10 Tips For Working In And Around Windows 7

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If you hold shift while right-clicking something in the Windows shell, you get extra options. Some of my favorites:

File or Dir:
"Copy as path"

Dir:
"Open command window here"

Executable:
"Run as different user"

Inactive Task Bar Button:
all of the nice options you get when right clicking a shortcut
 

haplo602

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hmm ... and people do not like Linux because they have to use the shell ... now this article realy scares ... all the easy to understand and find ID strings for different features, lots of command line usage, easy to find utilities you recomend here ...

funny world ..
 
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[citation][nom]nevertell[/nom]Linux is so much easier to write scripts for.[/citation]

Batch scripting on windows is really frustrating, but Powershell scripting on windows is absolutely fantastic! I hope to never write a batch script again!
 

WarraWarra

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I had so much issues with win7. The nasty start menu, horrible control panel and 20 click to get to networking static ip setup.

If there was a Win7 classic start menu / classic explorer / classic desktop / classic control panel then it would be much easier to use.

Win2008 is much easier and more stable to use than Win7 and makes more sense, just not as "desktop" friendly as XP.

I upgrade back to XP and Linux.
 

zybch

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[citation][nom]WarraWarra[/nom]I had so much issues with win7. The nasty start menu, horrible control panel and 20 click to get to networking static ip setup.[/citation]

Really? I mean, REALLY? I just tested to see how many it took me and the answer was 6 click when starting from the main desktop.
I think its more a question of you being an irretrievably dumb user rather than Windows 7 being 'bad'.
Besides, why on earth would anyone think they still need to use a static IP address.
You really are still living in a windows 98 world aren't you. Wake up and get a clue.
 

chodaboy

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[citation][nom]zybch[/nom]why on earth would anyone think they still need to use a static IP address.[/citation] Protected domains at work, wireless acces points, and i'm pretty sure there's more...
 

godnodog

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Windows XP was/is much easier to config and use than Windows 7.
There are several things I really dislike about Win7:
- the Start Button, the classic way was much easier and faster to use
- to access folder options, they should be accessed by the folder»tools»folder options line in XP, I´m only able to use them by going to Help and search for folder otions
- sharing folders SUCKS BIG TIME, it was stupidly simple to share in XP, now is stupidly complex to share in 7, most of the time I can´t share folders
- the "intuition" policy taken by microsoft resulted in Microsoft products becoming harder to work, we waste to much time using intuition to find stuff,
- some services just wont stop working, the Media Player network service(don´t remember the exact name)keeps working even after it has been ordered to stop and the service disabled

there are other, but despite all this I am very pleased with the performance of Windows 7, in overall they´ve done a really good job.

When will Microsfot do a Windows that is trully custumizable, where you can actually choose the services you want installed (there for saving disk space).

I want a fully customizable Windows OS!!!!
 

kato128

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@godnodog: Dude, seriously, windows takes up 15gb. Given that 1tb and larger hard drives are available for really cheap these days, do you really miss a gig or 2?

The search function on the vista and win 7 start menu blows XP out of the water for speed of finding and opening stuff. For example to get the calculator u hit start on ur kb and type calc and hit enter and ur there. Try doing it quicker with the mouse in XP. The bottom line there is that it doesn't matter how nested the start menu gets, I can quickly and easily type in what I want and windows serves it up rather than me wading thru 10 million nested start menu folders.
 

dco

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why on earth would anyone think they still need to use a static IP address.

As a networking student i'm constantly having to change IP address to connect to different networks...
 

neiroatopelcc

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[citation][nom]nevertell[/nom]Linux is so much easier to write scripts for.[/citation]

It's not like it's hard to copy paste a bunch of msdn data into a vbs and execute - linux isn't faster in this regard, it's merely different.

[citation][nom]kato128[/nom]@godnodog: Dude, seriously, windows takes up 15gb. Given that 1tb and larger hard drives are available for really cheap these days, do you really miss a gig or 2? [/citation]

It matters. SSD drives aren't available at those sizes yet, and if you try to compensate for high access time using short stroking (because you can't afford an ssd) you'll miss the space as well.

I collegue of mine actually went to the dark side (ubuntu) to save space on his ssd.... that's just how desperate some people are to save space.
 

neiroatopelcc

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[citation][nom]dco[/nom]As a networking student i'm constantly having to change IP address to connect to different networks...[/citation]

With autoitscripts you could fairly easily write a script that'd change the ip address for you using an emulated clicking and keystroke system (so windows updates the adapter ; as opposed to registry editing where you'd have to dis and reenable it)


Now that we're at nifty things - is there a way short of scripting the event, where I can easily change between clone and primary monitor mode without having to bother with the screen properties dialogue manually?
I'm thinking of some sort of rundll command to just call the proper function with the right variables
 

vvhocare5

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Wow, Printscrn and "Send To" in Windows. Who would have figured that out? Why dont we discuss this crazy thing called "drag and drop". Really, for someone in Toms, this is way below my expectations for this site.

Lets see, advanced Windows 7 tips will be how to change the wallpaper, maybe apply a theme?
 

kelemvor4

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LOL on the shutdown instructions. That's not a "win7" feature; shutdown has been available since NT 4.0. Possibly NT 3.5, I just never used it.
 

ArgleBargle

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[citation][nom]godnodog[/nom]sharing folders SUCKS BIG TIME, it was stupidly simple to share in XP, now is stupidly complex to share in 7, most of the time I can´t share folders[/citation]

Agreed. I spent literally days trying to share folders on a network between my computer and a media player box for the television.

Another thing I hate about Windows 7 is how *easy* it is to accidentally delete subfolders by mistake. I've worked on Windows operating systems since 3.1, and I have never, *ever* accidentally deleted a subfolder until Windows 7 came along. You think you've selected a file in the right pane. WRONG! Windows 7 decides you selected the subdirectory in the *left* pane. You have to be so incredibly careful, it's ridiculous.
 

theguy82

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@godnodog
- Like kato128 said. The search function in the start menu blows away the start menu in XP. No only can you search quickly, just pin regularly used apps to the start menu or the taskbar. Beats going through folders and subfolders upon subfolders in XP.
- Regarding the folder options "issue" you say. Just hit the ALT key and your menus you are use to seeing magically appear. No need to go to the Help menu, etc.
 

Casper42

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[citation][nom]WarraWarra[/nom]20 click to get to networking static ip setup.[/citation]

If you are switching Static IP details alot on the same machine, you need to look into NETSH.
I had batch files on my laptop at the last place I worked that would switch me to certain static IPs based on certain segments in our DataCenter and then had another batch file to switch me back to DHCP mode.
 

mpv191

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To all the people crying that it is easier to use XP or *Cough* Luunix. GROW UP. The biggest problem that computer users have is not paying attention. I've never accidentally deleted a main folder when attempting to delete a sub-folder. It still is no harder to change the IP address on your machine than it was before. The Start Menu is not any harder to use, just use it and you will find it works better than XP's start button. Scripting is scripting, it may be different of Lunix but it still is a pain no matter where you script. Sharing folders is stupid simple in Win 7, just like it was in XP but creating a small network in Win 7 is much easier than it was in XP. The biggest thing is forget about how you do it in XP and learn it in Win 7's way and you'll find that Win 7's was is actually easier. Everyone's problem with Win 7's way is stuck in the XP rut.
 
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