Windows 8 keyboard shortcuts

Knowing at least some of the Windows 8 keyboard shortcuts helps make your Windows 8 experience much more enjoyable. Try to memorize these top Windows 8 shortcut keys.

• Press the Windows key to open the Start screen or switch to the Desktop (if open).
• Press the Windows key + D opens the Windows Desktop.
• Press the Windows key + . to pin and unpin Windows apps on the side of the screen.
• Press the Windows key + X to open the power user menu, which gives you access to many of the features most power users would want (e.g. Device Manager and Command Prompt).
• Press the Windows key + C to open the Charms.
• Press the Windows key + I to open the Settings, which is the same Settings found in Charms.
• Press and hold the Windows key + Tab to show open apps.
• Press the Windows key + Print screen to create a screen shot, which is automatically saved into your My Pictures folder.

Customize your tiles

Make the most of your Windows Start screen tiles by adjusting the sizes, where they are located, and what is listed.

• Move any tile by clicking and dragging the tile. While moving a tile, if you need a larger view of the Start screen move the tile towards the top or bottom of the screen to zoom out.
• Use your mouse wheel to scroll left-to-right through your tiles.
• Any Desktop shortcut or program can be pinned to the Start screen by right-clicking the icon and choosing Pin to Start.
• In the bottom right-hand corner of the start screen is a magnifying glass with tiles, click this icon to get a zoomed out view of your Start screen. In this view, if you right-click on a group of tiles you'll be given the option to name group, which can be useful if you have a group of related tiles (e.g. games). In this view, you can also click and drag a group to organize your tile groups.
• Create a new speed bump between tile groups by moving a tile to a speed bump.
• Resize any User tile or Live tile by right-clicking the tile and choosing resize.
• If there is a tile you want on your Taskbar, right-click the tile and choose Pin to taskbar.
• Show admin applications on the Start screen by clicking Settings in Charms, click Settings, and change the Show administrative tools from No to Yes.
• In Internet Explorer 10, you can also pin any of your favorite web pages to your Start Screen.

nstall Windows Essentials

Install missing Windows software by installing the free Windows Essentials software package. Windows Essentials includes: Windows Live Family Safety, Windows Live Mail, SkyDrive for Windows, Windows Movie Maker, Windows Photo Gallery, Windows Live Writer, and other programs.

Rename multiple files at once

To change the name of multiple files at once highlight all the files you want to rename in Windows Explorer and press the F2 key. Type in the new name you want to use for all files and press enter. Once done all files will be renamed to the name entered followed by a unique number.

Re-enable underlined keyboard shortcuts

By default, Windows 7 has the underlines for keyboard shortcuts like those shown in the picture. To re-enable these underlines in all Windows programs follow the steps below.

1. Open the Control Panel
2. In the Control Panel click Ease of Access
3. In Ease of Access click Change how your keyboard works
4. Finally, check the Underline keyboard shortcuts and access keys and then click Ok.

Use the Reliability and Performance Monitor

View the reliability history of your computer by using the Reliability Monitor. Click the Start orb and type reliability and press enter for View Reliability History. In the Reliability Monitor, you'll be able to view the overall reliability of your computer and be able to identify any past problems your computer has had.

If you want to view the performance of your computer in real time use the Performance Monitor. Click the Start orb and type performance and press enter for the Performance Monitor. In the Performance Monitor, you can view your computers performance in real time or view a log of your systems performance.

Enable and disable Windows 7 features

Turn on and off Windows features by clicking Start, typing features and press enter. In the Programs and Features window on the left-hand column click Turn Windows features on or off and in the Windows Features box check or uncheck the features y

ou want enabled or disabled.

Improve the quality of your text

Use the Windows ClearType Text Tuner to improve the overall quality of all text you read on your screen. To start the ClearType Text Tuner click the Start Orb and typecttune.exe and press Enter.

Customize the Notification area

Windows Vista and Windows 7 allow the Windows Notification area (aka Systray) to be modified. By default, many of the icons shown in the past are now hidden and give Windows a much cleaner look. Customize this area to make icons show or not show by clicking on the up arrow next to the icons and selecting Customize, as shown in the picture. Once in Customize you can choose what programs show, don't show, or only show notifications.

Take full advantage of the Taskbar

Pin programs to the Taskbar

All programs can be pinned to the Taskbar and allow easy access to your favorite programs without having to use the Start Menu. To Pin a program to the Taskbar right-click on the program or shortcut to the program and in the menu choose the Pin to Taskbar option. Alternatively you can also drag the icon to the Taskbar.

If you want to remove a pinned program, right-click on the Taskbar icon and clickUnpin this program from the Taskbar. Alternatively you can also drag the icon off of the task bar and then click Unpin this program from the Taskbar.

Move the icons and pinned programs

Any pinned or opened program on the Taskbar can be moved and arranged. Left-click on any icon on the Taskbar and drag it to the location you want it to remain.

Windows key and a number

Pressing the Windows key and a number on the top row of your keyboard open the window corresponding to the open program on your Taskbar. For example, in the picture below of the Windows 7 Taskbar, Firefox i the first icon, Control panel is the second icon, and Adobe Photoshop is the third icon. If the Windows key + 3 was pressed, Adobe Photoshop would become the active window. To make it even easier arrange your icons (as mentioned above) from left to right by most frequently opened.

Pin your favorite folder

If you frequently access the same folder (e.g. your favorites, my documents, Dropbox, etc.) pin the folder to the Windows Explorer icon on the Taskbar. To do this drag your favorite folder to the Taskbar until you see Pin to Windows Explorer. Once pinned, right-click the Explorer icon to access that folder under the Pinned section.

Open a second instance

If you want to open a second instance or window of a program that is already open, press and hold the Shift key and then click the program icon on the Taskbar.

Get to the Desktop

Click the Desktop button on the far right edge of the Taskbar to get to the Desktop.

Use the Windows 7 search

Find and run anything in Windows by using the Windows 7 search box. Click the Start orb or press then Windows key and type the name of the program you want to run or file you want to edit. Windows 7 does a good job at finding an exact match and simply pressing enter will execute that program or open that file. If more than one match is found, use the up and down arrow keys to select the file you want to open and then press Enter.

Running as administrator: Some programs may require administrator mode to function properly. If you'd like, you can run any program as administrator from the search box. To do this, type the name of the program you want to run into the search box, but do not press enter. Instead, press Ctrl+Shift+Enter. This shortcut runs the program as administrator. If you want to click and run a program as administrator hold down the Ctrl+Shift and then click the icon.

Top 10 Windows 8 tips and tricks

Update to Windows 8.1

Microsoft has released Windows 8.1, which is a free upgrade for anyone running Windows 8. This update addresses many of the problems users have had with Windows 8 and also adds a Start button. Visit Microsoft's Windows 8.1 page for the update.

Windows 7 keyboard shortcuts

Use the below Windows 7 keyboard shortcuts to make the most of your Windows 7 experience.

Windows key and the arrow keys

Pressing the Windows key and Left or Right arrow keys will dock the window your viewing to the left or right-hand side of the screen. Pressing the Windows key and the Up arrow will maximize a window and pressing the Windows key and the Down arrow will resize and then minimize the window.

Use Shift: To stretch a window vertically, press the Windows key + Shift + the Up arrow. If you have multiple monitors use the Windows key + Shift + the Left or Right arrow keys to move the window to another monitor.

Windows key and plus and minus keys

If you ever need to zoom in or out of what is being displayed on your screen press the Windows key and the + (plus) or - (minus) keys. Pressing the plus zooms in and once zoomed in the minus will zoom out.

Clear all background programs

If you are not viewing a window in full screen and have other windows open in the background clear all background open windows by pressing the Windows key + the Home key.

Internet Tips andt ricks

Make sure your browser and its plugins are up-to-date

An Internet browser can have many plugins that give it additional functionality. For example, Adobe Flash is a great way to bring movies and other animated content to the Internet. Keeping these plugins up-to-date is vital for your computer stability and also security. Using the below tool you can quickly verify if your plugins are up-to-date and get links to where to download the latest updates.

Internet Tips and tricks

Try alternative browsers

Most computer users use the default browser that comes included with the computer, with Microsoft Windows this is Internet Explorer. There are many great alternative browsers that are all free to download and use and may have features your current browser does not include. Below are a few of our favorites, try one or try them all.

• Google Chrome
• Mozilla Firefox
• Opera

Use Internet search engines to their full potential

Use Internet search engines to their full potential

Get the most out of every search result. If you are not finding what you want try surrounding the text in quotes. For example, searching for 'computer help' without quotes returns results with "computer" and "help" anywhere on the page. However, if you search for "computer help" with the quotes it only return pages with "computer" and "help" next to each other.

Tip: In every search box you can press enter instead of using the mouse to click the Search button.

Internet tips and tricks

You don't need the http:// portion of a web page

When entering an Internet address you do not need to type http:// or even www. in the address. For example, if you wanted to visit Computer Hope you could just type cup25.blogspot.com and press enter. To make things even quicker, if you are visiting a .com address you can type computerhope and then press Ctrl + Enter to type out the full http://www.cup25.blogspot.com address.

Internet browser shortcuts

There are dozens of different shortcut keys that can be used with Internet browsers. Below are a few of our top suggested Internet browser shortcuts.

• Press Alt + D or Ctrl + L to move the cursor into the address bar.
• Hold down the Ctrl key and press the + or -to increase and decrease the size of text. Ctrl + 0 will reset the text.
• Press the backspace key or press Alt key + left arrow to go back a page.
• Press F5 or Ctrl + R to refresh or reload a web page.
• Press F11 to make the Internet browser screen full screen. Press F11 again to return to the normal view.
• Press Ctrl + B to open your Internet bookmarks.
• Press Ctrl + F to open the find box to search for text within the web page you are reading.

Internet tips and tricks

Quickly move between the fields of a web page

If you are filling out an on-line form, e-mail, or other text field you can quickly move between each of the fields by pressing the Tab key or Shift + Tab to move back a field. For example, in the example form below you can click in the "First Name" field type anything and press tab to switch to the next field.

Example Form

First Name: 
Last Name: 
E-mail: 

Tip: This tip also applies to buttons, if you press tab the buttons can also be highlighted. Once a button is highlighted press the space bar or enter to push the button.

Tip: With a drop-down box that lists dozens of options you can press the first letter to scroll down to that letter. For example, click the drop down box below and then press "u" to quickly scroll to Utah.

 State... None -- UNITED STATES -- Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming -- CANADA -- Alberta British Columbia Manitoba New Brunswick Newfoundland and Labrador Northwest Territories Nova Scotia Nunavut Ontario Prince Edward Island Quebec Saskatchewan Yukon Territory -- AUSTRALIA -- Australian Capital Territory New South Wales Northern Territory Queensland South Australia Tasmania Victoria Western Australia 

Bonus Tip: You can also use the auto fill feature to fill in common form fields.

Internet tips and tricks

Take advantage of tabbed browsing

Take full advantage of tabbed browsing on all Internet browsers. While reading an article or browsing a website, you may come across a link that interests you. Any link to another page can be opened in a new tab so it does not interrupt your reading. To perform this action, hold down the Ctrl key and left-click the link. If you have a mouse with a wheel, click the link by depressing the wheel instead of rolling it. Either of the methods opens a link in a new window.

Tip: To open an new blank tab, press Ctrl + T at the same time

Printer Cleaning

Cleaning the outside of a printer can help keep the printer's appearance looking good and if used by many different people keep the printer clean of germs.

Procedure: First, make sure to turn off the printer before cleaning it. Dampen a cloth with water or rubbing alcohol and wipe the case and each of the buttons or knobs on the printer. As mentioned earlier, never spray any liquid directly onto the printer.

Some printers require the inside to be cleaned to help keep the printer running smoothly.

Motherboard Cleaning

Why? Dust and especially particles of cigarette smoke can build up and corrode circuitry causing various problems such as computer lockups.

Caution: When inside the computer take the necessary ESD precautions and try to avoid unplugging any cables or other connections.

Procedure: Our recommendation when cleaning the motherboard from dust, dirt, or hair is to use compressed air. When using compressed air, hold it in the upright position to prevent any of the chemicals from coming out of the container, which may damage or corrode the motherboard or other components. Also, ensure when using compressed air that you always blow the dust or dirt away from the motherboard, or out of the case.

Another good alternative to compressed air is a portable battery powered vacuum. Portable vacuum's can effectively remove the dust, dirt, and hair from the motherboard completely and prevent it from getting trapped within the case.

Warning: Never use an electricity powered vacuum as it can cause lots of static electricity that can damage the computer. When using a vacuum keep it a couple inches away from the motherboard and all other components to prevent damage and anything from being sucked into the vacuum (e.g. jumpers or small cables).

Tip: When cleaning the inside of the case also look at any fans or heat sinks. Dust, dirt, and hair can collect around these components the most.

Monitor Cleaning

Why? Dirt, dust, and fingerprints can cause the computer screen to be difficult to read.

Procedure: A glass monitor screen can be cleaned with ordinary household glass cleaner. Be sure to remove power from the monitor and spray the cleaner onto a lint-free cloth so the fluid does not leak into the electrical components inside the monitor. Vacuum off any dust that has settled on top of the monitor, and make sure no books or papers are covering the air vents. Obstructed monitor vents can cause the monitor to overheat or even catch on fire.

Caution: We suggest only using a cloth dampened with water when cleaning non-glass monitors or any anti-glare screens. Using ordinary household glass cleaner on special screens, especially cleaners with ammonia can remove anti-glare protection or other special surfaces.

Other good cleaning solutions

• Microfiber Towels
• Swiffer Dusters

Keyboard Cleaning

Dust, dirt, and bacteria

The computer keyboard is usually the most germ infected items in your home or office. A keyboard may even contain more bacteria than your toilet seat. Cleaning it helps remove any dangerous bacteria and keeps the keyboard working properly.

Procedure: Before cleaning the keyboard first turn off the computer or if you are using a USB keyboard unplug it. Not unplugging the keyboard can cause other computer problems as you may press keys that cause the computer to perform a task you do not want it to perform.

Many people clean the keyboard by turning it upside down and shaking. A more efficient method is to use compressed air. Compressed air is pressurized air contained in a can with a very long nozzle. To clean a keyboard using compressed air aim between the keys and blow away all of the dust and debris that has gathered there. A vacuum cleaner can also be used, but make sure the keyboard does not have loose "pop off" keys can be sucked up by the vacuum.

If you want to clean the keyboard more extensively, remove the keys from the keyboard.

After the dust, dirt, and hair has been removed. Spray a disinfectant onto a cloth or use disinfectant cloths and rub each of the keys on the keyboard. As mentioned in our general cleaning tips, never spray any liquid onto the keyboard.

Substance spilt into the keyboard

If the keyboard has anything spilt on it (e.g. pop, cola, Pepsi, Coke, beer, wine, coffee, and milk), not taking the proper steps can destroy the keyboard.

Procedure: Below are recommendations that can help prevent a keyboard from becoming bad after something has spilt into the keys.

If anything is spilt onto the keyboard turn the computer off immediately or at the very least disconnect the keyboard from the computer. Once done flip the keyboard over to prevent the substance from penetrating circuits. While the keyboard is upside down, shake the keyboard over a surface that can be cleaned later. While still upside down, use a cloth to start cleaning the keys. After cleaned leave the keyboard upside down for at least one night allowing it to dry. Once dry, continue cleaning the keyboard with any remaining substance.

If after cleaning the keyboard keys are sticking, remove the keys and clean below the keys and the bottom portion of the key.

Finally, if the keyboard still works but remains dirty or sticky before discarding the keyboard as a last resort try washing the keyboard in the dishwasher.

LCD Cleaning

Why? Dirt, dust, and fingerprints can cause the computer screen to be difficult to read.

Procedure: Unlike a computer monitor, the LCD or flat-panel

When cleaning the LCD screen it is important to remember to not spray any liquids onto the LCD directly, press gently while cleaning, and do not use a paper towel since it scratches the LCD.

To clean the LCD screen use a non-rugged microfiber cloth, soft cotton cloth, or Swiffer duster. If a dry cloth does not completely clean the screen, you can apply rubbing alcohol to the cloth and wipe the screen with a damp cloth. Rubbing alcohol is used to clean the LCD before it leaves the factory.

CD and DVD Disc Cleaning

Why? Dirty CDs can cause read errors or cause CDs to not work at all.

Procedure: Use a cleaning kit or damp clean cotton cloth to clean CDs, DVDs, and other discs. When cleaning a disc wipe against the tracks, starting from the middle of the CD or DVD and wiping towards the outer side as shown in the picture below. Never wipe with the tracks; doing so may put more scratches on the disc.

CD-ROM, DVD, and Other Disc Drive Cleaning

Why? A dirty CD-ROM drive or other disc drives can cause

read errors when reading discs. These read errors could cause software installation issues or issues while running the program.

Procedure: To clean the CD-ROM drive we recommend purchasing a CD-ROM cleaner from your local computer retailer. Using a CD-ROM cleaner should sufficiently clean the CD-ROM laser from dust, dirt, and hair.

You can also use a cloth dampened with water to clean the tray that ejects from the drive. However, make sure that after the tray is cleaned that it completely dry before putting the tray back into the drive.

Cleaning The Computer Case

We are still seeing how to clean our Computer 

Why? Cleaning your case keeps the appearance of the computer looking new. While cleaning, if you see ventilation slots, these can be cleaned or cleared to help keep a steady airflow into the computer and keep all components cool.

Procedure: The plastic case that houses the PC components can be cleaned with a slightly damp lint-free cloth. For stubborn stains, add a little household detergent to the cloth. You should not use a solvent cleaner on plastics.

Make sure all vents and air holes are hair and lint free by rubbing a cloth over the holes and vents. It is also helpful to take a vacuum around each of the hole, vents, and crevices on the computer. It is safe to use a standard vacuum when cleaning the outside vents of a computer.

Cleaning Tools

Although computer cleaning products are available, you can also use household items to clean your computers and peripherals. Below is a listing of items you may need or want to use while cleaning your computer. Cloth - A cotton cloth is the best tool used when rubbing down computer components. Paper towels can be used with most hardware, but we always recommend using a cloth whenever possible. However, only use a cloth when cleaning components such as the case, a drive, mouse, and keyboard. You should not use a cloth to clean any circuitry such as the RAM or motherboard. Water or rubbing alcohol - When moistening a cloth, it is best to use water or rubbing alcohol. Other solvents may be bad for the plastics used with your computer. Portable Vacuum - Sucking the dust, dirt, hair, cigarette particles, and other particles out of a computer can be one of the best methods of cleaning a computer. However, do not use a vacuum that plugs into the wall since it creates lots of static electricity that can damage your computer. Cotton swabs - Cotton swaps moistened with rubbing alcohol or water are excellent tools for wiping hard to reach areas in your keyboard, mouse, and other locations. Foam swabs - Whenever possible, it is better to use lint-free swabs such as foam swabs.

How to clean your computer

Please follow these steps 1. Never spray or squirt any liquid onto any computer component. If a spray is needed, spray the liquid onto a cloth. 2. You can use a vacuum to suck up dirt, dust, or hair around the computer. However, do not use a vacuum inside your computer as it generates static electricity that can damage your computer. If you need to use a vacuum inside your computer, use a portable battery powered vacuum or try compressed air. 3. When cleaning a component or the computer, turn it off before cleaning. 4. Be cautious when using any cleaning solvents; some people have allergic reactions to chemicals in cleaning solvents, and some solvents can even damage the case. Try always to use water or a highly diluted solvent. 5. When cleaning, be careful to not accidentally adjust any knobs or controls. Also, when cleaning the back of the computer, if anything is connected make sure not to disconnect the plugs. 6. When cleaning fans, especially smaller fans, hold the fan or place something in- between the fan blades to prevent it from spinning. Spraying compressed air into a fan or cleaning a fan with a vacuum may cause damage or generate a back voltage. 7. Never eat or drink around the computer. 8. Limit smoking around the computer.

Cleaning the computer and its components

We wish you A Happy Week and this week delegate for your computer hygiene . Cleaning your computer, components, and peripherals help keep everything in good working condition and helps prevent germs from spreading. The picture shows a good example of just how dirty the inside of your computer case can get. In this example, it is obvious that all the dust and dirt is going to prevent proper air flow and may even prevent the fan from working.

Safety Tips

• DOES YOUR COMPUTER HAVE ANTI-VIRUS 
• IS'T UPDATED VERY MONTH 

Here are some of the Best Anti-virus Google them .

1. Bitdefender 
2. Avira 
3. Avast 
4. Avg
5. Norton
6. Escan 
7. Mcafee
8. Kaspersky
9. F-secure 

Make sure your computer has one of above anti-virus and always updated very month ,

this will keep your computer free from risk .

How to Keep Your Laptop from Overheating

1. Get a program to keep track of your temperature. Several are available.
2. Stop overclocking. If you overclock your compute, it will be hotter than usual. If you didn't do it, you don't need to underclock since that will make your computer lag.
3. Lower the Maximum Processor states. Note, this is for Windows only. You might be able to do this on Mac but Windows is easier. Click the battery, choose more power option. Change plan settings for the one you use, then click Advanced power settings. Click processor power management, then maximum, processor states. Set both to around 70-90%. (80% is recommended).
4. Lower the brightness. This works well!