Loading....

Monday, March 30, 2009

Windows Vista Customization

Windows Vista - Customization Manual

Contents

1.0 Introduction .................................................................................... 1

2.0 Getting Started ................................................................................ 6

2.1 Slimming down Your Vista Install .................................................. 7

2.2 Utilizing the Backup and Restore Center ....................................... 8

2.3 Working with the Windows Registry ............................................. 9

2.4 Backing up and Restoring the Registry ........................................ 11

2.5 Get a Windows Vista Recovery Disc ............................................ 16

2.6 Adding “Take Ownership” Context Menu ................................... 17

2.7 Stop UAC Blacking Out the Screen .............................................. 18

2.8 Disabling User Account Control .................................................. 18

3.0 Cleaning up Your Computer .......................................................... 22

3.1 Automatically Delete Temporary Files ........................................ 23

3.2 Cleaning up Windows ................................................................. 24

3.3 Disable and Delete the Hibernation File...................................... 25

3.4 Reclaim Disk Space after SP1 Install ............................................ 27

3.5 Remove Entries from Add/Remove Programs ............................. 27

3.6 Scan Your Drive for Duplicate Files ............................................. 29

3.7 Remove Unwanted Software ...................................................... 30

3.8 Disable Memory Dump Files and Save HDD Space ...................... 31

4.0 Changing Your Boot and Login Screens ......................................... 34

4.1 Enable the Aurora Boot Screen ................................................... 35

4.2 Making a Custom Boot Screen .................................................... 35

4.3 Customize Your Logon Screen .................................................... 37

4.4 How to Use Logon Studio ........................................................... 37

4.5 Use Windows Wallpapers for Your Logon Screen........................ 38

5.0 Customizing Your Start Menu and Desktop ................................... 40

5.1 Customizing Your Start Menu ..................................................... 41

5.2 Adding Widgets to Your Start Menu ........................................... 42

5.3 Search Google and More from the Start Menu ........................... 43

5.4 Choosing a Color Scheme ........................................................... 45

5.5 Customizing the Taskbar ............................................................ 45

5.6 Customizing Desktop Icons ......................................................... 50

5.7 Changing Your Account Picture .................................................. 51

5.8 Customizing Your Mouse ............................................................ 52

5.9 Enabling Vista Aero Mouse Cursors ............................................ 54

5.10 Adding a Mac-like Dock to Your Desktop .................................. 54

5.11 Removing Icons from the System Tray ...................................... 55

5.12 Adding Extra Clocks .................................................................. 56

5.13 Replacing Outdated System Icons ............................................. 57

6.0 Making the Most Out of Wallpaper and Screensavers .................. 60

6.1 Changing Your Desktop Wallpaper ............................................. 61

6.2 Making Your Wallpaper More Functional ................................... 62

6.3 Animating Wallpaper with Dreamscene...................................... 63

6.4 Animating Wallpaper with VLC Player......................................... 65

6.5 Making Your Desktop Wallpaper Ripple like Water ..................... 67

6.6 Choosing a Screensaver .............................................................. 67

6.7 Recommended Screensavers ...................................................... 68

6.8 Saving Your Settings as a Theme................................................. 69

6.9 Change the Taskbar to Any Color(s) You Want ............................ 71

7.0 Customizing Windows Explorer ..................................................... 74

7.1 Setting Views for all Folders ....................................................... 75

7.2 Setting up Shortcuts to Common Folders.................................... 76

7.3 Selecting Multiple Files with Checkboxes .................................... 77

7.4 Changing Folder Backgrounds .................................................... 77

7.5 Customizing Folder Icons ............................................................ 78

8.0 Organizing Your Files ..................................................................... 82

8.1 Automatically Moving Files from Your Desktop .......................... 83

8.2 Use Naming Conventions to Organize Your Data ........................ 83

8.3 Batch Rename Your Files ............................................................ 85

8.4 Relocating Personal Data Folders ............................................... 86

 

download

  Size 1.89 MB

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Windows Vista Pocket Guide

Windows Vista - The Pocket Guide

Contents

2.1 Dual Boot Windows XP and Vista .................................................. 5

2.2 Which Version of Vista? ............................................................... 7

2.3 Slim Down Your Vista Install ......................................................... 9

2.4 Vista 32-bit or 64-bit? ................................................................... 9

2.5 Working with the Windows Registry ........................................... 12

2.6 Working with the Group Policy Management Console ................ 16

2.7 Now You Are Ready to Begin ...................................................... 17

3.0 Backing Up Early and Often ........................................................... 20

3.1 The Backup and Restore Center.................................................. 21

3.2 Back Up and Restore the Registry ............................................... 22

3.3 Recovering Lost Data on Your Drive ............................................ 24

3.4 Get a Windows Vista Recovery Disc ............................................ 24

4.0 Security ......................................................................................... 28

4.1 Add “Take Ownership” to Context Menu .................................... 29

4.2 Stop UAC Blacking out the Screen .............................................. 29

4.3 Disable User Account Control ..................................................... 30

4.4 Encrypt your USB/HDD Data ....................................................... 31

4.5 Disable Task Manager ................................................................ 34

4.6 Disable Right Click ...................................................................... 36

4.7 Disable Add/Remove Programs .................................................. 37

4.8 Disable Control Panel Access ...................................................... 38

4.9 Disable Shutdown ...................................................................... 39

4.10 Disable Internet Access ............................................................ 39

4.11 Disable Logging off ................................................................... 42

4.12 Disable Run Dialogue ................................................................ 43

4.13 Disable Registry Editor Access .................................................. 44

4.14 Disable System Properties Access ............................................. 44

5.0 System Maintenance & Management ........................................... 46

5.1 Cleaning Up Windows ................................................................ 47

5.2 Disable and Delete the Hibernation File...................................... 48

5.3 Reclaim Disk Space after SP1 Install ............................................ 49

5.4 Remove Entries from Add/Remove Programs ............................. 50

5.5 Remove Icons from the System Tray........................................... 51

5.6 Remove Unwanted Software ...................................................... 52

5.7 Shrink/Extend a Partition on Your Hard Drive ............................. 53

5.8 Disable Memory Dump Files and Save HDD Space ...................... 54

5.9 Schedule Defragmentation ......................................................... 55

5.10 Take Charge of Automatic Updates .......................................... 56

6.0 Increasing Performance................................................................. 60

6.1 Run Startup Delayer to Reduce Boot Time .................................. 61

6.2 Enhance SATA Disk Performance ................................................ 62

6.3 Speed up Your External Hard Drives ........................................... 63

6.4 Use Readyboost to Speed up Programs ...................................... 64

6.5 Move Page File to Different Physical Drive.................................. 66

6.6 Rebuild the Page File .................................................................. 67

6.7 Move Search Index to a Different Physical Drive ......................... 69

6.8 Disable Superfetch to Save Memory ........................................... 70

6.9 Disable “Last Accessed” File Attribute ........................................ 71

6.10 Make Windows Shut Down Faster ............................................ 72

7.0 Working Efficiently ........................................................................ 76

7.1 General Windows Shortcut Keys ................................................. 77

7.2 Windows Photo Gallery Shortcut Keys ........................................ 80

7.3 Microsoft Word Shortcut Keys.................................................... 82

7.4 Remote Desktop Shortcut Keys .................................................. 86

7.5 Useful Windows Commands ....................................................... 87

7.6 Add Extra Clocks in Windows Vista ............................................. 92

7.7 Search Google and More from the Start Menu ........................... 93

7.8 Save Your Battery with Vista Battery Saver ................................. 96

8.0 Personalizing Vista ........................................................................ 98

8.1 Customize Your Logon Screen .................................................... 99

8.2 Customize Your Start Menu ........................................................ 99

8.3 Enable the Aurora Boot Screen ................................................. 101

8.4 Enable Vista Aero Mouse Cursors ............................................. 101

8.5 Add a Mac-like Dock to Your Desktop ....................................... 102

8.6 Replace Outdated System Icons ............................................... 103

8.7 Install New Fonts ...................................................................... 104

8.8 Change the Taskbar to Any Color(s) You Want .......................... 105

8.9 Make Your Desktop Wallpaper Ripple like Water...................... 106

8.10 Change Folder Backgrounds ................................................... 107

9.0 Taking Control of Your Files ......................................................... 110

9.1 Automatically Delete Temporary Files ...................................... 110

9.2 Automatically Move Files Off Your Desktop .............................. 112

9.3 Use Naming Conventions to Organize Your Data ...................... 112

9.4 Batch Rename Your Files .......................................................... 114

9.5 Scan Your Drive for Duplicate Files ........................................... 115

About This Book ................................................................................ 118

Contact Me ....................................................................................... 120

Version History ................................................................................. 122

download

  Size -1.98 MB