Tweaks
Restore missing or disappearing tray icons in Windows Vista
Here’s an annoying Vista problem. Periodically, I would find my network connection and some other tray icons disappearing. A little research revealed that it is a Vista bug caused by some Registry entries filling up. Sometimes rebooting brings the vanishing icons back but not always. You may have to resort to editing the Registry. (Back [...]
Remapping special keys on the keyboard
I have posted about remapping keys like the “caps lock” before. I have also written elsewhere about remapping the standard keyboard in general. However, a special case is presented by those keys that are added by manufacturers to access software like Internet Explorer or email clients or media players. These keys often do not correspond [...]
Left-handed mouse pointers for Windows
I’m not left-handed but, from teaching, I know that the standard mouse setup can be inconvenient for those who are. Changing the buttons on a mouse is a standard Windows adjustment but Microsoft has also supplied a set of mouse pointers (AKA cursors) for left-handers. They can be downloaded at this Microsoft link. The download [...]
Control your browser font sizes
As some of us get older, our eyes aren’t what they used to be and we need larger font sizes in our browsers. Also, the newer displays have high resolutions that make fonts look smaller and harder to read. The common browsers like Internet Explorer (IE) and Firefox have settings that provide for permanently increasing [...]
Customize your icons
Many Windows users are unaware that they are not stuck with the default set of icons that comes with their setup. In fact, it is quite easy to edit or replace the existing icons. Some years ago I wrote an article on how to customize your icons. Why should all your folder icons be the [...]
Quick tricks to repair a wireless connection
While we are on the subject of wireless networking (previous post), let me remind you of the trick that often repairs a wireless Internet connection that is slow or inoperative. Sometimes all it takes is to reboot the modem and/or router. Turn the power off for 10 seconds and then turn it back on.
Also, sometimes [...]
How to toggle Adobe Flash on and off
Adobe Flash clips are ubiquitous on the Web and that includes a lot of advertising. The Windows Flash player can also be a vector for malware and needs frequent security updates. As a result, many PC users might find it useful to be able to turn Flash on and off as desired.
The Firefox browser has [...]
Making PCs more accessible for seniors
There’s nothing new in the suggestions but MakeUseOf has collected seven ways for making PCs easier to use for those of us who are a little older. The author says that it is aimed at young people who are called upon to help family members but the rest of us might find a useful tip [...]
Speed up Firefox
If you are a Firefox user, you might take a look at a utility called SpeedyFox that is recommended by “Gizmo” Richards:
All up, a pretty useful free utility that provides a genuine benefit to most Firefox users. The degree of benefit will depend on the age and condition of your profile. I suspect some [...]
Speed up your PC
For years I have advised people to keep their Windows temporary files cleaned up as a way to improve PC performance. Bill Pytlovany (author of WinPatrol) agrees and even says that cleaning the temporary Internet file folder is the “#1 tweak to improve Windows performance”. According to Pytlovany:
Providing support for my WinPatrol program I run [...]
Tweaking guides for Windows XP and Vista
Windows is eminently tweakable and there are a number of applications and guides for configuring Windows XP and Vista. Some applications will carry out tweaks for you while others simply give instructions. In this latter category is a nice collection of useful tweaks from Tweakguides. A free PDF document is available, one for Windows XP [...]
