When you open the Windows Live Photo Gallery Screensaver settings dialog, theme controls may be missing and the message "This computer’s video card can’t play themes" is displayed. You might be knowing that the themes in Windows Photo Gallery slideshow as well as in Windows Live Photo Gallery screensaver won’t be enabled if the Graphics card score (Windows Experience Index) is less than 3.0. (more…)
Archive for the ‘Windows 7’ Category
“This Computer’s Video Card Can’t Play Themes” Message in WLPG Screensaver Settings Dialog
How to Restore .BKF Files Using NTBackup in Windows 7 and Windows Vista
There are so many users who back up their data using the NTBackup Tool in Windows XP, then clean install/upgrade to Windows 7 or Windows Vista and later realize that Windows 7/Vista do not include the NTBackup Tool to restore the image. Also, Microsoft haven’t released the NT Backup Restore Utility for Windows 7 yet (should be out soon), as they released for Windows Vista. If you have critical data contained in a NTBackup image (.BKF) and want to restore it in Windows 7, then this article is for you. (more…)
Fix: Cannot Change Wallpaper Picture Position to Tile or Center in HP/Compaq PCs Running Windows 7
Certain models of Compaq Presario and HP PCs preinstalled with Windows 7 exhibit a problem where users cannot change the desktop wallpaper picture position to Fill, Fit, Center or Tile. It may default to Stretch mode, and changes made by users do not take effect. To fix this problem, HP released a SoftPaq (SP45575 "Wallpaper Picture Position Enabler") which applies to specific models of Compaq Presario and HP PCs.
[Download SP45575.exe]
TITLE: Wallpaper Picture Position Enabler
VERSION: 1.00 REV: A
DESCRIPTION: This package provides the Wallpaper Picture Position Enabler for the supported notebook/laptop models and operating systems. The Wallpaper Picture Position Enabler enables the Wallpaper Background Picture Position function to be changed from Stretched to Fill, Fit, Tile, or Center.
For more information about this SoftPaq and the affected PC model numbers, see Wallpaper Picture Position Enabler Read Me file at HP’s Website.
How to Restore All Windows in a Grouped Taskbar Button in Windows 7?
If you haven’t gone through the Windows 7 Keyboard Shortcuts list yet, you may be wondering if it’s possible to open all the windows which are grouped under a single icon in the Taskbar. Luckily, there is a keyboard shortcut available for this so that you don’t have to open each window in the group one at a time.
Restore all windows in a group
To restore all windows in a group, press the SHIFT key down, right-click on the group icon in the Taskbar. You’ll see a menu with the following options.
- Cascade
- Show windows stacked
- Show windows side by side
- Restore all windows
- Minimize all windows
- Close all windows
Click Restore all windows.
Open windows one at a time
To open each window at a time, hold the CTRL key and click on the group icon. This cycles through the windows in that group.
Check out the Windows 7 Keyboard shortcuts list and make the most use of it. Additionally, you’d like to read about the Hidden context menu items in Windows 7.
Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool Creates Bootable USB Flash Drive
Do you own a Netbook without a CD/DVD drive, but want to install Windows 7 on it? No problem! Microsoft has made available a tool known as Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool, which takes an ISO image and creates a bootable USB device that can be used to install Windows 7. The utility can create a Windows 7 installation DVD from the ISO file as well.
Update (Nov 10, 2009): Microsoft pulls download tool over GPL violation accusation
Download Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool from Microsoft Store Website. To copy the ISO image to USB flash drive, ensure that the drive has minimum 4 GB of free space.
Additional Note
The tool works only for the Windows 7 ISO image downloaded from online Microsoft Store. It throws the following error if you use a custom Windows 7 ISO image.
The selected file is not a valid ISO file. Please select a valid ISO file and try again.
However, Rafael Rivera of Within Windows has written a tool that will allow you to use your own ISOs with the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool. For more information, read the excellent post Use the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool with custom ISOs by Rafael.
How to Disable Taskbar Thumbnail Preview in Windows 7
Windows 7 does not include a GUI to disable the taskbar thumbnail preview feature. I’ve experimented with the registry setting TaskbarNoThumbnail and its equivalent GPO Turn off taskbar thumbnails. That setting seems to apply only to Windows Vista, and has no effect in Windows 7.
You can however disable the taskbar thumbnail feature (sort of) in Windows 7 using a registry edit. This can be done by setting the taskbar thumbnail preview hover delay to a large value (say 10000 milliseconds or more), so that the preview is not immediately generated when you hover over a taskbar icon. Well. Then the article title should have really been "How To Delay Taskbar Thumbnail Preview in Windows 7".
I heard about this registry value via article Adjust Taskbar Preview Hover Delay at WinGeek.com (Credits to Steve Sinchak), and experimented the registry value by inputting a large decimal value to prevent immediate display of thumbnails in the Windows 7 Taskbar.
1. Click Start, type Regedit.exe and press {ENTER}
2. Navigate to the following location:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Explorer \ Advanced
3. Create a new DWORD (32-bit) value named ExtendedUIHoverTime
4. Double-click ExtendedUIHoverTime and click Decimal
5. To increase the hover delay to 5 seconds, type 5000. Type 10000 for 10 seconds and so forth…
6. Exit the Registry Editor.
7. Logoff and login back, or restart the Shell ("Exit Explorer" method).
Related Article
Adjusting Aero Peek Desktop Preview Mouse Hover Delay in Windows 7.
Fix Error “Documents.library-Ms Is No Longer Working” In Windows 7
When you double-click a library to view the contents, the following error may occur.
"<libraryname>.library-ms" is no longer working.
For example, the following error may occur when opening Documents library
"Documents.library-ms" is no longer working.
This library can be safely deleted from your computer. Folders that have been included will not be affected.
Similarly when opening the Music, Pictures or Videos library
"Music.library-ms" is no longer working.
"Pictures.library-ms" is no longer working.
"Videos.library-ms" is no longer working.
To fix this problem, open Windows Explorer, right-click on the corresponding library and choose Delete. Click Yes when asked for confirmation.
Note: Deleting a library does not delete the contents of the included folders. However, you may need to re-add or include your folders manually, if needed.
Then, in the navigation pane of Windows Explorer, right-click Libraries and click Restore default libraries.
This recreates the library that was deleted earlier. This option only restores the default libraries.
Windows 7 Product Guide PDF/XPS Available for Download
The Windows 7 Product Guide provides a detailed look at the many new and improved features in Windows 7. The guide is designed as an accurate source of information that can help you to understand how Windows 7 Simplifies Everyday Tasks, Works the Way You Want, and Makes New Things Possible. The guide is also designed to provide IT Professionals with information about how to Make People Productive Anywhere, Manage Risk Through Enhanced Security and Control, and Reduce Costs by Streamlining PC Management. This is not a help and how to guide. Rather, it provides an overview of the many exciting features in Windows 7 and pointers to more information. The Windows 7 Product Guide is available in both XPS and PDF formats.
Download Windows 7 Product Guide (via The Windows Team Blog)
Microsoft Hardware-Assisted Virtualization Detection Tool Determines if CPU Supports Virtualization
Windows XP Mode is a new Windows 7 feature that lets you run older Windows XP applications on your Windows 7 desktop. Windows XP Mode is available for the Professional and Ultimate editions of Windows 7.
In order to use the Windows XP Mode in Windows 7, your system must support hardware virtualization (and also the option should be enabled in the BIOS). The Microsoft® Hardware-Assisted Virtualization Detection Tool (HAV detection tool) helps you check if your computer processor supports HAV. The tool also checks if this setting is enabled for the processor.
References
How to confirm your PC can run Windows XP Mode
Snipping Tool Is an Integrated Feature in Windows 7?
In Windows Vista, turning off the Tablet PC Components also removes the Snipping Tool. This is not the case in Windows 7, where the Snipping Tool is integrated with the Operating System.
Fig 1: Windows Features dialog box in Windows Vista. (See InfoTip)
Fig 2: Windows Features dialog box in Windows 7. (See InfoTip)
Those who use the Snipping Tool but don’t use other Tablet PC features, can remove Tablet PC Components with no problems.
Note: Snipping Tool is available only in the Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate editions of Windows 7.
