Windows 8/8.1 tips and tricks - post them here

[Varemenos]

There's a bug if you take multiple screenshots very fast. Try to take 10 screenshots very fast and they will become darker until the last becomes 100% black!

its not actually a bug, each time you try to take a screenshot what it does is store what you see that time in the screen inside a file and since each time you try to take a screenshot it does a 'fade to black' animation you then take a screenshot of that fading.

[Zain Adeel]

Fastest way to shut down your PC.

Hit the power button

:laugh:

When you boot into Windows 8, on the Lock screen, you don't need to move the cursor upwards.

Just press any key from the keyboard, and it'll be unlocked

Shutting down is simple, if your machine has a "alternating switch"(i.e. it alternates between on/off on pressing,). Just hit it and the "shutting down......" screen appears and the OS will handle the rest. :laugh:

THIS.. i was just going to say the same. Go to ur BIOS. Change what the Power Button does. Change it to Shut down PC.

And then just press the power button and it will shut down the PC. Fastest way :s

And a way which makes the most sense btw.

[Proculsi]

its not actually a bug, each time you try to take a screenshot what it does is store what you see that time in the screen inside a file and since each time you try to take a screenshot it does a 'fade to black' animation you then take a screenshot of that fading.

Yes I know, but I think it should be solved.

[Emon]

Has anyone tried the "Refresh PC" option yet? I just tried it last night and it's neat. It kept all my data (pictures, music etc) and metro apps intact but removed everything else. It creates a file on the desktop called "apps removed.html" or something like that which will have the full list of app it removed. It keeps a backup of old Windows installation in "Windows.old" folder.

[freak180]

One surprising thing in Windows 8 is that it comes with two Task Managers.

%SYSTEMROOT%/system32/TM.exe launches the new, enhanced Task Manager.

While %SYSTEMROOT%/system32/Taskmgr.exe opens the older Windows 7-like Task Manager.

[~Johnny]

My name is set properly on Windows Live but it's still not showing up on the start screen.

DId you upgrade from WIindows 7? There's a problem where if you try to attach a Microsoft account to your existing Windows 7 account it doesn't always work properly...

[Buendia]

One surprising thing in Windows 8 is that it comes with two Task Managers.

%SYSTEMROOT%/system32/TM.exe launches the new, enhanced Task Manager.

While %SYSTEMROOT%/system32/Taskmgr.exe opens the older Windows 7-like Task Manager.

Great find :)

[Muhammad Farrukh]

When you click the network icon in the taskbar, a side window opens showing your connections which are available.

If you right click one, and choose 'Show Estimated Data Usage', it'll show the data usage for the last three days

[Another Canuck]

When you click the network icon in the taskbar, a side window opens showing your connections which are available.

If you right click one, and choose 'Show Estimated Data Usage', it'll show the data usage for the last three days

I take it this is for cellular modem connections only? I don't see the option for LAN.

[freak180]

%SYSTEMROOT%/system32/DisplaySwitch.exe is basically Windows + P

[Anthonyd]

One surprising thing in Windows 8 is that it comes with two Task Managers.

%SYSTEMROOT%/system32/TM.exe launches the new, enhanced Task Manager.

While %SYSTEMROOT%/system32/Taskmgr.exe opens the older Windows 7-like Task Manager.

It's because it's a beta ...

[freak180]

This is a must try!!! Looks very interesting. %SYSTEMROOT%/system32/bootim.exe

The whole screen turns blue and gives you these 2 options

[justmike]

This is a must try!!! Looks very interesting. %SYSTEMROOT%/system32/bootim.exe

The whole screen turns blue and gives you these 2 options

Strange, that caused task mgr to crash on me. Also, it took over the desktop background.

[freak180]

Thats weird. Well try to locate it and open it that way. Use Alt control and delete to get out or alt tab

[Semtex]

I don't know if this was posted already, but if You add "desktop" to system auto-start then some about 10 sec after log in to system You will be moved to desktop, working not to bad...

[migo]

I am not sure whether many of these are tweaks or just discovery of non-so-hidden features.

Not everything is obvious thanks to the UI change.

I take it this is for cellular modem connections only? I don't see the option for LAN.

It's for LAN too, just it's only in the Metro view.

[Another Canuck]

It's for LAN too, just it's only in the Metro view.

Doesn't show for me. The only option I have is "Turn sharing on or off"

[Buendia]

Doesn't show for me. The only option I have is "Turn sharing on or off"

For me too.

[freak180]

enough said.. only in history though.

[statm1]

I take it this is for cellular modem connections only? I don't see the option for LAN.

It works for WLAN.. I haven't tried it with LAN.

[freak180]

When you right-click the startmenu, a little menu with power user commands come up. I'm sure everything knows about this. But what I doubt anyone knows is that you can edit it I believe. Go to this path C:\Users\ javier arroyo\ AppData\Local\Microsoft \ Windows\ WinX You will see 3 folders listed as Group 1, Group 2, and Group 3. I already tried removing the shortcuts within the folders and than signing out. Once back in the desktop. Right click the taskbar again and some of those commands would missing. If someone can figure out a way to add new programs to that list, that would be great. As of right now they seem to not appear if you add different programs.

In the picture below you can tell I added more groups to separate the list differently

[statm1]

That's cool Freak180, thanks!

[George P Global Moderator]

Nice find with that, I'm sure people will figure out how to edit it but I'd much rather see MS add an option to edit it without some type of hack etc.

[Quillz]

Yeah, it'd be nice to add shut down/logout/restart options to that menu.

[Muhammad Farrukh]

I take it this is for cellular modem connections only? I don't see the option for LAN.

Currently, I am using WLAN.

Will report back for LAN