Tutorials

How to Change What Superfetch will Preload in Vista Superfetch is a new improved feature in Vista that monitors which applications you use the most and preloads these into your system memory (RAM) so they'll be ready when you need them. This will show you how to change Superfetch to preload only the Boot files, Program files, or the default both Boot and Program files into memory.The Boot files are the startup programs, system files, and drivers loaded during the startup (boot) of Vista. The Program files are the programs you or Vista open and close in Vista. Test to see what works best for you. Through a REG File Download 1. To Allow Only Boot Files to Preload A) Click on the download button below to download the file below...

How to Fix the Windows Sidebar Gadget Not Displaying Correctly in Vista This will show you how to fix the Windows Sidebar when the clock gadget is displayed as a black square and all other gadgets show up as white rectangles with one of those information (i) icons and a plus sign.This usually happens if the XML registration is missing in the system. The steps below will show you how to fix this. EXAMPLE: Windows Sidebar not displaying correctly Automatically Using a BAT File Download NOTE: This does the same thing as in OPTION TWO below, but automatically. If your Vista is not displayed as the C: drive in Computer, then do OPTION TWO below instead and substitute C: in the last command with your drive letter instead. 1. Click on the...

How to Switch Between Normal and Small Footprint Mode in Vista and Windows 7 Task Manager This shows you how to switch between the normal and small footprint mode in Task Manager to save window space.This can sometimes be mistaken as a problem with Task Manager. Here's How: 1. Open Task Manager by: A) Press CTRL+SHIFT+ESC. OR B) Right click on the taskbar and click on Task Manager. 2. Click on the tab you want to see. (see screenshots below) 3. Double click on a border of Task Manager to switch between modes. NOTE: See the border areas highlighted in yellow below. Normal Taskbar Footprint Mode: Small Taskbar Footprint Mode: That's it, Shawn How to Enable or Disable Task Manager in Vista How to Restart Explorer in...

How to Restore and Change a Desktop Icon in Vista This will show you how to restore or change the Computer, User's Files, Network, Recycle Bin, and Control Panel default Vista desktop icons. To change the desktop Control Panel icon, see: How to Change the Desktop Control Panel Icon in Vista Sometimes refreshing the desktop will remove or show a icon that has been deleted or added to the desktop. To do so, press F5 or right click on the desktop and click Refresh. Sometimes the desktop icon may be not aligned correctly and is offscreen and not seen. You can right on a empty space on the desktop and click on Auto Arrange to realign the desktop icons. Here's How: 1. Right click on a empty area of the desktop and click on Personalize...

How to Reset Reliability Monitor in Vista Reliability Monitor is an advanced tool that measures hardware and software problems and other changes to your computer. It collects 24 hours of data before it displays any results and calculates the stability index that ranges from 1 (the least stable) to 10 (the most stable). You can use the index to help evaluate the reliability of your computer by reviewing the reported application failures, Windows failures, Miscellaneous failures, Warnings, and Information. Any change you make to your computer or problem that occurs on your computer affects the stability index. This will show you how to reset Reliability Monitor back to a clean default slate. This can be handy if you had fixed the...

How to Fix a Public Folder Displayed as a Standard Yellow Folder Icon in Vista If you open the C:\Users\Public folder, and the Public Destop, Public Documents, Public Music, Public Pictures, or Public Videos folder has a standard yellow folder icon instead of the default special folder icon, then this will show you how to restore the default icon for that particular Public folder. The Favorites and Public Desktop folders are hidden by default. The Favorites, Public Downloads, and Recorded TV folders just use the standard yellow folder by default, so there is no need to change these. EXAMPLE: Public Folder Icons NOTE: Only the Public Desktop, Public Documents, Public Music, Public Pictures, and Public Videos folders have a special...

How to Hide or Show Desktop Icon Text in Vista This will show you how to Hide or Show any desktop icon name text so you can have a desktop where the icons you select are displayed with just the icon and no text. This will also work on any icon text in Windows Explorer to. If you would like to hide or show all file and folder icon text inside of a folder, then see: How to Hide or Show File Names in Vista Once you hide the text using OPTION ONE, you will not be able to rename, move, or delete the file or folder until you have the text show again using OPTION TWO.If you lost or ignored the warning in OPTION ONE, then you can also use the free program Unlocker to be able to delete the file or folder without text. You can also delete...

How to Fix Windows Sidebar not Starting in Vista This will show you how to get Windows Sidebar to start again if it will not start for you. Double Checking 1. See if you have a sidebar.exe listed in Task Manager. A) If you do, then End Process it. NOTE: This will close the Windows Sidebar exe so hopefully you will be able to open another one if it was just not responding before. B) Try doing step 3 now. 2. Make sure Windows Sidebar is Enabled. 3. Make sure Windows Sidebar is Turned On. 4. Check your Firewall or other Security programs to make sure that Windows Sidebar or sidebar.exe is not being blocked. 5. If Windows Sidebar will not start after this, then proceed to STEP TWO. Fix it Through a Elevated Command Prompt I would...

How to Create a Desktop Internet Shortcut without getting the Default IE Icon in Vista A internet shortcut from Internet Explorer Favorites is a URL file. These URL shortcuts use a favicon that are always going back to the default Internet Explorer E icon. This will show you how to create a Desktop internet shortcut using a URL shortcut or a normal shortcut without it defaulting back to the Internet Explorer E icon.The Internet Explorer favicon.ico files are located in the hidden protected OS folder below. C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files To Use a URL Shortcut 1. Open the Favorites folder in the Start Menu under your username button. NOTE: The Favorites folder is located at C:\Users\(your...

How to Remove or Change the Shortcut Arrow and Name in Vista This will show you how to remove, restore, or change the Shortcut Arrow on shortcuts. You will also see how to enable or disable the Shortcut name extension when new shortcuts are created.If you accidentally used a XP method of doing this by removing or renaming the IsShortCut registry, then the shortcuts in Favorite Links, Media Center, and in the Games Explorer disappear or will not work anymore. Vista uses this value to track links, lots of programs and features that use links will not work correctly like the ones above. You can use this program below to fix them by restoring the shortcut arrow, then you can make any changes you like afterwards.Removing the shortcut arrow...

How to Create a "Turn Windows Firewall On or Off" Shortcut This will show you how to download or create two shortcuts to make it easy to turn Windows Firewall on or off as needed in Vista and Windows 7.To manually turn Windows Firewall On or Off, and to verify that these shortcuts worked, see: How to Turn Windows Firewall On or Off in VistaThe Windows Firewall and Base Filtering Engine services need to be set as Started and Automatic for Windows Firewall to be able to be turned on or off with these shortcuts. Using the shortcut to turn on Windows Firewall will not also turn on the Block all incoming connections option. That will have to be manually done if wanted. To Download the Shortcut 1. Click on the Download button below to...

How to Restore Backup Files in Vista This will show you how to restore backed up versions of files, that have been lost, damaged, or changed accidentally, made from the Backup Files feature in Vista. You can restore individual files, groups of files, or all files that you have backed up. For more information, see: Windows Help and How-to: Back up and Restore: FAQsBackups are saved in this format: (backup location)\(computer name)\Backup Set (year-month-day) (time) If the backup was done on Local Disk D: at 9/7/2007 1:00:50 PM (It uses 24 hour time), then the full backup file path would be: D:\Computer\Backup Set 2007-09-07 130050 You would right click the folder Backup Set 2007-09-07 130050 and click Delete to delete that backup...

How to Disable or Enable Windows Hotkeys in Vista This will show you how to enable or disable all of the keyboard shortcuts that have the Windows Key in them. You can do this for all users accounts, or just your user account on the computer.This is for the Windows Key + key hotkeys that provides shortcuts for Start Menu, Quick Launch, and task swapping. EX: Quick Launch - Windows Key + (1 to 0) Disable Windows Hotkeys for Current User Only Using a REG File Download: 1. To Disable Windows Hotkeys A) Click on the Download button below to download the file below. Disable_Current_Windows_Hotkeys.reg https://www.vistax64.com/attachments/disable_current_windows_hotkeys-reg.1669/ B) Go to step 3. 2. To Enable Windows Hotkeys again - A)...

How to Disable or Enable Security Center in Vista Security Center alerts you when your security software is out of date, turned off, or when your security settings should be strengthened. Security Center monitors the following: Firewall, Automatic updating, Antivirus, Antispyware (EX: Windows Defender), Internet security settings, and UAC (User Account Control).If you disable the Security Center, then you will not be alerted if something disables one of your security programs. EXAMPLE: Security Center Disabled Security Center Alert Warning 1. If you are Disabling the Security Center NOTE: You will need to do this before you Disable the Security Center in step 7 below. A) Turn off the Security Center alert warning notification. B)...

How to Use the Malicious Software Removal Tool in Vista This will show you how to open and use the Malicious Software Removal Tool (MRT) to manually run scans for and automatically remove malicious software. For more information and FAQs about the Malicious Software Removal Tool, please read: The Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool helps remove specific, prevalent malicious software from computers that are running Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, Windows XP, or Windows 2000 The Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool is normally installed and updated on the second Tuesday of every month by the KB890830 Windows Update. After a scan with MRT, the scan log is located at...

How to Enable or Disable "Auto-Hide" in Vista and Windows 7 Explorer Full Screen F11 Mode This will show you how to enable or disable Auto-Hide in Windows Explorer and Internet Explorer while in Full Screen F11 mode. By default, Auto-Hide is enabled.Auto-Hide for Windows Explorer and Internet Exlporer works pretty much the same way it does for the taskbar. When in full screen F11 mode, Auto-Hide hides the address bar and toolbar until you move the mouse pointer to the top of the screen. When you do, the address bar and toolbar slides open. EXAMPLE: Internet Explorer Full Screen F11 with Auto-Hide Enabled NOTE: Notice the address bar and toolbar are hidden while in full screen mode with Auto-Hide enabled. EXAMPLE: Internet Explorer...

A List of Commands for Vista and How to Use them These are commands that you use in the command prompt in Vista.Some commands will not run unless they are used in an elevated command prompt. For how, see: How to Open a Elevated Command Prompt in Vista EXAMPLE: Command Prompt Window NOTE: You can open a command prompt by typing cmd in the Start Menu Search box and pressing Enter. Here's How: 1. Go to either link below for a list of Vista commands: NOTE: The list will have a description of what the command does. Click on the listed command to see how to use it. A-Z List OR Commands | ITsVISTA - The Ultimate Windows Vista Resource That's it, Shawn How to Use the Vista Shell Command How to Repair and Verify the Integrity of...

How to Change the Windows Explorer Columns and Sort Order in Vista This will show you how to add, remove, move, change the width, and change the sort order of Windows Explorer columns to how you want them. To apply these changes to all of the same folder type templates, see the last section of this tutorial below. External devices will not retain their folder view settings when turned off or disconnected from the computer. If Vista does not remember the folder view settings you make below to the window for when it was last closed, then see: How to Reset Windows Explorer Folder View Settings to Make Vista Remember How to Add or Remove a Column 1. Click on View on the menu bar and click on Choose Details, or right click on the column...

How to Fix the Event Viewer 4201 Error in Vista This will show you how to fix the Event viewer if you are getting this error : ERROR_WMI_INSTANCE_NOT_FOUND 4201 The instance name passed was not recognized as valid by a WMI data provider This may only work if you did a clean install of Vista and not a upgrade from XP. Instead, use this method for a upgrade verion of Vista to have it install as a clean install: How to Do a Clean Install of Vista with a Upgrade Version One usual cause of this error is a corrupted Repository file. Here's How: 1. Restart the computer into Safe Mode (without networking). 2. In Safe Mode, open a elevated command prompt. 3. In the elevated command prompt, type net stop winmgmt and press Enter. NOTE...

How To Make Vista more Responsive and Faster Many people are having a problem in regards to either a slow boot up, or that windows is slow to load Programs. I am using a SATA RAID 0 config, and even with 4GB of ram This can result in heavy fragmentation over two drives, and a slow system- especially after recording tv on MCE or any other activity that writes large files to disk. Deframenting speeds up the system dramatically, BUT using the default defragmenter doesn't defrag file fragments bigger than 64MB or even include them in the fragmentation statistics When you have file fragments for one program scattered all over your hard drive, it takes time to recompile them in order to execute the program/data in question. Consolidating...