Blocking pop-up ads

Splash screens do nothing for productivity. GNag will get rid of many of them for you with a simple install. The application focuses on eliminating the vanity videos that play when you launch many video games, but it also suppresses, for example, the annoying pop-up message that you get daily with the  free version of the popular Avira AntiVir Personal Edition Classic antivirus soffware.

Change download location folder

The Windows 7 Downloads directory sounds convenient, but since few users ever go browsing there,  downloaded files may be forgotten for days. Most browsers will default to downloading into this directory. Firefox and Chrome users can change this relatively easily, though, to something more convenient.

Firefox

1. Tools
2. Options
3. Under the General tab, change the ‘Save files to’ setting to the directory of your choice. 

Google Chrome

1. Tools icon (it looks like a wrench)
2. Options
3. Minor Tweaks tab
4. change the ‘Download location’ setting 

IE users unfortunately have to hack the Registry to make this change (a step that only power users should consider taking).

Turning off aero snap

By now you certainly know that in Windows 7, dragging a window to the side of the screen will autoresize it to the exactly half of your available space, and  dragging it to the top will cause it to fill the entire display. This is great for some people; but if you don’t like Aero Snap, you’re stuck with having to undo the resizing, often dozens of times per day. You can turn of this behavior with a Registry hack:

1. Run Regedit,
2. HKEY_CURRENT_USER
3. Control Panel
4. Desktop
5. set WindowArrangementActive to 0
6. Reboot to take effect the changes

Change the size of taskbar

You can shrink Windows 7 oversize taskbar icons

1. Right click the taskbar
2. Properties
3. Use small icons. 

 This option shrinks the size of the taskbar by half, giving you a few extra millimeters of  vertical screen space.

Windows 7 free calculator

You don’t need to hunt for a special Website or a pocket gadget to do complicated math. The Calculator utility in Windows 7 is far more powerful than it appears at the first glance.

1. Start
2. All Programs
3. Accessories
4. Calculator
5. Click the View and choose
1. Scientific
2. Programmer
3. Statistics 
4. Date calculator
5. Unit converter
6. and even a mortgage calculator. 

 

Windows Problem Steps Recorder to record your step-by-step procedures

Tech support calls are a pain. If you’re having computer problems, don’t get stuck on an endless phone call trying to explain the difficulty. Run Windows Problem Steps Recorder to save a step-by-step history of what you’re doing so you can share it with a friend or tech support pro.

1. Type PSR in the Start menu search box to find and run the recorder.
2. Then go through the steps that lead to your problem.
3. PSR will record a screenshot of each step, logging everything you type and click. When you’re finished, click the Stop button and save the file.
4. E-mail the archive to someone who’s better informed for a solution.

Note: This resources can also be used to make quick-and-dirty tutorials.

Select multiple files easily

Using the <Ctrl> or <Shift > keys to select multiple files in Windows Explorer can be difficult and an invitation to commit errors. If, however, you frequently need to open or manipulate multiple files at once turn on Windows check-box system—it lets you select files more easily.

1. Open Windows Explorer
2. Organize Folder and search options 
3. View tab
4. Scroll down and select Use check boxes to select items
5. OK.

Descriptive email folder name

An e-mail folder should not be so narrow of purpose that it’s never used, but neither should it be so broad that it becomes overstuffed with messages, unless you use that folder strictly for archiving and don’t need to refer to its contents regularly. Use a descriptive name for each folder and keep it short enough that it doesn’t require scrolling within the Mail Folders pane. Remember that folders can usually be nested, too.

How to organize your email

Letting your e-mail accumulate in a monolithic inbox makes it nearly impossible for you to find important messages without a laborious hunt, as well as greatly increasing the odds that you’ll forget or simply overlook e-mail that re quires urgent attention.

1. Delete the junk
2. Move the important and non-actionable e-mail messages into separate clearly defined folders. 

Getting into the habit of sorting incoming mail in this way is critical for most users looking to enhance their productivity.

How to minimize cluttered windows

When your desktop becomes so cluttered that you can’t find anything, this step is a good way to re-gain focus.

1. Grab the title bar of the window you want
2. Shake your mouse a little.
3. All other windows will vanish into the taskbar.
4. Repeat to undo and restore all of your hidden windows.