Make It Even Better Windows Vista Tip

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Make It Even BetterWindows Vista Tip Tricks

• Brent Williams
• brent_at_speakwisdom.com
• KSU ETC
• http//edtech.kennesaw.edu
• www.speakwisdom.com

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My Goal

• Each person leaves with THREE new things they
  didnt know about Vista
• Keep Count
• Tell your friends about Vista

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Vista Its In Your Future (Like it or not. BG)
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First, The Basics
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Desktop

• Window-Tab key
• Flip 3D
• Alt-Tab key
• Control-Alt-Del key
• Performance
• Vista eats memory
• Vista loves fast CPUs
• Vista loves a nice video card

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Start Button (orb)

• Right Click, Properties
• Classic Start Menu
• Privacy
• Customize
• Scroll to Bottom
• ICON SIZE

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Quick Launch with Windows Key

• Place icons for favorite programs on Quick Launch
  Tool Bar
• (Right-click icon, select Add to Quick Launch)
• Now start you favorite with the Windows Key and
  its position number on the Quick Launch.
• Ex Windows 2

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Control Sidebar

• Right-click Sidebar Icon
• Properties
• Sidebar startup
• Add Gadgets
• Get rid of Sidebar
• Close it
• Right click Icon on tray, Exit
• Uncheck Start Sidebar

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Keep the OLD Menu

• Open Explorer
• Press ALT key to reveal OLD menu
• Open Explorer
• Click Organize
• Click Layout
• Click Menu Bar
• BONUS
• In Layout, Select Preview Pane

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Adjust Folder Properties

• Control Panel
• Folder Options
• View
• Unhide Extensions
• Unhide Hidden Files
• Unhide System Files
• Use Check Boxes when selecting

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Use Check-Boxes to Select Items

• In My Computer
• Alt-Key to get old menu
• Tools, Folder Options, View
• Scroll down to Use Check Boxes
• While there, notice
• Show Hidden Files and Folders
• Hide Extensions
• Hide Protected OS Files

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Copy Path

• In My Computer
• Browse to desired path
• Shift-Right-Click
• Select
• You can also click in the breadcrumb trail) and
  copy

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Searching in Vista

• Instant Search
• All content automatically indexed
• At bottom of start menu
• Shows results list as you type
• Programs appear at top
• Ex type Word

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Searching in Vista

• Search Everywhere and Search Internet at bottom
• Results screen provides Advanced Search in Top
  Right Corner
• Search Can Be Saved (Button in Middle of Tool
  Bar)
• Search appears on many Vista screens
• Organize, Layout, Search Pane
• For more options

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Disable User Account Control

• Users Control Panel
• Look at the last prompt
• Uncheck the box
• Requires reboot

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Improve Vista Performance

• Add memory
• System Control Panel
• Advanced System Settings
• Performance
• Turn OFF Glitz
• Consumes Lots of Resources

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Improve Vista Performance 2

• Use ReadyBoost
• Learning cache system
• Up to 100X speed of disk
• 1X to 3X System RAM suggested
• Max 4GB
• USB, SD, CF, etc. supported
• Right click on Flash Drive
• Properties, ReadyBoost Tab
• Set Space to Reserve

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Built in Applications

• Snipping Tool
• Clip any part of the screen
• Windows Photo Gallery
• Organize, tag, rate
• Start, All Programs
• Photo Editing
• Good enough for most

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Recover Files

• Shadow Copy
• Vista backs up once a day
• You can restore previous copy
• Overwrite
• Copy somewhere else
• Right click
• Restore Previous Version
• Properties

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Voice Recognition

• Powerful
• Dictate and Correct Documents
• Competition for Dragon
• Brief Setup
• Excellent correction mode
• Control Windows

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Burning CDs and DVDs

• Burn shows in folders
• Still no ISO support
• No Copy support
• Live File System vs. Mastered
• Allows using CD/DVD like flash
• Copy single files at will
• Use with XP and Vista only
• Double-click new disc for format options

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Easy Sharingwith Public Folder

• Located at C\Users\Public
• Permits sharing to anyone
• Music
• Images
• Files
• Turn on via Network Sharing Center

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Resize Partitions

• Disk Manager now allows
• Shrink
• Extend
• Free space for another OS

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Automatically Log In

• Start
• Enter netplwiz in the search box
• Select User
• Clear User must enter a username and password
• Enter password as prompted

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Power Management

• Laptop Default is Power Saver
• By default, Vista limits CPU busy to 50 !!!
• Set Power to High Performance to get full CPU
  power
• See Details in Control Panel
• Change Plan Settings
• Change Advanced Settings

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Odds and Ends

• MSCONFIG
• Now shows Services
• Reduce Startup Programs
• Search Box
• Combines RUN
• Start Menu Look Feel
• Right-click the Start Button

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Tips and Tricks

• http//www.microsoft.com/windows/using/windowsvist
  a/tipsandtricks/default.mspx
• http//www.vistamania.org/index.php?optioncom_con
  tenttaskblogcategoryid22Itemid34
• http//articles.techrepublic.com.com/5100-10877_11
  -6159639.html

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Tips and Tricks

• http//articles.techrepublic.com.com/5100-10877_11
  -6157166.html
• http//vistarewired.com/2007/03/14/10-things-you-w
  ished-you-had-known-about-vista/
• TweakVista www.tweakvista.com/tweakvistautility
• http//www.howtogeek.com/tag/windows-vista/

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Shameless Plug

• Presentation located at
• www.speakwisdom.com
• KSU Educational Technology Training Center
• Classes open to educators
• Low cost, high quality
• See our catalog
• edtech.kennesaw.edu

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Questions?
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Thank you!www.speakwisdom.com