Ever since Windows Vista introduced User Account Control, there has been a need to occasionally run some programs as administrator for doing some functions. If the UAC setting is set to the highest level in Windows, then you get a UAC prompt when you open an app as administrator. But when the UAC setting is at a lower level, signed Windows EXEs are elevated silently. Also, there are some scheduled tasks which run as administrator and you can even create your own shortcuts that run elevated but you don't get the UAC prompt for them. In this article, we will see how we can determine if a process is running as administrator.
Tag: Windows 7
Show numbers on taskbar buttons with 7+ Taskbar Numberer
Previously, we wrote about how you can use 7+ Taskbar Tweaker to improve your Taskbar usability and bring back many classic options. The developer of 7+ Taskbar Tweaker, has another tool called 7+ Taskbar Numberer. It shows numbers on your taskbar buttons so operating the taskbar using the keyboard becomes easier.
Launch your favorite apps with useful aliases from the Run dialog
Ever since Windows 95, Windows has had a cool feature known as app paths. It allows end users to create their own commands to run anything. Throughout its long history, this little known feature never gained much popularity, probably because it was initially designed for developers to prevent them from adding their apps to the system path variable. Even in Windows 8.1, this feature still exists without any changes, and is still secretly hidden from the eyes of the average Windows user. In this article, we will look at what app paths are and how you can create your own aliases to tremendously boost your working efficiency.
Reduce extra space between icons on the taskbar and tray notification area
Ever since Windows 7 got released, the Windows desktop has had a redesigned Taskbar which is also designed for multi-touch. The icons are larger on the Taskbar so they're easier to access using touch and they are spaced wider apart. The notification area icons (the small ones in the system tray) are also spaced much farther apart than they were in previous versions of Windows. While this definitely makes them easier to access, they do waste a lot of space. Let us see how we can reduce the space between the icons on the taskbar as well as the icons in the notification area.
Customization for power users with 7+ Taskbar Tweaker
In an earlier article, we became familiar with how we can make the taskbar in Windows 8.1, Windows 8 and Windows 7 work like the classic XP taskbar using 7+ Taskbar Tweaker. It also includes some extra customizations for advanced users which we will look at today.
Get a classic taskbar in Windows 8 and Windows 7 that works like XP
Ever since Microsoft redesigned the taskbar in Windows 7 and simply declared it as a superior one, long-time users of Windows have been frustrated at being unable to use it the way they were accustomed to in classic versions of Windows. Not only did the reimagined taskbar change the design of many features without giving any choice but it also eliminated some features of the classic Taskbar. Let us see how we can make the new Taskbar work exactly like the good, old classic Taskbar. You will need to install a free third party program.
How to set a folder view in Explorer for all folders – List, Details, Tiles, Small or Large Icons
If you use the built-in file manager in Windows, Windows Explorer, you will realize that it has a feature to remember each folder's view setting. Unfortunately, it is not explained very properly by Microsoft and some changes were made in modern Windows versions which make it even more confusing for end users. We constantly get this question asked by our readers - is there any way to make Windows Explorer set a desired view for all folders and then remember it? Let us explore how to do that.
How to search your entire PC including file contents and launch anything using Classic Shell
Ever since Windows 8 got released, Classic Shell saw a massive boost in popularity as the most premier yet free Start Menu replacement. For those who don't know, Classic Shell is a free project with the goal to restore removed features in Windows - those features whose loss made Windows usability and productivity worse. Classic Shell began in the Windows 7 era (yes you read that right!), it existed much earlier than Windows 8.
How to enable 64-bit Internet Explorer processes
As you may be knowing, 64-bit editions of Windows include 32-bit Internet Explorer as well as a 64-bit version. This has been the case since Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and the reason that both editions are included is for compatibility with addons. When 64-bit IE was first introduced, most addons like Flash Player, Java, and most ActiveX controls were 32-bit only. 32-bit addons cannot work with 64-bit IE, that's why Microsoft bundled both x86 and x64 IE versions. Users could easily open whichever IE they wanted but this changed with Internet Explorer 10. Let us see how.
How to show more details for shortcuts in Windows 8.1, Windows 8 and Windows 7
File shortcuts have been in Windows since Windows 95. In case you don't know what shortcuts are, they are merely a link to another file or folder on your hard drive's file system or to some system object. The object that they link to is called the target. Shortcut files have the extension .LNK but it is always hidden by the Explorer shell using the 'NeverShowExt' registry value. Shortcut files can be placed anywhere - on your Desktop or pinned to your taskbar or Quick launch but the most number of shortcuts are located in your Start Menu folder. Today, we will see how we can turn on the display of more details about these shortcuts which the Explorer shell hides.
