Topic: Windows (all versions) Tips.

[toasty0]

How to change IE Security Zone settings in IE 7

To protect against an IE 7 Zero-Day attack, you can set the security zone settings for Internet and Local Intranet to "high." To do so, follow these steps:
1.   Click Tools and select Internet Options.
2.   Click the Security tab, and click Internet in the zones box at the top.
3.   Move the slider to the "high" position.
4.   Click the Apply button
5.   Click Local Intranet in the zones box at the top.
6.   Move the slider to the "high" position.
7.   Click Apply and OK.


How to Disable Active Scripting in IE 7

Another way to protect your computer from attack through IE is to disable Active Scripting. Here's how:
1.   Click Tools and select Internet Options.
2.   Click the Security tab, and again, click Internet in the zones box.
3.   Click the Custom Level button.
4.   In the dialog box, scroll down to the Scripting section. Under Active Scripting, click the Disable option button.
5.   Click OK.


Note: Edit was only of the subject line to make it match the extended purpose of this thread.

[Sirgod]

Hey Jerry, I think it was you, but do you remember an old Registry trick, to remove that small flicker delay, when Opening a new window?

Like when you click on start, program files, there is that slight pause.

stephen

[toasty0]

Sorry, that wasn't me.

[Nemesis]

I'll leave this one "stickied" for a while and see what additions people make to it.  If it looks like people are actively using and adding to it I'll leave it.  It could be broadened to include other versions of Windows of course.

[toasty0]

User Account Control (UAC) can help you prevent unauthorized changes to your computer. It works by prompting you for permission when a task requires administrative rights, such as installing software or changing settings that affect other users.

We don't recommend turning User Account Control off. If you do turn it off, you should turn it back on as soon as possible.

 
 1.  Open User Accounts by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking User Accounts and Family Safety (or clicking User Accounts, if you are connected to a network domain), and then clicking User Accounts.
 
2.  Click Turn User Account Control on or off.  If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
 
3.  Select the Use User Account Control (UAC) to help protect your computer check box to turn on UAC, or clear the check box to turn off UAC, and then click OK.
 
 

[Lepton]

Ah, I don't think UAC exists in Windows XP, does it?

[toasty0]

Ah, I don't think UAC exists in Windows XP, does it?

You're right. Nem suggested including tips for other WindowOS too.

[Nemesis]

Ah, I don't think UAC exists in Windows XP, does it?

You're right. Nem suggested including tips for other WindowOS too.

I just modified the title to match the extended purpose of the thread.

[toasty0]

How to reverse the buttons on your mouse

I know many left handed folks who have gotten used to using a computer mouse that was made for a right handed world, but you don't have to. You can switch the functions of the left and right mouse buttons. Here's how:

1.   Click Start | Control Panel
2.   Double click the Mouse applet
3.   On the Buttons tab, check the box that says "Switch primary and secondary buttons."
4.   Click OK

[Sirgod]

Helpfull list of /commands for xp/2003 server.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/833721

example:

/3GB
This switch forces x86-based systems to allocate 3 GB of virtual address space to programs and 1 GB to the kernel and to executive components. A program must be designed to take advantage of the additional memory address space. With this switch, user mode programs can access 3 GB of memory instead of the usual 2 GB that Windows allocates to user mode programs. The switch moves the starting point of kernel memory to 3 GB. Some configurations of Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 and Microsoft Windows Server 2003 may require this switch.

Stephen

[Nemesis]

I found long ago that my system was more stable so long as the swap file was on a separate partition from the OS.  So I got in the habit of setting up things so I always have a D: partition named swap.  All my machines since I started doing that have been far less crash prone.  It would be nice if Microsoft made doing so an automatic part of the installation of Windows.  I leave the C: exclusively to the Windows OS and have other partitions set up for Applications, Games and Data. 

My Typical Setup:

C: System
D: Swap
E: Applications
F: Games
G: Data
H: Temp

The H: Temp I started using more recently and put programs temp storage there when they let you configure them with a temp directory.  I also use it for downloads before I categorize them and move them to where they belong on the G: Data partition.

This set up also has the advantage of allowing you more easily to back up your data as it is all on one partition.  Also when you do reinstall Windows you can tell it to install to the C: partition and it will leave your Data partition alone easing restoring things to how you want them.

One of the affects of this type of setup is that when you do a defrag you mostly need to do only those partitions that are most active, the C: especially, this makes your defrags quicker as you are only defraging one part of that terabyte HD.

[toasty0]

XP TIP:

If you have created a favorite desktop theme and you work on more than one Windows XP computer, you may have considered recreating that theme on your other computers. However, manually re-creating the desktop theme can be a tricky and time-consuming operation. Here’s how you can easily copy your favorite desktop theme from one Windows XP computer to another.

Steps
1. On the computer containing your favorite desktop theme, right-click the desktop and select Properties. On the Themes tab (Figure A), with your theme selected, click the Save As button and save the file to the My Documents folder (or folder of your choice).
2. Launch Windows Explorer and access the My Documents folder.
3. Look for files with the .theme extension, locate your file, and copy it to a floppy disk or USB thumb drive.
4. Go to the other computer on which you would like to have your favorite desktop theme and copy the .theme file to My Documents.
5. Right-click the desktop and select Properties to open the Display Properties dialog box.
6. On the Themes tab, click the Theme drop-down list and select Browse.
7. In the Open Theme dialog box, access the My Documents folder, locate your theme file, and double-click it.
8. Click OK to load the new theme and close the Display Properties dialog box.
9. While Windows XP loads the desktop theme, you’ll see a Please Wait message in the middle of the screen. Your current desktop colors will fade to gray while the new settings are applied.

NOTE:There is one caveat to this approach — if part of your theme involves wallpaper you created or other graphical elements unique to that particular PC, those elements will have to be copied over along with the .theme file.

[toasty0]

Vista Tip:

Change the size of the transparent borders in Aero

1.   Right click the desktop and select Personalize.
2.   Click Windows Color and Appearance.
3.   At the bottom, click "Open classic appearance properties."
4.   Aero should be selected as the Color scheme in the drop down box. Click the Advanced button.
5.   In the drop down box, select Border Padding.
6.   To make the borders wider, choose a higher number. To make them thinner, choose a smaller one.
7.   Click OK and then Apply

[toasty0]

For some of you who might be havinh issues with using VPC2007.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/bb738372.aspx

[toasty0]

76 keyboard shortcuts for Vista (compliments of Tech Republic)

[toasty0]

VISTA:

How to set your wireless mouse or keyboard not to wake the computer

1.   Click Start | Control Panel | Mouse
2.   Click the Hardware tab
3.   Click the Properties button
4.   Pm the General tab, click the Change Settings button
5.   Click the Power Management tab
6.   Uncheck the box that says "Allow this device to wake the computer."
7.   Click OK in all the dialog boxes to close them

[toasty0]

How to enable the DVD library on Vista Media Center

In Windows Media Center on a Vista Home Premium or Ultimate computer, the DVD library is not enabled by default, which means you can't see your DVD content. Here's how to enable it to display the DVD content on your computer:

1.   Close the Media Center application if it's open.
2.   Click Start and in the Search box, type regedit to open the registry editor.
3.   Click Continue or enter administrative credentials at the prompt.
4.   Navigate to the following registry key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Media Center \ Settings \ DvdSettings
5.   In the right Details pane, right click ShowGallery and select Modify.
6.   Delete the contents of the Value data box.
7.   In the Value data box, type Gallery.
8.   Click OK.
9.   Close the registry editor.
10.   Restart your computer. Media Center should know display "DVD Library" instead of "Play DVD." You may need to right click Add Folders to see content.

[toasty0]

For those of you who might be using MS Office 2003 but need to send your files to someone using MS Office 2007: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=941B3470-3AE9-4AEE-8F43-C6BB74CD1466&displaylang=en

[toasty0]

It's about time I post something to this thread. Sorry for the lack of hints, tips, and tricks for such an extended period. Hopefully this one will make of up for my lack of attention.

How to install Windows 7 to dual boot with XP

Now that the RC is available, many people who have stuck with XP are getting the itch to give Windows 7 a try - but without making a commitment. Here's the procedure for installing 7 to dual boot with XP on a computer that already has XP installed:

1.If you only have one partition on your hard drive, you need to shrink it so you can create a second one on which to install Windows 7 (I recommend if you have less than 30 GB of free space, you should buy and install a second physical hard drive on which to install Win7).

2.Boot the system from the Windows 7 installation DVD and when you get to the "Where do you want to install Windows?" option, be sure to pick the partition, disk or unallocated space on which XP is not installed.

3.Proceed through the Setup process.

4.When the system reboots after installing, pick "Earlier Version of Windows" from the boot menu to boot into XP.

If you had XP installed on C:, when you boot into Windows 7 you'll see that it appears to be installed on C:. Don't panic - Windows 7 calls whatever drive it's installed on C:, which actually makes things easier for applications. The drive on which XP is installed won't show up at all by default, although it's there in Disk Management and you can assign it a drive letter if you want it to show up when you're in Win7 (for example, if it has data stored on it that you want to access). For example, you might assign it drive letter X: to denote that it's the XP drive, and you'll see it as X: in Win7 Explorer. However, when you boot back into XP, the drive it's installed on will be C: (or whatever it was originally) again.

[Lepton]

Toasty,

Do you know if there is a problem with dual booting and installing the same applications under the different operating systems?  Pesty suggested under instructions for dual booting XP and Vista that one should not install OP under both Vista and XP due to some registry key issues.  Is there a kind of "firewall" between the two OS installs or can there be problems such as this one?