Vista Tips - Changing Skin of Windows Media Player 11

When you feel a little boring using the default skin of Windows Media Player 11, you can change it. Vista provides two other skins that you can use.

Clearing List of Recently Played Files on Windows Media Player 11

When you play a music or a video using Windows Media Player 11, then WMP add the music/video path into recent list. You can see the recent list in the File menu.

Vista Tips - Saving a non .txt file using Notepad

Basically, notepad is not aimed for .txt file only. You can use it to edit many kinds of files such as .html, .asp, .php, .htm, .js, .css, or else, except binary files (executable or library files, or else).

Getting Special Characters from Character Map on Windows Vista

Like its predecessor, Windows Vista comes with a program called Character Map, which can display the character look of each fonts available in your System.

Viewing The Amount of Free Space on Your Drive

When you try to copy a large amount of files or some big files into your specific drive or into your flash disk, you need to know how much the capacity of free space that your storage device has.

Saving Harddisk Space by Disabling The Hibernate Feature

Hibernate is one of shut down options, that functions to put your PC into a power-saving state by saving your work to your hard disk so that you can safely turn off your mobile PC. You can see the Hibernate button from the Start menu:

Vista Tips - Showing Favorites Menu, Printers, and Run Command on the Start Menu

By default, Favorites menu, Printers, and Run command are not visible on Start menu. You can set it from one dialog box so that they can appear.

Vista Tips - Putting a Program Shortcut on The Start Menu

Putting a program shortcut on the Start menu makes it faster to access the program. Actually you can put it on Desktop for faster access, but if you want to locate it on Start menu, you can do these steps:

Vista Tips - Hiding Control Panel From Start menu

You probably want to hide the Control Panel link from Start menu to prevent others from changing any options inside it.

Vista Tips - Enable or Disable List of Recently Opened Files and Programs on Start menu

When you click the Start menu, you'll see the list of recently opened programs, and if you then click Recent Items, you'll get list of recently opened files. If you want to disable/enable these features, you can do that from the Taskbar and Start menu Properties dialog box.

Vista Tips - Customizing Items on the Right Pane of the Start menu

You can add or remove items, such as Computer, Control Panel, or Pictures, that appear on the right side of the Start menu. You can also change some items so that they appear as links or menus.

Vista Tips - Change the Amount of Recent Programs on Start menu

When you click the Start menu, you'll see the list of programs that you recently opened. You can set the amount of them to be displayed up to 30 items.

Using Classic Start menu on Windows Vista

Windows Vista comes with new design of Start menu appearance. However, if you still like using Classic one which gives you the look and functionality of previous version of Windows, Windows Vista provides it for you.

Windows Vista Tips - Viewing Histories When Programs Got Failure

Windows Vista provides a tool called Realiability and Performance Monitor where you can view histories for any system changes including hardware and software failures, and software installs/uninstalls.

Windows Vista Tips - Setting the Priority of a Program

In Task Manager, you can set the priority of running programs. Generally, the priority of programs are set to Normal. When you set a program to higher priority (Above Normal or High), then the program will be executed earlier then others with lower priority.

Windows Vista Tips - Disabling Windows Sidebar

Some people like to use Windows Sidebar on his computer, but some people don't. The reason maybe that Sidebar is not too necessary for him, or maybe it just becomes the annoying thing on his screen (:-). However you can disable it if you wish, which means it will not run automatically again when Windows Vista starts.

Windows Vista Tips - Booting with All Processor Core

If you are using computer with multi core processor, you can increase your Windows Vista booting speed by employing all core of your processor.

Where Can I Manage Startup and Services Programs?

Startup and Services programs are programs that run when Windows is starting. If  too many programs run in startup or services, it can make your Windows Vista loads slower. Another case, you may get error messages about programs failure or missing links when Windows starts. If you get problems like those, one of ways for you to try solving them, is by managing (disable/enable) your startup or services programs.

Vista Tips - Disabling the Windows Search Index on Certain Drives

Actually, the Windows search index improves the efficiency when you are performing a search. However, this feature is running in the background, so that it will affect your computer performance, even though not very much. In Windows Vista, you can prevent the Windows search index from scanning a certain drive.

Vista Tips - Add or Remove a Folder in Search Index

By using a search index, Windows can help perform a search for certain files quickly. But by default, not all of the folders in your harddisk are included in the indexed location list. Windows Vista allows you to add or remove a folder into/from the indexed locations list.

Turning Windows Vista Features On or Off

Windows Vista comes with some additional features that you can use on your computer. But by default, some of them are turned off. You have to turn them on before you can use. You can also turn off some features if you think they are not really necessary for you.

Windows Vista Tips - Show The Shut Down Button on Start Menu

By default, Windows Vista puts the Sleep button on Start menu. But if you use Shut Down button more frequently than Sleep button, you can replace the Sleep button with Shutdown button.

Windows Vista Tips: SHIFT + Right-Click on Windows Explorer

When you do SHIFT + Right-click the file or folder in Windows Explorer, you'll see two additional commands that you won't find if you do only right-clicking. They are Copy as Path and Open Command Window Here.

Windows Vista Tips - Renaming Files Concurrently

One way to easily manage many files with the same kind, is by renaming them all concurrently. So all of them will have the same name but differentiated by number.

Vista Tips - Showing the Hidden Files and Folders in Windows Explorer

By default, Windows Vista hides files and folders with HIDDEN and SYSTEM attributes so that you won't see them while exploring your computer in Windows Explorer. You can actually show all hidden files/folders easily.

Vista Tips - Restarting Windows Explorer

If Windows Explorer gets errors or stops responding, you can try to restart it so that it can run normally again.

Vista Tips - Changing the Column Headings Structure in Windows Explorer

In Windows Explorer, there are five types of Column headings structure: All items, Documents, Pictures and Videos, Music Details, and Music Icons. By default, Windows Vista will automatically decide and apply the type of headings structure to every folder. But sometimes it makes mistakes, like in the picture below:

Vista Tips - Adding and Removing Shortcut in 'Send To'

You can access the Send To menu when right-clicking a folder/file in Windows Explorer. Inside the Send To menu, you 'll find programs or actions which is related to file processing such as copying into another folder/drive, or opening a file in a certain program.

Creating a Drive From a Folder on Windows Vista

If you frequently work in a certain folder, you can make it easier by displaying the folder as a drive. The drive will represent your folder. If you access the content of the drive, actually you directly access the content of your folder.

Concealing Files and Folders on Windows Vista

You can conceal your files and folders by setting their attributes to HIDDEN. In this tutorial, you'll be pointed how to conceal and make they appear again.

Changing Default Program on Windows Vista

Maybe you have two or more programs which have same function, such as Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Opera which all of them are used for exploring internet. However there is only one program that becomes default program. When you double-click a file with .htm or .html extension in Windows Explorer, only the default program does open it.

Vista Tips - Locking the Taskbar

If the Taskbar is not locked, you or someone else may accidentally move it to other position such as top, right or left side of your screen. So in order to keep it at bottom of screen, you must lock it.

Vista Tips - Locating a Folder on Taskbar

If you frequently work on a certain folder, you can make your work much easier by locating the folder on taskbar.

Vista Tips - Changing Icon of a Folder

You can change the icon of a folder that appears in Windows Explorer or on the desktop.

Resizing Icons and Zooming Webpage Using Mouse

One of the uniqueness in Windows Vista is that you can resize icons in Desktop or Windows Explorer quicker by using mouse wheel. To do that, while on the desktop or Windows Explorer, hold down the CTRL key, and then scroll the mouse wheel up or down to change the size of icons there.

Windows Vista Tips - Keyboard Shortcuts With Windows button

All of these keyboard shortcuts use combination of Windows button with other keyboard button.

Keyboard Shortcuts For Working in Windows Photo Gallery on Windows Vista

You can use these keyboard shortcuts when you are managing your photos or videos in Windows Photo Gallery on Windows Vista.

Keyboard Shortcuts For Working in Windows Explorer on Windows Vista

You can use these keyboard shortcuts when you are browsing your files and folders in Windows Explorer.

Keyboard Shortcuts For Use in Windows Sidebar on Windows Vista

You can use these keyboard shortcuts for working with Windows Sidebar on Windows Vista.

Keyboard Shortcuts For Use in Windows Help and Support on Windows Vista

You can use these keyboard shortcuts when you are finding topics, troubleshooting, tutorials, and other support services in Windows Help and Support. You can open Windows Help and Support by clicking Start menu > Help and Support.

Keyboard Shortcuts For Use in Dialog Boxes on Windows Vista

You can use these keyboard shortcuts when you open a dialog box.

Keyboard Shortcuts For Use in Command Prompt on Windows Vista

You can use these keyboard shortcuts when you are accessing the command prompt.

General Keyboard Shortcuts Collection on Windows Vista

These keyboard shortcuts are used for general purpose when you are working on desktop or when you are working within application programs.

Ease of Access Keyboard Shortcuts on Windows Vista

These keyboard shortcuts are used for the Ease of Access features on Windows Vista, which make you can work on computer easier and more comfortable.

Learn Vista - Writing and Sending E-Mail using Windows Mail

Using Windows Mail to write and send an e-mail message is quite easy. You can send a message to many people all at once, and you can also attach files in your e-mail message.

Learn Vista - Replying To And Forwarding a Message on Windows Mail

The replied messages and the forwarded messages can be identified by "Re:" text and "Fw:" text at the beginning of the subject/title respectively. While at the bottom side of those messages content contain the sender e-mail content. You can easily reply to or forward a message in Windows Mail.

Learn Vista - Removing a Windows Mail Account

Like adding an account, removing an account in Windows Mail is quite easy.

Learn Vista - Reading E-Mail in Windows Mail

In Windows Mail, you can read the e-mail contents through the Preview pane, and also via the separate window. Reading an e-mail content in the Preview pane is more simple, but if you read it in a separate window, you will see a large portion of the message.

Learn Vista - Managing Your Incoming E-Mail on Windows Mail

By default, Windows Mail will locate all of your incoming e-mail into the Inbox folder. However, you can create a new folder and make a rule that will locate your specific incoming e-mail into the new folder, but not in Inbox folder, according to the condition you determine. Actually you can set various conditions/criteria and actions based on your desire. This will make you easier and quicker to manage your e-mail especially if you're a person that works and communicates much through e-mail.

Learn Vista - Controlling E-Mail Spam on Windows Mail

Windows Mail will automatically put your incoming e-mail that is considered as spam or other unwanted e-mail into Junk E-mail folder. In this tutorial, we will learn some ways that you can use to control the e-mail contains spam.

Learn Vista - Checking For Your New E-mail

On Windows Mail, you can let it check for your new e-mail automatically every period of time or you can check it manually.

Learn Vista - Blocking Images and Other External Content on Windows Mail

If you use slow internet connection or for other reason, you can prevent Windows Mail from showing/downloading images and external content within incoming e-mail, surely it makes Windows Mail receives all e-mail faster.

Learn Vista - Adding an e-mail Account in Windows Mail

Adding an e-mail account in Windows Mail is easy enough. But before doing that, you must know the incoming mail (POP3 or IMAP) server and outgoing e-mail server (SMTP) name, as well as your e-mail name and password.