windowsnerd.com » Stupid windows tricks

Use your old remote with an XBMC machine

Nerd — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 17:17:44 +0000

Need a remote? Just buy this usb dongle and use one of the 20 you have.

Automatically patch your mom’s computer with Secunia PSI

Nerd — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 01:16:55 +0000

I use Dell Kbox for patch management, which I can’t afford for home at ~$3k a year. For home Secunia PSI is great. It scans the machine once a week and installs all the patches it can. Adobe products, java, 7zip etc seem to work really well.

When you first install it there will be programs like adobe air that don’t seem to be able to update. Follow the links in secunia and it will run you through the latest versions again. I’ve been using it on all the family machines for a long time now and rarely have an issue to fix manually. I highly recommend it.

Anyone know of a better free tool? Leave a comment!

WPKG is awesome

Nerd — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 02:49:06 +0000

Just deployed a few apps with WPKG. I have to say I love it. Client checks in with server, if it needs software, it installs. If it needs to uninstall, it does. Super cool. This is going to save me so many months of repetion. I would say it is free, but my boss pays me to do the work. Cheaper than altiris, that is for sure. So far, easier than altiris or deploying packages with Kaspersky.

How slow is your clock speed in power saver mode?

Nerd — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 20:15:10 +0000

1st – High performance – 2194
2nd – Power Saver – 1097
3rd – Balanced – 2194

So you can see that the CPU clock speed drops more than 40% in power saver mode on my Dell Precision 6300.

So if you have ever wondered why your computer was so slow when it is unplugged, go check your power settings.

Stupid windows trick #14 – desktop icon size in Vista

Nerd — Thu, 01 May 2008 04:06:40 +0000

Desktop Icon size

To change it on Vista, rightclick on the desktop and hit view

Now you can choose bigger, and classic for smaller. Isn’t that super duper? Now you can clutter your desktop up with a BILLION little useless icons that you will never use. OR you can have a few icons that are really BIG to make it look like you do work.

Stupid Windows Trick #13

Nerd — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 02:33:46 +0000

Group policy stuff has a tendency to work on your local non AD machine. For the full MS Vista list of Group Policy features, DOWNLOAD THIS!!!

Stupid windows trick #12

Nerd — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 03:04:58 +0000

Check your own machine name and user name

Vista-

Start >in the start search box type COMMAND PROMPT

At the command prompt type WHOAMI and hit return . It outputs computer\user

Stupid Windows Trick #11

Nerd — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 00:54:21 +0000

Restart explorer the quick easy way

Hit start, then in a blank area (like in the pic on the black area below) hold control shift and right click. Choose exit explorer

To start it again, use tip #10, control shift escape

Then

File>new task

type in EXPLORER and hit enter. explorer will reload

Stupid Windows Trick #10

Nerd — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 00:50:46 +0000

Task manager shortcut in Vista

Control + Alt +Esc

Now you can kill off that bad process

Stupid Windows Trick #9

Nerd — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 02:42:19 +0000

Shortcut to lock desktop

Windows button and L

You should hit this every time you walk away from your desktop. otherwise I might plug my usb key into it, pull it out and walk off with the hash file that has all your passwords stored in it. Muhahahah.