... but Windows Vista by default shows only processes from current user. You can click "Show processes from all users" button to see all processes in the system - there are naturally more of them than on XP, which results in more resources being used by the OS.
Windows vista has also an additional "Services" tab. There is really a lot of services running on Vista.
Actually Windows Vista can eat up few percent of your CPU power even when "doing nothing". It also consumes significantly more system memory (see below).
One of the most neglected tasks in Windows Vista (or any other Windows version for that matter) is running Disk Cleanup. As the name implies, Disk Cleanup cleans out your Temporary Files folder and all other trash (not to be confused with the Recycle Bin) that’s scattered throughout your system.
To run Disk Cleanup, you can go to your Start Menu > Program Files > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Cleanup. You then select the drive you want to clean up - which is usually your boot drive, or C: - and then check the sections you want cleared of digital debris. Another way is to type ‘cleanmgr’ into your Run box in the Start Menu to take you directly to Disk Cleanup.
After this you can enjoy a faster boot and general speed as well.
The leakage of screen shots of the much rumored upcoming replacement for Windows 6.0 or Vista is raising speculation on Microsoft’s drive to re-gain ground due to their many commercial mistakes from the ill-performance of Vista which failed to get more than enough support from the many skeptical XP users. Called too nosy, too complicated and more, Vista has angered a lot of users that most had to revert back to XP which has reached ideal stability that was the status of Win98 when they pulled the plug when XP was introduced. They have been criticized a lot for the move but the resistance was short lived when they worked hard enough to get it downright stable enough to satisfy their customers. Read the rest of this entry »
If you’re using Windows Vista on your PC, you’re bound to get frustrated from time to time about how slow the menus seem to be. It’s a good thing then,that we were able to find an article on how to speed this thing up!
A simple registry tweak will allow you to speed up the menu. First load the registry editor by launching regedit from the Run menu (Press WINDOWS KEY + R to access the run menu).
Then, navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop in the side panel, then right click on MenuShowDelay and select Modify.
Now, enter the menu delay time in milliseconds (1 is near instant, do not enter 0!) and press OK
Once you have restarted your menus will slide at near instant speeds. The default setting is 400 should you wish to restore the default menu setting.
Image Source: images.pcworld.com
There is a cool feature in Microsoft’s latest operating system that i truly like . It provides a safe and easy way to transfer files and other important documents to another computer. It works very well. Just also be reminded not to expect to much from this service. Because first of all, it was created to at least alleviate our situation when we need transfer data from one device to another. Its a simple but effective tool for this kind of task. It works good most especially when the two PCs are connected and that the other PC also is running on Windows Vista. Usb cable will do, actually. But if you know how to connect it through a network, that’s much better. Easy transfer can only pick up data files and some Windows registry entries, nothing so complicated. So don’t expect to work miracles for you.
Image Source: media.bestofmicro.com
The Backup and Restore Center which is packaged with Windows Vista is an excellent tool, which allows you to backup and restore critical files or image of your OS.
How to launch the utility “Back up and Restore Center”.
How to Back Up files
Click Backup Files and follow the prompt or directions that pops up on the screen. Select the directories and the specific files you want to backup. Then look for a prefered place to store the backed up files. Ideally it is best to put it on an external hard drive or a DVD.
How to Restore Files
Simply launch the Backup and Restore Center application and select Restore Files. Insert the DVD or external hard drive and look for the back up file and simply follow the prompt which will appear on the screen.
Back Up the Registry
Sometimes when you tweak your PC, you unknowingly change registry values. This sometimes causes failure of functionalities within your operating system. So we need to back up the registry as well.
Image Source:mydigitallife.info
Getting used to a new operating system is, but there are tips and tricks so you can learn it, making transition a lot easier. We use the Menu Bar all the time. This is the bar across the top of most program windows that includes items like; File, Edit, View, Tools, Insert, Help, etc. In Windows Vista, the menu bar is not visible in most windows. I find this very frustrating because I am always changing some settings using those menus.
If you are using Vista and you need to make a change or two, and taht is or was available in the menu bar, you can make the menu bar temporarily visible in Vista just by pressing the “Alt” key on your keyboard.
Try it now, following these steps:
So there you have it. One more mystery of the Unknown… SOLVED!
Image Source: www.beans.seartipy.com
The first thing you will want to do is to run your Windows update. Download and install all updates. If you disabled the automatic option for some basis it is a good idea to leave it enabled, this way you stay on top of all your updates routinely. Next you will want to do general maintenance on your computer. Begin by running the cleanup program on your hard drive.
After that make sure you do not have a virus or spyware running in the background. Some spyware infections can use take over a lot of your computer’s memory, leaving little for operating the programs you want to use. You can turn off Vistas eye candy and other options that you really don’t need. You can always turn them back on later on if they do not resolve your problem. While they look pleasant they exploit a lot of memory and other resources. Go to my computer, right-click and select properties. Go to the advanced tab and under preforming settings you can select adjust for best performance.
The most common reason for program crashes is because of registry errors. Like most people you have probably tried to install older programs on Vista there were not compatible and then uninstalled them. The problem is that most uninstall programs do not do a complete job. They leave behind registry keys and entries. Over time your registry becomes full or corrupted. Improper shutdowns, viruses, spyware, and corrupt software will also harm your registry resulting in program crashes.
Let’s tweak Firefox first…
On the Firefox Address bar: type about:config
this is very easy takes about 5 minutes
Search for these values :
“network.http.pipelining” — set the value to true
“network.http.proxy.pipelining” – set the value to true
“network.http.pipelining.maxrequests” – set the value to 8
“plugin.expose_full_path” – set the value to true
“nglayout.initialpaint.delay” — set the value to 0
“network.http.max-connections” — set the value to 48
“network.http.max-connections-per-server” — set the value to 16
“network.http.max-persistent-connections-per-proxy” — set the value to 16
“network.http.max-persistent-connections-per-server” — set the value to 8
“browser.cache.memory.capacity” — set the value to 65536
Restart Firefox, and its done.
Next stop : Speeding up Internet Explorer 7
I rarely use IE7… but oh well since were talking about speeding both browser I’ll just have to make an exception… for the sake of tweaking and optimizing galore…
Prepare to fire up your Registry Editor.
Click Start -> run type ‘regedit’ or Windows key + R then type ‘regedit’
Speed up IE7 page loading especially on multiple tabs and look for this key
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings]
“MaxConnectionsPerServer”= Changed it to dword:00000010
“MaxConnectionsPer1_0Server”=Changed it to dword:0000010
Exit ‘regedit’… no need to restart just Log off then login again… now prepare to enjoy fast browser with little effort on your part. hehehe!!!!and without using third party softwares…
Looking through the Windows Start menu could give you a headache if you have dozens of applications installed on your computer and you go from one arrow to the next looking for that elusive program. Vista Start Menu makes it easier to find what you need. Users have been impressed with the interface, which is better than the regular Windows menu. Program shortcuts don’t move around. There is keyboard support and zoom, resizing and tabs, power buttons and scrolling. Plus, new programs are highlighted so you find where they are. The Pro version has additional menu customization and one-click launch, which reminds you of the days when Windows was actually simple.
You can get almost anything free online these days, including these impressive 3D software that give an added dimension to your screen or artwork.
DAZ Studio 2.2.2.15 from DAZ 3D is more stable than its previous releases. It features Lip-Sync to integrate sound files from Mimic. It also provides the new Smoothing Angle and the added your favorite tools to the morph panel.
Blender Foundation’s open-source Blender 2.46 gives you all the tools you need to become a 3D animator. Like DAZ Studio above, this is a bug-fixing release, with added features such as cloth and fur simulation, shading, glossy reflection and refraction, soft shadows, improved rendering features, amongst others.
Screens from download.com
If you have Windows Vista and have tried pressing Ctrl + Alt + Delete keys, to bring up the task manager, it will not work. You will be logged out first and then given a menu of choices. Of course you can choose to open the windows vista task manger from there, however why go to all that trouble.
In Windows XP it was easy to get to the task manger by just pressing Ctrl Alt and Delete keys on the keyboard. You would be taken straight to the task manager, and not logged out to get there. In Windows Vista you can now press Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys to get directly to task manager.
I would love to know why they have changed it?
Windows Vista Task Manager
The Windows notification area is the most frequently used part of the desktop taskbar. It keeps you up to date with whats going on on your computer by animated icons that occassionally poup with messages for you. A great example is when there are Windows updates ready for your computer or if your laptop battery is running low.
The notification area also holds the volume control icon, the time, and any other program icons that are enabled to show there. You can change the settings for a program icon to Hide when inactive, Always hide, or Always show. This allows you to remove annoying icons and just keep the important ones.
What are the most common icons that appear in the Windows Vista notification area?
How to add or remove icons in the notification area in Windows Vista
Watch this video tutorial to see more details..
If you can’t handle the new Windows Vista start menu, and you cannot seem to find what you want, then don’t pannic. You have two choices for a start menu in Windows Vista. If you have Windows Vista you would have seen the default start menu. It seems a little confusing after dealing with Windows XP
Classic Windows Vista menu
Here’s how to change the Windows Vista start menu to a classic menu.
Start menu properties
Having used Windows Xp for what seems like forever, adapting to the changes in Windows Vista was a big task for me. Even though I am very familar with Windows XP and Vista seemed to be similar, it didn’t turn out to be afterall.
One of the features that was left out by default in Windows Vista was the good old run box link in the start menu. It was a complete delema for about 5 minutes in total. I supose its means nothing to the average computer user, however to the computer geek, freek, addicted person, it does.
Watch this video tutorial on how to put back the run box link in your Windows Vista Start menu.
Here is how to put a run command shortcut on your start menu in Windows Vista:
Right click on a blank space in your taskbar
Go to the start menu tab
Press on the customize button
Then scroll down near the bottom and tick the box next to run command
Press OK and then apply
I found these fantastic wallpapers on the internet and it was love at first sight. There must be millions of free wallpapers out there to download, however it takes time to find a vistalicious one. You can’t just put any old wallpaper onto a flash computer running Windows Vista!
I have been searching for a few decent wallpapers for a change of scenery and surprisingly enough I have found about 20 that pass the test. I will be adding them to the site soon.
They are not exactly just for Windows Vista, they will also work for Windows XP, unfortunately. LOL.
Here’s how to grab these Windows wallpapers for yourself:
You know that annoying message that keeps coming up asking you to cancel or allow your actions, well this is the user account control in Windows Vista. I really do not understand why it is there, because you can still press allow and stuff your computer up very easily. I just think its an annoying message and I always turn it off in Windows Vista.
All you have to do is tick or untick a box and the UAC (user account conrol will be turned off.
Watch this easy video tutorial showing how to turn off the UAC.
If your Email provider did not give you a setup disc you can setup a Windows Mail account manually as long as you have the settings available;
What you need to setup an account in Windows Mail:
Watch this video below to see how to add an email account to Windows Mail.
Adding people to your contact list in Windows Mail is pretty much exactly like Outlook Express in Windows XP. However there is an Extra Windows Mail tip for you.
Here are a few different ways to add a contact to your address book in Windows Mail.
Add a sender to your contact list
Add all email addresses that came with the email
Also watch this video tutorial on how to add a contact to your address book in Windows mail.
You don’t always have to double click on icons, files, and folders to open them. You can customize your mouseclick to suit your needs. I personally like to dispose of the double clicking and choose single click with underlining. So when you move your mouse over a filename or folder it will become underlined and makes it very clear that you are about to click on it.
How to change mouse clicking from double click to single click in Windows Vista.
Watch this video tutorial to see an example of the different types of single click options in Windows Vista.
In the old days of Windows XP we had Windows flip, which switched through open applications on your computer when you pressed the WinKEY and the TAB key. Now in Windows VIsta you can still do this, however now it also has Windows Vista 3D flip.
What is the Windows Vista Flip3D?
Well if you have any version above Windows Vista Basic you will probably know what Windows Flip 3D is. It is a fantastic way to browse through your open applications on Windows Vista. The thumnail windows glide past you as you scroll through them to make your choice of which program to open. If you are into bells, whistles and cool tweaks, Windows Flip 3D is for you.
Now because this is all such a smooth process, it is annoying when you have to actually go and click on a shortcut icon on your taskbar to get Windows Vista Flip 3D to start. This is why you need a free program called Windows Vista Flip 3D activator. You simply download it, install it, and set it to open Windows Vista Flip 3D as soon as you go to a particular corner of the screen.
If you go to http://notj.net/flip3d/windows_vista_flip_3d_activator.html you can see more information on this program. Also see the video tutorial below to see Windows Flip 3D Activator in action.
To see how to disable Windows Vista Flip 3D see this article http://www.winvistaclub.com/t191.html
Just say you accidentally delete the Windows Vista Flip 3D icon and then realise that you cannot find the program to create another icon. Well there is no need to panic as it is easily fixed. There are two detailed steps to restore your Flip 3D icon to your desktop or quick launch toolbar on the taskbar.
Step 1 : Create a desktop shortcut that opens the Windows Vista Flip 3D application
Now when you double press on this icon it will start Flip 3D.
Step 2 : Change the icon to a proper Windows Vista Flip 3D icon
Please watch the video tutorial below to see more details.
Windows Vista has a sidebar that can be enabled that holds cool gadgets to help you through the day. It could be a notepad to write notes, a clock, the local weather, and so much more. If you haven’t enabled the Windows Vista sidebar and added gadgets to it, seriously, you should give it a go.
How to enable the Windows Vista Sidebar Gadgets:
How to download or install more gadgets:
To install or browse through all Vista gadgets that are available you can go to http://gallery.microsoft.com/vista/SideBar.aspx. If you have a genuine Windows Vista program then they are yours to download free.
Also when you have the Sidebar installed on your desktop there is a plus sign at the top. Double click on this to open the window pictured below. You can click on any of the gadgets here to install them to your desktop. If you want to download more click on get more gadgets online.
Windows Vista Free Gadgets
Aero Flip 3D in Windows Vista is very cool if you have it, however if you do not, there is a free program called Rocketdock that gives you the same convienience and feel. The screenshot below does not give it justice because you cannot see the icons glide out when you mouse over them.
If you have Windows XP or Windows Vista Home Basic you can download this program and almost pretend that you have cool graphics like Vista Aero Flip 3D. This is a really cool program that resembles the dock that is used on a mac computer.
Rocketdock screenshot - icon browser
In the settings you can move the Rocketdock to the top, right, left, or bottom of the screen. You can also drag icons onto it and remove them by right clicking on the icon and choosing to delete the item. There are also loads of themes to choose from.
I have tested this program on a Windows Vista Home Premium and Windows XP Professional and it worked flawlessly. Oh yeah… Did I mention it was free! And there are no nagging popups or spyware, the developers politely ask for a donation if you like the program.
Rocketdock features
Download Rocketdock from http://rocketdock.com/downloadis
Please note that Windows XP x64 Edition, Windows Vista 64-bit Editions, and alternate shells are not supported.
In the old days of Windows XP we had Windows flip, which switched through open applications on your computer when you pressed the WINKEY and the TAB key. Now in Windows Vista you can still do this, however now it has Windows Vista flip 3D. This is one of the new features that comes with Windows Vista Aero.
Window Vista 3D Flip animates the entire idea of flipping through open applications. The open programs actually glide past you on your desktop in a cascading style, moving as you move the scroll wheel on your mouse. Then, conveniently you can click on any window in the line to open it fully to work on. You do not even have to click on the open application that is at the front of the line.
To use Windows Vista Aero Flip 3D you will need:
The great thing is that if you have a video playing or a game running, it will continue to do so while lined up behind other programs. The video keeps playing. A good way to test this is to put yourself on your webcam and wave to yourlsef when using aero flip 3D. You will be able to see yourslef moving even though the size of the window has been reduced.
Windows Vista Aero Flip 3D
Old habbits die hard! And this is exactly why we need to bring back the old style classic menu when using Windows Vista Explorer. There are menu items that are hiding from us. I am talking about the file, edit, tools, view, and help menu that was on every explorer window in XP.
This classic menu enables you to change important settings such as folder options, which in itself has at least 30 settings alone.
Here’s how to show the classic old style menu (file, edit, tools, and view)
This is just a temporary fix because the classic menu will not stay there. Next time you go to m computer or documents, you will have to press Alt again.
To get the classic menu to stay in Windows Vista Explorer you need to:
Watch this video tutorial below to see more details.
If you are using Microsoft word 2007 you will notice that it is considerably different to the old word 2003. For starters the entire top menu does not look like the old one, and the menu is now called a ribbon menu. Each tab in Word 2007 is now called a ribbon. So for example, if you choose the Home ribbon you will see all the menu items that fall under this ribbon. Because of the huge difference between Word 2003 and Word 2007, we now need a whole new entire set of Word Tips and tricks to suit 2007.
Sometimes when you have a really nice wallpaper on your desktop, having desktop icons on top of it just ruins the picture. Therefore I like to remove or hide the desktop icons so you can see the whole wallpaper on your screen with no ugly icons.
Watch this video to see how to show or hide your desktop icons.
Hi guys,
I just downloaded and tried Everyday Jigsaw for Windows Vista and it is very addictive. If you love doing jigsaws then this is a free game to download. It lets you make your own jigsaw with your own pictures. There are also different jigsaws to do everyday. You will need an internet connection to get the new jigsaws everyday.
If you want to download extra jigsaws to do it will cost money. Here is a jigsaw I made with this free program.
Everday jigsaw
This is what it looked like when I started to try and do the jigsaw…Could I have picked a harder picture???
I started to do a jigsaw and totally got addicted. It is a fantastic simply game that you can download for free and works great with Windows Vista.
There is nothing worse than wanting to connect to a wireless network but not knowing if there are any available. Its ok if you have the wireless network connection icon in the notification area, however if you do not, you would even know if there was a network available. In fact there may be more than one network for you to choose from.
In Windows Vista, to see what wireless networks are available to connect to is very easy. And yes, this is probably easier than Windows XP.
How to find a wireless network to connect to?
The first way is to simply double click on the network connections icon in the notification area in the task bar. Then choose to go to the network and sharing center. When you have opened the Network and sharing center there is a link in the left sidebar that says connect to a network.
The second way is what you have to do if there is no wireless network connections icon in the notification area. Still simple though.
Watch this video to see more details about how to find a wireless network to connect to.
Also note that even though you see a network on the list, you may not be able to connect to it. It may require a WEP key (password) to connect to the wireless network. In fact it could have a number of security measures to pass before connecting.
If you have been using Windows Vista for a while now you would have realised that there is no gpedit.msc available!!! The only versions that have group policy are Windows Vista Business, Windows Vista Professional ,Windows Vista Enterprise, Windows Vista Ultimate, Windows Server “Longhorn”.
Unfortunely if you have Windows Vista home basic or Windows Vista Home premium then you have missed out on the pleasure of accessing your local group policy. Of course they are other ways to change settings that usually were in group policy, however they are all labour intensive.
I have nothing against Vista, however why downgrade a feature that was readily available in the last few additions of Windows XP. Unfortunely if you are a group policy junkie like me, you will just have to upgrade to the next Windows Vista edition that does allow access to gpedit.msc.
In Windows vista you can simply double click on a zipped file or folder to see the contents and if you wish to extract the contents you can. All you have to do is press on extract from the top menu.
With Window vista you do not need to install an extra program to unzip a file.
DVDs and information about the teacher at http://www.alaskafilmstudios.com/cotu.html
This video tutorial covers the three main basic tips for Windows Vista.
Basic tips and tricks included in this video tutorial:
About the Author: DVDs and information about the teacher at http://www.alaskafilmstudio.com
I show you three tips in this tutorial to help you with Vista. Beginner’s level tutorial.
No one wants to enter thier username or password in everyitme they want to use the computer. Especially if it is a home computer that has not got important information to protect. Logging in to your user account atromatically is a lazy persons dream, however it also makes it easy for anyone to login to your computer. This removes your password protection, so when the computer is turned on it goes straight inot the user account that it was programmed to open.
How to set an account to open automatiacally:
Login to your user account automatically
Sometimes a cool feature can be staring you in the face. However if you are an explorer like me then you would have already realised that in Windows Vista there is a new enhanced volume control mixer.
Where is the Windows Vista Volume control?
The volume icon is usually in the notification area in the task bar in the right hand corner of your screen.
How to show the volume control icon in the notification area on the taskbar:
If it is not there see how to Add or remove icons from your Windows Vista notification area This article will help you bring back the volume control icon.
How to change the volume on each individual program in Windows Vista:
All you have to do is click the volume icon in your system tray, and then click on the word Mixer at the bottom. Then you will see your different programs listed each with a different volume control.
Watch this video tutorial on how to change the volume of individual programs in Windows Vista.
There are many benefits to writing an email in rich html format in Windows Mail or Outlook Express. One of the main benefits would be that you can insert links to websites. Another great fact is that you can also insert a picture into your email so the person receiving the email sees the picture straight away. Writing an email in HTML rich text format also can make your email look like a professional webpage.
How to make your Windows mail email into a webpage with links and pictures
How to insert a link into your email?
You can make your text into a html link. So therefore you can link to a website and user anchor text. For example you can make this Tips4pc link to the Tips4pc website, instead of having this ugly link http://www.tips4pc.com
How to insert a picture from your hard drive or one stored on the internet?
Not only can you insert pictures from your hard drive but you can also insert pictures and graphics that are stored on the internet. Just simply go to the picture you want in your email. Right click on it and choose properties. Then copy the url of the picture. So when you need to say where the picture is stored, you can paste that url in and the picture will appear in your email.
Vista guide how to use disk utility
In windows vista there is a disk utility which checks your hard disk for error, bad sectors and recover information. You can troubleshoot your hard disk in windows vista. this is useful vista guide to check your hard disk.
In order to check a disk in Windows Vista, go to my computer and select the drive you want to check right-click on the disk and choose Properties as shown in below snap.
On the Properties page, click the Tools tab and click Check Now.
Select the options automatically fix file system error and Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors checkboxes and click Start.
You cannot check the disk while it is in use. Windows vista perform disk check when in restart by choosing Schedule disk check.
Upon restart, you will see following screen which indicate that disk is checked for errors and repaired if needed.
