The writing may have been on the wall when Windows Vista was released to the public, but it's only after many, many years we're starting to hear the stories of those who worked on the ill-fated operating system, providing insight into exactly what went wrong. Like any complex project, there wasn't just a single point of failure.
Back in 2008, we told you how to access the slightly convoluted process for changing an assigned drive letter for a USB drive in Vista. Tech blogger Helen Bradley found that the same approach can also help if Vista is flat-out refusing to recognise a drive which you know is working.
There are lots of standalone solutions for identifying and fixing PC problems, but sometimes we forget about the resources our operating systems already have for tracking down issues. The Windows Reliability Monitor is a good case in point.
Anyone can sit down at a Windows PC and get along fine, but with the right tips and tricks, you can get around much faster. Here's a handful of clever tricks to boost your Windows skills (and show off to friends).
If you've been disappointed by the lack of Aero-based visual effects when you install Windows Vista or Windows 7 in a Virtual Machine installation, this handy guide will help you crank up the eye candy in your Windows virtualisation.
Windows: As we foreshadowed last week, Service Pack 2 is officially available for download, bringing better Wi-Fi and BlueTooth connectivity, processor compatibility, native Blu-Ray support, and faster search to Windows Vista.
Windows 7 may well be getting most of the attention around here, but Microsoft is still beavering away on trying to turn Vista into a product that works with the imminent release of Service Pack 2.
Yesterday we showed you how to move your home folder to another drive in OS X; if you're a Vista user, now it's your turn.
There's no feature of Windows Vista more loathed than the User Account Control (UAC) security feature that pops up every time you try to do anything. Here's how to permanently disable it (and possibly regain your sanity in the process).
Windows only: Tiny application Glass CMD for Vista forces command prompt windows to use Aero's glass transparency effect.
Windows only: Tiny utility Vista Shutdown Timer turns your computer off at the time you specify—and even fades the volume out so you can stay asleep.
If you've used Windows for any amount of time, you've already had to deal with the dreaded (Not Responding) frozen application—so instead of using Task Manager, why not create a shortcut to auto-kill them?
The default Firefox theme doesn't match Windows Vista very well—but with a few extensions and a Stylish script, you can customise Firefox to use a slick, well-integrated look with Vista Aero transparency effects.
Windows Vista only: Sidebar gadget I Forgot The Milk adds quick access to your to-do list right in your Vista sidebar.
If you're running the Windows 7 beta, Microsoft wants you to downgrade back to Vista before testing out the soon-to-appear release candidate. What gives?
Windows only: Reader Anonymous writes in with an interesting tip for making the web a more readable place—by forcing Firefox to use Windows Vista fonts, even on XP.
Windows Vista only: The Vista for Beginners weblog walks through the process of setting up and using speech recognition macros that save you time by automating keystrokes with a voice command. Their guide covers creating macros that can do anything from launching applications, sending batches of keystrokes, inserting blocks of text, or even creating aliases for some of the default commands that might be difficult to remember—a very useful read for anybody interested in making their computer do what they say. For another take on the same topic, check out our must-read guide to controlling your PC with your voice.
The Vista for Beginners weblog walks through the process of setting advanced options for Windows Vista's Speech Recognition—from adding words to setting custom profiles for multiple users. If you've ever used speech recognition software with technical terms, you've probably noticed that your computer has no idea what you are talking about—so adding new words to the dictionary can really help with your daily workflow. Most of the options can be found by digging around the settings panel, but the guide covers everything with plenty of screenshots—well worth a read for anybody interested in making their computer do exactly what they say. For more, check out our own guides to controlling your PC with your voice and controlling Powerpoint presentations.
Windows Speech Recognition: How To Benefit From its Advanced Configuration Options
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