Tag: app-subdomain-redirection:windows-7

Windows 7 is still widely popular, and here’s why:

1. Shortcut to Show Desktop

You might have stumbled across this one by accident, and if you did, it likely scared you silly. But when you realize it’s there (and what it’s there for), it is quite useful. With all of your usual programs up and running, look at the far right side of the task bar (across the bottom of your screen). You will notice a virtually undetectable vertical bar, almost the same color as the task bar. Hover the cursor over it and it’ll give you a sneak peek of your Windows desktop (until you move the cursor). If you click it, it will switch to the desktop. Just click it again to go back to your other programs.

2. Access Secret Windows Wallpapers & Themes

Most users pick from one of the standard Windows themes or wallpapers or use one of their own photos. Instead, you can choose from one of several international themes that are on your computer, but are hidden from view. Find C:\Windows\Globalization\MCT. If it isn’t there, hit Windows + R and search for “systemroot%/Globalization/MCT” in the box. That will bring up several folders: AU for Australia, CA for Canada, GB for Great Britain, ZA for South Africa, etc. Inside each of these files are folders called “Theme”. Open the Theme folder you want and double-click on the file inside that has a file extension of .theme. Now, when you go to your desktop and right-click an empty space, the “Personalize” folder will show the options you opened from the international folders.

3. Shut Down Windows 7 Faster

Somehow, it seems like the faster you need for Windows to shut down or boot up, the slower it goes. For instance, 4:59 on Friday night, or during those times when you’re installing new software packages – then it’s ridiculously slow. You can make Windows 7 close down faster by tweaking the settings in the Windows Registry. Be sure to backup your system first, because a mistake in Windows Registry can be a fatal one and you’ll want to be able to restore the system if necessary.

From the Start Menu, type “regedit” in the search bar and press Enter. This brings up the Registry Editor. Changes you make will show up in real time. Along the left panel, find “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SYSTEM > CurrentControlSet > Control”. That will bring up “WaitToKillServiceTimeout”. Right-click on “Modify”, because you want to change this value. This will bring up a box called “Edit String”. The values here are expressed in milliseconds, and the default setting will likely be about 12,000. Begin by making a reasonable change, such as to 10,000. If that doesn’t make much of a difference, tweak it down a little more at the time, but don’t go to zero (or terribly close to that), because this could affect the stability of your operating system.

If you like Windows 7, check out the free Windows 10 today!

Do you want to buy a license for Windows 7 or 8.1 or a new PC? Well, do it soon because Microsoft has confirmed that these two operating systems will be discontinued on October 31, 2016.

After that date, no matter what, any new PC you buy will come with Windows 10 pre-installed. The only exceptions will be the license agreements for companies, who can choose the version of Windows they require.

With this measure, that permanently abandons the (not so very) old Windows, Microsoft forces its users to “upgrade or expire”. Of course, in their defense, it should be stated that Windows 7 has been quite slow in going out. Usually, the “expiration date” of an operating system is two years after the launch of the new version. Given that Windows 8 came out in 2012, Windows 7 should have bid us adieu in 2014. However, the lack of acceptance of Windows 8 caused the company to consider extending the life of Windows 7.

That said, if you decide to buy a new PC with Windows 7 or 8.1 don’t be disheartened: Microsoft promises to provide technical support till 14 January, 2020 for Windows 7, and till 10 January 2023 for Windows 8.1.

Not averse to Windows 10 or interested in anything I’m saying? Then take a look at our section on Windows 10.

Google’s browser-based operating system, Chrome OS, may make it to Windows 7 eventually. The latest experimental version of the Chrome browser includes a Chrome OS mode, giving the browser a full screen Chrome OS experience.

This isn’t the first time Google has included its own operating system in a browser. Windows 8 users got the same fullscreen ChromeOS experience at the beginning of this year.

So why is Google doing this? For Google, this is a strategy to get more users onto its Chrome OS. The more users using Chrome and Chrome OS, the more ads they can sell to them. Google also sells Chromebooks, which are basically low cost laptops that run Chrome OS.

Basic users will find Chrome OS a good alternative operating system if they use a lot of Google services or just need to browse the web. Users looking for a lot of local storage, processing power or need to use Microsoft Office will want to use a traditional operating system like Windows or Mac instead.

Still, there’s no harm in giving Chrome OS a try when it does come out on Windows 7. If you don’t like it, you can always quit Chrome and go right back to Windows.

Source: François Beaufort (Google+) | Chromium.org

Via: Engadget

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avast! finds security issues with Android, Minecraft Pocket Edition gets a huge update, Google Maps lets you map any route, and Windows 7 will no longer get support in 2015. Check out this week’s hottest software news in The Softonic Minute.

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avast! easily recovers user data from wiped Android phones

Security company avast! purchased 20 used Android phones from eBay to see how easily data could be recovered from them. What they found is disturbing. Continue reading…

Minecraft: Pocket Edition receives huge update with infinite worlds and wolves

Developer Mojang has released a massive update for Minecraft: Pocket Edition. Version 0.90 brings infinite worlds, new blocks, pet wolves, and more. Continue reading…

• Download Minecraft: Pocket Edition for: Android | iOS

Google Maps measures distances

Google Maps now lets you manually measure distances so that you can calculate irregular routes, even if the roads aren’t recognized in Google Maps. If you don’t have the new Maps feature yet, you’ll have to go to the Labs panel to activate it.

Microsoft abandons Windows 7

The world’s most popular operating system will cease support on January 13, 2015. Windows 7 will continue to receive security and emergency updates, but won’t get any new upgrades or options. It’s clear, Microsoft wants you to switch to Windows 8.1.

Make sure to check out all of our past Softonic Minutes.

With the end of Windows XP support quickly approaching, Microsoft has released PCmover, software that helps you transfer your files and settings from a computer running Windows XP, to a new computer running Windows 7 or 8. In the video below, we’ll give you a quick overview of the process so that your move from XP to Windows 7 or 8 is as smooth as possible.

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While PCmover helps you transfer files, folders, user accounts and other personal data from one PC to another, it doesn’t help you transfer applications or existing programs. If you want to transfer programs too, you can use PCmover Professional, a paid-version which helps you transfer software and applications.

• Download PCmover Express
• Download PCmover Professional

If you have further questions about transferring from Windows XP to Windows 7 or 8, be sure to check out the rest of our tips and tutorials to help you with the process.

• Microsoft answers your question: Am I running XP?
• Windows to end XP support: how to cope
• PCmover Express: Moving from Windows XP to Windows 7 and 8

With PCmover Express, Microsoft helps users move from the soon to be unsupported Windows XP, to Windows 7 or Windows 8. Using this guide and PCmover Express, along with our video tutorial, we’ll help you easily transfer from Windows XP and finally move on to newer versions of Microsoft’s OS.

PCmover Express helps users transfer personal folders, files, and even user accounts, as well as passwords and personal data, to another Windows computer via a network connection or using a transfer cable. Existing programs, unfortunately, aren’t transferred and must be manually re-installed. The software does, however, generate a compatibility report to mark programs which only function with Windows XP so that you don’t have to worry about transferring over ones that won’t function properly.

Note, if you want even more support, you can try out the paid version of PCmover Professional, with which certain apps can be transferred to the new system. Before you spend any money though, check out our tutorial below to see if PCmover Express can help you transfer to Windows 7 or 8 smoothly (and for free).

1. Installation and Preparation

• Install PCmover on your Windows XP computer, as well as on the target computer with Windows 7 or Windows 8.
• Connect both computers via a Wi-Fi network, LAN cable network or a transmission cable, available at Laplink.
• Connect your computer to the network cable.
• Disable the internet connection on your Windows XP computer.
• Disable the anti-virus software on your Windows XP computer.
• Select the internet connection on the target computer.
• Close all background programs.

2. Start PCmover on the XP system

After start-up, PCmover Express displays a checklist and a brief description of the operation. For more detailed information about the process, you can download a manual in PDF format.

3. Select PC to PC Transfer

Click on the PC to PC Transfer button.

4. Select Windows XP

Next, select the option on the left for Windows XP.

5. Select the connection type you want

With most PCs currently on the market, connecting via Wi-fi or a LAN cable shouldn’t be a problem. In an emergency, you can also purchase a connecting cable at Laplink. It’s still unclear as to whyPCmover uses no external media, such as USB sticks, to transfer data, but since the software doesn’t transfer programs, you can manually copy files later using a USB stick.  

6. Start PCmover on the target system

Launch PCmover on the target system, and click on the option to the right that says Windows 7/ Windows 8.

7. Enter your name and email address

Enter your name and email address in the appropriate fields.

8. Select your XP machine

Click Browse and select your XP computer. If you can’t find your PC here, there are probably problems with the network connection.

9. Analysis of the target system

PCmover analyzes your Windows system and checks the disk space and existing user accounts. The analysis report previously created with Windows XP will be transferred here– your data transfer happens later.

10. Select transmitted data

Hard drive

Normally, Windows XP will be on the C: drive of your XP system, and you’ll most likely want to transfer everything to the same drive on your new system. You can manually change the destination drive if you use a multi-boot system with multiple versions of Windows, or other operating systems like Linux.

User accounts

UnderUser Account Selections, you can choose which user accounts you want to transfer. You might have some user accounts on your XP computer that you no longer need. If that’s the case, simply remove these accounts. 

What to transfer

Even within folders, you can manually limit the data you transfer, otherwise PCmover will transfer all private folders from all selected user accounts by default.Exclude unimportant files

File filter lets you exclude certain file types from the transfer. You can set these file types with three checkboxes in the Common file types to exclude section. Using the last two checkboxes will keep stored backup files and temporary Office files securely on your XP computer.

11. Transmission of data

Depending on the size of your system and the selected data, the transfer can take several hours. It also depends on the speed of your connection. After you’ve transferred your XP system successfully, you’re done, although there are additional, optional steps you can take.

Optional steps

12. Select Microsoft programs

The data transfer should now be complete. After rebooting the system, click on the copied Windows XP user accounts, including files, on the new system running Windows 7 or 8. PCmover doesn’t transfer installed programs, but you might want to transfer some of your Microsoft software to your new computer at the same time. Because you can install these programs easily later, we recommend selecting Do not install any software on my PC.

13. Analysis of Compatibility Report

When switching from Windows XP to Windows 7 or Windows 8, you may lose some installed programs that you need to re-install manually. In the compatibility report, you’ll find an assessment of whether the programs work on Windows 7 or Windows 8. The information provided by PCmover can sometimes be inaccurate. According to the report, for example, Mozilla Firefox and Skype do not work with Windows 7.

If you want to find out whether one of your applications is compatible, it’s better to check on our website. Clicking on the “i” in the appropriate program page provides detailed information about program compatibility. If you’re installing many programs at once, we recommend our practical software catalog, Softonic for Windows.

Whether or not you choose to follow these last two steps, your transfer to Windows 7 or 8 should be more or less complete.

More support for the end of Windows XP

• Windows to end XP support: how to cope
• Video: XP to Windows 7 or 8 using PCmover

Download

• Download PCmover Express for Windows
• Download PCmover Professional for Windows