Tutorials

How to Fix a Slow Windows Mail This will show you how to fix four different causes for Windows Mail being slow.Check for each of these causes and follow the steps below for how to fix the issue for each of these. Known Causes Description Antivirus Program You have the email scanning options turned on in your antivirus program or your antivirus program is not compatible with Vista or Windows Mail. Restricted Sites List Some programs (ex:anti-Spyware) may add a large number of entries to the Internet Explorer restricted sites list. This can cause a severe performance problem in Windows Mail after installing the KB931768 Windows update before SP1 is installed. The slowness comes from Windows Mail having some kind of conflict...

How To Change the Vista Startup Orb This tutorial shows you how to change the Windows orb seen at the conclusion of the Vista boot sequence. The method for doing so is quite straightforward. The orb is composed of four images in a DLL within System32. By altering these images it can be replaced with Tux for example. Altering a system file is never completely safe. Please see the section of this tutorial entitled Protection Measures before restarting.This method has only been done on Windows Vista Home Premium 32bit, please post your results. Instructions 1. Download Resource Tuner(the trial is sufficient), or an equivalent DLL editor. Note: Resource Tuner's uninstall seems clean. Nevertheless, use Revo Uninstallerto ensure complete...

How to Add or Remove the Screen Saver Option in Vista This will show you how to add or remove the Screen Saver option from the Vista Personalize appearance and sounds window for all users on the computer. By default, the Screen Saver option is added. EXAMPLE: Screen Saver Option Added NOTE: To see this window, right click on a empty space on the desktop and click Personalize. EXAMPLE: Screen Saver Option Removed NOTE: To see this window, right click on a empty space on the desktop and click Personalize. Through the Local Group Policy Editor NOTE: This method is only available for the Vista Business, Ultimate, and Enterprise editions. See Method Two or Method Three below for the Vista Home Basic and Home Premium editions. 1. Open...

How to Change the Screen Resolution in Vista This will show you how to change the screen resolution in Vista with the recommended native settings based on the monitor size. The screen resolution setting determines how much information is displayed on the display screen. It is measured horizontally and vertically in pixels. At lower screen resolutions, such as 640 x 480, fewer items will fit on the screen, but they will be larger. At higher resolutions, such as 1600 x 1200, more items will fit on the screen but they will be smaller.The resolution options will vary with each computer based on the video device, monitor size, and video & monitor drivers. If the screen looks distorted or fuzzy, then you may have an incorrect screen...

How to Change the Start Menu to Classic View in Vista This will show you how to change the normal Vista Start menu to the Classic Start menu for the look and behavior of earlier versions of Windows. EXAMPLE: Classic Start Menu Here's How: 1. Right click on the start button and click on Properties. (see screenshot below) 2. Select (dot) Classic Start menu. (see screenshot below) NOTE: To change the Start menu back to the default Vista Start menu, dot Start menu instead. 3. Click on OK. That's it, Shawn How to Add or Delete a Shortcut or Folder From the Start Menu in Vista How to Customize the Start Menu in Vista How to Pin a Program to the Start Menu in Vista How to Turn the Recent Items List On or Off in Vista How to...

How to Do a Startup Repair in Vista Startup Repair is a Vista recovery tool that can fix certain problems, such as missing or damaged system files, that might prevent Vista from starting correctly. When you run Startup Repair, it scans your computer for the problem and then tries to fix it so your computer can start correctly. For more information, see: Windows Help and How-to: Startup Repair FAQs Startup Repair Process Startup Repair will try to repair computers that are unbootable because of the following reasons: Registry corruption Missing or damaged system and driver files Disk metadata corruption (MBR, partition table, and boot sector) File system metadata corruption Installation of problematic or incompatible drivers...

How to Correct the Disk Cleanup Shortcut in Vista 64 bit By default in Vista 64 bit (x64), the shortcut in the Start Menu points to the 32-bit (x86) executable for Disk Cleanup. While Disk Cleanup will work fine from this shortcut for most things, there is one function that does not work correctly – the cleaning of System Restore points, Shadow Copies, and Previous Versions. This will show you how to fix this error in the Start menu Disk Cleanup shortcut. CREDIT TO: Kristan Kenney: Confessions of a Windows Enthusiast Here's How: 1. Open the Start Menu. 2. Click on All Programs, Accessories, and then on System Tools. 3. Right click on Disk Cleanup and click on Properties. NOTE: All other Disk Cleanup shortcuts are correct. Just...

How to Turn Preview Thumbnails On or Off in Windows Explorer in Vista This will show you how to turn file and folder preview thumbnails on or off in all Windows Explorer windows. A thumbnail is a reduced image of a graphic, used to display multiple images at once.You will need to click on View or Views, on Windows Explorer window Menu bar, and have it set to either Medium Icons, Large Icons, or Extra Large Icons to see a thumbnail preview of the file image as the icon.If thumbnails will still not show on the file icon even with thumbnails turned on from below, then check to make sure that Windows Photo Gallery is set as the default program with all of it's associations set to it.Thumbnails can cause navigating through a Windows...

How to Turn the Toggle Keys Beep Alert On or Off in Vista This will show you how to turn the beep tone alert on or off for when you press either the Num Lock, Caps Lock, or Scroll Lock keys.This can be helpful when turned on to let you know if you accidentally pressed one of the lock keys. Here's How: 1. Open the Control Panel. (Classic View) 2. Click on the Ease of Access Center icon. 3. Click on the Make the keyboard easier to use link. (See screenshot below) 4. To Turn Toggle Keys On A) Check Turn on Toggle Keys. (See screenshot below step 6) NOTE: Check Turn on Toggle Keys by holding down the NUM LOCK key for 5 seconds to be able to turn toggle keys ON or OFF manually. B) Go to step 6. 5. To Turn Toggle Keys Off A)...

Boot Process: Windows Vista vs. Windows XP The boot process in Windows Vista differs from Windows XP in where the operating system is located and the way it is initialized. As with XP the process begins with the BIOS, then moves to the Master Boot Record (MBR). When the MBR has completed its task, the Partition Boot Record (PBR) will take over and look for the boot loader. In XP, the startup code would look for the NTLDR boot loader, whereas in Vista, the new boot is Bootmgr. The Bootmgr loads the Boot Configuration Database (BCD), which, in turn, loads an OS loader boot application (Winload.exe). Finally, the OS loader application is responsible for initializing the kernel. Two key actions performed by the NTLDR in previous...

How to Enable or Disable Taskbar Always on Top in Vista This will show you how to enable or disable to keep the taskbar on top of other windows in Vista. EXAMPLE: Taskbar Always On Top Enabled and Disabled NOTE: Enabled is the left screenshot, and disabled is the right screenshot. Here's How: 1. Right click on a empty area on the taskbar and click on Properties. 2. To Enable Taskbar Always on Top NOTE: This is enabled by default in Vista. A) Check the Keep the taskbar on top of other windows box. (See screenshot below step 4) B) Go to step 4. 3. To Disable Taskbar Always on Top NOTE: This is enabled by default in Vista. A) Uncheck the Keep the taskbar on top of other windows box. (See screenshot below step 4) 4. Click on OK...

How to Fix the Background Inteligence Transfer Service in Vista Any issue with this service cause problems with Windows Update Due to this you may get following Windows Update error codes: 80246008 80070424 800706BA SOLUTION Check service settings: Go to: Start>>search>>services.msc and make sure Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) service is started and set to Automatic (Delayed Start) if you have another settings you have to correct it,if you don't change setting or service don't exist follow to below to fix it: METHOD I Use BITS Repair Tool //This tool remove all qmgr*.dat files from C:\Programdata\Microsoft\Network\Downloader folder,of course you can do also manually (details in the link) METHOD II...

How to Use Advanced Search Options in Vista Advanced Search allows you to do a customized search. This will show you how to open and use the Advanced Search Options in Vista including search tips. This is a good choice for searches whenever you: Don't know where a file or folder is located, and want to look in many locations at once. Want your search results to include files from several folders at once. Want to create an advanced search that looks for files using several different criteria. By default, the Search folder searches in a set of locations called Indexed Locations. This includes all of the folders in your personal folder (which includes Documents, Pictures, Music, Desktop, and other common locations), e‑mail, and...

How to Fix the Windows Update 80246005 Error in Vista If you receive Windows Update error 80246005 while checking for updates, it usually means either you cannot save files to the Catroot2 folder, or that the Cryptographic Service was not started or is not working properly. To allow files to be saved in the Catroot2 folder Windows Update might fail if Vista cannot copy files to the Catroot2 folder or replace files that are in that folder (for example, if the folder or its files are set to read-only). To change the folder so you can write files to it, follow the steps below. Here's How: 1: Open a elevated command prompt. 2: Type attrib -h -s -r c:\windows\system32\catroot2 and then press ENTER. 3: Next, type attrib -h -s -r...

How to Pin a Program to the Start Menu in Vista This will show you how to add or remove a pinned program or program shortcut to the left white area of the Start menu to make it easier to open. This does not work in the Classic Start Menu. It is best to Pin the actual source EXE for the program and not a shortcut to the program. It is easier for a shortcut to be moved or deleted, causing the pinned program shortcut in the Start menu to not work anymore. To see how to pin a folder or folder shortcut to the Start Menu, see: How to Pin a Folder to the Start Menu in Vista EXAMPLE: Pin area of the Start Menu NOTE: This is the left white side of the Start menu. To change the size of these icons to be large or small, see: How to Display...

How to Add "Empty Recycle Bin" to the Vista Desktop Context Menu This will show you how to add or remove the Empty Recycle Bin option from the desktop context menu in Vista. By default, Empty Recycle Bin is not in the desktop context menu. EXAMPLE: Desktop Context Menu without and with "Empty Recycle Bin" added Here's How: 1. To Add Empty Recycle Bin to Desktop Context Menu A) Click on the Download button below to download the file below. Add_Desktop_Empty_Recycle_Bin.zip https://www.vistax64.com/attachments/add_desktop_empty_recycle_bin-zip.11816/ B) Go to step 3. 2. To Remove Empty Recycle Bin to Desktop Context Menu A) Click on the Download button below to download the file below. Remove_Desktop_Empty_Recycle_Bin.zip...

How to Setup and Use Parental Controls in Vista This will show you how to setup and use Parental Controls to help manage how your children, or a Standard user account, can use the computer. For example, you can set limits on your children's access to the web, the hours that they can log on to the computer, and which games they can play and programs they can run. For more information, see: Windows Help and How-to: Set up Parental ControlsParental Controls is only available to the Vista Home Basic, Home Premium, and Ultimate editions. Parental Controls can only be applied to Standard user accounts. If your computer is connected to a domain, Parental Controls are not available.For Parental Controls to work, it needs to have the Parental...

How to Use the Memory Diagnostics Tool in Vista This will show you how to open and use the Memory Diagnostics Tool to allow you to check your computer for problems with the RAM memory. For more information, see: Microsoft Online Crash Analysis: Windows Memory Diagnostic Users GuideIf you had changed your boot screen, then you will need to temporarily uncheck the No GUI boot to be able to see what is happening when the Memory Diagnostics Tool is running at boot up. For how, see: How to Enable or Replace the Hidden Aurora Boot Screen in Vista Here's How: 1. Run from within Vista A)Open the Control Panel (Classic View), then click on the Administrative Tools icon and click Memory Diagnostics Tool. OR B) Open the Start menu, then type...

How to Restore Previous Versions of a File and Folder in Vista This will show you how to restore Previous Versions of a file or folder from a list of previous versions (shadow copy) at different points in time to choose from. Shadow copies are automatically saved as part of a system restore point. When System Restore is turned on (it is by default), Vista automatically creates shadow copies of any files that have been changed since the time the last restore point was made. Restore points are created once per day and before significant system events such as program or driver installation. You can also manually create a restore point anytime you want to. For more information, see: Microsoft TechNet: Selected Scenarios for Maintaining...

How to Check and Change the Startup Programs in Vista These are the programs that load when Vista starts. This will show you how to add, remove, enable, or disable a startup program. For a list and description of startup programs with recommendations to have your listed program startup or not, see: SystemLookup - Startup List To test if you have a startup program issue, startup in Safe Mode. If you startup into Safe Mode without any problems, then it could be a startup program. You can then disable the startup programs one by one until you find the one causing the problem. You can also view the startup logs in Event Viewer (C:\Windows\system32\eventvwr.msc) under Applications and Services Logs, Microsoft, Windows...