Here is a reference list of Windows 8 config settings. Each item has
a link to its
own page explaining how to find the menus to change the default settings.
The design principle behind the Metro UI is to make better use of the desktop's real estate.
This is why Windows 8 tiles are bigger and better than the lifeless
shortcuts of previous Windows generation. Perhaps the best feature of a tile is the ability to to
display up-to-date information, for example the current score in the big
game, or my favourite, the weather See
more on the Windows Metro UI.
Arrange Your New UI Tiles It's easy to swizzle the tiles into new configurations, group the tiles
to your prefered lay-out.
To get more tiles on your interface, hit the key corresponding to the first letter of your chosen App,
say type 's' for 'Snipping tool'. From the list of applications tiles
right-click on say 'Snipping tool', now look down and see 'Pin'. As
you click on 'Pin' so a tick appears on the tile.
Tip: When you want to get
back to the main screen press the Windows key.
If you know anything about Microsoft Windows, then you can guess that
there will be a method to create and configure your own tiles. The process is not
easy, but here are the steps to create
your own Windows 8 Metro tile.
Windows 8 Performance Monitor
The big change in Windows Perfmon came between Vista and Windows 7 with the
introduction of Data Collection Sets. While configuring performance
monitoring is really a job for a Windows server, the benefit of having
perfmon on the client is that you can examine the health of a server's
memory, cpu and disk without the application itself swaying the figures.
For day-to-day use I find the task manager invaluable in checking for
malware and seeing which legitimate programs are hogging the cpu.
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I have found the most convenient way to access the old 'Run' dialog box
is to type the letters: 'R u n'
at the Windows 8 Metro interface. You get a search screen displaying
the shortcut to the run. See more
on the Windows 8 Run dialog box.
Have You Lost The Windows 8 Recycle Bin?
Here is how to recover that lost bin.
1) Right-click the Windows 8 Desktop 2) Select: Personalize from the menu 3)
Look for the link: 'Change desktop icons' 4) At the Desktop Icon Settings, place a tick next to:
'Recycle Bin'. See screenshot right.
Connecting Via Windows 8 Remote Desktop
The key to enabling remote desktop is thinking ahead. Realize that
one day you are going to leave your Windows 8 machine running in your
office, and then visit a colleague in another office; the problem comes you need
a file which is on your Windows 8
computer back in the first office.
See here for detailed steps how to conifgure the Host and the Victim for
Remote Desktop.
Configuring the
Windows 8 Shutdown Button
It takes a little getting used to finding the new position of the Windows 8 Shut down button;
however once shown, you will soon adjust to that switch icon at the front
screen. To let
you into a secret, I create a shutdown tile on my desktop.
Have some fun, create a 'Magic Folder' with links to all the main
Windows 8 Configuration settings.
This magic folder is God Mode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}.
See details of how to create 'God Mode'
on your desktop.
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After a year, Microsoft are releasing an update called "Blue". The
significance is that it is the first of the new era of
Microsoft's service packs. Gone are the old style SP1 and SP2, in
their place will be packages such as "Blue", which introduce new features,
as well as fix imperfections in Windows 8's Apps and GUIs.
The extra intrigue surrounding Windows 8.1 Blue is the possibility
that Microsoft may relent and re-introduce the Start Button. There are
also
rumours that Microsoft will even provide a boot-to-desktop option.
Windows 8 is great, but it's even more fun and productive if you know how
to configure its settings. This page has a list of interesting and
relevant places to change Windows default settings.
If you like this page then please share it with your friends
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