Whether you want to improve the running speed of XP, customize Vista’s Aero interface, manage your own disk partitions or perform quick photo processing, the cases we give below can tell you the specific implementation method. In the article, we will first introduce a few tips on performance improvements, and then talk about file management, interface adjustment, network and browser options, and Windows Media Player player.
All operations are only considered complete after you have patched many Windows vulnerabilities. For details, please refer to our previous article "Security Settings in XP and Vista". If you are using a new version of the operating system, please refer to the tips we gave in "Upgrade to Vista" and the related introduction in the two articles "Change Vista's default settings".
Case 1: Be prepared before system changes
Start the backup first
Before starting to adjust the various functions of the computer, you must first do a backup operation, even if it is simply creating a restore point. The method to backup in XP is: click "Programs (or all programs)" in the "Start" menu, select "Accessories" - "System Tools" - "System Restore", select "Create a Restore Point" in the pop-up "System Restore" window and click "Next", and then follow the prompts to perform the corresponding operations. If it is a Vista operating system, the method is to click "Programs (or all programs)" in the "Start" menu, select "Maintenance" - "Backup and Recovery Center" in the expanded menu, select "Create a restore point or change settings" - "System Restore", then click "Next" and then perform subsequent operations according to the instructions displayed on the screen.
However, creating restore points alone is not enough to solve all problems. This is why a tool called "full computer backup" in Vista is so popular, it can create an image file for the user's computer including all applications, settings, and data files. After that, if there is a problem with your hardware, you can restore the entire system rather than just the files. It should be pointed out that neither the Vista Home Basic Version nor the Home Advanced Version has the function of "full computer backup".
The method to create a backup is: in the "Start" menu, click "Control Panel" (or in the "Classic Start" menu, click "Start" - "Control Panel"), click "Backup Computer" (in the classic view, double-click "Backup and Restore Center"), and select: Backup computer and follow the steps given later. If you are using a computer to work, then I recommend you to backup at least once a month, or at least once within 6 months no matter how frequently your computer is used.
Backups should be done before any major changes to the computer. It should be noted that Windows will automatically create a restore point before installing each new software and making any other significant system changes.
Close non-essential startup programs
When starting a computer, applications of multiple services are usually launched at the same time in the background, usually in a state where the user is unaware. Although most of them are applications or services that users often need to use, such as firewalls and antivirus software, applications that are rarely used like instant messaging software do not play any role, but instead wastes system resources and reduces the running speed of users' computers.
The easiest way to clear these infrequently used automatic startup programs is to use the "System Configuration" tool. The specific steps are as follows: Click "Run" in the "Start" menu (or enter information in the "Start Search" box in the "Start" menu of Vista operating system), enter "msconfig", then press "OK", select the "Start" tab in the called window, and you can see the programs that start with the Windows system. Before you don't want to run the application, just remove the checkmark and select the "Services" tab to view the list of all service programs running on your computer system. Before canceling any service, it must be confirmed repeatedly. After all, many of them are indispensable to keeping the computer hardware and software running normally. The "Process Library" explains thousands of Windows services and programs and tells the user whether they are necessary. If you are not sure if you need to use a service or program, you might as well use a web search engine to find it out.
Focus on performance
Running diagnostic applications is the best way to know the performance of your computer system. The calculation results provided by XP's "System Monitor" can show the operation of the user's computer, but it is difficult to understand its meaning. The way to run the program is: click Run in the Start menu, enter "perfmon" and then press "OK". In the expand window, select System Monitor in the left panel, and select Add Calculator in the toolbar on the right to add more performance measurement metrics.
Vista’s “reliability and performance monitors” have been greatly improved compared to XP’s system monitors. Click "Start" (or select "Run" in the "Start" menu in the classic start menu mode), enter "perfmon", and then press the "OK" button to open the "Performance" window. This tool does combine multiple functions, but the most practical function is "Resource Overview", which has an explanatory graph for drawing current and historical usage of CPU, hard disk, network and memory. The application provides extremely detailed instructions for each measurement. For example, in the CPU section, the user can see each running service and application, how many threads are used, and the CPU occupied by each.
Click "Reliability Monitor" on the left panel of the application to see daily history information about computer stability, which records each system crash and hardware or software errors in detail. You can even go further to explore any individual results. At the same time, this tool can estimate overall stability information and update it daily to reflect whether the user's system or program has been attacked.
Restore file through shadow copy
Another feature I like in the final version of Vista (Ultimate) and business (Business) is "Shadow Copies", which can automatically back up users' files and easily restore files with previous errors. If you want to restore the previous version of a file, open Windows Explorer, right-click "File" and select "Restore to previous version" in it, and click the target file to open it in the listed version.
What users need to know about this feature is that first of all, Vista does not retain a "shadow copy" for each file version opened by the user, but instead creates a recovery point every time Vista can produce a "shadow copy". In addition, some listed versions may be created when the user uses Vista's "All Computer Backup" program.
Adjust the user's accessories
By default, Windows specific files are connected to specific applications one by one: when the user double-clicks a file, the specified application will be called up to run the file. But why do you have to stick to Windows' arrangements? If you want to change the application in XP and Vista that echoes specific files, the method is: right-click the file in any folder window in the Explorer and select "Open With", you can see a list of programs that can run the file. Click "Select Programs" in XP or "Select Default Programs" in Vista. In the results dialog window, click the application you want to use as the default, and make sure that "Always use the selected application to open this file" is checked, and then click "OK". If the application you want to use as the default does not appear in the list, you can click the "Browse" button, select the application location you want to use, click "Open", and finally click "OK" to complete the operation.
Using Ready Boost technology
The easiest and cheapest way to accelerate Vista is to use Ready Boost technology, which uses USB flash memory to expand the memory of the user's computer. A 1GB flash memory costs only $15 at the lowest price, and the 2GB capacity flash memory is about twice the price of 1GB flash memory.
How can I know the flash memory capacity that suits my computer? ReadyBoost supports the minimum capacity of 256MB and the maximum is 4GB. Microsoft recommends additional flash memory ratios to system memory at 1:1 or 2.5:1. For example, the computer you are using comes with 512MB of memory capacity, you can purchase flash memory with 512MB to 1.25GB of storage capacity. Systems configured with 1GB of memory capacity should use a flash memory capacity between 1GB and 2.5GB.
The most difficult information to know is whether the USB flash memory purchased by the user has passed the ReadyBoost test. Therefore, before purchasing, you must verify the minimum demand conditions and other ReadyBoost information. Before purchasing a specified flash memory, you can search for information through the Internet and determine whether it has undergone ReadyBoost testing.
When using ReadyBoost, first plug the flash memory into the USB port, and then select "Accelerating System" in the window that appears on the screen. Next select "Use Flash" and then click the "OK" button. In the ReadyBoost tab of the "Properties" dialog window, users can follow Vista's recommended space capacity, or use the slider to select the capacity they think is suitable.
Easy partition management
Vista’s disk partitioning program allows users to easily create, delete, adjust capacity and format partition operations. To access these tools, in the "Control Panel" in the "Start" menu (or "Settings" - "Control Panel" in the classic start menu), select "System and Performance", and under "Administrative Tools" click "Create and Format Hard Disk Partition" (in the "Category View" to double-click "Administrative Tools" to select "Disk Management" in the left panel). Use the Disk Management menu under Actions on the left to access all the user's save options. You can also right-click an existing partition and select an action in the menu that appears.
The best way to manage disk partitions in XP is to use third-party applications such as Partition Expert ($45) produced by Acronis.
One-step diagnostic report
Vista’s own diagnostic tools can scan users’ computers, discover problems, and form diagnostic reports with complete bug fix suggestions. The way to use this tool is to click the "Start" menu, select "Control Panel" (or click "Start" - "Settings" - "Control Panel" in the "Classic Start" menu mode), in "System and Maintenance", find "Performance Information and Tools" - "Advanced Tools", and click to generate a system status report. If you are in the category view, first double-click "Performance Information and Tools", and then click "Advanced Tools" - "Generate System Status Report". The diagnostic procedures of this system take about 1 minute to process the results.
Case 2: Quick File Search
Convert FAT format to NTFS file format
Compared with the original FAT and FAT32 formats, the Windows NTFS file format has many advantages in performance, security and other aspects. When the user upgrades from XP to Vista, the system will ask whether to convert files on the hard disk to NTFS format. If you want to manually convert FAT or FAT32 to NTFS, the operation method is: select "Run" in the "Start" menu, enter cmd and click "OK", and the command window will pop up, enter "convert x:/fs:ntfs (where x represents the drive letter of the hard disk)", and then click "OK".
Right-click to display command prompts
Sometimes the fastest way to complete an operation on a Windows system is through command prompts. And the fastest way to get command prompts is through the right-click menu. The operation method is to enter regedit in the Run input box of the Start menu, press Enter to confirm, and the "Registration Editor" will be called up. Find HKEY_ LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Classes/Folder/shell in the panel on the left, right-click the mouse to select "New Key", name it "Command Prompt", select the new key just now in the panel on the left, double-click the "Default" item on the panel on the right, enter /k pushd %L in the data value, and press the "OK" key to confirm. In this way, after exiting the Registry Editor, no matter when the user right-clicks a folder, he can find the "Open Command Prompt" function. When a folder is selected, selecting this item will invoke the command prompt function.
Clear the "Open With" menu
When you right-click the mouse in Windows Explorer, you can see the "Open With" option in the menu that appears, listing all programs that can be used to open the file. Since the user will automatically add to this list after installing a new program, this menu may be very long for certain types of files, and some listed programs may not be able to open the file at all. Do you really want to use a software like Word to open pictures in the format of ".bmp"?
To delete them, enter regedit in the Run input box of the Start menu, press the OK button, open the Registry Editor, and find KEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Explorer\FileExts in the left panel, select the file extension you want to edit. For example, if you want to clear Word from the opening method of the ".bmp" format image, select OpenWithList under .bmp, and you can see a series of key names composed of letters in the panel on the right. Each represents a way to open this file (such as ""). Delete the item you want to clear from the list of opens, now double-click MRUList, and then delete the letters of the program you just cleared. For example, if the value is "a", delete this letter in MRUList.
Add folders to index
Compared to XP, the new search tool built in Vista is much faster, but by default it will only index a few folders, so it is likely to miss a lot of other files on the user's computer.
By selecting the Start menu and entering any entry in the Start Search box, users can manually add folders to the index (or click Start - Search - File or Folder in the Classic Start menu). When the search results appear, click "Search Tool" to select "Change Index Location" - "Change", and then click "Show All Locations" to open the Index Location dialog box. The top window shows the user's storage devices, check the box next to them (or double-click the entry to display the list of folders), select the location you want to add to the index, and then click "OK" and "Close" to return to the search window.
Save Search
Want to save and upgrade Vista’s search results? The operation method is to select "Search" in the "Start" menu (or select "Start" - "Search" - "File or Folder" in the "Classic Start" menu mode) and enter a search entry. Then click "Save Search" to bring up the "Save As" dialog box and select "Save". In this way, the searches saved by the user will be displayed in the Search folder in the left panel of the Search window.
Case 3: Reshaping the interface
Retrieve the classic menu
One of the most controversial changes to Vista compared to previous versions of Windows is the use of toolbars in Windows Explorer and IE instead of the original menu. If you like to perform command operations under the menu, just press the "Alt" key easily to recall the original menu. Pressing "Alt" again will disappear. In Windows Explorer, if you want to use the menu all the time, the operation method is: select "Organize" - "Layout" - "Menu Bar". In IE, just select "Menu Bar" in "Tools".
Also process the run menu
The Run input box of the XP operating system is an easy way to open applications and run DOS commands, but the new Start menu in Vista replaces this feature with the Start Search Box. If you have a special liking for the "Run" command box, you will be ecstatic when you find that it is so easy to retrieve "Run". Right-click the "Start" button, select "Properties" - "Custom", check the "Run" command, and then click "OK", and the long-awaited "Old Friend" will immediately return to its original "post".
Create your own icon
Icons in Windows do not help significantly in quickly finding important files and folders. In fact, it is very simple to create icons yourself to help find information like "Last year's tax refund refund". It’s not that you can design these icons as an artist. Of course, if you are willing to spend $50 to buy Microangelo Toolset 6 (a 21-day free trial period), then it will definitely make you the “Picasso” in the eyes of others.
First, open Microangelo Studio and follow the specified steps to create a new icon. For users using Windows XP systems, your icon should use a format of sizes of 16×16, 32×32, or 48×48 pixels. For Vista operating systems, users can choose to use any of the formats or as large as 256×256 pixels. You can also use the program's pencils, brushes and other drawing tools to make icons. I mainly use its input tool to process images created by others. The app supports entering several different formats, shrinking or expanding images to the right size, and then storing them into icon files (.ico). Google Image Search collects downloadable images together very well, but be careful to check whether the one you choose is a free-to-use picture. If you want to replace an icon with the icon image you just created, right-click the old icon and select "Properties" - "Shortcuts" - "Replace Icon", browse and select the new icon image and click the "Open" button.
Develop new features of Bubbles screen protection in Vista
Vista’s screen saver provides very few options. For example, if you want to make the bubbles cooler in the Bubbles screen saver, it is generally impossible to achieve. Unless you know the following way to modify the registry, it is to add three new values to the appropriate keys to make the bubbles metallic, have shadows, and display on the desktop or black background.
The operation method is to enter "regedit" in the "Run" menu (or just click "Start" in the Vista menu) and press "OK", find and select HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Screensavers\Bubbles , right-click the mouse in the right panel, select "New" - DWORD (32-bit) value, then enter "MaterialGlass", double-click the newly built new build. When the value entered is 1, you can set the bubbles to transparent. When the value is 0, you can see the metallic bubbles. After entering it, click the "OK" button.
Also in the right panel just now, through a similar series of steps, create a DWORD named "ShowShadows". When entering its value 1, you can display a shadow under bubbles, and when the value is 0, there is no shadow. Then create a new DWORD named "ShowBubbles" and set its value to 1 (can display bubbles on the desktop) or 0 (can display bubbles on the back).
Adjust transparent edges in Aero interface
In the XP operating system, change the size and color of the edges of Windows windows and dialog boxes, and make other display adjustments by right-clicking the mouse on the desktop to select "Properties" and setting it in the "Advanced" function in the "Appearance" tab. The Vista operating system also allows users to customize many functions in its Aero interface. Right-click the mouse on the desktop and select "Personalization" - "Windows Color and Appearance"; if you want to change the transparency of the edge of the windows, adjust the slider of the "Color Depth".
Case 4: Optimizing the network
Fix network failures in Vista and XP
If you are on a network that uses Vista and XP, then these computers may not work well. One of the problems is that Vista and XP use different network names under the default state, Vista uses "Workgroup" and XP uses "Mshome", which may cause the systems to be unable to recognize each other.
The method to rename the computer with the XP operating system is: right-click "My Computer", select "Properties", click the "Change" button in the "Computer Name" tab card in the expand window, enter "Workgroup" in the "Workgroup" input box below the "Computer Name Change" dialog box that pops up, and then click "OK" to complete the operation.
Network diagram
Vista's "Network" and "Sharing Center" can display information on all computers on the user's network, including MAC and IP addresses. Click "Start" - "Control Panel" (if it is a classic start menu, you need to click "Start" - "Settings" - "Control Panel" in sequence), in "Network and Internet Connection", select "Network and Sharing Center" - "View Network Full Map", and place the mouse on a device to see its IP and MAC address.
For non-Vista operating systems, if they exist, they are even listed at the bottom of the page, but they will not be displayed. Vista’s new draft for drawing network maps will eventually be open to XP, but Microsoft has not confirmed the implementation time yet.
Add a virtual personal network (VPN) on any hot zone
Whenever the user is in a public Wi-Fi hot zone, other people who have specific software can fully grasp every step of the user's online operation. The virtual network has a channel to protect users' data transmission, which can just protect users' data security. My favorite VPN (virtual private network) service is HotspotVPN, which can implement VPN functions on XP and Vista operating systems. The service costs $9 per month, and for one, three or seven days alone, it costs $4, $6 or $7. Versions with crypto-level services charge between $11 and $14 per month.
Users who sign up for using the software will get a username and password and the IP address of the wireless VPN server. Enter these information when running a Windows network connection. The method is: For the XP operating system, the operations are: select Control Panel in the Start menu (or select Start—Settings—Control Panel in the Classic Start menu) - Network Connection - Create a new connection - Next step - Connect to the network to my workplace - Next step - Virtual Private Network Connection, and follow the instructions to complete the subsequent operations.
The operation method in Vista is: select Control Panel in the Start menu (or select Control Panel in the Start menu) in the Classic Start menu. Select Create a connection or network, double-click Connect to Workplace, select Use My Internet Connection (VPN), and follow the instructions to complete the following operations.
Set up wireless encryption
Every home or small office wireless network needs to use the "Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA)" encryption method to prevent possible intrusions. If your network does not support WPA functionality now, you need to upgrade. The steps for setting up WPA also vary depending on different routers. The following operation instructions are specifically applicable to Linksys WRT54GX4.
First, log in to your router management interface, click "Wireless Connection", then select "Wireless Security", select "WPA" as your encryption measure in the drop-down list, enter the encryption key, and then record the key on paper, because it will be used when logging into the network from other computers, click "Save Settings".
After that, the user needs to use the same password used on the router to establish encryption for each computer. On each XP operating system computer, click the wireless connection icon on the system tray, and then select the "Wireless Network" tag in "Properties" to mark your own network. Click "Properties" and select the "Association" tag. Select your own encryption method in the "Network Authentication" drop-down list. In the "Data Encryption" dialog box, select "TKIP", remove the checkmark "This key is automatically provided for me", enter the user's WPA key in the "Network Key" dialog box, and then enter it again in the "Confirm Network Password" box. Click "OK" twice. Now the computer can be connected to your network.
In the Vista operating system, click Control Panel in the Start menu (or Start—Settings—Control Panel” in the Classic Menu Mode—Network and Internet—Network and Sharing Center—Manage Wireless Networks. Right-click your wireless network connection, select "Properties", then click the "Security" tab, select "WPA2-Personal" in the "Security Type" drop-down menu, then select TKIP in the "Encryption Type" drop-down menu, enter the WPA key in the "Network Security Key" box and click "OK" to complete the operation.
Change the search provider…
If you want to add Google or other search engines to the search box of IE 7, click the down arrow to the right of the exploration bar, select "Find More Providers", select a provider and click "Add Provider", then check "Set it as my default search provider", or continue to use the current search engine, and select a new search provider when entering the search bar.
…or use your own created provider
If you are not satisfied with the available search engines provided in the IE "Find More Providers" list, it will only take a few seconds to build an engine according to your requirements. The method is: click the down arrow to the right of the search bar, select "Find More Providers", open a new tab and browse to the provider you want. Perform a "TEST (note that all are capitalized)" search, and then copy the URL address in the address bar of the result page to the first text box under "Self-create" in the "Add Service Provider to IE 7" window. Enter a name in the box and click Install.
Put pressure on the browser
In any case, as long as the user clicks on the network link or enters URL information in the address bar, the browser will send the user's request to the DNS server on the network, and then querys the IP address and returns the result to the user's browser. This process may take up a certain amount of time. To reduce this waiting time, the most frequently visited IP address and the host name of the site can be added to the host file. In this way, if the user wants to find the address in the file, the computer can skip the slow DNS server and directly look up the address in the file. In Vista or XP's home version, the file is stored in "C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\Etc\HOSTS", and in XP Pro, the storage address is "C:\Winnt\System32\Drivers\HOSTS". Double-click the file to open the file using Notepad or the user's default file editor. Enter the IP address or host name of the site you often visit (each entry takes up one line). List the IP address in the first column, and the corresponding host name in the next column. Keep at least one space between the two columns, and then place each pair of columns on one row (if you want to find the IP address, you can select "Run" in the "Start" menu, enter "cmd" and press Enter, then enter "Ping", a space and host name, and then press the "Enter" key). After the operation is completed, save the file with a name that is the same as the existing location.
Secret browsing
Users often browse like books that can be read publicly. If you want to leave no traces when browsing, you can use a proxy server set up between users' access sites, but using a proxy server, downloading files may have problems.
First, find the Atom Inersoft's proxy list, which lists information for each server, with the percentage of available time. Note the IP address and port you chose to use the server. For example, in the list, 24.236.148.15:80 has an IP address of 24.236.148.15 and a port number of 80. If you want to query the IP address of a certain website, use the method mentioned above in "Convert FAT format to NTFS file format" to open the command prompt, enter "ping www.site name.com ", and then press Enter, and the result will contain the address of the site.
In IE browser, select "Tools" - "Internet Options" - "Connection", click the "LAN Settings" button in it, check "Use a proxy server for LAN", and then enter the IP address of the proxy server in the address bar. In the Port Input box, enter the number of ports, check "Don't use proxy server for local addresses", and then click "OK". This way, when you browse the network again, the proxy server will protect your privacy. You can also learn about TOR anonymous network information actively supported by the Electronic Frontier Foundation on the website.
Using offline files
Vista commercial, enterprise and advanced versions allow users to use network files. Open Windows Explorer and right-click the network file or folder you want to keep offline, select "Properties" - "Share" - "Share" - "Share", then right-click the shared file and select "Can always use offline (on some computers, just do "Offline files" - "Can always use offline")", and the file will be synchronized automatically.
Vista’s Photo Gallery application not only enables photo preview, it also acts as a shortcut picture editor. After using the program to open a picture, click "Fix" to adjust its color and exposure, remove red eyes and perform other operations; click "Auto Adjust" to allow the application to automatically complete the patching operation.
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