From now on I will be adding tips for Vista
There still will be tips for XP
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/default.aspx
http://vista.gallery.microsoft.com/vista/sidebar.aspx?mkt=en-us
http://windowsvistamagazine.com/US
First of all, I want to make sure we're all on the same page. If you've never used Vista before or if you're just a beginner, allow me to explain what happens. In Windows Vista, every time you try to change something, you download or install something new onto your computer, etc., a little message pops up that says something like this: "A program needs your permission to continue." You can then either hit the Continue button to go on or the Cancel button to stop what you're doing you can just turn that particular feature off. All you have to do is disable the User Account Control and you'll be all set. Here's how you do it:
1.) Go to Start, Control Panel.
2.) In the search box, type in "user account."
3.) You will then see a link that says "Turn User Account Control (UAC) On or Off." Click that.
4.) Next, just uncheck that box and then restart your computer.
That's all there is to it! Once you do all of that, the annoying pop up will be gone for good. Now, as you probably know, Microsoft highly recommends that you do not turn this feature off. That's a given, but if you decide to do it anyway, be aware that a little shield icon with a red x will sit in your taskbar until you turn the feature back on. It's just a constant reminder of the security risk you're taking. But, you can get rid of that too!
To do so, go to Start, Control Panel, Security and then click on the Security Center link. On the left hand side of that window, click on the link that says "Change the way Security Center alerts me." Next, choose the option of "Don't notify me and don't display the icon (not recommended)," Once you do that, those nagging pop ups will be gone forever. Of course, this probably isn't something you should do if you're just starting out with Windows Vista, but if you've been using it for awhile now and if you feel comfortable with it, you can certainly give this a try.
These tips/tricks work in all versions of Windows Vista unless otherwise noted.
Exploring Vista's Media Center
Almost all versions of Windows Vista come with enhanced Windows Media Center functionality, which allows you to create, store, organize, edit, and view personal and public media. The Start menu choices in Windows Media Center in Windows Vista are Pictures + Video, Movies, TV, Music, Spotlight, Tools, and Tasks. If your computer has the proper hardware, you can turn your PC into a complete home theater system, including a DVD player and recorder, a movie theater, a movie studio, a television, a personal video recorder, a jukebox, a music server, and a photo library.
Actually, I went for quite a while before I even played with Windows Media Center. I was quite pleased with some of its features, especially the Internet TV choices (Beta) and the Pictures and video editing tools. If you're the sort that likes to play games on your computer, you might be surprised to learn that Media Center has a variety of surprisingly good games you can play such as Chess Titans, Spider Solitaire, and FreeCell - and you can find more by selecting "Online Spotlight" and get access to more online games.
At this time of year, when most all of us will be taking a lot of photos (mostly digital) you'll love Media Center's Photo and Video editing tools. You can make a really nice slide-show presentation screen saver from your photos in just a few minutes and display it on your monitor - or with the right hardware, play it back on your TV.
Window Media Center in Windows Vista is something all of you using Vista should explore - it's a multi-faceted center of tools and features. Most all of you will find something in it that you'll like and use over and over - so take a look right now and explore. After all exploring and discovery go hand-in-hand. Discovery is a great way to learn.
The quickest way to access Media Center in Vista is to click "Start" and type "Media Center" in the search box at the bottom of the start menu. Media Center's program icon will appear at the top - just click it and go exploring!
To access Parental Controls (the easy way) - click Start and type in "Parental Controls" in the search box at the bottom of the start menu. When the program icon for Parental Controls appears, click it to launch the program
Windows Vista's Built-in Screen Capture Utility
Windows Vista has feature that makes it easy for you to capture screencaps (or screenshots). They call it the Windows Vista "Snipping Tool". Why they call it the "Snipping Tool" is beyond me :)
Anyway, to access the Snipping Tool,
Click on the Windows Button (formerly known as the Start button)
Click "All programs"
Click "Accessories"
Click "Snipping tool"
You Talk About Large Icons!
By default Windows Vista uses large (I mean HUGE) icons on the Start menu. Unless you're having great difficulty with your eyes, you're probably going to want to make them smaller. You can change this. Here's how:
-Right-click on your start menu
-Click "Properties"
-Click "Customize"
-Scroll all the way to down to the bottom and uncheck "Use large icons".
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