Windows 7 Hotkey Keyboard Shortcuts

Brandon Paddock, a Windows 7 Explorer developer, published a handy Windows 7 Beta hotkey cheat sheet. Although I have added additional annotations, the basic list provided by Brandon is reproduced.

Using keyboard combinations, can help reduce mouse usage and add further speed to your activities. Keyboard shortcuts are particularly useful for people who are experiencing ergonomic issues. I don't advise trying to remember all the shortcuts at once. Pick out one or two that fit actions you frequently perform. After you master one or two, add additional shortcuts to your daily computer use.

"Win" in the lists represents the Windows Logo Key on the keyboard.

General

• Win+Up Arrow - Maximize

• Win+Down Arrow - Restore / Minimize

• Win+Left Arrow - Snap (dock) window to the left

• Win+Right Arrow - Snap (dock) window to right

• Win+Shift+Left Arrow - Jump/shift window to the left monitor

• Win+Shift+Right Arrow - Jump/shift window to the right monitor

• Win+Home - Minimize / Restore all other windows

• Win+T - Focus on the first taskbar entry
  Pressing Win+T again will cycle through the taskbar items, you can can arrow around.
  

• Win+Shift+T - cycles backwards.

• Win+Spacebar - Peek at the desktop

• Win+G - Bring gadgets to the top of the Z-order

• Win+P - External display options (mirror, extend desktop, etc)

• Win+X - Mobility Center (same as Vista, but still handy!)

• Win+# (# = a number key) - Launches a new instance of the application in the Nth slot on the taskbar.
  Example: Win+1 launches first pinned application, Win+2 launches the second, etc.
  

• Win+ + | Win+ - (plus or minus key) Zoom in or out.
  

Windows Explorer

• Alt+P - Show/hide Preview Pane

Taskbar modifiers

• Shift + Click on icon - Open a new instance

• Middle-click on icon - Open a new instance

• Ctrl + Shift + Click on icon - Open a new instance with Admin privileges

• Shift + Right-click on icon - Show window menu (Restore / Minimize / Move / etc)
  Note: Normally you can just right-click on the window thumbnail to get this menu
  

• Shift + Right-click on grouped icon - Menu with Restore All / Minimize All / Close All, etc.

• Ctrl + Click on grouped icon - Cycle between the windows (or tabs) in the group

Remember - "A day without laughter is a day wasted."
May the wind sing to you and the sun rise in your heart...

Windows 7 Tips

TechNet Magazine has a compilation of tips for Windows Vista, SQL Server and Windows 7 Beta. The list is updated when a new tip is included in an issue of TechNet Magazine.

Listed below is the current collection of tips available at Windows 7 beta 1 Tips. If you are testing Windows 7 Beta, be sure to check them out. If you have not tried to "shake windows off your desktop" yet, it is a tip you won't want to miss.

• Use a USB Key to Install Windows 7—Even on a Netbook
  Using a USB key to install Windows 7 makes the process faster and more flexible. Here's all you need to know to do this.
  
  
• New Ways to Maintain your PC and Solve Common Problems on Windows
  Windows 7 offers new ways to manage your system and troubleshoot common problems. Learn about two new components that can help you keep your system running smoothly with less effort.
  
  
• Use Windows PowerShell 2.0 to Get Reliability Data from Remote PCs
  Learn how you can use Windows PowerShell 2.0 to gather system stability and reliability data from remote computers running Windows 7.
  
  
• Install Windows 7 Alongside Windows Vista for a Dual Boot System
  Are you hesitant to install the Windows 7 beta on your system? It's actually quite easy to prep your Windows Vista system to dual boot both operating systems--and all the tools you need are readily available in Windows Vista. Find out how.
  
  
• Turn Off Security Messages and Other System Notifications in Windows 7
  Windows 7 allows you to turn off the various system messages and notifications that pop up on the Taskbar. Find out how.
  
  
• Use Windows 7 to Manage Windows Server 2008 R2 Servers
  Did you know you can use Windows 7 beta 1 to manage your Windows Server 2008 servers? Here's the download you'll need and an overview of the tools it includes.
  
  
• Encrypt Removable USB Drives with BitLocker To Go on Windows 7
  With Windows 7, you can easily protect the data stored on removeable drives. See how BitLocker To Go allows you to keep USB drives more secure.
  
  
• Prepare and Service Windows Images Using the New DISM Tool
  Discover how you can service Windows images and prepare Windows PE images with the new Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) command line tool available with Windows 7.
  
  
• New User State Migration Toolkit (USMT) Features for Windows 7
  Here is an overview of the new features you can use in the User State Migration Toolkit (USMT) to simplify migration to Windows 7.
  
  
• Easier Troubleshooting Support with Problem Step Recorder
  Discover how the new Problem Steps Recorder can help you troubleshoot problems on remote systems by letting you see exactly what actions are taking place on the system.
  
  
• Shrink and Simplify OS Images with Dynamic Driver Provisioning
  Find out how Dynamic Driver Provisioning in Windows 7 can help you reduce the size of images and simplify image managament by reducing the number of images you maintain,
  
  
• Shake Windows off Your Desktop
  Need to quickly clean up your cluttered desktop by minimizing all windows but the one you're working in. Here's a simple but handy trick to do this.
  
  
• Pin Files, Folders, and Favorites to the Taskbar in Windows 7 beta 1
  You can pin files and resources to the Taskbar for easy access to the documents you use most often. Find out how.
  
  
• Burn a Disc Image from an ISO or IMG file in Windows 7
  Windows 7 beta 1 introduces the built-in ability to burn discs directly from ISO and IMG files. Find out how you can easily burn ISO and IMG files to disc.
  
  
• Work Faster with New Hotkey Keyboard Shortcuts in Windows 7 beta 1
  Windows 7 beta 1 includes new keyboard shortcuts that allow you to navigate and manage the Windows workspace more efficiently. Here are 10 shortcuts you should know.
  

Remember - "A day without laughter is a day wasted."
May the wind sing to you and the sun rise in your heart...

Lunch Time Reading: How to set up a new PC in one easy session

Yes, here I am at my desk, salad to one side and I just finished reading Ed Bott's article, How to set up a new PC in one easy session. Although Ed presents the information as he works with clients, the advice is appropriate for the individual getting ready to migrate to a new computer.

One of the most difficult things to do is to "let go" -- of the old games, documents, e-mails and other clutter that have not been used since being transferred from the first family computer. Now is the time to archive possible "keepers" but consider carefully whether everything needs to be transferred to the new computer.

In addition to transferring irreplaceable family photos to the new computer, take this opportunity to back them up both to CD or DVD or secure on-line storage such as Windows Live SkyDrive.

I'll let you discover How to set up a new PC in one easy session while I finish my salad.

Remember - "A day without laughter is a day wasted."
May the wind sing to you and the sun rise in your heart...

Boost PCs Performance + SPAM E-Mail

Microsoft MVP, Harry Waldron, publishes a lot of good information. There are two recent articles that I think Security Garden readers and subscribers will find interesting.

The first is Windows Vista - 12 Tips To Boost Your PC's Performance. Over the past several Harry has been tracking what works, what does not work and why. Read his article for the tips he recommends.

The second recent article Harry published includes best practices for both home and corporate users to help keep spam at a minimum. See SPAM Email - Best Practices to reduce inflows.

Thank you, Harry!

Remember - "A day without laughter is a day wasted."
May the wind sing to you and the sun rise in your heart...

How to quickly access Network Connection properties

One of the e-mail subscriptions I receive is Vista News. Although Vista News has a published archive, I didn't want to lose track of this tip. As a result, I am sharing it here for others who may also find it helpful. Vista News is included in Windows Vista Bookmarks, Reviews and Collections.

Annoyed by having so many clicks to get to your network properties? Thanks to Kevin Thornhill, here's a quick way to get to the Network Connections that you can normally only access going through the Network and Sharing Center: Click the Start button and in the Search box, type ncpa.cpl . This opens the Network Connections window by which you can manage your connections like in previous versions of Windows.

If you want to access it often, you can make a shortcut on the desktop:

1. Right click an empty area on the desktop and click New, then Shortcut.
2. In the Create Shortcut dialog box, type C:\Windows\System32\ncpa.cpl (substituting the drive letter on which Windows is installed, if not C:).
3. Click Next.
4. Type a name for the shortcut (such as Network Connections).
5. Click Finish.

Vista News Archive
Subscribe to Vista News

Remember - "A day without laughter is a day wasted."
May the wind sing to you and the sun rise in your heart...

The Weed Barrier

Ok, you have this great computer with a firewall and up-to-date antivirus software. You've recovered from a major infection, have completed Windows Updates and still do not feel comfortable that you can keep the weeds out of your computer.

I am sorry to say, but you are right. It does take more to protect your investment. Let's start with Tony Klein's "So how did I get infected in the first place?" for important tips on how to prevent future infections. There is also a lot of helpful information in my friend, the Phantom Phixer's "Mitch's Good Stuff" with tutorials at "Ghosts Markers".


Install and update both SpywareBlaster & SpyGuard to prevent the installation of spyware and other potentially unwanted software. If you use Internet Explorer, IE-Spyad will add thousands of sites into your IE restricted zone. Then again, you may want to check out alternative browsers, such as FireFox or Opera. Another useful program is StartupMonitor, which will warn you when somethings tries to sneak in.

A favorite of mine is WinPatrol. It is hard to go wrong with Scotty on Patrol!

Maintaining the Security Landscape

There is only one way to maintain the landscape of your garden. That is to take preventative steps to keep the bugs and weeds out of it. The same goes for your computer. As with your garden, the best method for this is prevention. If you leave the gate open and your computer unprotected, you are bound to have problems.

So, how do you prevent the bugs and weeds from invading your computer? One word: Update!

Windows Automatic Updates finds all important updates for your computer, including security updates, critical updates, and service packs.


To access Automatic Updates do the following:

1. Click Start > Control Panel > Security Center > Automatic Updates.
2. Next decide how you want to receive the updates:
   a. Let Automatic Updates automatically download and install all updates
   b. Have Automatic Updates check with you before downloading updates and then automatically install them
   c. Have Automatic Updates both check before downloading and before installation
   

Another option is to navigate directly to the Windows Update Center and scan your computer for any needed updates. Individual security updates can be obtained from Microsoft TechNet.

Compost it!

To help get undetected files to the various spyware, malware, antivirus, and antitrojan vendors, we want to submit nasties to "all" vendors. If you run across an undetected security slug, here is the procedure to submit it for evaluation.

Please submit the files to "The SpyKiller" . Note: Registration is not needed to upload file(s).

A. Please start a new post of your own.

• Click on "New Topic".
  
• Use a descriptive title in the subject line.
  
• In order to help the analysts and developers, please include a link to any thread you have in a help forum.

B. To upload the file(s):

• 
  
• If you have been provided the path to the file, copy/paste that in "Attach" box provided or
  
• Click the "Browse" button at the bottom of the new post box, navigate to and select the file on your computer.

C. If you have more than one file

• Press the "(more attachments)" option individually for each extra file, browse and select the individual file.
  
• When all the files are listed in the windows click "Post" to upload the files.

D. There is a maximum size of 2 MB per file and 8 MB per post. If you have more than 10 files to upload, please zip the files and attach the zip file ( Create a Zipped File Archive ).

About Garden Slugs

There's only one thing to do to get rid of the slugs -- Stand Up and Be Counted!

See what started it all in "Fighting back and Making a Difference". As Nellie2 explains here:

Basically, what is happening is that if you are unlucky enough to visit a malicious site then your browser will install some of the crud from this site and your dial-up networking settings will be changed to get you to dial a for-pay service. (And yes, a lot of people still have dial up modems installed). More info here at Spyware Confidential

This is defintely a topic to follow. If you run in to those slugs, please go to Malware Complaints and state your case.

Removing the Deadwood

As we use our computer, temporary files build up. In some ways, this can be good for those with a slow Internet connection. However, malware has been known to nest in various temporary locations. Although such a cleanup can be done manually, as described below, there are a couple of software programs that make it much easier to remove the deadwood.

A software that works well for Windows 2000 and Windows XP is ATF CLeaner by Atribune. Instructions for using ATF Cleaner:

Double-click ATF-Cleaner.exe to run the program.
Under Main choose: Select All
Click the Empty Selected button.

If you use Firefox browser

Click Firefox at the top and choose: Select All
Click the Empty Selected button.
NOTE: If you would like to keep your saved passwords, please click No at the prompt.

If you use Opera browser

Click Opera at the top and choose: Select All
Click the Empty Selected button.
NOTE: If you would like to keep your saved passwords, please click No at the prompt.

Click Exit on the Main menu to close the program.
For Technical Support, double-click the e-mail address located at the bottom of each menu.

Another popular software is CCleaner. You can download CCleaner from this direct link: http://www.ccleaner.com/downloadbin.asp?f=2 .

Clean Temporary Internet files with CCleaner as follows:

• Close all open programs, including Internet Explorer, Fire Fox and any instances of Windows Explorer.
  
• Launch CCleaner and under Options > Advanced > UNcheck "Only delete files in Windows Temp folder older than 48 hours".
• A pop up box will appear advising this process will permanently delete files from your system.
• To protect logon cookies that you wish to retain, under Options > Cookies. Select and using the arrow move those cookies to the "Cookies to keep" column.
• Then select the items you wish to clean up.
• In the Windows Tab:
  • Clean all entries in the "Internet Explorer" section.
  • Clean all the entries in the "Windows Explorer" section.
  • Clean all entries in the "System" section except Windows Log Files.
• In the Applications Tab:
  • Clean all in the Firefox/Mozilla section if you use it.
  • Clean all in the Opera section if you use it.
  • Clean Sun Java in the Internet Section.
  • If you need assistance with a malware infection, please UNcheck "Utilities" (i.e., Ad-Aware, ewido and other security program logs.)
    

• Click the "Run Cleaner" button and it will scan and clean your system.
• Click exit.

To manually clean the temporary internet files, do the following:

• Quit Internet Explorer and quit any instances of Windows Explorer.
• Click Start, click Control Panel, and then double-click Internet Options.
• On the General tab, click Delete Files under Temporary Internet Files.
• In the Delete Files dialog box, tick the Delete all offline content check box , and then click OK.
  
• Click on the Programs tab then click the Reset Web Settings button. Click Apply then OK.
• Click OK.

Empty the Recycle Bin by right-clicking the Recycle Bin icon on your Desktop, and then clicking Empty Recycle Bin.

Pest Management - Routing out the Weeds

There are a number of safe software programs available to use to scan your computer for malware. Please be careful to select one or two known programs. If unfamiliar with the software, check the Spyware Warrior List of Rogue/Suspect Anti-Spyware Products and Web Sites.

Should you still require assistance, please visit one of the ASAP Member sites.

You can find me most frequently at Freedomlist and LandzDown Forums.

The most commonly used anti-malware software programs:

Ad-Aware® SE
ewido anti-spyware
Spybot S & D
Windows® Defender (Beta Software, use at your own risk)
Following is a list of online virus scanners to select from. Note that most require Internet Explorer and ActiveX turned on.

http://housecall.trendmicro.com/ - Trend Micro
http://www.ravantivirus.com/scan/ - RAV
http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan/ - Panda
http://us.mcafee.com/root/mfs/default.asp - McAfee
http://www.kaspersky.com/scanforvirus.html - Kaspersky (single file scan)
http://online.drweb.com/ - Dr. Web
http://www.commandondemand.com/eval/index.cfm - Command http://www.bitdefender.com/scan/licence.php - BitDefender http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/default...id=ie&venid=sym - Symantec

The Garden Fence

The best way to protect your garden is to fence it in. The same applies to your computer. A good firewall is the fence used to block the critters from entering your computer.

Microsoft Windows XP has a built in firewall. Although it is only "one way", (it will block incoming but freely allows outgoing traffic), this works well for many computer users. Just remember, only have one firewall operating, as you could otherwise have conflicts.

To turn Windows Firewall on or off, you must be logged on to the computer as an administrator.

1. Click Start > Control Panel > Security Center.
2. On the General tab, click one of the following:

   • On
     

   • Off
     
     
     
     

Most of the more experienced computer users prefer a "two-way" firewall. Some of the two-way firewalls have a built-in policy, allowing known applications access to the Internet. Other firewalls permit the computer owner to create rules fitting their preferences.

A few popular firewalls include the following:

Zone Alarm-Free
Sunbelt Kerio Personal Firewall (KPF)
Outpost Firewall Free