How to Access Frequently Used Items in Windows 7 with Jump Lists?How to Access Frequently Used Items in Windows 7 with Jump Lists?ump list is a handy

ump list is a handy way to have access to the recently as well as frequently used items on the computer. Jump Lists can be seen on the Taskbar and the Start menu when you right-click on an icon. Jump Lists function as small Start Menus which are application-specific. They can also be found on the icons of applications specifically pinned to the taskbar or the Start menu.

In the previous versions of Windows, it was not very easy and convenient to access frequently used websites, files etc through the jump list. . It allows you to get quick access to frequently used items in Windows 7.

Access Frequently Used Items In Windows 7 Using Jump lists

Jump List Feature for Internet Explorer

Right click a program icon on the Taskbar.

Click the first letter of an item to jump between them after you open the Windows 7 jump list.

Jump List Feature in the Start Menu

This feature makes helps you get easy access to the recently opened items on your computer.

How to Clear Jump List History

• Right click on Start.
• Select Properties.
• 
• Choose Start Menu tab
• Uncheck the first or second or even both the boxes if you want under Privacy. This will clear the history of Start Menu or Taskbar items or both.
• 

The improved feature helps you access frequently used items in Windows 7 in a better as well as easier way. It makes your navigation quicker.

Use Short Keys on the Keyboard to access frequently used items using Jump Lists

Windows 7 provides you with another method to access the Jump List feature. This method is by using the short keys on your keyboard. Windows 7 comes with a built-in shortcut key. This shortcut key can open up the Jump Lists for the earliest nine icons on the taskbar. So for the taskbar icon, use the shortcut key Win+Alt+1 to open the Jump List.

How to remove the text from the Desktop icon?

Desktop is the interface of Windows, which contain the icons, taskbar etc. that allow the user to interact with the computer to perform different operations. Usually the picture of icon represents its purpose so if you want your desktop looking very clean then you can remove the title under the desktop icons. May be you are thinking it is so easy, just go to rename option and set blank name or single spacebar entry but the problem is this, windows will not allow you to set blank name or name with single spacebar entry. Here interesting thing is this; window will allow you to use the ASCII code for a space, which is 0160.

First clear all the text from that icon

Now type the ASCII code, simply hold the Alt key, type the number 0160 from the number pad and release the Alt key then press Enter button to finish the process.

Before

After

But if you want to remove the text of multiple icons, then repeat the above process with adding one extra ASCII code for second icon, (for example for second icon you type the 0160 twice and for third icon type 0160 three times with Alt key and so on).

How to remove the text from the Desktop icon?

Desktop is the interface of Windows, which contain the icons, taskbar etc. that allow the user to interact with the computer to perform different operations. Usually the picture of icon represents its purpose so if you want your desktop looking very clean then you can remove the title under the desktop icons. May be you are thinking it is so easy, just go to rename option and set blank name or single spacebar entry but the problem is this, windows will not allow you to set blank name or name with single spacebar entry. Here interesting thing is this; window will allow you to use the ASCII code for a space, which is 0160.

First clear all the text from that icon

Now type the ASCII code, simply hold the Alt key, type the number 0160 from the number pad and release the Alt key then press Enter button to finish the process.

Before

After

But if you want to remove the text of multiple icons, then repeat the above process with adding one extra ASCII code for second icon, (for example for second icon you type the 0160 twice and for third icon type 0160 three times with Alt key and so on).

How to Manage your Documents and Files with Libraries in Windows 7?

How to Manage your Documents and Files with Libraries in Windows 7?

How to Manage your Documents and Files with Libraries in Windows 7?

With the old editions of Windows like XP and Vista, it can be a tiresome job to manage documents, photos, music etc that are present in different directories on the hard drives. The new feature named Libraries in Windows 7 helps you to organize all your folders from different locations in the hard drives in a single place.

Follow the given steps to use default Libraries in Windows 7:

To access the Libraries in the computer, click on Start.

Click your user name to open your personal folder.

Click on Libraries in the left pane. You will be able to see the 4 default Libraries: Documents, Videos, Pictures and Music.

Libraries in Windows 7 reveal files stored in different hard drives of the computer. This is what a Music Library looks like.

You can make your own Library in addition to the ones that already exist.

How to Make Your Own Libraries in Windows 7:

Click on the New Libraries button in the left pane.

A new Library will come up simply like a new folder.

Label your new Library.

As you go into your new Library, you can add new files, documents, as well as new folders.

In order to add new folder locations to the Library, you just have to click on the hyperlink that displays the present number of locations.

Click the Add button to include other locations of your computer.

Right-click on the Library icon.

Select Properties and add a folder from there.

In addition to this, you can Right-click on a folder and include it in any library as you are navigating the explorer.

All this will make a little change to the user interface. It is very good feature and makes the navigation of folders and files very easy.

With the old editions of Windows like XP and Vista, it can be a tiresome job to manage documents, photos, music etc that are present in different directories on the hard drives. The new feature named Libraries in Windows 7 helps you to organize all your folders from different locations in the hard drives in a single place.

Follow the given steps to use default Libraries in Windows 7:

To access the Libraries in the computer, click on Start.

Click your user name to open your personal folder.

Click on Libraries in the left pane. You will be able to see the 4 default Libraries: Documents, Videos, Pictures and Music.

Libraries in Windows 7 reveal files stored in different hard drives of the computer. This is what a Music Library looks like.

You can make your own Library in addition to the ones that already exist.

How to Make Your Own Libraries in Windows 7:

Click on the New Libraries button in the left pane.

A new Library will come up simply like a new folder.

Label your new Library.



As you go into your new Library, you can add new files, documents, as well as new folders.

In order to add new folder locations to the Library, you just have to click on the hyperlink that displays the present number of locations.



Click the Add button to include other locations of your computer.



Right-click on the Library icon.

Select Properties and add a folder from there.

In addition to this, you can Right-click on a folder and include it in any library as you are navigating the explorer.

All this will make a little change to the user interface. It is very good feature and makes the navigation of folders and files very easy.

A Quick way to print a Document

There are many ways to prints a document, but you can print a document quickly if you put a shortcut to the printer on your desktop and drag a document icon to it, no need to open file for printing just drag a file to printer icon and get your print.

3 stubborn PC problems you can fix

Ever notice how each PC has a personality of its own? Or maybe even multiple personalities? In the course of a week, your computer may act friendly, moody, and sometimes downright mean.

However, don't take a hammer to your PC just yet. The following is a list of common symptoms and treatments to help even the most troublesome PCs. You don't even have to be a psychologist (at least not yet) to deal with your PC's neuroses.

Windows 7 and Windows Vista usually manage this automatically, but overall you'll find that these tips work for all versions of Windows, from Windows 95 to Windows 7.

1. You keep getting a "your system is running low on virtual memory" message

Perhaps you're more than familiar with this scenario: You're working on your PC and notice performance getting gradually slower and slower. Programs become harder to open and close. You wait forever for Web pages to be displayed. And then, you get some serious-sounding "virtual memory is too low" message, like the one in the following graphic.

Don't worry: This message isn't as scary as it sounds.

Virtual memory low message

Virtual memory is the space your computer uses when it's short of RAM (Random Access Memory), which is the memory used when running programs like Microsoft Office Word or Microsoft Office PowerPoint.

So what can you do to correct this problem and prevent this message from coming up in the future? The following are some solutions to keep your computer from displaying the "virtual memory minimum is too low" message.

Solution 1: Bump up the virtual memory size on your computer

The first solution is to increase your computer's virtual memory settings. To do so, you first need to determine how much RAM you currently have.

Windows 7

1. On the Start menu, click Control Panel, then click System.

2. In the left pane, click Advanced system settings. If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

3. On the Advanced tab, under Performance, click Settings.

4. Click the Advanced tab, and then, under Virtual memory, click Change.

5. Clear the Automatically manage paging file size for all drives check box.

   

   Clearing the Automatically manage paging file size for all drives check box

6. Under Drive [Volume Label], click the drive that contains the paging file you want to change.

7. Click Custom size, type a new size in the Initial size (MB) or Maximum size (MB) box, click Set, and then click OK.

Note Increases in size usually don't require you to restart your computer for the changes to take effect, but if you decrease the size, you'll need to restart your computer. We recommend that you don't disable or delete the paging file.

Solution 2: Add more RAM to your computer

If you keep getting that dreaded "Your system is running low on virtual memory" message—even after you increase your computer's virtual memory—then you may need to buy more memory for your computer. To really work well:

• Windows 7 needs at least 1 GB of RAM to run. See more system requirements for Windows 7.

• Windows Vista needs at least 512 MB of RAM to run, but for some applications (like gaming) 1 GB or more of RAM is recommended.

• Windows XP needs a minimum of 256 MB of RAM.

The more RAM you have, the better.

Find out how much RAM you have in your computer

1. On the Start menu, click Control Panel, then click System.

2. Under System, next to Installed memory (RAM), you can see the amount of RAM your computer has.

   Note In some cases, Windows reports both the amount of memory that's installed on your computer and the amount of memory that's usable. If you're using a 32-bit version of Windows, the amount of usable memory might be less than the total amount of memory installed.

If you're at work, contact your company's IT administrator before updating the memory on your computer. They may have some memory available and can help you install it.

If you do need to purchase some more memory, stop by your local computer shop. You can probably buy memory from them, and they'll probably install it for you. Or, you can buy memory online.

2. Your windows slide off the desktop—and you can't grab them

We're all familiar with moving program windows around the desktop. You can click-and-hold the window's title bar to move it around. But what do you do when you accidentally move a window's title bar off the desktop so you can't grab it anymore? The window is stuck in that inconvenient position.

Solution: Use your keyboard to help move your window

The trick to moving these stubborn program windows is to use your keyboard.

Use your keyboard to move a window:

1. Select the program window you're trying to move, and then press ALT+SPACEBAR on your keyboard. The program's shortcut menu is displayed.

   

   Accessing shortcut menu

2. Click Move.

3. Use your LEFT ARROW, RIGHT ARROW, UP ARROW, or DOWN ARROW keys to move the window so you can see its title bar on your screen.

4. After you move the window where you want it, press ENTER.

3. Your taskbar has disappeared

The taskbar is that horizontal bar at the bottom or your computer screen that displays open programs on your desktop. The taskbar also contains the Start menu, which allows you to navigate to various programs installed on your computer. In many ways, it's your command central.

Thus, there's nothing more frustrating than going to start a program, only to find the taskbar gone. A computer without a taskbar will bring you to a grinding halt.

The good news is that the taskbar never disappears—it just hides. It may be hiding behind other open windows, or at the top or side of your screen. You can also (unintentionally) make the taskbar so thin that it seems invisible.

The following are possible reasons why your taskbar has vanished, as well as solutions to keep your taskbar from ever running away again.

Solution 1: Find your taskbar behind other windows

• If you don't see your taskbar, minimize all windows on your desktop. See if your taskbar is hiding behind your open windows.

  

  Finding your taskbar behind maximized windows

• Set your taskbar so it's always on top of all desktop windows:

  1. Right-click the taskbar, and click Properties.

  2. Select the Lock the taskbar check box.

  3. Make sure the Auto-hide the taskbar check box is not selected.

Locking and keeping the taskbar on top

Now your taskbar will always be visible, no matter how many windows you have open. Locking your taskbar also keeps you from accidentally moving it around.

Solution 2: Find your taskbar elsewhere on your screen

If you have tried minimizing all windows on your desktop and you still don't see your taskbar—perhaps it has been moved. Maybe you've moved it yourself by accident. Or, perhaps someone's playing a practical joke on you. Regardless, the following will help you get your taskbar back to its proper size.

1. As you did in the previous steps, minimize all windows on your desktop. If you don't see your taskbar at the bottom of the screen, perhaps it's hanging out to the side or at the top of your desktop.

   

   Finding a hidden taskbar

2. Click-and-drag your taskbar back to the bottom of your screen.

3. Right-click the taskbar, and then click Properties.

4. Click to select the Lock the taskbar check box.

Solution 3: Thicken your taskbar

You can make your taskbar a thin line—so skinny it's hard to see. To see if you've done this unintentionally, perform the following:

1. Minimize all windows on your desktop. Look at each side of your screen. If you see a thin strip, that's the taskbar.

   

   Finding a thin taskbar

2. Point your mouse at the strip. It changes into a double-sided arrow

3. Click-and-drag the mouse toward the center of the screen to thicken your taskbar.

4. After you thicken the taskbar, you can drag it back to the bottom of the screen by following the steps in "Solution 2" above.

Where to find more help

This article covers three common PC problems. But if you're still unable to find the solution to your particular PC problems, check out the Microsoft support page. There, you'll find various self-support and assisted support solutions. You'll find answers to cure even the most disturbed computer.

5 good computing habits

Working off a slow, disorganized computer can be frustrating—and it happens to the best of us. This article is designed to give you some easy-to-follow guidelines on how to keep your computer on the right track using tools in Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.

1. Organize your folders

We all know how easy it is to dump files into the wrong folder when we're in a hurry. But one way to make sure you'll keep your files organized is to remove the clutter with a filing system that makes sense for the way you use your computer. Here are a few tips to get you started:

• Start clean

  Begin by deciding which files you no longer need on your hard drive.

• Think it through

  Take the time to plan the best way to organize your files. How do you spend your time on the computer and what do you create? Do you work with photos and image editing software, surf the Web, write short stories, research school projects, or play games? The folders you create in Documents (called “My Documents” in Windows XP) can be easily tailored to show you just the kind of data about your files that you need to track.

• Use subfolders

  After you have an idea of the kinds of items you produce and want to save, create folders and subfolders to store your files. Be sure to use logical, easy-to-understand names. For example, within Documents, you might create additional folders called Projects, HR Benefits, and Career. Then, within the Projects folder, you could create subfolders for each different project.

• Clean your files periodically

  After you have set up your file system, inspect and clean it regularly. Routine maintenance tasks such as deleting old or duplicate files and folders and making sure that important files are in the right folders can save you a lot of time and frustration.

Windows Tip

To create a new subfolder with Windows 7, Windows Vista, or Windows XP, simply right-click anywhere in the folder, select New, and then select Folder. Type the name for the new folder and press Enter. In Windows 7, you can also click New Folder at the top of any Documents Library folder to automatically create a new folder. For more tips about creating a well-organized filing system, see 7 tips to manage your files better.

Windows 7 screen with New Folder command circled and New Folder ready to be named

2. Clean up your hard disk

Now that you've organized your files and folders, and cleaned up your desktop, you can organize the data itself. Windows includes two utilities—Disk Cleanup and Disk Defragmenter—that help you free up more space on your hard drive and help your computer work more efficiently.

• Disk Cleanup compresses your old files so you can free up storage space.

• Disk Defragmenter scans your hard drive and consolidates files that may be scattered across the disk.

  Not sure how often to run these utilities? It's really up to you—some people like to run both weekly, others prefer monthly, and a few only run them every few months. It's not a bad idea to do both at least once a month. Windows Vista users take note: Disk Defragmenter is automatically scheduled to run once a week (Sunday at 4 a.m.). You can change the scheduled time for this feature or turn it off, if you prefer.

• To find both programs in Windows Vista and Windows XP, click Start, point to All Programs, then point to Accessories, and then choose System Tools.

3. Use System Restore

System Restore is one of those programs that can be a life-saver when you've been the unfortunate recipient of unstable software, a badly timed power outage, or a damaging thunderstorm. System Restore records important documents, settings, and preferences on your computer. If the unthinkable happens and your computer files are damaged or inaccessible, you can use System Restore to restore your computer back the same state it was in before the data was lost.

System Restore creates restore points daily, and whenever you install device drivers, automatic updates, and some applications. Still, it's a good idea to get into the habit of creating a system checkpoint (called a restore point) whether you're about to install new software or take any action you suspect might make your computer unstable. That way, if there's any conflict at all, you can restore your computer to the point just before you began the installation.

Windows 7

• Click Start . In the search box, type system restore. Under Programs, click System Restore. Follow the directions in the wizard to restore your computer to the point you want.

  

  First page of the Windows 7 System Restore Wizard

Windows Vista and Windows XP

1. Click Start, and choose All Programs.

2. Point to Accessories, then point to System Tools, and then choose System Restore.

3. When the program begins, choose Create a restore point and click Next.

4. Enter a description of the restore point and click Create. After a few seconds, the program will tell you the date, time, and description of the new restore point.

5. Click Close.

   

   System Restore screen with a restore point created for a specific date before data was lost

4. Keep Windows and Office up-to-date

Computer programs are continually improved based on customer feedback and continuing product testing. As problems are resolved, you should benefit from those improvements. By checking Microsoft Update regularly, you can make sure you've got the most recent Windows and Office improvements available to you.

Windows 7 and Windows Vista users don't need to sign up for Microsoft Update: an account is automatically created for you during the registration process and Windows Update is automatically installed on your computer with default settings that you can change later if you wish.

If you're using Windows XP, you have to visit Microsoft Update to start the update process. If it's your first time to visit Microsoft Update, you might need to sign up for the service.

Use Microsoft Update to install the update process for all Microsoft products on your XP-based computer

After you've visited the Microsoft Update site, you should also configure your Windows XP-based computer to receive critical updates automatically. This free service is called Windows Update in Windows 7 and Windows Vista and Automatic Updates in Windows XP.

Learn how to turn automatic updating on in Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP

Windows 7

Windows Vista

Windows XP

Important If you do not select the automatic updating option we recommend, you must download and install every critical update. If you download the updates, but forget to install them, your computer will not be protected with all the latest enhancements.

5. Run antivirus software AND a spyware detection and removal tool

Updating your Windows software is just the first step in keeping your computer safe. Next, you'll want to download and install antivirus software and keep it up-to-date. Your computer may have come with a free trial of antivirus software, but if you don't renew your subscription, you won't be protected from all the latest threats.

If your computer seems sluggish or if you begin to see lots of pop-up advertisements, even when you're not surfing the Web, your computer may be infected with spyware, adware, or other unwanted software. Learn more about spyware and what it can do to your computer.