Tutorials

How to Set the Clock to Military 24 Hour Time in Vista This will show you how to have the clock display in either the 24 hour Military time or the default 12 hour Standard time. EXAMPLE: 24 Hour Time Here's How: 1. Open the Control Panel. (Classic View) 2. Click on the Regional and Language Options icon. 3. Click on the Customize this format button. (Circled Red below) 4. Click on the Time tab. (See screenshot below step 6) 5. To Change the Time to 24 Hour Military Time A) Click on the drop down arrow next to the Time Format: and click on HH:mm:ss. (See circled in red below) B) Go to step 7. 6. To Change the Time Back to 12 Hour Standard Time A) Click on the drop down arrow next to the Time Format: and click on h:mm:ss tt...

How to Hide a Folder or Shortcut Icon in Vista and Windows 7 This will show you how to hide a Folder or Shortcut icon so only the text name shows.For a folder or shortcut on the Desktop, this looks best with a dark background image. You will not be able to do this with a protected system folder icon. For example: C:\Windows, C:\Program Files, C\Windows\System32, etc...It is not recommened to also hide the Folder or Shortcut name text while hiding the icon. It will make it hard to see the folder or shortcut if you do. If you do, then you can press Ctrl+A to highlight everything in the window or desktop to see it. For more about this, see: How to Hide or Show File Names in Vista and How to Hide or Show Desktop Icon Text in Vista...

How to Change the Network Idle Session Time to Automatically Disconnect in Vista This will show you how to change how long a Network (LAN) session to your computer can remain idle for in minutes before your computer automatically disconnects them, or to turn off autodisconnect.This is not for a internet connection. It is for the other computers connected to your computer by a Local Area Network (LAN) on the same workgroup or domain.After the set idle time, the users will be disconnected automatically from the local area network (LAN) session connection to your computer and they will have to log on again to access the allowed files on your computer. This will include mapped drives. Using a Elevated Command Prompt 1. Open a elevated...

How to Change the Color Bit Depth Settings in Vista This will show you how to change your Colors DPI settings to either Medium 16 bit or Highest 32 bit in the Display Settings window.Make sure your Color Depth (Colors) is set to 32 bit for the best picture. If it is set to 16 bit, then the Windows Aero color scheme will be disabled and the Windows Vista Basic will be used instead. Here's How: 1. Right click on a empty area of your desktop and click on Personalize. 2. Click on the Display Settings link. (See screenshot below) 3. Click on the Colors drop down arrow. (See screenshots below step 6) 4. For a 32 bit Color Depth NOTE: This is the recommended setting to use for the best display picture quality and to have Windows Aero...

How to Hide or Unhide Your Vista Computer Name in a Network This will show you how to hide or unhide your Vista Computer Name from displaying in Network for the other computers on the same network. By default your computer name is displayed (unhidden) in network. After you apply the changes to hide or unhide your computer name below, it can take about an hour for it to appear or be removed from the other computers on the network. This is not for the internet. This can be helpful to help prevent the other users on the network from accidentally connecting to your computer while browsing Network and messing something up on your computer.This only hides your Computer Name in Network to help prevent access there. It does not prevent the...

How to Enable or Disable Create Vista System Restore Point when New Device Driver is Installed This will show you how to enable or disable System Restore from creating a restore point automatically when you install or update a new device driver on your computer.This is enabled by default in VistaSystem Restore will need to be turned on for Vista to be able to create a restore point. Through the Local Group Policy Editor NOTE: This method is only available for the Vista Business, Ultimate, and Enterprise editions. See OPTION TWO or OPTION THREE below for the Vista Basic and Home Premium editions. 1. Open the Local Group Policy Editor. 2. In the left pane, click on Computer Configuration, Administrative Templates, System, and Device...

How to Create a Task to Wake up the Computer to Run in Vista and Windows 7 This will show you how to create or modify an existing task in Task Scheduler so it will wake up the computer from a sleep mode and run. This way you can have the task wake up the computer and run automatically for when it is convenient for you instead. For a description of all of the default tasks in Vista, see: Microsoft Help and Support: KB939039Sometimes the scheduled task will not wake the computer up even with everything set as it is below. It can sometimes be caused by your administrator account having a password created for it. A workaround is to remove the password for this account. Warning though, removing the password will leave you less secure...

How to Use Open Command Prompt Window Here in Vista This will show you how to have a command prompt window open at any drive, file, or folder location of your choice in Vista from their context menu. This will make it easier to perform a command task there instead of having to open a command prompt normally and manually type the folder location in it using the CD\ command. This is not a elevated command prompt. This option is not available for the folder tree in the left Navigation Pane Folders section. EXAMPLE: Open Command Prompt Window Here at C:\Program Files Using Shift + Right Click NOTE: This is the default method in Vista. 1. Navigate to a folder of your choice in a Windows Explorer window. 2. Hold down the Shift key...

How to Use the Windows Explorer Address Bar in Vista The Address bar, also known as the Breadcrumb bar, is the bar at the top of a Windows Explorer window that displays the currently selected folder or file path location like a folder tree, but sideways instead.If you have Vista set to the Classic theme, see: How to Change the Desktop Theme in Vista, and you do not see the full path in the title bar, then make sure that you have checked Display the full path in the title bar (Classic folders only) in Folder Options.IE7 and Windows Explorer share the same address bar. To clear the recent addresses or locations, delete the IE7 History from Method One here: How to Delete the Internet Explorer Browsing History in Vista EXAMPLE: Windows...

How to Open and Close a Application and Process in Vista Task Manager This will show you how to use Task Manager to Open or Close a Application or Process in Vista. This can be useful to force a not responding application or process to close. You can also use this to make sure a application or process is no longer running or has multiple instances of it running. If you still cannot stop the not reponding application or process after the steps below, then the only other options is to logoff and logon again or restart the computer. Use CTRL+ALT+DEL if your computer is not responding at all to do this. Open Task Manager 1. Press CTRL+SHIFT+ESC. OR 2. Right click on the Taskbar and click on Task Manager. OR 3. Press CTRL+ALT+DELETE...

How to Enable or Disable Windows Update Start Menu Power Button Alert in Vista This will show you how to enable or disable Windows Update from taking over and displaying the Install Updates and Shut down alert shield icon on the Start Menu power button, then installs the available Windows Update when you click on the power button instead. This is enabled by default in Vista.If you wanted to keep the Windows Update alert icon shield on the Start Menu power button, but with the Start Menu power button you set instead of with Shut Down, then see: How to Add or Remove Install Updates and Shut Down to the Vista Start Menu instead.Disabling this option will prevent all Windows Update Install Updates and Shut down alert options from working...

How to Fix a Slow Scan in a Registry Cleaner Program in 64 bit Vista If you have the 64 bit Vista and the Software scan option for your registry cleaning program is extremely slow and generating large incomprehensible results, then this will show you how to fix this problem.When the registry has a second Wow6432Node key entry that is a blank duplicate, it can cause this problem for the software option in the regitry cleaning program. The second Wow6432Node key entry should not be in the registry.You should check for a update for your registry cleaning program to see if they found a solution to make their program work with this problem. The free program Wise Registry Cleaner has this problem resolved.To be safe, you should never just...

How to Add or Remove a Custom Windows Mail Title Name in Vista This will show you how to add or remove a custom title name instead of the default Windows Mail name in the Vista Windows Mail title bar.Sometimes a OEM, or when you install some software, they will have or place a custom Windows Mail title bar name instead. EXAMPLE: Windows Mail Default Title Bar Name EXAMPLE: Windows Mail with Custom Title Bar Name Here's How: 1. Open the Start Menu. 2. In the white line (Start Search) area, type regedit and press Enter. 3. Click on Continue in the UAC prompt. 4. In regedit, go to: (See screenshot below) HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows Mail 5. To Add a Custom Title Name A) In the right pane, right click on a...

How to Change Maximum Download Sessions in Internet Explorer 7 This will show you how to change the number of simultaneous downloads from a web server to what you set them to for only the current or all user acounts. 10 is usually a good maximum. 2 is the default maximum. The current HTTP specification limits the number of simultaneous file downloads to two downloads, plus one on stand by. As connection speeds increase, the number of simultaneous downloads to a single web server may not be enough for your needs. If you visit a web page with lots of images (and supporting files like CSS styles and Javascript), then you can have a slower browsing experience. On average, your browser would have to make more than 40 requests to the server...

How to Turn On or Off and Use Internet Explorer Pop-up Blocker in Vista This will show you how to turn the Internet Explorer Pop-up Blocker on or off and how to add or remove exceptions for websites to allow pop-ups from them. You will also see how to adjust the Notification and filter level settings for Pop-up Blocker. Pop-up Blocker is turned on in Internet Explorer by default. Pop-up Blocker is a feature in Internet Explorer that lets you limit or block most pop-ups. You can choose the level of blocking you prefer, from blocking all pop-up windows to allowing the pop-ups that you want to see. When Pop-up Blocker is turned on, the Information bar displays a message saying Pop-up blocked. To see this pop-up or additional options...

How to Show or Hide Folder Full Path in the Vista Taskbar Buttons This will show you how to Show the full path of a opened folder in a Windows Explorer window to display in the taskbar button, or Hide (default) the full path to only have the name of a opened folder in a Windows Explorer window to display in the taskbar button. EXAMPLE: Taskbar Buttons Folder Full Path Set as Hide (Default) and Show Here's How: 1. Open Folder Options. 2. Click on the View tab. (See screenshot below step 5) 3. To Show the Folder Full Path in Taskbar Buttons A) Check the Display the full path in the title bar (Classic folders only) box. NOTE: Normally this is used to show the full path in the title bar of Windows Explorer when you have selected the...

How to Turn System Restore On or Off in Vista This will show you how to turn System Restore on or off in Vista.System Restore helps you restore your computer's to an earlier point in time. It affects Windows system files, programs, and registry settings. It can also make changes to scripts, batch files, and other types of executable files on your computer. It is a way to undo system changes to your computer that you did not like the results of without affecting your personal user folder files, such as e‑mail, documents, or photos. Sometimes, the installation of a program or a driver can cause an unexpected change to your computer or cause Windows to behave unpredictably. Usually, uninstalling the program or driver corrects the...

How to Add or Remove "Previous Versions" Tab from Properties This will allow you to add or remove the Previous Versions tab from all Properties pages of files and folders for all users in Vista and Windows 7.Previous Versions is only available in the Vista Ultimate, Business, and Enterprise editions. Previous Versions is available in all Windows 7 editions. Previous Versions Requirements Turn on System Protection for the drive(s) that you want to have previous versions of it's files and folders available. Have any files that are not system files you want to also have previous versions of included in Windows Backups when created. Volume Shadow Copy - Service set as default of Manual. Server - Service set as default of Started and...

How to Enable or Disable Full Row Select in Vista Windows Explorer Normally when you move your mouse pointer over a file row in Details view in Windows Explorer to select or highlight a file, you can do this from any column. This will show you how to enable or disable selecting this file row from only the Name column (disabled) instead.By default in Vista, Full Row Select is enabled. To see Details view, click on Views (on toolbar) drop down arrow in the Windows Explorer window and click on Details. CREDIT TO: Keith Miller (MVP) at this link: Keith's Windows Stuff: Disable Full Row Select EXAMPLE: Full Row Select Enabled NOTE: Notice how the whole row is highlighted when selected from under any column. EXAMPLE: Full Row Select...

How to Enable or Disable the Translucent Selection Rectangle in Vista The Translucent Selection Rectangle is the blue rectangle that you drag over items to select them. This will show you how to Enable or Disable the Translucent Selection Rectangle so it will be translucent or nontranslucent. The Translucent Selection Rectangle is enabled by default.If you have the Vista Ultimate edition and have DreamScene or Stardock DeskScapes installed and running, then disabling the Show translucent selection rectangle will also disable DreamScene or DeskScapes. See the error screenshot below step 3. EXAMPLE: Translucent and NonTranslucent Selection Rectangle Here's How: 1. Open the Visual Effects Performance Options window. (See screenshot...