Windows 8 tips, tricks and secrets
UPDATED Hints and tips to help you get more from Windows 8
Windows 8 has been with us for over half a year now, and if you're used to previous versions of Windows then you're going to notice that quite a bit has changed. In fact, Windows 8 has seen the biggest change since the jump from Windows 3.1 to Windows 95.
Out goes the Start menu, in comes the new touch-oriented Start screen with new Windows 8-style apps and new interface conventions. Even experienced PC users may be left feeling a little lost.
Don't despair, though, help is at hand. We've poked around every part of Windows 8, uncovering many of its most important tips and tricks, so read our guide and you'll soon be equipped to get the most out of Microsoft's latest release.
1. Lock screen
Windows 8 opens on its lock screen, which looks pretty but unfortunately displays no clues about what to do next.
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It's all very straightforward, though. Just tap the space bar, spin the mouse wheel or swipe upwards on a touch screen to reveal a regular login screen with the user name you created during installation. Enter your password to begin.
2. Basic navigation
Windows 8 launches with its new interface, all colourful tiles and touch-friendly apps. And if you're using a tablet then it'll all be very straightforward: just swipe left or right to scroll the screen, and tap any tile of interest.
On a regular desktop, though, you might alternatively spin the mouse wheel to scroll backwards and forwards.
And you can also use the keyboard. Press the Home or End keys to jump from one end of your Start screen to the other, for instance, then use the cursor keys to select a particular tile, tapping Enter to select it. Press the Windows key to return to the Start screen; right-click (or swipe down on) apps you don't need and select Unpin to remove them; and drag and drop the other tiles around to organise them as you like.
3. App groups
The Start screen apps are initially displayed in a fairly random order, but if you'd prefer a more organised life then it's easy to sort them into custom groups.
You might drag People, Mail, Messaging and Calendar over to the left-hand side, for instance, to form a separate 'People' group. Click the 'minus' icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to zoom out and you'll now find you can drag and drop the new group (or any of the others) around as a block.
Right-click within the block (while still zoomed out) and you'll also be able to give the group a name, which - if you go on to add another 20 or 30 apps to your Start screen - will make it much easier to find the tools you need.
4. Quick access menu
Right-click in the bottom left corner (or hold down the Windows key and press X) for a text-based menu that provides easy access to lots of useful applets and features: Device Manager, Control Panel, Explorer, the Search dialog and more.
5. Find your applications
The Win+X menu is useful, but no substitute for the old Start menu as it doesn't provide access to your applications. To find this, hold down the Windows key and press Q or either right-click an empty part of the Start screen or swipe your finger up from the bottom of the screen and select 'All Apps' to reveal a scrolling list of all your installed applications. Browse the various tiles to find what you need and click the relevant app to launch it.
6. Easy access
If there's an application you use all the time then you don't have to access it via the search system. Pin it to the Start screen and it'll be available at a click.
Start by typing part of the name of your application. To access Control Panel, for instance, type 'Control'. Right-click the 'Control Panel' tile on the Apps Search screen, and click 'Pin to Start'. If you're using a touchscreen, press and hold the icon, then flick down and select 'Pin to Start'.
Now press the Windows key, scroll to the right and you'll see the Control Panel tile at the far end. Drag and drop this over to the left somewhere if you'd like it more easily accessible, then click the tile to open the desktop along with the Control Panel window, and press the Windows key to return you to the Start screen when you're done.
7. Shutting down
To shut Windows 8 down, just move the mouse cursor to the bottom right corner of the screen, click the Settings icon - or just hold down the Windows key and press I - and you'll see a power button. Click this and choose 'Shut Down' or 'Restart'.
Some of the tricks available in previous versions of Windows still apply. Press Ctrl+Alt+Del, for instance, click the power button in the bottom right-hand corner and you'll be presented with the same 'Shut Down' and 'Restart' options.
And if you're on the desktop, press Alt+F4 and you'll be able to choose 'Shut Down', 'Restart', 'Sign Out' or 'Switch User' options.
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http://hackyogi.com/windows-8-shortcut-key/
I am using a Toshiba laptop windows 8 for 6 months now and a few weeks ago this problem started. While in use, a page comes on that says "there was a problem and windows will have to reboot and it starts the proses and no way to stop it. When reboot is complete and comes back on there is a red X over the internet access icon in the bottom right corner and internet does not work. When I click on the icon, the option says "No available networks" The other laptops in the same location are still working at this time with internet access to the same router I am using. The service rep for Toshiba said that the router is old and might be the problem. I don't think he is correct, because all of the neighbours networks do not show up either as is normally seen. The temporary fix I have come up with is that I turn on the Airplane mode then turn it off, and the Toshiba reconnects. I would like to know what the actual problem is? Thank you for your help.
girl. I'd appreciated it if Windows 8 didn't stray quite as far from Windows 7 as it did.
Your Online Computer Shop
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I presume this means from the App Store because Windows does this anyway? I've installed lots of Desktop programs from the web without problem.
"50. Recovery options: Windows 8 has performed well for us, but if you find it won't boot at some point then you now have to press Shift+F8 during the launch process to access its recovery tools."
This doesn't work. It may have done in the Consumer Preview but in Release Preview and RTM Shift+F8 does nothing.
There's a Microsoft Blog. Windows 8 has been designed to know it's broken and Auto-Repair kicks in automatically.
You can get to this menu by initiating it from Systems Options but I can find no way of doing this if you cannot get into Windows first to initiate it.
Odd!
Microsoft is threatened by apple so they are force feeding us this 'OS'. It's going to end up as another Vista. I couldn't imagine rolling out Windows 8 to a large corporation and trying to get the users to be productive when you are talking about thousands of users.
You have to realize that every hour you spend on learning a new OS, is about 3 hours wasted from your employees doing actual work that they are suppose to be doing. Microsoft would best to release a Windows 12 (that has the feel and look of Windows 7) and another OS for the tablet generation that can be put on the desktop. Sell it as an upgrade or something. Then you are reaching the market you really desire, not force feeding people things that they don't want.
The interface is just not fluid, and will certainly impair productivity.
This makes Ubuntu's Unity desktop look brilliant.
I have tried out the beta, and I am seriously unimpressed,dual screen usage in particular is extremely annoying.
My company (like many others, I have no doubt) will be upgrading all of our remaining XP boxes to win 7 and waiting win8 out, the same as the majority did with Vista.
Classic shell http://classicshell.sourceforge.net/ also gives you your menus back by the way.
About 21. REPLACING THE START MENU:
There is another option that is easy enough to do without installing third-party software. It doesn't look the same and it's on the left instead of the right, but it serves the same purpose.
1) Make sure that Show Hidden Files is checked.
2) Right click on the toolbar and select Toolbar -> New Toolbar...
3) Navigate to C:\Program Data\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu and select it.
This gives you a standard menu without the bells and whistles.
All the same installed shortcuts that go to the Start Menu since Windows 95 are still stored in the same general folder (location aside) so the user doesn't have to add anything to it. A general installation will do the work for them. The only thing that's changed is the way you access it in the UI. For everything else, a simple swipe from the right or top-right will offer plenty of other options.
www.hinetwork.ir
Also, if you're planning on ditching Windows when MS stop supporting Win 7 then I'm sure you will look forward to seeing what Linux distros are around in 2020!
What makes you say that? MS are so dominant in the server / office market that they they would be crazy to put out anything that is not desktop friendly. All the talk is about touch at the moment but I bet it would be madness if the touch functionality was at the expense of keyboard/mouse inputs.