Tweak Vista #1 - Bring Back Start / RUN

The Start menu layout for Vista has changed tremendously. For instance it doesn't even say Start anymore unless you hover over it. One of the biggest improvements to the menu is the search bar at the bottom of the menu, which searches through your programs, document files, emails and anything else for which a search provider is registered. Want to run Word without having to browse around the "All Programs" menu? Just type "Word" in the searchbar. Can't remember which of the dialog boxes and settings you have to go through to find the Device Manager? Just type "device" in the search bar.

You can run things like this through the search box, but for many programs it's a little quicker and simpler to use run. So lets bring it back. The quick way to get it is to use the Win+R shortcut key combination at any time, but for those who don't like keyboard shortcuts we can add it back to the Start menu.

To restore it permanently to your Start menu, here's what you do:

• Open your Start menu, then right-click and choose Properties;
• Select the Start Menu tab and click on Customize...;
• Scroll down and ensure the "Run command" option is checked;
• Click OK, then Apply, then OK again. Your done.

Now the Start / Run command will be restored. Of course, you can swap in and out a bunch of other choices I added Administrative Tools. If you want to pin shortcuts to the left side in the white area of the Start menu, all you need to do is right click the shortcut, or program and select Pin to Start Menu.

My Start Menu:

Windows Vista Shortcuts

Explorer Shortcuts
ALT+D	Select the Address bar
CTRL+E	Select the Instant Search box
F5	Refresh the active window
ALT+UP ARROW	View the folder one level up in Windows Explorer
ALT+LEFT	Go backward to previous location in history
Backspace	Navigate to parent folder if there are no previous navigations.  Navigate to previous location in history if one exists.
ALT+RIGHT	Go forward to next location in history
ESC	Cancel the current task or search
F10 or ALT	Activate the menu bar in the active program
F6	Cycle focus to next UI element in Explorer
ALT+F4 or CTRL+W	Close the active item, or exit the active program
F4	Display the Address bar list in Windows Explorer
F3 or CTRL+F	Search for a file or folder
CTRL+N	Opens current location in a new window
F11	Turn Full Screen Mode on or off
ALT+SPACEBAR	Open the shortcut menu for the active window
ALT+TAB	Cycle through open windows
CTRL+ALT+TAB	Cycle through open windows without closing the menu
CTRL+ESC	Display Start Menu
CTRL+SHIFT+ESC	Task Manager

Listview Shortcuts
CTRL+A	Select all items in a document or window
END	Select last item in the active window
HOME	Select first item in the active window
CTRL+END	Move focus to last item in the selected window without selecting
CTRL+HOME	Move focus to first item in the selected window without selecting
CTRL+Arrow keys+Spacebar	Allows discontinuous multiple selection of items
SHIFT with any arrow key	Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text within a document
SHIFT+F10	Display the shortcut menu for the selected item
F2	Rename the selected item
ALT+ENTER	Display properties for the selected item
DELETE or CTRL+D	Delete the selected item and move it to the Recycle Bin
SHIFT+DELETE	Delete the selected item without moving it to the Recycle Bin first
CTRL+PLUS key on Number Pad	Delete the selected item without moving it to the Recycle Bin first

Instant Search Box Shortcuts
ALT+ENTER	Searches for entered term and opens Search Pane (does not work in Start Menu)
SHIFT+ENTER	Searches for entered term using Internet browser (does not work in Start Menu)
CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER	Will launch a selected Application elevated if used from the Start Menu

Folder Tree Shortcuts
NUM LOCK+ASTERISK (*) on numeric keypad	Display all subfolders under the selected folder
NUM LOCK+PLUS SIGN (+) on numeric keypad	Display the contents of the selected folder
NUM LOCK+MINUS SIGN (-) on numeric keypad	Collapse the selected folder
LEFT ARROW	Collapse the current selection (if it is expanded), or select the parent folder
RIGHT ARROW	Display the current selection (if it is collapsed), or select the first subfolder
ALT+LEFT ARROW	View the previous folder
ALT+RIGHT ARROW	View the next folder

Windows Key Shortcuts
Windows logo key	Open or close the Start menu
Windows logo key + #	Launches shortcut in Quick Launch with the position corresponding to the # entered.   (eg. Winkey + 1 to launch first item in quick launch menu)
Windows logo key +BREAK	Display the System Properties dialog box
Windows logo key +D	Display the desktop
Windows logo key +M	Minimize all windows
Windows logo key +SHIFT+M	Restore minimized windows to the desktop
Windows logo key +E	Open Windows Explorer navigated to Computer
Windows logo key +F	Search for a file or folder
CTRL+Windows logo key +F	Search for computers
Windows logo key +L	Lock your computer
Windows logo key +R	Open the Run dialog box
Windows logo key +T	Cycle through programs on the taskbar
Windows logo key +TAB	Cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Windows Flip 3-D
CTRL+Windows logo key +TAB	Use the arrow keys to cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Windows Flip 3-D
Windows logo key +SPACEBAR	Bring all gadgets to the front and select Windows Sidebar
Windows logo key +G	Cycle through Sidebar gadgets
Windows logo key +U	Open Ease of Access Center
Windows logo key +X	Open Windows Mobility Center

Login Screen Shortcuts
ALT+S	Power Menu
ALT+W	Switch user
Arrow keys	Navigate between user tiles

Security Screen Shortcuts
ALT+K	Lock machine
ALT+W	Switch user
ALT+L	Log off
ALT+C	Change Password
ALT+T	Task Manager

General Shortcuts
CTRL+C or CTRL+INS	Copy
CTRL+X or SHIFT+DEL	Cut
CTRL+V or SHIFT+INS	Paste
CTRL+Z	Undo
CTRL+Y	Redo
F1	Help
CTRL+SHIFT while dragging an item	Create shortcut to selected item.
CTRL+SHIFT with any of the arrow keys	Highlight a block of text.
CTRL+RIGHT ARROW	Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next word.
CTRL+LEFT ARROW	Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous word.

 

Vista Better Than Expected!

I've now had the final release of Vista Ultimate installed for about a week now. I like it. Never thought I'd say that, but it's true. It's the only operating system I'm running and all my games and programs work! I had to do some scrounging on the internet (guru3d.com is great) to find all the little secrets, but I'm now happier than when I was running XP. I only have one thing left that I'm waiting for and there is no doubt it will come soon. I have a GeForce 7900GT and NVIDIA hasn't released drivers with a control panel yet. Rumors are that we'll have them by this coming week.

Ok my biggest Vista suggestion is to load absolutely every high resource program such as a newer game or Photoshop in Administrator. You do this by simply right clicking on the program you want to run and choose Run as Administrator. If that doesn't get it working for you then run it in XP Compatability mode. You do this by right click-Properties-Compatability. If XP mode doesn't get it to load for you then use Windows 98 mode. It's a small hassle, but it works and it remembers the mode you set it at for the next time you load. I haven't had anything not work at all.

You can wait to upgrade, there's no hurry, but I like new things and get bored easily, so I had to go with the final release. I'm running an AMD 64 3000+ with 2GBs of DDR and Vista runs great. It's very slick and I love the extra features. With XP I would always revert to the Classic Start Menu, but I love the new Vista menu. It's compact and it's a very intelligent design. No more boxes popping out to the side, they all open in the same menu window. You'll get the hang of it in about 10 minutes. The new games are better and the Chess game is absolutely great!

Only some of your current programs need extra attention to run, others will load no problem. As the software makers continue making more Vista compatable software it will obviously get easier, but for now I can deal with the extra click to make Company of Heroes, Call of Duty 2, and Photoshop run without a hitch, because right now there are much more pros than cons.

Most of the problems I've heard about Vista is from lower end systems. I would recommend at least 1GB of ram if you are thinking about switching and if you are a heavy gamer you will want 2GBs. From what I've been reading the overwhelming opinion right now is that the ATI drivers are working better than the NVIDIA Beta drivers, but in their defense they haven't released a final driver for Vista yet. Get on the ball NVIDIA! If you have the rig to do it, then upgrade! If your PC seems even a little sluggish on XP, then don't even attempt it. Me? I'm happy.

Let's start with MySpace

I'm done with myspace.com. What is it about something new you can't figure out sooner that your not going to like in the long term? Why did I not realize sooner that myspace is garbage. It is just fancy email with a buildable permanent template. That's all it is. Oh the horrible bandwidth sucking pages I've seen. Myspace gives users just enough control to make an extremely horrible page that can play 500 videos and 3oo songs at once combined with 1000 pictures on an ugly background. Oh and lets not forget the tag in the top left corner of most pages where the user swiped the code from some cesspool generator.

Am I being too harsh? I don't think so. On top of the horrible pages people build are the obscene pictures that are posted on your personal page, and then there are the kids. Yes the kids, I'm guessing that probably 85% of myspace users are nothing but over-hormonal teenage kids. Which brings me to yet another reason to hate the abyss that is myspace. This is another scumbag sexual predator platform that gives these disgusting people yet another place on the web to fool kids into their own personal horror. I wish I could have a job where all day I just went from room to room maiming these sick maggots 5 days a week.

Should myspace be taken off the internet? Of course not. It's just that recently I've realized more and more how much I hate myspace and so I've decided to abandon it. Have fun with the space kids. Blogger is my newly rekindled passion. For now...