WINDOWS 7 - 28 BASIC TIPS TRICKS & TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE

1. Shuffling Through Program Windows. If you’re running a number of files from the
same program, such as multiple documents in Microsoft Word, Windows 7 allows you to
switch through these windows with ease. Simply press down on the Ctrl key while
clicking the icon from the taskbar. Each click will change the window to the next in the
sequence, in the order that you opened them.

2. Managing Your Windows. Windows 7 simplifies document and program management

by allowing you to “dock” a window or manipulate its size with one mouse maneuver or a
simple keystroke. To dock your window on one half of the screen, drag it to the left or
right and it will change its size to fit that half of the screen. To manipulate the vertical
size of a window, drag the window to the top to maximize it, or double-click the
window’s top or bottom border to maximize it vertically while keeping the same width.
You can also perform all of these functions with keystrokes:
+Left Arrow and +Right Arrow dock to half the screen
+Up Arrow and + Down Arrow maximize and minimize
+Shift+Up Arrow and +Shift+Down Arrow maximize and restore vertical size.

3. Project Your Display With Ease. Plugging in a projector and projecting your display is a
snap with the Windows 7 driver display utility, displayswitch.exe. Simply hit +P to
display the following easy-to-navigate pop-up window:

By hitting your arrow keys (or +P) you can switch through multiple display settings,
such as “clone”, “extend” or “external only.”

4. Multi-Monitor Window Management. Windows 7 makes using multiple monitors as

convenient as it should be. When you’re working in multi-monitors, use the keyboard
shortcuts +Shift+Left Arrow and +Shift+Right Arrow to toggle between
monitors. The new window will keep its relative position to the top-left origin of the
original.

5. Aero Peek Your Desktop. A lesser-known versatile tool introduced with Windows 7 is
the Windows® Aero® feature, “Aero Peek”. Just click the rectangle in the lower right
hand corner of the task bar for quick access to your desktop.
The keyboard shortcut +Space performs the same function.

6. Live Clutter-Free. We live with enough clutter in our lives. Windows 7 gets rid of all the
superfluous windows behind your active window. Just hit +Home to minimize all

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inactive windows. To restore the windows when you’d like them, just press +Home
again.

7. Help the Help Desk Help You. Solving problems unique to a machine can be an
arduous task for both the end-user and the help desk. That’s why Windows 7 introduces
the Problem Steps Recorder, a screen-capture tool that allows the end-user to record the
problems they’re having step-by-step. It’s as simple as hitting “record” then adding in
comments as needed. A HTML-based file is converted to a .ZIP folder, which is easily
passed on to the help desk. The program is accessible from the Control Panel under
“Record steps to reproduce a problem” or run psr.exe from Explorer.

8. Put a “Pin Up” of the Folders You Use Most . Windows® 7 allows you to “pin up” the
folders you use most on your taskbar. Simply hold your mouse over the favorite folder,
right click, and drag it onto the taskbar. Windows 7 automatically pins itself to the
Explorer Jump List. To open the folder, right click on the Explorer icon and select the
folder you want.

9. Double-Up Your Windows. When working within an application, sometimes you just
want more of a good thing. To open another window of the same application (assuming
the app can run more than one instance), simply hold Shift and click the taskbar icon.
You can also middle-click your third mouse button for the same result.

10. Clear, Crisp Display—It’s In Your Control. Windows 7 makes it easy for you to adjust
your display settings, making text and images easier to view in all the various locations
where you work on your computer. Your laptop display may look fine at work but a little
dark at home. Adjust the text and image settings easily with two snappy applets:
ClearType Text Tuning and Display Color Calibration. Run cttune.exe and dccw.exe, or
look them up in the Control Panel.

11. Order and Reason for Your Taskbar. You can decide the order that your icons show up
in your taskbar by simply dragging them to the order you desire. And for the first five
icons, you can launch them with a simple keystroke: Any of the first five icons can be
opened by pressing +1, +2, etc.

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12. Taskbar Traversing. While we’re on the subject of taskbar shortcuts, use +T to shift
your attention to the taskbar. Your machine will make its active screen your taskbar
menu, and you can use the arrow keys to select the application you’re interested in. Just
hit Enter to launch it. Naturally, to exit this trick, press Esc.

13. BitLocker To Go Protection. BitLocker® has become a saving grace when it comes to
increased laptop security. Windows 7 has taken security even farther with its BitLocker To
GoTM feature, which allows you to encrypt removable USB devices and external disks. To
enable BitLocker or BitLocker To Go, right click the drive in Windows Explorer and select
“Turn on BitLocker…” This can also be managed centrally via Group Policy, so IT
administrators can require the USB drive be encrypted before files can be written to it.

14. Your Own Personal Help Desk: Windows Troubleshooting Platform. We’ve all
experienced minor issues like Windows Aero not displaying or sound controls not
functioning. Don’t get stuck in the mud just because your computer seems to be.
Windows 7 can save you from having to bite the bullet and call the help desk for every
problem that comes up, thanks to the new Windows Troubleshooting Platform. It’s easily
accessed by typing “fix” or “Troubleshoot” in the Start Menu. A list of Windows
Troubleshooting Packs allows you to choose from what might be giving you trouble, and

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the troubleshooter will faithfully attempt to clear up the problem.

15. Help the Help Desk Help You. Solving problems unique to a machine can be an
arduous task for both the end user and the help desk. That’s why Windows 7 introduces
the Problem Steps Recorder—a screen-capture tool that allows the end user to record
the problems they’re having, step by step. It’s as simple as hitting “start record” then
adding in comments as needed. A HTML-based file converts to a .ZIP folder, which is
easily passed on to the help desk. The program is accessible from the Control Panel
under “Record steps to reproduce a problem” or run psr.exe from Explorer.

16. Sticky Notes Avoid Sticky Situations. Even the best minds are liable to forget
something. Instead of wasting all those color-coded bits of paper, use Windows 7 Sticky
Notes. Enjoy the variety of seven fun Sticky Note colors by right-clicking the note. Need
another reminder? Click the + sign in the top left corner of the existing note to create a
new one. To access Sticky Notes, run StikyNot.exe or click Start → All Programs →
Accessories → Sticky Notes.

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17. Adaptive Display Brightness. The display on a typical mobile PC consumes more
battery power than any other part of the computer. Windows 7 automatically reduces
display brightness after a period of inactivity, much like cell phones do today. However,
Windows 7 intelligently adapts to your activity. For example, if the screen dims after 30
seconds and you immediately move the mouse to brighten the display, Windows 7 will
wait 60 seconds before dimming the display again.

18. Notify Me, My Way. Windows 7 helps you solve more problems, and solve them on
your schedule. The Action Center is a new, integrated Control Panel experience that
gives you a central place to go for tasks and notifications associated with keeping your
computer running smoothly. You’ll see fewer notifications on your desktop because the
Action Center consolidates alerts from ten existing Windows features. When Windows 7
needs your attention, you’ll see a new icon in the notification area. To find out more, click
the icon to see a menu that offers options for directly addressing the issue, or you can go
to the Action Center for more details. In addition, you can choose which notifications
you’re interested in hearing about. From the Control Panel go to System Security Action
Center and click the “Change Action Center settings” link on the left to choose which
alerts to receive.

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19. Authority over the Power Switch. On the Windows 7 Start Menu, the default power
option is a simple shut down. If this isn’t your usual action, you can easily change your
default to Switch User, Log Off, Lock, Restart, or Sleep. Right-click the Start button, select
Properties, and under the Start Menu tab, select the “Power Button Action” that suits you
best.

20. .ISO Files. Windows 7 introduces an easy to use applet that makes burning an .ISO
image simple. Double click the DVD or CD .ISO image and the “Burn Disk Image” applet
automatically appears. Burning files is a snap!
a) Place a blank unformatted CD or DVD into your CD/DVD drive.
b) Right click on the .ISO or .IMG file you want to use to burn a disc.
c) Click Burn disc image.
d) Next to Disc burner, click on the drop down arrow and select the CD/DVD drive with
the blank disc you want to burn to.
e) Check the Verify disc after burning option if you want Windows to verify the disc
image after burning the disc. Note that you should skip verification if you are in a
hurry, as this process requires additional time.
f) When it finishes burning the disc image to disc, click the Close button.
The DVD (or CD) is now ready to be used without ever having to find, install, and use a
third-party tool.

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21. Locale Specific. One of the many new features in Windows 7 is the Control Panel’s
Default Location where you can store your location information (Country, ZIP code,
geographical coordinates). This will come in handy for internet applications that are
location dependent, such as finding attractions near you. And programs can find and
download files faster when your location is known. From the Control Panel click  Clock,
Language, and Region  Change Location  Default Location, and enter your location
information.

22. Change the Scenery. Windows 7 allows you to personalize your desktop background to
suit your many moods with a new shuffle feature for your desktop. You can program
your desktop background to shuffle through your favorite images and get a change of
scenery as often as you like. To enable the shuffle feature, right click on your Desktop
and select “Personalize,” then “Desktop Background.” Choose the folder where your
favorite images or photos are stored and select as many as you like. Make sure you check
the “Shuffle” box, and choose how often you’d like your images to shuffle. It’s a simple
way to keep your desktop looking fresh and fun.

23. Crunch The Numbers. The new Windows 7 calculator is a number cruncher’s dream.
New functionality allows the user to not only calculate in the Standard and Scientific
modes, but also in Programmer and Statistics modes. And that’s not all! Ever need
conversion formulas for temperature, weight, area, or time? Finding the unit conversion
option makes it a snap and takes all the work out of the user’s hands. There are even
templates for gas mileage, lease estimations, and mortgage estimations.

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24. Smart Printing. Windows 7 allows for several default printers in several locations. Your
computer will choose the correct printer for where you are. No need to reset your default
or remember what the printer name is; Windows 7 will figure out whether you’re at home
or at work with Location Aware Printing.

25. Shake It Up. Remember the Etch-a-Sketch where you would shake it to make things
disappear? Windows 7 uses the same shake concept to help you manage your windows.
Windows 7 Aero®Shake allows you to clear the inactive windows from your desktop by
“shaking” over the window you’re working. Hover your mouse over the title bar of your
active window, left-click and shake from side to side, and all your inactive windows will
disappear. To bring them back, repeat the procedure and shake everything back into
view.

26. Clean Your Desktop! And Order It Too. You’ve always been able to auto-arrange your
desktop icons by right-clicking on the desktop and choosing “Sort By.” Now Windows7
makes it even easier. To auto-arrange the desktop icons according to your default
settings, simply press and hold F5. Order is instantly accomplished.

27. Right-Click Mania. In Windows 7, right-clicking may just be your secret friend. There are
many ways the right-click can simplify your computing experience. Here are just a few:
a. Right-click any empty spot in your desktop, and you have the control to change the
screen resolution.
b. Right-click any of the icons in the Taskbar to “Unpin this program from the Taskbar.”
c. Last but not least, right-click the Taskbar Explorer icon to access your most frequently
used folders.

28. Unveil Your Hidden Drives. Want to see the drives that aren’t currently in use when
you open My Computer? To display empty drives, click Computer → Alt to see the
toolbar → Tools → Folder Options → View (tab) → Uncheck “Hide empty drives in the
Computer folder.” And they magically appear!

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Windows 7 Troubleshooting Guide

Even though
Windows 7 is a beta, which means there are a lot of bugs still present—some of which have
angered us quite a bit during our time testing the OS. The good news is there are actually
some things you can do on your own to avoid them or prevent other nastiness from
occurring.

PROBLEM SOLVING AND EASY FIXES

Use Windows 7's Troubleshooting Tool
There's actually a tool, in Control Panel, called Troubleshooting. Open it up and you'll see
various options like configuring devices, connecting to a network and checking to make sure
your sound card works correctly. We won't go through each individual options here, but it's a
very good place to start when you've hit a problem, before you turn to Googling.

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Make Older Programs Work With Windows 7

This doesn't work 100%, but if you type "Program Compatibility" into the search bar in the
Start menu, you'll find a compatibility wizard that helps make older apps work with Windows
7. (Sometimes, you can get to it by right-clicking an application that is having trouble
launching.) Once you find your app—which may take a little bit of disk browsing if it's not
displaying under the list—you'll choose one of potential issues and which version of
Windows it previously worked for. In at least one case, we found that running through this
made a non-starting app start up under Win 7, so it's good to know about.

Use Windows 7 Problem Steps Recorder to document your problems

And if you're having any sort of problems with Windows 7 you need a tech-savvy friend or
family member to walk you through, try the problem steps recorder. It's an app built into
Windows 7 that, when activated, records the button presses and mouse clicks you make in
order to generate an HTML-based report of the steps you took to cause a problem. Sending
this to your friend who also has Windows 7 will let him diagnose where you've screwed up,
so you can STOP DOING THAT.

Diagnose performance issues with the Windows Experience Index

If you feel Windows 7 is running slower than it should, take a look at the Windows
Experience Index. With those scores you can tell whether it's your RAM that's making your
machine chunk, or your graphics card, or your slow hard drive. Then, replace each part as
necessary.

Fix the Installer Bug

If you've been running Windows 7 for a few days and found that you're suddenly unable to
install programs, here's how to fix it. It's an MSI installer issue, and all you have to do is open

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up a command prompt in Administrator mode and type:

reg delete HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SQMClient\Windows\DisabledSessions /va /f and
press enter.

Fix User Account Control-Gadget Conflict

UAC may be decent enough in warning and protecting you of intrusions, but it can also get
in the way. One bug in the beta actually turns off your desktop Gadgets if you disable UAC.
Here's how you re-enable it.

1. Open the Registry Editor, or regedit.exe. You can search for regedit in the Start Menu.
2. Navigate to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Sidebar\Settings
3. Right-click and create a new DWORD (32-Bit) Value called AllowElevatedProcess.
4. Right-click AllowElevatedProcess and click Modify. Set the value to 1. Close the registry
editor. Your gadgets should work with UAC off now.

PREVENTATIVE MEASURES
Install Antivirus Software
Although Windows 7 is at least as secure as Vista, you're still going to want to install
antivirus software on it. The easiest Win 7-compatible one we like is AVG, which runs just
fine, protects decently enough and is free.

Turn Off Sleep Mode

It doesn't look like sleep mode has been optimized for all the millions of types of hardware
configurations out there now—it is a beta after all. We'd suggest turning it off entirely
instead of trying to find out whether or not your machine supports sleep/hibernate 100%. If
you don't, you'll have to wake your machine up the hard way.

Tweak settings before they get in the way

SetteMaxer is a utility that's able to to tweak a few settings not easily accessible to the
normal user, like disabling auto-reboot on a crash, disabling Windows Defender or disabling
UAC. If you don't know what you're doing, you shouldn't tinker.

WARNING

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Unfixable: User Account Control Security Hole

Unlike in Vista, there's no warning message when the User Account Control is changed.
Someone made a proof-of-concept that exploits this into switching your UAC off and taking
control of your machine. There's no workaround for this one unless you raise UAC to
MAXIMUM (which is annoying), so be careful.

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