Windows 8 Tips and Tricks!

Capt.Jack Sparrow

BSOD Kernel Dump Analyst
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Hi there!

I though we should have a thread about few tips and tricks on Windows 8 CP which would help people out. I just installed Windows 8 CP on my VMWare(8.0.1 build-592240).

When I move the mouse pointer to Right side corner on the Desktop you'll see "Start" and if you Right click on it you'll get a Menu with some shortcuts.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/4503-power-user-tasks-menu-open-windows-8-a.html


Short version of Start Menu.png

p.s. Not sure if this thread already exist here :think:
 
Last edited by a moderator:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7
While in metro move you're mouse to the left side of the screen and drag it down to see the metro apps that are open
 

My Computer

Add a Shutdown Tile to Metro

1. Navigate
to:C:\Users\/[USERID]/\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start
Menu\Programs
2. Right-Click & select New -> Shortcut
3. Type the location of the item: C:\Windows\System32\shutdown.exe
/s /t 0
4. Click Next
5. Type a name for this shortcut: Shutdown NOW!
6. Click Finish
7. Press Windows Key to return to Start Page
8. Right-Click on the new tile
9. Click Open file location
10. Click Change Icon
11. Click OK when you get the error message.
12. Click the Shutdown Icon
13. Click OK
14. Click Apply
15. Click OK


Courtesy: Susan Bradley
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7
Mount a VHD or mount an ISO by double clicking in Explorer - a new virtual drive or virtual optical drive will appear. Unmount by right-clicking and selecting eject, or shut down Windows - the mounts are not persistent. If you want them to be persistent, copy a shortcut of the VHD or ISO (not the mounted drive!) to the startup folder:

C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

Work on several computers at once:

Open the Remote Desktop App in Metro, and connect to another PC or laptop on your network. Once your remote desktop is open, grab the top of the screen and drag to the right, so the metro app docks to the right of the screen:

Screenshot.png

Click on the remote desktop of your choice, and work on that:

Screenshot (2).png

or just drag the divider which way you want. If you want to add another remote desktop, just click the empty box on the right with the + in a circle and add the PC name and connect.

Configuration for remote desktop access is in the all control panel items, system screen at the top left, Remote Settings
Screenshot (4).png

Its a lot faster than using Virtual machines.

If you prefer, you can have the Apps on the left side of the screen - just drag them across.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro with Media Center
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP COMPAQ Presario CQ57
    CPU
    AMD E- 300 APU with Radion HD Graphics 1.30GHz
    Motherboard
    inbuilt
    Memory
    4GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI
    Sound Card
    High Definition Audio on-board
    Monitor(s) Displays
    notebook
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768
    Hard Drives
    Seagate ST9500325AS
    Google drive 15GB
    Skydrive 25GB
    BT Cloud
    PSU
    external 20v
    Case
    Laptop
    Cooling
    pretty good
    Keyboard
    inbuilt
    Mouse
    touchpad
    Internet Speed
    BT Infinity Unlimited - 80 up 20 down =70/16 really
    Browser
    Chrome Canary usually
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender and Malwarebytes
    Other Info
    no Start menu modifications
    Upgraded with no issues to 8.0 and to 8.1
I can't wait for a: "HOW TO MAKE THE CHARMS BAR DISAPPEAR IN OUTER SPACE FOREVER". :mad: :party:
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 x64
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus X501A
    CPU
    Pentium 2020M 2.4GHz Ivy Bridge
    Motherboard
    ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. X501A1 (SOCKET 0)
    Memory
    4 GB RAM
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek High Definition Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    1366x768 Generic PnP Monitor on Intel HD Graphics
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768
    Hard Drives
    298GB Western Digital WDC WD3200BPVT-80JJ5T0 (SATA)
    Mouse
    Always touchpad with Asus' Smart Gestures
    Browser
    7star
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
Last edited by a moderator:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 x64
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus X501A
    CPU
    Pentium 2020M 2.4GHz Ivy Bridge
    Motherboard
    ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. X501A1 (SOCKET 0)
    Memory
    4 GB RAM
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek High Definition Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    1366x768 Generic PnP Monitor on Intel HD Graphics
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768
    Hard Drives
    298GB Western Digital WDC WD3200BPVT-80JJ5T0 (SATA)
    Mouse
    Always touchpad with Asus' Smart Gestures
    Browser
    7star
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
To boot Win 8 into the desktop....it's quick, easy and it works.

It has the (dis?)advantage that, for the last few seconds of the boot process, Metro comes
up like a loading-screen, but is live, meaning you can jump in there instead if you wish.....

This does NOT bypass Metro altogether.


In Windows Explorer, navigate to C:\Program Data\Microsoft\Windows

Copy the Start Menu shortcut (NOT the folder) to the desktop.

Rename the shortcut to Show Desktop.

Move the shortcut to C:\Users|Username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup.

Reboot and test.


As I said, Metro comes up for the last few seconds before Windows drops into the
desktop, and is live, so don't be impatient. You can just hit a metro tile if you wish.

I've already enabled the Start Menu as well, and the Quick-launch bar, as I did in Win 7.

I'm starting to like Win 8 now...:)

Running CP 32-bit in VirtualBox on Win 7 64-bit.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Enterprise 64-bit (7 Ult, Vista & XP in V-Box)
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Aspire Ethos AS8951G 'Super-Laptop'.
    CPU
    Intel Sandy-Bridge i7-2670QM quad-core
    Motherboard
    Acer
    Memory
    8GB DDR3
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel 3000HD / Ge-Force GT555M 2 gigs
    Sound Card
    Realtek/5.1 Dolby built-in including speakers.
    Monitor(s) Displays
    18.4" full-HD
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1024
    Hard Drives
    2x750GB Toshiba internal, 1x500GB Seagate external, 1x2TB Seagate external, 1x640GB Toshiba pocket-drive, 1x640GB Samsung pocket drive.
    PSU
    Stock
    Case
    Laptop
    Cooling
    Air-cooled
    Mouse
    I/R cordless.
    Internet Speed
    Borderline pathetic.
Thnks for the Tips...

The Charms bar on main Desktop cannot be removed... :(
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro 64-Bit (6.3, Build 9600)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom
    CPU
    Intel Core i5 750 @ 2.67 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUSTek Computer Inc. P7P55D Intel P55 Chipset
    Memory
    8 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    nVidia 450 GTS 1 GB
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung SyncMaster 2033
    Screen Resolution
    1600 X 900
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 160 GB SATA
    WD Green 2 TB SATA
    PSU
    iBall 500 Watt
    Case
    Cooler Master
    Keyboard
    iBall Standard Keyboard
    Mouse
    Logitech M90 USB Mouse
    Internet Speed
    4 MBPS
    Browser
    Mozilla Firefox
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Windows Defender
Shyam, you posted a nice collection. Thank you.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Vista and Win7
    System Manufacturer/Model
    2xHP, 2xGateway, 1xDell, 1xSony
    Hard Drives
    5 SSDs and 12 HDs
Nice info on this thread, thanks Shyam.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro x64/ Windows 7 Ult x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    76~2.0
    CPU
    Intel Core i5-3570K 4.6GHz
    Motherboard
    GIGABYTE GA-Z77X UD3H f18
    Memory
    8GB (2X4GB) DDR3 1600 CORSAIR Vengeance CL8 1.5v
    Graphics Card(s)
    Sapphire HD 7770 Vapor-X 1GB DDR5
    Sound Card
    Onboard VIA VT2021
    Monitor(s) Displays
    22" LCD Dell SP2208WFP
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    Samaung 840Pro 128GB, Seagate 500GB SATA2 7200rpm 32mb, Seagate 1TB SATA2 7200rpm 32mb,
    PSU
    Corsair HX650W
    Case
    Cooler Master Storm Scout
    Cooling
    Corsair H80 w/Noctua NF P12 12cm fan, case fans 2X14cm
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wave
    Mouse
    CM Sentinel
    Internet Speed
    Abysmal
    Browser
    Opera Next
    Other Info
    Dell Venue 8Pro: Baytrail Z3740D, 2GB Ram, 64GB HDD, 8" IPS Display 1280 x 800, Active Stylus.
    Haswell laptop: HP Envy 17t-j, i7-4700MQ, GeForce 740M 2GB DDR3, 17.3" Full HD 1920x1080, 16GB RAM, Samsung 840 Pro 128GB, 1TB Hitachi 7200 HDD,
    Desktop: eSATA ports,
    External eSATA Seagate 500GB SATA2 7200rpm,
Thanks for posting the link to the program that restores the start button. That makes life on a PC much easier.

I think they may have fixed the bug in the program where the start button overlaps the EI logo. Mine looks fine and is evenly spaced. No overlap.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win8 Consumer Preview
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Toshiba Satellite A105-S4397
    CPU
    Intel Centrino Duo 1.73 GHz T2250 2MB L2, 533MHz FSB
    Motherboard
    Mobile Intel 945GM Express
    Memory
    4GB PC4200
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel GMA 950
    Sound Card
    On-board
    Monitor(s) Displays
    15.4" built-in
    Screen Resolution
    1280x800
    Hard Drives
    160GB 5400RPM Hitachi
    PSU
    15VDC@5A or 12VDC at 6600MaH Li
    Case
    Plastic
    Cooling
    Smallest fan on the planet
    Keyboard
    Querty Eng/German
    Mouse
    Yes, but I've set traps
    Internet Speed
    10M
    Other Info
    Clean install from a corrupted and virus laden Vista original factory install on this ancient laptop.

    Runs like it was at Indy!
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