Windows 8 RTM Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

We all know that Microsoft has released Windows 8 RTM (final version) and there are many questions related to Windows 8 which are coming in people minds. We have received so many emails about Windows 8 from various AskVG readers asking almost same questions. So today in this topic we are going to answer all those frequently asked questions (FAQs) related to Windows 8.

So without wasting time, lets share Windows 8 RTM FAQs:

Q.1. What is Windows 8 RTM? Is it final version of Windows 8 or is it yet another testing build similar to Developer Preview, Consumer Preview and Release Preview?

Ans. Windows 8 RTM is the final version. RTM means "Release To Manufacturing".

Q.2. Can I download Windows 8 RTM similar to previous free testing versions?

Ans. Yes, you can download a free 90-day trial version of fully functional Windows 8 RTM using following link:
Download 90-Day Trial Version of Windows 8 RTM Absolutely Free

Q.3. Can I download a full version of Windows 8 RTM not a trial version?

Ans. Yes, you can purchase Windows 8 as mentioned in following article:
How to Download or Order Windows 8 Setup DVD Online?

Q.4. What are the system requirements of Windows 8 RTM?

Ans. Windows 8 system requirements are almost similar to Windows 7 system requirements. So if your computer system runs Windows 7 fine, it'll also run Windows 8 smoothly. You can check out official Windows 8 system requirements at following link:
Windows 8 System Requirements

Q.5. I already have a Windows installed in my system, can I upgrade the existing Windows to Windows 8?

Ans. Yes, you can upgrade from Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7 to Windows 8 but there are some limitations.
Upgrade from Windows 7:
If you upgrade your system from Windows 7 to Windows 8, you'll be able to keep your user accounts and files, installed programs and Windows settings.
Upgrade from Windows Vista:
If you upgrade your system from Windows Vista to Windows 8, you'll be able to keep your user accounts and files and Windows settings but you won't be able to keep installed programs.
Upgrade from Windows XP:
If you upgrade your system from Windows XP to Windows 8, you'll be able to keep your user accounts and files but you won't be able to keep installed programs and Windows settings.
Check out following article for more information:
[Windows 8 Upgrade Paths] How to Upgrade from Windows XP, Vista, 7 to Windows 8?

Q.6. Should I upgrade my existing Windows to Windows 8 or should I install it separately?

Ans. Installing Windows 8 separately on a different partition and doing a dual-boot between existing Windows version and Windows 8 would be a better idea. It'll help you in uninstalling/removing Windows 8 easily from your system in future if you want. Also you'll not have any chance of data loss and your existing Windows version will remain untouched.

Q.7. If I upgrade my existing Windows to Windows 8, will I able to uninstall Windows 8 in future and return to previous Windows version?

Ans. No. You can't go back to previous Windows version. You'll need to reinstall it using setup disk.

Q.8. How to install Windows 8 in a virtualization software like VMware Workstation, VirtualBox, Virtual PC, etc?

Ans. Installing Windows 8 in virtualization software would be a wise idea. It'll help you in testing and learning Windows 8 before actually installing it in your system.
Check out following video which contains a step-by-step demo to show you how to install Windows 8 in Virtual Box:
Also take a look at following link to have an idea which software can be used to install Windows 8 virtually:
Install Windows 8 Using VirtualBox or VMware Workstation

Q.9. Will all my favorite software programs work in Windows 8?

Ans. Yes. Almost all existing software which work in Windows 7, should also work in Windows 8. Microsoft also provides a complete list of all software and devices which are compatible with Windows 8. You can visit the complete list at this link.
Also all Windows 7 tips-n-tricks work fine in Windows 8. Check out following exclusive article to read many useful tips which were posted for Windows 7 but also work in Windows 8:
Best Windows 7 Registry Tweaks and Tips-n-Tricks Which Work in Windows 8

Q.10. I installed Windows 8 but I can't find the Start button. How can I get it back?

Ans. Microsoft has removed Start button and Start Menu from Windows 8. Start Menu has been replaced by new Start Screen and Start button has been replaced by a small Start Screen thumbnail which appears when you move the cursor to bottom-left corner of screen.
You can get Start Menu and Start button back in Windows 8 using various freeware mentioned in following topic:
[AIO] List of All Free Software to Get Start Menu and Start Button Back in Windows 8

Q.11. As soon as I log into Windows 8, it shows the new Start Screen. Is there a way to skip Start Screen and directly boot into Windows Desktop similar to previous Windows versions?

Ans. Yes. You can take help of following guide to skip Start Screen and boot into Windows 8 Desktop:
How to Skip Metro Start Screen and Boot Directly into Desktop in Windows 8?

Q.12. Windows 8 Explorer comes with Office style Ribbon UI, can I get rid of it?

Ans. Sure. Check out following topics:

• Remove Ribbon UI from Windows 8 Explorer without Breaking Paint and WordPad Apps
• The Best Way to Get Rid of Windows 8 Explorer Ribbon

Q.13. As soon as I move the mouse cursor to top-right corner of screen to close a window, the new Charms Bar appears automatically. How can I disable it?

Ans. Microsoft has introduced new hot corners feature in Windows 8. You can disable these hot corners such as App Switcher, Charms Bar, etc using following topics:

• How to Disable Charms Bar Hint in Windows 8?
• How to Disable Hot Corners (Charms Bar, Start Screen Thumbnail, App Switch List) in Windows 8?

Q.14. How to shutdown or restart my system in Windows 8? I can't find these options.

Ans. There are several ways to access power options in Windows 8. Check out following guides:

• How to Log Off, Restart and Shut Down Windows 8 PC?
• Add Restart, Shut Down and Other Power Shortcuts in Desktop Context Menu of Windows 8
• Shutdown Panel: Freeware to Provide Easy and Quick Access to Power Options in Windows

Q.15. When I dual boot between Windows 8 and a previous Windows version, first Windows 8 loads and then it shows a new Metro boot loader to select the OS. Can I disable it and get the classic boot loader back?

Ans. Yes. You can enable the Windows Vista and 7 style boot loader in Windows 8 using following tutorial:
Disable New Metro Boot Loader and Enable Windows Vista / 7 Style Boot Loader in Windows 8?

Q.16. I can't find the "Advanced Appearance Settings" in Windows 8 Desktop Personalization window. How to access them?

Ans. Microsoft has moved them to a new location. Check out following topics for more info:

• How to Access "Advanced Appearance Settings" Option to Change Text Size in Windows 8?
• Registry Tweak to Decrease Window Border Size and Padding in Windows 8

Q.17. I'm not getting Aero glass effect in program windows. Only Taskbar is transparent without reflection and blur effects. How can I enable Aero glass in Windows 8?

Ans. Microsoft has completely removed Aero glass from Windows 8. Currently there are no known ways to get it back. Check out following article for more info:
Is There Any Way to Enable Aero Glass Transparency in Windows 8?
But you can enable transparency without blur or a hidden Aero Lite theme in Windows 8 using following tricks:

• Finally a Way to Enable Transparency in Windows 8 Without any Bug or Glitch
• How to Enable Hidden "Aero Lite" Theme in Windows 8 RTM?

Q.18. I don't like the new lock screen in Windows 8 and I want to disable it in my system. I couldn't find any option to turn it off. How can I get rid of the lock screen in Windows 8?

Ans. Microsoft doesn't provide any direct option to disable Windows 8 lock screen but you can use group policy or Registry tweak to get rid of lock screen. Check out following tutorial:
How to Disable Lock Screen in Windows 8?
Above are the most frequently asked questions about Windows 8. If you have any other question in mind, please feel free to ask it in your comment.

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New “Memory Power Management” Feature Found in Windows 8

Almost all of us are using and enjoying new "Windows 8" OS released by Microsoft. We have posted a big review which describes almost all interesting new features found in Windows 8. You can read the review at following link:
[Windows 8 Review] What's New in Windows 8?
One AskVG reader "GUGUITO5" accidentally found a new interesting feature in Windows 8 which is related to Power management.
To reveal this new feature just follow these simple steps:
1. Press "WIN+R" key combination to open RUN box. Now type following:

powercfg.cpl

It'll open Power Options window. You can also open it using Control Panel, Desktop Personalization and many other ways.
2. Now click on "Change plan settings" link near your current power plan.
3. Again click on "Change advanced power settings" link in next page. It'll open a new dialog box which allows you to change various advanced settings related to power management.
Here comes the new secret feature found in Windows 8.
Scroll down to bottom and you'll see "Memory power management" section as shown in following screenshot:

This new section introduced in Windows 8 allows you to change lots of advanced settings related to memory.
We are trying to find out what each option does. Please feel free to share your opinion about this new feature in Windows 8...

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Ultimate List of Best Free Alternatives to Windows Media Center

Windows Media Center is a media player application which comes bundled with Windows operating system. It allows you to pause, record HDTV, watch DVDs, listen music, show off photos and much more.
Windows Media Center comes with Windows XP MCE, Windows Vista Ultimate and Home Premium and all editions of Windows 7 except Home Basic and Starter.
If you have a Windows edition which doesn't come with Windows Media Center, you can try various free alternatives which also provide similar features:

MediaPortal:

MediaPortal is a free open source media center software, ideal for turning your PC into a very advanced multimedia center, or Home Theater PC, to view all your digital media in your living room. The user interface is a snap to learn and use. Standard menus, layouts and views let you choose your style of display. Most remotes are supported and you can configure the keys however you want.
MediaPortal was designed to be extended. There are hundreds of amazing plugins available to do almost anything you can imagine, even stream web TV, Apple Trailers, Youtube videos or internet radio.
Download Link

XBMC:

XBMC is an award-winning free and open source (GPL) software media player and entertainment hub for digital media. XBMC is available for Linux, OSX, and Windows.
XBMC has been designed to be the perfect companion for your HTPC. Supporting an almost endless range of remote controls, and combined with its beautiful interface and powerful skinning engine, XBMC feels very natural to use from the couch and is the ideal solution for your home theater.
XBMC can be used to play almost all popular audio and video formats around. It was designed for network playback, so you can stream your multimedia from anywhere in the house or directly from the internet using practically any protocol available.
Download Link

MythTV:

MythTV is a great Digital Video Recorder and home media center hub. With its plugin architecture, it has been transformed from a mere TV viewing application into a full home media center suite, capable of managing your personal photo, video, and music collections, as well as keep you up to date with the weather, a ZoneMinder home security system, and much, much more.
Download Link

JRiver Media Center:

JRiver Media Center is an excellent media player software. It's also a Media Network, a whole house music, movie, TV, and photo solution. It can play connected media from Last.fm, Netflix, Hulu, and Youtube. And it can send to Flickr, Facebook, and Twitter. It powers the Home Theater PC that will entertain your family. It Plays audio and video in different zones.
It can record TV in high definition, providing an alternative to cable TV. It has a Theater View interface, controllable by a Media Center Remote, an iPad, iPhone, Android, a Windows netbook or Touchscreen. It's a DirectShow player, so it can play almost anything.
Download Link
PS: Its a 30 days trial version. Thanks to our reader "soldier" for mentioning it...

Freevo:

Freevo is an open source HTPC media centre. It integrates PVR / DVR functionality along with music, video, gaming, home automation and more. It is written in python and uses existing popular software such as mplayer, xine, vlc and skype. Freevo also provides access to popular services such as YouTube, Flickr, Apple trailers, IMDB, Hulu Desktop and more through integrated plugins.
It can be controlled via keyboard and mouse, IR remote, network app or through it's web interface. Freevo can record and display TV from multiple sources. You can pause or rewind live TV and schedule recordings via the on screen EPG or remotely via a web interface.
Download Link

Moovida:

Moovida is your one stop for multimedia needs, organizing and reproducing all your media from one intuitive application. Moovida supports ALL media formats - it's the only software you'll ever need to play avi, mkv, mp3, mp4, and many more.
Moovida has two interfaces – one optimized for managing your files on the PC and the other optimized for finding and playing your media files on the TV or PC. Connect your PC to your TV using a simple HDMI, a VGA or a S-Video cable and an audio cable. Launch Moovida's 3D interface to quickly find and enjoy your media.
Download Link

Plex:

Plex is a flexible Media Center made up by two major components - the Plex Media Server and numerous Plex Clients. This lets you create a true server-based Media Center where information about all your media is stored in one single location. Plex also gathers information or metadata about your media and displays it in the Client making choosing which show to watch a rich and pleasant experience.
Download Link
Please let us know your opinion about these free alternatives to Windows Media Center. Which one do you like the most and why?

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Download Windows 8 Developer Preview Build NOW

Today Microsoft is showing preview of Windows 8 at BUILD conference and here is a great news for all people who are eagerly waiting to try their hands on Windows 8.
Microsoft has released Windows 8 Developer Preview build to public which can be downloaded using following link:

Download Windows 8 Developer Preview Build

The Developer Preview of Windows 8 will expire on March 11th, 2012 so you can enjoy it for approx. 6 months.
According to Microsoft:

Windows 8 Developer Preview is a pre-beta version of Windows 8 for developers. These downloads include pre-release software that may change without notice. The software is provided as is, and you bear the risk of using it. It may not be stable, operate correctly or work the way the final version of the software will. It should not be used in a production environment. The features and functionality in the pre-release software may not appear in the final version. Some product features and functionality may require advanced or additional hardware, or installation of other software.

You can download both 32-bit and 64-bit editions. The download also includes a 64-bit (x64) build with development tools to build apps. The download also includes a suite of sample applications which are merely illustrations of potential apps, not apps that Microsoft intends to ship with Windows 8.
Please note that "Windows 8 Developer Preview with Developer Tools" doesn't support upgrade from Windows XP, Vista or 7. You'll need to do a clean install.
If you want to upgrade existing Windows version to Windows 8, you'll need to use either 32-bit or 64-bit edition of Windows 8 Developer Preview without Developer Tools. One more thing to keep in mind! If you upgrade from Windows Vista or 7, Windows 8 will keep your accounts, files and settings but if you upgrade from Windows XP, Windows 8 will only keep your accounts and files but not settings.
This is a developer preview release and is not meant for production. It is not even a beta release. Microsoft confirms that they'll be updating the release with various quality updates and drivers over the coming weeks / months to test their overall update and telemetry mechanisms.
You can learn more about new features in Windows 8 using official Windows 8 Fact sheet and guide released by Microsoft:
Download Windows 8 Fact Sheet
Download Windows 8 Developer Preview Guide (PDF)
Download Windows 8 Developer Preview Guide (XPS)
Update: The PDF and XPS guides have been removed by Microsoft.

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How to Restore Accidentally Uninstalled Built-in Apps in Windows 8?

We know that Microsoft's latest OS Windows 8 comes with brand new "Store" feature which is quite similar to Google Play or Apple's App Store. Windows 8 Store allows you to download and install various useful and interesting apps which are free as well as paid.
Windows 8 also comes with many preinstalled or built-in apps such as Mail, News, Finance, Sports, Maps, Weather, etc. If you don't like or need a built-in app, you can uninstall the app by right-click on the app and select "Uninstall" option from the bottom bar as mentioned here.
The problem comes when you uninstall an app but later you decide to use it. There is no easy way given to restore default apps in Windows 8 Start Screen. You can't find any option in Start Screen to reinstall those uninstalled apps.
So what to do? How to restore uninstalled apps in Windows 8? We have received lots of emails from AskVG readers asking the same question. Don't worry. Here is the solution. Today in this tutorial, we are going to tell you how to reinstall built-in apps in Windows 8 if you accidentally uninstalled them in past.
Actually you can reinstall or restore built-in apps using Windows Store. Just follow these simple steps to restore default apps in Windows 8:
1. Go to Windows 8 Start Screen and launch Store.

2. Once Store opens, right-click in empty space and you'll get an option at top to access "Your Apps" as shown in following screenshot:

3. Click on it and it'll ask to sign in. Sign in using your Windows Live ID. It'll take a few moments and will show a screen containing list of built-in apps which have been uninstalled.
4. Just click on the apps which you want to restore and then click on "Install" button given at the bottom.

5. That's it. It'll take a few seconds and the selected apps will be installed again in your Windows.
Do you use those built-in apps in Windows 8? Which one is your favorite? Feel free to share your experience with Windows 8 Store in your comment...

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Shutdown Panel: Freeware to Provide Easy and Quick Access to Power Options in Windows

Many Windows 8 users find it difficult to restart, shutdown or hibernate their computers. Since Microsoft has removed Start Menu and Start button from Windows 8, you can't access power options like you used to do in previous Windows versions.
In Windows 8, Microsoft has moved the power options to new Charms Bar. You can also use traditional ways such as Ctrl+Alt+Del screen, Alt+F4 hotkey, etc to access power options as mentioned in following tutorial:
How to Log Off, Restart and Shut Down Windows 8 PC?
To make Windows 8 users life easier, we shared a Registry tweak in past which adds a new cascading menu in Desktop context menu (right-click menu) to provide quick access to all power options. You can read more about it following link:
Add Cascading Menu for Restart, Shutdown and Other Power Options in Desktop Context Menu of Windows 8
This method inspired our reader "5aBi" to develop a small utility "Shutdown Panel" for Windows.
"Shutdown Panel" is a free and portable software for Windows which provides easy and quick access to all power options such as restart, shut down, hibernate, lock and log off. Its portable so you don't need to install it. Just run the program and use it. You can also carry it on your USB drive.
Once launched, it shows a small panel containing big icons (similar to Windows 8 Start Screen tiles) for various power options. You can click on the desired icon to immediately perform the action.

The freeware comes in 2 versions:

• Version developed in .NET framework 3.5 for Windows 7
• Version developed in .NET framework 4.5 for Windows 8 and 8.1

Both versions are absolutely same in functionality. We developed 2 different versions for your convenience because Windows 7 comes with .NET framework 3.5 preinstalled and Windows 8 comes with .NET framework 4.5 preinstalled. You can use the version developed in .NET framework 3.5 in Windows 7 and the version developed in .NET framework 4.5 in Windows 8 and 8.1 so that you'll not need to install any extra .NET framework version in your Windows.
Although both versions will work in all Windows OS including Windows XP and Vista if the required .NET framework version is installed. You can install the required .NET framework version from here.
You can pin the app to Taskbar, Start Menu or Windows 8 Start Screen. You can also add it to Desktop context menu for easier access. It comes with ready-made batch scripts to add its shortcut to Desktop context menu. Just run the "Install (Run as Administrator).cmd" file as Administrator and it'll add the app shortcut to Desktop context menu. If you want to remove the shortcut, you can run "Uninstall (Run as Administrator).cmd" file as Administrator.

This software supports Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1. It can be used in both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows editions. You can download this handy program using following link:

Download Shutdown Panel for Windows

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[Fix] “Your Windows 8.1 Install Couldn’t be Completed, Something Happened” Error Message

Windows 8.1 final version is available for download and Windows 8 users can download and install Windows 8.1 absolutely free using Windows Store application.
[Guide] How to Upgrade to Windows 8.1 from Windows 8?
But sometimes you may face a strange problem. As soon as you click on "Download" button on Windows 8.1 download page, it starts the download process but after a few moments you receive following error message:

Your Windows 8.1 install couldn't be completed
Something happened and the install of Windows 8.1 can't be completed
[Try again] [Cancel]

There is no help or information given to troubleshoot this problem. If you click on try again button, you get the same error message again. Sometimes you may also receive error message with 0x80240031 error code.
I faced this problem in approx. 5 /10 computers in which I tried to upgrade Windows 8 to Windows 8.1 through Store.
After some troubleshooting, I was able to find the culprit. The reason behind this problem was very simple. None of those computers were having all Windows updates installed. There were a few updates pending for download/install in those Windows 8 computers which was causing this error message.
So if you are also facing this problem, the solution is:
Open Windows Update and check for new updates. Make sure all available updates have been installed in your computer. Also check the hidden updates by clicking on "Restore hidden updates" link given in left sidebar. If you find any hidden update, install it immediately.
It seems there are some important updates which are required by Windows 8.1 downloader and if it finds those updates missing in a computer, it shows the error message.
If you want, you can leave optional updates such as Bing Desktop, Silverlight, etc unchecked but make sure to install all important and critical updates.
That's it. Once you install all Windows updates, restart your computer and now you should be able to download and install Windows 8.1 through Windows Store without any problem.

Also check: Fix Problems While Installing or Upgrading to Windows 8.1

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How to Create Bootable USB Drive to Install Windows Vista?

This tutorial will help you in creating a bootable USB drive of Windows Vista which you can use to install Vista in any system. It might become very useful when you don't have access to DVD drive.
1. First format your USB drive in NTFS file system. You can do it by attaching your USB drive to your system and then format it from My Computer window.
2. Now open Command Prompt window from Start menu. Right-click on Command Prompt entry in start menu and select "Run as administrator" option.
3. Now type diskpart in Command Prompt window and press Enter. It'll launch DiskPart program:

4. Now provide following command:

list volume

It'll show a list of all drives in your system. Look for your USB drive entry. As in the below screenshot, the USB drive is "G" which you can determine from its "Type" entry.
Now you have to select the USB drive volume by providing select volume no. command. Since in our case volume no. of USB drive is "Volume 4", the command would be:

select volume 4

Now we have to make this drive active. So provide active command:

active

Now exit from DiskPart using exit command.

5. Now we need to create Boot sector on USB drive. We'll use "bootsect.exe" utility for this task. You can find this utility in Windows Vista setup disk. It'll be present in "Boot" directory.
Now provide following command in Command Prompt:

bootsect /nt60 G:

Here G is drive letter of USB drive. Replace it with the correct drive letter if your system has some other letter for USB drive.

6. At last, copy all files/folders from Vista Setup DVD to your USB drive and you have done.
Now you can boot using your USB drive and can install Windows Vista in any system.
PS: You can also take a look at some free tools to automatically create bootable USB drives to install Windows using following link:
Ultimate Collection of Best Freeware to Create Bootable USB Drive to Install Windows and Linux

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Windows 7 Services Configuration: Turn Off / Disable Background Services to Improve System Performance

We have posted service guides for Windows XP and Windows Vista in past and now its turn of Windows 7. In this tutorial we'll learn about the services which are not essential and can be safely set to MANUAL to speed up your system:
1. Right-click on Computer icon on desktop and select Manage, it'll open a new window. Now go to Services & Applications -> Services. You can also open the same from Administrative Tools -> Computer Management. Or you can directly open "Services" list by providing services.msc command in RUN or Start Menu search box.

2. Now you can set the unnecessary services to DISABLED or MANUAL. Just double-click on any service and select the desired option in Startup type list box.

NOTE: Always set the service to MANUAL, never disable it, so that whenever Windows needs to start a service it can easily start and use it. If you set any service to DISABLED, Windows will not be able to start it and will give some error messages.

Here is a list of services that can be safely set to MANUAL:

• Application Experience
• Computer Browser (If your computer is not connected to any network)
• Desktop Window Manager Session Manager (If you don't use Aero theme)
• Diagnostic Policy Service
• Distributed Link Tracking Client
• IP Helper
  
• Offline Files
• Portable Device Enumerator Service
• Print Spooler (If you don't have Printer)
• Protected Storage
• Remote Registry (Always disable it for Security purposes)
• Secondary Logon
• Security Center
• Server (If your computer is not connected to any network)
• Tablet PC Input Service
• TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper (If you are not in a workgroup network)
• Themes ( If you use Windows Classic theme)
• Windows Error Reporting Service
• Windows Media Center Service Launcher
• Windows Search (If you don't use Windows Search feature frequently)
• Windows Time (If you don't want to update system tray clock time using Internet)

PS: You can see the details of each service to determine whether you should disable it or not.
Further read:
Speed Up Windows 7 – Master Tutorial to Make Windows 7 Super Fast

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StartOrbz: Free Software to Create and Change Windows 7 Start ORB (Start Button)

Today we are sharing an excellent tool which allows you to create your own custom Start ORBs (Start button) for Windows 7 and also allows you to apply them. You can also select from lots of bundled Start ORBs and replace Windows 7 default Start ORB with any of them.
"StartOrbz" is a free portable utility created by "Blizo" @ DA which can create and apply your custom Start ORBs in Windows 7. You just need to select any image which you want to set as Start ORB and then you can add Shadow, Glow and many other effects for normal, hover and pressed events.

It also allows you to categorize ORBs for easier management.
You can download it using following link:
Download Link

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Get Windows XP Style Classic “All Programs” List in Start Menu of Windows Vista and Windows 7

IMPORTANT: This method will also replace "Favorites" list in Internet Explorer with "All Programs" list.

Many people complain about Windows Vista and 7 start menu. They want Windows XP styled "All Programs" list. Windows Vista and 7 show the All Programs list within Start Menu on the other hand XP shows it in a new expanded column outside the Start Menu.
Recently we received an email from "James Phillips":

Dear Vishal, I am contacting you as a last resort (I have already stated my problem in various forums and blogs with no success whatsoever).
My problem is with Vista's start menu, specifically the way it displays the All Programs list. Instead of showing the list within the start menu itself, i would like it to expand out into a new column, just like in XP.
I know this function is available using the classic menu, but i actually like all of the other features in the normal menu (search etc...) so I would prefer not to use classic.
thanks for any suggestions you may have.

Actually there is a way to enable XP styled All Programs list in Vista, 7 and Server 2008.
Long time back, we posted a tutorial to customize Windows XP start menu:
Change Look-n-Feel of Windows XP Start Menu
We'll use the Step 5 mentioned in above tutorial to implement XP styled Programs list in Vista and 7. We'll replace "Favorites" menu with "All Programs" menu.
1. Type regedit in RUN dialog box and press Enter. Now go to following keys one by one:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders

2. Now you'll need to change the value of Favorites string value in right-side pane to:

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

Change C: to your system drive, where windows is installed in your system.
3. That's it. Log off or restart your system and now "Favorites" link in start menu will change to "Programs" and will show all program shortcuts installed in your system just like XP start menu does.
NOTE: If you can't see the new menu in Start Menu, you'll need to enable "Favorites Menu" from Taskbar Properties -> Start Menu -> Customize.
4. You can also disable the All Programs button in start menu. Type regedit in RUN dialog box and press Enter. Now go to:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

In right-side pane, create a new DWORD value NoStartMenuMorePrograms and set its value to 1
Now log off or restart your system and the final output will look as following:

As you can see, the new Programs menu shows the program shortcuts very similar to XP and "All Programs" button is no longer there.
PS: If you want a ready-made registry script to do the task automatically, then download following ZIP file, extract it and run the extracted REG file. It'll ask for confirmation, accept it. Restart your system to take affects:
Download Registry Script
NOTE: If you want to restore the default settings, Type regedit in RUN dialog box and press Enter. Now go to following keys:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders

In right-side pane, change value of "Favorites" to:

%USERPROFILE%\Favorites

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[Windows 8.1 Bug] Icons Look Distorted in Delete Confirmation Dialog Box and Send To Menu

To be honest I never noticed this bug until an AskVG reader "Ayan C." reported it via email. Its a small GUI bug present in Windows 8.1. The strange thing about this bug is that it was not present in Windows 8. This bug can be reproduced in Windows 8.1 RTM (final version) as well as its preview version.
This bug doesn't affect Windows 8.1 functionality but causes some icons to look ugly, distorted, fuzzy or whatever you would like to say.
This bug can be seen in "Delete confirmation dialog box". Its the dialog box which appears on screen when you want to delete an item in Windows. Since Microsoft disabled this confirmation dialog box in Windows 8 and 8.1, you'll need to first enable it with the help of following tutorial:
How to Enable Delete Confirmation Dialog Box in Windows 8?
If you don't want to enable this dialog box, you can use "Shift+Delete" keyboard shortcut which is used to permanently delete an item thus bypassing Recycle Bin. The delete confirmation dialog box is always shown when you use "Shift+Delete" keyboard shortcut irrespective of whether the delete confirmation dialog box is enabled or disabled in Recycle Bin properties.
OK, back to the topic. To reproduce this bug, you'll need to delete a folder or file. You'll notice this bug clearly while deleting a folder. So first create a new folder by right-click on an empty area in Windows Explorer and select "New -> Folder" from context menu. You can also use direct keyboard shortcut "Ctrl+Shift+N" to create a new folder.
Once you create the folder, try to delete it and you'll see delete confirmation dialog box. Get ready to see the bug!
The folder icon in delete confirmation dialog box will look distorted and ugly. Black edges will appear around the icon and the icon will not look correct.
Following image will show this bug in action:

You can see the difference between Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 delete confirmation dialog boxes. In Windows 8 dialog box, the folder icon looks perfect but in Windows 8.1 dialog box, it looks ugly.
Let me clear one thing! This bug is not related to graphics card driver or any other thing as I tested this bug in approx. 10 computers and I was successful in reproducing the bug in all of them. All those computers were having different hardware.
The reader also reported that the same thing also happens in "Send To" menu but this time things were a little bit different. In my personal and work computer systems, icons in "Send To" menu were looking fine but I found some other computer systems having ugly icons in "Send To" menu.
May be this bug was not fixed by Microsoft because they overlooked it as the delete confirmation dialog box doesn't show by default. It may be also poss
We request you to try this thing in your Windows 8.1 computer and share your feedback with us...
Also Check: [Did You Know] Ultimate List of Windows 8 Bugs and Goof-ups

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How to Install Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 Offline in Windows 8 and 8.1 without Internet Connection?

Now-a-days almost all 3rd party software require Microsoft .NET Framework installed in your system. The required .NET Framework version might be different for different software and the most required .NET Framework version is 3.5 which comes preinstalled in Windows 7.
If you are using Windows 8, you might face a problem while trying to run a program which requires .NET Framework 3.5 version. Windows 8 doesn't come with .NET Framework 3.5 version. It comes with the latest .NET Framework 4.5 version preinstalled.
Whenever you try to open a program requiring .NET Framework 3.5, you get following message:

An app on your PC needs the following Windows feature:
.NET Framework 3.5 (includes .NET 2.0 and 3.0)

There are 2 buttons given to install the .NET Framework version or to skip the installation. If you decide to install it, Windows tries to connect to Internet to download the setup files of .NET Framework 3.5.
That's strange because Windows 8 setup contains .NET Framework 3.5 setup files but still Windows tries to connect to Internet. It would have been better and easier if Windows 8 installed the .NET Framework 3.5 without Internet connection just like it does for other Windows components such as Media Center, Internet Explorer, etc which can be installed or uninstalled using "Programs and Features" applet in Control Panel.
If you don't have an Internet connection or if you don't want to waste time and bandwidth in downloading the setup files, here is a way to install .NET Framework 3.5 offline in Windows 8.
Today in this tutorial, we'll tell you how to install .NET Framework 3.5 in Windows 8 without any need of Internet connection. You can install it offline with the help of a single command. This method requires Windows 8 setup disc or ISO file so make sure you have Windows 8 setup files with you.
So without wasting time lets start the tutorial:
1. First you'll need to copy Windows 8 setup files to your hard disk. If you have Windows 8 setup ISO copied in your system, you can mount it by right-click on it and select "Mount" option or you can extract its content using 7-Zip.
If you have Windows 8 setup disc and don't want to copy its content, its ok. Just insert the disc in your CD/DVD drive so that Windows can access its content.
2. Now open Command Prompt as Administrator as mentioned here and then provide following command:

Dism /online /enable-feature /featurename:NetFx3 /All /Source:F:\sources\sxs /LimitAccess

Here "F:" represents the CD/DVD drive letter in your system which contains Windows 8 setup disc. Replace it with the correct drive letter according to your system.
If you extracted Windows 8 setup files in a directory, replace F:\sources\sxs with the correct path.
3. As soon as you execute the above mentioned command, Windows will start installing .NET Framework 3.5 in your system and it'll not require Internet connection.

It'll take a few minutes and you'll get a message that the operation completed successfully.
4. That's it. Now you have installed .NET Framework 3.5 in Windows 8 without using Internet connection.
PS: If you face any problem while using this method, you can take help of following exclusive AskVG app to automatically install .NET Framework 3.5 offline in Windows 8 and 8.1:
Download Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 Offline Installer for Windows 8 and 8.1
This method has been provided officially by Microsoft in a KB article here...

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Download FREE Image Resizer Powertoy Clone for Windows XP, Vista and 7

"Image Resizer Powertoy Clone" is a free tool to resize one or more images at a time. It has been created after inspiring from Microsoft's official Image Resizer Powertoy for Windows XP.
Since there is no official Image Resizer powertoy for Windows Vista, 7 and all 64-bit Windows OS, "BriceLambson" @ CodePlex decided to create one.
According to Brice, this clone was created to extend support to non-XP and 64-bit versions of Windows (including Windows 7 & Vista).
Using this tool is very simple. Simply right-click on the image(s) which you want to resize and select "Resize Pictures" option.

It'll ask you to select the new size from the pre-defined size list. You can also define a custom size.

Once decided, click on OK button and your image(s) will be resized.
You can download it using following link:
Download Image Resizer Powertoy Clone

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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 system resource usage so that you can monitor them easily and quickly.

• Taskbar Meters
• SuperbarMonitor

Taskbar Meters

Taskbar Meters is a set of 3 executable files which show following information in Windows 7 Superbar:

• CPU usage
• RAM usage
• Disk IO

You can also access Task Manager and Resource Monitor applications using the jumplist.
It allows you to customize the update frequency and other settings.
You can download it using following link:
Download Link

SuperbarMonitor

SuperbarMonitor is similar to Taskbar Meters. Its a set of 5 executable files which show following information in Windows 7 Superbar:

• CPU usage
• RAM usage
• Disk IO
• Battery life
• Volume

It allows you to set the update interval, overlay icon and a few other settings.
You can download it using following link:
Download Link
Homepage
Thanks to our reader "NZero" for sharing...

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Download Windows 7 Logon Screen Rotator to Rotate Login Screen Background Image

Here is an excellent tool for Windows 7 users which allows you to choose up to 10 images and displays them randomly at each login.

You can select the images using "Choose Image" button.
Once you select all images, click on "Enable Settings and Exit" button. It'll ask you to select the initial image which will be used as the first login screen background.
That's it. Now you can enjoy different login screens at each login.
If you want to restore the default login screen, run the "Remove files and settings.exe" file included in the pack and it'll restore the default login screen.
You can download it using following link:
Download Link
Homepage

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Download Free Windows 8 (vNext) Skin for RocketDock

Recently we posted an ultimate list of free docking utilities available for Windows:
Ultimate Collection of the Best Dock Utilities for Windows
Among the list RocketDock is one of the most popular and lightweight dock. Its also our favorite one.
Today we are sharing 2 excellent skins for RocketDock created by our active reader "Rtyh-12".
"Aero vNext" is an awesome skin for RocketDock which provides Windows 8 like look-n-feel in RocketDock. It comes in 2 flavors.
The skins have been created after getting inspired from a Windows 8 mockup.

You can download the skins using following link:
Download Link
PS: You'll find the download link in the right-side section of the above mentioned page.
Simply extract the ZIP file and copy skins folders to RocketDock's Skins folder. After that you can apply the skins using RocketDock Settings.
Thanks again to "Rtyh-12" for creating the skins and sharing with us...

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Download Awesome “HTC Home” and “Metro Home” Desktop Widgets for Windows Vista and 7

HTC Home Widget

HTC Home is a widget with a clock, weather forecast and realistic animation. You can watch clouds floating across your desktop, rain drops slide down your screen and even lightning striking here and there. The quality and accuracy of weather forecast are guaranteed by The Weather Channel and MSN and others.

HTC Home uses Windows 7 taskbar facilities to display actual weather at the taskbar without opening the program window. To find out what the weather outside is you just need to look at your taskbar!
It also implies a calendar, bookmarks, music player.
Download Link

HTC Metro Home Widget

Metro Home is a special version of HTC Home with dynamic interface in the Metro style.

Download Link
Both widgets can be installed in Windows Vista and 7 (other operation systems are not supported, although it might work with Windows XP).
Thanks to our reader "Shark" for sharing it...

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[Exclusive] Windows 8.1 Features List

Many of us know that Windows 8.1 (codenamed Windows Blue) is an update for Windows 8 and Windows RT. Windows 8.1 tries to fix issues and annoyances which many Windows 8 users are facing such as missing Start button, annoying hot corners, inability to customize Metro stuff, etc.
Windows 8 is considered as a 2-in-1 OS which was made for Desktops as well as touch-enabled devices such as Tablets. Windows 8 seems one of the best OS for Tablets but it failed to attract and satisfy Desktop and Laptop users. The new touch-oriented features such as Start Screen, hot corners, Metro apps, etc don't seem to work perfectly on computers.
Also the removal of Start button and a few other classic components disappointed many Windows users and new users found it difficult to operate Windows 8 computers.
But since when Microsoft started posting about Windows 8.1 features, it seems that Windows 8.1 will help Microsoft in making Windows 8 a perfect OS for both Desktops as well as Tablets.
A few months back we posted an article about things which users want to see in next Windows version:
[Wishlist] Features You Want to See in Next Windows Version
Now it seems that Microsoft is listening to users feedback and they are fixing Windows 8 issues in Windows 8.1 to make all Windows users happy.
In this article, we are going to list all new and exclusive features which Microsoft has put in Windows 8.1. It'll help you in understanding the difference between Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 and you'll be able to know about all new stuff present in Windows 8.1.
So without wasting time lets share the complete features list of Windows 8.1:

NOTE: We are trying our best to list all known features present in Windows 8.1. We'll update this article whenever a new feature found in Windows 8.1 so keep checking this topic regularly.
1. Windows 8.1 comes with good old Start button in Taskbar. It launches Start Screen upon clicking. Currently Windows 8 users need to use 3rd party software to get Start button and Start Menu back as mentioned here.
2. Windows 8.1 allows users to direct boot into Desktop. Users can select whether they want to go to Start Screen or Desktop after login. Windows 8 users need to use extra software for such essential functionality as mentioned here.
How to Bypass Start Screen and Direct Boot into Desktop in Windows 8.1?
3. Windows 8.1 allows users to set All Apps view as default on Start Screen. Once you enable this option, Windows 8.1 will always show App view instead of Start Screen homepage as soon as you launch Start Screen using WIN key or other methods.
[Tip] Convert Start Screen into a Full Screen Start Menu (kind of) in Windows 8.1
4. Windows 8.1 allows users to disable hot corners such as Charms Bar and recent app switch list. These hot corners stuff appear when you move your mouse cursor to top-left or top-right corners of screen. Windows 8 users can use 3rd party software to disable hot corners as suggested here.
How to Disable Hot Corners (Charms Bar and App Switch List) in Windows 8.1?
5. Windows 8.1 allows users to set current Desktop wallpaper as Start Screen background image. There are many new Start Screen background images available to choose. Also users can choose moving (similar to animated) background for the Start Screen.
How to Set Desktop Wallpaper as Start Screen Background in Windows 8.1?
6. Windows 8.1 comes with new tile sizes on Start Screen. Users can select from 2 new tile sizes: Large and Small.
7. Windows 8.1 allows users to bulk organize tiles on Start Screen such as selecting more than one tile and resizing, moving or uninstalling them in one step.
8. Windows 8.1 comes with many new touch screen gestures such as swiping from bottom on Start Screen to access All Apps view page, slide to shutdown feature, etc.
How to Shutdown Windows 8.1 PC Using Hidden Secret "Slide to Shutdown" Feature?
9. Windows 8.1 allows users to set multiple images slide show on Lock Screen.
How to Enable Image Slide Show Feature on Windows 8.1 Lock Screen?
It also allows you to access Camera app directly from Lock Screen without log into your user account:
How to Enable or Disable Use of Camera App on Windows 8.1 Lock Screen?
10. Windows 8.1 comes with refreshing and redesigned Store.
11. Windows 8.1 comes with new Metro apps such as Alarm, Calculator, Sound Recorder, etc.
12. Windows 8.1 comes with new updated versions of existing Windows 8 apps.
13. Windows 8.1 comes with improved Snap functionality. Users can resize apps to any desired size. Windows 8.1 also allows snap functionality on screen resolutions lower than 1366x768.
14. Windows 8.1 comes with a complete PC Settings app (aka Metro Control Panel). Users can access almost all classic Control Panel options from new PC Settings page.
15. Windows 8.1 comes with new Internet Explorer 11 (IE11) web browser.
[IE11 Review] List of Features That Have Been Removed or Added in Internet Explorer 11
16. Windows 8.1 comes with new SkyDrive app to manage your SkyDrive account.
17. Windows 8.1 comes with improved Search functionality and users have access to Search feature almost from everywhere.
18. Windows 8.1 comes with Broadband Tethering feature which allows users to turn their PC into Wi-Fi hotspot so that they can share the Internet connection with other devices. Windows 8 or previous Windows version users can use 3rd party apps such as Wi-Host to enable such feature in Windows.
19. Windows 8.1 comes with support for fingerprint authentication for enhanced security. It also allows users to use their thumb impression to lock folders or the whole Windows 8.1 PC.
20. Windows Defender in Windows 8.1 includes network behavior monitoring feature which helps computers in detecting and stopping execution of known and unknown malware.
That's all for now. If you know about a feature present in Windows 8.1 which was not covered in this topic, feel free to share it in your comment and we'll add it to the above list.
Also check: [Guide] Things To Do After Installing Windows 8.1

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Fix “Your Purchase Couldn’t Be Completed” Error Message, When You Try to Download Apps from Windows 8 Store

Recently an AskVG reader "Putra Sattvika" contacted me and asked for a solution to fix a strange problem in Windows 8. Whenever he tried to download an app using Windows 8 Store, he got following error message:

Your purchase couldn't be completed
Something happened and your purchase can't be completed.

He was using a working Microsoft Live account ID to sign into Windows Store and the account was active and in good condition since long time. I suggested him to sign in using a different Microsoft account in Windows Store but it didn't help him. Finally he was able to fix the problem himself and was kind enough to share the solution with me.
So if you are also facing this problem in Windows 8 Store and want to fix the problem, this article will definitely help you.

Problem Symptom:

Whenever you try to purchase or download any app from Windows 8 Store, you get "Your purchase couldn't be completed" error message. No extra help or links are given to fix the problem. You just get an error message with 2 buttons "Try again" and "Cancel" as shown in following screenshot:

Reason:

The reason behind this problem is a built-in service which is called "Windows Update". If this service is not running in background and if the service is set to disabled in Windows 8, you'll always get this strange error message while downloading any app from Windows 8 Store.

Solution:

Solution is very simple. You just need to re-enable "Windows Update" service and your problem will be fixed. Simply follow these simple steps to fix the problem:
1. Press Win+R keys together to launch RUN dialog box. Type services.msc in the textbox and press Enter. It'll open Services Manager.
2. Scroll down to bottom and you'll see a service "Windows Update" in the list. Double-click on it and set its Startup type to Automatic.

3. That's it. Close services manager window and now you'll not face any problem while downloading any app from Windows 8 Store.
I don't see any reason behind disabling "Windows Update" service in Windows 8 as its an important service which helps in protecting your Windows by installing latest security and other updates released by Microsoft. If someone is using a pirated Windows 8 OS, there are chances that the user disabled the service to prevent Windows from installing updates which automatically detects pirated Windows in computers. It might also possible that some users disable the service accidentally which is rare though...

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RecycleBinEx: Freeware to Extend and Enhance the Functionality of Recycle Bin in Windows

Almost all of us use Recycle Bin in Windows to delete or restore our files in Windows. But Recycle Bin in Windows is very limited in functionality.
Today we are going to share a freeware which extends the functionality of Recycle Bin in Windows.
RecycleBinEx is a free, powerful and easy to use Recycle bin manager for Windows XP, Vista and 7. It extends and enhances Windows recycle bin and let you use many extra features.
With RecycleBinEx, you can sort the items in recycle bin; group them according to the deleted time, the logical disk, etc. You can select and remove the deleted items which were deleted one day ago, two days ago, 7 days ago, ..., 3 months ago by just one click. Or remove the deleted items of such as C disk only by one click, too.
RecycleBinEx can manage all your Windows recycle bins under different Windows Operating Systems together. For example, you have installed Windows XP and Windows 7 on one hard disk and now you are log into Windows XP, with the system default recycle bin, you cannot clean the files you have deleted in Windows 7 system. That is you cannot manage the deleted items in the recycle bin of Windows 7 system if you are in Windows XP system. But with the help of RecycleBinEx, you can now. You can manage the deleted items in all Windows recycle bins under one Windows Operating System.
RecycleBinEx can be merged to the context menu of system recycle bin easily. So you no need to run RecycleBinEx every time if you just want to clean up the items which you deleted 3 days ago from the system recycle bin. Just right click the mouse on the icon of Windows recycle bin and click the related menus of RecycleBinEx to do this work.

Features List:

• Group deleted items by deleted time, logical disk etc.
• Manage all Windows recycle bins together
• Merge to the context menu of system recycle bin
• Jump list support in Windows 7
• Filter deleted data quickly
• Command line mode support
• Task scheme support

Download Link
Homepage

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Download Windows 8 Start Screen Full for Windows XP, Vista and 7

Almost all of us are aware of new Start Screen which is a new addition to Microsoft's upcoming OS "Windows 8". Start Screen in Windows 8 looks quite similar to Windows Phone 7's home screen. It shows live tiles of the installed programs in Windows 8.
Today we are going to share a new Windows 8 Start Screen clone for Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7 users.
"Windows 8 Start Screen Full" is a free software for Windows created by "dncube" @ DA which tries to mimic Windows 8 Start Screen. It shows almost same screen with live tiles on your Desktop.
You can drag the screen to left or right to scroll between tiles. You can change the user name shown at the right-top corner of the screen by clicking on it.

It comes with many built-in tiles. Some of them are as following:

• Socialite Tile for Facebook
• Tweet@rama for Twitter
• News Tile
• Weather Tile
• Gmail Tile
• Piano
• Various Shortcut tiles which can be configured
• Angry Birds Game
• Fruit Ninja Game
• Many more

It also comes with a Windows 8 look like lock screen and Control Panel application.
It consumes very less CPU resources and can be installed in both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows editions.
You can download it using following link:
Download Link
It seems the software has been removed by the developer. You can check other similar software such as Omnimo, Pulmon, Mosaic and Win8Menu.

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Fix Windows Store, Metro Apps and Microsoft Account Related Problems in Windows 8

Microsoft's new OS Windows 8 comes with a brand new Store program which allows you to download free as well as paid apps from Internet. Its quite similar to Google Play program which you find in Android mobile phones.
Windows 8 also comes with Windows Live ID integration feature which allows you to use your Windows Live email ID (aka Microsoft account) to log into Windows and to sync your settings and files to Microsoft servers which might become very useful if you use more than one computer. You can sign into another Windows 8 computer using same email ID and it'll automatically bring all your personalized settings to the new computer system.
While using computers its quite obvious to face problems. There are many Windows 8 users who face strange problems while using Windows Store apps. Some of most frequently faced problems are as following:

• App is unable to connect to Internet
• Images, logos are not shown while using apps
• Windows Store or apps can't open
• Windows Store or app crashes

Many times you might also get various error messages while trying to open Windows Store or an app. There are also many users who face problems while using Microsoft account feature in Windows 8. Sometimes they receive error messages while trying to sync settings and sometimes the settings are not synced at all.
Most of the times these kind of issues are fixed automatically upon a computer restart but sometimes these issues can give you headaches.
Today we are going to share 2 free troubleshooting utilities released by Microsoft which automatically detect issues in your Windows 8 computer and fix them within few seconds: Windows Store Apps Troubleshooter and Microsoft Accounts Troubleshooter.
"Windows Store Apps Troubleshooter" has been developed to troubleshoot and fix all known problems which have been faced by Windows 8 users while using various metro apps downloaded from Windows Store. When you launch it, it automatically detects following issues:

• Protected audio is turned off
• Some security settings are missing or have been changed
• Service registration is missing or corrupt
• Microsoft account required
• Your system administrator has turned off some settings
• Display resolution is too low
• You are not connected to the Internet
• User Account Control has been disabled

Once it finds an issue, it fixes it automatically. If a restart is required, it asks you to restart the system and your problems related to Windows Store or metro apps will be solved.
"Microsoft Accounts Troubleshooter" is another useful utility for Windows 8 users which automatically diagnoses and fixes various issues related to Microsoft account in Windows 8. It detects following issues:

• All settings sync incomplete
• Microsoft account settings are corrupt
• Can't connect to the sync service
• Microsoft account required to sync settings
• Unable to connect due to proxy or certificate Issue
• Authentication information is incomplete
• Check for roaming GPO enabled status
• System time and date aren't correct
• Problem with system registration
• Signed in with a guest account or Roaming User Profiles enabled
• Sync settings on this PC is turned off
• You are not connected to the Internet
• Proxy Settings
• You have reached the daily sync quota
• Check system not activated

Similar to Windows Store Apps Troubleshooter, Microsoft Accounts Troubleshooter fixes the detected problems automatically and if restart is required, it notifies you.
Both these troubleshooting tool might become very handy for people who are using Windows 8 and facing problems with Windows Store apps or Microsoft account features. In fact you should always keep these handy tools with you to troubleshoot problems if you face in future.
You can download these troubleshooting utilities using following direct download links:
Download Windows Store Apps Troubleshooter for Windows 8
Download Microsoft Accounts Troubleshooter for Windows 8

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Adobe Providing Photoshop CS2 and Other Products Free for Download? Not Really!!!

A few days back an interesting news came that Adobe is giving away free copies of CS2 products such as Adobe Photoshop CS2, Creative Suite, Acrobat, etc to public. Anyone can download the setup files along with a genuine product key to install the full version of products.
Actually following webpage at official website of Adobe is providing setup files and product keys of various CS2 products:

www.adobe.com/downloads/cs2_downloads/index.html

The news was first posted on some well known websites such as cnet, gizmodo, forbes, etc. As soon as the news started spreading all over the net, Adobe had to make following official announcement about it:

Effective December 13, Adobe disabled the activation server for CS2 products and Acrobat 7 because of a technical glitch. These products were released over 7 years ago and do not run on many modern operating systems. But to ensure that any customers activating those old versions can continue to use their software, we issued a serial number directly to those customers. While this might be interpreted as Adobe giving away software for free, we did it to help our customers.

So got the point? Adobe didn't release these products free to public. They actually provided those download links and product keys to help their customers who have already purchased these products in past.
Following message from Dov (an Adobe staff member) will also clear the things:

Adobe is absolutely not providing free copies of CS2. What is true is that Adobe is terminating the activation servers for CS2 and that for existing licensed users of CS2 who need to reinstall their software, copies of CS2 that don't require activation but do require valid serial numbers are available. (Special serial numbers are provided on the page for each product download). You are only legally entitled to download and install with that serial number if you have a valid license to the product!

So Adobe is not providing these products free to download and if you didn't purchase licenses of these products, downloading and installing these products using the above mentioned page will be considered as illegal.
I can see many tech blogs posting about this news but very few of them care about telling the fact to public...

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A Bootable USB: Freeware to Create Bootable USB Drive to Install Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Server 2008

Imagine a situation where you need to install Windows Vista or Windows 7 in a system but you don't have access to DVD drive. We all know Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 come in DVDs and you'll need a DVD drive to install them. Then how will you install them? The solution is, you can create a bootable USB drive which can be used to install Windows without using DVD drive.
We have posted a detailed tutorial to create such bootable USB drive long time back, you can read about it at following link:
How to Create Bootable USB Drive to Install Windows Vista?
The above method is very easy to follow but wouldn't it be great if we can use a utility to do the whole task automatically? Our reader "Aris" has created a small utility exclusively for AskVG readers which creates a bootable USB drive to install Windows Vista, Windows 7 or Server 2008.

Prerequisites:

• A USB Drive (4 GB or more)
• Windows Vista, Windows 7 or Server 2008 ISO image or DVD
• Host OS: Windows Vista (SP1 or SP2), Server 2008 or 7

How to Use:

Once you meet the requirements, run the utility. Its a portable utility so doesn't need installation.

The utility requires only 4 easy steps to follow:

• Check USB drive (To check whether your USB drive is attached or not)
• Format USB drive
• Choose DVD or ISO image (To copy the required files to USB drive)
• Start the process to create bootable USB drive

Download Link

PS: It also works in 64-bit Windows versions.
NOTE: If you face problem while formatting the USB drive, click on "Options" button and then select "QUICK" option.

PS: We are pleased to announce that this tool has been featured by various websites including Lifehacker and Microsoft. It has also been featured in various magazines such as official Windows magazine and a few German magazines. Recently it was also included in a textbook of secondary education of computing printed by Oxford University Press of Spain.

You can also take a look at some other similar free tools to create bootable USB drives to install Windows using following link:
Ultimate Collection of Best Freeware to Create Bootable USB Drive to Install Windows and Linux

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Download “Vista Seven” Theme for Windows Vista

Here is another theme for Windows Vista. This theme is not very special. It has been made to fulfill a few requests which I have received from lots of people.
Actually not all people like those fancy Vista themes having lots of transparency, stylish buttons, shell style, start menu, etc. Many people are satisfied with default Aero theme but they want to have a few features which are missing in default theme and which have been included in this theme:

• New Taskbar similar to Windows 7.
• Transparent titlebar in Maximized windows. Note that the titlebar has glass reflection in maximized windows.
• New Shellstyle in Control Panel similar to Windows 7.

So its a theme which is similar to default Vista theme but having a few features taken from Windows 7.

You can download it using following link:
Download Link
PS: You'll find the download link in the right-side section of the above mentioned page.
How to Install & Use?
To completely transform Windows Vista into Windows 7, visit following tutorial:
Transform Windows Vista into 7

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Registry Tweak to Change “Photo Viewer” or “Photo Gallery” Background Color in Windows

Windows OS comes with a built-in image viewing program which is called "Photo Viewer". Its a very basic image viewer which allows you to view images and to perform a few basic operations on images such as rotate, zoom, delete, set as Desktop background and slideshow. It also allows you to print the image, burn the image to a disc or email the image to other people.
"Photo Viewer" program comes preinstalled in almost all Windows versions such as Windows 7 or Windows 8. If you want a more advanced image viewer, Microsoft provides a better program "Photo Gallery" which is a part of Windows Essentials (previously known as Windows Live Essentials) suite.
Both programs "Photo Viewer" and "Photo Gallery" display the images using a very light background color and there is no option provided to change this default color. There are many people who prefer a dark background color for such kind of applications.
If you always wanted to change this light background color to some other color in Photo Viewer or Photo Gallery program but never found a way to do this, here is something interesting for you.
Today in this article, we are going to share a Registry tweak which will allow you to change default background color in Windows Photo Viewer and Windows Live Photo Gallery programs.
Following are previews of the default and custom background color in Windows Photo Viewer program:
Default background color in Windows Photo Viewer:

Custom background color in Windows Photo Viewer:

So without wasting time, lets start the tutorial:
1. Press "WIN+R" key combination to launch RUN dialog box then type regedit and press Enter. It'll open Registry Editor.
2. Now go to following keys:

For Windows Photo Viewer:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows Photo Viewer\Viewer
For Windows Live Photo Gallery:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows Live\Photo Gallery\Viewer

3. In right-side pane, look for a DWORD BackgroundColor. If it doesn't exist, create it manually. Once you find or create the DWORD, double-click on it and set its value to the 6-digit hex code of your desired color prefixed by ff
For example, if you want to set the background color to black, set the value of BackgroundColor to ff000000 where 000000 is the 6-digit hex code of black color and ff is the prefix value which is required by the Registry key.

PS: You can find the hex code of any desired color using an image editing software such as Adobe Photoshop or you can find the hex codes by searching on Google.
NOTE: If you want to restore default background color in future, set DWORD value to ffeef3fa
Thanks to our reader "Omega Man" for sharing this trick...

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