Install Themes without any 3rd party Software.

If you want to customize or change the look of your windows.. What will you do ?
You download dozens of themes files that you like.
and read the "help" file included (with the theme) to learn how to install those themes.

And in there you'll find a name of a 3rd-Party Theme Software to apply the themes. and when you download the software, you have to learn that a little bit to use it and apply themes.

Now you don't have to install those softwares (that force themselves to run on system startup, in order to run the theme).


This is where Uxtheme Multi-patcher comes handy.

It is a simple "Patcher" or a tool that modifies a Windows System file called "uxtheme.dll" (uxtheme.dll is the file, which is responsible to apply/change Themes and appearances of windows)

Uxtheme Patcher is a free utility, which will allow you to use any msstyle theme on:
- Windows XP/SP1/SP2
- Windows Vista
- Windows Server 2003
....just by patching the "uxtheme.dll".



Steps to Patch:

• Open the .zip file.

• Double click on the "UXTheme Multi-Patcher 6.0" icon, you should then see the window shown.------>

• Click the patch button.

• It'll detect your windows version automatically.

• Look for the Windows file protection window appearing.

• It'll say that Windows detects that a system file has been tampered with and offers to replace it with the original version. Normally this would be a good idea, but since we want to replace this file we'll need to cancel Windows file protection.
• So, Click Cancel.
  

• Next Windows comes up, asking you to Reboot the system

• Click OK.

• and that's it!.... Patch Installed !

Now What..??

After reboot, go to the folder where you have downloaded the theme files.
Just double click them.
That will open Desktop Properties Window.
After modifications (if you want)
Click Apply.
and Here you Go... Same Windows Desktop with New appearance, without any help from a software!



Quick Tip:

If you want to see all of your Visual styles in Desktop Properties> Appearance tab.
Copy and paste all the Visual style/Themes files in

C:\WINDOWS\Resources\Themes

(PS: Don't copy/paste the .zip file of themes, put the folders instead or directly Extract them into this folder)

Done !

Now you can see all the visual styles in Desktop Properties> Appearance tab.

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You can obtain themes and visual styles from these websites:

• customize.org,
• DeviantArt.com
• Themexp.org
• Appleblossomart.com

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DOWNLOAD Uxtheme Multi Patcher.

In case this Patch doesn't work on your version of windows.
Then Click Here for the complete list of Patches designed for different versions of windows.

*************************************************
But.. installation of separate patches is different than this Multi-Patcher.

OK..
I Explain that too.... :-D

• Download the .zip file
• You'll see a "uxtheme.dll" file
• Copy the file and paste in

C:\Windows\system32

• Overwrite the File
• Reboot the system
• Done.

**************************************************

If you still face any kind of problem, Just Reply in the Comments.

Thanks.

Internet Explorer User? Heard about IE7pro ??

If you are Microsoft fan and use their Internet Explorer for browsing... Then this customized ad-on is right for you-- so called "IE7 Pro" which adds a lot of new and customized functionalities to the existing Internet Explorer browser.

The freeware add-on has some smart solutions for tabbing, including default settings to open URLs in new tabs and let double-clicking close a tab down.

Here's another pleasant surprise: "dragging" and "dropping" an in-text link into white space opens the link in a new tabs without any mouse work. IE7Pro also borrows from several software concepts to help raise IE7's appeal, including Firefox's, to save and fill forms, and insert user scripts.

Some of the features;

• Tabbed Browsing Management
  
• Spell Check
• Inline Search
• Super Drag Drop
• Crash Recovery
• Proxy Switcher
• Mouse Gesture
• Tab History Browser
• Web Accelerator
• User Agent Switcher
• Webpage Capturer
• AD Blocker
• Flash Block
• Greasemonkey like User Scripts platform
• User Plug-ins
• MiniDM
• Google sponsored search
  

and lot of other features like these, make IE7 pro a must have ad-on for Internet Explorer.

The list of added features is long, but they're all accessible from a status bar icon that the program installs for you. Right-click on it to get access to mouse gestures, customizable hotkeys, and more.


Click Here to Visit manufacturer's website
or
Click DOWNLOAD to immediately start downloading.

The correct way to do Repair installation of XP.

Most of the people still dont know about repair installation of Windows XP.

What repair does? It just reinstalls all the system files that are either missing or corrupted, keeping all the user's documents, settings intact and unchanged.

So..How To Do a Repair Install of XP;

• Make sure the BIOS is set to boot from the CD (put the CD above the HD in the boot order)
• Insert the XP CD and boot to it.
• When you see " To setup Windows XP now, press ENTER", go ahead and press ENTER.

• You will now see an option to repair Windows by pressing "R". DO NOT Select this option - it will only take you to the Recovery Console which is not what we want to do. Instead, choose to continue the installation

• When you see the license agreement, press F8 to agree.

• On the next screen make sure your current XP installation is selected and then press "R" to repair XP

At this point XP will begin to install on top of itself, replacing damaged, missing or altered system files. Follow the instructions on the remaining screens to complete the Repair Install.

It will look very much like a normal (new) OS installation.

If all goes well your repaired XP installation will remain intact, keeping your personalized settings and installed programs as they originally were.

Remember, choose the second repair option, not the first.

Creating Shutdown icon on your desktop

Creating Shutdown Icon on your desktop:

• Navigate to your desktop.

• On the desktop, right-click and go to New, then to Shortcut (in other words, create a new shortcut). You should now see a pop-up window instructing you to enter a command line path.

Use this path in "Type Location of the Item"

SHUTDOWN -S -t 01

(If the C: drive is not your local hard drive, then replace "C" with the correct letter of the hard drive.)

• Click the "Next" button.

• Name the shortcut and click the "Finish" button.

Now whenever you want to shut down, just click on this shortcut and you're done.

Make your Documents folder private.

If you have Multiple User account in Windows XP, then if you want, you can make your documents folder private and inaccessible from other users of the same PC.

Good thing about this feature is this, that only you can make your folders private, neither Administrator nor any other user can do this with your documents.

To Make Folder Private:

• Open My Computer Double-click the drive where Windows is installed (usually drive C:).
• Double-click the Documents and Settings folder.
• Right-click folder with your (user) name and then click Properties.
• On the Sharing tab, select/check the "Make this folder private" check box.
• Click Apply and then OK.
  
• Thats it! Now only you have access to your Precious Documents. :-D

13 Unnecessary Vista Feautures to Disable.

Thirteen unnecessary Vista features to disable.

More than any version of Windows ever -- Vista has most unnecessary options included. All of features indirectly slowing down system's performance, but you never Know.

You can regain some PC performance by removing unneeded features.

I've identified some of those Vista features that you can turn off right now. Some are shiny baubles that slow down graphics performance, while others are optional utilities that hog memory when they shouldn't. A few can actually be quite useful, though they play a major role in bogging down your PC.

Should you really turn off all of the following features ?? That depends on your computer usage, your work habits, and your tastes. (I've turned off only seven and a half on my PC, because while none of these features are required for Vista to function, some are still kind of nice and my computer is fast enough to handle them.)

Just to be on the safe side, make sure to create a restore point before you turn any of the items off. That way you can quickly return your machine to its present state should you decide that you don't like the change.

To make a restore point, click Start, type sysdm.cpl, and press Enter. Choose System Protection, Create, and then follow the prompts.

OK, Here we go...

1. Sidebar
You pay a heavy performance price for the analog clock, thumbnail slide-show viewer, and Microsoft-centric RSS news feed that dock in the Windows Sidebar. Turning the whole thing off gives you a big speed boost, especially at boot time.

To remove the Sidebar, right-click anywhere on the Sidebar and select Close Sidebar. Uncheck Start Sidebar when Windows starts, and then click OK.

2. Aero
Microsoft put a lot of Vista's visual enhancements under one technological and marketing umbrella: Aero. Among those features are the thumbnails of your windows that appear when you hover the mouse pointer over the taskbar, as well as the Flip 3D view you get by pressing Windows-Tab. Aero adds a little practicality and a lot of attraction to the Vista user interface, and personally, I like it.

If your PC is underpowered or overloaded, however, Aero may be more trouble than it's worth. To turn it off, right-click the Windows desktop and select Personalize, Window Color and Appearance. In the resulting "Window Color and Appearance" dialog box, click Open classic appearance properties for more color options (if you don't see the option, that means Aero is already turned off). Select Windows Vista Basic and click OK.

3. Assorted Interface "Beautification" Options
You can save some additional clock cycles by turning off all or some of Vista's pretty interface options, not all of which are directly connected to Aero.

To see the options, click Start, right-click Computer, and select Properties. Click the Advanced System Properties link, the Advanced tab, and then the Settings button inside the Performance box.

You can uncheck all of the listed options by selecting Adjust for best performance, or you can simply uncheck the ones you don't care for. I unchecked Fade or slide menus into view, Fade or slide ToolTips into view, Show shadows under menus, and Slide open combo boxes. The rest I left on.

4. Remote Assistance
Don't worry about turning this item off if you run Vista Home (Basic or Premium). You don't have it. If you run Vista Business or Ultimate, though, you can use Remote Assistance to control one PC from another--a useful tool if you regularly provide tech support for a relative living far away.

On the other hand, if you're not providing long-distance support, or if you prefer a third-party remote-control program, Remote Assistance is just a waste of resources. To get rid of it, click Start, right-click Computer, and select Properties. Click Remote Settings. Uncheck Allow Remote Assistance connections to this computer.

5. Internet Printing Client
Do you ever print documents over the Internet? Neither do I. Chances are, you won't miss out on anything by disabling Vista's Internet Printing Client.

Open the "Programs and Features" control panel and click the Turn Windows features on or off link on the left; you'll get the Windows Features dialog box. Expand the Print Services section and uncheck Internet Printing Client.

Click OK at this point, and then wait for the system to ask to reboot.

6. Windows Meeting Space
I like Windows' built-in peer-to-peer collaboration program, Meeting Space, which lets you share files across a network while editing them with a remote colleague. But I don't have any use for it in my daily life, and neither do most of the people I know.

So I shut Windows Meeting Space off. You can, too. Simply uncheck Windows Meeting Space while you're in the Windows Features dialog box, as explained in 5th feature.

7. Windows Ultimate Extras
One of the best things you can do exclusively in Vista Ultimate Edition is turn off the really pointless features that are found exclusively in Vista Ultimate Edition. I refer, of course, to Ultimate Extras, a set of downloadable add-ons available only to Ultimate users.

If you do own Ultimate, go to Windows Update (Start, All Programs, Windows Update), click View available updates, and check out all the worthless stuff Microsoft has made available exclusively to people who paid through the nose for the most bloated version of Vista.

You can turn Windows Ultimate Extras off in the Windows Features control panel by clicking Turn Windows features on or off to open the Windows Features dialog box, and then unchecking Windows Ultimate Extras.

8. Tablet PC Stuff
I own a tablet PC, and I love Vista's tablet-oriented features -- especially the Input Panel for writing with the stylus. But if you don't have a tablet, these features are useless to you.

Turning off Vista's tablet features is a two-step process: Start in the Windows Features dialog box. Once there, simply uncheck Tablet PC Optional Components.

or

You can disable the this from the Services window, which you open by clicking Start, typing services, and pressing Enter. Find and double-click Tablet PC Input Services. In the "Startup type" drop-down menu, select Disabled, and then click OK.

9. ReadyBoost
If you're not using this much-hyped Vista feature--which supposedly speeds up Vista by caching memory to a flash drive -- it's actually slowing your system down a tiny bit. (And if you are using ReadyBoost, it's probably still a drag on your PC.

But if you still use it. Then it's upto you to disable or not.

You turn off ReadyBoost in Services. If you aren't already there, click Start, type services, and press Enter. Find and double-click ReadyBoost. In the "Startup type" drop-down menu, select Disabled, and then click OK.

10. Search Indexing
This one is a real trade-off. Turning off Vista's indexing will slow searches to a crawl -- I'm talking minutes, not seconds. But ditching this convenient feature could very likely speed up your general PC use significantly.

In other words, turning off indexing will help your PC's performance only if you seldom search by file content, or if you use a third-party search tool such as Google Desktop (in which case you probably have two indexing routines running at the same time, which is an even bigger waste).

To turn off indexing clicking Start, typing services, and pressing Enter. Find and double-click Windows Search. In the "Startup type" drop-down menu, select Disabled, and then click OK.

11. Offline Files
If you work on files stored on a server somewhere, and you can't depend on that server always being available, Vista Business and Ultimate's Offline Files feature makes your life easier by copying the files to your hard drive and keeping them synced.

Of course, that sort of thing isn't for everybody, which is probably why Microsoft didn't include Offline Files in the Home editions of Vista. But if you have Business or Ultimate and still don't need Offline Files.

Turn it off by clicking Start, typing services, and pressing Enter. Find and double-click Offline Files. In the "Startup type" drop-down menu, select Disabled, and then click OK.

12. Windows Error Reporting Service
Every time Windows experiences an error -- either with its own processes or with a third-party program -- it offers to report the problem to Microsoft. In theory, doing so can help the company locate problems with its OS (and heaven knows that would be a good thing). But more than likely, your report will either go unresolved or just end up in a big pile of other people's reports on the same problem. Either way, you're wasting your system's precious resources on a feature that isn't doing you any good.

To disable this unhelpful service, open the Services window: Click Start, type services, and press Enter. Find and double-click Windows Error Reporting Service. In the "Startup type" drop-down menu, select Disabled, and then click OK.

12. UAC: (User Account Control)
One of Windows Vista's most controversial new features is User Account Control (UAC), which attempts to protect your system from malware by forcing you to authorize certain system-altering actions by clicking through a dialog box from time to time. To some people, this feature is an unwanted annoyance that must be eliminated. Other users appreciate this added security.

If you would like to turn off UAC, then navigate to:

1. Control Panel -> User Accounts ->
2. Turn User Account Control On or Off.
3. Now decide if you want to untick the box which say: 'Use User Account Control (UAC) to help protect your computer'.
4. Now you have disabled the User Account Control.

But I'll still remind if you want this extra security feature of Clicking "Continue" every time you perform an administrative task, you can leave this enabled.

Enable "Task Manager" in Single Click !!

You must have gone through this error message when you try to open Windows Task Manager, by pressing CTRL+ALT+DEL the following error often appear:

“Task Manager has been disabled by your administrator“

This is disabled by some spywares, trojans.

An Experienced user can easily enable Task Manager by editing some registry settings. For a normal user editing registry is not easy and a bit RISKY !

Task Manager Fix is designed just for this Task. This "One-button" tool is a FREE and handy recovery tool designed specially to enable disabled Task Manager.

Download Task Manager Fix v2.0

Most Secure Tool for Locking Files & Folders.

It is critical to have effective protection from unauthorized access, according to a report over 80% of reported security breaches come from within the organization, not hackers!

Locking files, folders and drives is the best way to guarantee that nobody accidentally or intentionally gets access to your financial, health, private or confidential information.

Lock Folder XP is a security tool that lets you lock your files, folders and drives with your personal password.

The Most Secure tool for locking your files, folders and drives !!


Now nobody but only you can access your most sensitive information. Locking folders, files and drives also effectively protects you from malicious programs, such as viruses, worms and Trojans.

Its Simple Drag-n-Drop support makes it easier to use. All you have do is to drag file or folder you want to lock to Lock Folder XP window, and the rest is done automatically. Now your data is protected, hidden and can not be accessed without entering your personal password.


And since locking your files, folders or drives makes them invisible, they can not be deleted, damaged or harmed in any other ways. Even if a virus gets into your system, your locked folders will not be detected, infected or harmed.

"I'd strongly recommend this for Laptop users...If you have a laptop and travel frequently, I'll advise you get Lock Folder XP. After all, if your notebook gets lost or stolen, you don't want strangers to see your "important" data, credit card or security numbers." :-D

Click Here to Visit Manufacturer's Website.

DOWNLOAD with a single click.

Shutting Down Your Computer Quickly!

There could be several answers to this, however, I highly suspect this one.

In shutting down, you computer must first close all running programs, Then, if your computer is loaded with many hundreds of junk files, it must go through them all also.
....The more junk you have on it, the longer it takes to shut down.

What is considered junk? It is hundreds and hundreds of files you probably have left on your computer that have built up so large, your computer must go through ALL of them before shutting down so that is what is taking so long.

Junk files are:

1. Temp Files,
2. Internet files,
3. Cookies, etc.

To give you an example. In checking my junk files nightly (and cleaning) just before shutting down, in just one day of surfing the net, you could have as many as 10 MB - in JUST ONE DAY!. I once found I had 59 MB in just one day. Multiply this by say -- 30 days - and you can see why a computer would slow to a crawl to shut down.

The program that I highly recommend to solve this Junk files problem completely (And FREE) is "CCleaner"

I run it every night before shutting down and my now my system shuts down completely in less than 7 seconds.

Beware! Fake Antivurus Softwares on the Loose.

This is a very important warning to all of you about some very malicious rogue security (anti-virus) programs that have become very popular on the Web.

These programs look legitimate, their Web sites are very professionally designed, and they're out to trick you into downloading their software as a way to keep your computer safe.
BUT These products will not keep your computer safe, in fact they put your personal information and your computer at great risk.

The program names listed below, all hide the same fraud. The most common warning displayed by these malware programs is "Halt! Critical System Warning".

The names this malicious, rogue security program uses are:

AntiVirusXP 2008
AntiVirus 2008
AntiVirus2008
AntiVirusXP 2009
AntiVirus 2009
AntiVirus2008
XP Protector 2009
VistaAntivirus2008
System Antivirus 2008

All of the above are said to be variants of the infamous WinFixer trojan.

These products look professional and legitimate and, in fact, have very well-designed, attractive interfaces. The developers of these products are out to get your money and have spared no expense in designing a professional looking program to trick you into believing these are legitimate programs.

DO NOT FALL FOR THIS SCAM. You'll lose money, face serious computer problems, waste time trying to remove it (it's very difficult to do), and potentially expose your personal information to criminals.

These are malicious programs, very difficult to remove, very egregious, that scatter duplicate associated files in various places on your computer in order to avoid detection. These programs display exaggerated scan results in order goad you into purchasing them.
These programs scan your computer and "find" hundreds of infections, registry problems, etc., and most are not legitimate problem. It will then inform you that in order to "repair" these errors and fix your computer you need to purchase the program.


If you have been duped by any of these products, see the bottom of this article for the proper method to remove them from your computer.

If you are one of the thousands of victims of these rogue anti-virus / security products,you need to remove it from your system- and you must remove it correctly. These are not very easy programs to remove. Here is a forum post on C|Net that explains how to get rid of these products and their clones.

About TipsoTricks

ABOUT THE BLOG

TipsoTricks provides collection of unique tips and tricks for your daily PC/Internet usage and blogging.

We Provide Windows & Internet tips and tricks , Security Software, Maintenance guides and Utilities , Speedup tips for your PC, Links to some cool sites to visit, Blogging Tips and guides, Hacks for Blogger/Blogspot and much more.

Check out top navigation menu for browsing all the topics or see labels in the sidebar.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

1. Zain

I am Zain, undergrad student of Computer Science from Karachi, Pakistan.
I am founder of TipsoTricks and love surfing internet usually to find out "what's new"
I've been using PC since the birth of Microsoft's Windows 95 and as a computer enthusiast, I like my computing experience to be unique, customizable, and fully under my control.
I Like to discover, try and share newer software and applications. And for sharing the knowledge I decided to start blogging in September 2008.
My rapidly growing curiosity towards Blogging forced me to share some Blogging and SEO Tips, Tricks and Blogspot Hacks from of my blogging experience.

You may follow me on:
- Twitter
- Facebook

2. Hasan

Hi!..I am Hasan , undergraduate student of Telecommunication, from Pakistan.
I love to do all the things which I shouldn't do.
This is my first experience in blogging...so hope you guys will appreciate my work..
I'm eager about the new technologies and passionate in making friends ...and loosing them(kidding)...

To know more about me, follow me on:

- Twitter
- Facebook
- MySpace

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