Mark Livschitz tipped me off to an excellent and hidden feature of the Quick Launch toolbar, which typically appears as a list of shortcut icons to the right of the Start button. It turns out you can access the shortcuts in the Quick Launch toolbar using hidden keyboard shortcuts. The first shortcut (Show desktop in the shot below) is triggered by tapping WINKEY + 1, the second by tapping WINKEY + 2, and so on.

Resizing desktop icons with the mouse

This was probably the most popular tip, so thanks to the many people who wrote in about this one: In the last Tips article, I mentioned that Vista supports three default sizes for desktop icons, compared to just one in previous Windows versions. But it's actually quite a bit better than that if you know the secret: Using the scroll wheel on your mouse, it's possible in Vista to revolve through a whopping 28 icon sizes, some of which are quite large. So if you really want to customize your desktop, this is the way to go: Click the desktop, hold down the CTRL key and start scrolling with your mouse's scroll wheel. Amazing.

More keyboard shortcuts

Manjit Cheema tells me that WINKEY+SPACE will bring Windows Sidebar to the forefront; this is especially useful if you've used Show Desktop and Sidebar is hidden. Also, holding down the CTRL key while you click the Maximize window button in Internet Explorer 7 causes that app to maximizee without any window chrome, just as if you'd tapped F11.

By Mark Joseph Edwards

Vista's User Account Control (UAC) helps defend your system against all sorts of malware.

This week, I discuss whether or not it's a good idea to disable UAC and explain how to disable it, if you want to. (Note: Fred Langa is taking the week off and will return in the next newsletter.)

Is disabling Vista's User Account Control wise?

If you use Vista, then you're probably aware that it has a new security feature called User Account Control (UAC). This feature enables you log in as a regular user without administrator privileges (which is a more secure way of using your computer), but quickly elevate your privileges when a program needs greater access to your computer than is allowed for a regular user account.

Overall, UAC is a good feature. But some people find it to be bothersome, due to the prompts that appear, asking if you want to elevate a program's privileges. So, the question arises whether or not to disable UAC. If you do disable it, and then log in with an account that has administrator privileges, you need to be aware that your system is less protected than it would be if you had left UAC enabled.

The reason this is true is because many forms of malware typically try to create or modify Registry keys and Windows system files. They might also try to write files to areas of the system where a regular user account would not normally write files. With UAC enabled, actions that require administrator-level access are prohibited unless you specifically allow them by approving a UAC prompt.

Keep in mind that while UAC does help prevent many forms of malware from infecting your system, malware can still find its way in to your system even with UAC enabled. UAC simply protects the system from actions that would normally require administrator-level access. So, it's a good idea to leave it enabled.

On the other hand, if you consider yourself to be somewhat of an expert at protecting your computer, then disabling UAC and running as admin may be something you'd be comfortable with. After all, if you've used Windows for years and have yet to experience a serious infiltration of your system by some type of malware, then it's possible that you can continue in that way without UAC.

Keep in mind that if you share your computer with other people who have their own user accounts, you can disable UAC but it might break usability for other user accounts. Woody Leonard pointed out to me that when UAC is disabled via the Control Panel for one user account, other regular user accounts are no longer able to elevate their privileges. A regular user account can't even change Vista's system time, unless UAC is available so the user can authorize the change. Disabling UAC isn't good if you have other regular user accounts for people who share your computer.

Instead of disabling UAC using the Control Panel, a better approach might be to use an account with administrator-level access as your usual user login account, and then disable UAC only for accounts that have administrator-level access. That way, your user account won't be subject to UAC prompts, but other user accounts will be.

On any version of Vista, except Home Basic and Home Premium, you can disable UAC for administrator accounts by following these steps:

Step 1. Click the Start button and launch the Local Security Policy editor by entering secpol.msc in the Search box.

Step 2. Select the Local Policies item in the left panel to expand the tree, then expand Security Options under Local Policies.

Step 3. Scroll down the list in the right panel to locate User Account Control: Behavior of the elevation prompt for administrators in Admin Approval Mode. Right-click that item and choose Properties.

Step 4. Select Elevate without prompting and close the dialog.

If you use Vista Home Basic or Home Premium, the Local Security Policy editor, unfortunately, isn't included. To disable UAC for administrator accounts, you'll need to edit the Registry. Follow these steps to do that - and be extremely careful, since mistakes could render your system unusable!

Step 1. Click Start and enter regedit in the Search box to launch the Registry Editor.

Step 2. Navigate to the following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Policies \ System

Step 3. Double-click the ConsentPromptBehaviorAdmin item.

Step 4. Change the value to 00000000.

Step 5. Close the dialog and exit the Registry Editor.

That's all there is to it!

One of the new features that you will immediately notice in Vista is User Account Control or UAC. It is designed to prevent unauthorized changes to your computer. Each time you attempt to perform a task that requires administrative rights, a dialog box appears prompting you for permission.

User Account Control can be enabled or disabled through User Accounts and Family Safety within the Control Panel. You can further configure the behavior of UAC through the local computer policy.

Click the Local Computer Policy and navigate to the following location: Local Computer Policy\Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\Security Options. In the list of policy settings, scroll to the bottom. You will see a list of settings for controlling the behavior of User Account Control on the local computer.

Like previous versions of Windows, Vista maintains a list of your recently opened files on the Start Menu. This is supposed to give you quick access to the files that you most recently opened. Some users however, may not want others knowing what files they are working on and feel it is a breach of privacy. Vista does give you the option of disabling this feature so users can maintain their privacy.

The version of Vista that gets installed depends on the product key that you enter. This means a single Vista CD can be used to install the various editions. One question that immediately arises then is "how can I upgrade my existing version of Vista to a version that has more features?".

Vista's Startup Repair Tool

Users often think that the best and easiest way to get rid of start up problems is to simply reinstall the operating system. However, this is time consuming especially when you have to restore data and reinstall your favorite applications. A lot of times, but not all, the problem is as simple as replacing a file or altering a setting. This is where Windows Vista's Startup Repair Tool can help.

The Startup Repair Tool is designed to detect operating system startup problems. If one is detected, it automatically launches a troubleshooter that will attempt to resolve the problem with little to no user intervention. The Startup Repair Tool can repair problems such as:

Q:
You promised in yesterday's newsletter that you would go over some more of the new features in Vista and I wanted to make sure you were going to hold true to that. I'm very interested in learning as much as I can about the new operating system, so any information you can provide would be great.

A:
You are absolutely correct! I did promise that and even though you don't know me very well, I can tell you that I never break promises. As you read above in today's quick tip, Windows Vista has been released and it is on the shelves ready for sale. I'm guessing that several people are going to run right out and get the new operating system, but I'm also willing to bet that some of you are still a little apprehensive about the whole thing. Am I right? Yeah, I thought I might be.

So, I'm here today to try and ease your mind a little. Yesterday, I told you all about the new Aero interface that is being used with Vista. That's a pretty cool thing, but it's not the only thing Vista is offering. There are so many more new features and options, it's incredible. I'm going to go over a few more of these with you, so sit back, relax and come on a Vista journey with me!

The first thing I thought I would tell you about is Vista's Performance. Microsoft has added a new technology to Vista that will help your computer to be more responsive while you are going through your daily tasks. It also has an advanced startup performance, which will help all the Vista PCs to get up and going much faster. There is also a better balance between memory devices, etc. that will help all of your programs to run more smoothly and efficiently. Microsoft has even thought about how your computer will be as it ages. As your computer gets older, the features in Vista are designed to work together to make your PC work just as good as it did the day you brought it home.

The next category I would like to tell you about is under the name of Search and Organization. The features for this in Vista will help all computer users quickly and easily locate files, e-mails and any other documents, etc. stored on their computer. With the new file searcher , if you remember any kind of detail about it whatsoever (when it was created, what type of file it is, what it contains, etc.), you will easily be able to find it in a matter of seconds. There are brand new ways to keep all of that data organized as well.

Another great feature is called the Self-healing System. Built in to Vista are ways to keep your computer from failing on you as easily as it may have in the past. Vista is reliable in detecting and resolving many known problems that may have caused you previous trouble. The best thing about this is that it requires hardly any effort on your part! And if by some chance Vista cannot figure out the problem on its own, it will provide you with a list of troubleshooting techniques that you can try out yourself. How cool is that?!

The next feature I'd like to tell you about is called SuperFetch. This wonderful option helps all of your programs to load up much faster than they normally would. SuperFetch will also run automatic backups and antivirus scans for you when you're not actively using your computer. It does that so it will not disturb you too much. This feature will also monitor which programs you use the most and it will preload them into your system memory so they will be readily available when you need them.

Another perk of Windows Vista falls under the name of User Account Control. This feature happens to enhance the security of your computer accounts. The Controls will prevent any dangerous software from making unknown changes to your system. That is, unless you give it consent to do so. This option works with the Windows Defender program and the Internet Explorer 7 Web browser to heighten your safety even more. It will help keep viruses, spyware and other types of malware off your computer as well. This is just the beginning of what the User Account Control feature will do for you and you can't complain about that!

Okay, this is going to be the last one I'm going to tell you about, because I'm starting to run out of room. This one is more on the fun side of Vista and it's called the Windows Calendar. With this calendar, you will be able to manage all of your activities in an easy to understand format. The Windows Calendar is a great tool for planning all of your activities, as well as, keeping track of other people's schedules along the way. Everything you need for your daily events can be found on your PC each morning and you will never be unorganized again!

Now, of course, those are just a few of the new features that come along with Vista. I mean, Microsoft really has thought of everything with this one. There's new parental controls, a photo gallery option, remote access, a Sync Center, a Welcome Center and even a complete PC backup and restore utility.

Also, keep in mind that some of these features only work in certain versions of Vista. You will have to read through a description of the version you get to see what all is offered. But, either way you look at it, all the new features are great and your Vista experience will be so much better because of them. Yes!

Vista's Parental Controls (Part I)

When you install Vista you also get the latest version of Microsoft's Web browser. As you will see when you start poking around Internet Explorer 7, the browser has many security-related features and tools that are designed to secure your computer when connected to the Internet. One such tool, which is only available in the version of Internet Explorer that is included with Vista, is the Parental Controls.

Parental Controls is designed for parents to stop children from visiting inappropriate Web sites. However, it is also a feature that businesses can take advantage of to prevent against unacceptable Web usage.

You can configure Parental Controls from the Content tab within the Internet Options window. It is also accessible through the Vista Control Panel.

To start configuring Parental Controls, click the Parental Controls button on the Internet Option's Content tab. The Parental Controls window will appear, listing all the user accounts configured on the computer. Select the Standard User account that you want to setup Parental Controls for.

Under Parental Controls, click the On, enforce current settings option. Once enabled, you will be able to control settings for the following areas:

Web Restrictions
Parental Controls lets you restrict what Web sites a standard user account can visit. You can also block Web sites based on the content. This is useful for businesses that want to control the type of Web content employees can access from their workgroup computers.

Under Windows Settings, click the Vista Web Filter option to begin setting up Web restrictions.

The Web Restrictions window will permit you to configure the following settings:

Select Edit the Allow and block list link to specify which specific sites users can and cannot visit. Type in the URL of the specific Web site and click either the Allow or the Block button. You also have the option of blocking access to all sites except those on the Allow list you create. For example, you can create a list of work related Web sites and block access to all other sites by selecting the Only Allow Web sites which are on the allow list option.

Time Limits
Parental Controls lets you set time limits to specify when a user is allowed to log on to the computer. For example, to ensure employees are not logging on to the computers after business hours, you can set a time limit from 8 AM to 6 PM. After 6 PM, users will automatically be logged off.

From the Time Restrictions window, click and drag the hours that you want to allow or block. Different logon hours can be set up for different days of the week.

In the next installment of this article, I'll show you how to prevent users from playing games and limiting access to programs.

Vista's Parental Controls (Part II)

In the previous installment of this article, you learned how to use Parental Controls to set Web and time restrictions. Now we'll look at how you can use this tool to prevent users from playing games and using certain programs.

Games
Chances are you will not want your users playing games during business hours. Parental Controls lets you block any game on the computer or control the types of games that can be played.

To prevent a user from playing any games, click the No option. If you opt to let users play games, they can be blocked by rating or content types. Games can also be blocked by name. Select the Block or Allow specific games link to control specific games a user can or cannot play. For example, if you discover a user is spending business hours playing Solitaire, select Always Block to prevent the user from being allowed to play it.

Programs
Parental Controls lets you control what programs a user has access to. By default, a user will have access to all programs installed on the computer. You can select the individuals programs that a user is allowed to use. All the programs installed on the computer will be listed. Check each program that you want the user to have access to. All other programs will be blocked.

Note: Be careful not to block access to a program that a user requires to perform their job function.

Monitoring Activity
A very handy feature of Parental Controls in Vista is that it monitors activity and generates reports. When you select the View activity reports link, you will be presented with a summary of activity for the user account. It will provide you with information such as the top 10 Web sites visited by the user, their logon times, any games they have played and so on.

Along with user account activity, the Parental Controls reporting feature provides a report on general system activity. For example, the report will tell you when changes have been made to the system, the date and time of the change and who performed the action. Parental Controls reports on the following general system activities:

Activity reporting is a handy feature, if you remember to view the reports on a regular basis. You can configure Vista to remind you to view the reports on a weekly or daily basis.

User Accounts In Vista (Part I)

Creating user accounts is a snap with Vista. It is definitely something you should know how to do if you share your computer with other individuals. All of the user account tasks are grouped under the User Accounts and Family Safety option in the Control Panel. Conversely, user accounts can also be managed through the Computer Management console. Once you open this tool, the process for creating a user account is quite similar to that in Windows XP.

When you create the new user account you will notice four account options at the bottom of the dialog box. The account options you select will depend on your computer practices. For example, most people will assign the user account a password when it's first created and then have the user change it, coming up with their own password the first time they log on. In any case, the available options are summarized below:

User Accounts In Vista (Part II)

In Part I of this series you learned how to create a user account in Vista. You're next step is to become familiar with the different settings that can be configured through the properties window for a user account.

Every user account has a set of configurable properties. Right clicking on a user account within the Computer Management console brings up a dialog box with three tabs. From the properties window you can configure properties such as account options, group membership and user profiles.

Once you make the necessary changes to the user account, click OK. The change will be applied the next time the user logs on with that account.

User Accounts In Vista (Part III)

Part II of this series, I outlined the three tabs available from the properties dialog box for a user account. The three tabs include: General, Member Of and Profile. Since the Profile tab has settings that are often overlooked, we'll now take a close look at them.

The Profile tab allows you to configure the path to the user profile. For those of you who are not familiar with what a user profile is, here is a perfect example that I'm sure most can relate to. Two users share the same computer. One user prefers the Windows default background and the other prefers backgrounds downloaded from the Internet. So what permits each user to retain their preferences on a single computer? Of course, as I'm sure you've already guessed, the answer is user profiles.

By default profiles are stored on a local computer. What happens though for users who move between multiple workstations? They can configure their settings on each local computer or the easier solution is to use roaming profiles. This way the profiles can be stored on a central computer making the profiles available on any computer in the domain. This is where the Profile tab comes in. Once you've created a share on a central computer to hold the profiles, use the Profiles tab under the account properties and type in the path to the shared folder.

Display Logon Message In Vista

You can configure your computer to display a message to users who are attempting to log on. For example, you may want to a message to appear that only users with valid user names and passwords are permitted to logon.

Malware Protection In Vista (Part I)

Malware is any program or file that is intended to be harmful to your computer. Microsoft has become more dedicated in protecting computers against malware attacks as in evident in the release of Vista.

Vista includes several technologies, that when used together, enhance protection against various forms of malware. These technologies include:

User Account Control
User Account Control (UAC) is the feature that enables Vista to be able to run more reliably without giving the user local admin rights to the system. This does result in some additional dialog boxes and warnings that pop up for users but in the end it reduces the damage that malware can do to a computer.

User Account Control is enabled by default in Vista. Microsoft recommends leaving it enabled to protect against the installation of malicious software. The Security Center will indicate whether UAC is turned on.

Further to enabling/disabling this feature, you can control the behavior of UAC through the local computer policy. Open the Local Computer Policy and navigate to the following locations: Local Computer Policy \ Computer Configuration \ Windows Settings \ Security Settings \ Local Policies \ Security Options. The following settings can be used to control UAC:

User Account Control: Admin Approval Mode for the Built-in Administrator Account.

The default value for the UAC policy setting is Disabled for new installations and upgrades when the built-in Administrator is not the only active local administrator account on the computer.

User Account Control: Behavior of the elevation prompt for administrators in Admin Approval Mode.

This security setting determines the type of prompt an admin-level user will receive when they attempt to perform an admin-level task. The default value is Prompt for Consent. You can increase security by setting the value to Prompt for Credentials. Doing so means the admin-level user will need to enter their admin-level username and password.

This security setting determines the type of prompt a standard user will receive when they attempt to perform an admin-level task. The default value is Prompt for Credentials.

You can increase security by setting the value to Automatically deny elevation requests. Standard users will then have to perform admin-level tasks using the Run command or by logging in with an admin-level account.

In the next installment of this article, we'll look at how Windows Defender and the Malicious Software Removal tool work to protect your computer against malware.

Malware Protection In Vista (Part II)

In the first installment of this article, we looked at the User Account Control feature in Vista and how it protects against malware. Now we'll look at two additional tools: Windows Defender and the Malicious Software Removal tool.

Windows Defender
Windows Defender is a spyware scanning application that looks for potential threats and shuts them down and alerts you when applications engage in suspicious activities. Windows Defender is configured to scan your computer every day at 2:00 AM. This schedule should be changed if the scan cannot be performed at this time.

You should enable the Check for updated definitions before scanning option. This is your best bet for ensuring the software is up-to-date with the latest definitions. Otherwise you must be diligent enough to manually check for updates on a regular basis.

Note: Windows Defender should be used in conjunction with third party anti-virus software.

There are several settings within the Local Computer Policy for controlling how Windows Defender behaves. The settings you configure will be specific to your requirements of your computing environment.

For example, if WSUS is used to deploy updates to Windows Defender, you should consider enabling the Turn on definition updates through both WSUS and Windows Update. In the event that the WSUS server in your environment is unavailable, Vista will use Windows Update to check for new definitions.

Malicious Software Removal Tool
Even with the appropriate security measures in plan, there is still the risk that an instance of malware can go undetected by your anti-virus software or even disable it. The Malicious Software Removal Tool is designed for such situations. When the tool is run, it detects and removes any malicious software it finds on your computer.

Although the tool is not necessary if you are running up-to-date anti-virus software, it does provide another layer of protection. The tool is installed with Vista and is available as a free download for Windows XP. You can locate the tool by typing mrt.exe in the Search field on the Start menu.

With a Full scan, the entire system is checked for malware. You should perform a Full scan every once in a while but be advised that it can take up to a few hours depending on your system. Finally, you can opt to perform a Custom scan and choose the folders or areas of your computer that you want the Malicious Software Removal Tool to scan. The results of the scan will indicate whether any malicious software was found on your computer.

In the last installment of this article, we'll look at how Software Restriction Policies, Internet Explorer and the Windows Firewall work to protect your computer against malware.

Malware Protection In Vista (Part III)

The second installment of this article described how Windows Defender and the Malicious Software Removal tool protect your computer. Vista does not stop there and includes several other features that are designed to protect your computer.

Software Restriction Policies
Software Restriction Policies are yet another way that you can protect your computer from malware. You can use them to control what software users can run on a computer and prevent certain executables from running.

Internet Explorer
Internet Explorer has its own set of security options that can be used in conjunction with the other technologies discussed to protect your computer. IE7 in Vista now operates in a quarantined corner of the operating systems, where it can no longer allow spyware, adware, and various malware threats to have an open door into the throne room.

Protected Mode is enabled from the Internet Options window's Security tab. This feature prevents malicious users from changing any files or settings without your explicit permission. It is enabled by default for all security zones, except the Trusted Site zone.

IE 7 protects against phishing scams through the Phishing Filter. It is designed to protect against phony Web sites that attempt to gather personal information about you when you are online. The tool requires little to no configuration. Once it is enabled through the Internet Properties window, it will run in the background without your intervention.

Windows Firewall
The Windows Firewall is a crucial component of your defense strategy. This is becoming more and more important as people store personal information on their computers such as bank account numbers, credit card data, tax information, and so on.

By implementing a firewall, you can close the door to your local computer and private network so intruders cannot get in, but you can still get out. The Windows Firewall with Advanced Security allows you to filter both inbound and outbound traffic.

In Vista, the firewall is now more advanced because it lets you create and apply specialized rules depending on the type of network you are connected to. Windows Firewall with Advanced Security supports three different profiles that are based on three common environments: Domain, Public and Private. The profile that you apply will be based on the network you are connected to. If you connect your computer directly to a Public network such as the Internet, the Public profile should be applied.

Saving searches in Vista

Question: I like Vista's new search feature. It makes things on my computer so easy to find. I've heard that you can save your searches. But I don't understand how you do this. Can you help me out?

Answer: Instant Search is one of my favorite new features in Vista. You're right -- it makes finding things a snap.

For those who aren't familiar with Instant Search, let me explain. You'll find it at the bottom of the Start menu.

Instant Search will search your e-mail, documents and Internet history. It will even find programs for you! This is surprisingly convenient if you have many programs cluttering your Start menu.

It's true that you can save your searches. But you'll have to do so from Windows Explorer or the new Search Explorer. And before you save them, you have to create them. So, let's start there.

Go to either Windows Explorer (Start>>All Programs>>Accessories>> Windows Explorer) or Search Explorer. To open Search Explorer, click Start. Type "search" (minus the quotes) in the Instant Search box. On the results list, click Start Search.

In either window, enter your search term in the Search box. The results are updated as you type. Included in the menu bar is a Save Search button.

Instant Search includes advanced options. But it is a bit clunky. The advanced options are pretty well hidden.

To find them, click Search Tools>>Search Pane. This opens another menu bar. Options there allow you to limit your search to a few types of files. There's also a link for Advanced Search. Click it.

The pane expands to provide more options. You can limit search results to specific folders or a range of dates. Also, you can search tags you've added to your music and photos, among other search options.

You probably will want to apply advanced search options before saving a search. Otherwise, you'll have too much stuff in the results.

So, let's save the search, already! Click Save Search on the toolbar. Enter a name for your search. You can also use the navigational tools to select your save location. By default, Vista stores it in a special search folder. Click Save.

You can update the search results whenever you like. Double-click it to run it again.

By default, Vista saves searches to the Searches folder. You can save it elsewhere (the desktop or Documents, for instance) if you like. I'll assume you're saving it in the Searches folder.

To find your search, click Start and enter the name of the search in Instant Search. If you can't remember the name of the search, go to Windows Explorer. The Searches folder is listed in the left pane. Click it. The list of searches will appear in the right pane.

Instant Search is included with all versions of Vista. But other features are specific to certain versions. To learn more about what's in each edition of Vista, visit my site.

Sites like Wikipedia and MySpace are popular because anybody can contribute. But do they pose dangers? Tune in to this weekend's Kim Komando Show. I'll give you the lowdown on these open-door sites. Visit my site to find out how you can listen to my three-hour radio show or my Digital Minute, which airs Monday through Friday.

Check Boxes For Files

When you need to perform an action to multiple files, you can hold down the CTRL key and select the each individual file. An alternate method, if the files are in consecutive order, is to select the first file, hold down the SHIFT key and select the last file. Sounds easy enough? If you goof up though, you need to start all over.

Windows Vista makes it much easier to select multiple files because it lets you place check boxes next to files. To enable this feature, open Windows Explorer and select Folder Options from the Tools menu (If you do not see the Tools menu, press the ALT key). From the Folder Options window, select the View tab. Under the Advanced Settings, scroll down to the bottom of the list and select the Use Check Boxes To Select Items option. Click OK.

Q:
I've been using Internet Explorer 7 for quite some time now and I think I'm getting pretty good at working my way through it. So, I was wondering if there were any keyboard shortcuts you knew about that I could start using? I'm ready to make my IE 7 time even easier!

A:
That's the perfect attitude to have! Yes, it's hard to get used to new things (Web browsers, operating systems, etc.), but if you have a positive outlook on them, they can be pretty easy. I would guess that the person who asked this question downloaded the new Internet Explorer 7 when it first came out and just worked at learning it. Eventually, as you all can see, they were able to get a pretty good handle on it and now they're looking for more. I love it!

Well, either way you look at it, if you're in the search for some IE 7 keyboard shortcuts, you've all come to the right place. I've been keeping a few up my sleeve just for this special occasion! So, shall we take a look at them? I thought you might enjoy that. Here we go!

Now, most of these shortcuts deal with using tabbed browsing. That's one of the main features that came along with Internet Explorer 7. If you're not too familiar with tabbed browsing, these shortcuts may not be very useful to you, but I would suggest hanging on to this tip anyway. Once you do get the hang of tabbed browsing, you can refer back to it and you'll be all set!

7.) Ctrl + Tab or Ctrl + Shift + Tab - Allows you to switch between tabs.

8.) Ctrl + N - Switches to a specific tab number. In this case, N can equal anything between the numbers one and eight.

1.) Click the middle mouse button (if your mouse has one) on a link and it will open up that link in a background tab for you.

2.) Double click any empty space right next to the last tab you have open and it will open up a brand new tab.

3.) If you click on the middle mouse button on one of your tabs, it will close the tab for you.

How does all that sound? Pretty cool, huh?! Now, you might want to start memorizing these shortcuts if you think you'll use them a lot. Or, just print them out so you can have them right by your computer when you're ready to use them. Either way, these simple shortcuts can make your IE 7 experience so much easier!

Malware Protection In Internet Explorer 7 (Part I)

Windows Vista includes several technologies, that when used together, enhance protection against various forms of malware. These technologies include:

User Account Control
User Account Control (UAC) is the feature that enables Vista to be able to run more reliably without giving the user local admin rights to the system. This does result in some additional dialog boxes and warnings that pop up for users but in the end can reduce the damage that malware can do to a computer.

User Account Control is enabled by default in Windows Vista. Microsoft recommends leaving it enabled to protect against the installation of malicious software. The Security Center will indicate whether UAC is turned on.

Further to enabling/disabling this feature, you can control the behavior of UAC through the local computer policy. Open the Local Computer Policy and navigate to the following locations: Local Computer Policy\Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\Security Options.

Malware Protection In Internet Explorer 7 (Part II)

Another malware protection technology in Vista is the Windows Defender. Windows Defender is a spyware scanning application that looks for potential threats, shuts them down and alerts you when applications engage in suspicious activities.

Windows Defender is configured (through the Security Center) to scan your computer every day at 2:00 AM. This schedule should be changed if the scan can not be performed at this time. You should also enable the Check for updated definitions before scanning option. This is your best bet for ensuring the software is up-to-date with the latest definitions. Otherwise you must be diligent enough to manually check for updates on a regular basis.

Note: Windows Defender should be used in conjunction with third party anti-virus software.

There are several settings within the Local Computer Policy for controlling how Windows Defender behaves. The settings you configure will be specific to the requirements of your computing environment.

Malicious Software Removal Tool
Even with the appropriate security measures in place, there is still the risk that an instance of malware can go undetected by your anti-virus software or even disable it. The Malicious Software Removal Tool is designed for such situations. When the tool is run, it detects and removes any malicious software it finds on your computer.

Although the tool is not necessary if you are running up-to-date anti-virus software, it does provide another layer of protection.The tool is installed with Windows Vista and is available as a free download for Windows XP. You can locate the tool by typing mrt.exe in the Search field on the Start menu.

When the tool is run, you can choose the type of scan to perform. As you can see from the exhibit, you can perform a Quick, Full or Custom scan. If you choose a Quick scan, the Malicious Software Removal Tool will scan the areas of a computer that are likely to contain malicious software. With a Full scan, the entire system is checked for malware. You should perform a Full scan every once in a while but be advised that it can take up to a few hours depending on your system.

Finally, you can opt to perform a Custom scan and choose the folders or areas of your computer that you want the Malicious Software Removal Tool to scan. The results of the scan will indicate whether any malicious software was found on your computer.

Malware Protection In Internet Explorer 7 (Part II)

Note: Windows Defender should be used in conjunction with third party anti-virus software.

Malware Protection In Internet Explorer 7 (Part III)

Internet Explorer has its own set of security options that can be used in conjunction with the other technologies discussed to protect your computer. IE7 in Vista now operates in a quarantined corner of the OS, where it can no longer allow spyware, adware, and various malware threats to have an open door into the throne room.

From the Security tab, you can enable Protected Mode. This feature prevents malicious users from changing any files or settings without your explicit permission. It is enabled by default for all security zones, except the Trusted Site zone.

Phishing Filter
IE 7 protects against phishing scams through the Phishing Filter. It is designed to protect against phony Web sites that attempt to gather personal information about you when you are online.

The tool requires little to no configuration. Once it is enabled through the Internet Properties window, it will run in the background without your intervention.

By implementing a firewall, you can close the door to your local computer and private network so intruders can not get in, but you can still get out. The Windows Firewall with Advanced Security allows you to filter both inbound and outbound traffic.

In Windows Vista, the firewall is now more advanced because it lets you create and apply specialized rules depending on the type of network you are connected to. The Windows Firewall with Advanced Security supports three different profiles that are based on three common environments: Domain, Public and Private.

The profile that you apply will be based on the network you are connected to. If you connect your computer directly to a Public network such as the Internet, the Public profile should be applied.

Security Center
Finally, the Windows Security Center should be your first stop in checking your defense against malware. The Security Center provides a quick way of checking the status of various security options and all the pertinent security settings used to protect your computer against malware are available from this interface.

Does Vista really need 4GB of RAM?

Reader Paul was alarmed at what he recently read in a computer magazine:

§ "What do you think of this Computerworld article? Is 4GB RAM what Vista really needs?"

There's some controversy about just how much RAM Vista needs. As has been the case with all versions of Windows back to at least Win98, Microsoft's "minimum" recommendations should really be called "life-support" standards - the least amount of PC hardware required to get the operating system barely alive and functioning.

For Vista, Microsoft says you need at least an 800MHz processor, 512 MB of RAM, and a graphics processor that's at least DirectX 9 compatible. Vista will indeed run on such a system, but you won't enjoy the experience. You'll also lose key features of Vista, such as the new interface.

Microsoft's "recommended" standard - including a 1GHz CPU, 1GB of RAM, a graphics card with at least 128 MB of video RAM, a WDDM driver, and 32 bits/pixel output - is a more realistic minimum for real-life use, where you'd actually be trying to be productive with Vista. A system like this should allow all the key components of Vista to load and run. But even then, a "recommended" hardware standard is not the same as an "optimal" setup.

Many pundits recommend at least 2GB of RAM, which was a sweet spot for XP. Vista is larger and more complex than XP, so it will not run as well on 2GB as XP does. Nevertheless, many users will find Vista's performance perfectly acceptable in this range.

That's where the 4GB recommendations come in. All the 32-bit versions of Vista can handle up to 4GB of RAM (the 64-bit versions can handle more). So, the reasoning goes, you might as well throw in as much RAM as Vista will allow. That way, you'll have access to all of the new operating system's features with no performance loss compared to XP.

So, does Vista really need 4GB? No. Vista will run in a limited way with as little as 512MB. It will run passingly with 1GB, and fairly well with 2GB. But, if you're looking to get as much out of Vista as it has to offer, then yes, you need 4GB of RAM.

Scan Dog II

After my Scan Dog article ran in Windows Fanatics, I heard from some of you out there that were in the same boat as I was and had older Epson scanners that did not, and would NEVER have, drivers to use the scanner while using Windows Vista as the operating system. One comment that could potentially help many of you out there was sent to me by Lockergnome reader Doug McRae (Mac). He spoke to Epson and sent me the following:

I downloaded the XP driver to my desktop in Vista and followed the directions from Epson (I'll copy and paste the directions below my sig). It did error during the install, but Vista popped up a window about did I want to install in compatibility mode, and I clicked "yes," and away it went. Vista warned me about the unsigned driver and I told it to go ahead anyway. After rebooting, I turned on the scanner and Vista told me it had found new hardware - an Epson Perfection 1200U Scanner - and proceeded to install the hardware. I opened the Vista Fax & Scan program (I have Vista Business Edition), put a document on the flatbed of the scanner, pressed the Scan button, and it scanned perfectly. I haven't tried scanning any pictures, but I assume that if it will scan a doc properly, it should also handle pictures.

Once you have the file on your desktop right click it and select properties, select COMPATIBILITY then check the run this program in compatibility mode for. Now select Windows XP SP2. Select APPLY then OK.

Locate and double click on the downloaded driver installation file. If at any point in the installation you see a screen that says User Account Control select CONTINUE.

Other options suggested were VMware and a product called Vue Scan. Of course there is always the option of purchasing a new scanner...

Share a printer or files in Vista

We have a Windows Vista laptop and a Vista desktop. How do we share files, printers, etc. over our network? I read your tip online, but it is for XP. Will it work for Vista?

Windows XP definitely makes networking easier than earlier versions of Windows. Although XP's sharing is simplified, it still isn't quite intuitive. I detailed steps for XP network shares in a previous tip.

Like XP, Windows Vista makes networking easier than its predecessors. However, that means the steps for setting up network shares are a bit different.

In Vista, right-click the folder that you want to share. Then select Share from the menu that pops up. You'll be prompted to specify the computer with which you want to share. Click the arrow in the upper box to see a list of computers on your network. After you've selected one, click the Add button.

The computers that have access to the folder are listed in the lower box. Under Permission Level, you can set permissions for specific computers. Click the arrow on a computer's listing to change that computer's permissions.

Permission options include Reader, Contributor and Co-owner. A Reader can open the folder's files, but cannot edit them or add new files. A Contributor can open files and add new files to the folder. A Co-owner gets the additional privilege of editing the files.

If one of your networked computers has a printer, you can share the printer. Start with the computer that's directly connected to the printer. Click Start>>Control Panel. Click Network and Internet. Then click Network and Sharing Center.

In the lower half of the window is a "Printer sharing" listing. Click the arrow to the right of the listing. Select "Turn on printer sharing." Then click the Apply button. If Windows prompts you for confirmation, just click Continue or Allow.

That's it for the PC connected to the printer. However, you must prepare your other computers to use the shared printer. Do the following at each of your other networked computers.

Click Start>>Control Panel. Click Hardware and Sound. Under Printers, click "Add a printer." Then select "Add a network, wireless or Bluetooth printer."

Windows will list printers available on your network. It may take a minute or two for your shared printer to appear. To show in the list, your shared printer should be powered on. Likewise, its directly connected computer should be on.

Select the shared printer and click Next. Windows will alert you if you need a driver for the printer. If Windows can't install the driver automatically, you may have to do so yourself. Use the printer's install disc if you have it. Otherwise, check the printer manufacturer's Web site for the driver.

If you're using XP computers, set them up using the steps from my XP sharing tip. With multiple computer connections, your printer may be used more often. Check out my tip on saving money with ink cartridge refills.

Most people search the Web for entertainment and information. But did you know Web sites are collecting information on you? On this weekend's Kim Komando Show, I'll tell you what the data sites retrieve from you. Visit my site to find out how you can listen to my three-hour radio show or my Digital Minute, which airs Monday through Friday.

Q:
You mentioned Vista Mail in one of your tips the other day, but you didn't go into too much detail about it. Is it different than XP's mail? If so, how? Please explain!

A:
It's a little funny that you ask this, because our other mentioning of Vista Mail was in reference to a security issue that may be on the rise with the new operating system's mail client. Well, I want to clear things up once and for all today, because Vista Mail really isn't all that bad. And if you're just new to Vista, you'll definitely want to check it out!

In the last few minutes, I have been racking my brain, trying to think of the best way to present this new e-mail program to you all. The most useful thing I came up with is to just show you how to set up your Vista Mail account to get it going so you can actually start to use it for all your e-mail needs. I have a feeling that some of you have probably been looking around on your new Vista computer for Outlook Express. Well, you're not going to find that, but do look for something called Windows Mail. That is what Vista calls its new e-mail program.

To get there, go to Start and click on Windows Mail. Now, if you have not set up your account yet, you will see a wizard pop up that will take you through all the steps. Here they are in a nutshell.

1.) Type in your name (or at least the name you want all of your receivers to see when you send them mail). Click Next when you've decided.

2.) Enter in your e-mail address. This can be the same one you've used for years or if you'd like to create a new one (in Yahoo!, Hotmail, etc.), you can do so. Click Next again when you're done.

3.) The next step asks you for your Incoming and Outgoing names. This is actually information that you will need to get from your ISP. If you used Outlook Express on your other computer, you can use the same information, but if you don't remember it, contact your ISP to get it. That's the only way you'll get past this part of the setup. Click Next when you're finished.

4.) Next, you'll need to choose a username and password for your e-mail account. At this stage, you can click the "Remember" checkbox, so you won't have to type it in each time you open your Windows Mail. Then click Next.

5.) If you're all set, you can click the Finish button and your account will automatically be set up.

Yep, it's as easy as that! A little less confusing than setting up an Outlook Express account, but it still asks for all the important information needed. So, once you have your account all ready, you can start to look through it and figure out how to use it. But, don't worry too much, because it's very similar to OE, version 6. So, if you used that before, you should be just fine.

The first thing I noticed with Windows Mail was that the views were pretty much the same. There's the box on the top and the box on the bottom. The top shows your received e-mails in a list and the bottom shows the actual e-mail content. I also noticed that the folders on the left hand side were exactly the same, including Inbox, Outbox, Sent Items, Deleted Items, Drafts and Junk E-mail. The menus along the top were fairly similar as well. I'm sure you'll see that they are no longer icon type buttons, but a bit of a smaller version. You'll see Create Mail, Reply, Reply All, Forward and Send/Receive. All of those work just like OE.

A couple things that were different are the Print and Delete buttons. In Windows Mail, the print button is an actual icon of a printer and the delete button is just a big red X. You just have to click on those to print or delete your e-mails. I guess they weren't good enough to get their own buttons this time around. : ) After those, there is a series of new icons. If you hover your mouse over them, you'll see that one is Contacts, the second is Windows Calendar and the third is Find.

With Contacts, you can click on that to add people to your address book. It's a very convenient way of accessing the e-mail addresses and names you need. Just a quick click and there they are. The Windows Calendar is another very cool feature. Click on that button and a calendar will pop up for you. You can go from month to month, making notes of your appointments, etc. It's very easy to use and great for keeping track of your daily activities. The Find button is where you can either search for a particular message, a certain person or for text in a certain message. That way, if you lose an e-mail, you can search by any of these items to retrieve it much faster.

There is also a Search box at the top of the window and you can use that to search for e-mail messages as well. Just type in a few keywords that you know were used in the e-mail you're looking for and it should come right up in the window for you. It's as easy as pie!

Everything else with Windows Mail is pretty much the same as what you're probably used to. The menus along the very top are the same, including File, Edit, View, etc. You can still access your preferences through the Tools, Options menu as well. All of those tabs are the same too, so you can set up your account just the way you want it. Windows Mail does have some new stationery options to choose from. You can get those by going under the Message menu. My favorite is the green bubbles choice. It gives the e-mails I send out some real jazz!

So, as you can see, everything is still pretty much the same as Outlook Express 6, but be sure to browse through Windows Mail and familiarize yourself with everything. I'm sure a lot of you will get the hang of things right away, but at least you now have a small guide to go by for now. And you know, there's always the Help menu if you need extra help. Now, go on and enjoy your new Vista e-mail program. Yes, yes, yes!

A lot of service oriented businesses provide Internet access via free public wireless networks. From airports to fast food chains, these access points or "hot spots" as they are called, are even being implemented in government buildings, such as libraries. This can be a real convenience to people on the go, someone waiting for a flight or even for someone who is out of town that may need to get online with a good connection speed and not tie up their cell phone.

The ability to get online at one of these locations is just another exciting step toward technological advancement, but what are the security risks? I mean, especially when these networks are set up with ease of use, not security, in mind. With the use of software called "packet sniffers," people can grab non-encrypted data right out of the air and save it to a log to view whenever they want.

So, what does this mean? Well, let's say you're out of town and while you're at the airport, you check on your Ebay bid or you log on to your bank's Web site to look at your account. When you're done, you shut down your PC and grab your connecting flight, unaware that there was someone within the network's signal strength with a packet sniffer. If this is the case, he/she has just logged a bunch of your personal information, including your usernames and passwords. And this is just one scenario. If you don't have your PC set up properly, a hacker could possibly get right into your PC, look at your files and change your settings. It's much too easy.

Needless to say, there is some concern when it comes to connecting to a public network. This does not mean, however, that all of these hot spots are vulnerable to this level. Some facilities actually do provide some defensive measures, such as air monitors, to spot unusual activity on their network. I recommend being pro-active in your security and these following recommendations are a great start:

1.) Turn off the ad-hoc mode on your network card (allows peer-to-peer connection).

4.) If you are viewing e-mail, you might want to use digital signatures to authenticate and identify yourself.

5.) I would suggest not using your credit card at one of these locations, but if you have to, make sure you're on a secure connection.

6.) And of course, it wouldn't be a security article if I didn't say, "Make sure your system is up to date."

So, make sure to have your system set up to utilize the practices above and be cautious, because the truth of the matter is, anyone around you could be attempting to hack into your machine or grab your transmissions at any time.

Are you one of the many who have made the switch over to the new operating system of Windows Vista? If so, are you having some trouble finding programs and other applications that will work on your new computer? I know a lot of computer companies (including us here at WorldStart) are working very hard to test their products for Vista compatibility, but with there being so many, it's a little difficult to keep up. So, what can we all do in the meantime?

Well, lucky for all of us, Microsoft has compiled a list of all the applications that have earned either the "Certified for Windows Vista" or "Works with Windows Vista" logo. So, if you have bought a piece of software recently and you see either of those logos printed on it, that means it will work successfully with Vista. But if you are questioning the software you had before you upgraded to Vista, Microsoft's list may help you out tremendously.

The list is laid out into three columns: Company, Product Name and Version. The number of programs on the list have gone up from approximately 104 in February 2007 to over 250 now in May 2007. If you want to check the list out for yourself, just click here. If you scroll past the introduction, you'll see the list toward the bottom of the page. You can just take your time and browse through the program names and who knows, maybe you'll find exactly what you've been waiting for. Check it out today!

I thought I'd give you a double dose of Windows Vista tips today. I hope you don't mind too much. Keep reading for all the Vista action fun!

The new operating system of Windows Vista uses large icons by default in the Start menu. But what if you don't like them that way? Is there a way to change them to a smaller size? Of course there is! And even though Vista does a good job of hiding the setting for this pretty well, we can still locate it!

Now, scroll down all the way to the bottom. You should see a checkbox for Use Large Icons. Go ahead and uncheck that.

If you thought that Vista tip was great, make sure you keep reading for the next one. Here we go!

The default action for the power button on the Start menu in Windows Vista is actually set to Sleep. Now, this isn't necessarily useful for everybody. You can configure this setting easily by using the advanced power settings panel, but it's a little tricky to get to. So, what will we do? Well, we'll take a shortcut, of course!

Open a command prompt (type "cmd" into the search bar under the Start menu) and then type in the following information, exactly as you see it: powercfg.cpl,1

Now, you could also take the long route (Control Panel, Power Options, Change Plan Settings, Change Advanced Power Settings), but that's up to you.

Once you get to this dialogue box, navigate down, as shown to "Power buttons and lid."

You can change the power button to either Sleep, Hibernate or Shut Down (or even nothing at all). It's your choice!

Hope you enjoyed these quick little tips that will help optimize your Vista computer to be its best!

Have you made the switch to the new operating system of Windows Vista yet? If you have, are you getting a little frustrated with being away from everything you knew in XP? I mean, going from XP to Vista is an extreme change and it can be very difficult getting used to all the new features. I know I felt that way when I first started working with Vista. I was so used to XP and I just felt like the two operating systems were like day and night.

But, if you look past all that confusion, you'll find that there are a few things you can do with Vista to bring back the comfort of XP. (I'm not even kidding!) And as a matter of fact, I'm going to tell you how to do one of those right now. In Windows XP, a function I always use a lot is the Run command. It's just an easy feature to work with and it gets me where I need to go. Now, as I'm sure you've noticed, Vista doesn't offer the Run command. Or does it?!

To get the Run option back for yourself, right click on the Start button in Vista and choose Properties. Make sure you're under the Start Menu tab and then click the Customize button. Scroll down near the bottom of that list and checkmark the box that says "Run command." Once you've done that, click OK. In the next window, click Apply, then OK again. Now, go and click your Start button. What do you see? Yep, the Run command is back and ready for some action. Yes!

Fun with the Quick Launch toolbar

Resizing desktop icons with the mouse

More keyboard shortcuts

Saving searches in Vista

Share a printer or files in Vista