Environment variables in an operating system are values that contain information about the system environment, and the currently logged in user. Recently we covered how to view those variables for system, for a specific user or for a process. In this article, I would like to share with you a trick to view or edit environment variables directly, from the command line or a shortcut.
Category: Windows 8.1
How to enable or disable CTRL + ALT + DEL logon requirement in Windows 8.1 and Windows 8
Early Windows versions like Windows XP or Windows 2000 came with the classic logon dialog, for which the user could turn on the requirement to press CTRL + ALT + DEL shortcut keys together before logging on. In modern versions of Windows, the classic logon dialog was removed, however, it is still possible to enable the CTRL + ALT + DEL requirement. If you turn this on, you must press these keys before you sign in or unlock your PC. Follow these simple instructions to turn on this feature.
All ways to open the command prompt in Windows 8
In my articles, I often refer to command line tools and console utilities. Previously, I showed you how to open an elevated command prompt, but today I would like to share with you all the ways to open a regular command prompt in Windows 8.1 and Windows 8.
All ways to open Task Manager in Windows 8.1 and Windows 8
The Task Manager app which comes with Windows 8 is a special tool to maintain running processes including user apps, system apps and Windows services. It is able to control which apps start during the startup and even analyze performance of the whole OS. In this article, we will look how to start Task Manager in Windows 8.1 and Windows 8.
How to reset the account password in Windows 8, Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 without using third party tools
If you forgot the password for your Windows account and are unable to log in using any other account, then this article will definitely be useful for you. Today, we will see how to reset the account password in Windows 8, Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 without using third party tools. All we need is bootable media with Windows Setup. The instructions are applicable to all mentioned versions of Windows. Also, you can reset Windows 7 password using Windows 8 boot disk and vice versa. Follow the instructions below.
How to disable notification sounds for Modern apps in Windows 8.1
Notifications inform the user about changes happening on his PC or tablet via sound or visual alerts. Windows 8 introduced toast notifications shown by Modern apps, which also notify you with a sound. There are lots of situations when you need to make your tablet or PC silent. In this article, we will see how to disable or enable notification sounds for Modern apps in Windows 8.1 and Windows 8.
How to capture a screenshot in Windows 8 from a shortcut or command line
While Windows offers a lot of ways to capture a screenshot without using third party tools, it might be useful to capture a screenshot from the command line or with a special shortcut. In this article we will see how to create that shortcut. We will capture a screenshot of the Desktop and save it as a .png using a built-in Windows 8 function.
How to change default screenshots location in Windows 8.1 and Windows 8
In all versions of Windows, you can press the PrintScreen key to capture the screen. But then you need to paste it into some app such as Paint and then save the file. Windows 8 introduced a useful built-in feature to take a screenshot of the screen without using third party tools. If you press Win + PrintScreen simultaneously, your screen will be dimmed for half a second and an image of the captured screen will be placed in the folder at This PC -> Pictures -> Screenshots. In this article, we will see how you can set another folder to store your screenshots.
How to create a backup of your Taskbar toolbars in Windows 8.1 and Windows 8
If you like to customize your Taskbar, you probably have some custom toolbar set up such as Quick Launch, or a simplified Start menu replacement as described in the article: "A Start menu toolbar trick of the taskbar in Windows 8 and 8.1". Every time you install Windows, you have to set them up again which is quite a waste of time. It is a good idea to create a backup of any custom toolbars you have added so you can restore them quickly. Here's how to do it.
How to add custom items to the Send To menu in Windows 8 and Windows 7
As we covered previously, the Send To context menu of File Explorer contains various items by default such as Desktop, Drives, Fax and Mail, and several personal folders in the extended mode. You might have noticed that some applications are able to extend the Send To menu with their own shortcuts. For example, Skype places its icon into the Send To menu. In this article we will see how to put your own custom items like app shortcuts and folders inside the Send To menu so you can copy or move them to the destination folder quickly.
