Beginner’s Guide: Create User Accounts in Microsoft Windows 8

This post is part of our beginner’s guide series which shows you how to manage basic settings in either Windows 8 or Ubuntu. In this tutorial, we’re going to show you how to easily create user accounts in Windows 8. To learn how to create user accounts in Ubuntu 12.10, please read this post. In Windows 8, there’re two primary account types: Microsoft Online Account and Local Account. If you create an account using Microsoft Online Account type, this user will need a Microsoft online email address like @live.com or @hotmail.com in order to sign in to Windows. This account type allows users to synchronize and access files, photos from anywhere on any Windows 8 systems. Local Account type lets users sign in to Windows using local credentials that are not synced or synchronized with online account. Whatever is created locally will be saved and access locally. Objectives: Create users accounts in Windows 8 Enjoy! To get started, gradually move your mouse to the right corner of your display (bottom or top) to show the Charms bar. On the Charms bar, select Settings. Next, select ‘Change PC settings’ On the list select ‘Users’ and use the plus ( + ) button to create an account. windows8_create_user_account Next, choose whether you’re going to create a Microsoft Online account or a Local Account. For an online account, all you need is either a @live.com or @hotmail.com email address. Enter it to create an account. windows8_create_user_account_1 If you choose to create a local account, you’ll need to create the username, password and password hint. Do that and click Next. windows8_create_user_account_2 That’s it! Enjoy!

How to Shutdown / Restart Windows 8 Computer

Windows 8 is so different from its processors that even to shutdown or restart your computer requires that you go through a series of tutorials. This brief tutorial shows you how to easily shutdown, restart put your Windows 8 computer to sleep. It’s not as simple as clicking Start button anymore. You must now show the Charms bar and selecting Settings –> Power. Here’s how to shutdown or restart Windows 8 computer. First gradually move your mouse and hover at the right corner (top or bottom) to show the Charms bar. On the Charms bar, select Settings. Then select ‘Power’ –> Shut down or Restart or Sleep windows8_create_user_account_3 Enjoy!

Beginner’s Guide: Uninstall Programs in Windows 8

Here’s a quick tip that shows you how to uninstall programs in Windows 8 if you don’t already know. Windows 8 is new and it’s a complete redesign from its predecessors which makes finding things a bit harder. If you’re not familiar with Windows 8 and wish to learn how to uninstall programs and features, continue below to learn how. This tutorial is going to be short and useful, especially if you’re new to Windows 8. Objectives: Learn to Uninstall Programs in Windows 8 Enjoy! To get started, press + W on your keyboard to open Search Charm. When it opens, search for the word Uninstall. windows8_uninstall_programs Finally, select the program you wish to uninstall and click ‘Uninstall/Change’ windows8_uninstall_programs_1 Enjoy!

Beginner’s Guide: Automatically Sign In To Windows 8 Without Passwords

This post is part of our beginner’s guide series which shows you how to configure basic settings in Windows 8 and Ubuntu 12.10. This brief tutorial will show you how to enable a user account to automatically sign in Windows 8 without always typing passwords. When this feature is enabled, the selected user account will automatically login without first typing a username or password. This will only work if your account is setup as a local account. If you setup a Microsoft Online Account, this will not work. This is going to be short and useful especially for new Windows 8 users. Objectives: Enable Auto Login in Windows 8 Enjoy! To get started, press + R keys on your keyboard to open Run dialog box. When it opens, run the commands below. control userpasswords2 auto_login_windows8_2 When the User Accounts applet opens, select the account you wish to automatically login and uncheck the box that reads ‘Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer’. and click Apply. auto_login_windows8 When prompted, enter the account username and password then click ‘OK’ auto_login_windows8_1 That’s it! Restart your computer and the account will automatically login, Enjoy!

Beginner’s Guide: Access Windows 8 Power User Menu

This post is part of our beginner’s guide series which shows you how to manage basic settings in Windows 8 and well as in Ubuntu 12.10. This tutorial is going to show you how to quickly access Windows 8 Power User Commands or administrative tools. As you may wall know, Windows 8 is a complete redesign from its predecessors which makes finding things a bit harder. Well, if you’re a power user or administrator and want quick access to administrative commands, then continue below to learn how. Objectives: Access Power User Commands in Windows 8 Enjoy! To get started, press + X keys on your keyboard to open the Power User Menu or Windows Tools Menu. widows8_administrative_commands From here you can open Task Manager easily widows8_administrative_commands_1 Or access the Control Panel widows8_administrative_commands_2 That’s it! Enjoy! You may also like -

Beginner’s Guide: Change Your Password in Windows 8

This post is part of our beginner’s guide series which shows you how perform basic tasks in Windows 8. This short tutorial is going to show you how to change your password in Windows 8 if you don’t already know. As you may already know, Windows 8 is a lot different from 7 or previous versions, so changing your password has become a bit harder and complicated to do. Without wasting anymore of your time, let’s get going. Objectives: Changing Your Password in Windows 8 Enjoy! To get started, gradually move and over your mouse to the right corner of your display (bottom or top) to show the Charms bar. Or press Windows Key + C to do the same. When it displays, click ‘Settings’ Then select ‘Change PC settings’ to continue. Finally, select Users on the list and change the account password. widows8_administrative_commands_3 That’s it!

add Windows 8 Workstation to Active Directory Domain

Here’s a quick tip that shows you how to quickly add or join a Windows 8 computer to a Windows domain or workgroup. With the new Windows 8, it’s a bit confusing and many users are having a bit of a problem figuring out some basic settings and location of other features. If you need to join your Windows 8 computer to a Windows’ domain, then continue below to learn how. Remember only users with the appropriate rights can do this. Without the right to add workstation to a domain, this won’t work, You’ll have to find someone who has the right to do it. Objectives: Add Windows 8 to Active Directory Domain Enjoy! To get started, press the Windows Key + X on your keyboard to launch Window 8 power tools menu. When the tools menu opens, select ‘System’ widows8_active_directory Next, click ‘Advanced system settings’ widows8_active_directory_1 Then select ‘Computer Name’ tab and click ‘Change’ button. widows8_active_directory_2 Finally, select the domain option and enter the domain name. You must have the right to add to the domain before continuing. Or it will just fail. widows8_active_directory_3 Enjoy!

Turn Off Search Charm History in Windows 8

Here’s a quick tip that shows you how to turn of or disable search charm history in Windows 8. Remember everything you search for using Windows search charm get stored. To enhance your privacy, you may want to disable this feature and make sure that future searches are not saved. While are there, you can also delete current saved searches from the same window. To get started, press Windows Key + C or move and hover your mouse at the bottom right of your screen to show the Charms bar. When it opens, select ‘Settings’ Next, click ‘Change PC settings’ On PC settings list, select Search and turn Off the feature that lets Windows save my searches for search suggestions. windows8_disable-search_history That’s it!

Bring Back Windows Classic Start Menu in Windows 8 with Classic Shell

Here’s a quick tip that shows you how to bring back Windows classic Start menu in Windows 8 if you missed it. While Windows 8 has its own Start screen, most people are still used to the Start menu that has been popular in previous versions of Windows like 7, Vista and XP. Well, this brief tutorial is going to show you a program that can help you bring back that experience easily in Windows 8. This program is called ‘Classic Shell’. I am going to show you how download and install it in Windows 8. To get with Classic Shell, go to this site and download Classic Shell. After installing Classic Shell, select your style as shown below. windows8_classic_shell_start_menu_1 If you don’t like the default apps layout, you can drag and move stuff around as you wish. windows8_classic_shell_start_menu Enjoy! windows8_classic_shell_start_menu_2 You may also like -

Turn Off / Disable SmartScreen Filter in Windows 8 for Internet Explorer

Widows 8 added a new level of security for Internet Explorer SmartScreen that’s built directly into Windows Security. This layer protects your system from downloading unwanted content or viruses on the Internet using Internet Explorer. Even though this is very useful, it can be annoying at times especially when you know the content you’re about to download isn’t a virus and yet keeps getting blocked by SmartScreen filter. This brief tutorial is going to show you how to disable SmartScreen Filter in Windows 8. To turn off the feature, press Windows Key + W on your keyboard to show the Charms bar for search. In the search box, type smartscreen, then select the result to ‘Change SmartScreen Settings’ windows8_disable_smartscreen_filter When it opens, select ‘Change Windows SmartScreen settings’ on the left. windows8_disable_smartscreen_filter_2 Finally, choose ‘Don’t do anything (turn off Windows SmartScreen)’ windows8_disable_smartscreen_filter_3 That’s all!

How to Disable Windows 8 Lock Screen

Here’s quick tip that shows you how to make sure your Windows 8 computer doesn’t lock up after a certain period of time. By default, your Windows 8 computer locks up when it is idled and not being used. To resume your work, you must first enter your password to unlock the screen. This brief tutorial is going to show you how to turn it off so your computer never locks. To get started, press Windows Key + R to bring up the Run dialog box. Then type the commands below. gpedit.msc disable_lock_windows8 Next, scroll down to settings below: Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Control Panel -> Personalization disable_lock_windows8_1 Double-click on ‘Do not display the lock screen’ to open. When it opens, enable the feature. disable_lock_windows8_2 Click OK and you’re done.

Enable / Disable Offline Files in Windows 8

This tip shows you how to enable or disable offline files feature in Windows 8. Offline files is the same as in Windows 7, except it’s now a bit difficult to find. It has the same purpose which is to make network resources (files) available to you even if you’re not connected to the network. This can come in handy especially for remote workers that need access to network resources offline. To get started, press Windows Key + W to open Search Charm for Settings. Or move and hover your mouse at the bottom your screen to show the Charms bar, select ‘Search’, then ‘Settings’ When it opens, type ‘offline’ and select the result for Manage offline files. enable_offline_files_windows8 Next, if the feature is already disabled, click ‘Enable offline files’ to turn if on. enable_offline_files_windows8_1 Or click ‘Disable offline files’ to turn the feature off. enable_offline_files_windows8_2 That’s all!

Shrink / Resize Partitions in Windows 8

This quick tip shows you how to resize or shrink the (C:) partition in Windows 8 easily. In some system installations, Windows Operation System occupies the entire hard drive which leaves no free space for you if you need it for something else. In that case, your only option is to shrink the ( C: ) partition in order to create more free space. Then use that free space to create more partitions. That’s what this tutorial is going to show you. To get started, press the Windows Key + X on your keyboard to open Windows 8 Tools Menu. When it opens, select ‘Disk Management’ shrink_windows8_volume When it opens, right-click on the (C:) partition and select ‘Shrink Volume..’ shrink_windows8_volume_1 Then specify the amount of space you wish to shrink by in MB and click ‘Shrink’ shrink_windows8_volume_2 Just click next when the wizard opens to finish creating the free space. After completing the wizard, right-click the free space and select ‘New Simple Volume..’ to create additional partitions. shrink_windows8_volume_3 Follow the wizard and complete the task. Go to File Explorer to access the new partition. shrink_windows8_volume_4 That’s it!

Enable the Delete Confirmation in Windows 8

In Windows 7 when you right-click a file or folder and select Delete, there’s a confirmation dialog box that asks if you really want to delete that file or folder. In Windows 8, that has been disabled, so there’s a no warning when you’re about to delete a file. This brief tutorial is going to show you how to enable the feature in Windows 8. You can use this tutorial to disable the delete confirmation in Windows 7 if you want to. To get started, press the Windows Key + D on your keyboard to show your desktop. On the desktop, right-click ‘Recycle Bin’ and select ‘Properties’ windows8_delete_confirmation Then check the box, ‘Display delete confirmation dialog’ to enable it. windows8_delete_confirmation_1 That’s it! In Windows 7 this feature is enabled. If you need to disable it, follow the steps above and uncheck the box. windows8_delete_confirmation_2 Enjoy!

How to Install IIS 8 in Windows 8

Some of the very first things web developers do after installing Windows 8 is enabling IIS 8. This brief tutorial is going to show you how to do that easily in Windows 8. Internet Information Services (IIS) packages come with Windows 8 but are not enabled by default. You must manually enable IIS feature in Windows 8 to use it. To get started, press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog box. When it opens, run the commands below. internet_information_services_windows8 Next, click ‘Turn Windows features on or off’ internet_information_services_windows8_1 Finally, click the box next to Internet Information Services to enable. Click OK to begin enabling this feature. internet_information_services_windows8_2 To test it, open Internet Explorer and type http://localhost internet_information_services_windows8_3 Enjoy!

How to Disable the Store Application in Windows 8

This brief tutorial is going to show you how to turn off or disable Windows 8 store application. The Store App is an essential part of Windows 8 which lets you install programs in Windows 8 as you would do in other mobile devices. If you’re in a restricted environment and don’t want users installing or enabling applications from the Store, then disabling it is an wise thing to do. Let’s get started by logging on to your Windows 8 machine. After signing on, press the Windows Key + R to open the run dialog box. When it opens, run the command as shown below. windows8_store_applicaton Next scroll down to the path as shown below: User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Store windows8_store_applicaton_1 Select Store folder and double-click or right-click ‘Turn off the Store application’ and select Edit Then choose the option to Enabled. windows8_store_applicaton_2 To apply it right away, press the Windows Key + R again to open the Run dialog box. It it opens, run the commands as shown below.l windows8_store_applicaton_3 That’s it!

How to Enable Remote Desktop in Windows 8

While most average users won’t enable Remote Desktop or use it, majority of users in a work environment will use it at some point. Remote Desktop has been part of Windows for a very long time. It comes with almost all version of Windows starting with Windows XP but is mostly disabled by default. This software lets you remotely connect to other computers using RDP protocols. Using Remote Desktop for example, you can connect from your office to your home computer and access all your files, resources as if you were sitting in front of your home computer. But before you connect to it, you must enable it and that’s what this tutorial is going to show you. To get started, press the Windows Key + X to show Windows 8 Tools Menu. When it opens, select System. remote_desktop_connection_windows8 Next, select ‘Remote Settings’ as shown below remote_desktop_connection_windows8_1 Finally, choose the option to ‘Allow remote connections to this computer’ and click OK. remote_desktop_connection_windows8_2 That’s it!

Disable / Enable Login Sound in Windows 8

Here’s a brief tutorial that shows you how to disable or enable the startup sound in Windows 8 machines. You probably know how embarrassing it can be when you’re in a meeting and you turn on your laptop with the sound volume up high and Windows begin to play the usual login sound. It’s not only embarrassing, but damn well annoying. Well, this tutorial is going to show you how to make sure you’re caught in similar situation by turning off login sound altogether in Windows 8. To get started, press the Windows Key + X on your keyboard to open Windows 8 Tools Menu. When it opens, select ‘Control Panel’. disable_windows8_sounds Next, select ‘Hardware and Sound’ disable_windows8_sounds_1 Then click on ‘Change system sounds’ disable_windows8_sounds_2 Finally, check the box to disable login sound in Windows 8. If you want to play startup sound, check the box. disable_windows8_sounds_3 That’s it!

Prevent Websites From Asking for Your Physical Location When Using Metro Internet Explorer in Windows 8

When you use the Internet Explorer version of Metro, there’s a feature that lets website ask for your physical location in Windows 8. Some websites use this feature to target certain content that’s unique to you and your location. Even though this feature is on by default after installing Windows 8, this brief tutorial is going to show you how to turn it off so websites don’t ask for your physical location everytime you’re connected to the Internet via Internet Explorer (Metro). This is a new feature in Windows 8 and not everyone is happy about it. So, if you’re part of the few that don’t want their physical location to be gathered, continue below to learn how to turn it off. To get started with this, sign in to Windows 8 and launch Internet Explorer from Metro tile. internet_explorer_ask_physical_location When Internet Explorer opens, press the Windows Key + C on your keyboard or move and hover your mouse at the bottom right of your display the Charms bar. When the Charms bar opens, select ‘Settings’ internet_explorer_ask_physical_location_1 Then select ‘Internet Options’ internet_explorer_ask_physical_location_2 Finally, slide the bar to turn off the feature highlighted below. If sites already have your physical location saved, you can use the ‘Clear’ button to delete them all. internet_explorer_ask_physical_location_3 That’s all to it. You may also like -

Create Shared Resources (Files and Folders) in Windows 8

Few days ago, we showed you how to enable file sharing between Windows 8 and Ubuntu 12.10 machines. To read that post, please click here. Now that filesharing is enabled, it’s not time to create shared resources in Windows 8 so users on your Ubuntu machine can access them. Because filesharing is of no use if there are no shared resources to be accessed. So to be able to have Ubuntu users access, edit and modify shared content on the Windows 8 machine, you must first share that particular resource and that’s what this tutorial is going to show you. In our previous post, we created a workgroup and made both the Windows 8 and Ubuntu 12.10 machines a member of it. Then we enabled filesharing on the Windows 8 machine and installed Samba packages in Ubuntu 12.10. Those previous steps enabled filesharing and this post will show you how to create content to share on either machine starting with Windows 8. To create shared resources in Windows 8, press the Windows Key + X on your keyboard to bring up Windows 8 Tools Menu. When opens, select ‘Computer Management’ windows8_create_shares Next, select and right-click on Shares, then select ‘New Share…’ windows8_create_shares_1 Then browse to the folder you wish to share and select it. windows8_create_shares_2 Next, you’ll see the share path. This is how the resources are accessed using the share path. The share is given a name which can be anything. windows8_create_shares_3 After that set the permission on the resource. To give anyone full access, select ‘Customize permissions’ option and select the everyone group and give it full access. For individual user, click ‘Add’ windows8_create_shares_4 Finally, click Finish to complete the task. windows8_create_shares_5 That’s how you create shares in Windows 8. Users from your Ubuntu machine will be able to access the shared content by using the share path or browsing the workgroup and opening the Windows 8 machine. You may also like -

How to Remove Trusted PCs from Windows 8 Store

When you install an app on a PC from Windows store, the name of that PC will be added to your trusted PC list after your successfully signed in and verified your Microsoft Online Account. You can install apps from the store on up to 5 computers. Anything after that won’t be eligible to install apps on. This brief tutorial is going to show you how to remove an already trusted PC from your Windows store account so you can add new ones. This also applies to PCs that you no longer have but still have an account in Windows store. Removing it will let you add more PCs so that your apps you purchased can get installed on them. In my next post, I’ll show you how to add a PC to the trusted list in Windows 8 store. Without wasting anymore of your time, let’s get going here. To get started, open the Store app from your start screen. windows8_trust_pc_2 When it opens, press the Windows Key + C on your keyboard or move and hover your mouse at the bottom right corner of your display to show the Charms bar. When the Charms bar opens, select ‘Settings’ windows8_trust_pc_3 Next, click ‘Your account’ below Settings windows8_trust_pc_4 Finally, click the Remove button from below the PC you wish to de-authorize. This is how you remove trusted PCs from your Windows Store account. windows8_trust_pc_5 In our next post, I’ll show you how add a PC to the trusted list so apps you purchased can be downloaded on it. Enjoy! You may also like -

How to Change Your Keyboard Layout in Windows 8

Here’s a brief tutorial that shows you how to change the keyboard layout in Windows 8 if you don’t already know. If English isn’t your primary language and wish to change it to something else, continue below to learn how to do it. Since the release of Windows 8 and the new Metro style start screen, many people are having a bit of a problem accessing key Windows settings. In previous versions, one could easily launch control panel from the start menu and access these settings. Now finding control panel in Windows 8 isn’t as easy anymore. Since control panel contains information about most hidden settings in Windows, this post will show you how to quickly access the control panel in Windows 8 and begin configuring hidden settings. To get started, press the Windows Key + X on your keyboard to open Windows 8 Tools Menu. When it opens, select ‘Control Panel. windows8_keyboard_layout Next, click ‘Change input methods’ windows8_keyboard_layout_1 Then on the language preferences screen, click ‘Add a language’ windows8_keyboard_layout_2 Next, select the language you wish to add and click ‘Add’ windows8_keyboard_layout_3 Finally, select the new language and select ‘Move up’ to make it your primary language. Your primary keyboard will be the one you want to see and use more often. windows8_keyboard_layout_4 You may have to restart your computer for it to take effect. windows8_keyboard_layout_5 Enjoy!

Prevent Users From Changing the Lock Screen Image in Windows 8

This brief tutorial shows you how to disable changing of the lock screen image in Windows 8. In some environments, default corporate image is assigned to all user desktops. This is done mostly via Local Group Policy in Windows. Well, if you want to accomplish the same in Windows 8, use Group Policy to set that for all users, and that’s what this tutorial is going to show you. It doesn’t have to be in a corporate environment. If you love a particular image on your lock screen and don’t want it changed by another users, use this technique to disable changing of the image. To get started on this, press the Windows Key + R on your keyboard to one the Run dialog box. When it opens, run the commands below to open the Local Group Policy Editor. gpedit.msc windows8_lock_image_disable Then scroll down to the following location: Computer Configuration --> Administrative Templates --> Personalization windows8_lock_image_disable_1 Then double-click on Prevent changing lock screen image to open that setting. When it opens, choose Enabled. windows8_lock_image_disable_2 After that, press the Windows Key + R again and run the commands below to update and apply the policy. windows8_lock_image_disable_3 Enjoy! windows8_lock_image_disable_4 You may also like -

Enable the Built-In Administrator Account in Windows 8

By default, Microsoft disables the administrator account in Windows 8. This brief tutorial is going to show you how to enable it so that you can login as the administrator. For security reasons, it’s not recommended to sign in with this account and that’s why it was disabled in the first place. Signing in as administrator makes it easy for malicious programs to take over your system and put your system at risk because security is wide open. The administrator account has elevated privileges and is not subject to any restrictions. That’s why the first local user that gets created on the system is added to the administrators group. And although this local account is a member of the administrators group, it’s also subject to other security restrictions like UAC dialog box when trying to make changes. This user must also run the command prompt as administrator to make some changes to the system. The built-in administrator doesn’t have to. If you still want to activate the administrator account despite the risks come with it, continue below. There are multiple ways to activate the administrator account in Windows. For this tutorial, I am just go to show you a one method that always works. To do that press the Windows Key + X on your keyboard to open Windows 8 Tools Menu. When it opens, select ‘Computer Management’ windows8_administrator_enable Next, expand Local Users and Groups, then select the Users folder and right-click ‘Administrator’ then select ‘Properties’ windows8_administrator_enable_1 When the Properties window opens, uncheck the box to enable the Administrator account. Click OK to apply. windows8_administrator_enable_2 Back to the User folder, right-click on the Administrator account again and this time select ‘Set Password’ windows8_administrator_enable_3 Create a new password for the the account and save. Restart and enjoy! windows8_administrator_enable_4 You may also like -

Bring Back Windows Classic Start Menu in Windows 8 with StartW8

With the release of Windows 8 and the lost of the classic Start Menu, many companies and developers have stepped in to help you bring back that old classic Start Menu that’s currently in previous versions of Windows, like Windows 7, Vista and XP. One such is company is SODATWS. They have introduced a nice looking Start Menu for Windows 8 called StartW8. This tool is a start menu replacement for Windows 8 and helps you bring back that classic Start Menu experience of Windows 7 and Vista. This brief tutorial is going to show you how to install and configure it in Windows 8. This program is a free yet powerful tool for Windows 8 users who prefer to sign directly to the desktop instead of the Metro Start screen in Windows 8. For more information about this tool, please click here. This full-functional Start Menu will allow you access your folders and system’s settings with greater ease in Windows 8. If you like the Start Menu found in Windows 7, then you’re going to like this. So, without wasting too much of your time here, let’s get going. To get stated, go and download a version for your Windows 8 system. A copy can be downloaded from here. After downloading, double-click it to begin the installation. When you’re prompted with this screen below, it’s best to choose ‘Typical’ startw8_windows8_start_menu Next, click ‘Install’ to start the installation. startw8_windows8_start_menu_1 After installing, you’ll be prompted to configure StartW8 to your likings. The menu items below should just be enough to replicate your Windows 7 experience. startw8_windows8_start_menu_2 Finally, enjoy your new start menu. As you can see, StartW8 provides Widows 8 looks and feel but Windows 7 functionality. startw8_windows8_start_menu_3 Enjoy!

How to Automatically Backup Your Personal Files in Windows 8

Windows 8 comes with several tools that help you protect your files and folders by backing them up automatically, but one feature that’s most useful is File History. The new File History can automatically backup all your documents, browser favorites, music and videos, desktop icons and more to either an external USB drive or a network location. It can also be started manually if you wish to do so. If you want to protect yourself from accidental deletion and the lost of important documents, you may want to configure this feature to automatically backup your critically important folders to external devices like USB Flash drives or a network locations. In this brief tutorial, I’m going to show you how setup File History in Windows 8 so that your documents are protected. This is important in that when your computer crashes, you can go back and restore the most recent files and documents from File History. To get started with File History, insert an external USB drive into your computer then press the Windows Key + X to open Windows 8 Tools Menu. When that opens, select ‘Control Panel’ from the list. windows8_filehistory_4 Then, choose ‘Save backup copies of your files with File History’ from the System and Security group. windows8_filehistory_5 When File History opens, make sure the external device is visible, then click ‘Turn on’ to turn on File History. windows8_filehistory After turning on, you can choose to immediately run it to begin backing up your files. It is also configured to automatically backup your file at a chosen time and date. To change the backup time and date, click ‘Advanced settings’ from the left. windows8_filehistory_1 On the advanced settings screen, choose how frequently you want to backup your data and how long to keep it. When you’re done, click Save. windows8_filehistory_2 That’s it. To restore your data in the event that it is missing or deleted, go back to File History and select Restore personal files on the left. Then click the restore button to restore the recent backup copies of all the files. You can choose which file to restore by selecting. windows8_filehistory_3 Enjoy!

How Enable or Boot Into Safe Mode in Windows 8

Safe Mode is one of the many tools in Windows 8 that’s used to bypass logging in to your normal Windows Desktop. Since Safe Mode in Windows only let you have access to basic files and system’s drivers, its used mainly to troubleshoot and repair Windows. For example, if your system is infected with a nasty virus that automatically launches and prevents you from doing anything while you’re singed in, you can you Safe Mode to sign in with just the bare minimal of system files and drivers . This will prevent the virus and other harmful files from starting up. You can than use this opportunity to repair and get rid of the virus. Now Windows 8 comes with Safe Mode option, but Microsoft made it very difficult to access. In previous version of Windows, one could only press the F8 key on the keyboard while Windows is booting to access Safe Mode. In Windows 8, you must not only press Shift + F8 Keys, but also navigate through series of settings in order to access it. This brief tutorial is going to show you how to enable Safe Mode in Windows 8 if you wish to boot into it. To get started, power on your Windows 8 machine, then hold down the Shift key while pressing the F8 key on your keyboard. If you’re successful, you’ll see the screen below. If don’t see this screen, restart try again Keep doing it until you see the below screen. safeboot_windows8 Next, choose ‘Troubleshoot’. This option is also used to refresh or reset your PC. safeboot_windows8_1 Then select ‘Advanced Options’ to continue. safeboot_windows8_2 Next, select ‘Startup Settings’ safeboot_windows8_3 Finally, select ‘Restart’. As you can see, it’s not easy as pressing F8 key anymore. But this is the way to access the Safe Mode option in Windows 8. safeboot_windows8_4 After Windows restarts, you’ll have the option to boot into Safe Mode. safeboot_windows8_5 Enjoy!

Sync Your Files, Photos, Documents Across Computers via SkyDrive in Windows 8 / 7

If you want to sync your files across multiple devices, including Windows 8, 7, Vista, Mac and Android devices, you may want to install Microsoft SkyDrive application. This brief tutorial is going to show you how to install it in Windows 8, 7 or Vista. For those who don’t know about SkyDrive, it is an online storage service provided by Microsoft which gives you 7GB of free storage to securely store your data which may include, files, photos, videos and other important documents. Instead of just a storage location, you can also use SkyDrive application to share and access your content from anywhere on almost any device, including PC, Mac and Android mobile phones. Your data isn’t limited to any single device. Just install SkyDrive application on the device and sign in, and all your files and documents will be available to you. To get started, go to the website and download SkyDrive on Windows 8 or 7 and Mac machines. If you’re on an Android mobile device, go to Android Play store and search for then install SkyDrive. In Windows, continue below to install it. skydrive_windows8 Next, enter your Microsoft Online account email address and password. If you don’t have an account, click ‘Sign up’ to register for one. skydrive_windows8-1 After signing in, click ‘Next’ to continue with the installation wizard. If you wish to change where SkyDrive is stored on your local machine, click the ‘Change’ button. In most cases, you may want to leave it as is. skydrive_windows8-2 Next, you can choose to sync all files currently stored on your SkyDrive storage online or choose to select the files to download on the local computer. Click ‘Next’ to continue. skydrive_windows8-3 Finally, click ‘ Done’ to complete the setup. skydrive_windows8-4 File Explorer should automatically open in Windows 8. On the left you’ll see SkyDrive storage location. Use it to store and share content with friends and family. skydrive_windows8-5 Enjoy!

Refresh Windows 8 PCs to the Default Settings After a Virus Attack

One nice thing about Windows 8 is that you can now refresh or reset your PC to the default settings without actually affecting your files and documents, although some programs you installed from other sources will be lost. This can come in handy if you changed some settings and your computer becomes unstable, and you want to reset to the default settings. This feature is also important in the event that your PC is infected by a virus and going though it to get rid of it is taking too much time, you can now refresh your PC and completely remove the virus. If your PC becomes to slow and unbearable, you can now refresh it to increase performance. So, you can see all the good things about Windows 8 refresh and reset feature, but here are some things you may want to keep in mind before refreshing and resetting your PC. Your personal settings and files will not be removed or changed after refreshing All applications installed from other sources will be removed, except the ones installed from the Windows 8 apps store All system’s settings will be reset to the default. This means all system’s settings that were changed prior to resetting your computer will be removed set to the default settings. You will need Windows 8 installation DVD in order to perform the refresh This brief tutorial is going to show you how to do it in Windows 8. To get started, power on your Windows 8 machine, then hold down the Shift key on your keyboard and begin pressing F8 key. Windows should boot up Recovery Mode. When it opens, select ‘See advanced repair options’ reset_windows8_default Next, select ‘Troubleshoot’ reset_windows8_default_1 Then select ‘Refresh your PC’ reset_windows8_default_2 Select the administrator account you wish to use to and sign in. Then click ‘Next’ to begin. reset_windows8_default_3 Insert your Windows 8 DVD into your computer and continue. Wait for the process to complete. reset_windows8_default_4 After refreshing, your PC will reboot, sign in and enjoy! Alternatively, you can perform the same by signing into Windows 8 and press the Windows Key + C to show the Charms bar. When it opens, select Settings –> Change PC settings –> General. From there you can also refresh your PC. reset_windows8_default_6 Enjoy! reset_windows8_default_5 You may also like -

Manually Change the Date And Time in Windows 8

We recently showed you how to change the time zones in Windows 8 PCs. If you want to view that post then please click here. Most modern computers and devices today are designed to automatically acquire their correct date and time information from Internet Time Servers. This is done so that your system is always synchronized with time servers which always have the current date and time information for your timezones. In some cases, computers and devices fail to acquire the correct date and time data from Internet Time Servers and thus are set to the wrong time to timezones. This can happen if your computer loses Internet communication or the Internet Time Servers in your region are not functioning and can’t communication with your devices. If your system is unable to sync with the correct Internet Time Server or has the wrong time, then you may have to manually configure the date and time yourself. In this brief tutorial, I’m going to show you how to manually set the correct date and time in Windows 8 computers if you have to. To get started, press the Windows Key + D keys on your keyboard or click Desktop tile from the Start screen to show Windows 8 Desktop. When it opens, right-click the clock at the bottom right corner of your display then select ‘Adjust date/time’ date_time_windows8 Next, click ‘Change date and time’ button. If you want to configure the time zone you may select ‘Change time zone’ button. date_time_windows8_1 Finally, select the correct date and time for your machine and save. This is how to manually configure the date and time for Windows 8 systems. date_time_windows8_2 That’s it!

Change Internet Explorer Search Provider From Bing To Google in Windows 8

By now you probably already know that Bing is Microsoft Search Engine and comes with Windows 8 as the default search engine for Internet Explorer. It’s not bad, and really have some cool features, like Facebook integration and cool images as backgrounds that are not yet available in Google Search Engine, but many still prefer Google Search Engine over Bing. This brief tutorial is going to show you how to switch your default search provider in Internet Explorer using Windows 8. If you prefer Google Search over Bing, then you might want to change to it in IE. I am not recommending that everyone go and begin changing their default search provider in Windows 8. I personally prefer Google over Bing and I think Google does a better job providing results for my searches. Some out there might disagree with me, and that will be just fine. This tutorial is not going to fight the battle between Google Search Engine and Microsoft Search Engine. That battle will be fought by others. All I am going to do here is show you how to switch from Bing to Google if you want to. And if you’re fine with Bing as your default search provider for Internet Explorer, then more power unto you. You can skip to the next tutorial below. To get started, open Internet Explorer from your desktop. I am not referring to the Internet Explorer from Metro. Press the Windows Key + D or click ‘Desktop’ from Windows 8 tile to show your desktop. From there launch Internet Explorer. When it opens, select ‘Tools –> Internet Options’ from the menu. internet_explorer_bing_to_google Next, select Programs tab and click ‘Manage add-ons’ button shown below internet_explorer_bing_to_google_1 After that, look at the bottom of the screen and click ‘Find more search providers’ link shown below. internet_explorer_bing_to_google_2 When it opens, choose and click on Google from the list of providers. internet_explorer_bing_to_google_3 Then click ‘Add to Internet Explorer’ button to add Google. internet_explorer_bing_to_google_4 Finally, check the box to make Google search the default provider and click ‘Add’ internet_explorer_bing_to_google_5 That’s it! Restart Internet Explorer and enjoy!

Change The Location Where Windows Apps Get Installed In Windows 8

Installing programs from other sources in Windows 8 is the same as in Windows 7. You’re given an option to choose where to store the program’s content on your local computer. By default, programs get stored in C:\Program Files or C:\Program Files (x86) for 64-bit machines. That’s how it’s always been. In Windows 8, that has changed, especially when installing apps from Windows store. They’re automatically installed in a pre-defined location on your local computer. That location is always going to be C:\Program Files\WindowsApps. To view this location you must enable hidden file view because that folder is hidden. To learn how to enable hidden files in Windows 8, please read this post. This brief tutorial is going to show you how to change that location to something else. If you’re running out of storage space on your location machine and you want to make sure all new installations of Windows apps are installed somewhere else, then changing the default location is the best solution. To get started, press the Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog box. When it opens, type the commands below and press Enter. windows8_store_location Next, expand these folder: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Appx windows8_store_location_1 By default the administrator doesn’t have full rights to this folder’s registry keys. You must take ownership of it before you can make changes to it. To take ownership, right-click the folder and select ‘Permissions’ windows8_store_location_4 Next, click Advanced button windows8_store_location_6 Then click the Change link as show below windows8_change_store_location Next, type your username and click ‘Check Names’. If it’s correct click OK to take ownership of the folder. windows8_change_store_location_2 After taking ownership of the folder and clicking ‘OK, the windows should close and bring you back to the previous screen. On this screen, select the Administrators group and give it full control as shown below and click OK. windows8_change_store_location_3 Next, right-click ‘PackageRoot’ and select Modify. windows8_change_store_location_4 Finally, change the location to whatever you want it to be. Mine is W:\WindowsApps. windows8_store_location_8 Now all you have to do is go and copy the WindowsApps folder from C:\Program Files and copy WindowsApps to the new location. You must enable hidden file before you’ll be able to see it. After that, reboot and try installing programs. If everything works, then you’re good. If you have time you can go back to the registry and make TrustedInstaller the owner of Appx folder. It won’t break the change you already made. NT SERVICE\TrustedInstaller Enjoy!

How To Disable The Start Screen In Microsoft Office 2013

Microsoft Office 2013 is a suite of desktop productivity applications that include Word, Excel, OneNote, PowerPoint, Publisher and Outlook. It is the newest Office Suite from Microsoft and comes with many new features and enhancements. With all the cool features that include, a fluid interface that shows you your most recent documents, a new way to browse with your keyboard, SkyDrive integration that allows you to save your documents and share your files easily via SkyDrive online and new social networks and connects features, there’s one feature that comes with Office 2013 suite that keeps bugging me. Every time you open Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote or Publisher you’re met with a start screen. The startup screen shows you most recent documents as well as template that you can use to create new documents. I don’t know about you, but this is annoying and this tutorial is going to show you how to disable it in Microsoft Office Suite 2013. While it can be disabled entirely in Office 2013 at once from the registry, the easiest way to do it is by individually opening each program and turning the feature off. To get started, open each Office program (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote) and when prompted with the start screen, choose a Blank Document. microsoft_office_2013_startup Next, click File from the top left corner of the program and select ‘Options’ as shown below. microsoft_office_2013_startup_1 Finally, on the General screen scroll down and uncheck the highlighted box to disable the Start screen when this program starts’ microsoft_office_2013_startup_2 You must do this for each of the Office program. It can be done from the registry as well but this is the easiest way to turn this feature off.

VidShot Capturer Helps You Capture and Record Your Desktop Activities In Windows

VidShot Capturer is a screen capturing or screencaster program that helps you quickly capture and record your desktop session, then convert it into a video file that can be shared and viewed online or via popular media players. We discussed similar program in Ubuntu not too long ago called Kazam which helps accomplish the same goal. This is a great program for those who want to be able to create video tutorials, or teach others using video presentations. Video tutorials are superior to screenshots because they show you how stuff are done while it’s being done on the screen. VidShot is very lightweight and easy program to use. It supports Windows XP through 7. Here are some of the features in VidShot. It allows you to capture videos from your desktop, program windows, region of your desktop, automatic video options, frame rate settings and has a cool interface. To get started, go and download VidShot Capturer and run it. Choose the default installation options. On this screen, click ‘Install’ to begin the installation. vidshot_installation After installing, choose where to save the video files and what and where you wish to capture. Desktop, Region or Window. When ready click ‘Start’ vidshot_installation_1 To stop the recording, press F9 on your keyboard of click on VidShot icon from the tray at the bottom right corner. Here’s a sample video I recorded using VidShot.