Click here to access a Vista Tweaks link I found useful
How to show Hidden Directories or Folders in Vista:
Click the Start Icon & select 'Control Panel'.
Select 'Classic View' and from this select 'Folder Options'.
Now select the View Tab, and scroll down to 'Hidden Files & Folders'.
Select the button for 'Show hidden files and folders'.
Click 'OK'
Exit out of the 'Control Panel'
ReadyBoost - Using a USB Stick to make Vista Faster.
Plug in your USB Memory Stick.
When the 'Autoplay' menu appears, select the option 'Speed up my System'
Select the 'ReadyBoost' tab and tick 'Use this device'.
The slider should choose the best setting for how much space can be used.
Click 'OK'.
Watch as the USB flashes to show how it's helping to make Vista faster.
Note: if your USB stick doesn't show the 'ReadyBoost' option, it cannot provide this service.
How to delete a Folder/Directory that just won't delete?
In my case it was after I tried to remove XAMPP from my laptop and found a folder called C:\XAMPP that just would not delete. The only way I could was through Vista's UAC (User Admin Control).
Select 'Start' and select the 'Control Panel'.
Select 'Classic View' and from this select 'User Accounts'.
Select text labelled 'Turn User Account Control on or off'
'Continue'
Untick the 'Use User Account Control (UAC) to help protect your computer'
Click Okay, and then select 'Restart Now'
Once Vista Restarts delete the said Folders/Directories.
I then repeated the exercise and switched UAC back on, personal preference here.
Files & Folders as Thumbnails in Vista
Through the Control Panel you can switch on the look of the Folder in your Vista.
Go to the Control Panel, and select Folder Options.
From the Window that appears click the 'View' Tab.
Then unclick the selection labelled (@ Top) 'Always show Icons, never Thumbnails'
This option allows you to see the contents of the file, and is great for managing Photo's, it may though slow down your computer slightly.
Switch Hibernate On or Off in Vista
Click Start.
Select 'All Programs'
Find 'Accessories' from the Pull Down List, and from the resultant further list right Click 'Command Prompt'
From the selection provided select 'Run as administrator' and then click 'Continue'.
In the Dos Window type either "powercfg -h on" for Hibernation to be switched on,
or "powercfg -h off" for Hibernation to be switched off.
In both instances don't type the speech marks, and press 'Return'
Close the Dos Window, and Click Start and the 'Right Arrow' to confirm the command has worked?
Facebook on your Mobile
Make sure that on your Web Settings on your Mobile the Web Page is:
http://m.facebook.com
and not the full standard Facebook address http://www.facebook.com
As this will cause the Web Hosting on your server to kick it out because of the Screen Drivers!
Screen goes blank in Vista (Lights are on but no one is Home!)
This is a screen display driver issue, in Vista the lights are on the but the screen goes off,
this is usually whilst on Windows Media Player or YouTube.
You should get an error code - "Display Drivers NVLDDMKM stopped responding and has successfully recovered".
But if you have the same symptoms but with no Vista error code the fix is the same.
Read the next 2 lines before you start >> To fix via Vista you need uninstall the 'NVIDIA' application via Control Panel.
Once you do this you'll need to restart your Computer, so close all other applications before you start.
When you computer reboots Vista will automatically Reinstall the Application, and the fix is as simple as that!
Via XP I'm hoping it's the same once you reboot, but here's a Google search to help if you have problems:
http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp_2k_91.47.html
Rename Multiple Files Quickly
Something I found by accident, but great for renaming multiple files quickly, say for work around renaming pictures
Keeping the 'Ctrl' key pressed down select all the files you'd like to rename with you Mouse.
Then when you finished selecting the files simply press 'F2' (edit) on the keyboard.
Type in the file name, i.e. '39th Birthday' & watch all the other files rename to '39th Birthday (2)', '39th Birthday (3)', etc etc
Homebrew Games don't work on R4 or M3 Firmware
If when you use a R4 or M3 Simply card to store all your DS games for ease of use,
You may find the latest games don't work on the version of the firmware, with a variety of error messages;
from hanging @ saving, to just not loading up.
The solution is to upgrade your firmware, using the following links:
Firmware Check
Once you find the correct Firmware version, use the following DS Web page, to download the correct software.
Note: if you already have a firmware version on your DS Card, you may only need to replace the 'System' directory (R4 version).
Play a Movie or Music on your DS Lite
You'll need a Homebrew Flash Card for this, here's a good Introduction >> Flash Cards
This will then need the latest firmware installed DS Web page
Once you have this running, creating a directory called 'NDS' add your back-up nds games and start playing via the firmware
For Music, @ the root directory create a 3rd Directory called 'Music' (1st = 'System' & 2nd = 'NDS') & add there your MP3 files
For Video it's a little more complicated but a great achievement when you watch your first movie.
The format the DS plays a movie in, is 'dpg', to transfer from your 'avi' file you'll use the 'SUPER ©' application
Select this Link to download the 'SUPER ©' application (scroll to the page bottom for 'Download SUPER © setup file')
Once downloaded, with a little help from Videogamegroupie watch this Video to show you how to use the App to convert your movie
When converted it is as simple as creating a 4th Directory called 'Video' on the root of your Flash Card
& then copy across the 'dpg' file to this directory, and watch via the DS Lite Firmware.
Vista Shutdown Hangs, or won't switch Laptop/PC off
Mine just started to hang when trying to shutdown for no apparent reason, no new software etc, & this change seem to do the trick
Click the Vista Button in the bottom left hand corner of the screen & select 'Run'.
In the Run text box type 'regedit', hit 'Return' & select 'Continue', we need to make a simple change to the Registry.
In the Regedit window, the directory list on the left, select 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINES'
From this then select the follow sub folders:
System - CurrentControlSet - Control (Click the 'Control' folder to see around 9 to 10 options on the right of the screen)
@ this list, select the command 'WaitToKillServiceTimeout', right click this name with your mouse and select 'Modify'
Change the total to '5000', which represents around 5 seconds
Exit Redeit (Click the X) to save the change.
Close all your open Apps, and shutdown to see a faster shutdown and your fix.
Please note, don't touch anything else in the Registry, as this can really screw up your Windows
How to enable the Vista Sidebar?
On the desktop follow this list of tasks to have the Sidebar Switched back on to you Desktop:
1. Click Start
2. Go to the Control Panel
3. Click on Appearance & Personalisation Link (Control Panel Home)
4. Click on Windows Sidebar Properties.
5. Tick the Checkbox of 'Start Sidebar when Windows starts'
6. Click Ok.
Playing a MP4 Video
Learned how to play MP4 movies, can do this through a dedicated application or a few tweaks to Windows Media Player.
Try this helpful Link.
Take Ownership of Files in Vista
Use the following Registry Hack & download to allow the 'Take Ownership' option to be added to Vista.
Download the Hack @ the following location >> Link
Download and unzip the file from the link.
Double click the file name 'InstallTakeOwnership.reg' & click through the prompts
There should be no reboots necessary (I did just to be sure)
& this should give you following option when you 'right click' any files you need to now Take Ownership of.
To remove the Hack, from the same Zip file, run the file 'RemoveTakeOwnership.reg'
Setting up your XBox & Windows Media Player to link as a Media Centre
I finally got this to work, find out on my long and frustrating journey.
Speed up your Firefox
Speed up your Firefox through this simple Application that organises the profile databases that fragment over time.
100+ Google Tips
Just running through this to see where I can improve the way I use Google, it's set up for the American Schooling system, but I'm sure there are things in there that can help us all?
From External Code
No doubt I'll add some more as I find them!
How to show Hidden Directories or Folders in Vista:
Click the Start Icon & select 'Control Panel'.
Select 'Classic View' and from this select 'Folder Options'.
Now select the View Tab, and scroll down to 'Hidden Files & Folders'.
Select the button for 'Show hidden files and folders'.
Click 'OK'
Exit out of the 'Control Panel'
ReadyBoost - Using a USB Stick to make Vista Faster.
Plug in your USB Memory Stick.
When the 'Autoplay' menu appears, select the option 'Speed up my System'
Select the 'ReadyBoost' tab and tick 'Use this device'.
The slider should choose the best setting for how much space can be used.
Click 'OK'.
Watch as the USB flashes to show how it's helping to make Vista faster.
Note: if your USB stick doesn't show the 'ReadyBoost' option, it cannot provide this service.
How to delete a Folder/Directory that just won't delete?
In my case it was after I tried to remove XAMPP from my laptop and found a folder called C:\XAMPP that just would not delete. The only way I could was through Vista's UAC (User Admin Control).
Select 'Start' and select the 'Control Panel'.
Select 'Classic View' and from this select 'User Accounts'.
Select text labelled 'Turn User Account Control on or off'
'Continue'
Untick the 'Use User Account Control (UAC) to help protect your computer'
Click Okay, and then select 'Restart Now'
Once Vista Restarts delete the said Folders/Directories.
I then repeated the exercise and switched UAC back on, personal preference here.
Files & Folders as Thumbnails in Vista
Through the Control Panel you can switch on the look of the Folder in your Vista.
Go to the Control Panel, and select Folder Options.
From the Window that appears click the 'View' Tab.
Then unclick the selection labelled (@ Top) 'Always show Icons, never Thumbnails'
This option allows you to see the contents of the file, and is great for managing Photo's, it may though slow down your computer slightly.
Switch Hibernate On or Off in Vista
Click Start.
Select 'All Programs'
Find 'Accessories' from the Pull Down List, and from the resultant further list right Click 'Command Prompt'
From the selection provided select 'Run as administrator' and then click 'Continue'.
In the Dos Window type either "powercfg -h on" for Hibernation to be switched on,
or "powercfg -h off" for Hibernation to be switched off.
In both instances don't type the speech marks, and press 'Return'
Close the Dos Window, and Click Start and the 'Right Arrow' to confirm the command has worked?
Facebook on your Mobile
Make sure that on your Web Settings on your Mobile the Web Page is:
http://m.facebook.com
and not the full standard Facebook address http://www.facebook.com
As this will cause the Web Hosting on your server to kick it out because of the Screen Drivers!
Screen goes blank in Vista (Lights are on but no one is Home!)
This is a screen display driver issue, in Vista the lights are on the but the screen goes off,
this is usually whilst on Windows Media Player or YouTube.
You should get an error code - "Display Drivers NVLDDMKM stopped responding and has successfully recovered".
But if you have the same symptoms but with no Vista error code the fix is the same.
Read the next 2 lines before you start >> To fix via Vista you need uninstall the 'NVIDIA' application via Control Panel.
Once you do this you'll need to restart your Computer, so close all other applications before you start.
When you computer reboots Vista will automatically Reinstall the Application, and the fix is as simple as that!
Via XP I'm hoping it's the same once you reboot, but here's a Google search to help if you have problems:
http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp_2k_91.47.html
Rename Multiple Files Quickly
Something I found by accident, but great for renaming multiple files quickly, say for work around renaming pictures
Keeping the 'Ctrl' key pressed down select all the files you'd like to rename with you Mouse.
Then when you finished selecting the files simply press 'F2' (edit) on the keyboard.
Type in the file name, i.e. '39th Birthday' & watch all the other files rename to '39th Birthday (2)', '39th Birthday (3)', etc etc
Homebrew Games don't work on R4 or M3 Firmware
If when you use a R4 or M3 Simply card to store all your DS games for ease of use,
You may find the latest games don't work on the version of the firmware, with a variety of error messages;
from hanging @ saving, to just not loading up.
The solution is to upgrade your firmware, using the following links:
Firmware Check
Once you find the correct Firmware version, use the following DS Web page, to download the correct software.
Note: if you already have a firmware version on your DS Card, you may only need to replace the 'System' directory (R4 version).
Play a Movie or Music on your DS Lite
You'll need a Homebrew Flash Card for this, here's a good Introduction >> Flash Cards
This will then need the latest firmware installed DS Web page
Once you have this running, creating a directory called 'NDS' add your back-up nds games and start playing via the firmware
For Music, @ the root directory create a 3rd Directory called 'Music' (1st = 'System' & 2nd = 'NDS') & add there your MP3 files
For Video it's a little more complicated but a great achievement when you watch your first movie.
The format the DS plays a movie in, is 'dpg', to transfer from your 'avi' file you'll use the 'SUPER ©' application
Select this Link to download the 'SUPER ©' application (scroll to the page bottom for 'Download SUPER © setup file')
Once downloaded, with a little help from Videogamegroupie watch this Video to show you how to use the App to convert your movie
When converted it is as simple as creating a 4th Directory called 'Video' on the root of your Flash Card
& then copy across the 'dpg' file to this directory, and watch via the DS Lite Firmware.
Vista Shutdown Hangs, or won't switch Laptop/PC off
Mine just started to hang when trying to shutdown for no apparent reason, no new software etc, & this change seem to do the trick
Click the Vista Button in the bottom left hand corner of the screen & select 'Run'.
In the Run text box type 'regedit', hit 'Return' & select 'Continue', we need to make a simple change to the Registry.
In the Regedit window, the directory list on the left, select 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINES'
From this then select the follow sub folders:
System - CurrentControlSet - Control (Click the 'Control' folder to see around 9 to 10 options on the right of the screen)
@ this list, select the command 'WaitToKillServiceTimeout', right click this name with your mouse and select 'Modify'
Change the total to '5000', which represents around 5 seconds
Exit Redeit (Click the X) to save the change.
Close all your open Apps, and shutdown to see a faster shutdown and your fix.
Please note, don't touch anything else in the Registry, as this can really screw up your Windows
How to enable the Vista Sidebar?
On the desktop follow this list of tasks to have the Sidebar Switched back on to you Desktop:
1. Click Start
2. Go to the Control Panel
3. Click on Appearance & Personalisation Link (Control Panel Home)
4. Click on Windows Sidebar Properties.
5. Tick the Checkbox of 'Start Sidebar when Windows starts'
6. Click Ok.
Playing a MP4 Video
Learned how to play MP4 movies, can do this through a dedicated application or a few tweaks to Windows Media Player.
Try this helpful Link.
Take Ownership of Files in Vista
Use the following Registry Hack & download to allow the 'Take Ownership' option to be added to Vista.
Download the Hack @ the following location >> Link
Download and unzip the file from the link.
Double click the file name 'InstallTakeOwnership.reg' & click through the prompts
There should be no reboots necessary (I did just to be sure)
& this should give you following option when you 'right click' any files you need to now Take Ownership of.
To remove the Hack, from the same Zip file, run the file 'RemoveTakeOwnership.reg'
Setting up your XBox & Windows Media Player to link as a Media Centre
I finally got this to work, find out on my long and frustrating journey.
Speed up your Firefox
Speed up your Firefox through this simple Application that organises the profile databases that fragment over time.
100+ Google Tips
Just running through this to see where I can improve the way I use Google, it's set up for the American Schooling system, but I'm sure there are things in there that can help us all?
From External Code
No doubt I'll add some more as I find them!