Tutorials

How to Remove a Listed Program in Default Programs for Windows 7 and Vista By default, you would normally uninstall a program to remove it from the list of programs in Set Default Programs. This will show you how to remove your choice of any program listed in the Windows 7 and Vista Set Default Programs window without having to uninstall the program instead. You must be logged in as an administrator to be able to do this tutorial. This can be handy if you uninstalled a program and it was not removed from the list in Set Default Programs, or you just did not want the program to be listed in Set Default Programs. EXAMPLE: Set Default Programs NOTE: Notice the program (ex: Axialis IconWorkshop) now removed in the left screenshot...

How to Restore Default Services in Windows 7 This tutorial provides you with registry downloads that will completely restore any of the default services and their settings you want in Windows 7. This can be handy if a service was deleted by mistake, is missing, or had it's properties set improperly. You must be logged in as an administrator to be able to do the steps in this tutorial. Services are located in the registry location below. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services Do not add a service to a Windows 7 edition that the service was not available in by default. It will not work since it was never included in that edition. If you did not delete a default service, then you might consider doing a full scan...

How to Reinstate Windows Mail in Windows 7 Microsoft no longer supports Windows Mail, aka WinMail. It's recommended you use another well known supported email client. This Tutorial is for Advanced users who importantly have the Technical Ability to make the changes, have backups of everything including your OS, and to be your own tech support for WinMail going forward. If you decide to complete this tutorial you accept the fact that you are using WinMail as-is. It might be necessary to uninstall other email clients to resolve any WinMail conflicts in some environments. Understand it's likely that new OS updates from Microsoft will break WinMail's operation, and to fix make it necessary to rerun the tutorial again to reinstate it...

How to Turn System Protection On or Off in Windows 7 System Restore regularly tracks changes to your computer's system files, and uses a feature called System Protection to create restore points of selected hard disks in your computer. System Protection is turned on by default for the Windows 7 hard disk or partition on your computer. This will show you how to turn System Protection On or Off for creating System Restore Points for system settings and previous versions (shadow copies) of files in Windows 7. You could also use previous versions (shadow copies) to restore older copies of files and folders. You can select which disks have System Protection turned on for. It is not recommended to turn off system protection for your C...

How to Turn Public Folder Sharing On or Off in Windows 7 The Public folders are a convenient way to share files on your computer. You can share files in the Public folders with other people using the same computer and with people using other computers on your network. Any file or folder you put in a Public folder is automatically shared with the people who have access to your Public folders. The Public folders are located in the C:\Users\Public folder, and also included in libraries by default. This tutorial will show you how to turn Public folder sharing on or off in Windows 7. Public folder sharing is turned off by default (except on a homegroup). When Public folder sharing is turned on, anyone on your computer or network...

How to See Your System Specs with "System Info" System Info is free Seven Forums program that CyberZeus has kindly made for us. It let's you easily see all of your system information, and has an option to make filling out your system specs here at Seven Forums easier to do. Here's How: 1. Click on either Download button below to download and save the SystemInfo.exe file to your desktop. (EXE file) http://www.sevenforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=216521&stc=1&d=1339696653 (ZIP file) http://www.sevenforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=280851&stc=1&d=1376173123 2. Run the SystemInfo.exe file. NOTE: This is a standalone .exe file that only runs and does not install anything on your computer. If you would like to stop...

How to Change the Color of a Sticky Note in Windows 7 and Windows 8 Sticky Notes allows you to type and leave a Post-it type note on your desktop until deleted. This tutorial will show you how to change the color of a new or existing Sticky Note to be either Blue, Green, Pink, Purple, White, or Yellow in Windows 7 and Windows 8. Sticky Notes is not available in the Windows 7 Starter and Home Basic editions. Here's How: 1. Right click on a blank space in the Sticky Note (StikyNot.exe) that you want to change the color of, and select the color that you want it to be. (See screenshot below) That's it, Shawn How to Create and Delete Sticky Notes in Windows 7 and Windows 8 How to Format Text in a Sticky Note in Windows 7...

Allow or Prevent to Unblock a File to Stop the "Open File - Security Warning" Prompt This will show you how to allow or prevent all users from being able to stop the Open File - Security Warning prompt by removing the unblock button and Always ask before opening this file check box for a downloaded or copied file from the internet or another computer. The Open File - Security Warning prompt is a security measure in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8 to ask for your permission (like UAC) before allowing a downloaded or copied file from the internet or another computer to be opened or run on your computer. You will need to be logged in as an administrator to be able to do this tutorial. If allowed, users will be able to unblock a file...

How to Enable or Disable "Found New Hardware" Balloons During Device Installation When a PnP device is first connected to a run-time image, the run-time image typically displays a Found New Hardware balloon pop-up that reports detection of the device and, when applicable, begins the driver installation process. This will show you how to enable or disable the Found New Hardware notification area balloons like Installing device driver software from displaying while a device is being installed in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8. You must be logged in as an administrator to be able to do the steps in this tutorial. EXAMPLE: "Installing device driver software" notification area balloon message Enable or Disable "Found New...

How to Add NTFS "Compress" and "Decompress" to File and Folder Context Menu This will add File Compression Options and Folder Compression Options to the context menu of files and folders for all users to be able to compress or decompress one or more selected folder(s) and/or file(s) with NTFS Compression to reduce their size and save space in Windows 7 and Windows 8. You must be logged in as an administrator to be able to add or remove this from the context menu. All users will be able to use the context menu though. When a file or folder has been compressed, the text for it's name will turn blue to indicate it has been compressed. This is not the same as the built-in Zipped Compression used for creating ZIP files in Windows 7...

General Fix for USB Driver Problems I recommend using a wired mouse and keyboard, removing all USB devices and in the section where it says Uninstall all the faded entries. take that as reading uninstall everything USB, if you cannot get hold of a wired mouse then you will have to follow the tutorial as written. After going through this tutorial You may need to reinstall some USB device drivers!! After a USB device is installed and then removed Windows hides the driver, this first part makes all hidden drivers visible. 1. Unplug all USB devices except mouse and keyboard. 2. Click on Start orb, :orb: Type Advanced System settings in the search box and Click on View Advanced System Settings to go there. 3. Click on...

How to Force DVI or HDMI Resolutions and Refresh Rates in Windows 7 There have been innumerable posts on SevenForums about things like 59Hz refresh rates and 1080p 16:9 HDTVs that display only 1024x768 when connected with DVI or HDMI. After a ton of research and development I think I've got a working solution for virtually all of these issues. Starting with Vista, Microsoft has required graphics vendors to read and respect monitor capability information from the display itself if they wanted to pass Windows Hardware Quality Labs (WHQL) certification. This display capability data is encapsulated in an EDID. Few HDTV manufacturers sought WHQL and it's unclear whether Microsoft tests display EDIDs from monitor manufacturers as a WHQL...

User Folders in Windows 7 Libraries Libraries let you access and arrange items from one or more folders quickly without moving them from their original location. Libraries themselves don't store your files or folders. Instead, they point to different locations on a hard disk or external drive attached to your computer. This gives you easy access to a category of files no matter where they are stored. For instance, if you have music files on your hard disk and on an external drive, you can access all of your music files from within the "Music" library. For more information about Windows 7 Libraries see: Windows 7 Libraries: Frequently Asked Questions Understanding Windows 7 Libraries - Windows 7 for Developers - The Windows Blog...

Add or Remove "Open Command Window Here as Administrator" to Context Menu This will show you how to add or remove Open Command Window Here as Administrator to the context menu of a folder, drive, and desktop of all users to open an elevated command prompt with the focus at the library, folder, drive, and desktop location in Windows 7 and Windows 8. You must be logged in as an administrator to be able to do the steps in this tutorial. This is just like the Open Command Window Here context menu item, except that it opens an elevated "run as administrator" command prompt at the library, folder, or drive location instead. When added, you can right click on a library, folder, or drive to see the Open Command Window Here as...

How to Allow or Prevent Users and Groups to be able to Take Ownership This will show you how to allow or prevent specific users and groups from being able to Take Ownership of items such as a file, folder, registry key, drive, or other objects in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8. You will need to be logged in as administrator to be able to do this tutorial. Default Users and Groups Allowed to Take Ownership NOTE: This security setting determines which users can take ownership of any securable object in the system, including Active Directory objects, files and folders, printers, registry keys, processes, and threads. On All Computers: Administrators Through Local Security Policy 1. Open the Local Security Policy window...

How to Set a Default Control Panel View in Windows 7 and Windows 8 This tutorial will show you how to set the Control Panel to always open by default with a Category, Small icons, or Large icons view for all or specific users in Windows 7 and Windows 8. This only affects what view the Control Panel opens to by default. All users will still be able to change the Control Panel view to what they like in the Control Panel. Set Default Control Panel View in the Control Panel NOTE: This option will only affect your user account. 1. Open the Control Panel in Windows 7 or Windows 8. 2. Do step 3, 4, or 5 below for what you would like to do. 3. To Have the Control Panel with the Category View A) Click/tap on the View by drop down menu...

How to Enable or Disable the Thumbnail Cache in Windows By default Windows stores the images for thumbnail previews in cache memory so that it can redisplay the images quickly each time you reopen a folder in Windows Explorer. However, with thumbnail caching enabled by default, this may pose a security issue with some people or companies since all of the thumbnail picture view images stored in the thumbnail cache can be view by anyone. This will show you how to enable or disable thumbnail views from being cached in thumbs_*.db files, and force Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8 to load the thumbnail picture views each time you reopen a folder. You must be logged in as an administrator to be able to do the steps in this tutorial...

How to Slipstream Windows 7 SP1 and Updates to Create a Bootable USB, Installation DVD, or ISO File This will show you how to slipstream Windows 7 SP1 with your retail or student copy of Windows 7 without SP1 to create a slipstream Windows 7 SP1 installation "DVD", a slipstream Windows 7 SP1 bootable "ISO file", or a slipstream Windows 7 SP1 bootable installation "USB flash drive". This will also show you how to integrate Windows Updates into your new or previously created slipstream Windows 7 SP1 to create a new updated slipstream Windows 7 SP1 installation "DVD", a slipstream Windows 7 SP1 bootable "ISO file", or a slipstream Windows 7 SP1 bootable installation "USB flash drive". You can only do this tutorial while logged in...

How to Add or Remove "Computer Management" to Desktop Context Menu This tutorial will allow you to add or remove Computer Management from the desktop context menu for all users in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8. You must be logged in as an administrator to be able to add or remove this shortcut from the desktop context menu. EXAMPLE: Desktop Context Menu and Computer Management Here's How: 1. To Add "Computer Management" to Desktop Context Menu A) Click on the Download button below to download the file below. Add_Computer_Management_to_Desktop_Context_Menu.reg http://www.sevenforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=161488&stc=1&d=1308952423 B) Go to step 3. 2. To Remove "Computer Management" from Desktop Context...

How to Restore the Windows 7 MBR (Master Boot Record) If you have been dual booting with Linux, then you probably know one of the Linux boot managers like Grub or LILO has been installed in the MBR of your hard drive. What can you do when you no longer want Linux on that hard drive? This tutorial will show you how to use your 7 DVD and BOOTSECT.EXE to restore the "bootsector code" of the MBR and allow you to begin booting to Windows 7 again.You can use this method to update the bootsector code for Windows 7, Vista, XP, 2000 or switch between Bootmgr and NTLDR. Just check the Microsoft TechNet site for the correct command. Here's How:1. Boot your computer to the Windows 7 DVD (or to a "Repair CD"). At this screen choose to install...