Tutorials

How to Open and Use Private Character Editor in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8 You can use Private Character Editor (PCE) to create your own special characters, which you can then insert into documents by using Character Map. You can create up to 6,400 unique characters (such as special letters and logos) for use in your font library. PCE contains basic tools for creating and editing characters, along with more advanced options. For more information, see: Windows Help and How-to: Private Character Editor The Private Character Editor EXE file is located at: C:\Windows\System32\eudcedit.exe The Private Character folder location is at: C:\Users\(User Name)\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\EUDC NOTE: This is a hidden system file. For how...

List of All Keyboard Shortcuts in Vista This is a list of every single keyboard shortcut in Vista. For more on this, see: Windows Help and How-to: Keyboard Shortcuts Ease of Access Shortcuts : Right SHIFT for eight seconds - Turn Filter Keys on and off Left ALT+left SHIFT+PRINT SCREEN (or PRTSCRN) - Turn High Contrast on or off Left ALT+left SHIFT+NUM LOCK - Turn Mouse Keys on or off SHIFT five times - Turn Sticky Keys on or off NUM LOCK for five seconds - Turn Toggle Keys on or off Windows logo key+U - Open the Ease of Access Center Dialog Box Shortcuts : CTRL+TAB - Move forward through tabs CTRL+SHIFT+TAB - Move back through tabs TAB - Move forward through options SHIFT+TAB - Move back through options ALT+underlined letter...

How to Allow and Block Specific Programs in Windows Vista Parental Controls This will show you how to use Parental Controls to prevent a Standard user from running specific installed programs that you do not want them to run.Parental Controls is only availble 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 is not available. Here's How: 1. Setup and turn on Parental Controls. 2. Click on the Allow and block specific programs link. (See screenshot below) 3. To Allow All Programs A) Select (dot) (username) can use all programs. (See screenshot below step 5) 4. To Allow and Block Programs...

How to Add or Remove Turn Aero On or Off from the Vista Context Menu This will show you how to add or remove Turn Aero On and Turn Aero Off to the desktop and Windows Explorer Context (right click) menu to turn the Aero Glass Transparency On or Off at will. You will need to be logged in as an administrator to be able to do this tutorial. You will need to have the Windows Aero color scheme selected in order for the Glass Transparency to work.HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS FOR: WINDOWS AERO Color Scheme See: Windows Help and Support: Troubleshoot problems with Windows Aero NOTE: The Windows Aero color scheme is not available for the Vista Home Basic edition. :( 1 GHz 32-bit or 64-bit processor 1 GB of system memory Support for DirectX 9...

How to Add Back and Set Windows Mail Default Associations This will show you how set Windows Mail default associations back to it to make Windows Mail the default email program.Windows Mail can lose it's default associations when you install another email program. If you installed MS Office Outlook, it may set itself as the default email program everytime it updates. You will need to uninstall it or leave it as your default email program to stop this.Since Internet Explorer works closely with Windows Mails on a lot of features, it would be best to make sure Internet Explorer has it's default association set for it below to. Here's How: 1. If open, close Windows Mail first before doing the steps below. 2. Open the Control Panel...

You are unable to select or format hard drive partition when you try to install Vista When you try to install Windows Vista, you may experience one or more of the following symptoms: The hard disk on which you want to install Windows Vista is not listed. You cannot select a hard disk partition on which to install Windows Vista. You cannot format a hard disk partition or partitions. You cannot set the correct size for a hard disk partition. What if you are unable to format a hard drive partition to install Vista? Assuming that your hard drive works fine and you have a new vista installation dvd and its not working due to the above mentioned reason, then we will look at the DFFR (Debug F-disk Format Reinstall) method to delete the...

How to Use a Scanner with Vista This function is built-in to Vista for many scanners - I have the HP1110 model (shown here as HP psc 1100) and have no problems with it. The main programs that you are likely to use with the scanner are Paint and Windows Photo Gallery. These can be run by clicking the start orb, typing the appropriate name in the search box and pressing enter/return. The procedures used with each program are described in detail below. Scan Using Paint 1) To scan using 'Paint', click on 'File' and then 'From Scanner or Camera...'. The following dialogue is displayed. 2) Highlight the appropriate device (in my case 'HP psc 1100') and click 'OK'. The following dialogue is displayed. 3) You can adjust the properties of...

How to Change the Default Open Window Size for a Shortcut in Vista This will show you how change the default Open window size of a shortcut to normal (default), minimized, or maximized. If you cannot get Vista to remember these settings, then try resetting the Folder View Settings completely in METHOD TWO here: How to Reset Windows Explorer Folder View Settings to Make Vista Remember Here's How: 1. Right click on any shortcut. NOTE: For a keyboard shortcut, right click on the shortcut that the keyboard shortcut is assigned to. 2. Click on Properties. 3. Click on the Shortcut tab. (See screenshot below) 4. In the Run drop down menu, select the window size you want the shortcut to open to. Window Size Description Normal...

How to Remove or Show the Start Menu Shutdown Options in Vista This will show you how to remove or show the Shut Down, Restart, Sleep, and Hibernate options from the Start menu and the red power button in the Windows Security screen when you press Ctrl+Alt+Delete.This will also enable or disable the Shut Down Windows screen when you press ALT+F4. For more on this, see: How to Shutdown, Restart, Switch User, Log Off, Sleep, or Lock Vista from the Keyboard EXAMPLE: Start Menu Shutdown Options Before and After EXAMPLE: Ctrl+Alt+Del Shutdown Options Before and After NOTE: Notice the red shutdown options box is gone when this is enabled. Through the Local Group Policy Editor NOTE: This method is only available for the Vista Business...

How to Enable or Disable Start Menu "All Programs" in Vista and Windows 7 This will show you how to have the All Programs list added or removed from the Start menu of the user account that this is done in. The All Programs list is enabled by default in Vista and Windows 7.In Vista, this will only work on the normal Start menu and not the classic Start menu. EXAMPLE: All Programs List Enabled in the Start Menu EXAMPLE: All Programs List Disabled in the Start Menu Through the Local Group Policy Editor 1. Open the all users, specific users or groups, or all users except administrators Local Group Policy Editor for how you want this policy applied. 2. In the left pane, click on User Configuration, Administrative Templates, and Start...

How to Restore Previous Opened Folder Windows at Logon in Vista This will show you how to turn on or off the setting to automatically open the folders that you have open when you log off, restart, or shut down Vista last for whenever you start Vista and logon to your user account next. This is turned off by default in Vista.You can use this setting to help you preserve your work from session to session. Through Folder Options 1. Open Folder Options. 2. To Turn On Restore Previous Folder Windows at Logon A) Check the Restore previous folder windows at logon box. (See screenshot below step 4) B) Go to step 4. 3. To Turn Off Restore Previous Folder Windows at Logon A) Uncheck the Restore previous folder windows at logon box. (See...

How to Change the User Account Password if Unable to Login to Windows This tutorial will help you remove the existing user account password and set up a new password incase you have forgotten the user password. Here's how: Boot to Win RE Click Command Prompt option. Type the following command: C: CD Windows\system32 ren cmd.exe cmd.old ren magnify.exe cmd.exe ren cmd.old magnify.exe Restart computer Click on Easy of Access centre left side bottom à Choose Magnify option à Command prompt opens up Type: net user administrator /active:yes Restart the computer Logon on administrator account and then using User Account page, remove password for the other account Search for Magnify.exe in start search and click on it Command prompt opens...

How to Change the Windows Sidebar Theme in Vista By default you cannot change the theme for Windows Sidebar in Vista. However, with the free 3rd party Windows Sidebar Styler program you can.For free Windows Sidebar Themes to download, see: WinCustomize: Sidebar Styler Gallery How to Get Windows Sidebar Styler 1. Go to the Windows Sidebar Styler website by Stanimir Stoyanov. 2. Download the 32-bit or 64-bit version for your version of Vista. NOTE: To see what bit version you have of Vista, open Control Panel (Classic View) and click the System icon. You will see the version under System type:. 3. Turn off Windows Sidebar temporarily and install the downloaded program. NOTE: This will add a Stanimir Stoyanov folder in the Start menu...

How to Use and Create Stationery in Windows Mail Stationery is a background image for messages. This will show you how to Create and Use stationery in Vista Windows Mail. Stationery uses the .HTM file extension.The default stationery folder location used by Windows Mail is: NOTE: AppData is a hidden folder, see Option Two here: How to Hide or Show Hidden Files and Folders in Vista C:\Users\(user-name)\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Mail\Stationery For free Stationery files to download see: Email Stationery for Windows Mail, VISTA New Windows Mail. Cloudeight stationery is compatible with windows mail in vista. Cloudeight is the only email site fully compatible with Vista windows mail EXAMPLE: Stationery How to Use Stationery in...

How to Fix the Games Explorer Link in the Vista Start Menu If when you click on the Games Explorer Link in the Start Menu to open it, and it may quickly open and close or not open at all, then this will show you how to fix it so it will open again.Even though the Games Explorer window will not stay open, you may still be able to run a selected game from the Start Menu, All Programs, Games folder.EXAMPLE: Games Explorer Window NOTE: Other than the links below, you can type Shell:Games in the white line (Start Search) area of the Start menu, or in the Run window, and press Enter. EXAMPLE: Games Explorer Link in Start Menu NOTE: To add or remove the Games button, see Option One here: How to Customize the Start Menu in Vista and...

How to Connect a Printer to a Wireless Router This Tutorial will show you how to connect a printer to a wireless router to allow more computers on your wireless network to access a single printer.This will work with most modern Printers and Wireless routers that can be connected by USB. Some settings may vary with different Routers and Printers. Here's How: 1. First connect the Printer to the Wireless Router by usb cable and switch on the Printer. 2. Installl te printer drivers on all computers that are to have acces to the printer. 3. With each computer proceed as follows: A. Open the Start Menu. B. Click on the Control Panel button. C. Click on Printer. D. Right click on your Printer Icon and click on Properties. E. Click on the...

How to Create and Use a Contact Group in Vista A contact group is a collection of contacts that simplifies the process of sending e‑mail to groups of people. This will show you how to create and fully use a Contact Group in Vista and Windows Mail. By addressing a message to a contact group, you save time by not having to add an address to the message for each recipient. You can send the message to everyone in the contact group at once. Contact groups are designed to be used with Windows Mail, and are sometimes called mailing lists. For more information, see: Windows Help and How-to: Managing Your Contacts and Windows Help and How-to: Organize and Find ContactsIf you put normal contacts into separate folders within the Contacts folder...

How to Restore the Default Power Plan Settings in Vista This will show you how to reset and restore all of the default Power Plans back with their default settings, or how to restore a single Power Plan back to default settings in Vista. EXAMPLE: Default Power Plans EXAMPLE: Missing Power Plans NOTE: This is just an example of the power plans missing. To Reset and Restore All Power Plans NOTE: This can be handy if you have a missing default power plan and would like to restore it, or would like to reset all default power plans back to their default settings. 1. Open the Start Menu. 2. In the Start Menu search box, type cmd and press Enter. 3. In the command prompt, copy and paste the command below and press Enter. (See...

How to Change the Desktop Theme in Vista A Desktop Theme is a collection of visual elements and sounds for your computer desktop. These elements consists of the appearance of menus, icons, wallpapers, screen savers, fonts, some computer sounds, mouse pointers, and etc. This will show you how to change, save, or delete a theme. Vista only includes these two desktop themes: Windows Vista and Windows Classic. However, you can save any desktop theme you setup as a custom theme to save. Each user account can create and save their own custom desktop theme. See step 4 below for how to save a theme. See the related links for how to change each element in a desktop theme. FILE EXTENSION: .theme FOLDER LOCATION...

How to Fix the Vista Security Center Reporting Incorrect Information Sometimes the Security Center may show outdated or misleading information or status due to a problem in the WMI repository. This will show you how to rebuild the WMI repository to have the Security Center information reported correctly again.For example, it may show that you have a antivirus or firewall program still installed and on, when you have actually uninstalled that program.EXAMPLE: Security Center NOTE: You can see the Security Center by opening the Control Panel (classic View) and clicking on the Security Center icon. To Only Verify the WMI Repository Status 1. Open a elevated command prompt. 2. In the elevated command prompt, type the command below...