How to log on to Windows 7 automatically

The Windows 7 Welcome screen is a security feature to prevent unauthorized access to your computer. For some people, however, convenience is more important than security. If you're not concerned about security and prefer to have your computer boot straight into the Windows desktop, here's how:

Step 1: Search for netplwiz in the Windows search box and hit the Enter key.

Step 2: Uncheck the box next to "Users must enter a username and password to use this computer" and click OK.

Step 3: Enter the username you'd like to automatically log on and the … Read more

How to make a custom control panel with Windows GodMode

Count the steps it takes to get to a Windows setting--it's often a laborious task. Want to do a disk cleanup? You'll have to go to: Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Cleanup.

Many Windows settings and tools require similar, lengthy sets of steps, especially for minor system tweaks that are buried within tools (like adding a new wireless network).

God Mode, a hidden Windows feature, gives you a complete list of every single system setting and tool, letting you create your own customized control panel for quicker access to these settings and … Read more

How to find the right program to open a file in Windows

If you run across a work file that won't auto-open or a friend sends you a weird media file that your computer doesn't recognize, it's often too easy to give up and walk away. Windows users have a better option. OpenWithEnhanced sets up a context menu option to find and install the right app for the job. Here's how to use it: 

Download and install OpenWithEnhanced. When you're confronted with a file type you've never seen before--or you just want to see if you've got better options available than your default … Read more

Make Windows 7 GodMode easier to manage

Windows 7 GodMode is a super cool hidden developer shortcut that allows you to tweak a huge number of Windows settings from a single place. The problem is, they're listed in a single window--all 278 of them. Scrolling through them all can be a bit unwieldy. Here's how to wrangle those settings so you can manage them easier:

Step 1: Launch GodMode in Windows 7. To enable GodMode, just create a new folder and name it,

GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}

Step 2: Right-click on any group title and select "Collapse all groups."

Step 3: Presto! The 278 settings … Read more

Use Tunesque to search iTunes and Mac App Store from your menu bar

Searching iTunes or the Mac App Store for a song, podcast, or app can be a cumbersome experience at times. Thankfully, there is an app that makes the experience a little easier. As reported by Lifehacker, a new OS X Lion (yes, you read that right. The app is for OS X Lion only) app called Tunesque allows users to quickly search both the Mac App Store or iTunes from the menu bar. Follow along as we show you the ins and outs of Tunesque.

… Read more

Find your computer's boot time in Windows 7

Anyone who's owned a computer for an extended period of time (1+ years) can tell you that, after some amount of time, it just seems to boot up much slower than when they first got it. There are plenty of ways to help keep your computer's boot time as small as possible, but how can you find out exactly how long your system is taking to boot up? Check these steps out to find this information built right into a Windows utility.

Step 1: Open the Start menu and type Event viewer into the Search box and open … Read more

Disable the Skype Home window pop-up

"Oh, hey there, Skype Home window. I was going to watch this movie but I see you've decided to randomly open a window over it instead. Thanks!" Sound familiar? If you're a Skype user who's updated to version 5.5, you've probably come across this issue (only happens if you use Compact mode). There isn't a way to disable the pop-up in the application (yet), so follow these steps if you'd like to get rid of it:

Step 1: Download and install the Kill Skype Home program from SourceForge.

Step 2: … Read more

Removing the default games from Windows

Windows 7 comes preloaded with a few classic games that some find great for passing the time. For those who don't enjoy these games, though, all they end up doing is taking up (sometimes very valuable) hard-drive space. Wouldn't it be great if you could remove them, and get them back whenever you wanted?

Step 1: Open the Windows Control Panel. This can be found in the Start Menu on the right side.

Step 2: Under the Programs heading of the main page, click on Uninstall a Program.

Step 3: On the left side of this window, click … Read more

How to streamline your Windows 7 experience

Windows Explorer (nee File Manager) has long been a core background app, but those in the know have honed it into a powerful toolset for making it easier to find files and apps and generally keep our digital lives flowing more freely. Here are five of the smarter tweaks I've seen:

The Favorites list sits up in the top of the left-side navigation bar, but it's populated only with a few items that Microsoft thinks you're likely to use often. It's easier than you think to add folders here--just drag it from the right side to … Read more