Windows 7 makes it easy changing the Windows log-on screen.

1. Go to start, and click on Run, type Regedit & press enter there.

2. Navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Authentication\LogonUI\Background

3. Double-click the "OEMBackground" DWORD key

4. Set value of the key to 1.

5. Select a background image for Logon Screen with size less than 256KB in size (Use of Image Resize software like VSO Resizer can help)

6. Copy that image into the C:\Windows\system32\oobe\info\backgrounds folder

7. Rename the image to backgroundDefault.jpg

8. Reboot, and now your logon Image would have changed.

One thing is for sure with any computer operating system, the older it becomes, the occurrence of broken or "things don't work like they used to"  become more frequent.

Take shortcuts for example. You know…the ones on your desktop or in the start menu.

You click on a shortcut that you have not used in a while, and chances are, it works as expected or you get the dreaded Problem with Shortcut error warning:

So to fix it, you re-point to the new location of the source or delete it. Now you wonder, how many more shortcuts do I have that are broken?

Well you could go one by one and click on each shortcut on your desktop or start menu and fix them. But that would take a be ridiculously long time (who wants to do that anyway).

Instead there is an easier way…

…and that way is to use a utility called ShortcutsMan from nirsoft.net.

ShortcutsMan is a standalone program,that does not require any installation or additional DLLs. To use it, just download it, copy the executable (shman.exe) to any folder you prefer (after it's unzipped) and run it.

A few seconds after running ShortcutsMan utility, a list of all your desktop and Start menu shortcuts will load in the main window.

Now. what's cool about ShortcutsMan, it wall automatically display broken shortcuts in pink. No need to hunt them down, one by one.

To try fixing a broken shortcut,  just check the box next to a broken shortcut (you can select more than one shortcuts at once), and either delete them, resolve them or save the shortcut's details to HTML/Text/XML file.

The first thing I usually do is have ShortcutsMan fix the shortcut by resolving it. This process searches your computer and points it to a valid file name (typically the orignal file name may have been changed or moved to another folder).

To resolve, select the check box next to the broken shortcut (pink color), then right click on it and select Resolve Selected Shortcuts.

If it can not resolve, then I usually delete the shortcut (otherwise if I really used it often…it wouldn't be broken in the first place). You can also edit and fix shortcuts yourself directly in ShortcutsMan by right clicking on a shortcut and select Edit.

ShortcutsMan is a great utility to have around to help clean up your system of dead shortcuts. If anything, having the capability to display all shortcuts on my desktop or under the Start menu in one interface is a big time saver. Either they get fixed or deleted. Real simple.

You can download ShortcutsMan from nirsift.com.

When facing a system crash or startup up problems on Windows Computers, troubleshooting the problem can be difficult to resolve. The first step with recovery is to use Windows Safe Mode option during startup. One Safe Mode option that will help troubleshoot boot problems is to enable Boot Logging which will create a log and help identify the device or driver that is causing the problem during startup.

When Boot Logging is enable, Windows boots normally, until the device or driver that is causing the problem either crashes the system or completes starting up but causes an error message in the Event Log. While booting, Windows creates a log file that lists every step processed that is attempted and completed.

You can then reboot in to Safe Mode and review the log file named ntbootlog.txt. The log is stored in the %SYSTEMROOT% directory (normally C:\Windows or C:\WINNT folder). Below is an example of ntbootlog.txt log file on Windows XP (Vista log is similar):

Service Pack 2 5  4 2007 10:45:44.500
Loaded driver \WINDOWS\system32\ntkrnlpa.exe
Loaded driver \WINDOWS\system32\hal.dll
Loaded driver \WINDOWS\system32\KDCOM.DLL
Loaded driver \WINDOWS\system32\BOOTVID.dll
Loaded driver ACPI.sys
Loaded driver \WINDOWS\System32\DRIVERS\WMILIB.SYS
Loaded driver pci.sys
Loaded driver isapnp.sys
Loaded driver compbatt.sys
Loaded driver \WINDOWS\System32\DRIVERS\BATTC.SYS
Loaded driver intelide.sys
Loaded driver \WINDOWS\System32\DRIVERS\PCIIDEX.SYS
Loaded driver MountMgr.sys
Loaded driver ftdisk.sys
Loaded driver dmload.sys
Loaded driver dmio.sys
Loaded driver PartMgr.sys
Loaded driver VolSnap.sys
Loaded driver atapi.sys
Loaded driver vmscsi.sys
Loaded driver \WINDOWS\System32\DRIVERS\SCSIPORT.SYS
Loaded driver disk.sys
Loaded driver \WINDOWS\System32\DRIVERS\CLASSPNP.SYS
Loaded driver fltmgr.sys
Loaded driver sr.sys

To enable Boot Logging on Windows XP and Vista, boot your Computer, and during startup continually press F8 until the menu screen appears:

NOTE: screen shot is from XP. Vista menu will look slightly different than XP.

Press F8 to display the Advanced Menu screen and select Enable Boot Logging

You will be returned to the menu screen and you should see Enable Boot Logging in blue displayed at the bottom of the screen (don't worry if this screen is not displayed and Windows starts to boot):

If the problem does not cause Windows to crash, and after startup has completed, you can review the ntbootlog.txt file. Look for any signs of problems loading device drivers. If you find problems, go into Device Manager and disable the device or uninstall the program, then reboot again. If the problem does not occur then you know it was that device and you should check the vendor website for new drivers or known issues.

If your problem does cause Windows to crash, reboot into Safe mode by selecting Safe Mode from the Advanced Menu screen. When reviewing ntbootlog.txt file, look for events that were attempted to load but not completed. More than likely the problem will be toward the end of the file (since that was the last item logged before crashing). When you identify the problem, either uninstall the application or go in to Device Manager and disable the device. Reboot your Computer and see if the problem still exist. If it boots without crashing, check the vendor website for new drivers or known issues.

If you are still having problems, enable Boot Logging again to see if new events are logged after you have disabled the device or uninstalled the program. If you are unable to fix the problem, you may need to have a Computer shop troubleshoot the problem for you.

Notes on Boot Logging:

• Boot Logging can only be enabled from Safe Mode. Once it is enabled, it only logs during the current boot. It will not log during the next reboot unless you enable it again from Safe Mode.
• If an existing ntbootlog.txt files exist, the next time Boot Logging is enabled, Windows will append to the existing log file.
• It is a good idea to have Windows create a new log when there are no problems or after you have added new devices. This will allow full logging to occur and will let you compare with a log when problems exists.

Before you do anything else, close Outlook. You should also note that we’ll be modifying system generated files here, so proceed with caution or not at all.

Open up windows explorer window and then paste the following text into the address bar, which should bring you to a folder with a single folder inside with a really long name.

%userprofile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Protect

What you’ll need to do is just rename that folder to something else (I suggest appending -old onto the end of it so that you could easily rename it back if things go wrong)

Now re-open Outlook, and then type in your password hopefully for the last time, making sure to check the box to remember it. You should now see that the original folder was re-created again.

At this point Outlook should remember your passwords, but you can close Outlook and reopen it to make sure. If you encounter problems with this, you can remove the new folder and then rename the -old folder back to the original name to put everything back the way it was.

How to clean up Live Essentials

Installing Windows Live Essentials will get you the new versions of Mail, Movie Maker, Photo Gallery and others - great. Unfortunately it also includes other components that may be unnecessary, but if you like to keep a clean system then these can be quickly removed.

If you left the default "Set your search provider" option selected during installation, for instance, Windows Live will install Choice Guard, a tool to set your browser home page and search engine, and prevent other programs from changing them. If this causes problems later, or you just decide you don't need it, then Choice Guard may be removed by clicking Start, typing msiexec /x and pressing [Enter].

Windows Live Essentials also adds an ActiveX Control to help upload your files to Windows Live SkyDrive, as well as the Windows Live Sign-in Assistant, which makes it easier to manage and switch between multiple Windows Live accounts. If you're sure you'll never need either then remove them with the Control Panel "Uninstall a Program" applet.

To disable balloon tips in the notification area, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then press ENTER.

2. Locate the following subkey:
      HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

3. Right-click the right side pane, create a new DWORD value, and then name it EnableBalloonTips.

4. Double-click EnableBalloonTips, and then give it a value of 0.

5. Close Registry Editor.

6. Log off Windows, and then log back on.

One of the most troublesome issues of troubleshooting is to find out exactly how it happened and for what. Obviously, some processes are non-recoverable. For them you cannot repeat the process and risk hardware just because a troubleshooter wasn't able to understand where it had error. Here is a wonderful tool for Windows 7. A feature new to Windows 7, called Problem Steps Recorder looks to be the missing tool for documenting where it all goes wrong.

The tool is just an advanced version of the screen capture software but with other in-depth functionalities. It is kind of an automated Print Screen plus background documenting all the mouse clicks, key strokes and gathering some technical reading material, which are stored and saved as the results.

You get them stored in a zipped MHTML report page which can be sent off directly to the help desk.

How to Use Problem Steps Recorder
 - Go to Start Menu -> Run.
 - Type and select psr.exe and ENTER.
 - Now press Start Record and do whatever made you upset. You can add a comment to crucial moments by pressing Add comment.
 - When you are done - press Stop Record, choose a name for the archive and save it.

MHT document would contain all the screenshots recorded at particular events.

Apart from Screenshots additional details which describe each and every event including the programs and UI are stored in the MHT file which can be later on used to troubleshoot the problem.

From Desktop
 - Windows Key + Tab = Aero [press Tab to cycle between Windows]
 - Windows Key + E = Windows Explorer is launched.
 - Windows Key + R = Run Command is launched.
 - Windows Key + F = Search (which is there in previous Windows versions too)
 - Windows Key + X = Mobility Center
 - Windows Key + L = Lock Computer (It is there from the earlier versions as well)
 - Windows Key + U = Ease of Access
 - Windows Key + P = Projector
 - Windows Key + T = Cycle Super Taskbar Items
 - Windows Key + S = OneNote Screen Clipping Tool [requires OneNote]
 - Windows Key + M = Minimize All Windows
 - Windows Key + D = Show/Hide Desktop
 - Windows Key + Up = Maximize Current Window
 - Windows Key + Down = Restore Down / Minimize Current Windows
 - Windows Key + Left = Tile Current Window to the Left
 - Windows Key + Right = Tile Current Windows to the Right [Continue pressing the Left and Right keys to rotate the window as well]
 - Windows Key + # = Quicklaunch
 - Windows Key + = = Magnifier
From Windows Explorer
 - Alt + Up = Go up one level
 - Alt + Left/ Right = Back/ Forward

Have a good number of files in your drive to rename? It gives plenty of time to rename all by one. Although you can save some time if you follow the steps to rename all files @ a go given below:

Step 1: Open the folder where you have all the files you wish to rename (that sounds pretty obvious!)

Step 2: Select the files you wish to rename

Step 3: Press F2 (Dell users press Fn + F2) or right click any one of the file in your selection and select rename option. Keep all the files are selected.

Step 4: Rename one of the file amongst your selection.

Step 5: You are done. All files have been renamed with a counter value different in each one of them.

This trick can be used to rename multiple Files like Images of a particular occasion, files of particular genre etc.

Working online and using your Internet Banking Facility, Key logging Software‟s can take out your password the moment you type them and further misuse them. You can simply take advantage of On screen Keyboard utility provided by Microsoft to type without using keyboard. It will bring a keyboard on your desktop and you can use your mouse pointer to click to type any key. How to get it? 1. Use Win+R key to get Run dialog box 2. Write "OSK" and press enter. 3. Your Onscreen Keyboard is at your service.
Alternatively you can find the same in "StartMenu->All Programs->Accessories->Ease of Access->On screen Keyboard".

This is how an On Screen Keyboard looks in Windows 7.