Vista - Tips, Tricks & Tweaks

[Herby]

Is there a way to get the Up arrow back for navigation? I do not want to have 2 panes in every box and often i find myself dead-ended in navigation and miss the old Up arrow.

I've added a new function to UltiMouse Task Controller:

Back Button + Middle Mouse Button -> Up One Level (emulates the Up Button) :)

More info & download @ Post #1.

[JoshuaSTylor]

You're welcome & welcome to Neowin! :D

When you search for Vista Tips on Google (English), this thread is the first result and Microsoft second! :laugh:

yo check what i found... very nice!

Ashampoo WinOptimizer 4

From Cnet.com

Ashampoo WinOptimizer

From Cnet.com

Ashampoo WinOptimizer

comes with "One Click Optimizer"

Also "Defragmenter"

Ashampoo WinOptimizer

[JoshuaSTylor]

My Fav! FILE ERASER! :)

[daniel1212]

>You're welcome & I'll look into it (the Up arrow, Window sizes & Details settings).

Meanwhile you can use the Backspace key to go up one level in Explorer + try clicking on the arrows and directories in the address bar.<

That will be appreciated. MS needs you! I was using Alt and up but i see i can use the first arrow in the address bar to get navigation of the main tree. Still, i find the old arrow key quicker and easier.

Also, i used to be able to see folder sizes using a freeware app, but as others have found, such will not work in Vista. So i use a freeware app called Tree Size which helps. God bless you for your help.

[iShakeel]

Try Vista Maximum Transparency, I can't recall if I edited it.

Still not the same :( May be you could post your msstyles file so that we can use it.

[Robbie Khan Reviews]

Don't know if this has been mentioned yet but!

I've found the enhanced hard drive performance setting...

...is very good!

ON:

OFF:

[daniel1212]

I've added a new function to UltiMouse Task Controller:

Back Button + Middle Mouse Button -> Up One Level (emulates the Up Button) :)

More info & download @ Post #1.

Clever.Thanks.

[daniel1212]

When i select a file in a folder Vista, it highlights not just the Name but the Size, Type and Date (Vista now seems to remove that's all i want to see) so that i cannot paste into a folder unless i enlarge the folder to find a white space. Is that normal ad if so is there a fix for this? Thanks

[ozgeek]

Hey, this is a thread for vista tweaks, not for recommending programs for Vista.

I believe this thread is about exploiting hidden or unknown features already built into Vista.

[iShakeel]

When i select a file in a folder Vista, it highlights not just the Name but the Size, Type and Date (Vista now seems to remove that's all i want to see) so that i cannot paste into a folder unless i enlarge the folder to find a white space. Is that normal ad if so is there a fix for this? Thanks

Ya I find this annoying too, new explorer has strange selection behavior. May be you can make CTRL+V your friend.

[Cybertronic]

Herby, I'm unable to get the file extension and hidden files context menus to work in 64 Bit, if I put the two executables in the system32 folder, and execute them, an error message comes up saying that the executable is corrupted. If I try executing the files somewhere else, it works fine :blink:

Is there a solution for this please? :blush:

[Herby]

I used to be able to see folder sizes using a freeware app, but as others have found, such will not work in Vista. So i use a freeware app called Tree Size which helps.

You can see the folder size in the tooltip that pops up when you hover over a folder. :)

Still not the same :( May be you could post your msstyles file so that we can use it.

I've succeeded to remove the blur but I can't recall how,.. :pinch: I'll look into it.

Don't know if this has been mentioned yet but!

I've found the enhanced hard drive performance setting...

Have a good look at the first post... ;)

When i select a file in a folder Vista, it highlights not just the Name but the Size, Type and Date (Vista now seems to remove that's all i want to see) so that i cannot paste into a folder unless i enlarge the folder to find a white space. Is that normal ad if so is there a fix for this? Thanks

You can drag and drop the files into the Details Pane (at the bottom) from the folder or you can right click on the folder icon in the details pane and select paste.

Herby, I'm unable to get the file extension and hidden files context menus to work in 64 Bit, if I put the two executables in the system32 folder, and execute them, an error message comes up saying that the executable is corrupted. If I try executing the files somewhere else, it works fine :blink:

Is there a solution for this please? :blush:

Try to copy SuperHidden.exe to the Windows directory and edit Add SuperHidden.reg so that it points to the right location:

@="C:\\Windows\\SuperHidden.exe"

[Cybertronic]

Thanks, Herby :)

[trimegistro]

Has anyone figured out how to change the background on windows explorer. On XP we would use this Win2k app called IESHWIZ.exe that would customize the windows background or by creating an.ini file but this doesn't seem to work with Vista, any clues...?

[Rascally]

Hehe... this thread actually made it onto Lifehacker this afternoon! Go, Herby! :p

[Herby]

Hehe... this thread actually made it onto Lifehacker this afternoon! Go, Herby! :p

Ah,.. the Recycle Bin tweak. :)

Thanks for the heads-up!

I've updated UltiMouse Task Controller:

Double Click Middle Mouse Button -> Window Switcher (Flip3D)

Back Button + Scroll Up/Down -> Cycle through programs on the Taskbar

Middle Mouse Button + Scroll Up/Down -> Cycle through Sidebar Gadgets * NEW *

Back Button + Middle Mouse Button -> Up One Level (emulates the Up Button)

Forward Button + Scroll Up/Down -> Maximize/Restore selected program/window

Forward Button + Middle Mouse Button -> Close selected program/window

Middle Mouse Button + Back Button -> Minimize selected program/window

Middle Mouse Button + Forward Button -> Restore last Minimized program/window

Double Click Back Button -> Minimize All

Double Click Forward Button -> UnMinimize All

More info and download @ Post #1.

[daniel1212]

You can see the folder size in the tooltip that pops up when you hover over a folder. :)

I've succeeded to remove the blur but I can't recall how,.. :pinch: I'll look into it.

Have a good look at the first post... ;)

You can drag and drop the files into the Details Pane (at the bottom) from the folder or you can right click on the folder icon in the details pane and select paste.

Try to copy SuperHidden.exe to the Windows directory and edit Add SuperHidden.reg so that it points to the right location:

@="C:\\Windows\\SuperHidden.exe"

Thanks again for your efforts. I would still rather be able to eliminate the need for a left pane completely, and be able to navigate like in 9x, with an up arrow and normal address bar. But MS has moved on (and left Fax behind as well, in Vista Basic).

[Herby]

New: Toggle Check Boxes Context Menu Item

? ?

[daniel1212]

Here's a way to get a quick link to the Appearance Properties dialog (for changing fonts and such):

Create a shortcut with this as the path:

C:\Windows\System32\rundll32.exe Shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL desk.cpl,appearance,@appearance

This assumes Windows is installed on your C:\ drive

Thanks, i need shortcuts. I use the (discontinued) Win Key app, but ti does not do .cpl files.

For Appearances i use C:\Windows\System32\appwiz.cpl

Here is one to Control Panel: C:\Windows\System32\control.exe

And Firewall: C:\Windows\System32\Firewall.cpl

Look for .cpl files in C:\Windows\System32\ for more.

By the way, in my Vista Home Basic if i change the appearance of an icon it also changes the color of the Active window Border, Application Background, Inactive Title Bar and Window border Menu, so you have to change them back.

[daniel1212]

@ Computer Guru: thanks for the info,.. I use it as a temp workaround, when I don't need it I change it back to default.

New: Take Ownership Context Menu Item (more info & zip at post #1)

TakeOwn.reg adds a Take Ownership Context Menu Item to all files and folders.

It recovers full access to the selected file / directory, sub directories and their content.

You can access the Context Menu Item by holding down Shift + right-click on a file or folder.

New: Reg files that change the Default Action of the Start Menu Power Button to Shutdown, Hibernate or Sleep.

New: Add Internet Explorer to the Desktop (more info & zip at post #1)

Hi, from what i read such a "fix" or option is the most needful one of them all. But i still cannot delete some folders, such as one that was left over after an uninstall of a program. It says i need permission, and though i run Take own and a dos box quickly shows it working, i still cannot delete if afterwards. Moreover, Security tab shows Full Control for every user listed. Do you have a batch file that will stockholders (though i am not one) to Take Ownership of MS for a day? (with Bill's permission of course).

[Herby]

New: Resize the Details Pane (Post #1)

Hi, from what i read such a "fix" or option is the most needful one of them all. But i still cannot delete some folders, such as one that was left over after an uninstall of a program. It says i need permission, and though i run Take own and a dos box quickly shows it working, i still cannot delete if afterwards. Moreover, Security tab shows Full Control for every user listed. Do you have a batch file that will stockholders (though i am not one) to Take Ownership of MS for a day? (with Bill's permission of course).

:laugh: :p

Thanks, i need shortcuts. I use the (discontinued) Win Key app, but ti does not do .cpl files.

For Appearances i use C:\Windows\System32\appwiz.cpl

Here is one to Control Panel: C:\Windows\System32\control.exe

And Firewall: C:\Windows\System32\Firewall.cpl

Try %SystemRoot%\System32\Control.exe [insert cpl here]

Example: %SystemRoot%\System32\Control.exe Firewall.cpl :)

Edited June 14, 2007 by Herby

[Jexel]

can't believe i just saw this topic...I must have been living under an interweb rock :p but yeah...pretty useful Herby :) Great work. Hope you enhance it even further in the future.

Is it possible to get win+d to mimick win+m/win+shift+m without having to use the win+d.exe file?

[Herby]

Is it possible to get win+d to mimick win+m/win+shift+m without having to use the win+d.exe file?

It's not possible afaik,.. that's why I created it. ;)

[Pietertje]

Just wondering. With tweakui it was possible to disallow programs to show up in the left side of the start menu. Is this possible in Vista as well? I know how to disallow any program at all to show up in the start menu, but i just want some programs never to show up there, and others should show up there. Any ideas?

[Marcel T]

Just wondering. With tweakui it was possible to disallow programs to show up in the left side of the start menu. Is this possible in Vista as well? I know how to disallow any program at all to show up in the start menu, but i just want some programs never to show up there, and others should show up there. Any ideas?

Make a folder in your accounts Start Menu/Programs folder called "Bury" or similar. For example...

C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Bury

...where C:\ is your system drive and <user> is your accounts username.

Now move shortcuts of apps you don't want listed to the "Bury" folder. Make sure you root them all out from both your user accounts Start Menu folder and the "All Users" Start Menu folder, located at

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

After that, select the "Bury" folder and hit Alt+Return to bring up its Properties. Tick the 'Hidden' checkbox near the bottom then "OK", select 'Apply changes to this folder only' then "OK". Now the app shortcuts that you moved to the Bury folder shouldn't show up in the Start Menu sidebar, but will still be accessible by "Start Search" which is handy.

Pretty good tip if I do say so myself.