Microsoft Windows 7, Vista, XP Tricks & Tips

 

Keyboard Shortcuts

<Alt>-<Tab> to switch open programs. <Ctrl>-<Tab> to cycle through application windows or Web browser's tabs

<CTRL>-<+> to increase the font size and <CTRL>-<-> to decrease the font size in the browser or applications like Adobe.
<Ctrl>-<Esc> or <Windows> to Open the Start menu <Ctrl>-<X>,<C>,<V> to Cut, copy, paste
<Ctrl>-<B>,<U>,<I> to Bold, underline, italic <Ctrl>-<A> to select all the items in the current window
<Ctrl>-<F> to invoke find utility in most applications <Ctrl>-<O> to open a document or program.
<Ctrl>-<S> to save your data <Ctrl>-<W> to close your windows and browser tabs.
<Ctrl>-<Z> to undo previous change <Shift>-<Tab> to move to the previous control in the window
<Tab> to move to next input field, <Shift>-<Tab> to move to previous <Enter> key for checkboxes and radio buttons
<Windows>-<D> to minimize all open windows and show the desktop <Windows>-<E> to open Windows Explorer
<Windows>-<L> to lock computer screen <Windows>-<P> invokes a new display-switch toolbar that makes it a snap to switch between display modes
<Windows>-<R> to bring up run/open box <Windows>-<1> launches first program on taskbar slot; <Windows>-<2> second program... and so on

 

PDFMyURL.com - Enter a URL location to create as a PDF file. Remote terminal: Start -> Run [mstsc -y <IP> /F -console]
To mount a remote share: Start -> Run [\\<IP>\C$] Start -> Run -> msinfo32 to view system information
Changing driver letter - Start -> right-click My Computer (Computer in Vista) -> select Manage to bring up Computer Management application. Select Disk Management. When Windows brings up map, right-click the drive to change and select Change Drive Letter and Paths. To print Websites Without Images: Tools -> Internet Options. Click on the Advanced tab; under Multimedia, uncheck Show pictures.
Turn off Aero environment to reclaim system memory and processor power. In Vista Right-click desktop, select Personalize. Click Window color and appearance, uncheck box for Enable Transparency. In Windows 7, simply select theme Windows 7 Basic. Start -> Run or <Windows>-R -> msconfig / services.msc to turn off unwanted programs and services. See:
http://www.blackviper.com/Windows_7/servicecfg.htm to identify services and features to turn off.
Start -> Run or <Windows>-R -> cmd -> tasklist /svc to see running services. <Windows> then type calc for the calculator. Need a special character <Windows> then type charact.
Start -> Run -> type resmon to bring up the Windows resource monitor. <Windows>-<Pause> to bring up the System Info window.
Specify a keystroke combination for any desktop shortcut but editing the properties shortcut.  

 

For an easy way to share documents no matter where you are. If you use Microsoft Office 2003 or Office 2007 and have a MS Live or Hotmail account then Microsoft has an Office Live Add-In you must have. Go to:

http://workspace.officelive.com/en-us/addin

to get it. Once installed you will see a menu option off the Excel, Word, etc. document menu for saving the document to your live account. To actually get the document saved I had to log into Hotmail and go to Home and create a folder for my documents. After that all I had to do was "Save to Office Live" whatever document I wanted to save at "Office Live" folder online.

NOTE: The Office Live Add-In does not work with Office 2010.		 FREE antivirus protection from Microsoft:

If you want something lite on your computer and are not willing to forgo the rapid boot up for anti-virus protection. I tried out the FREE "Microsoft Security Essentials" on my laptop and desktop and have loved it. My hope was that since it was a Microsoft product it would cooperate with other Microsoft software... so far so good. Go to:

http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/resources.aspx
How to permanently kill those run away processes:

Ever had a run away process(es) killing performance on your PC. Especially where you kill it only to have it reappear and crush things again.

To get enough computing power to start with you have to kill the process, this is quoted from PC World:

Right-click the task bar and select “Start Task Manager”. Click the “Processes” tab. followed by the CPU column heading. Doing so will cause the performance-hampering culprit to show up at the top of list.

To kill a process, select it and click “End Process”. Now the part I love but did not have access to before… if the process continues to reappear you have two web sites to visit to discover the information about them and how to terminate them forever! Something I never had before:

Runscanner.net - Free startup and hijack analyzer.

Processlibrary.com - Process listing database.

DON’T use either site’s options for scanning your drive, instead, simply enter the process’s name in the site’s Search field. Once you’ve identified what process is launching the resource hog, check to see if an update or bug fix that addresses the problem is available.

Free software from Microsoft that will sync up files with your SkyDrive and on all your computers:

In my research there was also Microsoft “Mesh” which sounded good and might satisfy my need. It was Microsoft's first attempt at syncing computers and your SkyDrive. I thought I would try it. But when I looked for it all I kept getting was link to download “Windows Live Essentials Beta 2011”. Now there is Window Live Essentials:

http://explore.live.com/windows-live-essentials?os=other

I am already using Live Essentials 2010 and tried out the Beta version for the blog and email. It worked OK so I have now upgraded to the 2011 version. If the new version runs like the beta (will update the web site when I find out): I ran “Windows Live Sync Beta” from the “Start” menu and selected “Go to Windows Live Devices”. When I got to where it took me it says I have “No Synced Folders”. I wondered… “how do I sync a folder?” So I went back to “Windows Live Sync Beta” and selected “Sync a folder”. The files were copied to the SkyDrive to my delight. So I made a change to one of the documents and watched what happened… nothing. I hit refresh and shazam! The SkyDrive was updated with my changes. You can also sync up your browser and office settings/favorites if you are interested in that sort of thing. I use my web site for that.
Change the Windows Explorer's default folder:

Make Windows Explorer open your favorite folder by default. Right-click the Explorer icon in your taskbar, then right-click Windows Explorer and select Properties. In the target field, add a space and a file path at the end of the '%windir%\ explorer.exe' section so that the new (longer) path looks like: '%windir%\explorer.exe C:\Users\yourusername\yourfolder'.		 Strip out text formatting when pasting:

First copy the text you want (by pressing <Ctrl>-C); then open the Edit menu (or click the drop-down menu under the Paste icon on the Word 2007 or 2010 ribbon), choose Paste special, and select Unformatted Text. This method is perfect for removing hyperlinks from copied Web contest.

Another method is select the block of text, and then press <Ctrl>-<Shift>-<F9>
Save eight keystrokes from every URL:

You no longer need to type "www." or ".com" in most URLs. Instead, merely type the unique part of the domain name (e.g. weather) and press <Ctrl>-<Enter>. The browser will automatically fill in the rest.		 Move paragraphs Via Your Keyboard. Place your cursor anywhere in a paragraph and press <Alt>-<Shift>-<Up Arrow>, or, <Alt>-<Shift>-<Down Arrow> to jump the paragraph up or down.
Everyone needs certain files encrypted on a PC or laptop. Using open source encryption software you can do this for free. The software tool is at GnuPG.org or http://www.gnupg.org.On the left side of the home web page you will see "Download". Click on that. That will take you to the application page. From there scroll down till you see the words "Binaries... There is also a version complied for MS-Windows...GnuPG 1.4.11 compiled for Microsoft Windows."

On the far right is the "FTP" link. This will download the executable "gnupg-w32cli-1.4.11.exe". Download and install this file. The command line tools will install in the directory "C:\Program Files (x86)\GNU\GnuPG" on a 64 bit Windows 7, Vista or XP machine which I hope you are using. If you have the old 32 bit it will install in the directory "C:\Program Files\GNU\GnuPG"  There is no GUI so don't plan the old windows way of clicking on "Start -> All Programs" to run the program.

From here you have two choices. You can add this directory to your system/user path and use it from the command line in any directory on your computer... or do what I did and script the encrypting and decrypting of your important files. When I travel with my laptop I encrypt my contact information, my encrypted Keepass password file, and my financial data. Everything else I not too concerned with.

There are two ways of doing this. You can type a password every time you encrypt and decrypt a file, or create a public/private key pair. You can read about key pairs if you want at the Gnupg.org WEB site. I created a public/private key pair. The command sequence to do that is:

gpg --homedir c:\captainkirk\gnupgrings --gen-key

where "--homedir" specifies where you want your key rings stored. Otherwise gpg uses the default. From now on you will have to specify the "--homedir" to use the keyring commands is you choose not to use the default as I did.

Most of my life has been spent scripting/programming in UNIX/LINUX so forgive the crudeness of the "CMD" file to the right. Microsoft has a new Powershell scripting language that you can convert this to. After you create the script for you files put a shortcut to it on your desktop for convenience.

Save the "CMD" file as encrypt.cmd (or whatever).		 @echo off
rem
rem To generate a new key pair with the keyrings in --homedir:
rem gpg --homedir c:\kirk\finance\gnupgrings --gen-key
rem gpg: keyring `c:/kirk/finance/gnupgrings\secring.gpg' created
rem gpg: keyring `c:/kirk/finance/gnupgrings\pubring.gpg' created
rem gpg: c:/kirk/finance/gnupgrings\trustdb.gpg: trustdb created
rem gpg: key 8B738E41 marked as ultimately trusted
rem gpg: checking the trustdb
rem gpg: 3 marginal(s) needed, 1 complete(s) needed, PGP trust model
rem gpg: depth: 0 valid: 1 signed: 0 trust: 0-, 0q, 0n, 0m, 0f, 1u
rem pub 4096R/8B738E41 2009-09-21
rem Key fingerprint = 5D45 23CE 6FD8 2F47 E5D2 4B3C AAA4 FB06 8B73 8E41
rem uid Kirk Ellis <kellis2@hotmail.com>
rem sub 4096R/47CDFAF9 2009-09-21
rem
rem Verify the integrity of your GPG download, download the sig file and the latest release to
rem the C:\Program Files...\GNU\GnuPG directory and modify this script with new filename:
rem
rem gpg --verify gnupg-1.4.11.tar.bz2.sig
rem
rem
rem Updated script to detect 32 bit verses 64 bit Windows OS. Below are environment variables:
rem
rem echo %ProgramFiles(x86)%
rem echo %ProgramW6432%
rem echo %ProgramFiles%

set keyring=C:\...\finance\gnupgrings

echo keyring at %keyring%

rem Set the executable path for GnuPG based on 32 bit or 64 bit machine running script:

if defined ProgramFiles(x86) (
  set gnupgdir="%ProgramFiles(x86)%\GNU\GnuPG"
  set gnupg="%ProgramFiles(x86)%\GNU\GnuPG\gpg"
  echo Running script on 64 bit machine..."
  ) ELSE (
  set gnupgdir="%ProgramFiles%\GNU\GnuPG"
  set gnupg="%ProgramFiles%\GNU\GnuPG\gpg"
  echo Running script on 32 bit machine...
)

echo Running GnuPG executable at %gnupg%

rem The old text version of passwords is obsolete in favor of KeePass.
rem Code left in place in case we ever want to decrypt old password file.
rem set filePW2=pw.txt

set filedirPW=C:\...\Finance
set filePW1=pw.kdbx

set filedirQ=C:\...\Finance\Quicken2009
set file3=Ellis2009.QDF

set filedirTC=C:\...\TimeAndChaos
set file4=~phone.isd
set file5=~phone.ism

set errmsg1=missing, could not encrypt.

set /p en_or_de="Enter (E) to encrypt, (D) to decrypt file, or (V) to Verify download: "
set answer=%en_or_de%

if "%en_or_de%"=="e" set answer="E"
if "%en_or_de%"=="d" set answer="D"
if "%en_or_de%"=="v" set answer="V"

rem Check the download to make sure it matches the signature file:
if %answer%=="V" (
  echo Checking download signature at %gnupgdir%
  echo Checking file gnupg-w32cli-1.4.11.exe.sig
  cd %gnupgdir%
  gpg --verify gnupg-w32cli-1.4.11.exe.sig
  pause
  exit
)

rem cd %filedirPW%
rem if %answer%=="E" (
rem if EXIST %filePW2% (
rem move %filePW2%.gpg %filePW2%.gpg.safe
rem %gnupg% --homedir %keyring% -r kellis2@hotmail.com -e %filePW2%
rem rem %gnupg%\gpg -c %filePW2%
rem del %filePW2%
rem ) ELSE (
rem echo %filePW2% %errmsg1%
rem )
rem )

cd %filedirPW%
if %answer%=="E" (
  if EXIST %filePW1% (
    echo Encrypting %filePW1% at %filedirPW%
    move %filePW1%.gpg %filePW1%.gpg.safe
     %gnupg% --homedir %keyring% -r kellis2@hotmail.com -e %filePW1%
    rem %gnupg% -c %filePW1%
    del %filePW1%
    ) ELSE (
    echo %filePW1% %errmsg1%
  )
)

cd %filedirQ%
if %answer%=="E" (
  if EXIST %file3% (
    echo Encrypting %file3% at %filedirQ%
    echo working on file3 %file3% at %filedirQ%
    move %file3%.gpg %file3%.gpg.safe
    %gnupg% --homedir %keyring% -r kellis2@hotmail.com -e %file3%
    rem %gnupg% -c %file3%
    del %file3%
    ) ELSE (
      echo %file3% %errmsg1%
  )
)

cd %filedirTC%
if %answer%=="E" (
  if EXIST %file4% (
    echo Encrypting %file4% at %filedirTC%
    move %file4%.gpg %file4%.gpg.safe
    %gnupg% --homedir %keyring% -r kellis2@hotmail.com -e %file4%
    rem %gnupg% -c %file4%
    del %file4%
  ) ELSE (
    echo %file4% %errmsg1%
  )
)

cd %filedirTC%
if %answer%=="E" (
  if EXIST %file5% (
    echo Encrypting %file5% at %filedirTC%
    move %file5%.gpg %file5%.gpg.safe
    %gnupg% --homedir %keyring% -r kellis2@hotmail.com -e %file5%
    rem %gnupg% -c %file5%
    del %file5%
    ) ELSE (
      echo %file5% %errmsg1%
  )
)

if %answer%=="D" (
  %gnupg% --homedir %keyring% --decrypt-files %filedirPW%\%filePW1%.gpg %filedirQ%\%file3%.gpg %filedirTC%\%file4%.gpg %filedirTC%\%file5%.gpg
  rem %gnupg% --homedir %keyring% --decrypt-files %filedirPW%\%filePW1%.gpg %filedirPW%\%filePW2%.gpg %filedirQ%\%file3%.gpg %filedirTC%\%file4%.gpg %filedirTC%\%file5%.gpg
  rem %gnupg% --homedir %keyring% %filedir%\%filePW1%.gpg %filedirQ%\%filePW2%.gpg
  rem %gnupg% %filePW1%.gpg
)

pause
exit

 

Any Comments please E-Mail Webmaster  CaptainKirk so he can add that information to this web site. Last Update January 19, 2012.