Show Desktop is perhaps one of the most used actions on a desktop (at least for me it is). It has already been few times my Show Desktop shortcut corrupts itself out of no reason. So just in case you are encountering the same thing or you don’t have a Show Desktop and intended to put one, here’s how you can create/restore them manually.

Full content after jump.

Create Show Desktop manually

1. Launch a Notepad. Start -> Run -> Notepad
2. Insert the following in the notepad
   [Shell]
   Command=2
   IconFile=explorer.exe,3
   [Taskbar]
   Command=ToggleDesktop
3. Choose File -> Save as and save as Show Desktop.scf on desktop.
4. Put it back where it was originally belonged.
   • Microsoft Windows 95, Microsoft Windows 98
     Windows\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch

   • Microsoft Windows NT, Microsoft Windows 2000, and Microsoft Windows XP
     C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch

5. Done! You should see a Show Desktop icon on your Quick Launch bar now.

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[Source : hongkiat.com » Windows Tips]

Windows vista printer installation problem and troubleshooting.

Windows vista facing problem with printer installation, some may be due to printer drivers or some problem due to windows vista configuration settings.

. Microsoft says you have to use UAC to get a printer installed. If you do not use it, you get this ugly message:

“Windows cannot connect to the printer. The specified print monitor is unknown.”

This error message shows up is not clear, it has nothing to do with the printer you choose to use or the process you take. This particular message is displayed when trying to add a printer via the wizard:

Solution available for printer installation on windows vista.

–>Only solution available is to re-enable UAC, restart the PC, add the printer, go through the UAC prompts, disable UAC, and then restart once more. It is really teasing.

–>If you are not using printer soo often than you can try this

1. Open the network share to the remote computer that has the printer installed.
2. Browse to the printer.
3. Drag the printer to the desktop with the right-mouse button, and select “Create shortcut.”
4. Drag the document you want to print to the shortcut on your desktop.
5. Rinse and repeat.

Another bug that got past the extensive RTM testing process. It is a bug that came into existence during the finalization process.

–>Troubleshoot printer installation in windows vista.

1. In Vista PC’s go to “Control Panel” - “Printers” - “Add printer”.
2. Click “Add a local printer” (I know you want to add a network printer but that way it doesn’t work).
3. Click “Create a new port” - “Local Port” - “Next”
4. In the next box you have to enter a port name like this: \\PC name\Printer name where “PC name” is the network name of the XP PC where you have the printer and “Printer name” the network name of that printer. Be careful with these names - you can double-check by viewing the PC in “Network Places.”
5. Finish the wizard and enjoy your UAC-free network printing.

[Source : Windows vista tips & Windows Vista Troubleshooting Basic guide.]

Windows vista guide about Secret of graphics in windows vista

Microsoft took long time to introduce windows vista and everyone waiting for windows vista for its excellent graphics features. But do you know why such excellent graphics in windows vista. It is due to DirectX 10.

You may think what is Directx ?

Directx is the main core things which make the games work. All the graphics designs are because of it. When Microsoft launched first graphic base operating system in 95 it has so many limitation due to restriction on hardware like audio device video. Thus directx made API or functions which can be used in windows vista.

How DirectX10 makes it so real?

1. In reality every point is unique. 2 points on your face is not similar.directX started because of restriction on number of unique objects that can show in Scene. But with Direct you can show 100s of unique objects. This means if you want to show 100 flowers then you need not to create one and copy it to 100 places but create 100 different flowers. That makes it more real.
2. Most of the hi-fi graphics video games look so real as Directx using technique called as geometry shaders. It adds more “triangles” in a particular point it makes them real.

Can this high graphics make my CPU slow and system crash?
If you have separate graphics card with high memory then this is absolutely fine. As Directx will transfer the load on to the graphics card and your CPU can handle other systems operations.

So before upgrading to windows vista you must check the hardware configuration of your system .I guess this Windows Vista Guides will help you.

[Source : Windows vista tips & Windows Vista Troubleshooting Basic guide.]

Windows vista requirements

According to Microsoft corp, computers hardware requirements for Windows Vista are classified as Vista Capable and Vista Premium Ready.

A Windows Vista (requirements)Capable or equivalent PC needs to have at minimum an 800 MHz processor, 512 MB RAM and a DirectX 9 class graphics card. A computer that meets these requirements will be capable of running all editions of Windows Vista although some of the special features and high end graphics options may require additional or more advanced hardware for windows vista.

A Windows Vista Premium Ready PC will take advantage of windows Vista’s “high-end” features but will need at least a 1.0 GHz processor, 1 GB main memory, and an Aero-compatible graphics card with at least 128 MB graphics memory and supporting the new Windows Display Driver Model. The company also offers Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor from its website to determine the requirement of a PC to run Windows Vista in its various guises. The utility runs on Windows XP (with Service Pack 2) and Windows Vista.
Microsoft lists some Windows Vista capable hardware on their website. The “Windows Vista Premium Ready” laptops they specify have Intel Core 2 Duo T5500 or above CPUs and 1 GB memory.

Windows Vista’s “Basic” and “Classic” interfaces will work with virtually any graphics hardware that supports Windows XP or 2000; accordingly, most discussion around Vista’s graphics requirements centers on those for the Windows Aero interface. As of Windows Vista Beta 2, the NVIDIA GeForce FX family and later, the ATI Radeon 9500 and later, Intel’s GMA 950 integrated graphics, and a handful of VIA chipsets and S3 Graphics discrete chips are supported requirements.Though some XGI Technology Volari chips were DirectX 9 (including the Volari V3XT which was available in PCI cards), with XGI’s exit from the graphics card business it appears none of its chips are supported as of Windows Vista Beta 2. A PCI Express (PCIe) video card is not a requirement for Windows Aero, but Microsoft recommends PCIe video over an AGP device due to the interface’s greater bandwidth. There are some PCI cards available that are compatible with Windows Vista as well.

Windows Vista system Hardware Requirements

Vista Capable

Processor 800MHz minimum requirements
Memory 512 MB
Graphics card DirectX 9 capable
HDD capacity 20 GB
HDD free space 15 GB
Other drives DVD-ROM

Windows Vista Premium Ready requirements

Processor 1.0 GMHz
Memory 1 GB minimum requirements
Graphics card DirectX 9 capable GPU with Hardware Pixel Shader v2.0 and WDDM driver support
Graphics memory 28 MB RAM supports up to 2,756,000 total pixels (e.g. 1920 × 1200) or 512 MB+ for greater resolutions such as 560×1600
HDD capacity 40 GB
HDD free space 15 GB for windows vista
Other drives DVD-RW rquirements as vista dvd options available.

Windows Vista Requirements tips Troubleshooting

[Source : Windows vista tips & Windows Vista Troubleshooting Basic guide.]

Windows vista Problem
Telnet is not Installed by Default in windows vista.

Telnet configuration problem

1. Goto the Start menu and Control Panel.
2. If you are using the default Windows Vista Control Panel, click on programs:
untitled-2.jpg
if you are using the “Classic” control panel click on “Programs & Features”
3. Click on “Turn Windows Features On or Off”
4. Scroll down to “Telnet Client” and click the box.
5. Click OK and wait for Vista to take it’s sweet time to install the Telnet client.

[Source : Windows vista tips & Windows Vista Troubleshooting Basic guide.]