invoke Windows 8 GODMODE (Techrepublic)


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http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/window-on-windows/quick-tip-invoke-god-mode-to-take-control-of-settings-in-windows-8/7456?tag=nl.e064&s_cid=e064&ttag=e064

Quick Tip: Invoke god mode to take control of settings in Windows 8

By Mark Kaelin

March 26, 2013, 1:48 PM PDT

Takeaway: Control panel settings and configurations are typically scattered all over in Windows 8, unless you know about god mode.

For the record, I like Microsoft Windows 8. However, just like any operating system, it is not perfect - there are always annoyances. For many traditional power users, one of the most annoying things about Windows 8 is that it is not easy find all of the control panel settings and configuration wizards that have traditionally been available in previous versions of the operating system.

All of those settings are available; they are just difficult to put your finger on sometimes. For example, there are two control panels in Windows 8 - one is attached to the Start Screen and one is part of the Desktop environment. Of course, neither of them grants you access to all of the configuration settings you?d like to see. This is where you can employ the power of what has been dubbed ?god mode.?

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I have the power

In Windows 8, god mode is just a special folder that contains links to all of the control panel and configuration settings. Creating the special folder is not difficult, but it does require knowledge of a special code.

First, open the Desktop and start Windows File Explorer. For this to work properly, you have to change two settings under the View tab of Windows File Explorer. As you can see in Figure A, you will want to check the boxes: File name extensions and Hidden items.

Figure A

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Check File name extensions and Hidden items

With those changes made, right-click on the Windows 8 Desktop and navigate to New | Folder, as shown in Figure B.

Figure B

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Create a new folder

This is where the code comes in. Replace the ?New folder? temporary name with this string of text:

GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}

When you press Enter the new folder will be renamed GodMode and its icon will go from a plain folder to a folder that looks like Figure C.

Figure C

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GodMod folder on the Desktop

When you double-click that folder you will be taken to a very long list of control panel settings and configuration wizards, separated into sections. (Figure D)

Figure D

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Every configuration tweak at your command

You can leave the GodMode Folder on the Desktop if you?d like, but if you right-click it you can Pin it to the Start Page so that it has its own tile like Figure E.

Figure E

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GodMode as a tile

Or you can pin the folder to Windows File Explorer on the Taskbar on the Desktop, as displayed inFigure F.

Figure F

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Available from the Taskbar

Well works for my Windows 7 Premium edition as well. learn something new every day

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Aren't those just the items you can search for in the start screen/menu search?

Probably. bu ti find it puts everything in one location, no dreadful search. But this works for Windows 7

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I use this on all my machines. Also, you don't have to use the text "GodMode". When you create the folder, you just replace "GodMode" with whatever string of text you want.

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Doesn't this method work with Vista as well?

In Windows 8, try searching Settings using only the letter a as your query. I get 300 results in Blue.

Aren't those just the items you can search for in the start screen/menu search?

Yes, and a lot of the entries are redundant.

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Doesn't this method work with Vista as well?

Yep it's been in there since Vista, nothing new and I think its crap because you see all this unnecessary stuff you don't want to see!

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Yep it's been in there since Vista, nothing new and I think its crap because you see all this unnecessary stuff you don't want to see!

You are right except that there might be some who might want to see all this unnecessary stuff and didn't know how to.....until now! Nothing wrong in spreading the knowledge.

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You are right except that there might be some who might want to see all this unnecessary stuff and didn't know how to.....until now! Nothing wrong in spreading the knowledge.

Yeah good point. But a guy like me, who isn't as well versed, actually, no where as versed as some of you, this is neat to know.

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same old thing that been in several windows versions now, its just nice to have them all in one convenient location.

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Control Panel on Windows 8 doesn't.

Yeah but it has the windows 7 Organize menu, whereas Control Panel just has the Bread Crumb Bar. Plus "Godmode" shows the libraries, favorites, homegroup etc. so I wonder if there is a way to active the Windows 7 Explorer interface in full.

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