The Start Navigation sound can be sometimes annoying. We understand that the clicking sound is generated when you click a hyperlink in Internet Explorer. That’s obvious! Have you wondered why the clicking sound is generated even though you don’t click on a link? It could be possible that the page you’re viewing is set to refresh automatically after some time. But that’s not the only action that triggers the Start Navigation sound event. (more…)
Posts Tagged ‘Tips’
How to Disable Start Navigation or the Clicking Sound in Internet Explorer
How to Add UAC Shield Icon to Static (Right-Click) Context Menu in Windows 7
Most users customize the right-click menu by adding additional verbs in the registry in order to launch programs or scripts. Windows 7 lets you add the UAC Shield icon for static context menu items as well. If a verb you add to the right-click menu launches a program which runs elevated by default, then it’s a good idea to add the UAC shield icon so that users know that the task requires elevation. (more…)
How to Install and Run the Windows Installer Cleanup Utility if Windows Installer Fails to Work
If you’re greeted with the Windows Installer setup screen for an existing product everytime when you try to install a new program, you usually repair the existing application, or use the Windows Installer Cleanup Utility to remove the installer information of the existing application before reinstalling it. The problem is the Windows Installer Cleanup Utility Setup itself uses Windows Installer and hence it may not run in the above scenario. Here is an option which can be used to launch the Windows Installer Cleanup Utility without installing it. (more…)
How to Remove Blank Entries From the MSConfig Startup Tab in Windows XP
Sometimes after uninstalling software, you may end up with blank entries in the System Configuration Utility (MSConfig.exe) in Windows XP. This happens if the startup entry is present in the registry with blank value data. This article tells you how to remove those orphaned entries by editing the registry.
How to Enable or Disable Thumbnail Previews Quickly Using Right-Click Menu in Windows Vista and Windows 7
If you had disabled thumbnail previews in Windows Explorer for performance, but want to have a means of enabling or disabling thumbnail previews in a jiffy, here is a solution for you. To enable or disable thumbnail previews in Windows Vista and Windows 7, you normally click on the Organize button in the folder view, choose Folder and Search Options, select the View tab and then select or deselect the Always show icons, never thumbnails. (more…)
“This Computer’s Video Card Can’t Play Themes” Message in WLPG Screensaver Settings Dialog
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…)
On Resume, Password Protect vs on Resume, Display Welcome Screen Setting in Windows XP
When you open the Display Settings Control Panel applet and click the Screensaver tab, one of the following options are shown:
- On resume, display Welcome screen
- On resume, password protect
The second option is seen in systems which are connected to domain (which disables the Welcome screen.) If you enable this option, you’ll see the "Unlock Computer" classic logon prompt when resuming from screensaver mode. Whereas the former displays the Welcome screen when resuming from screensaver mode.
What if the "On resume, password protect" option is shown in a standalone system where the Welcome screen is enabled? What causes the "On resume, password protect" option to be shown in standalone systems and systems in a Workgroup?
This was asked by many Windows XP users over these years in various forums where I participate, but no entire explanation for this observation has been found anywhere. Hence this article was written.
The "On resume, password protect" is displayed if at least one the following conditions is true:
- Fast User Switching is disabled. (REF Enable Fast User Switching in Windows XP)
- There is only one user account in the system (not taking the "Guest" account into consideration)
- There are more than one user account, but only one is shown in the Welcome Screen and all others hidden.
- Terminal Services is not running. This in turn disables Fast User Switching. (To start Terminal Services, launch Services.msc, double-click Terminal Services, set its start type to Manual. Restart Windows.)
Fix Services MMC Extended View Is Blank in Windows XP
The Extended view of Services Management Console (services.msc) displays the service description and also has links to Start or Stop services. In some systems, the Extended view may appear blank, as in figure below:
This has to do with broken JScript.dll registration. To fix this problem, login as Administrator or equivalent, and then run the following command from Start, Run dialog:
regsvr32.exe jscript.dll
Press {ENTER}
You should see the output message "DllRegisterServer in jscript.dll succeeded."
This fixes the Extended view. Close and re-open Services MMC.
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…)
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.
