1. Decide if you want single or dual boot

If you want to keep your existing Windows 7 set-up but want to test Windows 8, the easy way is to go for dual boot.

To do that, you need to create a second partition on your existing hard drive for installing Windows 8.

Click on Start, then right click on Computer, then choose Manage. Now double click on Disk Management and find your C: drive. Right click on select Shrink Volume. You need about 28GB of space to install Windows 8, so key-in 30000 under the space that says ‘Enter the amount of space to shrink in MB’.

Click Shrink and you will create a new partition with about 29.3GB of space. Next, right click on the new partition and select New Simple Volume. Select Next for the next three steps and the system will create and format your new D:drive.

2. Download the Windows 8 Developer Preview

Go to www.windows.com/build and download the Windows 8. The version will run on most PCs that run on Windows 7.

Note, however, that there are a 64-bit and a 32-bit version. If you are opting for the 64-bit version, you need to make sure your processor is a 64-bit one. Most processors launched over the last two years are 64-bit except for the early Intel Atoms used in netbooks.

3. Install the file into a DVD or USB flash stick

The Windows 8 downloaded file is in ISO format which means you need to burn the file into a DVD or install it on a USB stick. I recommend going for the latter as many laptops today do not have a drive. You will need at least 4GB on the USB stick.

First, quick format the stick and make sure you select FAT32 under file system. You will need special software to copy the ISO file to your USB stick as well as make it bootable at the same time.

Thankfully, there is one called the Windows7 USB/DVD Download Tool which was used to make Windows 7 bootable on a USB stick. The good news – it works on Windows 8 as well.

Google for Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool or go to www.download.cnet and search for the same keywords.

Download and run the Tool and when prompted to Choose ISO file, point to the location of your Windows 8 ISO file. When the copying is completed, you now have Windows8 in a bootable flash drive.

4. Change the order of boot

The next step is to go into the Bios settings of your PC and tell it to look for the USB flash drive when booting up. Every PC has a different key to go into Bios. Restart your PC and look for instructions on the key to press to go into Setup or Bios. Press that key while booting up and you will enter the Bios. Search through the Bios until you see a selection where you change the booting sequence.

Make sure you select the USB drive as the first boot device to seek, save your settings, then restart the PC.

Upon restart, the PC will now read the USB stick and you can install Windows 8. Make sure you install into your second partition (which you created in Step 1) if you want to do a dual boot.

When completed, restart your PC and you will see a choice of Windows 7 or your new Windows 8 Developers Preview.

1 Pin your applications on the Start Menu bar

If you are always installing new applications in your PC, you know how difficult it can be to locate the icons from the Start Menu button to launch the applications.

Sure, you can always create shortcuts to your applications on the desktop. Over time, those icons will grow in number and clutter up your nice desktop background.

Here is a neater way: pin your applications on the Start Menu bar. To do so, click on the Start Menu button, locate the icon for your application and right-click on it. A context sensitive menu will appear. Select the option ‘Pin to Start Menu’ (picture 1).

2 Snap the windows with keys – not mouse

With Windows 7, you can easily align application or folder windows with a feature called Snap. Simply drag an open window and as it reaches the top of your screen, it will expand automatically to fill the entire screen. Drag it to the left or right and the window edges will ‘snap’ and align themselves to the respective screen edges.

You can also snap two windows in a side-by-side arrangement.

However, using the mouse to drag windows to snap them is not the fastest way to do the job.

A faster alternative is to press the Windows key in combination with the Up, Down, Left, Right arrow keys.

3 Problem Steps Recorder as step-by-step instruction tool

The Problem Steps Recorder utility is designed to automatically capture the steps you take in Windows so they can be documented methodically and visually. This can help in troubleshooting when things go awry in your PC.

However, this utility can also be useful in other situations, such as when you need to give guided, step-by-step instructions to a beginner PC user. It can also be used as a quick and easy way to create manuals for a new application or workflow.

To use the Problem Steps Recorder, click on the Start Menu and in the Search box type in ‘Problem Steps Recorder’ to launch the application.

When you are ready, just press Start Record (picture 2). The recorded file is self-contained and can be viewed using Internet Explorer.

4 Make folder lists

If like me, you prefer a tidy desktop with as few icons as possible, you can create a folder list.

Here is how to do it.

Create a new folder on the Desktop. Drag and drop those shortcuts and icons which you want to remove from the desktop into the new folder.

Right-click on the Start menu toolbar, select Toolbar and choose New Toolbar. A dialogue box will appear asking you to ‘Choose a folder’. Select the folder you had created and added the shortcut icons to earlier.

Click on Select Folder and the name of the folder will appear on the Taskbar, with a small chevron character (>>) next to it. Click on the chevron and you will see the items in your folder presented as a list (picture 3).

5 Add folders to library

The folders My Documents, My Pictures and My Videos let you manage the different types of files you have. However, it can be tiresome to have load all the files to those specific folders all the time.

The good news is that you do not have to. You can leave all your files where they are and allow the folder where the files reside to be catalogued as part of My Documents, My Pictures and My Videos.

To do so, locate the drive and folder you would like to add to, say, the Pictures Library. Right-click on the folder name and choose the option ‘Include in library’. Then select the library type or create a new library.

6 Speak to command Windows

Use the power of your voice to navigate in Windows by activating its Speech Recognition function. You will need a decent microphone. It is also advisable that you spend time to train Windows’ speech engine to improve its accuracy when responding to your voice commands.

To start this feature, go to Control Panel, followed by Ease of Access and select Speech Recognition. You will see various options to set up this function there.

You can even operate Windows without a mouse by saying ‘mouse grid’, which will display a grid over the desktop. You can then tell Windows which areas to click on.

7 Turn Windows features on or off

Not all the features that run automatically are needed. The requirements of each user are different and you can reclaim some memory space or reduce the processing overhead by disabling some of these features.

To do so, go to Control Panel and click on Programs. Under the heading Programs and Features, you will find an option titled ‘Turn Windows features on or off’. Click on it and you will see a list of Windows features which you can turn on or off.

If you are using your PC or laptop in a corporate environment, you might, for instance, turn off all the games.

8 Use Desktop Gadgets

A Desktop Gadget is a small utility that performs tasks unobtrusively from your Windows desktop. Many gadgets provide nothing more than updates of a service without having to launch the full application. Examples are MSN Weather and Tweets, a Twitter client. The right Desktop Gadgets can make your life easier and more productive. You can find a selection of them at windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/downloads/personalize/gadgets.

More Windows 7 Learning Guide:
Windows 7 For Dummies

Windows 7 and Office 2010 For Dummies, Book + DVD Bundle (For Dummies (Computer/Tech))

Windows 7 Bible

• Windows 7 Professional (includes 32 & 64-bit versions) lets you run Windows XP productivity programs in Windows XP Mode, recover data easily with automatic backups to your home or business network, connect to company networks effortlessly and more securely
• Make the things you do every day easier with improved desktop navigation; start programs faster and more easily, and quickly find the documents you use most often
• Make your web experience faster, easier and safer than ever with Internet Explorer 8
• Watch, pause, rewind, and record TV on your PC
• Easily create a home network and connect your PCs to a printer with HomeGroup

Product Description
With Microsoft Windows Pro 7 Operating System Software Professional, you’ll be able to run many Windows XP productivity programs in Windows XP mode* and recover your data easily with automatic back-ups to your home or business network. You’ll be able to connect to company networks easily and more securely with Domain Join. And with entertainment features like Windows Media Center, it’s great for home as well as for business.Amazon.com Product Description
With Windows 7 Professional, fewer walls stand between you and your success. You can run many Windows XP productivity programs in Windows XP Mode and recover data easily with automatic backups to your home or business network. You can also connect t… More >>

Microsoft Windows 7 Professional

• Windows 7 Professional (includes 32 & 64-bit versions) lets you run Windows XP productivity programs in Windows XP Mode, recover data easily with automatic backups to your home or business network, connect to company networks effortlessly and more securely
• Make the things you do every day easier with improved desktop navigation; start programs faster and more easily, and quickly find the documents you use most often
• Make your web experience faster, easier and safer than ever with Internet Explorer 8
• Watch, pause, rewind, and record TV on your PC
• Easily create a home network and connect your PCs to a printer with HomeGroup

Product Description
Windows 7 Professional includes all the Home Premium features you love and the business features your work demands. Connect to company networks easily and more securely and share files across the various PCs in your home. In addition, you can run many Windows XP productivity programs in Windows XP Mode and recover your data easily with automatic back-ups to your home or business network.Amazon.com Product Description
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• Easily create a home network and connect your PCs to a printer with HomeGroup; connect to company networks easily and more securely with Domain Join
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Product Description
With Microsoft Windows 7 Operating System Software Ultimate, you’ll be able to run many Windows XP productivity programs in Windows XP mode* and recover your data easily with automatic back-ups to your home or business network. You’ll be able to connect to company networks easily and more securely with Domain Join. And with entertainment features like Windows Media Center, it’s great for home as well as for business.Amazon.com Product Description
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• Windows 7 Home Premium (includes 32-bit & 64-bit versions) makes it easy to create a home network and share all of your favorite photos, videos, and music–you can even watch, pause, rewind, and record TV
• Make the things you do every day easier with improved desktop navigation
• Start programs faster and more easily, and quickly find the documents you use most often
• Make your web experience faster, easier and safer than ever with Internet Explorer 8
• Easily create a home network and connect your PCs to a printer with HomeGroup

Product Description
If you’re already running XP or Vista, you probably know some of the many benefits of being a Windows user. Now, with the Upgrade Version of the latest Windows edition, you can get current with all the best new and classic features of the world’s most popular operating system, all without paying the full price for the new version.Amazon.com Product Description
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Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade

If you’re a UK homeowner, chances are you have sash windows in your residence. These are the most common type of windows and come in a variety of styles and sizes. Here’s some information about the sash window that you might find interesting and instructive.

What is a Sash Window?

A sash window consists of 2 wooden frames mounted in a vertical frame that contains 2 tracks. The frames, also known as sashes, hold 1 or 2 panes of glass. The sashes slide up or down in the tracks so the window can be opened or closed. In older types of window sashes, weights suspended by ropes or cords facilitate the window’s operation. When there are 2 panes of glass in a sash, it’s known as a double glazed sash window. Alternatively, there can be multiple panes of glass, also called lights, in a sash. These are held in place by narrow strips called muntin bars.

What are Some Characteristics of a Sash Window?

Since replacing sash windows can cost upwards of £600 each, it’s important to know what to look for when considering them. In wood sash windows, the muntin bars are removable. This gives the homeowner some versatility in the window’s look. In addition, removable muntin bars facilitate cleaning. Since most contemporary sliding sash windows no longer use ropes and weights, modern designs allow the sashes to be completely removed from the frame. New sash windows may also have a convenient tilt mechanism, so that the outdoor portion of the window can be cleaned from the inside. Although many types of sash replacement windows are made from wood, others are aluminum clad on the outside. Aluminum clad windows come in a variety of colors to compliment your home and never need painting or maintenance of any kind. This makes them very popular with homeowners. In addition, bespoke sash windows are widely available, meaning that custom-made shapes and sizes can be created for even the most unique window openings, such as octagonal, etc. One UK window manufacturer advertises “11,000 different patterns and styles, with over 4,000 standard shapes and sizes,” so it’s clear that sash windows are incredibly versatile.

What to Expect from a Sash Window Contractor

Many companies who are installing and replacing sash windows in the UK are also the manufacturers. This makes the installation or replacement process seamless. A good contractor will offer competitive pricing and will work within your established budget. The process begins with a site survey and consultation. Next comes the technical design and manufacture of the replacement sash windows. Finally, the windows are fitted and installed. Since most windows carry a hefty warranty (10 to 20 years), it’s important to select a well-established contractor who will be available to make repairs (if needed under the warranty) well into the future.

Sash windows are an important component of many UK homes. Doesn’t it make sense to shop as carefully for the contractor as you do the windows?

Windows Vista has Loads of features, but not all work as they should. Here’s how to tweak, modify, or work around the operating system’s biggest blunders.

The developers of Windows Vista had some great design ideas, but poor implementation turned many fine concepts into lousy, annoying features. To be fair, Vista inherited most of these well-intentioned flaws from earlier Windows versions but it either failed to correct them or didn’t even try.

Here are eight of Vista’s most irritating flops, with quick fixes and workarounds.

User Account Control
People do some things in Windows-such as install destructive apps or edit the Registry that merit a stern “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” warning. Such situations may even warrant asking users to prove they’re administrators before letting them continue.

But Vista’s User Account Control (UAC) often fails to tell users why a given act is considered dangerous. Worse, Vista’s designers went overboard, forcing people to click through a UAC prompt to set the clock or start a manual backup. As a result, people get annoyed and start ignoring UAC, effectively removing any protection it might provide.

Here are three imperfect ways to stop UAC annoyances. One minor problem they share is that every so often, when you boot, Vista will announce that UAC is off. You can ignore the warnings, much as you’ve already learned to ignore UAC itself.

1. Just turn it off: This easy fix works well in an administrator account, but it renders standard accounts almost unusable. Select Start -> Control Panel -> User Accounts, and click Turn User Account Control on or off. Select Continue at the UAC prompt, and on the next screen, uncheck Use User Account Control (UAC) to help protecty our computer. Click OK and reboot.

2. UseTweakUAC: This free utility can turn UAC off for administrator accounts while leaving it on for everyone else. Simply run the program, select Switch UACto the quiet mode, and click OK.

3. Fine-tune the UAC settings: This tactic works in Vista Business or Ultimate. Select Start, type secpoLmsc, and press . In the left pane, navigate to the Security Settingsçy\cf0 Security Options folder. In the right pane, scroll to the bottom for nine ways to control UACs behavior.

The One-Way Firewall
Windows’ built-in firewall has always suffered from the same flaw: Though it blocks suspicious stuff that comes in, it does nothing about what your system sends out. Since an infected PC can mass-mail spam and forward your credit card numbers to someone without your better interest in mind, that’s an important shortcoming.

Vista supposedly fixed this problem with the addition of a firewall that is capable of watching and blocking outbound traffic. But that capability is turned off by default. And Vista’s designers neglected to put the controls that turn it on in a place where users are likely to look for them: the Windows Firewall Settings dialog box.

Here are two possible ways to deal with to the situation.

1. Turn on outgoing protection: Click Start, type firewall, and select Windows Firewall with Advanced Security. Click Windows Firewall Properties, in the dialog box, the first three tabs have an Outbound Connections drop-down menu. In all three, select Block.

2. Get another, better firewall: Even with its two-way protection enabled, Windows’ firewall is a feeble guardian. On the other hand, the free Comodo Firewall Pro came out tops in independent testing, ahead of products such as Norton Internet Security.

System Restore
Here’s an idea: Give Windows a built-in, automated backup application. Restoring a system backup should fix corrupted boot files, virus infections, Trojan horse installations, and Windows’ natural, slow deterioration without harming your data.

But you can’t permanently save a System Restore backup (called a restore point) to external media. Thus, while System Restore can usually return Windows to, say, last Wednesday’s state, it’s generally useless for bringing everything back to the perfect condition your PC was in last year. What’s more, restoring your system depends on having multiple restore points, such that one corrupt backup makes subsequent ones useless.

The best solution would be a system-backup program that leaves your data alone but backs up everything else to a removable (preferably bootable) disk. I have yet to encounter such a program.

Genie Backup Manager comes closer than anything else I’ve found. The utility offers many effective databackup options to make recovering your system easy.

Genie’s Disaster Recovery option insists on backing up everything on the drive, but you can restore the system while keeping the data unchanged by deselecting your data folders when you restore a Disaster Recovery backup. You can try this general-purpose backup program before you buy it.

In contrast, every other reliable system-backup program I know of is image based, meaning that the app restores the entire drive your data as well as the system. That’s fine if you’re recovering from a hard-drive crash, but if you want to restore last month’s Windows installation while keeping today’s documents, you’ll need to fully restore one backup and then selectively restore another.

On the other hand, some image-backup programs are free. If you have Vista Business or Ultimate, you already have one. To access it, select Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> Backup Status and Configuration -> Complete PC Backup. Another free option is DriveImage XML, which works best if you obtain it as part of the free Ultimate Boot CD for Windows. Just keep in mind that you’ll need to back up your data files separately.

Data Backup
You should back up your data every day. Lack of a system backup could cost you a couple of hours reinstalling Windows and your apps. But having no current data backup could mean losing irreplaceable family photos, your bank account information, or even your job.

For years Microsoft bundled lousy backup programs with Windows. Vista’s backup utility improves on that, but not by much; you can back up files by type, for instance, but not by location.

Here are some options.
1. Use bundled software: Since an external hard drive is the best medium to back your files up to, and since most such drives come with backup software, use the program that accompanied your drive. It’s almost certainly better than Vista’s.

2. Do it online: Uploading your data over the Internet is slow, but it’s easy and it adds protection by putting hundreds of miles between your hard drive and your backup. I recommend Mozy Home. It’s free for a 2GB backup, or $5 a month for unlimited storage from a single PC.

3. Use the best software: For my money, that’s the same Genie Backup Manager I recommended in the last tip. Versatile and simple to use, it easily handles scheduled and manual backups, and can even purge your backup media of old backups on a regular schedule. But the Home version costs $50, and the Professional one is $70.

4. Find a bargain: Argentum Backup doesn’t perform a full system backup, but it handles data backups well. It copies files or compresses them into .zip archives, so you don’t need Argentum Backup to restore them.

Programs and Features Uninstaller
Installing a Windows program usually means allowing its installation routine to dig its claws deep into the OS. Removing the program involves running an uninstaller that eliminates the application’s functionality but leaves the claws behind.

Vista took the old Control Panel applet called ‘Add and Remove Programs’ and renamed it ‘Programs and Features’, but the developers didn’t otherwise change it. This program just launches the unwanted app’s usually inadequate uninstaller.

For a better option, download the free Revo Uninstaller. Or download the portable version , which you don’t have to install (or uninstall). Like Vista’s Programs and Features, Revo has a convenient interface for launching your installed programs’ uninstallers. But after Revo does that job, it cleans up the mess the uninstaller left behind.

Windows Explorer’s Address Bar Menu
Microsoft did a number of things right in Vista’s version of Windows Explorer, but the address bar’s dropdown menu of recently visited folders isn’t one of them.

First problem: It lists only the folders you went to via the address bar. Worst problem: It also lists Web pages, which tend to be more numerous than folders. Personally, if I want to revisit a Web page, I’ll use my browser, not my file manager.

Luckily, you have a few alternatives.

1. Use the other recent folders list Click the down arrow to the left of the address bar for a list of recent folders. Close and reopen Explorer, and the list will be a blank slate.

2. Use favorite folders, instead: To place a shortcut to any folder in Explorer’s top-left pane in Vista, all you have to do is drag and drop.

3. Improve Windows Explorer I recommend installing FileBox eXtender, a free add-on by Hyperionics Technology that brings drop-down Recent and Favorites menus to Windows Explorer. A helpful hint: FileBox extender works best if you check its Keys & Menus tab’s Add folders from Windows… option.

Dragging Items to the Start Menu
Here’s a case where Vista’s developers took a feature that worked beautifully in Windows XP, and ruined it. In XP, if you wanted Start menu access to a program, file, or folder, all you needed to do was drag the item to the Start button and then to your desired location in the Start menu; Windows would then create a shortcut.

If you were to try that in Vista, it would actually move the file, program, or folder to the Start-menu folder. I’d be hard-pressed to imagine a situation where that would be a desirable result.

No real solutions are available, but here are a couple of kludgy workarounds.

1. Drop it on the Start button, not in the menu: This action creates a shortcut, but it appears on the left pane, rather than in the All Programs section. And if the item is a folder, the shortcut doesn’t act as a cascading submenu.

2. Use the context menu: Instead of left-dragging the object to the desired location in the Start menu, right-drag it. When you release the button, select Create Shortcuts Here from the resulting menu.

Folders in the Start Menu’s Right Pane
Vista’s redesigned Start menu introduced another great place where you can easily access a few important folders: the menu’s right pane. The icons are big and convenient, and you can set each icon to act as a link or a menu.

But the only folders you can put there are the few that Microsoft permits you to put there (Documents, Music, and so on).

Here are two fixes.

1. Make your special folder an official special folder You can get the folder you want access to on the pane by telling Windows that it is your photo or music folder. For details, see “Can I add XP-like expanding folder shortcuts to Vista’s Start menu?”

2. Use Vista Start Menu: Dennis Nazarenko’s free program replaces Windows’ own Start menu with a larger, more versatile, and to be honest ugly alternative. You can control what folders and other items appear on the main menu. Other cool features include keyboard shortcut labels that, by default, are visible only when you bring up the menu with the keyboard. Download Vista Start Menu.

Click for more information and details

More than 100,000 people worldwide have signed a Save XP petition organized by the US magazine Infoworld. The operating system will no longer be available as a shrink-wrapped product after 30 June, though PC builders will be able to pre-install XP until January.

A starter edition of XP will be available until mid-2010 in emerging markets, according to Microsoft, which claims Vista sales are heading for 100 million.

However, most Vista installs are in machines sold to home users. Business have been slow to adopt, not unusual with a new operating system, and some are concerned about hardware and software compatibility and performance, particularly on older machines.

But not everyone responding to thee petition was against Vista. One wrote: I’ve had Vista on my laptop since launch and I haven’t had any major issues with it.

The most infamous error message is the Blue Screen Of Death. It’s so well known that it has crept into the vernacular: “Aw, Fxxk! I was almost finished with my project when I got bluescreened!” The phenomenon is also known by its acronym, BSOD.

The conditions that cause a blue screen have changed since the days of Windows 95/98, as has what it means. In either case, chances are pretty good that, if you get bluescreened, any unsaved work will be lost, as either Windows (in NT/2000/XP) or your application (in 95/98) has been shut down.

The BSOD is perhaps the most despised error not only because it has wiped away countless hours of work over the years, but because of the obtuse way in which it does so. The messages delivered in the typical blue screen are meant for developers more than end users. For example, a blue screen delivered by Windows may deliver a message such as the following:
0x0000001E, KMODE_EXCEPTION _NOT_HANDLED.

And if you don’t find that sufficiently informative, you’ll see four variables in parentheses to help developers figure out what’s happening. Again, none of this will mean much to most of us, but a support rep or developer can often learn a great deal from such cryptic messages.

Fortunately, blue screens are rare in recent versions of Windows and may disappear after a reboot. But if the problem recurs, you could have a real problem. Here are some troubleshooting steps to follow if you encounter a BSOD:

While your system is booting, press F8 and select Safe Boot Mode, which loads a subset of Windows with minimal drivers. If things run smoothly in Safe Mode, you likely have a software problem with a recently installed application. Try to decipher the error message to see if you can trace it to a specific program. If all else fails, uninstall your most recently installed application.

If you still see blue screen errors in Safe Mode, restart again and use F8 to get to the advanced options. This time, choose Restore Last Known Good Configuration, which is a snapshot of your system as it existed before you last installed any drivers or other software. You will lose any system changes you’ve made since that point, but your documents will normally remain untouched by this process.

If you’re still having problems, you are likely suffering from a hardware problem or a corruption of vital system files. Again, any hints that you can glean from the error message could help you trace the source of the problem. Remove any recently installed hardware and try booting again.

In the worst case, it’s not uncommon to have to resort to reinstalling device drivers or even the whole operating system.

Ultimately, the best cure for the BSOD is prevention: Save often, create frequent backups, and burn a little incense to curry favor with capricious PC spirits.