Windows Vista for your laptop
You¡¯ve probably heard about it, seen it in your neighborhood electronic shop, or read about it in recent headlines. Lately, everyone¡¯s abuzz on the subject of Windows Vista. After five and a half years in the making, Microsoft finally released its latest operating system to the public early last year.
But let¡¯s face the facts. Anytime you migrate to a completely new operating system, there¡¯s going to be a learning curve. Vista is powerful, but it can also be a little intimidating. That¡¯s where we come in. In this article, we¡¯ll show you:
? The top ten tweaks and shortcuts
? Five Vista-ready laptops under $100
? How to adjust power settings
Tweaks and Shortcuts
These tips will help you do everything from making the most of Vista¡¯s cool Flip 3D effect to expanding the number of options when you¡¯re right-clicking on a file. All in all, we want to give you quicker access to the features that make Vista better than XP.
1. Turn off User Account Control
Microsoft recommends you keep this new security feature on, but some of us just can't stand being asked to confirm every little command. Be aware that you are removing a level of protection by disabling UAC (User Account Control) alerts, and you will also be disabling Internet Explorer's super-secure "protected mode." Those warnings aside, you can turn the pest off by opening User Accounts in the Control Panel and using the last item in the main window.
2. Bring back the File Menu
Vista's sleek new interface is cool and all, but sometimes the classic File/Edit/View is the shortest distance to what you want to do. In Windows Explorer windows and in Internet Explorer you can bring up the old menu ribbon by tapping the ALT key. In Windows Office applications, tapping ALT will superimpose shortcut keys over the existing menu structure so that you can access any of these functions from the keyboard.
3. Customize the Start Menu and Taskbars
The Start menu and taskbar are a lot more flexible in Vista than in XP. Right-click on the icon and bring up its Properties window. Use the Start tab and its Customize button to find the options for populating and tweaking this main menu. Here you can revive the Run command to Start, select which browser and e-mail clients that links default to, and remove unnecessary elements from the menu. Use the Taskbar tab in the Properties window and click the text link at bottom to get instructions for customizing the taskbar and direct links to those options.
4. Create a Flip 3D Shortcut
With the right graphics hardware and version of Vista, you can take advantage of the Flip 3D windows-switching effect. Simply press the Windows + Tab combo to activate the effect. For easier mouse-only or Tablet use, you can make a desktop shortcut. Right-click on the desktop and use the New and shortcut commands. Type ¡°RunDII32 DwmApi#105¡± in the location box; then click Next to name the shortcut and Finish.
5. Activate Multi-file Tagging
Vista has a cool and easier new way to tag multiple files in a directory so that you apply an action to all of them at once. In any Windows Explorer window tap the ALT key to bring up the classic File menu. In the Tools menu, open Folder Options. In the View tab, check the box for "Use check boxes to select items" and use the Apply to Folder button to apply this setting to all of your Explorer folders. Whenever you mouse over a file, you can check it and others to delete, copy, or move them as a group.
6. Automate Your Defragmentation Routine
Vista has automated some of its maintenance tasks like defragmenting your hard drive and backing up key system files and documents. To keep your hard drive defragged regularly, use the Start menu to click on Computer, and then right-click on the hard drive you want to schedule. Open its Properties menu, and under the Tools tab click Defragment Now. Check the "Run on a schedule box." Use the Modify Schedule button and drop-down menus in the next screen to set your schedule.
7. Expanded Right-Click Options
Vista¡¯s context menus hold a little surprise. They have two modes: standard and expanded. If you hold the Shift key down as you right-click on most files in Windows Explorer, the context menu gains several new options that let you pin the file to the Start menu, add the file to the Quick Launch bar, or copy the file's path to the clipboard.
8. Activate Parental Controls
One of the most powerful but under-reported Vista features gives parents tremendous control and monitoring capabilities over any accounts on the system. Just type "parental" in the Start search box to bring that program to the top, and click into it. Choose the account you want to control, and the next window lets you turn on parental controls and set limits on Web traveling, program access, and even the games played and time spent on the system.
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