- Topics Mentioned
- Operating System(s):
- Windows 7
After years of lamenting the shortcomings of Windows Vista, Windows 7 was released to resounding virtual applause and much media fanfare. Intrigued, I installed Windows 7 in a virtual machine on my Ubuntu box. In a word, impressive.
One of the most fun things about installing a new piece of software is exploring the new features and all the customizations that make your computing experience more personal.
In this article, I’ve compiled a collection of useful tips and tricks to help power users like yourself get the most of your Windows 7 installation. Here’s what’s covered:
- Ten Useful Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows 7
- Using the Windows 7 Taskbar Like a Pro
- How to Gauge Power Efficiency in Windows 7
- Customize Your Windows 7 Jump Lists
- Unlock Hidden Windows 7 Wallpapers
- Speed Up Boot Time in Windows 7
- New Processes = Less Crashes
1. Ten Useful Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows 7
If you’ve been using a computer for as long as I have, keyboard shortcuts can be a life saver. Some of these key combinations totally replace the mouse, while others reduce the number of clicks. With time, you’ll be using your mouse less and less.
Here are a few keyboard shortcuts that you should be aware of. Also, check out a more detailed list here. For each option, Win of course refers to the Windows key on your keyboard and the numbers 1-9 represent the position of the application in the taskbar.
- Win+number (1-9): Starts the application pinned to the taskbar or switches to that program
- Shift+Win+number (1-9): Starts a new instance of the application pinned to the taskbar
- Ctrl+Win+number (1-9): Cycles through open windows for the application pinned to the taskbar
- Alt+Win+number (1-9): Opens the Jump List for the application pinned to the taskbar
- Win+T: Focus and scroll through items on the taskbar
- Win+B: Focuses the System Tray icons
- Shift+Click on a taskbar button: Open a program or quickly open another instance of a program
- Ctrl+Shift+Click on a taskbar button: Open a program as an administrator
- Shift+Drag a File to a taskbar button: to open a file with the current application
- Middle-Click on a Aero Thumbnail: to close that application instance
2. Using the Windows 7 Taskbar Like a Pro
The taskbar and its new functionality is one of best new features of Windows 7. But there are a number of uses and features that aren’t initially apparent. For example, most of us have folders that we use frequently. Why not pin this folder to the taskbar for easy access?
Pinned searches are also handy. Simply enter a term in Windows 7 search and then drag that icon to the taskbar. This will be useful for searching recently modified files.
For more information see the video on getting the most out of your Windows 7 Taskbar.
3. How to Gauge Power Efficiency in Windows 7
With the growth of the mobile workforce, many desktop computers are being replaced with laptops. While processor speed and storage are no longer major issues, battery life is. Windows 7 has a neat but largely hidden tool that will assess your energy usage and make recommendations on how to improve it.
You’ll need to run a command with administrator rights, so open a search box and type in cmd. When the icon appears, right-click it and choose “Run as administrator.”
At the command line, type in this command, replacing “folder” with the folder name where you’d like to save the file.
powercfg -energy -output \Folder\Energy_Report.html
Following a 60 second analysis, Windows 7 will create and save the report in html format in the folder you specified. Open to review any recommendations.
4. Customize Your Windows 7 Jump Lists
A jump list is the menu that opens when you right-click on a taskbar icon. But did you know you can also access this menu with the left mouse button? Just hold the left mouse button and dragging upwards. Laptop users without an external mouse will find this most useful, as it makes accessing the jump list easier with a touchpad.
You can also change the default number of items that show up on the list. Go to taskbar properties > start menu tab > customize. The options are near the bottom of the window.
5. Unlock Hidden Windows 7 Wallpapers
Based on your responses to things like language during the Windows 7 install, you’ll get a different set of wallpapers and themes. For those in the U.S., for example, your selection will yield country/state specific scenery.
If you’re curious about the wallpapers available to other areas of the world, here’s how to access them:
In the search box in the Start menu, type C:\Windows\Globalization\MCT and press Enter. Windows Explorer will launch and show you a list of subfolders under C:\Windows\Globalization\MCT: MCT-AU, MCT-CA, MCT-GB, MCT-US, and MCT-ZA.
Each subfolder has wallpapers for a specific country: AU for Australia, CA for Canada, GB for Great Britain, US for the United States, and ZA for South Africa.
Navigate to the Theme folder for Australia, then double-click the theme file. For example, \MCT\MCT-AU\Theme\AU. The new theme is added to your Personalization folder and applied to the desktop.
6. Troubleshoot Processors in Windows 7 *
Today’s computers have multiple processors. And sometimes things go awry with one, making troubleshooting a challenge. A little known Windows 7 feature will allow you change the number of processors the system uses – thereby helping to isolate the offending hardware.
Launch the Start menu search bar and type msconfig. Select the Boot tab. Click on Advanced options and set the number of processors from 2 to 4, of course dependent upon your systems hardware.
7. New Processes = Less Crashes
When you start Windows 7, every folder you launch uses the same process. While this is an excellent way to conserve system resources, having everything tied together means that if something goes wrong with one folder, they all suffer the same consequences.
In order to launch folders in a separate process, double-click on the desktop Computer icon, hold down the shift key, right click on your drive and select Open in New Process. Now, folders will be launched in separate processes.
Conclusion
It seems that more Windows 7 features are uncovered everyday. In the race to be more productive, the search for even more hidden tweaks will undoubtedly continue. If you have additional trips or tricks, feel free to share them in the comments.
* original post updated on July 16, to reflect change to tip #6.
#6 is incorrect. the system will use all processors that it has, UNLESS you change this to a number LESS THAN the current # of processors. Under the covers, it does the exact same thing as the old /numproc boot.ini switch described at http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;833721
For every user who is enchanted with the new W7 start and task bar there are many who hate/loathe it. Unfortunately most people these days are just too damn lazy and will accept what they are given as being new and therefore by default better. True analysis reveals the task bar for what it is NOT rather than what it is. Its cute maybe to some – yes but for someone like me coming out of an information/records management background its not very efficient. Unlike the old XP Start bar it is far more cumbersome to manage (it grows like topsy as programs get added) does not always organise the programs in order or in classes of programs so end users get some idea of what a program actually does. i.e Paint Shop Pro gets installed as JASC now who the heck understands what that is. I appreciate that is a problem for the developers of Paint SHop Pro rather than Microsoft but it illustrates why the task bar is not as well received by XP Users as you may think.
In the XP Start Bar you had a right-click “Sort by Name” option – that choice has been removed in W7 . I liked to create my own Program Categories and then move each added program into that category so my task bar was actually very short and therefore much easier/simpler to access and navigate through. Also the title I gave each category had meaning to me and so I gained productivity. Not so in W7 where I constantly find that things are NOT Intuitive at all and options I used to find and memorise quickly and logically are now neither quick or logical. I am accused of being averse too change or too old or set in my ways which of course is rubbish. After 35 years in IT I can hardly be realistically accused of that, I think too many tech writers focus on what will get them a cheap article published and cozy up to Microsoft rather than really working on analysing the other side of the coin.
Your article is mere opinion and for every person who agrees with your point of view there is at least another with an opposite point of view. Why Microsoft went so far to alienate its XP customers does stagger my view of common sense but sadly ‘Common Sense” is in very short supply in today’s world.
Fancy an OS taking away features they have given to users for over a decade and replacing them with more complex ways of doing old tasks , offering no easy upgrade path from XP and then to round it off taking away the ability to run a decent repair/restore option like one can in XP if and when the OS inevitably fails. I am having a huge chuckle now as W7 systems are arriving on my doorstep unable to boot and you should see the look and attitude of customers when I tell them that there is no way to recover their damaged software build. End users do not understand system restore and so far when they do create system restore points recovery has not worked and the one and only system recovery option on the W7 DVD is a total and abysmal failure. What it needs to do is analyse all system files required for a proper system boot and replace /restore those files exactly like it does in XP to get a build back up and working. On that score alone most of my clients are now turning their back on W7 and are regreetting having ever paid Microsoft for the pleasure to have a significantly worse computing outcome.
Best Wishes
Ken McAvoy
IT Director
Melbourne
Australia
@Bill – Read the link you’re posted. Thanks for catching this one.
@Ken – Exactly right, the article merely states my opinion – the focus is to provide a few tips and tricks for users of this OS. As with any hardware/software, there will, in fact, must be alternate viewpoints. And any discussion as to the valid issues users and administrators face, is a welcome one.
Dear All,
Although my issue is not related to above points, tips, tricks but I have a problem with Win7.
I have saved an email on desktop from my official email address which is niether opening nor deleting. As I am deleting the email displaying message “Preparing to delete” then it’s continuing trying but not deleting. I also tried from safe mode but unfortunately went fail.
So, can any one help regarding this? I tried to get help from internet but couldn’t find correct solution.
I am waiting for help from your expertise.
Thanks & Regards,
thanks that was really use full for IT prof.
Ghulam, perhaps another commenter can help with your question. I’d also try posing a question at Microsoft’s support website (support.microsoft.com).
Surendra – thanks and glad you enjoyed.
I posted this on facebook. Just incase if people only read the website.
Don’t forget: Control Panel Actions.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}
You could read more about it here:
http://www.mydigitallife.info/2010/01/06/how-to-list-all-control-panel-actions-and-tasks-available-in-windows-7-and-vista-godmode/
This is very easy to do. Create and FOLDER, and name it “Control Panel Actions.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}” with out the two quote.
Hi Veronica,
yes, I can see that the KB article I mentioned is ambiguous. However, Windows will use all of the processors available to it on bootup, unless that number is changed using /numproc.
While I cant find any publicly available information from microsoft to support this, you can google “Numproc myth” to see some of the conversations that have been happening.
Next week I’ll try to find someone at Microsoft to make an official statement
- Wai Ho,
Thanks for sharing the additional info!
Excellent tips. Thanks Veronica!
Glad you found them useful. Thanks Tammie.