Vista Tips

Searching a Folder
With Vista, when viewing a directory, you can configure it to automatically start searching when you type in text,
Go to the Control Panel
Select Folder Options
Click on the View tab
Scroll to the bottom
Check Automatically type into the Search Box
Now when you are in a folder and simply start typing in text, Vista will start a search
Turning Off Vista's Built-In CD Burning
Since most computers come with 3rd party programs that are easier to use than Vista's CD/DVD burning, you can turn this off with a simple registry edit.
Start Regedit
Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Policies \ Explorer
Create a new DWORD key NoCDBurning
Give it a value of 1
Log off and back on again
Download Reg File
Quick Access to the TEMP Directory
If you want to quickly access a user's TEMP directory:
Click on the Start (Search) button
Enter %temp%
This will bring up the currently logged on user's TEMP directory
This can be useful when you want to clean out unneededitems in that directory which can often accumulate.
Turning On/Off Thumbnail Preview
If you want to show a thumbnail preview of graphic files
Go to the Control Panel
Select Folder Options
Select View
Uncheck Always show icons, never thumbnails
To turn this off, check the box
Changing the Windows Border Padding
By default, Vista has a somewhat thick border around the windows. If you want to reduce this:
Right click on an open area of the desktop
Select Personalize
Click on Window Color and Appearance
If you have Aero then Open classic appearance properties for more color options
Click on the Advanced button
In the Item section, select Border Padding
Change the size
Apply / Ok
Another Way to Open Command Window Here
When using the Windows Explorer, and you want to open a CMD prompt to a particular directory, another way to accomplish this is to hold down the Shift key while you right click on a directory in the right hand panel
Then select Open Command Window Here
Disabling Unneeded Windows Features

There are likely Windows Features running on the computer you don't need.
To see what these may be and make any changes you want:
Start / Control Panel
Programs and Features
Click on Turn Windows features on or off
It typically takes a little while for this window to populate
Hovering the mouse over an entry gives a short description of it
From here you can check or uncheck any entries you want.
For example, you may not need Windows Fax and Scan
Click the OK button when you are done
Access My Computer (or any Folder) from the Tool
Often I want to access files on My Computer but the desktop is full of Windows.Rather than having to close them down, it is easy to add My Computer to the toolbar
Right click on an open area of the toolbar
Select Toolbars / New Toolbar...
Click on Computer in the left panel
Click on Select Folder
Now when you click on the >> on the new toolbar, you will see a listing of all your hard drives.
Of course you can add any folder you want in the same manner.
Organizing File Display into Stacks

Normally when you look at files in the Explorer, they are commonly shown alphabetically or by type
There is another way you can view them which is in Stacks. This is different than organizing into Groups
Start the Windows Explorer
Go to a directory that has different types of files
Hover over Type in the bar at the top
Click on the down arrow
At the bottom, click on Stack by Type
Now you will see icons representing the different file types. You won't see the actual files at this point
Clicking on one of the icons will show the files that are in that type
If you Stack by Name, files will be grouped into 0-9, A-H, I-P, and Q-Z
Organizing File Display into Groups

Normally when you look at files in the Explorer, they are commonly shown alphabetically or by type
There is another way you can view them which is in Groups
Start the Windows Explorer
Go to a directory that has different types of files
Hover over Type in the bar at the top
Click on the down arrow
Click on Group
Now you will see your files sorted by Group with the heading for each group type clearly shown. This heading makes it easier to see what type of files it is.
Reliability and Performance Monitor

If you want to get a reasonably detailed view of the compter's CPU, Disk, Network and Memory access,
Start / reliability
From here there is quite a lot of information you can see about your computer.
Changing the Size of the Details Pane

When you use the Windows Explorer to view the files on the computer, a details pane opens along the bottom.
To change the size or hide it all together, right click on an open area
Select the option you want
If you delete the Details Pane, you can get it back by clicking on Organize / Layout / Details Pane
Shutdown Icon is Missing

If the left button is missing so you can't assign it to shutdown your computer, you may need to make a change to your Group Policy
Start
Run
regedit
Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Policies \ Explorer
On the right hand panel, delete the key NoClose
Log off and back on again.
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Another method is using the Group Policy Editor
Start
Run
gpedit.msc
Go to User Configuration / Administrative Tools / Start Menu and Taskbar
In the right hand panel, double click on Remove and prevent access to the Shutdown, Restart, Sleep, and Hibernate commands
Double click on Disabled
Click on Apply and Ok
Log off and back on again.
Changing the Location of the Documents Folder

If you would like to change the location of the Documents folder to a new location:
Create the new location's folder
Click on the Start button
Right click on My Documents
Select Properties
Click on the Location tab
Click on Move and select the new location you just created
For example, I prefer to keep all my data on a second partition for easier backup. My Documents folder is moved to D:\Data\Documents
Quick Access to Programs in the Quick Launch Bar

If you want to quickly access any of the programs in the Quick Launch bar,Press the Windows key with the number corresponding to the location of the program.
For example, if Outlook is your fourth item, you would press Windows+4
Easy Access to Clock / Calendar
By left clicking on the clock in the system tray, you have a quick view of the clock and the current month's calendar.
You can then scroll for preceding and upcoming months as well
Displaying a Checkbox For Selecting Files and Directories
Normally when you want to select a file or folder, it is somewhat difficult to determine exactly what is check and what isn't.
To change this:
Start the Windows Explorer
Go to Tools / Folder Options
Click on the View tab
Check the box for Use check boxes to select items (it's towards the bottom)
Changing the Desktop Icon Size
By default, the icons on the desktop are quite large.To change the size
Right click on the Desktop
Select View
Set it to Classic Icons

You can also hold down the Control key while the desktop is displayed
Use the wheel mouse to make the icons larger or smaller
This gives more control
Flip3D Task Switching

Added more information on how to use Flip3D Task Switching
Installing Vista With No Product Key
You can install Vista with no product key and have 30 days to evaluate it
Boot from the DVD and start the installation
Select the Language, Time and Currency, and Keyboard
Click on Next
Click on Install Now
Don't enter a Product Key
Uncheck Automatically activate Windows when I'm online
Click on Next
Click on No to confirm you do not want to enter a product key
Highlight the version of Vista you want to install
Check that it is the same edition you have purchased (if you want to enter in a product key at a later time).
Click on Next
Check accept the license and terms
Click on Next
Install a clean copy and continue as with a regular install
Changing the Windows Explorer Columns

By default, the Windows Explorer displays file's Name, Date Modified, Size and TypeIf you want to Add or Change these,
Right click on any of the columns
Check or Uncheck any times you want
Click on More to display an extremely rich list of options to display
To Move columns
Left click and drag the column to the location you want
Initial Configuration Changes

Although some of these are covered in other sections of the tips area, I compiled a page with the more common Vista Initial Configuration Changes I have been making on all new computers with Vista.
Changing the Folders Vista Includes to Index and Search

When you search for files, the default setting for Vista is to search only in the User's Documents folderTo add to the locations that are included in Vista's Indexing
Open the Control Panel
Go to System and Maintenance
Go to Indexing Options
Click on the Modify button
Click on the Show all locations button
Check the Drives or Folders in Drives that you want to include
Click on the Close button
For more details with screenshots see Vista Indexing and Search
Turning Hibernate On or Off

If you don't need your computer to Hibernate or want to turn it back on again
Open the Start Menu
Right click Command Prompt
Select Run as administrator
To turn Hibernation off - powercfg -hibernate off
To turn Hibernation on - powercfg -hibernate on
If you turn it off, it won't even show on the Start Menu
Changing the Action for the Start Menu Power Button

At the bottom right of the Start Menu are three icons.The left one (circle with a vertical line) is the Power ButtonTo change the action (Sleep, Hibernate or Power Off)
Go to the Control Panel
Select System Maintenance and then Power Options if it is the Default View or
Select Power Options if it is the Classic View
Under your current plan, click on Change plans settings
Click on Change advanced power settings
Click on the + by Power buttons and lid
Click on the + by Start menu power button
For the Setting, select Sleep, Hibernate or Shutdown
Click on Apply and OK
Now when you hover over icon, you can see the action it will take.
Opening to a Command Prompt from the Explorer

If you are using the Windows Explorer, and want to open a folder to a command prompt:
With the folder in the right hand panel
Hold down the Shift key
Right Click
Select Open Command Window Here
RoboCopy

RoboCopy or Robust File Copy for Windows is an enhanced file copy that far surpasses what you can do from either the Explorer or XCOPY.It is a very robust command line driven program with a huge amount of switches and options. In addition to standard switches like /S for subdirectories,Just a short list is:
/PURGE :: delete dest files/dirs that no longer exist in source
/MOV :: MOVe files (delete from source after copying)
/MON:n :: MONitor source; run again when more than n changes seen.
/MOT:m :: MOnitor source; run again in m minutes Time, if changed
/MAX:n :: MAXimum file size - exclude files bigger than n bytes.
/MAXAGE:n :: MAXimum file AGE - exclude files older than n days/date
/R:n :: number of Retries on failed copies: default 1 million
/TBD :: wait for sharenames To Be Defined (retry error 67)
Showing the Explorer Menu

By default, the Windows Explorer does not show the menu bar.
To temporarily display the menu, press the Alt button
To turn it on permanently, press the Alt button.
Tools / Folder options
Click on the View tab
Check Always show menus
Viewing Hidden and System Files

To configure the Explorer to view hidden and system files.
Click on the the Control Panel / Folders icon
Click on the View tab at the top
Check or uncheck the options you want
Common ones to change are:
Check Show hidden files and folders
Uncheck Hide extensions for known file types
Uncheck Hide protected operating system files - You will get a warning when you do this last one.
Turning on Single Click for Icons
To make it so you can single click on your icons
Click on the the Control Panel / Folders icon
Check Single click to open an item
Displaying the Volume Control on the System Tray

To show the volume control on the task tray:
Right click on the taskbar
Select Properties
Click on the Notification Area tab
Check Volume
Removing the Shortcut Arrows

Open REGEDIT.EXE
Open the key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
Open the Key LNKFILE
Rename the value IsShortcut
Log out and back in again.
To reset it, just rename the key back again, and log off and back on.
Vista Opening Links to Another Web Browser Than IE

By default, when you click on a link to a web page, Vista will automatically use the Internet Explorer.If you want it to use some other program like Firefox:
Go to the Control Panel \ Programs \ Default Programs
Click on Set your default programs
Select the Web Browser you want to use
Click on Choose defaults for this program
Under Protocols, check HTTP
Click on Save
You can also check .htm and .html as well
Now when you click on links in an e-mail for example, your other web browser will start.
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If your other browser does not show here, then you can make a change to the registry
Go to:HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Associations\UrlAssociations\http\UserChoice
Change it from IE.HTTP to Firefox.Url (if you are using Firefox for example)
No reboot is necessary
Allowing Network Access with Blank Passwords with Vista

Although you can log in locally without a password, by default, Vista does not allow network users to access the computer without a password.
To change this setting:
Run gpedit.msc
Go to Computer Configuration / Windows Settings / Security Settings / Local Policies / Security Options
Double click on Accounts: Limit local account use of blank passwords to console login only
Disable this option
Adding the IE 7 Icon to the desktop
By default, the icon for the Internet Explorer 7 does not show up on the Vista desktop
To add it back in again, a registry edit is needed.
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel]"{871C5380-42A0-1069-A2EA-08002B30309D}"=dword:00000000
You can download the reg file and then run it to do this automatically.
Then log off and back on again
Resizing Partitions
Vista now has the ability to resize partitions.
Right click on Computer
Select Manage
Click on Disk Management
Right click on a partition
Select Shrink or Extend depending on what you want to do
Note: As with all changes to partition sizes, have a good set of backups beforehand is a good idea
Access Denied to Folders

If you are getting Access Denied errors when trying to open folders like Documents and Settings, Application Data, Local settings:
Right click on the Folder
Select Properties
Click on the Security tab
Click on the Advanced button
Click on the Owner tab
Click on the Edit button
In the Change owner to box, highlight your account
Check Replace owner on subcontainers and objects
Click on Apply
Click on Yes to replace all permissions
Continue to click on OK until you
Using the Snip Tool

There is a program called Snip that will let you capture screenshots to put in documents or send as e-mail.To access it, simply open the Startup Menu and type SNIP
Next to the New button, click on the down-arrow and select what type of capture you want to do, Free Form, Rectangular, Window or Full-Screen.
Once you capture the screen, you can save it as a HTML, PNG, GIF or JPG
Sending a Picture as an E-Mail
In previous versions of Windows, you could always right click on a graphic and have the option to send it to a mail recipient. But you could only send an small or full size image.
With Vista you also have several size options to choose from, 640x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1280x1024 and Original Size
Pinning Programs to the Start Menu

You can add programs that appear on the top of the Start Menu.These are always there and are above recently opened programs
Right click on the program
Select Pin to Start Menu
GUI Performance
You can turn off some of the eyecandy to help speed of graphics performance
Open the Start menu
Right click on My Computer
Select Properties
Click on Advanced System Settings
In the Performance section, click on the Settings button
Click on Custom
I usually only have:Show preview and filters in folder, Show shadows under mouse pointer, Show thumbnails instead of icons, Show window contents while dragging, Smooth edges of screen fonts, Use drop shadows for icon labels, Use visual styles on windows and buttons
Displaying Run on the Desktop
You can create a shortcut for the Run command on your desktop
From the Start Menu, go to All Programs / Accessories
Drag a shortcut for Run to the desktop
Displaying Run on the Start Menu

By default, Run is not shown when you open the Start Menu.To enable this:
Right click on the taskbar
Select Properties
Click on the Start Menu tab
Click on the Customize button
Scroll down and check Run (it's about 2/3's of the way towards the bottom
Changing the Sidebar

By default, the sidebar can take up a unwanted room on the desktop. You also can't put icons on the space it uses.If you want to retain the ability to display the sidebar gadgets but also want full use of the desktop,you can detach individual gadgets.
Right-click the gadget you want to detach
Click Detach from Sidebar
Move the gadget wherever you want on the desktop
Right click on the sidebar
Click on Close Sidebar
There will now be an icon in the system tray for the sidebar if you want to get it back
You can also get more gadgets on-line
Services You Can Disable
There are several services you can disable to help improve performance.
Desktop Window Manager Session Manager - Provides Desktop Window Manager startup and maintenance services.If you don't plan on using Aero Glass, you can disable this service.
Diagnostic Policy Service - Enables problem detection, troubleshooting and resolution for Windows componentsSet to Disabled
Diagnostic Service Host - Same as above
Diagnostic System Host - Same as above
Offline Files - The Offline Files service performs maintenance activities on the Offline Files cache, responds to user logon and logoff events, implements the internals of the public API, and dispatches interesting events to those interested in Offline Files activities and changes in cache state.
Terminal Services - Allows users to connect interactively to a remote computer. Remote Desktop and Terminal Server depend on this service. If you don't use either of these, then you can disable the service.
Windows Error Reporting Service - Allows errors to be reported when programs stop working or responding and allows existing solutions to be delivered.
Windows Search - Formerly this was the Indexing Service. Provides content indexing.