Computer PC basics: Windows 7 tutorials, tips and tricks

19 April 2012

Computer PC basics: Windows 7 tutorials, tips and tricks

windows 7 tips and tricks - magic tricks of windows 7

This is some small information on the most common tricks and tips you must know about windows 7. This involves just the computer basics and basic windows 7 tutorials. The basic tips you would not be able to learn from any computer courses or computer classes. These tips doesn’t require for you to have any tricky software for windows 7. All you need is a Windows 7 professional or ultimate installed on your computer and through the enhanced win 7 interface we will teach you a lesson or two which you may not already know. So login to your windows 7 user account and give the following basics tutorial a try.

Problem Steps Recorder

Unlike the previous versions of windows the windows 7 user interface is designed to really help out users. Windows 7 is very user friendly, and this small yet powerful as well as useful software in windows 7 called Problem Steps Recorder (PSR) is an addition to the pack. Sometimes you end up in a big error pool and you just don’t have a clear idea to describe it. Well not anymore, PSR for windows 7 has literally solved that problem.

To access PSR just click start and on the run/search box type PSR and press enter. A box pops up which looks similar to your sound recorder. Just click the record button and PSR automatically records every single user click, key press and activity within. PSR also takes screenshots and notes on what all activities the user engaged in while the error occurred and saves it as a MHTML file. And all you have to do is sent the file to a professional or to a friend who happens to know a lot about computers and all. PSR is very fast and easy to use because of its simple user interface and now you can say good bye to hours of troubleshoot browsing.

System Repair And Troubleshoot

All computer users know that at some point there is a chance of running into OS boot problems and it is best to create a system repair disc. Well to create a system repair disc in windows 7 all you have to do is

Click Start -> Control panel -> Backup & Restore

Now by the left side you can create a system repair disc. Click on it, choose a drive and click create disc. There you go, a windows 7 system repair disc in no time, for those who might hit a bad luck.

If the windows 7 system files are undergoing some problem and you don’t know for sure what is going on, just click on

Start -> Control Panel-> Troubleshooting

In this panel you will be able to see a lot of options which will fix the problem it is related to automatically. Usual windows errors which are small and commonly happen are easily fixed by the system itself.

Burning ISO images

Burning images such as iso images have never been easier. Many other operating systems had already had this feature and windows 7 have also adapted this as a new feature. All you have to do is insert a blank disc into the disc drive and double click on the iso image file. The operating system will pop up a box which allows you to write the image right away into the blank disc. Just select the CD/DVD drive and you are done.

Pin Programs

Windows 7 has come up with a new feature which allows you to pin your frequently used or favorite programs on to the task bar. All you have to do is run the program and right click the program icon on the task bar and click on “pin this program to taskbar”. And there you go.

Shortcut keys on keyboard

There are many shortcut keys on keyboard which you should be aware of when you use windows 7 to access everything fast and easy. Some of the keyboard shortcut keys are displayed below.

Whenever it says ‘Win’, the key referred to is the ‘WINDOWS KEY’ found between your Ctrl key and Alt key.

Alt + Tab – Brings up the quick program access dock. Press the Tab key to change the program you want to access with the Alt key pressed down.

Win + Tab – Brings up the slide view access docks. Press Tab key to change the program you want to access with the Alt key pressed down.

Win + Left Arrow – Moves the current window to the left side of the screen.

Win + Right Arrow – Moves the current window to the right side of the screen.

Win + M – Minimizes all the windows.

Win + Up Arrow – Maximize current window.

Win + Down Arrow – Minimize or Restore current window.

Win + Home – Minimizes or Restores all the windows except the current or active window.

Win + L – Locks the screen

Ctrl + shift + Right Click – It allows you to run any program with full administrator rights. All you have to do is right click a program with both the ctrl and shift keys pressed down in the task bar and clik on either Run as different user or Run as Administrator.

Win + Alt + ‘#’ – Here ‘#’ is any number from 1 to 10. Use this combination as a shortcut key to access the jump list of the program number ‘#’(the number you pressed), in the task bar.

Creating Custom Windows Shortcut Keys –Windows 7 lets you create custom shortcut keys on keyboard for any program in the system. All you have to do is :

Right click a program.
Click on ‘shortcut’ tab.
In the shortcut area enter the combination you want and Click ok.

That’s all to it. Now you have your own custom shortcut keys on keyboard for your program.

Shift + Right Click –This shortcut key combination allows you to open command prompt windows in any folder you want. All you have to do is ‘Right click’ a folder with the ‘shift key’ pressed down. In the menu you will be able to see ‘Open command Window here’ option. Either click this option or press ‘W’ to open command prompt window in that folder.
This shortcut key also opens the expanded sent to menu.

Shift + Right click a folder and hover mouse over the sent to option and you will be able to see the windows 7 expanded sent to menu.

So all these are some of the basic pc windows 7 shortcut keys on keyboard you should be aware of.

Clear Type Text Tuner

The clear type text tuner feature of windows 7 allows you to choose the best quality text appearance for your LCD monitor and its very effective as well. To activate the clear type text tuner all you have to do is :

Click Start
Type cttune.exe in the Run area and press Enter.
Choose the best text quality that suits you.

That’s all to it and CT Tune automatically reconfigures your text quality and properties.

Search online from the start menu

Windows 7 lets you search online right from your start menu with your default browser. To enable this feature all you have to do is :

Click Start
Type ‘GPEDIT.MSC ’ in the Run area to start the Local Group policy editor.

In the right panel Click on ‘User Configuration ’.

Double Click on ‘Administrative Templates ’.

Double Click on ‘ Start Menu and Taskbar ‘

Right Click on ‘ Add Search Internet Link To Start Menu ‘

Click Edit and click on enable and click ok.

That’s all to it. Now you can browse the internet from your own start menu fast and easy.

Increase Thumbnail View Speed

In windows 7 when you hover the mouse over the programs in the task bar which are open, a thumbnail appears showing the number of windows or a single window. It is very useful in grouping and viewing. But the time it takes to load the thumbnail seems to be a bit slow for most windows users. To increase the speed of the thumbnail pop up all you have to do is:

Click Start
Type Regedit.exe in the Run area and press enter.
In the panel on the left side.
Click on HKEY_CURRENT_USER
Click on Control Panel
Click on Mouse
Double Click on Mouse Hover Time in the Right Panel.
Reduce the default set value from 400 to 150
close the registry editor.

Warning: – Now the speed of thumbnail view will increase to a standard level but reducing it below 150 may result in a registry error and cause problems. So make sure you keep it at 150 to get the best result.

Lock Screen Shortcut File – Single Click Lock Screen Button

To create a lock screen file all you have to do is

Right click on Desktop
Click New and Click Shortcut
In Type Location of the item add: rundll32.exe , user32.dll , LockWorkStation
Now choose a name you like, usually Quick Lock or Lock Me or something like that.
Now Double Click to Lock the Screen. To add more to it Right click on it and choose properties.
Now click on change icon.
Type shell32.dll
Choose an icon you like.
Click ok and Drag it to the taskbar and pin it to the taskbar.
Delete the desktop shortcut.
Now all you have to do to lock the screen is a single mouse click on the lock icon.

There you go. Your own single click lock screen button.

Adding Check Boxes to select files

In the new windows 7 a useful feature of selecting the files through check boxes has been added. In this method you will be able to see check boxes when you hover your mouse over a file and to select it all you have to do is check the box. And you don’t have to press the ctrl key down to select multiple files. All you need is the single click of the mouse to select multiple files. To do that you need:

Go to My documents
Click on Organize
Click on Folder and search options
Click on View Tab
Scroll down and check on Use check boxes to select items

Now you will have checkboxes on your items when you hover your mouse over them or click them.

To disable just go back to the same menu and uncheck the use check boxes to select items option.

Shake to Minimize

The window 7 features a lot of new things but not something this fun to do. When the desktop is all cluttered and you just want to keep your active window and minimize all the other windows, all you have to do is: