Tutorials

How to Specify a Default Theme to Load for New Users in Windows 7 This will show you how to have a theme that you specifiy to be applied by default when a new user logs on for the first time. You must be logged in as an administrator to be able to do this tutorial. If enabled, this does not prevent the user from changing their theme or any of the theme elements such as the desktop background, window color, sounds, or screen saver after the first logon. It only sets the theme you selected to be used by default until changed.Your millage may vary. It has been reported that this does not always work properly in 64-bit Windows 7, but does in 32-bit Windows 7. If you experience this issue, then see: The "Load a specific theme" Group...

How to Customize Default User Profile in Audit Mode Audit Mode is a very practical way to prepare and customize Windows. This tutorial will show you how to enter Audit Mode to customize the default user profile during the installation of Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8. If you have used Windows already you might have noticed that the main user profile folder (default location C:\Users) not only contains individual folders for each user of the PC as for instance C:\Users\Kari, but also a hidden user folder called Default: When a new user account is created and the user logs in first time, Windows creates the basic set of personal folders (Pictures, Videos, Documents, Favorites etc.) under the user profile folder which is a first...

How to Back Up and Restore Pinned Taskbar Items in Windows 7 This will show you how to back up and restore your pinned taskbar items (program icons) automatically with one click in Windows 7. This can be handy if you do not want to have to manually pin and restore your currently pinned taskbar items say after a clean install of Windows 7. This only includes backing up and restoring your pinned programs and shortcuts on the taskbar, and not taskbar toolbars or Jump Lists. By default, your pinned taskbar programs/shortcuts are saved in both locations below. This is what this tutorial will be backing up and restoring for you using a BAT file. In the registry...

"Scan with Microsoft Security Essentials" - Add or Remove Context Menu How to Add or Remove "Scan with Microsoft Security Essentials" from Context Menu in Windows When you have Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) installed, it adds "Scan with Microsoft Security Essentials" to the context menu of files, folders, and drives by default to make it easier to scan them on demand. This tutorial will show you how to add or remove "Scan with Microsoft Security Essentials" from the context menu of all users in XP (SP3), Vista, and Windows 7. You must be logged in as an administrator to be able to do the steps in this tutorial. You cannot install Microsoft Security Essentials in Windows 8 since the default Windows Defender in Windows 8...

How to Turn Recent Programs On or Off in Windows 7 Recent Programs saves and displays file names, programs, and locations you type in the Run dialog box and a list of your recently opened programs on the left white side of the Start Menu below the Pinned Programs line. This tutorial will show you how to turn Recent Programs on or off in Windows 7. If you have a progam pinned to the Start Menu, then it will not show up in the recent program area below the pin to area in the Start Menu. Unchecking the Store and display recently opened programs in the Start menu box in step 3 below will also cause the Run command dialog box to clear and no longer save it's run program history. EXAMPLE: Recent Programs in the Start Menu To...

Toolbars - How to Use in Windows 7/8 and Vista How to Use Toolbars in Windows 7/8 and Vista For easy access and launching, many of us keep a lot of icons of programs, folders and webpages on the desktop. This not only looks ugly, it is also very confusing because they are usually not arranged by themes. In addition, those icons are often being scrambled and the user spends a lot of time rearranging them. There is a much easier and more organized way to park those icons in toolbars. Access to the icons is just as easy and there is no limit to the amount of icons and the structural organization. 10272197 How to Backup and Restore Taskbar Toolbars in Vista and Windows 7 How to Reset and Clear All Taskbar...

How to Add or Remove "Lock Computer" from the CTRL+ALT+DEL Screen This tutorial will show you how to add or remove the Lock this computer (Windows 7) or Lock (Windows 8) option from the CTRL+ALT+DELETE screen for all or specific users in Windows 7 and Windows 8. EXAMPLE: CTRL+ALT+DEL screen NOTE: This is when you press CTRL+ALT+DEL from within Windows. Add or Remove "Lock Computer" from CTRL+ALT+DEL using a REG File 1. Do step 2 or 3 below for what you would like to do. 2. To Add "Lock this Computer" to CTRL+ALT+DEL Screen NOTE: This is the default setting. A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below. Add_Lock_Computer_CTRL+ALT+DEL.reg...

This will show you how to fix the "Windows Security", "These files can't be opened" error with the message "Your internet security settings prevented one or more file from being opened.". This happens when you attempt to launch any .EXE program. You must have administrator rights (to be administrator). You'll have to create another account, there will be fresh registrys, you'll have to export them. EXAMPLE: The table is looking exactly like in this picture. STEP 1 Create new user/administrator: Go to start menu, "Control Panel" and "User Accounts". Click on "Manage another account"... ...and "Create new account". Type in the name of user and check "Administrator". Once you've done, click "Create User". STEP 2 Switch...

Command Prompt — Restore Default Personalization Settings How to Restore Console Default Personalization Settings in Windows Avid users of the Command Prompt would know how easy it is to get carried away with the personalization settings the Command Prompt has to offer, and quickly lose track of which settings were altered. Accordingly, many users may choose not to alter these settings as to avoid supplanting the defaults. When need comes, resetting these modifications to their defaults isn�t so intuitive. This tutorial shows you how you can restore the settings for your favourite command host, on Windows 7, Windows 8.1, or Windows 10. Windows will store a command host - personalization settings in a number of places depending on...

How to Do a System Restore in Windows 7 This will show you how to do a System Restore to restore your Windows 7 system files to an earlier point in time. It's a way to undo system changes to your computer without affecting your personal user files, such as e‑mail, documents, or photos. System Restore uses a feature called System Protection to regularly create and save restore points of selected hard disks in your computer. These restore points contain information about registry settings and other system information that Windows 7 uses. You can also create restore points manually. A System Restore will uninstall programs and drivers (step 8 in Option One below) that were installed after the date of the selected restore point. A...

How to Enable or Disable Changing "Notification Area Icons" Settings in Windows 7 and Windows 8 The notification area is a part of the taskbar that provides a temporary source for notifications and status. It can also be used to display icons for system and program features that are not on the desktop. This will show you how to enable or disable the ability of users to be able to change the taskbar Notification Area Icons settings in Windows 7 and Windows 8. You must be logged in as an administrator to be able to do this tutorial. EXAMPLE: "Notification Area Icons" Disabled Enable or Disable "Notification Area Icons" Settings using REG File 1. To Enable the Ability to Change "Notification Area Icons" for All Users NOTE: This...

Check Files with VirusTotal + HerdProtect Simultaneously The main purpose with this solution is to check downloaded software before running or installing it! Feb 18, 2015: New version of the script code and .bat file. Fixed a bug that caused the script to fail and stop further executing if Herdprotect detected a file as type "Malware". The Herdprotect info would in those cases be missing from the command window, but the Virustotal info for that file would still be displayed. This will add a new option to the Windows explorer context menu "Send To" so you can select file(s) and use the right-click pop-up menu to check the file(s) on VirusTotal and HerdProtect in one step. The result will be displayed in a command prompt window. If...

SF IE Restorator - Troubleshooting General Issues with Internet Explorer This is small utility for Troubleshooting Internet Explorer issues. It will Flush DNS, Re-register concern dlls for Internet Explorer (3 different types 64-Bit, 32 Bit on 64-Bit OS and 32-Bit) Reset IE to Default settings, Reset Winsock. SF IE Restorator will work with Internet Explorer in Windows 7. It will work with other operating system only if you have .NET Frameworks 3.5 installed. Some Antivirus / Firewall might detect SF IE Restorator Tool is Trojan its just a False positive because the publisher is unknown. Nothing to worry it won't harm your Computer Screenshot :note: Note: Make sure when you open the application your Right Click on the icon and...

How to Boot to the System Recovery Options in Windows 7 This will show you how to boot to the System Recovery Options screen to select the Startup Repair, System Restore, Complete PC Restore, Memory Diagnostic Tool, or Command Prompt option to use on Windows 7. The System Recovery Options menu is on the Windows 7 installation disc. If your computer manufacturer (OEM) has preinstalled recovery options, the menu might also be installed on your hard disk as a recovery partition. If your computer does not include the System Recovery Options menu, your computer manufacturer (OEM) might have customized or replaced the tool. Check the information that came with your computer or go to the manufacturer's website. Using an OEM Recovery...

How to Create a Virtual Machine in Windows Virtual PC This will show you how to create a new virtual machine in Windows Virtual PC, and install the 32-bit guest operating system that you want to run in the virtual machine on your 32-bit or 64-bit Windows 7 as the host. Windows Virtual PC is the latest Microsoft virtualization technology for Windows 7. It is the runtime engine for Windows XP Mode to provide a virtual Windows environment for Windows 7. With Windows Virtual PC, Windows XP mode applications can be seen and accessed from a Windows 7-based PC. You will need to download and install the 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) version of Windows Virtual PC for your 32-bit or 64-bit Windows 7. Windows Virtual PC: Minimum Requirements...

How to View Windows Update History Details in Windows 7 and Windows 8 This tutorial will show you how to view the Windows Update history details of all successful or failed update installations with the update's importance type and date installed in Windows 7 and Windows 8. The Windows Update log file is located at C:\Windows\WindowsUpdate.log. This tutorial assumes that you have already setup the Windows Update settings and installed updates before doing this tutorial. Here's How: 1. Open the Control Panel (icons view) in Windows 7 or Windows 8, and click/tap on the Windows Update icon. (see screenshot below) 2. Click/tap on the View update history link. (see screenshots below) 3. To View Details of a Single...

How to Allow or Prevent Specific Users and Groups from Changing the Date and Time in Windows This will show you how to allow or prevent specific users and groups from being able to change the computer date and time in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8. You will need to be an administrator to open the Local Security Policy Editor. Default Users and Groups Allowed to Change the Date and Time NOTE: This user right determines which users and groups can change the time and date on the internal clock of the computer. Users that are assigned this user right can affect the appearance of event logs. If the system time is changed, events that are logged will reflect this new time, not the actual time that the events occurred. On Local Computer...

Audit Mode is a very practical way to prepare a system image without any user specific information like usernames or computer name. With it you can create a General System Image that gives you always when used a fresh, clean Windows 7 setup as if it were a virgin, fresh install, only difference being your software, drivers and updates are already installed. Using System Image recovery is a much faster method to start fresh than reinstalling everything. When recovering image created with this method, computer will start in so called First Run OOBE mode without any user accounts but all drivers, software and updates installed, stopping to ask for initial username, computer name, language (if additional languages installed), time zone...

How to Add or Remove "Personalize" from Desktop Context Menu in Windows 7 and Windows 8 This tutorial will show you how to add or remove Personalize from the desktop context menu for all users in Windows 8 and Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional, Ultimate, and Enterprise. You must be logged in as an administrator to be able to do the steps in this tutorial. This tutorial will not work in the Windows 7 Starter and Windows 7 Home Basic editions since they do not have the personalization features included in them. For the Windows 7 Starter and Windows 7 Home Basic editions, see OPTION TWO in the tutorial link below to add Personalize instead...

How to Add "Select all" to the Context Menu in Windows 7 By default in Windows 7, you have to either click on Edit (Menu bar) and Select all, or press CTRL+A to select all items in a Windows Explorer window. This will show you how to add Select all to the context menu of a file, folder, drive, desktop, and library to be able to easily select all items in a Windows Explorer window in Windows 7. You must be logged in as an administrator to be able to do this tutorial. Do not use this in Vista since Vista does not have libraries. Use the tutorial below for Vista instead: How to Add "Select all" to the Context Menu in Vista EXAMPLE: "Select all" added to context menu NOTE: You would right click on a file, folder, drive, or...