programs, test partitioning software or do whatever you like. But it's actually just this VHD file on your real hard drive which you can easily back up or share with others. Right-click the disk (that's the left-hand label that says "Disk 2" or whatever) and select Detach VHD to remove it.
The command line DISKPART utility has also been upgraded with tools to detach a VHD file, and an EXPAND command to increase a virtual disk's maximum size. Don't play around with this unless you know what you're doing, though - it's all too easy to trash your system.
4. Troubleshoot problems
If some part of Windows 7 is behaving strangely, and you don't know why, then click Control Panel > Find and fix problems (or 'Troubleshooting') to access the new troubleshooting packs. These are simple wizards that will resolve common problems, check your settings, clean up your system and more.
5. Startup repair
If you've downloaded Windows 7 (and even if you haven't) it's a good idea to create a system repair disc straight away in case you run into problems booting the OS later on. Click Start > Maintenance > Create a System Repair Disc, and let Windows 7 build a bootable emergency disc. If the worst does happen then it could be the only way to get your PC running again.
6. Take control
Tired of the kids installing dubious software or running applications you'd rather they left alone? AppLocker is a new Windows 7 feature that ensures users can only run the programs you specify. Don't worry, that's easier to set up than it sounds: you can create a rule to allow everything signed by a particular publisher, so choose Microsoft, say, and that one rule will let you run all signed Microsoft applications. Launch GPEDIT.MSC and go to Computer Configuration > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Application Control Policies > AppLocker to get a feel for how this works.
7. Calculate more
At first glance the Windows 7 calculator looks just like Vista's version, but explore the Mode menu and you'll see powerful new Statistics and Programmer views. And if you're clueless about bitwise manipulation, then try the Options menu instead. This offers many different unit conversions (length, weight, volume and more), date calculations (how many days between two dates?), and spreadsheet-type templates to help you calculate vehicle mileage, mortgage rates and more.
Don't take any Windows 7 applet at face value, then - there are some very powerful new features hidden in the background. Be sure to explore every option in all Windows applets to ensure you don't miss anything important.
8. Switch to a projector
Windows 7 now provides a standard way to switch your display from one monitor to another, or a projector - just press Win+P or run DisplaySwitch.exe and choose your preferred display. (This will have no effect if you've only one display connected.)
9. Get a power efficiency report
If you have a laptop, you can use the efficiency calculator to get Windows 7 to generate loads of useful information about its power consumption. Used in the right way, this can help you make huge gains in terms of battery life and performance. To do this you must open a command prompt as an administrator by typing 'cmd' in Start Search, and when the cmd icon appears, right-click it and choose Run as administrator.
Then at the command line, just type in 'powercfg -energy' (without quotes) and hit Return, and Windows 7 will scan your system looking for ways to improve power efficiency. It will then publish the results in an HTML file, usually in the System32 folder. Just follow the path it gives you to find your report.
10. Understanding System Restore
Using System Restore in previous versions of Windows has been something of a gamble. There's no way of telling which applications or drivers it might affect - you just have to try it and see.
Windows 7 is different. Right-click Computer, select Properties > System Protection > System Restore > Next, and choose the restore point you'd like to use. Click the new button to 'Scan for affected programs' and Windows will tell you which (if any) programs and drivers will be deleted or recovered by selecting this restore point. (Read our full Windows 7 System Restore tutorial.)
More tips will be posted soon, wait for them..
Monday, August 1, 2011
Saturday, July 30, 2011
My Windows 7 is slow!!!
Windows 7 Slow? Make it Fast!
Author:JasonD Webber
Windows 7 is really a pleasure to use, but it can be slow on some computers. Certainly not everyone can upgrade their computers to match an optimal Windows 7 configuration, and even top-end computers can run it slow too. Fret not, there are things you can do.
1. Switch off the Aero theme. It’s truly a waste, because Aero is what makes Windows 7 so nice to look at. However, some people don’t care much for the looks, but place their priority on performance. If this is you, you can turn off Aero by clicking on “Personalize” when you right-click on the Windows Desktop, and then choosing “Window Color”. While you’re at it, remember to turn off transparency there, then go to “Open classic appearance properties…”. By choosing another theme, Aero will be turned off. You will notice an almost immediate improvement in responsiveness.
2. Get rid of the sidebar. Personally I really dislike the sidebar, and always make it a point to remove it. Not only does it use up valuable computer resources and slows it down, it also makes my screen look cluttered. If you’re the same, feel free to do a right-click on the sidebar,” then choose Properties” and unselect “Start sidebar when Windows Starts”.
3. Get rid of unnecessary startup programs. Many software, when installed, place themselves into Windows’ startup list. This means that when Windows 7 starts up, these programs will load at the same time. This greatly increases the startup time and also uses up precious memory, slowing the computer down. To remove them, click on Start, and enter “msconfig” in the search field. Msconfig is a program that comes with Windows 7 that allows you to control what gets loaded when Windows starts.
4. Most important of all perhaps is the optimization of the Windows registry. The registry has a tendency to bloat and gets filled with invalid data after some time. Because of its importance, it is important to keep the registry optimized so as to have a good Windows performance. You can use a good registry cleaner software to do this. A registry cleaner a search the entire registry, fixing problems and optimizing it.
Author:JasonD Webber
Windows 7 is really a pleasure to use, but it can be slow on some computers. Certainly not everyone can upgrade their computers to match an optimal Windows 7 configuration, and even top-end computers can run it slow too. Fret not, there are things you can do.
1. Switch off the Aero theme. It’s truly a waste, because Aero is what makes Windows 7 so nice to look at. However, some people don’t care much for the looks, but place their priority on performance. If this is you, you can turn off Aero by clicking on “Personalize” when you right-click on the Windows Desktop, and then choosing “Window Color”. While you’re at it, remember to turn off transparency there, then go to “Open classic appearance properties…”. By choosing another theme, Aero will be turned off. You will notice an almost immediate improvement in responsiveness.
2. Get rid of the sidebar. Personally I really dislike the sidebar, and always make it a point to remove it. Not only does it use up valuable computer resources and slows it down, it also makes my screen look cluttered. If you’re the same, feel free to do a right-click on the sidebar,” then choose Properties” and unselect “Start sidebar when Windows Starts”.
3. Get rid of unnecessary startup programs. Many software, when installed, place themselves into Windows’ startup list. This means that when Windows 7 starts up, these programs will load at the same time. This greatly increases the startup time and also uses up precious memory, slowing the computer down. To remove them, click on Start, and enter “msconfig” in the search field. Msconfig is a program that comes with Windows 7 that allows you to control what gets loaded when Windows starts.
4. Most important of all perhaps is the optimization of the Windows registry. The registry has a tendency to bloat and gets filled with invalid data after some time. Because of its importance, it is important to keep the registry optimized so as to have a good Windows performance. You can use a good registry cleaner software to do this. A registry cleaner a search the entire registry, fixing problems and optimizing it.
Windows 7 is good
My Favorite Windows 7 Tips – So Far
Author:Richard Weston
I have been using Windows 7 Ultimate now for about 3 weeks on my main work computer, and so far, I love it. It’s fast, stable and has a lot of very cool new features. The new task bar is just great, it makes it real easy to switch between applications when you keep several open at once like I do. I have started to discover a few tips and tricks to help me get the most from Windows 7, and I thought I would share some of my favorites with you.
Problem Steps Recorder – Having no idea how to clearly describe what’s going on when your computer acts up to your support guru is frustrating, but Microsoft is willing to help. Windows 7 includes an excellent new solution in the Problem Steps Recorder.
When any application starts misbehaving under Windows 7 then all you need to do is click Start, type PSR and press Enter, then click Start Record. Work through whatever you’ve been doing and Problem Steps Recorder will record every click and key press, take screen grabs, and package everything up into a single zipped MHTML file when they’re finished, ready for emailing to your favorite geek. It’s quick, easy and effective, and will save you and your geek hours of troubleshooting time.
Switch to a projector – Windows 7 now provides a standard way to switch your display from one monitor to another, or a projector. Just press Win+ and choose your preferred display. (This will have no effect if you’ve only one display connected.) Especially handy when using a laptop to give a presentation.
Right-click everything – At first glance Windows 7 bears a striking resemblance to Vista, but there’s an easy way to begin spotting the differences – just right-click things. Right-click an empty part of the desktop, for instance, and you’ll find a menu entry to set your screen resolution. No need to go browsing through the display settings any more. Right-click the Explorer icon on the task bar for speedy access to common system folders: Documents, Pictures, the Windows folder, and more.
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Minimize quickly with shake – If you have multiple windows open on your desktop and things are getting too cluttered, it used to be a time-consuming process to close them all down. In Windows 7 you can use the Aero Shake feature to minimise everything in seconds, using a cool mouse gesture. Grab the title bar of the window you wish to keep open and give it a shake, and rejoice in a clear desktop area.
Jump Lists – Right click on a program icon on your task bar, and it displays not only an open this program and unpin command, but a list of the most recent files opened in the program. Select one and it opens the program with that file open in one click. No more File, Open, Browse! The jump list for IE displays a list of the most often visited sites so you can open them in one click as well.
Create folder favorites – If you’re regularly working on the same folder in Explorer then select it in the right-hand page, right-click Favorites on the left-hand menu, and select Add to Favorites. It’ll then appear at the bottom of the favorites list for easy one-click access later.
Libraries – Another method of quickly browsing to specific places in your file structure are libraries. By default, Windows 7 comes with a documents, music, pictures and video library. You can create your own (like customers) by right clicking the left pane where it says Libraries and selecting New -> Library. Once there, right click the new library and select properties, include a folder and click OK. You may also add multiple folders to a library as well as optimize it for certain file types.
Window management – you can “dock” a window to the left or right half of the screen by simply dragging it to the edge; similarly, you can drag the window to the top of the screen to maximize it, and double-click the window top / bottom border to maximize it vertically with the same horizontal width. This is invaluable if you frequently have 2 documents open side by side while working (like I do). These actions are also available with keyboard shortcuts:
Win+Left Arrow and Win+Right Arrow dock;
Win+Up Arrow and Win+Down Arrow maximizes and restores / minimizes;
Win+Shift+Up Arrow and Win+Shift+Down Arrow maximizes and restores the vertical size.
This side-by-side docking feature is particularly invaluable on wide screen monitors – it makes the old Windows way of shift-clicking on two items in the task bar and then using the context menu to arrange them feel really painful.
These are some of the tips I’ve found most useful so far on my Windows 7 adventure. What are some tips you’ve discovered? Are you looking for an easier way to do something? Let me know and I’ll share them in a future article.
Author:Richard Weston
I have been using Windows 7 Ultimate now for about 3 weeks on my main work computer, and so far, I love it. It’s fast, stable and has a lot of very cool new features. The new task bar is just great, it makes it real easy to switch between applications when you keep several open at once like I do. I have started to discover a few tips and tricks to help me get the most from Windows 7, and I thought I would share some of my favorites with you.
Problem Steps Recorder – Having no idea how to clearly describe what’s going on when your computer acts up to your support guru is frustrating, but Microsoft is willing to help. Windows 7 includes an excellent new solution in the Problem Steps Recorder.
When any application starts misbehaving under Windows 7 then all you need to do is click Start, type PSR and press Enter, then click Start Record. Work through whatever you’ve been doing and Problem Steps Recorder will record every click and key press, take screen grabs, and package everything up into a single zipped MHTML file when they’re finished, ready for emailing to your favorite geek. It’s quick, easy and effective, and will save you and your geek hours of troubleshooting time.
Switch to a projector – Windows 7 now provides a standard way to switch your display from one monitor to another, or a projector. Just press Win+ and choose your preferred display. (This will have no effect if you’ve only one display connected.) Especially handy when using a laptop to give a presentation.
Right-click everything – At first glance Windows 7 bears a striking resemblance to Vista, but there’s an easy way to begin spotting the differences – just right-click things. Right-click an empty part of the desktop, for instance, and you’ll find a menu entry to set your screen resolution. No need to go browsing through the display settings any more. Right-click the Explorer icon on the task bar for speedy access to common system folders: Documents, Pictures, the Windows folder, and more.
]]>
Minimize quickly with shake – If you have multiple windows open on your desktop and things are getting too cluttered, it used to be a time-consuming process to close them all down. In Windows 7 you can use the Aero Shake feature to minimise everything in seconds, using a cool mouse gesture. Grab the title bar of the window you wish to keep open and give it a shake, and rejoice in a clear desktop area.
Jump Lists – Right click on a program icon on your task bar, and it displays not only an open this program and unpin command, but a list of the most recent files opened in the program. Select one and it opens the program with that file open in one click. No more File, Open, Browse! The jump list for IE displays a list of the most often visited sites so you can open them in one click as well.
Create folder favorites – If you’re regularly working on the same folder in Explorer then select it in the right-hand page, right-click Favorites on the left-hand menu, and select Add to Favorites. It’ll then appear at the bottom of the favorites list for easy one-click access later.
Libraries – Another method of quickly browsing to specific places in your file structure are libraries. By default, Windows 7 comes with a documents, music, pictures and video library. You can create your own (like customers) by right clicking the left pane where it says Libraries and selecting New -> Library. Once there, right click the new library and select properties, include a folder and click OK. You may also add multiple folders to a library as well as optimize it for certain file types.
Window management – you can “dock” a window to the left or right half of the screen by simply dragging it to the edge; similarly, you can drag the window to the top of the screen to maximize it, and double-click the window top / bottom border to maximize it vertically with the same horizontal width. This is invaluable if you frequently have 2 documents open side by side while working (like I do). These actions are also available with keyboard shortcuts:
Win+Left Arrow and Win+Right Arrow dock;
Win+Up Arrow and Win+Down Arrow maximizes and restores / minimizes;
Win+Shift+Up Arrow and Win+Shift+Down Arrow maximizes and restores the vertical size.
This side-by-side docking feature is particularly invaluable on wide screen monitors – it makes the old Windows way of shift-clicking on two items in the task bar and then using the context menu to arrange them feel really painful.
These are some of the tips I’ve found most useful so far on my Windows 7 adventure. What are some tips you’ve discovered? Are you looking for an easier way to do something? Let me know and I’ll share them in a future article.
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