Tutorials

How to Enable or Disable Windows Calendar in Vista This will show you how to Enable (Turn on) or Disable (Turn off) Windows Calendar for all users on the computer in Vista.The Windows Calendar .exe file is located at: C:\Program Files\Windows Calendar\WinCal.exe EXAMPLE: Windows Calendar Disabled 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, Windows Components, and Windows Calendar (See screenshot below) 3. In the right pane, right click on Turn off Windows Calendar and click on Properties. (See screenshot above)...

How to Enable or Disable Windows Sidebar in Vista This will allow you to enable or disable Windows Sidebar from running for all user accounts on the computer.If you just want to turn Windows Sidebar on or off, then see: How to Turn Windows Sidebar On or Off in Vista EXAMPLE: Windows Sidebar Disabled NOTE: This is a message a user will get when they try to turn on Windows Sidebar. 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, Windows Components, Windows Sidebar. (See screenshot below) 3. In the right pane, right click...

How to Create a Defragment Boot Files Shortcut in Vista This will show you how to create a Defragment Boot Files shortcut so you can manually defrag the boot files on the C: drive when you want to without having to restart the computer.To enable or disable the defrag of boot files at the startup or restart of Vista automatically, see: How to Enable or Disable Defrag of Boot Files at Startup in Vista To Create the Shortcut Through a Download: 1. Click on the Download button below to download the file below. Defragment_Boot_Files.zip https://www.vistax64.com/attachments/defragment_boot_files-zip.4191/ 2. Click on Save and save it to the Desktop. 3. Right click on the downloaded .zip file and click on Open. 4. Click on Allow in the...

How to Use Windows Firewall with Advanced Security in Windows This console will allow you to fully set Windows Firewall Inbound, Outbound, and Connection Security rules. Plus, you have full Monitoring options. For more detailed information about how to use Windows Firewall with Advanced Security, see this also: Overview of Windows Firewall with Advanced Security This must be done in an administrator account, or right click on Windows Firewall with Advanced Security and click Run as administrator for it to work.Using the free version of the 3rd party program Sphinx Windows 8 Firewall Control can make using this easier. Opening the Advanced Security Management Console 1. Open the Start Menu. A) In the white line (Start Search) area...

How to Install and Use DreamScene in Vista Ultimate Windows DreamScene is a Windows Ultimate Extra. With Windows DreamScene, you can change your desktop background to a video clip, which runs in a continuous loop. You can now have a animated desktop instead of just a plain wallpaper image. For more information, see: Windows Help and How-to: About Windows DreamScene Windows DreamScene supports only WMV and MPG video file formats. To use Windows DreamScene, you must be running Vista Ultimate, download Windows DreamScene as an Ultimate Extra, and use a video card that can support the Windows Aero color scheme. See: Microsoft Help and Support: Video Cards: FAQs If you do not use the Windows Aero color scheme, then the DreamScene will not...

How to Customize the Vista Ribbons Screen Saver Settings By default the Ribbons screen saver has no options to set in the Screen Saver Settings window. However, you can customize the Ribbons screen saver settings through the registry instead. This will show you how to.The default location of the Aurora screen saver file is at: C:\Windows\System32\Ribbons.scr.You will just need to play with the settings and adjust the Value Data (step 8) until you get the desired affect from the selected DWORD Value Name (step 5). EXAMPLE: Ribbons Screen Saver To Restore the Default Ribbons Settings 1. Click on the Download button below to download the file below. Restore_Default_Ribbons.reg...

How to Customize the Vista Mystify Screen Saver Settings By default the Mystify screen saver has no options to set in the Screen Saver Settings window. However, you can customize the Mystify screen saver settings through the registry instead. This will show you how to.The default location of the Mystify screen saver file is at: C:\Windows\System32\Mystify.scr.You will just need to play with the settings and adjust the Value Data (step 8) until you get the desired affect from the selected DWORD Value Name (step 5). EXAMPLE: Mystify Screen Saver To Restore the Default Mystify Settings 1. Click on the Download button below to download the file below. Restore_Default_Mystify.reg...

How to Customize the Vista Aurora Screen Saver Settings By default the Aurora screen saver has no options to set in the Screen Saver Settings window. However, you can customize the Aurora screen saver settings through the registry instead. This will show you how to.The default location of the Aurora screen saver file is at: C:\Windows\System32\Aurora.scr.You will just need to play with the settings and adjust the Value Data (step 8) until you get the desired affect from the selected DWORD Value Name (step 5). EXAMPLE: Aurora Screen Saver To Restore the Default Aurora Settings 1. Click on the Download button below to download the file below. Restore_Default_Aurora.reg...

How to Enable or Disable "Highlight Newly Installed Programs" in Vista Start Menu This will show you how to enable or disable the option to have newly installed programs to be highlighted in the Start Menu. This option is enabled by default in Vista.EXAMPLE: Hightlight Newly Installed Programs Enabled and Disabled NOTE: For example, the Firefox beta version below was just recently installed on my system. Here's How: 1. Right click on the Start button and click on Properties. 2. Click on the Customize button. (See screenshot below) 3. To Enable Highlight Newly Installed Programs A) Check the Highlight newly installed programs box. (See screenshot below step 4) B) Click on OK. C) Go to step 5. 4. To Disable Highlight Newly...

How to Clear the Desktop Background Picture Location List History in Vista I found the way to clear the desktop background picture location history. Here is the solution - open up regedit and go to the following 2 registry locations.. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Stardock\Deskscapes\WallpaperFolders NOTE: You may only have this if you have installed Deskscapes. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Wallpapers\Images when you get to wallpaperfolders delete whatever history folder you want and your desktop background picture location will be organized and clean as it should be..Do the same when you get to the Images folder also.

How to Add and Remove a Item in the"New" Context Menu The New menu is located in the Context (right click) menu and Windows Explorer File menu. This will show you how to add and remove a item of your choice to the New menu.In the root and root folders of C: drive, the only New context menu item available is Folder. To restore or remove New from the context menu, see: How to Restore or Remove New from the Context Menu in Vista If you are missing any of the default menu items in the New context menu, then see: How to Restore Missing Default New Context Menu Items in Vista A good free program for advanced users to use to disable or remove context menu items is ShellExView. EXAMPLE: Context menu New menu Items Before (Default) and...

Enable or Disable Detailed Verbose Logon, Logoff, Startup, and Shutdown Status Messages in Vista and Windows 7 This will allow you to enable or disable displaying status messages that reflect each step in the process of starting, shutting down, logging on, or logging off the computer.This is disabled by default in Vista and Windows 7.If enabled, you will get more detailed (verbose) status messages than just the normal "Logging On", "Logging Off", or "Shutting Down" messages. EXAMPLE: Shutdown with one Detailed Status Message step Through the Local Group Policy Editor 1. Open the Local Group Policy Editor. 2. In the left pane, click on Computer Configuration, Administrative Templates, and System (See screenshot below) 3. In the...

How to Open and Use File Signature Verification in Vista and Windows 7 File Signature Verification is used to check the integrity of critical operating system files by verifying if they have been digitally signed.Any critical files that are not digitally signed are displayed in a results list. A complete list of the system files checked is available in a log file stored at: C:\Users\Public\Documents\SIGVERIF.TXT. Any file that is not digitally signed should be verified by you to see if it is safe. Some unsigned files by just be beta drivers, while others good be malware. Use Google to look up the file to help see what program the file belongs to help you decide if it is safe. If the file turns out to be unsafe, then you might...

Install/Uninstall Problems With Vista Install/Uninstall Problems With Vista Commonly, third-party program installation/uninstallation difficulties with Vista revolve around one or both of the following problems. Remnants of failed installs/uninstalls block proper installation processes and eventual program functioning, and corrupted system files cause Vista OS dysfunction requiring minor or major elements of Vista repair. This tutorial will help you remove install/uninstall debris and decide if you need to proceed to Repair Vista Options.General computer maintenance is important to a smoothly running system, including the installation process. Routinely schedule and run your antiviral and anti-malware software. Schedule Disk...

Folder Sorting Standard Sorting In all views of Windows Explorer, including File Dialogs used by programs, clicking on a column header will sort the view using that column. Clicking on the same column header will reverse the sort. For purposes of clarity, the screenshots in this tutorial show a folder view where the columns have been customized to show only the Name, Tags, Size and Title headers. Screenshot 1 Folder sorted by Name In the above screenshot, you can see that the view has been sorted by the Name column. Screenshot 2 Folder sorted by Tags If you were to click on the Tags column, the sort will be performed according to the Tags of the files. If the Tags are the same, then Windows Explorer will sort the files...

How to Change the Display DPI Scale in Vista This will show you how to change the DPI (Dots per Inch) Scale to allow all items on your display screen to be smaller or larger.If you set the DPI higher than 96, and you are running Windows Aero, the text and other items on the screen might appear blurry in some programs that are not designed for high–DPI display in Vista. If this is a problem you are having, you can help avoid this issue by using Windows XP–style DPI scaling. (See step 4C below)Do not set the DPI to high or everything will extend way past the display screen, making them distorted and unreadable. If this happens, then boot into Safe Mode and change the DPI scaling to a smaller number. Change DPI Through Display Settings...

How to Delete a Network Connection in Vista This will show you how to delete a network connection that you have setup on your computer in Vista.If you delete your only network connection, then you will have no network connection until you setup another one. Here's How: 1. Open the Control Panel (Classic view). A) Click on the Network and Sharing Center icon. B) Go to step 2. OR 1. Right click on the taskbar Network system tray icon. A) Click on Network and Sharing Center. 2. Click on the Customize link. (See screenshot below) 3. Click on the Merge or delete network locations link. (See screenshot below step 4) 4. Click on Continue in the UAC prompt. 5. If the Network Location the you want to delete has a Not in use Status...

How to Add or Remove a Desktop Toolbar in Vista A toolbar is a row, column, or block of buttons or icons representing tasks you can do within a program or shortcuts. This will show you how to add a toolbar to either the top, left, and right of the desktop, or add one for all three borders if you want. You will also see how to use and add or remove shortcuts to this toolbar.If you wanted to use an existing or new folder on the desktop instead of from another location in step 1 below and do not want the folder to still be displayed after creating the desktop toolbar with it, then you can hide the folder.EXAMPLE: Desktop Toolbar on the left border NOTE: The toolbar is on the left border of the desktop. You can add or move a toolbar to the...

How to Enabled or Disable Last Access Updating in Vista By default Last Access Updating is disabled in Vista. If Last Access Updating is enabled, Vista will update files with the last access update time when they are opened or accessed by you or any application.This can be handy if you need to know when the last time a file was accessed on your computer.If enabled, the Last Access Updating option can cause Vista to slow down a little bit since it will always be updating the last access times for all files on your computer. It is best to leave this option disables unless you need or want it. EXAMPLE: Last Access Updating Before (disabled) and After (enabled) NOTE: To see the last accessed time for a file, right click on the file and...

How to Change Power Button Settings for the Start Menu and Case in Vista This will show you how to change the function of the Computer Case and Start menu power buttons to either Do nothing, Sleep, Hibernate, or Shutdown when you press or click it. EXAMPLE: Normal Start Menu Power buttons SHUTDOWN ------- SLEEP or HIBERNATE EXAMPLE: Classic Start Menu Shutdown button NOTE: This will not change what the Shutdown button says in the Classic Start menu, but it will change what the default action (Sleep or Shutdown) is for the Shutdown window after you click on Shutdown. Here's How: 1. Open the Control Panel (Classic View) 2. Click on the Power Options Icon. 3. Click on the Change plan settings under the Power Plan you have...