FCleaner is a freeware all-in-one Windows disk and registry cleaning and optimization tool. It removes unused files and invalid registry entries that are eating up your disk space and slowing your system down, tweaks your system and allows your Windows to run faster. FCleaner can also protect your privacy such as Internet History, the Cookies that websites leave behind. You can erase all the traces of your online activities in just one click with the help of FCleaner.

Overall it’s quite handy tool to have for performing system optimization from under one interface.

Download FCleaner

Adjusting Navigation Pane

In  navigation bar of Windows 7 explorer , there are 5 locations shown by default. These locations are Favorites, Libraries, Computer, Network, and Homegroup. One can click on one of these locations to go directly to the location but it can be quite tough and annoying when one is working with lot of files and directories.image

For someone moving through to Windows 7 directly from Windows XP, he would be used to traversing using the list of folders and subfolders shown in the the navigation pane. He may find the reaching to the location through the heirarchy of folders and drives in navigation bar in Windows 7.

There is a simple trick to avoid this situation.

1. With the explorer kept open , click on Organize-> Folder and Search options

2. Under the General tab and the Navigation pane, check Show all folders and Automatically expand to current folder, then Apply and Ok.

3. The impact of doing the steps makes the list of folders easier to access almost everything while going through tons of files and organizing files.

Automatically expanding to the current folder makes navigation faster and easier.

Your setting for the navigation pane would be saved and would be retained every time you turn on the system. The process for changing back is almost the same but in opposite action stream.

This adjustment trick would help those who like to navigate with all the files and folders listed in navigation pane as in XP and it helps them save time during navigation.

The search system has been improved in a way that a search box appears in explorer window, and you can write any of the file name or part of it to search for it. But the search itself takes a really long time. The search process is itself not made so, it just that some of the default option are such to make it slow. You can improve the speed of search capability by adjusting the options by the way you work and the way you store files.

Set Folder Options

1. Type ‘folder options’ in Windows start menu.

2. Click on the folder options category and then select the search tab.

3. Under ‘What to search’ , click the option labeled ‘Always search file names and contents.’

The default search doesn’t not look content in files that are not indexed which turns out to be significant amount of information. The search usually searches only the file names and not the contents , thus by enabling this option the search would also look at the match for the search words in the contents.

Indexing Options

1. Type ‘indexing options’ in Windows start menu. Click on the indexing options category.

Windows 7 greatly improves the speed at which it finds information that you search for by indexing certain locations in the background, and it’s in the Indexing Options dialog box that you tell Windows where you typically store your files.

If you’re the type of person who never changes the file locations suggested by the applications you install, you probably do not need to change anything in the Indexing Options dialogue box.

But if you archive your files in various locations in your hard drive, then these locations should be added to indexing.

2. To add a drive or folder, click the Modify button. Check all the drives you store your files in in the dialog box that opens. Click Ok to close the dialog box.

You’ll see with the changes you just made, the searches are more accurate as compared to before and hopefully fast than before too.

Here are some of the themes for Windows 7 , have a look :

1. Windows 7 V2 :

download here

2.  Leopard OS X theme

download here

3.  Windows 7 Red

download here

4. Black Transparent

download here

5.  Only Black Windows 7 theme

download here

6.  Desk 09 with new windows

download here

7. Alternative theme for Windows 7

download here

8. Arturik 1988

download here

9. Soliq 7.1

download here

10. Aero Hilled

download here

11. Waterbomb

download here

12. Verdesh Steel Flash

download here

13.  Windows 7 Ultimate 2

download here

14.  Energy Flow

download here

15. Aero Theme :

download here

Note: None of the above displayed theme is my personal creation. All are from public websites.

But with Win7 Microsoft has reverted back to providing different versions. This would mean if you do not have the correct version of installation disc , then you cannot install Windows. But there is a means to achieve this ( i.e. installing the Windows inspite of above problem). THe procedure requires a modification, rather removal of ei.cfg file.

Microsoft resorts to cheap marketing tactics which in the eyes of some might amount to cheating practices. Actually in each Win7 installation disc all the versions are present including Home, Premium, Professional, Business, Ultimate. The ei.cfg tells the disc to install a certain version.

ei.cfg removal utility enables you to remove ei.cfg from the Windows 7 installation ISO. This utility removes ei.cfg file and repacks the ISO, thus creating a universal Windows 7 disc in the process. You may then burn this ISO on to DVD and start the installation , and you will be then asked to select the version of Windows. Select the correct version and enter the correct license to install the Windows.

[via: addictivetips and technibble

download : download here

Xcopy command was missing in Windows Vista , but it is now back in Windows 7 and even a switch is added to the extension list

INSTALLATION

After downloading the Windows Vista IP Configuration Tool package, simply copy its three files to a folder :

• XCopy Tool.hta
• FileCab.ico
• XCopy Tool-ReadMe.doc

USING THE TOOL

1. To launch the tool, Just double click on the HTA file

2. The shown screen is displayed and one can move the pointer over a switch to see the function of the switch.

3. Click the Select Source and Select Destination buttons and make your folder/ drive selections.

4. After confirming the source and destination folders , you can begin selecting options.

5. You can then choose from any of the 30 available XCopy command options. But you must know about Xcopy command and know how the combinations of different options work.

6. After you click ‘OK’, you’ll be prompted to confirm the operation before you proceed.

7. After you click ‘OK’, a Command Prompt window will open and display the result.

But still there are some tasks which are not easy to perform by a user like backing up libraries, adding network locations to libraries and such other tasks. Win 7 libraries tool is an impressive tool which helps in doing all these tasks and more with just a couple of clicks.

With this tool you can you can create new library, modify any existing one, delete any particular library and make backups. Some of the other features of the tool are :

• Add network (UNC or mapped drive) and any other un-indexed folders to libraries.

• Backup library configuration, such that a saved set of libraries can be instantly restored at any point (like after a re-install of the OS or for transfer between multiple computers).

• Create a mirror of all libraries (using symbolic links) in [SystemDrive]:\libraries.  This means you can reference all your files using a much shorter path, and also provides another entry-point to your files in many places in the Operating System (e.g. file open/save dialogs).

• Change a library’s icon.

More Windows 7 tools to be reviewed soon…

Download Win 7 library tool

[via : addictivetips]

Windows 7 USB/DVD Download tool

The Windows 7 USB/DVD Download tool allows you to create a copy of your Windows 7 ISO file on a USB flash drive or a DVD. To create a bootable DVD or USB flash drive, download the ISO file and then run the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download tool. Once this is done, you can install Windows 7 directly from the USB flash drive or DVD.

The ISO file contains all the Windows 7 installation files combined into a single uncompressed file. When you download the ISO file, you need to copy it to some medium in order to install Windows 7. This tool allows you to create a copy of the ISO file to a USB flash drive or a DVD. To install Windows 7 from your USB flash drive or DVD, all you need to do is insert the USB flash drive into your USB port or insert your DVD into your DVD drive and run Setup.exe from the root folder on the drive.

Download Windows 7 USB/DVD Download tool

This new version of AVG Antivirus offers various features and capabilities to present in most of the antivirus in the market. These features are more than enough for daily use of antivirus and has proved to be effective even the most dreaded virus attacks.Some of the basic features of AVG antivirus are  :

• Surf, and search with confidence, while LinkScanner® keeps you safe from harmful sites.

• Get online and offline protection from viruses, spyware, and other nasties.

• Enjoy consistently high-speed PC performance with our new enhanced virus scanner.

• Automatic updates keep your protection current.

• Compatible with Windows XP, Vista, and Windows 7.

The only deficiencies with this version is that it does not have all the features , you may notice some features missing. Also there is no support provided by the company directly for the product but there forums where you can discuss your problems with experts and other advanced users.

It is easy enough to install and use , so I am not posting screenshots. Try out this free version, it might reduce your RAM usage by a considerable amount as compared to your existing Antivirus without much depreciation in features.

Download here : download

If you are new to windows 7 , then gadgets are small applications that can be added on to your desktop for fun or utility. They can be accessed via the desktop context menu.

To disable them follow the following steps.

Go to the Control Panel, then type “features” in the search box, you will see various options on the screen as shown below. Now click on the link  “turn windows feature on or off”.

In the next window UNCHECK the box next to Windows Gadget Platform.

Finally restart your computer and your job is done. Now you need not be bothered about gadgets.

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