Tag Archives: windows

More Windows Tips & Tricks

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Stop Your Mouse From Waking Up Your PC

Putting your PC into sleep mode is one great way of saving electricity and extend the life of your system without shutting it down completely. What is annoying is a gentle breeze or a wayward bump can easily disturb the mouse and thus wake your PC from sleep.

In XP go to the Control Panel, double click the Mouse icon opening up Mouse Properties window. Select the Hardware tab then select the mouse you are using from the list. Click on the Properties button then click on the Power Management tab. Clear Allow this device to bring this computer out of standby.

In Vista and 7, click Start, and then click Control Panel. In the Control Panel’s search box, type mouse and then choose Change mouse settings. Click the Hardware tab, select your mouse, and then click Properties. Click Change settings. Finally, click the Power Management tab and clear the checkbox that says Allow this device to wake the computer.

Keeping A Desktop Clean

I always try to keep my desktop clean, lesser icons and shortcuts the easier for me to find stuff that I really need. Windows have folders to help in organizing your desktop, like for example your downloaded files should be in the Downloads, files would be in the Documents and Web bookmarks are in the Favorites.

You can also use a free application available at Stardock’s website called Fences which allows you to create groups to organize your icons and double-clicking on the desktop hides them.

Windows 7 allows the user to pin programs to its taskbar, so why not use it. Pin your commonly used programs like Office to the taskbar rather than mess with the Start menu.

Extend The Life Of Your Laptop’s Battery

I am not talking here about optimizing the runtime on a single charge but of getting as much mileage out of your laptop’s battery before replacing it. How to do it?

Keep your battery cool since it degrades more quickly when they are hot.

Don’t pack your laptop into your backpack or some enclosed space when the battery is still warm thus trapping the heat

Don’t charge your laptop constantly. Putting it in a state of perpetual charge at 100% is bad for the battery’s long-time health

If you intend to use your laptop mainly at your desk, try running it down and recharging it once or even twice a month

If you intend to use your laptop at your desk for long stretches of time, remove the battery and store it but not in its full or depleted state.

Some Windows Tips & Tricks

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Here are some Windows essential tips and tricks which I found useful through the years. These tips applies to Windows XP, Vista and 7. For those of you using Mac, sorry guys I can only afford one computer and the reality is it is still a Windows World.

Speeding up your startup

Although Windows 7 boots up faster compared to previous versions of Windows it would still slow down as you install more softwares as they require Windows to run them on startup. Well I found this piece of software called Startup Delayer (http://www.r2.com.au/software.php?page=2&show=startdelay) and it is a freebie.  What it does is to tell the the programs you selected to sit tight, be patient and run a little bit later after some traffic has cleared. This software is one of the best ways that I found out there to speed up a slow booting computer, even one that runs on Windows 7.

Make your PC more secure

Although Windows 7 is equipped with some solid security tools, including a firewall and anti-spyware Windows Defender, there is still a need to have a good antivirus program.  Enter Microsoft’s Security Essentials. It provides real-time protection against malware and it doesn’t hog system resources.  PCWorld compared it to other free anti-virus utilities and they said it holds its own.  It is a fine alternative to paying an annual fee for virus protection.

As far as I know, Microsoft requires a genuine copy of Windows to be able to download the application.

Work faster

Here are some keyboard shortcuts I found useful over the years.

Toggle between applications: Press <Alt> <Tab> to switch between programs without the use of a mouse. One of the best time savers.

Navigate application windows: Use <Ctrl> <Tab> to cycle through an application’s window or through a web browser’s tab. An underrated cousin of the shortcut above.

Line up windows: Although Windows 7 made it easier to line up to windows by just simply dragging an open window left or right and let go, that is not the case with older version of Windows.  Hold down <Ctrl> and click on the desired windows in the taskbar, then right-click on the task bar and choose Tile Vertically.

Create application shortcuts: Right-click on any application icon, select Properties and click the Shortcut tab. Specify a combination keystroke to start an application.

Keep Those Personal Folders PERSONAL in Windows 2

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I earlier covered the application that lets you password protect folders in Windows with the free app from Sofonica called Folder Lock. Though this application helps in protecting sensitive data from prying eyes, it still shows that the folder or folders you want to keep private. Unfortunately that often opens a can of curiosity and with little searching on internet those unauthorized users can find a way to get around the protection and compromise your security by accessing your personal folders.

Now here is an application will completely hide the windows folders so that other users will not even be aware of their existence and hence they cannot access, view, search or delete them. The application is called Hide Folders and is meant to HIDE folders so no one can know of their existence and therefore is more efficient than locking or password protecting folders as it does not even let others know that you have some confidential folders. Also you can password protect the application so no one can open Hide Folders to unhide your hidden folders. Moreover, if you remove Hide Folders from the program menu, other user wouldn’t even know that you have a folder hiding program installed on your system.

Features:

· Securely hide folders with your confidential data

· Works on Windows XP and Windows Vista, supports NTFS, FAT32 and FAT file system.

· Password protection – folders can be unhid only after entering a password within the program.

· Hidden folders can not be uncovered by deinstalling the program.

· Unlimited number of folders can be hidden.

· Folders are hidden even in Windows safe mode.

· Fast and user-friendly skinned user interface.

Intuitive for usage, no learning curve.

Free download Hide Folders from here and hide folder in Windows.

Keep Those Personal Folders PERSONAL in Windows

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Have you ever been in the situation were you want to keep your folders in Windows accessible only to you? I found this two free applications that may help you achieve that goal.

Lock Folders

You can lock folders in Windows using this application by Sofonica aptly-named Folder Lock. This software works on Windows 7, vista, XP and all versions of Windows.

Running the application for the first time, you will be asked to set a password. Here ensure that you set a strong password with a minimum of six characters.

Once installed a system tray icon is the way to access the application. Click or double-click, depends on your system settings, on the tray icon whenever you want to lock any folder in Windows. It will ask you to confirm the password that you set after the installation, and once you enter the correct password, the main window of Folder Lock is displayed.

Steps to lock a folder in Windows:

Select a Windows folder from the upper part of the main Folder Lock window

1. Click or double-click the chosen folder and,

2. Click on the down arrow icon to move the folder to the protected list

3. Repeat these steps to lock all folders you want protected

4. After having chosen all folders you want protected, click on the Lock Folders button.

Once a Windows folder or folders are locked, no user can access it unless it is unlocked again.

Link to download application: http://www.sofonica.com/?q=node/22

The other application will be featured on my next article so till then.