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Can you free a stuck Windows program? Well, maybe…

Posted on April 18, 2013

resmon-logoIt happens to all of us on occasion: the dreaded hung program. After spending the better part of an hour typing in a long text document or editing an important photo, the program window freezes and we get the infuriating “Not Responding” error message.

All of that hard work has been for naught, right? Well, maybe not… A nifty little Windows utility called Resource Monitor just might save the day.

But before I explain how to try freeing up your stuck programs, let me explain a little bit about why programs stop responding in the first place. Programs running under Microsoft Windows do not run in a vacuum. They typically interact with a number of Windows processes, and even other software programs.

If one of the processes or programs that the program you’re working with encounters a problem, it will often cause the program you’re working with to just sit and wait while it tries to finish the task at hand. The problem is the task at hand will sometimes never be completed, hence the stuck program.

The next time a program stops responding before you’ve had a chance to save your work, try this:  [Read more…]

How to speed up your Start Menu

Posted on April 17, 2013

microsoft-windowsDoes it seem like it takes forever for your Start Menu to display after you click the Start Button? There are several things that affect the speed of your menus that are beyond your control, but there is one that you can control with a simple Registry hack.

Important: Editing the Windows Registry can render your system unstable or even unable to boot up properly if something happens to go wrong. That’s why if you choose to follow the instructions below you do so at your own risk.

You also agree that it won’t be my fault if you begin having three birthdays a year, your car gets damaged by an out-of-control shopping cart in the WalMart parking lot, or your PC becomes unstable or refuses to boot up properly.

If you agree with everything I just said in the preceding paragraphs, follow the steps below to speed up your Windows Start Menu:  [Read more…]

Super Control Panel – Access all Control Panel tools and settings from one screen!

Posted on April 12, 2013

super-control-panelThe Windows Control Panel contains dozens of tools and settings for tweaking the way Windows performs many of its numerous tasks.

Most of these tools and settings are nested underneath a plethora of menus, making it difficult to find exactly what you’re looking for without doing a bunch of clicking and searching.

Lucky for us, there’s a very simple way to create a handy Super Control Panel app that lists every single Control Panel tool and setting on a single page, neatly filed under one of several easy-to-understand categories. Here’s the simple two-step process for creating your very own Super Control Panel:  [Read more…]

How to set multiple home pages for your web browser

Posted on April 11, 2013

multiple-home-pagesMost people have several websites they visit throughout the day. For example, I check my email at Outlook.com fairly often while occasionally checking for updates on Facebook and Twitter.

If you do the same, it’s easy to have several of your favorite websites load automatically in separate tabs every time you load your web browser. That way you’ll be ready to get down to business just as soon as the browser finishes loading.

Here’s how to set multiple homepages in Internet Explorer, Google Chrome and Firefox (simply skip to the appropriate section):  [Read more…]

Q&A: How can I retrieve my Windows Vista Product Key?

Posted on April 7, 2013

windows-vista-logoQuestion from Michael C.:  I have a 4 year old HP Desktop PC running Windows Vista and it has gotten slower and slower in recent months. It’s so slow now that I think I really need to start fresh and re-install Vista.

I have the Windows installation discs, but since I can’t find the case they came in I don’t have a clue what the Product Key is. I know I can find the Windows Product Key somewhere in the Registry, but I can’t seem to find it. Where do I look? Thanks in advance for your help.

Rick‘s answer:  Michael, beginning with Windows Vista Microsoft started encrypting the Windows Product key in the Registry which means you won’t be able to find it that way. But don’t worry, there is a very easy way to get it. Simply download and run a free utility called Enchanted Keyfinder. Follow these steps:  [Read more…]

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