How to Add “Disk Cleanup” Option in Drive Context Menu in Windows XP, Vista and 7

"Disk Cleanup" is a very useful tool in Windows which removes temporary files and a variety of system files and other items that you no longer need. It helps in freeing up disk space. You can access it using Drive Properties or All Programs menu. Wouldn't it be great if you can launch it directly by right-click on a drive? In this tutorial, we'll...

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How to Add “Defragment” Option in Drive Context Menu in Windows XP, Vista and 7

Hard disk fragmentation causes your hard disk do extra work which slows down your computer. Disk Defragmenter tool in Windows rearranges fragmented data so that your hard disk drives can work more efficiently. You can access it using Drive Properties or All Programs menu. Wouldn't it be great if you can launch it directly by right-click on a drive? In...

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Download Control Panel Sidebar Gadget for Windows Vista and 7

We use many system utilities like Registry editor, MSConfig, Services manager, Programs and features, etc regularly in our Windows OS. Wouldn't it be great to have all these utilities in a single place? "ChekoGB" @ DA has created an awesome sidebar gadget for Windows Vista and 7 users which contains many useful system utilities in a single place: This...

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Add Context Menu Option to Extract / Unpack Files from MSI (Microsoft Installer) Package

A Microsoft Installer (MSI) package contains various files which are extracted and installed in your system once you run the MSI file. If you don't want to run MSI file but want to view its content, this tutorial will help you. This tutorial will help you in adding "Unpack" option to MSI file context menu so that you can extract / unpack MSI package...

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Create Direct Shortcut for “Notification Area Icons” in Windows Vista and 7

If we want to customize notification area icons settings in Windows 7, we have to first open Taskbar Properties and then click on Customize button to change them. Windows XP and Vista users also have to follow similar steps to access the Settings page. Wouldn't it be great if you can have a direct shortcut to "Notification Area Icons" window so that...

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Personalization Panel Allows You to Change Desktop Wallpaper, Get Transparency and Much More in Windows 7 Starter and Home Basic Editions

Windows 7 Starter and Home Basic editions are pretty much restricted in customizing GUI. You can't have Aero theme, you can't change Desktop wallpaper. In fact, you don't see "Personalize" menu in Desktop context menu to change theme, wallpaper, screen saver, sounds, etc. Our friend "Happy Bulldozer aka hb860" has created an awesome "Personalization...

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Transform Windows 7 into Ubuntu 11.04 Natty Narwhal Using “Ubuntu Skin Pack

If you use Windows but love simple, minimal and clean look of Ubuntu, here is something interesting for you. "Ubuntu Skin Pack" is a customization pack for Windows 7 users which can make our Windows look-like Ubuntu 11.04. The transformation pack has been created by our DA friend "hameddanger". This pack changes almost everything in Windows 7 to transform...

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Transform Windows 7 into Mac OS X Lion Using “Lion Skin Pack”

There is no doubt Mac OS is awesome. Almost all eye candy lovers appreciate its look. If you are using Windows 7 and want to transform its look into Mac OS X Lion, here is something interesting for you. "Lion Skin Pack" is a customization pack for Windows 7 users which can make our Windows look-like Mac OS X Lion. The transformation pack has been...

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Microsoft Releases Hotfix to Fix a Bug in Windows 7 SP1 When Some Files in USB Drivers are not Updated

This bug is found in those Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2 systems which were upgraded to SP1 manually, i.e. you installed Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2 without SP1 first and then manually upgraded to your system to SP1 by running its installer. If you are using a slipstream version of Windows 7 SP1 or Server 2008 R2 SP1, this bug will not occur in your system. SYMPTOM:Official words from Microsoft: After you install Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) or Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (SP1), binary files in some USB drivers are not updated....

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StarterDesktopSlideShow: Add Desktop Wallpaper Slide Show Feature to Windows 7 Starter Edition

"StarterDesktopSlideShow" is an excellent tool created by our friend "Happy Bulldozer aka hb860" for Windows 7 Starter Edition which provides Desktop Wallpaper Slide Show functionality which is not present in this edition by default. Features List: Change wallpaper on timer Change wallpaper on StarterDesktopSlideShow's start Change wallpaper by global...

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[FIX] Windows 7 Deletes All System Restore Points Upon Reboot

Recently Microsoft identified a bug in Windows 7 and provided a solution for it. Following are the details: SYMPTOM:Upon each reboot, Windows 7 may delete all System Restore Points. CAUSE:This issue can occur if the system paging file is highly fragmented. SOLUTION:The resolution to this issue is to disable, delete and then recreate the paging file. To do this, carry out the following steps: 1. Right-click on Computer icon on Desktop and select Properties (or press WIN + Pause/Break keys). Now click on Advanced system settings link in left...

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[FIX] Computer Freeze or Restart to a BSOD having “0xc0000034″ Error Message after Installing Service Pack 1 (SP1) on Windows 7 or Server 2008 R2

Consider the following scenario: You install Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) or Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (SP1) on a computer. You install some other updates before you restart the computer to complete the installation process. Or, the service pack is installed at the same time as other updates by using Windows Server Update Services (WSUS). In this scenario, the computer may stop responding or restart. If the computer restarts, you receive an error message that resembles the following on a black screen: 0xC0000034 Note: If the...

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Ultimate Collection of the Best Free Tools to Customize Windows 7 Login Screen

We have shared several free tools to customize Windows 7 login screen in past. Today in this topic, we are going to put them together so that you don't miss any of them and can find the best for you. Following is a list of all freeware to customize Windows 7 login screen: Windows 7 Logon Changer 7 Logon Changer Logon Editor Windows 7 Account Screen...

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Ultimate Collection of the Best Free Tools to Get Classic Start Menu Back in Windows 7

We all know that Microsoft has removed Classic start menu from Windows 7 and you are forced to use the new Vista like start menu. Although the new start menu is much better than the classic one, lots of people still prefer the Classic one. We have shared several free tools to get Classic Start Menu back in Windows 7. Today in this topic, we are...

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Transform Windows 7 into Windows 8 Using “8 Skin Pack for 7″

We all know that Windows 8 is under development and many interesting features have been revealed in Windows 8 like new Aero Lite theme,User Picture Tile in System Tray, Aero Auto-Colorization feature, etc. Although Windows 8 UI is not complete and it'll be changed a lot in future builds, our DA friend "hameddanger" has created a cool Windows 8 Skin...

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Download Classic Antique “CPU Meter” Gadget for Windows Vista and 7 Desktop Sidebar

If you use Desktop Sidebar gadgets in Windows Vista or 7, you'll definitely love this new gadget. "Antique CPU Meter" and "Classic CPU Meter" are 2 awesome gadgets created by "Elmer-BeFuddled" @ DA which can be used in Windows Vista and 7. Simply download the RAR file, extract it using WinRAR or 7-Zip and run the .gadget file. It'll automatically...

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Get Windows 8 Like Date and Time Display on Windows 7 Login Screen

As you know Windows 8 testing builds show date, time and day name at login screen as mentioned here. Now you can get similar feature in Windows 7 as well. "myjuman" @ DA has created a small utility which shows date and time on Windows 7 login screen as shown in following screenshot: How to Use: First download following file: Download Link Extract...

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Download Yet Another Windows 8 “Aero Lite with Glass” Theme for Windows 7

Recently we shared a cool theme for Windows 7 users which provides Windows 8 look-like Aero Lite interface with Glass. Download Windows 8 “Aero Lite with Glass” Theme for Windows 7 Our reader "Mutz777" shared another similar theme for Windows 7 which does the same job. "Windows 8 Aero" theme created by "Velix94" @ DA is based on "Aero Lite" theme of...

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Windows Metro: Windows 8 Metro Style Inspired Theme for Windows 7

We all know that Windows 8 testing builds feature new "Aero Lite" theme and many look like themes have been created for Windows 7: Download Yet Another Windows 8 “Aero Lite with Glass” Theme for Windows 7 Download Windows 8 “Aero Lite with Glass” Theme for Windows 7 Download Leaked Windows 8 Metro Inspired “Aero Lite” Theme for Windows 7 Transform...

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[FIX] Computer Restarts Instead of Hibernate After Installing Service Pack 1 (SP1) in Windows 7

Many Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2 users have faced a strange problem after installing Service Pack 1. Whenever they try to hibernate their computer, it restarts instead of hibernate. Microsoft has confirmed this issue and has released update to fix it. Symptom:Consider the following scenario: You have a computer that is running Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2. You use a SCSI miniport driver as the memory dump file device driver or as the hibernation file device driver on the computer. You install one of the following updates: Hotfix 2320550 Windows...

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WinThunder: Get Quick Access to Weather, Favorite Shortcuts, Files, Folders, Apps in Windows 7 System Tray

"WinThunder" is an excellent piece of software created by AskVG's DA group member "DanielNET" which adds its icon in Windows 7 system tray and allows you to quickly access your favorite applications, shortcuts, files, folders, websites, etc. Along with providing quick access to the above mentioned items, it also shows weather updates as shown in following...

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Download Windows 8 Metro Logon Clock Screensaver

We all know that Windows 8 testing builds show date, time and day name at login screen as mentioned here. Recently we covered a free tool which can show date and time at Windows 7 login screen: Get Windows 8 Like Date and Time Display on Windows 7 Login Screen Today we are going to share a screensaver for Windows 7 and earlier which has been created...

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Aero Color Show: Yet Another Free Tool to Get Windows 8 Aero Auto-Colorization Feature in Windows 7

We all know about "Aero Auto-Colorization" feature present in Windows 8 testing builds which automatically configures the color of Aero elements, like the Start Menu, Windows Explorer windows, and the taskbar based on the desktop wallpaper. Windows 8 to Feature Aero Automatic Colorization We have shared a free utility in past called "Aura" which...

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Ultimate Collection of Free Tools to Get Windows 7′s Aero Snap, Aero Shake and Aero Peek Features in XP and Vista

Windows 7 comes with 3 new and useful features: Aero Snap, Aero Shake and Aero Peek. "Aero Snap" features lets you minimize, maximize or resize programs windows by dragging-n-dropping them to the screen corners e.g. you can maximize a window by dragging-n-dropping it to the top of screen. "Aero Shake" feature lets you minimize all running windows...

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[Official Windows 7 Themes Update] Microsoft Releases 2 New Themes “Beautiful Birds” and “Echoes of the Past”

Microsoft has released 2 new themes for Windows 7 users: Beautiful Birds - Let the grace and gorgeous plumage of swans, flamingoes, peacocks, and other exotic birds brighten your day with this free theme for Windows 7. Echoes of the Past - Time-travel back to the Age of Steam with a treasure-trove of antique images bathed in a golden Victorian light. Download...

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7Plus: A Free Tool to Tweak Windows Vista and 7 Explorer, Add Hotkeys, Tabs, Context Menu Entries

7plus is an excellent free tool for Windows Vista and 7 which makes working with Windows as comfortable as possible. The feature set it adds to Windows ranges from interface extensions to the explorer to highly specialized solutions for all common tasks, with the goal of reducing the work load for the user. 7plus allows nearly all features to be...

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Taskbar Meters and SuperbarMonitor: 2 Awesome Free Tools to Show System Resource Usage in Windows 7 Taskbar

Windows 7 comes with new Superbar which is a highly enhanced version of classic Taskbar. One of the most impressive feature of this new Superbar is the ability of showing progressbar in program's Taskbar button. Today we are going to share 2 excellent, absolutely free and portable tools for Windows 7 which utilize this ability of Superbar in showing...

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