Windows Vista gadgets can do more than show the time and a calendar. The Windows Vista Sidebar can also be used to install gadgets that are useful such as system utilities that keep track of the resources Windows Vista is using.
Sidebar gadgets have been created that can keep track of how Windows Vista is using your hardware resources and link to 3rd party tools providing you a shortcut to getting information online. Only thing is, if you have a smaller monitor you may find the sidebar a little crowding and using precious screen space. Truth is it was meant for those with a widescreen lcd display so you can keep it running in the foreground. If you ever decide you want to permanently disable the sidebar watch my video tutorial here.
Anyhow, don't worry its not so bad for those with a regular monitor too. Below I have picked some of the best FREE Windows Vista Sidebar gadgets available. Not every gadget comes from Microsoft directly. Actually some of the best ones I have found elsewhere.
By the way in case you didn't know, here are the windows shortcut keyboard combos for using the sidebar:
Windows key + spacebar - Select Sidebar and bring all gadgets to the front
Windows key + G - Cycle through Sidebar gadgets
Tab - Cycle through Sidebar controls
Top Rated, Useful and Interesting Gadgets and add-ons to have:
Multi-Core Meter Multi Meter (D) is a dual core version that shows you the usage for dual core systems. The Multi Meter Includes also a Memory usage status.
WebGuide The WebGuide Gadget allows you to connect to local Media Center or a remote WebGuide server. It allows for full access to the program guide, search, recorded TV and scheduled Recordings. You can even stream live TV when connected to a WebGuide server. Download here
Mini Inbox 3.0 - Your Inbox messages on your sidebar. Read your email from the sidebar via a flyout. You don't even need to have Outlook open! Download here
Hobby Lounge - Memory/Core , and hardware usage, very nice set of gadgets. Download here
Torrent Wrangler - Torrent Wrangler V2 is a powerful sidebar gadget that allows you search 5 popular torrent trackers with one click. Download here
Calculator -The first ever Vista calculator gadget released on the Live Gallery. Download here
Recycle Bin - This gadget adds the recycle bin within the gadgets. You can directly view or delete the content of the basket. Drop any items you want to delete onto the basket. Download here
PowerShell Gadget - PowerShell Gadget is a small gadget that hosts the PowerShell console window in your Sidebar. Download here
The Magic Folder - The Magic Folder is a gadget that helps you categorize and move files. When you drag a file to the gadget it will look at the file extension and place Document files (like doc, xls, ppt, etc) in the Document folder. Download here
System Control - Aside from the normal Shutdown, Restart, Lock, and StandBy (Hibernate), you can Switch User, Log Off, Task Manager, Run Window, and Command Prompt. Download here Sidebar Themes are also available to customize the look.
Windows Sidebar Styler is an application which takes advantage of various technologies introduced in Windows Vista in order to provide extensions to the existing functionality of Windows Sidebar. With the Styler you can customize the skin/theme of the sidebar for example.
Microsoft released Windows XP Service Pack 3 standalone release candidate for download. The 336 Megabyte download file contains all previously released updates for the operating system says Microsoft.
This update also includes a small number of new functionalities such as:
- supports Bluetooth network equipment - Windows XP Network Diagnostics components (IE Tools menu) 6.1 - includes Remote Desktop Connection client - contains network access protection client - includes Windows Imaging Component - contain Microsoft Management Console 3.0 - includes Microsoft Core XML Services 6.0& - includes Windows Installer 3.1 v2 - contain Background Intelligent Transfer Services (BITS) 2.5 - include peer name resolution protocol (PNRP) 2.1 - includes Wi-Fi Protected Access 2
Download the self extracting file from here directly.
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If you want to personalize your iPod Touch (or iPhone) further there is a Toolkit called appropriately "Customize version 2.0" which is free.
It allows you to many different tweaks such as:
- Toggle hiding applications. - Ability to choose number of icons on the dock. - Preset capabilities, which allow quick reordering - Change icon images and backgrounds - and much more
For details visit http://code.google.com/p/customize/
Now that you have the tools, dont forget to protect the exterior from scratches. I bought a thin film that goes on my iPod like an invisible skin, you dont even notice it, and it keeps your brand new iPod looking shinny and new against unnecessary scratches and dents. Dont wait until its late. Its cheap to buy and you'll thank me for it later.
Last thing I wanted to mention, if you want to create your own icons and images for your ipod, make sure that they are in the following image format, filename and size.
Dock Background Images
Width: 320px Height: 91px
Carrier Images
Width: Variable as needed Height: 20px
Notes: Save the image that will look good on a black background as mycarrier.png, and the one that looks good on white background as mycarrier-1.png. Use arial font for this graphic.
WiFi Images
Width: 20px Height: 20px
Notes: The WiFi image set consists of 8 images as follows:
Your File Name
Description
Intended Background Color
yourfile.png
No Signal
White
yourfile-1.png
one "bar"
White
yourfile-2.png
two "bars"
White
yourfile-3.png
full "bars"
White
yourfile-4.png
No Signal
Black
yourfile-5.png
one "bar"
Black
yourifle-6.png
two "bars"
Black
yourfile-7.png
full "bars"
Black
Badge Images Width: 29px Height: 30px
Bar Dialer Image See This Tutorial for information on how to create a custom keypad dialer.
Battery Images Width: 264px Height: 129px
Notes: The battery image set consists of 17 images, named yourname.png, yourname-1.png, ..., yourname-16.png. Because I think it would look better (you'll see) yourname.png is actually the 17th image, and all the other numbers correspond.
Sound Images Width: 87px Height: 88px
Chat Balloons Width: 43px Height: 32px
Slider Images Width: 70px Height: 47px
Notes: The sound image set consists of four images whose names are described here:
This is the first video review of Ubuntu 7, starting with a quick introduction of getting Ubuntu and installing it.
This Review shows the installation process with the assumption that you may have already partitioned your hard drives and have space ready for installing the operating system in a dual boot scenario with Windows XP already installed.
Windows Vista Service Pack 1 Release Candidate has been made available to the general public. Use the Windows Update to access this download. First you have to download a tool from here . You will also be required to uninstall any previous versions of Windows Vista SP1 preview updates before installing Windows Vista SP1 RC.
Windows Vista SP1 RC requires the installation of either two or three prerequisite updates prior to installing the service pack itself. Also prepare for several reboots before you actually install the SP1 RC update. This entire process could take from 30 minutes to 1 hour depending on your hardware. Instructions and 2 methods of installation are outlined on the Microsoft support site.
Microsoft has also released a detailed roster of the contents of its forthcoming service pack for Windows Vista, and the list includes more than 300 hot fixes covering everything from data protection to video performance.
The list, recently posted on Microsoft's Web site, can be downloaded as a 47-page document that the company says is not exhaustive. Microsoft plans to add more fixes and patches to Windows Vista SP1 before a final version is released to the public early next year.
Last year I listed the top 2007 games. Now I bring to you the hottest variety of games for 2008.
This list covers various versions of video games for the PC, Wii, Xbox 360, PS3 and DS some are available now in certain versions, others to be released in 2008. Some of these you can pre-order aswell (see links below).
Currently available only in Japan, it was launched on the 1st of December and copies were all sold out in 2 days! The kit features the WiiBalance Board which enables gamers to interactively head soccer balls and ski jump while partaking in other activities like yoga and aerobics typically thought to be cigarette-free.
Star Wars : The Force Unleased Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is the first next-generation game developed internally at LucasArts, and will be available on the Xbox 360 and PS3. Krome Studios are creating an equally enthralling version of The Force Unleashed on the Wii, PS2 and PSP, while n-Space, Inc., is developing a version for the NDS. Read my review of this game here. Expected to be released Summer 2008 Assassin's Creed (PC)
Ubisoft has done a great job of keeping Assassin's Creed in front of gamers during the run-up to its release, whether by its secrecy about the game's sci-fi storyline, its long-time silence on whether or not it would appear on the Xbox 360, or by the somewhat controversial decision to set the game in real cities of the Middle East during the Crusades.
The game will serve as a direct sequel to the first two Ghostbusters films, with Ramis, Aykroyd, and Bill Murray all signed on to reprise their roles. When Manhattan is once again overrun by ghosts and other supernatural creatures, players will take on the role of a new recruit joining the famous Ghostbusters team.
Namco's Soul Calibur IV has a lot of hype going on. It started with the Sega Genesis release of Soul Edge. The game evolved, developing new guard breaks, tactics, a mass majority of replay value and just the overall content is a thrill. Many are looking forward to the new guest characters present for the Xbox 360 version in comparison to the PS3 version and the new fighting style of online gameplay.
Mario and friends once again jump into the seat of their go-kart machines for the first Wii installment of this popular franchise. New features this year are an online racing mode, new motorbike vehicle types, a special balancing system for new and veteran players, and (in its initial release) a special Mario Kart wheel packaged with the game. As of now, Nintendo is still calling this a 16-player online multiplayer endeavor, and the inclusion of motorcycles is still being decided. This could be the best Mario Kart yet.
GTA IV (PS3, Xbox 360) Grand Theft Auto IV The Grand Theft Auto series, which starts you off as Niko Bellic, an immigrant from Eastern Europe who was persuaded (by his cousin, Roman) to move to Liberty City in order to live the "American Dream." However, it soon becomes apparent that he was misled, and the nice life that Niko was expecting is not there...
Burnout Paradise (PS3, Xbox 360) Burnout Paradise gives players license to wreak havoc in Paradise City, the ultimate racing battleground, with a massive infrastructure of traffic-heavy roads to abuse. Gone is the need to jump in and out of menus and aimlessly search for fun like many open world games; in Burnout 5, every inch of the world is built to deliver heart-stopping Burnout-style gameplay
Super Smash Bros. Brawl is a brawling, battling, action-packed video game that features a varied roster of characters for four-player simultaneous melees! Use your Wii remote and Nunchuck controls to deal serious damage to your opponents and win the game! This Wii entry in the popular series features a number of new additions, including an Adventure Mode (with co-op play), a wealth of new characters and stages, and online combat for multiple players to face off against each other from anywhere!
This Star Wars saga casts players as Darth Vader's "Secret Apprentice", unveiling new revelations about the Star Wars galaxy. The expansive story, created under direction from George Lucas, is set during the largely unexplored era between Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope.
Fallout 3 is set in an alternate future, where the imagined nuclear war of the 1950s has occurred, leaving the world scarred and pockets of survivors that hid from the blasts in ‘vaults’ deep underground. The gamer plays from the first person perspective and will slowly build up special talents depending on their favoured style. Although it looks like a first person shooter in the style of Doom or Half Life 2, this is a very different animal, with accuracy dependent on the level of skill rather than the mouse ability of the player.
Your life is in danger as you strive to complete your most dangerous mission yet in a sweltering
desert colony where a new breed of evil has been unleashed. Swarms of marauding evil beings will charge at you when your pulse is racing at a heart-shattering pace. Environments will play a bigger factor than ever here, using the power of next-gen systems to create a world where terror might lurk in any alcove or shadow. Powerful lighting effects overwhelm the player with mirage movement and blinding brilliance, and even in the light of day, there is no safe haven in this Resident Evil.
The game is a story-driven adventure, with seasoned hero Solid Snake drafted for one final mission. Set across stages including the Middle East and South America, the now aged Snake has been asked to assassinate his old adversary, Liquid Ocelot. To do this, however, he must make his way through a series of battlefields, using his legendary stealth abilities and all-new OctoCamo suit to avoid detection and to reach his target.
The Postal series continues in this third installment, using the Source Engine from Valve (makers of the popular Half-Life 2 game) is a action horror filled game that promises to deliver a new and advanced technical level of social satire and politically incorrect virtual violence. Yikes!
This Christmas the most popular MP3 player is the new iPod Touch from Apple. The Apple brand and the word quality for the iPod go together, with its latest large, bright touchscreen this puts it ahead of all other MP3 players out there. However there is a give and take, due to its compact slim size it only holds to a maximum of 16GB of storage which is hardly enough for those hardcore mp3 lovers who have tons of gigs of music and specially now videos to watch. But if you want the latest and greatest in technology the iPod touch is it. The iPod Touch features a 3.5-inch touch-sensitive glass screen in lieu of buttons. It connects to the Internet via built-in Wi-Fi.
There's a full-featured Web browser for surfing the Net. You can even watch videos. But look at it closely, it resembles an iPhone, not surprised it shares the same audio, video, and photo apps as the iPhone, which is a good thing since its slick interface is a user friendly and easy way of accessing your mobile media.
The built in search is fast, sampling tracks and downloads are easy, and syncing tracks back to your host computer is effortless.
The Touch plays photos, videos and music. You can download songs from Apple's iTunes directly onto the player which is no surprise.
Microsoft has just posted a Blocker tool on its download site (Dec 6,07) that will block automatic installations of several upcoming service packs, including Vista Service Pack 1 and Windows XP SP3.
The download includes three versions of the tool -- an executable, a script and a group policy template -- that prevents the service packs from reaching PCs via Windows Update, Microsoft's default update service.
The tool blocks Windows Vista SP1, Windows XP SP3 and Windows Server 2003 SP2 for varying lengths of time. Vista SP1 and XP SP3 can be blocked for as long as 12 months after the service packs are released in final form, while the Server 2003 SP2 blocker bars the download only through March 2008.
Microsoft says its "a blocking tool is available for organizations that would like to temporarily prevent installation of Service Pack updates through Windows Update. "
Google has released the Google Mobile Updater for the BlackBerry, a small bit of software that keeps an eye on Google applications and helps you install updates to them as necessary.
Google Mobile Updater is a free download, currently only for the RIM BlackBerry users, that lets you install and update Google Mobile services. Google Mobile Updater will keep you notified of new Google Mobile services as well as updates to installed applications. This way, you can be sure to have the most current version of your favorite Google Mobile applications when you are on the go.
To download the apps go to mobile.google.com and click on "Get Google's mobile products in a single download" option.
When you run the updater, it checks against Google's servers to see what the most recent version is. Once it has updated itself, you'll get the option to Install All apps, or install them individually. Most of the "apps" are just shortcuts to open the webpages. Real apps include GMail for Mobile and Google Maps for Mobile. There's also a Google Search app which launches the browser to display the search results.
Also there is a free download that allows BlackBerry users to sync their Google Calendar with their device.
Users can go to m.google.com/sync via their BlackBerry's Web browser to download and install the software. Or they can install it on their PC running the BlackBerry desktop software first, and then install it to the BlackBerry via a USB connection.
Here is a list of Google Mobile Products: Search , Maps , Gmail ,Calendar, Docs , SMS, GOOG-411, News , Photos , Reader , Blogger and Notebook
I found this interesting review of the latest Google Web Tools for the iPhone
What makes it so great is that there is a menu at the top that links to all the other apps. It also seems to pre-cache your other apps so when search it’s searching images
in the background and they are ready right away when you tap images. Here’s a list of the apps: Google search, image search, local search, news, Gmail, Calendar, Reader, GOOG-411, SMS, Picasa Photos, Blogger, Notebook.
Users who point their iPhone Safari browser at www.google.com will see a different Google search page. The iPhone version has tabs at the top of the page that offer quick access to Gmail, Google's Calendar and Reader apps and another tab for more services, which include links to docs, Google's free 411 service Goog-411, Blogger and Picasa, Google's photo organizer.
It's a nice touch that puts you right into Google's world without having to bookmark sites. It works by leveraging browser technologies like AJAX, said Google. iPhone can still visit the classic site by clicking on a link on the page. Play the video to get a walk through the new Google tools for the iPhone.
The top video games that were in high demand for 2007 are listed below. Its an unbiased top 10 list in no particular order. Of course the list could go on but lets look at this variety pack of video games.
Here is an initial list of top releases for 2008. Battlestations: Midway (Eidos) Battlestations: Pacific (Eidos) Borderlands (2K Games) Call of Duty: World at War (Activision) Crysis Warhead (Crytek/EA) Dawn of War 2 (THQ) Devil May Cry 4 (Capcom) Ghostbusters: The Video Game (Sierra) Quantum of Solace (Activision) LEGO Batman: The Videogame (Warner Bros.) Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa Video Game (Activision) Mafia II (2K Games) Project Origin Warner Bros.) Red Faction: Guerilla (THQ) Saints Row 2 (THQ) Zoo Tycoon 2: Ultimate Collection (Microsoft)
Starting off the list is Call of Duty 4, an excellent first person shooter with an AI that is remarkably smart, the RPG's fire realistically, the graphics are excellent (if you have the video card to support it) and the overall gameplay is awesome making this a terrific multiplayer game, better than call of duty 2.
Though it may make a difference if you have an Xbox 360,PlayStation or Wii version of a game as supposed to the PC version (which in most cases allows you to play the game at high resolutions), but the basis of a game remains the same in all platforms. These picks are based on this months latest activity in the market, researched PC Game reviews and experiences of people (ages 10+) playing them lately in general. Depending on the age of the player, preferences on which games are best change obviously.
Here is the list of video games people are currently enjoying and/or wishing to play which you may want to consider getting.
3Crysis An alien invasion game set in the year 2020. An archeological team on a remote Pacific island is captured by an invasion force of North Koreans, and your US Special Forces team is dispatched to investigate and rescue the scientists. Perfect graphics and gameplay, a real winner. Buy it here at a low price + free shipping
5 The Sims 2 The Sims Series is very popular for all ages, and this is why you will find it in various flavors. Essentially all Sims games give you that feeling of complete control over the lives of autonomous little computer people, this is all that really needs to be said. Buy it here at a low price + free shipping 6 The Orange Box There's never been a package on a console like The Orange Box. You get five games: Half-Life 2, HL2: Episode One, HL2: Episode Two, Portal, and Team Fortress 2. All in one box, on one disc. If there's one must buy game of the year, it is, without a doubt, The Orange Box. All five components are excellent, with Half-Life 2 and Episode Two being the two finest single-player first-person shooters on Xbox 360version of the game. Buy it here at a low price + free shipping
7 Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance A real-time strategy game that features an all-new single-player campaign, a new faction and a myriad of innovative multiplayer features. Players can expect more than one hundred new units will give players access to cutting-edge strategic options, including fully realized navies, orbital weaponry and advanced counter intelligence technologies. Buy it here at a low price + free shipping 8 Gears of War Unlike other shooters, Gears of War is all about teamwork in a big way. All game modes, levels and scenarios are designed specifically to encourage co-operative play, whether it be with A.I. partners or human players (with A.I. teammates designed with specific strengths, weaknesses and personalities.) Buy it here at a low price + free shipping 9 Halo 3 There's no first-person shooter on the Xbox 360 that can equal Halo 3's blend of cinematic action, adrenaline-pumping shootouts, and male- (and female)-bonding gameplay. Buy it here at a low price + free shipping 10 Command & Conquer 3:Tiberium Wars One of my favourites, the long-running and popular real-time strategy series with Command & Conquer is an addictive game, Buy it here at a low price + free shipping
Here are games that are more suitable for kids under 13 years of age:
Microsoft will launch the final version of the server OS at a February 27th event in Los Angeles which the company is calling 'Heroes Happen Here,' . Also to be unveiled is Microsoft SQL Server 2008 and Microsoft Visual Studio 2008.
But Today you can download RC1 of Windows Server 2008 - Codename Longhorn.
Microsoft said Windows Server 2008 RC1 (Release Candidate 1) is now available to all users, either as a 30-day trial that does not require a product activation key, or as a six-month trial for which users must register.
Windows Server 2008 offers a number of significant enhancements over its most recent predecessor, Windows Server 2003.
Among the software's more highly anticipated features are Windows PowerShell, Internet Information Services 7.0, a built-in Web server that brings together numerous online publishing technologies and a number of features first seen in Windows Vista.
Be prepared for changes in Vista soon. While Microsoft plans its release of SP1 for Vista expect updates in Vista regarding the user experience of its automatic anti-piracy checks which could make it easier for hackers to bypass the system. Once Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) is installed on a PC, that computer will no longer go into limited functionality mode if a user or administrator fails to activate Vista on that system in 30 days, or if the system fails Microsoft's Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) validation, which checks to see if a version of Vista is pirated or counterfeit. In Vista, WGA is called the Software Protection Program feature.
In limited functionality mode, a computer will shut down after 60 minutes and then allow only browser use. Now, instead of going into that mode, a version of Vista that has not been activated in 30 days will start up with a black screen and a dialogue box that gives users the choice of activating Vista now or later, said Alex Kochis, a group product manager at Microsoft. If users choose to activate now, the screen prompts will lead them through the proper activation system. If users choose to activate later, all the usual functions of Windows will start up, but with a black screen in the background instead of whatever customized background screen a user had set for the system. Then, after 60 minutes of use, a balloon dialogue box will appear on the screen reminding the user to activate Vista. It also will reset the background to black even if a user had replaced the black screen with a customized view. So if you dont mind these minor things, it almost sounds like after Vista SP1, Microsoft is allowing users to run a fully functional copy of Windows Vista without having to pay for it. If for some reason your legal Windows Vista Install isnt registered properly under your name, or registered under the wrong name, misspelled or has been transfered to you legally follow my video tutorial which shows the steps to change the registered owner name in the registry.
Although you should expect to wait for a few seconds for Windows XP to boot, if you have had it running for a while or just installed a fresh install and it seems to boot rather slowly. Its time for you to apply some old tricks once again making your PC roar to life again. There are several tweaks that help Windows XP get the bootup speed you want.
This tutorial explores how to put these techniques to work.
1. Change the boot device list order Most computers are set up so that when you first turn on your computer it will check to see if you want to boot from other drives besides your hard disk. It will automatically check the CD/DVD Drive for a bootable disk, or a floppy disk (which we dont really use as much if any), some may have it to check boot from LAN or USB Stick. If all you want is for your primary hard disk to boot up Windows, make it so in the BIOS first.
The main benefit here is by placing your primary hard disk first as the startup device boot the system does not have to waste time
checking other devices for boot records. By doing this you can shave several seconds off of your boot time.
2.Lower the OS Timeout Values
If you have the Microsoft OS Selector that the Microsoft installer configures during installation of another operating system or upgrade. By default, the OS Selector gives you 30 seconds to select an operating system before it reverts to the default operating system. The only way not to wait 30 seconds is to select the operating system you want to use right away. If you use one operating system the majority of your time, you would definitely save
time if you set that operating system as the default and lowered the timeout value to 1 or 2 seconds. That way, you would not have to select an operating system every time you turned on your system or wait 30 seconds before doing so.
With Windows changing the timeout value is simple if the operating system that you use primarily is already the default. If it is, just follow these directions:
From the Start menu, select Run and type MSCONFIG and press OK. This will load the System Configuration utility.
Once the System Configuration utility has loaded, click on the tab labeled BOOT.INI
Locate the Timeout text box and replace 30 seconds with 1 or 2 seconds—or any number that gives you enough time to select the other operating systems on your system. The amount of time that you select to be your timeout value is not the amount of time that you have to select the operating system. Rather, it is the amount of time that you have to hit any key and then select the operating system. So don't be afraid of setting this timeout value too low.
Once you have made the change, click the OK button, and you are finished. Repeat these steps if you find the value you entered is too fast for example.
3. Disable your Windows boot logo screen
The process for disabling the system boot screen is similar to the process for modifying the default operating system in the boot file. If you do not have any other operating systems installed on your system, then you will have to create your own boot.ini file to place in your drive root (that is, the c:\ drive).
The boot.ini file that disables the boot screen looks similar like the following for windows XP:
[boot loader] timeout=0 default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS [operating systems]multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /noguiboot
The above boot.ini file is all pretty much standard except for the adition of the /noguiboot to the last line of the file. That is the parameter that tells Windows to start up without using the graphical user interface boot screen. To get started, open up a copy of Notepad found in the Accessories menu of the All Programs entry in the Start Menu and follow the steps below:
On the first line of the file, type in [boot loader].
On line 2 of the file, key in timeout=0 so Windows does not show the boot selection screen at all. You don't want this anyways since you only have one operating system installed on your computer.
On line 3 of the file, type in default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS so that Windows knows where to look on your hard drive to start the operating system.
On line 4, type in [operating systems].
On line 5, type in multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /noguiboot to start up Windows with the /noguiboot parameter to disable the boot screen.
Click on the File menu bar item and select Save As.
Type in Boot.ini in the File name box and change the Save as type to All Files.
Then, change the Save in directory to your drive root, which is usually Local Disk (C:).
Hit the save button and you are now finished.
4. Remove unused Fonts
Only a handful of your installed fonts are most likely used on a regular basis. Windows uses the Tahoma, Times New Roman, Arial, Verdana, Trebuchet, and MS Sans Serif fonts. All of the other fonts are installed for secondary use or by your other applications as optional.
To remove the unused fonts, first my a copy/backup of those extra fonts, then follow these steps:
Open up My Computer through the icon in your Start panel or from the icon on your Desktop. Navigate to the C: drive or whatever drive on which you have Windows installed.
Next, navigate to the C:\Windows folder (or C:\WINNT folder for some). If along the way you are prompted with a screen telling you that "this folder contains file that keep your system working properly; you should not modify its contents," ignore this message and click the text that says "show the contents of this folder."
Now that you are inside the Windows root folder, create a folder to store the fonts that you are going to remove from the fonts folder. Right-click on the white space that lists the folder and files and select New and then select Folder. Call your folder Fonts Backup or something similar, so that you will be able to identify that this is the place that your old fonts are.
Once you have created the new folder, open it.
Next, go back to the My Computer icon in your Start panel or Desktop and open another window. Navigate to the drive you have Windows installed on and then navigate to the windows folder. Once you are inside the Windows folder, navigate to the Fonts folder.
Now that you have both the Fonts folder open and your backup folder open
Now that the two font folders are side by side, to remove a font from the system, all you have to do is click on the icon in the Fonts folder that you do not want installed any more, and drag the icon over to the backup folder. This will automatically uninstall the font and will copy it to your backup folder.
In the event that you was to reinstall a font, all you have to do is drag the font file from the backup folder back to the Fonts folder.
Warning: When you remove fonts from your computer you will no longer be able to use them in any software application, including Microsoft Word and Excel.
5. Defragment your drives.
Keep the hard drive tidy. Run Disk Cleanup (Start/All Programs/Accessories/System Tools/Disk Cleanup) and Disk Defragmenter (same location) at least once each month. Defragging a large drive can take a few hours, so you might start the process at the end of your day and let the computer defrag itself while you sleep. You can also free up 10 Gigs of space in Windows easily. Watch my video tutorial here that shows you step by step.
6. Reduce the Overhead
You can get rid of all kinds of programs that run in the background that you may not need. The easiest way to do this is with the System Configuration Utility, otherwise known as Msconfig. Launch it by clicking the Start button and then Run, typing MSCONFIG into the text box, and hitting Enter.
Click on the Startup tab and look at the contents. This is a list of things that start when the computer boots up. All of these little goodies run in the background, eating up memory and resources and slowing your system down.
Uncheck those in the list that are not required such as itunes, quicktime, autoupdate features, and so on, reboot and see if any of your programs or hardware devices lose functionality. If they do, run the System Configuration Utility again and recheck entries that you suspect to be the programs your system needs, rebooting between each attempt until you narrow it down. Leave everything that doesn't affect normal use of your system unchecked. This will speed the Windows boot process and clear up system resources. Other Tips Users have watched
Windows Vista gadgets can do more than show the time and a calendar. The Windows Vista Sidebar can also be used to install gadgets that are useful such as system utilities that keep track of the resources Windows Vista is using. 
some of the best FREE Windows Vista Sidebar gadgets available. Not every gadget comes from Microsoft directly. Actually some of the best ones I have found elsewhere.
(or iPhone) further there is a Toolkit called appropriately "Customize version 2.0" which is free. 
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