Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/9825
BE OMNIPOTENT WITH ALL TASKS One of the biggest hidden secrets in Windows 7 is called All Tasks. Also known as “God Mode,” it gives you access to all of the control settings (275 of them at last count) from within one file location. Just create a new folder in a location of your choosing. Rename it with any word before the period (I picked ControlFreak), no space, and then exactly as follows: ControlFreak.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C} and the icon should change to the Control Panel icon when you press Enter. Enter All Tasks, view what you can control, and enjoy the convenience of being able to access all of these settings from within one location. Can you feel the power? CALIBRATE YOUR MONITOR If you need to tweak the color or brightness of a monitor, you can calibrate it with the help of Windows 7. Just click Start, type DCCW and then press Enter. This displays the Display Color Calibration screen. Click Next and read the introductory instructions. Click Next and read about Gamma settings. Click Next and see what your monitor gamma levels are set to and adjust as needed. Click Next and make adjustments to brightness. Continue clicking through the wizard until you are satisfied with the result and then click Finish (or you can Cancel). RUN EXPLORER AS ADMINISTRATOR If you are having trouble copying and pasting files onto a computer due to permissions and rights, try temporarily running Explorer in administrator mode and see if it will help solve the dilemma. Be forewarned that the steps you are about to read are as intuitive as climbing a mountain in four-inch heels. Click the Start button. With the menu expanded, use the keyboard and press Ctrl+Shift and then, with the right mouse button, click Shut Down, then select Exit Explorer. Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to display the Windows Task Manager. On the Processes tab, click the Show processes from all users button. From the File menu, choose New Task (Run). In the Open box, type Explorer and click OK. Select the option Create this task with administrative privileges. If Explorer doesn’t open right away, choose File, New Task again (making sure to select administrative privileges). Sometimes it takes a second attempt to work. Now that you have administrator privileges with Explorer, you should be able to copy and paste the file into the previously restricted location. MONITOR STABILITY INDEX AND PROBLEM HISTORY To determine how stable your computer is, on a scale of 1 to 10, just click Start, then type History (or Problem) in the box and press Enter. A nifty diagram displays allowing you to see a daily or weekly view of all the critical events, warnings or informational events that occurred on your computer. Click View all problem reports at the bottom of the screen to see a running list of all problems that have occurred and whether or not they have been reported to Microsoft. Right-click on each entry and choose to view technical details, or check for a solution if one is available. The nice thing about Windows 7 is that you can go back at any time www.iltanet.org Microsoft 47