Tutorials

How to Use Windows Defender Offline The former Microsoft Standalone System Sweeper (MSSS) BETA has been rebranded and available as Windows Defender Offline now. Windows Defender Offline is a free standalone, bootable malware and virus remover from Microsoft that performs an offline scan of an infected PC to remove viruses, rootkits and other advanced malware. This tutorial will show you how to update and use the Windows Defender Offline Tool to create a 32-bit or 64-bit Windows Defender Offline bootable CD/DVD, USB flash drive, or ISO file on any computer to help you start an infected 32-bit or 64-bit PC and perform an offline scan at boot to help identify and remove rootkits and other malicious malware. In addition, Windows...

How to Enable or Disable Access to Windows Updates in Windows 7 This will allow you to enable or disable specific or all users access to use all Windows Update features in Windows 7. The Windows Update features include installing updates, check for updates, change settings, view update history, and restore hidden updates. It may be handy to set Windows Update settings the way want them, then disable access to prevent changes or unwanted updates from being manually installed by another user. When disabled, you will see the Some settings are managed by your system administrator information message. EXAMPLE: Windows Update Enabled and Disabled Using a REG File Download 1. To Enable Windows Update Access for Only...

How to Create and Use a Linux Mint Mate USB Flash Drive to Recover your Files If you are in a hurry and don't want to read the whole saga, skip to point #2 and watch the videos. That will give you enough information to do the job. The method proposed here is really extremely easy. Even someone with little computer experience should be able to deal with it. I am now getting suggestions for additional use of Mint Mate on the USB flash drive. I will list those in random order as they come in. Feel free to make suggestions on the thread and I will include them. It is a very safe environment to operate on the internet. Malware infections are quasi impossible and should they really happen you can recreate the flash drive very...

Sticky Notes Delete Confirmation - Enable or Disable in Windows 7 & 8 How to Enable or Disable Sticky Notes Delete Confirmation in Windows 7 and Windows 8 Sticky Notes allows you to type and leave a Post-it type note on your desktop until deleted. When you delete a sticky note, a "Are you sure you want to delete this note?" dialog message will open by default to confirm. This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable the Sticky Notes delete confirmation message for your account in Windows 7 and Windows 8. The downloadable .reg files below will modify the DWORD value in the registry key below. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\StickyNotes PROMPT_ON_DELETE DWORD 0 = Disable 1 = Enable...

How to Create an "Offline Files Folder" Shortcut in Windows 7 and Windows 8 This tutorial will show you how to create or download an Offline Files Folder shortcut to be able to view your offline files easier and faster in Windows 7 and Windows 8. In Windows 7, offline files is only available in the Windows 7 Professional, Ultimate, and Enterprise editions. In Windows 8, offline files is only available in the Windows 8 Pro and Windows 8 Enterprise editions. EXAMPLE: Offline Files Folder To Download an "Offline Files Folder" Shortcut 1. To Download the "Offline Files Folder" Shortcut A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below. Offline_Files_Folder.zip...

How to Set a Startup Password to Lock or Unlock Windows SysKey (SAM Lock Tool) is an in-built Windows utility that can help you secure the Security Accounts Management or SAM database. This tutorial will show you how to use SysKey to require a password to be entered by users during system startup in XP, Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8. You must be logged in as an administrator to be able to do the steps in this tutorial. A startup password is only entered at system startup at boot. A startup password is not the same as a user account's password entered in the log on screen. After entering the startup password, Windows will then startup to allow a user to login. Doing a system restore using a restore point dated before SysKey...

How to Do a System Image Recovery in Windows 7 This will show you how to restore your Windows 7 hard disk back to exactly how it was when you created a system image backup. You can only do a system image recovery to a HDD that is the same size or larger than the one the system image was created from. You will not be able to do a system image recovery to a smaller HDD. When you restore your computer from a image backup, it is a complete restoration. You can't choose individual items to restore, and all of your current programs, system settings, and files are replaced. If your backup image is on a external device (ex: USB drive), then make sure it is connected before starting. If USB drive, then also make sure that you have your BIOS...

How to Connect Windows Virtual PC to the Network This will show you how to connect Windows Virtual PC to your network so that your created virtual machine or XP Mode will be able to access the internet. For more information, see: Networking in Windows Virtual PC - Windows Virtual PC - Site Home - TechNet Blogs You will need to be logged in as an administrator to be able to do this tutorial. Here's How: 1. Open the created or XP Mode virtual machine in Windows Virtual PC that you want to connect to the network. 2. On the virtual machine's menu bar, click on Tools. A) If you see Disable Integration Features, then go to step 5. (see screenshot below) B) If you see Install Integration Features, then go to step 3. (see...

How to Add or Remove Control Panel from Navigation Pane in Windows 7 This will show you how to add or remove Control Panel in the Windows Explorer Navigation Pane in Windows 7. You can only do this tutorial while logged into an administrator account. This will affect all user accounts on the computer. This will also add or remove the default Control Panel desktop icon as well. EXAMPLE: Control Panel in Navigation Pane NOTE: This is the Control Panel added (default) (left screenshot below) and removed (right screenshot below) from the Navigation Pane when you have the Show all folders option checked or not checked. Here's How: 1. Open the Start Menu and type regedit.exe in the search line, then press enter. 2. If...

NTFS Permissions — View and Post How to View NTFS Permissions of a File or Folder in Windows NTFS is a high-performance file system designed for the Windows operating system. It is one of the most advanced file systems available, with support for file compression, encryption, auditing, file attributes, reparse points, hard links, large volumes (such as storage networks like RAID), transactional journaling, and an extensively detailed permission system. NTFS permissions allow for the intricate tuning of uncountably many file security configurations. As such, it can be difficult to properly communicate these permissions. This tutorial suggests ways one may go about to effectively communicate NTFS permission settings. CONTENTS...

How to Change What Page a "New Tab" Opens to in IE9 and IE10 When you open a new tab by clicking on the New Tab button or by pressing Ctrl+T in IE9, the new tab page (about:Tabs) opens by default. This tutorial will show you how to have new tabs in IE9 or IE10 open to either a Blank Page, New Tab (about:Tabs), or your first Home Page Home Page. EXAMPLE: Blank Page, New Tab , or first Home Page NOTE: It just depends on what you have listed as your first Home Page for what the new tab will open to if this is selected. Here's How: 1. Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the Internet Options icon. A) Go to step 3. OR 2. In Internet Explorer, click/tap on Tools (Menu bar or gear icon) and Internet Options...

How to Completely Uninstall Avast Antivirus This tutorial will guide you through removing Avast products completely from your machine, either so you may reinstall it or make sure everything is cleaned up to move to a new anti-virus. This guide assumes you have no antivirus protection installed at the moment. If you do, disable it during this guide as it may interfere with this procedure. Always Uninstall Avast Anti-virus the proper way through Control Panel - Uninstall A Program when possible. Then continue to this method. If the uninstaller fails for whatever reason, then attempt this method. 1.) First, download the avast removal tool here: http://www.avast.com/en-us/uninstall-utility 2.) Close all programs. Open the...

How to Download the Standalone MSU Installer File of a Windows Update A MSU (Microsoft Update) file is a standalone Windows Update installation file that allows you to manually install the specific Windows Update that the MSU file is for. You can double click on a MSU file to install it. This will show you how to download the standalone MSU installer file for any Windows Update in Windows 7. This can be handy if you are unable to install the Windows Update normally in Windows Update, or would like to use the MSU file to integrate (tutorial coming soon) into a slipstreamed Windows 7 SP1 installion ISO, DVD, or Bootable USB flash drive. You can download the Windows 7 standalone SP1 installer at the link below. Download: Windows 7 and...

How to Change the Default Icon of a File Extension in Windows 7 This will show you how to change the default icon of any file extension to have a custom icon of your choice instead for it in Windows 7.By default, known file extension types are set to be hidden in Windows 7. You will need to unhide file extensions to see and know what the file extension is to make it easier to change the icon for the file extension. You will need to use a 256x256 pixel icon for them to display properly at all of the available icon view sizes in Windows 7. Some programs may automatically reset the default file extension icon back to the default one it uses even after you have changed it. This tutorial will not work for these programs. If you change...

How to Open Local Group Policy Editor in Windows This tutorial will show you how to open the Local Group Policy Editor in Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10. To search for a group policy or for it's registry key, value, and etc..., see: Group Policy Search and Download Details - Microsoft Download Center - Group Policy Settings Reference for Windows and Windows Server The Local Group Policy Editor is a Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in that provides a single user interface through which all the Computer Configuration and User Configuration settings of Local Group Policy objects can be managed for your computer. Computer Configuration Administrators can use Computer Configuration to set policies that are...

How to Change the Width of Window Borders Do you find the default with of the window borders too thin or too wide? This tutorial will show you how to change it to suite your taste. Here's How: 1) Open control panel and click on Appearance and Personalization[ 2) Click on Personalization and then Window Color at the bottom 3) In the Window Color screen, click on Advanced appearance settings 4) A dialog box will appear where you can change various aspects of the desktop appearance. In the item box, scroll down to Border Padding, and change the Size value to whatever you fancy then press ok. NOTE: The default size is 4. The smaller the number, the thinner the border. The larger the number, the wider the border. This tutorial...

How to Use Small or Large Icons in the Windows 7 Start Menu This will show you how to set the Windows 7 Start Menu to display with either small or large icons in it's pin to area. EXAMPLE: Start Menu using Small or Large Icons NOTE: This is the default setting. Use Customize Start Menu Settings 1. Right click on a Start button and click on Properties. 2. Click on the Customize button. (see screenshot below) 3. To Use Small Icons in the Start Menu A) Uncheck the Use large icons box. (see screenshot below step 4A) B) Go to step 5. 4. To Use Large Icons in the Start Menu A) Check the Use large icons box. (see screenshot below) NOTE: This is the default setting. 5. Click on OK. (see screenshot above) 6. Click on OK. (see...

How to Turn On or Off Pop-up Blocker in Internet Explorer A pop-up is a small web browser window that appears on top of the website you're viewing. Pop-up windows often open as soon as you visit a website and are usually created by advertisers. 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. This tutorial will show you how to turn Pop-up Blocker on or off in Internet Explorer. When Pop-up Blocker is turned on, the blue Information bar (if also turned on) displays a message saying "Pop-up blocked. To see this pop-up or additional options click here." under the...

This is a simple tutorial on how to create a share folder on windows XP/W7 and how to map to them from one machine to the other. It is assumed that the two machines can ping one another over the network. "File and Printer sharing" on W7 to be turned ON. How you set up your machines to be able to ping one another is up to you. Steps: W7 to XP 1) On XP, select the folder you wish to share, right-click > Sharing and Security. Then tick the boxes as shown (Here i have elected the test folder under C:\ to be my shared folder). Then click Apply and OK. After the folder is shared, you will see the hand under the folder. 2) On W7, mapping to this test shared folder can be done in many ways. One way is typing in the search box under the...

Add "Enable/Disable Thumbnails" to Context Menu in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8 This tutorial will show you how to add or remove Enable/Disable Thumbnails to the desktop, library, and folder window context menu for users to be able to toggle their explorer thumbnail previews on or off with a single click in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8. When you right click or press and hold on an empty area of your Desktop and click/tap on Enable/Disable Thumbnails, the thumbnail previews will instantly show as turned on or off. You will need to refresh (F5) any other currently opened inactive window to have the thumbnail previews show as on or off. When you right click or press and hold on an empty area in the main window of a library or...