How to Speed Up Windows 7 ?

Do you want to speed up your new Windows operating system? Check out our tips on how to speed up Windows 7.

Microsoft’s new operating system (OS) has been getting rave reviews since the infancy of its beta form. If you’re loving your new Windows 7 OS but wish it was just a little bit speedier, then you’re in luck. There are a couple of ways to make Windows 7 a little quicker for you. Whether you’re booting up, shutting down, or just cruising on your PC, here are some tips to speed up this already light and speedy new OS.

Meet the Minimum

First things first, make sure you’re meeting the minimum hardware requirements to run Windows 7. You should have at least 1GHz processor (32 or 64-bit), 1GB of main memory, 16GB available disk space, support for the Aero interface (DX9 graphics support with 128MB of memory), and a DVD-R/W drive.

Cut Unwanted Programs

Cutting down on the amount of programs running is always a good idea. To figure out and cut down on programs running in the background you can use msconfig or just install software that will identify those programs secretly running. Some programs will open automatically, so try this:

• Go to Start and enter ‘msconfig’
• Click on the startup tab and uncheck anything you don’t need

Disable Min-Max Animation

By disabling the Minimize-Maximize animation you’ll speed up your window switching and make your Windows 7 PC run faster. To disable:

• Go to Start and type in ‘SystemPropertiesPerformance‘
• Go the Visual Effects tab
• Uncheck ‘Animate windows when minimizing and maximizing‘ and click OK

Forget the Fonts

Removing unwanted fonts—especially TrueType fonts—will also speed up Windows 7. Keep the ones you need and use, and then remove the rest—but put those unwanted fonts in a temporary directory just in case you want them some day. To do this:

• Open Control Panel
• Open Fonts folder
• Move fonts temporary space

Turn Off System Sounds

This is a basic for speeding things up—and it will definitely free up some resources. To do this:

• Go To Start and type in mmsys.cpl
• Click on the Sounds tab and choose ‘No Sounds‘ in the sound scheme drop down

Disable Aero

If you really need the extra speed then yes, you can disable Windows 7 Aero. To do this:

• Right-click on your desktop and select ‘Personalize‘ and click the ‘Window Color‘ tab
• Uncheck the ‘Enable Transparency’ box
• Click on ‘Open classic appearance properties for more color options’
• Choose a Standard or Basic theme from the popup that appears

can older programs work on Windows 7?

IF an older program will not run automatically in Windows 7, you can try adjusting its compatibility settings. This feature sometimes allows software written for previous systems to work with the current version of Windows.
In Windows 7, right-click on the icon of the older program and choose “Troubleshoot compatibility” from the menu. When you click on the “Troubleshoot program” option, a wizard walks you through a few screens and asks for basic information, including what version of Windows the program used to work with.
Based on your answers, the troubleshooter adjusts your system settings and tries to run the older program. You can also try the troubleshooter on the setup files on the installation discs from older programs if they won’t install properly.
The Windows 7 compatibility settings can be adjusted manually as well. To do so, right-click on the older program’s icon and select Properties from the menu.
In the Properties box, click the Compatibility tab. In this box, you can select the version of Windows the program was intended for and make other changes to settings like screen resolution.
Microsoft has full instructions and a video demonstrating how to use the Windows 7 compatibility mode at bit.ly/4MFF05. The company also advises against changing the settings for security and utility programs that were meant to work with a specific version of Windows.
The Windows 7 Professional and Ultimate editions can use the Windows XP Mode software to run programs written for Windows XP right in Windows 7. Microsoft has the details on Windows XP Mode at bit.ly/p6Zy.
Adjusting the compatibility settings is not always a sure fix. If you can’t get the software to work, buying a new Windows 7-friendly version of the program may be the last resort.

Tip of the week
Windows, Mac OS X and Ubuntu Linux all include a free Calculator program with the operating system. At first glance, the Calculator may seem like just a simple tool for basic math chores, but take a look in the program’s View menu. Here, you can switch between a simple adding machine to a version that does scientific calculations or even one that can handle programmer math in hexadecimal, binary and octal numbers. Each system has its own little variations as well. For example, the Calculator in Windows 7 includes worksheets for calculating a mortgage and the Calculator in recent versions of Mac OS X has a printable Paper Tape option under the Window menu that displays a history of all the calculations made. – New York Times

Can Windows 7 Kill XP ?

It will be Windows 7 to do the job Windows Vista failed at, namely to kill Windows XP. However, killing XP is a process rather than a single moment in time. Windows 7 will first erode XP’s market share and convert its audience. As XP’s usage rate will drop, less and less hardware manufacturers and software developers will offer support and compatibility of the latest versions of their products for the operating system Microsoft released in 2001. It will be Microsoft to hammer down the last nail in the XP coffin in 2014, when it will cut extended support for the platform entirely. At that time, users still running XP will be left to fend for themselves with no more updates, no more security patches, no more support.


A recent study from Gartner predicts that no less than 75% of corporate PCs will be running a 64-bit version of Windows by 2014 (via DailyTech). Such a scenario automatically implies that enterprises are now ready, and increasingly so, to discard Windows XP and 32-bit machines, for Windows 7 running on new 64-bit architectures which can take advantage of in excess of 4 GB of RAM.

"On the surface, it would appear that the most obvious time to perform a move from 32-bit to 64-bit would be during an operating system migration (such as from Windows XP to Windows 7). Many companies feel that, if they don't make the move now, they may have to wait until Windows 8 or potentially Windows 9 before another opportunity arises. They point to the complexity involved in supporting an additional set of images as a reason to make an all-or-nothing move,” Gartner noted.

With Windows 7, as with Windows Vista, Microsoft is offering both x86 and x64 versions of the operating system. However, the Redmond company is unlikely to continue doing so with future versions of Windows. Whether Microsoft will cut support for 32-bit processor starting with Windows 8 or not, it still remains to be seen. However, there’s little room for doubt that 64-bit is the future. In this context, having available x64 Vista and x64 Windows 7 side by side, it is clear that customers will opt for the latter to replace Windows 7.

Corporate IT environments are traditionally lagging home users in terms of adopting new technologies, including Windows. If by 2014, 75% of corporate computers will be running 64-bit Windows, most probably x64 Windows 7, it is possible a higher percentage of home users would have already upgraded from Windows XP. At the end of November 2009, XP accounted for a market share of 69.05% and dropping, Vista just 18.55%, also dropping, and Windows 7 4%, at just a single month after release.


"Corporate buyers need to establish a position on moving to 64-bit as part of their Windows 7 planning. For many users, moving to 64-bit with Windows 7 may be the right solution with respect to performance and support for new applications. However, others may find significant compatibility issues coupled with little to no benefit from making the shift at this time. Either way, all organizations must take steps to provide a basic level of support for 64-bit Windows 7, particularly for consumer-facing applications,” Gartner added.

With XP end of life in 2014, Windows 7 offers the best alternative for upgrade to customers, especially enterprises, that need to upgrade from XP. Businesses that will run XP until Windows 8 drops, in approximately three years, risk to have little time available to perform the transition, and to have to run XP even after Microsoft has completely cut support.

How to make keep Windows 7 safe and secure ?

Q Does Windows 7 come with a firewall and other security software installed?

A Like earlier versions of the Windows operating system, Windows 7 includes its own firewall program to help protect against Internet intruders. Microsoft also offers free virus and spyware protection with its Microsoft Security Essentials software. Links to the program, as well as to the company’s Malicious Software Removal Tool, are at microsoft.com/security.

Microsoft’s free security programs offer basic protection, but software suites from third-party companies add things like spam filtering, tools to defend against phishing, wireless-network monitoring and other features, as well as a more customizable firewall. These suites provide a more comprehensive set of protection programs, but they usually cost $40 to $70 dollars. (Some new Windows 7 computers may even come with a trial version or a one-year subscription to a security suite.)

Microsoft has a list of companies selling security software that works with Windows 7 at bit.ly/ecMt. The CNet site has reviews of many security programs at reviews.cnet.com/software and PC Magazine’s roundup of this year’s suites at bit.ly/14gXJi.

QDo I need to buy an external microphone to use with my camcorder?

AIf you plan to use the camcorder in all types of recording situations and want to capture high-quality audio along with your video, investing in an external microphone is a good idea.

A built-in microphone is probably just fine for sporting events or other occasions where hearing distinct voices isn’t necessary. But an external microphone can make a big difference in situations where audio clarity is important — recording an interview, for example — or where the goal is to eliminate as much background noise as possible.

Most camcorders include a microphone jack, so check to see what type your model has; many lower-priced camcorders have a stereo jack, while those on the higher end may use an XLR connector. Microphones are now available in wired or wireless varieties. There are many different types of external microphones. The smaller ones include the hand-held TV news reporter variety, or the discreet lavalier microphone that clips onto a shirt collar or jacket lapel.

A shotgun microphone is generally larger and picks up sound in the direction it is pointed. Shotgun mics can be attached to the top of the camcorder or clamped to a pole and held out of the video frame while recording.

Prices for external microphones vary from about $12 for an inexpensive lapel clip-on to more than $1,000 for a professional handheld model. Web sites that specialize in audio gear and camcorder accessories usually have reviews and information on many current microphones, so you can research before you buy.

Tip of the week: If you accidentally hit the Ignore All button while spellchecking a long Microsoft Word document, you can still make the program go back and proofread your work.

Just visit the program’s Options or Preferences area for the Spelling and Grammar settings. For example, in Word 2007, click on the Office button in the ribbon toolbar at the top, then click on Word Options. Click on Proofing, and in the Spelling and Grammar area, click on the Recheck Document button.

In older versions of Word for Windows, the Recheck Document button is on the Spelling and Grammar tab of the Options box in the Tools menu. Mac Word users can find it by choosing Preferences from the Word menu and clicking on the Spelling and Grammar icon in the Preferences box.

Windows 7 bugs has been fixed

Assigned to the patch for IE security bulletin MS09-072 warns against four vulnerabilities in the browser. These errors have been reported there immediately Microsoft. According to the assessment team Security Team for all of these gaps will soon appear smooth exploits. Three of them also apply to Internet Explorer for Windows 7 and can cause serious problems - thanks to the harmful site is able to infect your computer. Particularly annoying is that once again has to be patched vulnerability that is associated with an error in the Active Template Library.

The Internet Authentication Service Microsoft (IAS) - by MS09-71 - were discovered two vulnerabilities. The problem is not limited in this version of the Server, because it seems that the client code to connect to authenticated using MS-CHAP2 is exposed to the existence of this vulnerability. Nevertheless, specialists of Redmond recognize that Windows itself does not execute the code on the client machines - or at least not in such a way that gave this vulnerability to exploit. Vulnerability becomes dangerous only in conjunction with other companies.

In turn, MS09-074 describes a third critical vulnerability in Microsoft Office Project, which can be exploited by a specially formed project file. The potential attacker can create a web page constructed in such a way that it will lead to a visit to open a malicious file by the application.

This above situation does not happen in the event of another failure, the document in Word 97 It consists in the fact that a properly crafted documents may provoke an error in Wordpad, and Office's converter. Here's consent is required to carry out the conversion and as a result of this vulnerability described in MS09-73 has received the highest degree of hazard classification. Despite this, it means the attacker can also take full control over your computer.

Two errors in Active Directory Federation Services (ADFS) are described in MS09-70 apply only to servers within the network. The last patch released with bulletin MS09-69 fixes a bug that leads to the fact that the attacker uses the IPSec service can fix the LSASS Windows server system.

Solution

Installation of the amendments prepared by the manufacturer eliminates the problems described.

from : it-chuiko.com

Windows 7 family pack now available

Microsoft announced the Windows 7 Family Pack option, it said that the three-user bundle of Windows 7 Home Premium would be available only for a limited time.

That time, it appears, is drawing to a close. As noted by WindowsITPro, supplies are drying up fast

"The Windows 7 Family Pack was introduced as a limited time offer while supplies last in select geographies," Microsoft said in a statement. "Response has been very positive and in some cases, the offer has sold out. "

The company wouldn't say how many copies have sold or how many it allocated for the family pack option. It also said it has no current plans to extend the offer.

Microsoft's own online store appears to be sold out, though those in Orange County, Calif. or Scottsdale, Ariz. could check out the retail spots.

Amazon itself is sold out, although some other sellers are offering it on Amazon's site, but at prices well above its suggested price.

Computer users had been asking Microsoft since the days of Vista and longer to offer a discount to those trying to outfit more than one PC with the latest version of Windows. Microsoft finally confirmed in July that it would have a family pack option.

When it announced full details later that month, though, Microsoft said that the $149 package would be available "while supplies last." At the time I pressed them for more details and the company would not say how many copies it planned to sell nor how long the offer would last.

Apple, by contrast, has offered its Mac OS X family pack since 2002. That version covers up to five computers in a household.

Windows 7: Seven Points of Imperfection part 2

Windows 7: Seven Points of Imperfection part 2


#4. Windows 7 isn't impervious to viruses.

Well, no OS is impervious to viruses, actually. But in examining Windows 7 just after its release on October 22, the security firm Sophos found that, when configured to follow the system defaults for User Account Control (UAC), Microsoft's latest OS was vulnerable to eight out of ten viruses tested.

More recently, the security firm Prevx spurred an uproar by claiming in a blog post that "Black Screen woes could affect millions on Windows 7, Vista and XP" and charging that the issue was caused by a patch issued by Microsoft. Yet as noted by Tony Bradley, a fellow PC World blogger, it turns out that while there does seem to be a real black screen of death issue, it's affecting much smaller numbers of PCs, more like thousands or even hundreds. Further, a Trojan virus could be the actual culprit.

But as with previous editions of Windows, Microsoft doesn't include any anti-virus software in Windows 7. So here's another place where Microsoft hasn't learned from experience.

#5. Installation of Windows 7 can be a real bear, especially in upgrades from XP.

While many users have installed Windows 7 quite seamlessly, others have run into major problems around moving to the new OS, including endless reboot cycles and product keys that don't work, for example. Upgrades from Windows XP can be especially cantankerous. Yet Microsoft doesn't even give official support to upgrades to Win 7 from XP.

"It was my understanding that Win7 was supposed to answer the problems people faced with Vista. So you would think all the people who had to go back to XP would be able to jump right to Win7. Very disappointing," complained one frustrated user, 68Vistacruiser, in a support forum.

"Upgrading from XP to 7 is a mission for the A-Team. When upgrading from pre-XP to XP, you just put the CD/DVD in and click next, enter a s/n and press next. With 7 you have to back up all your current data and system files into a folder using a tool on the 7 DVD and then install 7 next to XP, then manually delete XP without [losing] your current data," chimed in a user named UK-Penguins.

#6. Windows 7 pricing is both too high and too complex.

With family and business budgets pinched right now, why is Microsoft charging anywhere from about $100 to $300 for an upgrade disk for Windows 7, depending on the version? C'mon, Microsoft. Windows 7 beta testers got their upgrade disks for only $50. The latest edition of the Mac OS cost $29, and distributions of the Linux OS can be downloaded free of charge.

Some discounts on Windows 7 are now available from Microsoft and retailers. You can also get a bit of a price break by buying an OEM or "system builder" version online. But Microsoft isn't doing a lot to make deals like this widely known. And why does Microsoft need to have multiple versions of the same OS -- with names like Home Premium, Business, and Ultimate - all with different features and price points? Isn't Windows 7 installation complicated enough, anyway?

#7. Customer support for Windows 7 is too scanty.

Many people say they've turned to user forums only after calls to Microsoft's customer support lines prove unsuccessful. Often, it's a matter of an inability to get through the busy phone lines to an actual person.

Even after Win 7's commercial release, support in Microsoft's TechNet forum tended to be erratic. Microsoft reps handily answered some questions from users. Yet other questions went unanswered, and in some casers, users got conflicting advice from different reps - or, at least, that's how they interpret the situation. "This page says you can only upgrade Vista to Win7 for the same edition. The main MS page says you can upgrade from any edition. Which is correct?" asked one confused user, B-C-S, in the TechNet forum.

In early sales, Windows 7 has been beating Vista by a wide margin. But does the company have enough customer support in place to handle the load?

To its credit, Microsoft is now providing some new support alternatives with Windows 7, including automated troubleshooters built into the OS, new "Fix Its" to supplement Microsoft Knowledge Base articles, support through Twitter, and a new Win 7 forum on Ask Microsoft. In the Ask Microsoft forum, Microsoft reps often answer questions within a matter of a few hours. Still, when a user is facing a critical system error, just about nothing in the customer support realm beats the immediacy of a phone call.

from pcworld

Windows 7: Seven Points of Imperfection part 1

Since its highly ballyhooed rollout near the end of October, Windows 7 has been applauded by many as Microsoft's best operating system yet. But no OS is perfect, and that goes for Windows 7.

Windows 7 is earning high marks from many users. People "will appreciate significant improvements in areas such as boot time, resume from sleep/hibernation and faster connections to networks," wrote one early user, Andre da Costa, on a Microsoft forum.

Also on the positive side, users are citing advantages such as much better disk performance, a more streamlined design, longer battery life, and out-of-the-box support for 3G wireless, for instance. The list goes on.

In fact, in a survey conducted by Technologizer's Harry McCracken, a PC World contributor, a sizable majority of more than 550 Windows 7 early adopters said they're "extremely satisfied" with the new OS.

So what's not to like about Windows 7? Although the widely publicized Windows "black screen of death" issue has turned out to be largely a bunch of FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt), Windows 7 does have its flaws.

Here's my personal list of seven points of imperfection in and around the new OS. Some of these - such as your need to learn a new user interface (UI), Windows 7's omission of Movie Maker, or its lack of support for older printers -- might or might not matter to you personally. But issues related to Windows 7 pricing,installation and customer support are more universal in scope.

#1. Windows 7 doesn't include certain earlier Windows components.

In the interests of reducing bloatware and improving performance, Windows 7 strips out components such as Windows Messenger, Movie Maker, and Live Mail, a program rolled out in 2007 to replace XP's Outlook Express and Vista's Windows Mail.

If you never use these components, you're not really going to care. You can always go ahead and add this software later, anyway. But if you're a long-time user of Windows Messenger, for example, and you don't know ahead of time that it's not supposed to be there, you might be a bit mystified as to where to find it.

#2. Windows 7 lacks support for older printers and other external devices.

With Microsoft now imposing a more stringent approval process for compatibility of external devices, drivers for a lot of devices aren't yet available for Windows 7 -- even six weeks after the release of the new OS. If you're among the many people who are stepping to a 64-bit version of Windows for the first time ever with Windows 7, you could face even worse problems around peripheral support.

Assuming that your PC hardware supports it, 64-bit Windows accommodates a lot more RAM. But like 64-bit Vista before it, 64-bit Win 7 requires drivers to be digitally signed for security reasons. So if you have a six-year-old laser printer or an aging Webcam you really want to hang on to, you might be out of luck.

#3. Windows 7 forces you to learn a new UI.

In creating Windows 7, Microsoft made a lot of tweaks to its previous UI, adding new features such as Jump Lists, One-Click WiFi, HomeGroup, and Device Stage, along with smaller UI enhancements like Aero Snap and Aero Shake.

I find some of these to be quite useful. HomeGroup, for example, makes it a lot easier to set up a home network. Device Stage helps you to manage external devices such as printers and phones. With Aero Snap, you can quickly resize windows on your desktop. But as with any software changes, there's some degree of a learning curve involved in getting used to the new tweaks. So if you're especially short on time right now, you might want to hold off on Windows 7 until you have more time to dabble.

Windows 7 black screen critical bug

A security firm that's developed a fix for the so-called "black screen of death" affecting Windows PCs said more than 50,000 users have downloaded the utility in just five days—an indication that the problem is widespread.

"Following the issue of our fix, which continues to receive significant downloads, we believe that this problem is still affecting a very large number of users in a very diverse range of Windows environments," said Prevx CEO and chief technology officer Mel Morris, in a blog post Wednesday.

"There have been more than 50,000 downloads of the free fix tool since we made it available 5 days ago," said Morris.

The black screen of death, or BSOD, occurs when users attempt to boot their PCs. In cases where the bug occurs, the user is faced with a black or blank screen and is forced to reboot. It has reportedly hit PCs running Windows 7, Vista, and Windows XP.

Prevx caused a hubbub earlier this week when it posted a blog indicating that the problem was caused by a recently issued Microsoft security patch. But the company later backtracked, stating the cause is still unknown and may be the result of malware or some other security breach.

"The emergence of this issue coincided with the recent set of Windows updates, therefore our investigations were focused on identifying if any of these could have been the cause of the problem," said Morris, in Wednesday's post.

"Regrettably, it is clear that our original blog post has been taken out of context and may have caused inconvenience for Microsoft. This was never our intention and we have already apologized to Microsoft," Morris wrote.

For its part, Microsoft insists it's not behind the BSOD glitch, but to date has not offered an explanation or a fix of its own.

"Microsoft has investigated reports that its November security updates made changes to permissions in the registry that are resulting in system issues for some customers," said a Microsoft spokesman.

Microsoft's Customer Service and Support organization is "not seeing 'black screen' behavior as a broad customer issue," the spokesman said.