Windows Vista Tip

1
Windows Vista Tip Tricks
Thanks to Bret Williams letting me adopt his
presentation
Ernest Staats erstaats_at_gcasda.org MS Information
Assurance, CISSP, MCSE, CNA, CWNA, CCNA,
Security, I-Net, Network, Server,
A Resources available _at_ http//www.es-es.net
2
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

3
Start Button (orb)

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

4
Control Sidebar

• Right-click Sidebar Icon
• Properties
• Sidebar startup
• Add Gadgets

5
Adjust Folder Properties

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

6
Disable User Account Control

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

7
Improve Vista Performance

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

8
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

9
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

10
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

11
Voice Recognition

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

12
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

13
Easy Sharingwith Public Folder

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

14
Resize Partitions

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

15
Automatically Log In

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

16
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

17
Power Management

• Default is Power Saver
• By default, Vista limits CPU busy to 50 !!!
• Set Power to High Performance to get full CPU
  power
• Check your laptop settings as it will have a
  large impact depending on what you are running.

18
Odds and Ends

• MSCONFIG
• Now shows Services
• Reduce Startup Programs
• Search Box
• Combines RUN
• Start Menu Look Feel
• Right-click the Start Button
• SP1 for Vista fixes a lot of issues and makes
  Vista a workable solution

19
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

20
Tips and Tricks

• http//articles.techrepublic.com.com/5100-10877_11
  -6157166.html
• TweakVI www.totalidea.com
• TweakVista www.tweakvista.com/tweakvistautility
• http//www.howtogeek.com/tag/windows-vista/

21
Tips and Tricks

• http//chris.pirillo.com/2007/01/20/top-10-tweaks-
  tips-and-tricks-for-windows-vista/
• http//vistarewired.com/2007/03/14/10-things-you-w
  ished-you-had-known-about-vista/