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Questions tagged [windows-vista]

For questions specific to Windows Vista. Use [windows] instead for questions involving Windows in general.

Questions with this tag should refer specifically to versions of Windows Vista. Anything related in general (non-version specific) to Windows OS should be tagged with .

Version Relation:

Additional Info:

  • Logo: Logo
  • Security improvements, including Address Layout Space Randomization, which randomizes the location of programs in memory to make a memory injection attack harder, , a redesign of its network stack, and .
  • First appearance of Windows : The new graphical user interface intended to be cleaner and more aesthetically pleasing than those of previous Windows versions, featuring new transparencies, live thumbnails, live icons, and animations. Laptop users report, however, that enabling Aero shortens battery life.
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What is the Windows hotkey to minimise a single, currently active window?

On Windows Vista, I'm familiar with Win + D to show the desktop but sometimes I just want to minimise two or three windows as they become active and not the whole lot. What hotkey can I use to minimise only the currently active window?
Ionise
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10 answers

Can Windows tell me what is using my USB drive?

Being the good citizen I am, I left-click on the "Safely Remove Hardware" icon in my taskbar, and select my USB drive to dismount. Then I get the message: Windows can't stop your Generic volume device because it is in use. Close any programs or…
PP.
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146
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13 answers

Is there a shortcut command in Windows command prompt to get to the current user's home directory like there is in Linux?

I am used to using cd ~ to get right into my home directory. In Windows command prompt I have to do cd Users\username to get there. Is there a shortcut like the Linux one? It would be nice if I could get there by doing cd username Is something…
classer
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1 answer

Windows Activation FAQ: How do language, version, 64-bit or 32-bit, and source affect ability to install and transfer Windows licenses?

We get a lot of questions on Super User about Windows activation and licensing. This question is an attempt to answer the most common questions in one place with a canonical answer. When reinstalling Windows, the following questions often come…
nhinkle
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11 answers

How do I start Notepad++ from cmd?

I can start the regular Notepad from cmd. C:\Windows>notepad I can also start it from the run prompt. Win+R notepad Enter I want to be able to do the same with the Notepad++. I can start it from the run prompt, but I can't start it from cmd. I…
Samir
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114
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8 answers

How to monitor a folder and trigger a command-line action when a file is created or edited?

I need to set up some sort of a script on my Vista machine, so that whenever a file is added to a particular folder, it automatically triggers a background process that operates on the file. (The background process is just a command-line utility…
bigmattyh
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114
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10 answers

How to stop jucheck from running? Java won't remember "Check for Updates Automatically" setting

I've installed Java on Windows Vista, and every day I get a Vista security warning asking me if I want to run "jucheck". Apparently this is the Java automatic updater. Well, I don't want it to run on its own, ever. I cancel it, and quit it. I…
Ken
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20 answers

Easiest way to find out if user has either Windows 7 or Vista (through telephone support)?

If you have to provide some initial troubleshooting support by phone [or email], and you don't have access to the user's PC itself, what is the easiest and most foolproof question one can ask of the user to find out if the 'dumb' user is using…
Rabarberski
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10 answers

Moving a window from a disconnected monitor to connected monitor on Vista

I have a laptop that runs Vista Mega Ultimate Amazing for Business 64-bit. When at work, I connect a monitor via USB (which totally rocks) to the "left" of the laptop monitor. It's identified as monitor 3. At home, I use an old CRT monitor that sits…
RickMeasham
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90
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11 answers

How do I disable "you need to format this disk" message in Windows Vista/7?

I've started using TrueCrypt to encrypt a partition on an external USB hard drive. I've opted for using a raw partition as opposed to a file container. But here's the annoyance. Whenever I connect this drive to a computer running Vista or Windows 7,…
Joe Attardi
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5 answers

How can I remove a forkbomb from the Startup folder?

I have an older laptop running Windows Vista, from about 2005 and I was fooling around with it a little bit. In a moment of sheer stupidity, I created a Batch file and put the following code in it: %0|%0 I ran this and I had to restart my laptop.…
Ethan Bierlein
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8 answers

Wget/cURL alternative native to Windows?

Is there a Wget or cURL type command line utility native to Windows Vista? How does it work?
Jordan
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8 answers

Stopping Microsoft Search from eating my hard drive

I have Windows Vista on a machine and I noticed quite a bit of hard drive was disappearing. I ran a utility to show me where it all went. I found the following directory consumes over 2GB of…
User1
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8 answers

How do I swap audio output of the left and right speakers?

I have two speakers stereo speakers but when I use the sound control panel applet to test my audio configuration I get sound in the right speaker when the user interface indicates the right speaker and vice versa. Is there a way to swap the audio…
Manga Lee
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55
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3 answers

How can I determine what process a window belongs to?

Every time I start up windows vista lately, I see a random floating window. It is a tiny little window with no title, and only the resize, maximize and restore buttons. I'd post an image, but I don't have reputation here yet. I can close it, and it…
captncraig
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