• Partition unused space
Vista has a built-in hard-drive partitioning tool that'll
let you take unused space from your main partition and form
an extra partition, say, a D: drive for storing photos and
videos. It can also consolidate extra space into a single
partition. The utility can be found in the Computer
Management console located in Vista's Administrative Tools
Control Panel.
• Watch TV on your Vista PC
If one is not already built in, you can buy an external TV
tuner and use
Windows Media Center to watch TV and record through the
handy program guides. For buildings or homes that are
cable-ready, high-definition channels are unscrambled or
ready to watch without a cable box.
• Send faxes and scan documents
The odds are good that your PC has an integrated fax modem.
Take advantage of it by using Vista's built-in Fax and Scan
utility (found in Vista Business and Ultimate editions).
This same utility can also take advantage of that old
scanner to image
documents without purchasing new, Vista-compatible
software.
• Have kids? Use parental controls
Go to the Control Panel and select User Accounts and Family
Safety. Next, click on the link that says "Set up parental
controls for any user." From there, you can block
inappropriate Web sites, set up a time schedule for playing
games, limit use of instant-messaging software, and create
boundaries for
browsing the Internet. You can even print out an
activity report for your child.
HOW-TO
• Conserve battery power
In addition to setting up a Power scheme, Vista can
automatically crank down the brightness of the screen (via a
slide bar or by percentage points) when a laptop is running
on battery. Go to Control Panel | Power options | Advanced
Settings | Display and set the brightness to 50%. This can
add an extra 20 to 30 minutes' worth of battery time for
your commute home.
• Turn off annoying prompts
Vista added the A Program Needs Your Permission to Continue
prompt to help prevent you from inadvertently installing
malware or making unauthorized changes to your computer.
It's annoying to see that dialog box constantly pop up. If
you're computer savvy, you can turn it off by deactivating
User Account Control in the User Accounts Control Panel.
• Two clocks for two time zones
If you work in different time zones, you can add up to two
additional clocks on the system task tray. Left-click on the
clock, select Change date and time settings, and go to the
Additional Clocks tab. You can then enter the display name
for the clock(s) and choose its time zone.
• Boost compatibility
Before throwing your computer against a wall because a
particular piece of legacy software is not working in Vista,
try running compatibility mode. Right-click on the program's
EXE file and choose Properties. Then click the Compatibility
tab, check the box that says Run this program in
compatibility mode for:, and select the operating system
that worked best with the software.
• Expanded shortcut menu
You can add useful options to the right-click menu on any
file or folder. By holding down Shift as you right-click an
item, you can add any file to the Start menu or Quick Launch
toolbar, copy the entire path of the file or folder to the
clipboard, or open a command prompt window.
• Get a health report from Vista
People get physical checkups, and so do
computers. Vista can run a complete and well-organized
diagnostic report highlighting potential problems. In the
Control Panel, click System and Maintenance | Performance
Information and Tools. In the Tasks list along the left,
click Advanced tools. The last item on the resulting list is
Generate a system health report.
• Remove metadata from pictures
Picture and documents have hidden data about the type of
equipment used, as well as personal information about you.
You can remove these details by right-clicking the file icon
and selecting Properties. On the Details tab, click Remove
Properties and Personal Information. You can remove several
properties at a time or all of them by the check boxes next
to a property.
HACK
• Create a shortcut to lock a PC
Slice steps off your system log-off routine by putting a
log-off shortcut on your desktop. Start by right-clicking an
empty space on the desktop and then selecting New shortcut.
In the space below Type the location of the item, type in
rundll32.exe user32.dll, LockWorkStation (remember to watch
your spacing and case). Finally, create a clever name for
the icon besides the default "rundll32"—how about "Lock PC"?
Then click the shortcut to lock your computer with ease.
• Virtualize your keyboard
If you're running Vista on a Mac via Boot Camp, you won't be
able to find the PrintScrn key—a Mac doesn't have one on its
keyboard. Good thing Vista has a virtual on-screen keyboard
built in. It's in the Ease of Access folder, under
Accessories, in the Start menu. You should see the psc key
next to the F12 key.
• Bypass the log-on screen
You don't have to be confronted by that eyesore of a log-on
screen every time you boot up the system. Make Vista log in
automatically by typing netplwiz into the Start menu search
box. That will bring up the Advanced User Accounts Control
where you can uncheck the box that reads: Users must enter a
username and password to use this computer.
ADD-ON
• Take smarter screen shots
Windows could always capture an image of your desktop (with
the PrintScrn key) or an active window (type Alt-PrtSc).
With the Snipping Tool, in the Accessories folder, you can
snip a portion of the screen, or part of a Web site,
document, or picture, and save it as an image file. Keep it
handy by checking the option to display an icon of it in the
Quick Launch toolbar.