Windows 7 tips and tricks

Get Quick Launch toolbar back

1. Right-click the taskbar, choose Toolbars / New Toolbar
2. In the folder selection dialog, enter the following string and hit OK:
%userprofile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch
3. Turn off the "lock the taskbar" setting, and right-click on the divider. Make sure that "Show text" and "Show title" are disabled and the view is set to "small icons".
4. Use the dividers to rearrange the toolbar ordering to choice, and then lock the taskbar again.

Windows Vista taskbar

Right-click on the taskbar and choose the properties dialog. Select the "small icons" checkbox and under the "taskbar buttons" setting, choose "combine when taskbar is full".

Starting explorer from "My Computer"

To do this, navigate to Windows Explorer in the Start Menu (it's in the Accessories folder). Then edit the properties and change the target to read:
%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe ::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}

Old behaviour for Windows Live Messenger

Navigate to C:\Program Files\Windows Live\Messenger\ and set the properties of msnmsgr.exe to Vista compatibility mode. This will place the Messenger icon back in your system tray and remove the 2 annoying tabs on the taskbar.

If you're wondering about the fish in the Windows 7 fish then it's a Betta Fish and also has 7 bubbles to signify Windows 7.



Brandon Paddock has posted a full list of the Winkey combinations for Windows 7 on his blog too.

Not Requiring Ctrl-ALT-DEL at logon

Not Requiring Ctrl-ALT-DEL at logon
Preface:
As a security feature of Windows NT based operating systems (NT 4, Windows 2000, Windows XP as a domain member or under certain settings and Windows Server 2003) you are required to press Ctrl-ALT-DEL before being prompted for a user name and password at log-in. Personally I like the feature but some people do not, so I'll show you how to disable it :o) Please note: This will not auto-login for you, it will only disable the C-A-D prompt and jump right to the login screen.
Method:
Click Start then Run..

In the Run box type "gpedit.msc"

Under Computer Configuration Click the + next to Windows Settings, then Security Settings, Local Policies then click on Security options

Double click Interactive Logon: Do not require CTRL+ALT+DEL and set it to Enabled, then press OK