Tip 1: Shuffling Through Program Windows. Tip 2: Managing Your Windows.

Tip 3: Project Your Display With Ease. Tip 4: Multi-Monitor Window Management. Tip 5: Aero Peek Your Desktop. Tip 6: Live Clutter-Free. Tip 7: Help the Help Desk Help You.

1 Shuffling Through Program Windows. If you’re running a number of files from the same program, such as multiple documents in Microsoft Word, Windows 7 allows you to switch through these windows with ease. Simply press down on the Ctrl key while clicking the icon from the taskbar. Each click will change the window to the next in the sequence, in the order that you opened them.

Back To Top

Managing Your Windows. Windows 7 simplifies document and program management by allowing you to “dock” a window or manipulate its size with one mouse maneuver or a simple keystroke. To dock your window on one half of the screen, drag it to the left or right and it will change its size to fit that half of the screen. To manipulate the vertical size of a window, drag the window to the top to maximize it, or double-click the window’s top or bottom border to maximize it vertically while keeping the same width.

You can also perform all of these functions with keystrokes: +Left Arrow and +Right Arrow dock to half the screen +Up Arrow and + Down Arrow maximize and minimize +Shift+Up Arrow and +Shift+Down Arrow maximize and restore vertical size.

Back To Top

Project Your Display With Ease. Plugging in a projector and projecting your display is a snap with the Windows 7 driver display utility, displayswitch.exe. Simply hit +P to display the following easy-to-navigate pop-up window:

By hitting your arrow keys (or +P) you can switch through multiple display settings, such as “clone”, “extend” or “external only.”

Back To Top

Multi-Monitor Window Management. Windows 7 makes using multiple monitors as convenient as it should be. When you’re working in multi-monitors, use the keyboard shortcuts +Shift+Left Arrow and +Shift+Right Arrow to toggle between monitors. The new window will keep its relative position to the top-left origin of the original.

Back To Top

Aero Peek Your Desktop. A lesser-known versatile tool introduced with Windows 7 is the Windows® Aero® feature, “Aero Peek”. Just click the rectangle in the lower right hand corner of the task bar for quick access to your desktop. The keyboard shortcut +Space performs the same function.

Back To Top

Help the Help Desk Help You. Solving problems unique to a machine can be an arduous task for both the end-user and the help desk. That’s why Windows 7 introduces the Problem Steps Recorder, a screen-capture tool that allows the end-user to record the problems they’re having step-by-step. It’s as simple as hitting “record” then adding in comments as needed. A HTML-based file is converted to a .ZIP folder, which is easily passed on to the help desk. The program is accessible from the Control Panel under “Record steps to reproduce a problem” or run psr.exe from Explorer.

Back To Top

2

3

4

5

7

Live Clutter-Free. We live with enough clutter in our lives. Windows 7 gets rid of all the superfluous windows behind your active window. Just hit +Home to minimize all inactive windows. To restore the windows when you’d like them, just press +Home again.

Back To Top

6

Seven Tips & Tricks For Windows 7

Issue # 1

Visit https://partner.microsoft.com/windows7 for more information.

Tip 1: Put a “Pin Up” of the Folders You Use Most. Tip 2: Double-Up Your Windows.

Tip 3: Clear, Crisp Display—It’s In Your Control. Tip 4: Order and Reason for Your Taskbar.

Tip 5: Taskbar Traversing. Tip 6: BitLocker To Go Protection.

Tip 7: Your Own Personal Help Desk: Windows Troubleshooting Platform.

1

2

3

4

5

7

6

Seven Tips & Tricks For Windows 7

Issue # 2

Visit https://partner.microsoft.com/windows7 for more information.

Put a “Pin Up” of the Folders You Use Most . Windows® 7 allows you to “pin up” the folders you use most on your taskbar. Simply hold your mouse over the favorite folder, right click, and drag it onto the taskbar. Windows 7 automatically pins itself to the Explorer Jump List. To open the folder, right click on the Explorer icon and select the folder you want.

Back To Top

Double-Up Your Windows. When working within an application, sometimes you just want more of a good thing. To open another window of the same application (assuming the app can run more than one instance), simply hold Shift and click the taskbar icon. You can also middle-click your third mouse button for the same result.

Back To Top

Clear, Crisp Display—It’s In Your Control. Windows 7 makes it easy for you to adjust your display settings, making text and images easier to view in all the various locations where you work on your computer. Your laptop display may look fine at work but a little dark at home. Adjust the text and image settings easily with two snappy applets: ClearType Text Tuning and Display Color Calibra-tion. Run cttune.exe and dccw.exe, or look them up in the Control Panel.

Back To Top

Order and Reason for Your Taskbar. You can decide the order that your icons show up in your taskbar by simply dragging them to the order you desire. And for the first five icons, you can launch them with a simple keystroke: Any of the first five icons can be opened by pressing ®+1, +2, etc.

Back To Top

Taskbar Traversing. While we’re on the subject of taskbar shortcuts, use +T to shift your attention to the taskbar. Your machine will make its active screen your taskbar menu, and you can use the arrow keys to select the application you’re interested in. Just hit Enter to launch it. Naturally, to exit this trick, press Esc.

Back To Top

Your Own Personal Help Desk: Windows Troubleshooting Platform. We’ve all experienced minor issues like Windows Aero not displaying or sound controls not functioning. Don’t get stuck in the mud just because your computer seems to be. Windows 7 can save you from having to bite the bullet and call the help desk for every problem that comes up, thanks to the new Windows Trouble-shooting Platform. It’s easily accessed by typing “fix” or “Troubleshoot” in the Start Menu. A list of Windows Troubleshooting Packs allows you to choose from what might be giving you trouble, and the troubleshooter will faithfully attempt to clear up the problem.

Back To Top

BitLocker To Go Protection. BitLocker® has become a saving grace when it comes to increased laptop security. Windows 7 has taken security even farther with its BitLocker To GoTM feature, which allows you to encrypt removable USB devices and external disks. To enable BitLocker or BitLocker To Go, right click the drive in Windows Explorer and select “Turn on BitLocker…” This can also be managed centrally via Group Policy, so IT administrators can require the USB drive be encrypted before files can be written to it.

Back To Top

My

Favorite!

TOP

April Issue 2009

Visit https://partner.microsoft.com/windows7 for more information.

Tip 1: Change the Scenery. Tip 2: Crunch The Numbers. Tip 3: Smart Printing. Tip 4: Shake It Up. Tip 5: Clean Your Desktop! And Order It Too. Tip 6: Right-Click Mania. Tip 7: Unveil Your Hidden Drives.

TOP

Change the Scenery. Windows 7 allows you to personalize your desktopbackground to suit your many moods with a new shuffle feature for your desktop.You can program your desktop background to shuffle through your favorite imagesand get a change of scenery as often as you like. To enable the shuffle feature, right-click on your Desktop and select “Personalize,” then “Desktop Background.” Choosethe folder where your favorite images or photos are stored and select as many asyou like. Make sure you check the “Shuffle” box, and choose how often you’d likeyour images to shuffle. It’s a simple way to keep your desktop looking fresh and fun.

Back To Top

Crunch The Numbers. The new Windows 7 calculator is a number cruncher’s dream.New functionality allows the user to not only calculate in the Standard and Scientificmodes, but also in Programmer and Statistics modes. And that’s not all! Ever needconversion formulas for temperature, weight, area, or time? Finding the unitconversion option makes it a snap and takes all the work out of the user’s hands.There are even templates for gas mileage, lease estimations, and mortgageestimations.

Back To Top

Smart Printing. Windows 7 allows for several default printers in several locations.Your computer will choose the correct printer for where you are. No need to reset yourdefault or remember what the printer name is; Windows 7 will figure out whetheryou’re at home or at work with Location Aware Printing.

Back To Top

Shake It Up. Remember the Etch-a-Sketch where you would shake it to make thingsdisappear? Windows 7 uses the same shake concept to help you manage your windows.Windows 7 Aero®Shake allows you to clear the inactive windows from your desktop by“shaking” over the window you’re working. Hover your mouse over the title bar of youractive window, left-click and shake from side to side, and all your inactive windows willdisappear. To bring them back, repeat the procedure and shake everything back intoview.

Back To Top

Clean Your Desktop! And Order It Too. You’ve always been able to auto-arrange yourdesktop icons by right-clicking on the desktop and choosing “Sort By.” Now Windows 7makes it even easier. To auto-arrange the desktop icons according to your defaultsettings, simply press and hold F5. Order is instantly accomplished.

Back To Top

Right-Click Mania. In Windows 7, right-clicking may just be your secret friend. There aremany ways the right-click can simplify your computing experience. Here are just a few:

a. Right-click any empty spot in your desktop, and you have the control to changethe screen resolution.

b. Right-click any of the icons in the Taskbar to “Unpin this program from theTaskbar.”

c. Last but not least, right-click the Taskbar Explorer icon to access your mostfrequently used folders.

Back To Top

Unveil Your Hidden Drives. Want to see the drives that aren’t currently in use when youopen My Computer? To display empty drives, click Computer → Alt to see the toolbar →Tools → Folder Options → View (tab) → Uncheck “Hide empty drives in the Computer folder.”And they magically appear!

Back To Top

Help the Help Desk Help You. Solving problems unique to a machine can be an arduous task for both the end user and the help desk. That’s why Windows 7 introduces the Problem Steps Recorder—a screen-capture tool that allows the end user to record the problems they’re having, step by step. It’s as simple as hitting “start record” then adding in comments as needed. A HTML-based file converts to a .ZIP folder, which is easily passed on to the help desk. The program is accessible from the Control Panel under “Record steps to reproduce a problem” or run psr.exefrom Explorer.

Back To Top

Sticky Notes Avoid Sticky Situations. Even the best minds are liable to forget something. Instead of wasting all those color-coded bits of paper, use Windows 7 Sticky Notes. Enjoy the variety of seven fun Sticky Note colors by right-clicking the note. Need another reminder? Click the + sign in the top left corner of the existing note to create a new one. To access Sticky Notes, run StikyNot.exe or click Start →All Programs → Accessories → Sticky Notes.

Back To Top

Adaptive Display Brightness. The display on a typical mobile PC consumes more battery power than any other part of the computer. Windows 7 automatically reduces display brightness after a period of inactivity, much like cell phones do today. However, Windows 7 intelligently adapts to your activity. For example, if the screen dims after 30 seconds and you immediately move the mouse to brighten the display, Windows 7 will wait 60 seconds before dimming the display again.

Back To Top

Back To Top

Authority over the Power Switch. On the Windows 7 Start Menu, the default power option is a simple shut down. If this isn’t your usual action, you can easily change your default to Switch User, Log Off, Lock, Restart, or Sleep. Right-click the Start button, select Properties, and under the Start Menu tab, select the “Power Button Action” that suits you best.

Back To Top

Back To Top

Back To Top

May Issue, 2009

Notify Me, My Way. Windows 7 helps you solve more problems, and solve them on your schedule. The Action Center is a new, integrated Control Panel experience that gives you a central place to go for tasks and notifications associated with keeping your computer running smoothly. You’ll see fewer notifications on your desktop because the Action Center consolidates alerts from ten existing Windows features. When Windows 7 needs your attention, you’ll see a new icon in the notification area.

To find out more, click the icon to see a menu that offers options for directly addressing the issue, or you can go to the Action Center for more details. In addition, you can choose which notifications you’re interested in hearing about. From the Control Panel go to System Security Action Center and click the “Change Action Center settings” link on the left to choose which alerts to receive.

.ISO Files. Windows 7 introduces an easy to use applet that makes burning an

.ISO image simple. Double click the DVD or CD .ISO image and the “Burn Disk Image” applet automatically appears. Burning files is a snap!

a) Place a blank unformatted CD or DVD into your CD/DVD drive. b) Right click on the .ISO or .IMG file you want to use to burn a disc. c) Click Burn disc image. d) Next to Disc burner, click on the drop down arrow and select the CD/DVD drive with the blank disc you want to burn to. e) Check the Verify disc after burning option if you want Windows to verify the disc image after burning the disc. Note that you should skip verification if you are in a hurry, as this process requires additional time. f) When it finishes burning the disc image to disc, click the Close button.

The DVD (or CD) is now ready to be used without ever having to find, install, and use a third-party tool.

Locale Specific. One of the many new features in Windows 7 is the Control Panel’s Default Location where you can store your location information (Country, ZIP code, geographical coordinates). This will come in handy for internet applications that are location dependent, such as finding attractions near you. And programs can find and download files faster when your location is known. From the Control Panel click Clock, Language, and Region Change Location Default Location, and enter your location information.

https://partner.microsoft.com/global/productssolutions/windows/40101540 for past issues.