Windows 8/8.1 tips and tricks - post them here

[bdsams Veteran]

Alright folks, it's a new OS and time for tips and tricks...let us know what you find and post them here so we can keep a running thread of all the nifty shortcuts MS has included.

[dafin0]

Don't know if anyone has caught onto this or not, but in the lower left corner of the screen, if you *right* click, you get a nice little menu filled with goodies. :)

[br0adband]

For "power users" the fastest and bestest one I found earlier was the right-click on the lower left hand corner "Power Menu" with shortcuts to all the stuff like Control Panel, Power Options, Disk Management and the other goodies.

Some new keyboard shortcuts as well, there's a comprehensive list at:

http://www.winsupers...hortcuts-142358

Aside from that not much going on yet. I spend 99% of my time looking at the Desktop anyway so, I don't notice much difference between 8 and Windows 7 at this point (and yes I ran the DP for some time as well).

I know most of the Metro apps are previews so I hope they get around to adding some features to Reader - having PDFs load to fit the screen and no zoom functionality is a pain in the ass with some PDFs I have. Most typical PDFs will end up not displaying well enough to be able to read (I'm on a 1280x800 screen) well.

Fast, smooth (had to hit Windows Update to get the updated Intel GMA950 driver of course, prior to that it was sluggish), and working well so far on a ThinkPad T60 with a Core Duo (not even a Core 2 Duo).

[Eric Veteran]

Win-X will also quickly pull up the power menu.

[Muhammad Farrukh]

If you click at the top left corner continuously, you will switch between legacy desktop and currently running apps.

This is nice if you have fewer apps running in the background and don't want to go through the entire list

[Ice_Blue]

To close Metro apps easily from both the desktop and start screen:

Put your mouse on the top left corner of the screen.

The most recently opened Metro app will appear. Move the mouse down to see all running apps.

Move it over the app you want to close, and right-click on the app, then select close.

[yikes]

For those who want easier way to shutdown:

1) Create a shortcut (new->shortcut) on a classic desktop.

2) Direct it to shutdown.exe -s -t 0

3) Put a nice icon on it

4) Pin it on start screen

Here you go, easy shutdown button :)

[SliceOfLife]

If you really want your start menu back you could use http://lee-soft.com/vistart/ then again the orb won't be nicely aligned. :(

[King Lizzle]

One nice workaround I did find is to go to C:\Windows\ and search for "Shows Desktop". You can then copy that shortcut to C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup Doing that means that Windows 8 will, in a fashion, boot directly to the desktop so you can bypass the Start Screen initially.

Also an old favourite of mine still works. Hit Win-key + R then type "control userpasswords2" and hit enter. This will bring up a dialog where you can choose to bypass the login process allowing your PC to fully boot into Windows without interruption.

[Ci7]

For those who want easier way to shutdown:

1) Create a shortcut (new->shortcut) on a classic desktop.

2) Direct it to shutdown.exe -s -t 0

3) Put a nice icon on it

4) Pin it on start screen

Here you go, easy shutdown button :)

or just

Alt+F4

shutdown

done

[Glen]

Win-X will also quickly pull up the power menu.

Nice! I'm a keyboard enthusiast, so any more of these that can be posted will be greatly appreciated! :D

[CentralDogma]

Here a big giant list of useful console commands for any version of Windows(shamelessly stolen from here):

• Accessibility Options : access.cpl
  
• Add Hardware: hdwwiz.cpl
  
• Add / Remove Programs: appwiz.cpl
  
• Administrative Tools : control admintools
  
• Automatic Updates: wuaucpl.cpl
  
• Wizard file transfer Bluethooth: fsquirt
  
• Calculator: calc
  
• Certificate Manager: certmgr.msc
  
• Character: charmap
  
• Checking disk : chkdsk
  
• Manager of the album (clipboard) : clipbrd
  
• Command Prompt : cmd
  
• Service components (DCOM) : dcomcnfg
  
• Computer Management : compmgmt.msc
  
• DDE active sharing : ddeshare
  
• Device Manager : devmgmt.msc
  
• DirectX Control Panel (if installed) : directx.cpl
  
• DirectX Diagnostic Utility : dxdiag
  
• Disk Cleanup : cleanmgr
  
• Disk Defragmenter : dfrg.msc
  
• Disk Management : diskmgmt.msc
  
• Partition manager : diskpart
  
• Display Properties : control desktop
  
• Properties of the display (2) : desk.cpl
  
• Properties display (tab "appearance") : control color
  
• Dr. Watson: drwtsn32
  
• Manager v?rirficateur drivers : check
  
• Event Viewer : Eventvwr.msc
  
• Verification of signatures of files: sigverif
  
• Findfast (if present) : findfast.cpl
  
• Folder Options : control folders
  
• Fonts (fonts) : control fonts
  
• Fonts folder windows : fonts
  
• Free Cell ...: freecell
  
• Game Controllers : Joy.cpl
  
• Group Policy (XP Pro) : gpedit.msc
  
• Hearts (card game) : mshearts
  
• IExpress (file generator. Cab) : IExpress
  
• Indexing Service (if not disabled) : ciadv.msc
  
• Internet Properties : inetcpl.cpl
  
• IPConfig (display configuration): ipconfig / all
  
• IPConfig (displays the contents of the DNS cache): ipconfig / displaydns
  
• IPConfig (erases the contents of the DNS cache): ipconfig / flushdns
  
• IPConfig (IP configuration cancels maps): ipconfig / release
  
• IPConfig (renew IP configuration maps) : ipconfig / renew
  
• Java Control Panel (if present) : jpicpl32.cpl
  
• Java Control Panel (if present) : javaws
  
• Keyboard Properties: control keyboard
  
• Local Security Settings : secpol.msc
  
• Local Users and Groups: lusrmgr.msc
  
• Logout: logoff
  
• Microsoft Chat : winchat
  
• Minesweeper (game): winmine
  
• Properties of the mouse: control mouse
  
• Properties of the mouse (2): main.cpl
  
• Network Connections : control NetConnect
  
• Network Connections (2): ncpa.cpl
  
• Network configuration wizard: netsetup.cpl
  
• Notepad : notepad
  
• NView Desktop Manager (if installed): nvtuicpl.cpl
  
• Manager links: packager
  
• Data Source Administrator ODBC: odbccp32.cpl
  
• Screen Keyboard: OSK
  
• AC3 Filter (if installed) : ac3filter.cpl
  
• Password manager (if present): Password.cpl
  
• Monitor performance : perfmon.msc
  
• Monitor performance (2): perfmon
  
• Dialing Properties (phone): telephon.cpl
  
• Power Options : powercfg.cpl
  
• Printers and Faxes : control printers
  
• Private Character Editor : eudcedit
  
• Quicktime (if installed) : QuickTime.cpl
  
• Regional and Language Options: intl.cpl
  
• Editor of the registry : regedit
  
• Remote desktop connection : mstsc
  
• Removable Storage: ntmsmgr.msc
  
• requests the operator to removable storage: ntmsoprq.msc
  
• RSoP (traduction. ..) (XP Pro): rsop.msc
  
• Scanners and Cameras : sticpl.cpl
  
• Scheduled Tasks : control schedtasks
  
• Security Center : wscui.cpl
  
• Console management services: services.msc
  
• shared folders : fsmgmt.msc
  
• Turn off windows : shutdown
  
• Sounds and Audio Devices : mmsys.cpl
  
• Spider (card game): spider
  
• Client Network Utility SQL server : cliconfg
  
• System Configuration Editor : sysedit
  
• System Configuration Utility : msconfig
  
• System File Checker (SFC =) (Scan Now) : sfc / scannow
  
• SFC (Scan next startup): sfc / scanonce
  
• SFC (Scan each d?marraget) : sfc / scanboot
  
• SFC (back to default settings): sfc / revert
  
• SFC (purge cache files): sfc / purgecache
  
• SFC (define size CAHC x) : sfc / cachesize = x
  
• System Properties : sysdm.cpl
  
• Task Manager : taskmgr
  
• Telnet client : telnet
  
• User Accounts : nusrmgr.cpl
  
• Utility Manager (Magnifier, etc) : utilman
  
• Windows firewall (XP SP2) : firewall.cpl
  
• Microsoft Magnifier: magnify
  
• Windows Management Infrastructure: wmimgmt.msc
  
• Protection of the accounts database: syskey
  
• Windows update: wupdmgr
  
• Introducing Windows XP (if not erased) : tourstart
  
• Wordpad : write
  
• Date and Time Properties : timedate.cpl
  

[+jamwheat Subscriber²]

Also for closing windows/apps in Metro: ALT+F4 works.

On Metro, right mouse click lower left corner brings up a dialog box were you can "show all apps"! Used it to show Media Center, so installed my USB cable adapter, setup TV, and watched some TV!!

[Roberticus]

This made my Win8 experience more enjoyable:

Open regedit, go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER>Control Panel>Desktop and change the value for "MenuShowDelay" to 0-20 (from 400). Dialogs and such opens up faster.

This next one made it more smooth (especially hovering the mouse over corners for menus):

HKEY_CURRENT_USER>Control Panel>Mouse

There change "MouseHoverTime" to 0-20 (from 400)

[fleccy]

If you really want your start menu back you could use http://lee-soft.com/vistart/ then again the orb won't be nicely aligned. :(

You can align them how you like by following this:

sevenforumsdotcom/tutorials/20602-taskbar-center-icons.html

Result:

http://img535.images...17/12209698.png

[FiB3R]

Unzip and copy this folder to...

%appdata%\microsoft\windows\Start Menu\Programs\

http://ge.tt/3DbsjSE/v/0?c

I made these shortcuts so that I could quickly shutdown/restart my computers while logged in via remote desktop, but they work well here too :)

[micro]

Anyone have a way to remove water mark? This site looks a bit sketch..http://www.smoothblog.co.uk/2012/03/01/remove-watermarks-windows-8-consumer-preview/

[V23]

To close Metro apps easily from both the desktop and start screen:

Put your mouse on the top left corner of the screen.

The most recently opened Metro app will appear. Move the mouse down to see all running apps.

Move it over the app you want to close, and right-click on the app, then select close.

You can also just middle click (scroll wheel click) to close the apps.

---

When on the start screen you can use semantic zoom, then right click on a group of apps and set a name for each.

Does anyone know how to pin the "computer" shortcut to the taskbar? I have it pinned to the start screen but would prefer it pinned on both. The work-around I used in Windows 7 doesn't seem to work anymore.

[~Johnny]

Not exactly a Win8 tip, but if people want it -

A kind-of start menu, just using http://lee-soft.com/vistart/ , and you still have the immersive start menu enabled if you want to use it. Note that the program is a little buggy, and does come up with a crash message when you try and shutdown Windows (I've also pinned Windows Speech Recogniton to the taskbar behind it to make sure the other programs offset properly). Although saying that, I don't use it anyway, I just put it there because it looks nice. I prefer the start screen :p

[AvarN]

To disable Aero or transparency (doesn't make a big change, but oh well):

Right-Click on desktop > Personalize > Window Color > Uncheck "Enable transparency"

[Ultravires]

For those who want easier way to shutdown:

1) Create a shortcut (new->shortcut) on a classic desktop.

2) Direct it to shutdown.exe -s -t 0

3) Put a nice icon on it

4) Pin it on start screen

Here you go, easy shutdown button :)

What would the settings be if i wanted it to reset instead of a shutdown?

[ArialBlue]

If you made a dual boot setup, to avoid reinstalling all applications,

Most applications will simply work without actually getting installed (just copy from your W7 Program Files to your W8 Program Files)

Things like Firefox / Thunderbird profiles (and settings / profiles for applications) generally lurk in %APPDATA% folder - so just copy those over.

Now you have your W7 apps in W8 without waiting for dead-slow installers and without getting nasty startup entries or Bing Toolbars.

[contextfree]

When using the Metro style apps switcher (on the left edge) or the charms bar (on the right edge) with the mouse, instead of doing it in two discrete motions (move to top/bottom corner, then move down/up), try just swinging your mouse pointer around the corner in one fluid motion. With a bit of practice it becomes a lot faster and actually kinda fun and addictive (or maybe I'm a weirdo). I wish the animation for the charms bar appearing was a little faster though.

[Muhammad Farrukh]

With a bit of practice it becomes a lot faster and actually kinda fun and addictive (or maybe I'm a weirdo). I wish the animation for the charms bar appearing was a little faster though.

Wow. That actually works pretty great.

Big thanks man (Y)

[Another Canuck]

When using the Metro style apps switcher (on the left edge) or the charms bar (on the right edge) with the mouse, instead of doing it in two discrete motions (move to top/bottom corner, then move down/up), try just swinging your mouse pointer around the corner in one fluid motion. With a bit of practice it becomes a lot faster and actually kinda fun and addictive (or maybe I'm a weirdo). I wish the animation for the charms bar appearing was a little faster though.

Good tip, that actually is a lot easier.

You're right about the charms bar lag though.