Windows Tools, Help & Guides

Aerofoil reduces your computer’s power consumption when it is running on battery. It does this by automatically switching off some features, like the Aero glass interface, Windows sidebar, muting the sound etc. when your notebook is running on battery.

It can also switch across different Windows power plans, enabling one power plan when plugged in and a different one when running on battery.

Windows Guides’ Rating	Compatible with	System
4 out of 5

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These days it’s common that an application fails while in use. It’s no mystery why programs have auto save features and even can recover from a disaster. These new features make you think is impossible that you can lose data. We feel very comfortable because it seems that nothings bad is going to happen. How many people do you know that have never done a back up?

Another problem is that we are humans and it is very common that we make mistakes. Have you ever worked on a document for hours and then realized that it was better before? Some can say that Windows has the Previous Version feature but for me it is not enough.

We are going to see today how to configure Windows 7 to backup files while you work on them. Read the rest of this entry »

In Part 1, I covered some printing techniques to reduce paper wastage, namely Duplex Printing, Multiple Pages per Sheet, Content Editing, Print Preview, and Digital Format. If you haven’t come across it, you are welcomed to look into Part 1 before going into Part 2.

In this part, I will be covering some software that are specifically written to assist computer users in reducing paper wastage, as well as help in saving printing inks (they are expensive!) The software covered are mixed with free and commercial versions, and I list out the pros and cons for each software, and give some recommendations for those who are looking at a free solution. There is one common characteristic for all these software: all of them will be installed as a virtual printer in your operating system to streamline the printing process. So let’s begin with the first printing software:

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If you receive errors when using Windows Update (see the errors in the table below), the System Update Readiness Tool will check for inconsistencies and fix them so you can continue to update your computer through Windows Update. The System Update Readiness Tool is used for:

• Windows Vista-based computers
• Windows Server 2008-based computers
• Windows Server 2008 R2-based computers
• Windows 7-based computers

This update should download automatically; however, if you are still receiving errors, you should download and run the System Update Readiness Tool manually. Learn, in this guide, more about the tool, where to get it, and how to run it.

Please note: Just to reiterate the above, you should only manually download and install this update if you are experiencing unresolved errors (listed below) with Windows Update.

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Many of the guides on this site are specific to an operating system. If you don’t know what operating system you are using, this tip will help you find out (regardless of what theme or customizations may be in place.)

Windows Guides reader RedDawg offers the following tip for the easiest method:

Try holding the ‘Windows Logo key’ and tap ‘Pause / Break’ key

The easiest way Another way to know which operating system you are using and whether it is 32-bit or 64-bit is to:
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In an effort to help you find the kinds of wallpapers you like, I’ve put together 19 collections of wallpapers that cover 15 different genres. This week’s genre is flowers and plants wallpapers, with a second part next week. If you know of any other wallpapers that fit in this genre, please let me know. Looking for a different genre? Head here to see desktop wallpaper collections organized by genre.

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