Hidden commands on Windows

Solution 1:

I'm not sure these are properly documented anywhere official, but I'm a big fan of the Windows Key shortcuts:

• Windows key alone - Start menu (follow this by shortcut keys to access the start menu with the keyboard - U to shut down, for example)
• Windows key + Pause/break - System control panel
• Windows key + R - Run
• Windows key + L - Lock the computer
• Windows key + E - Open new explorer window
• Windows key + D - Show desktop
• Windows key + F - Find
• Windows key + M - Minimize all
• Windows key + Shift + M - Restore all

Edit: I guess they are documented somewhere official after all.

Solution 2:

Bring Misplaced Off-Screen Windows Back to Your Desktop is a classic in this time of "double screen programming", especially when you must access your double-screen computer from a one screen remote desktop.

The application is running. You can see it in the taskbar, but you can't see it on the screen, because it still thinks it's running on the secondary monitor.
You try and use right-click, Move, but that doesn't do anything, and the window doesn't move anywhere. You end up rebooting and cursing Microsoft.

There's a simple trick to get around this.
First make sure you've alt-tabbed to the window, or clicked on it once to bring it into focus.
Then right-click on the taskbar and choose Move

At this point, you should notice that your cursor changes to the "Move" cursor, but you still can't move anything.

Just hit any one of the arrow keys (Left, Right, Down, Up), move your mouse, and the window should magically "pop" back onto the screen.

Note: For keyboard savvy people, you can just ALT-TAB to the window, use Alt+Space, then M, then Arrow key, and then move your mouse.

Solution 3:

Using Check Boxes to select multiple items within Windows Explorer.

This is really useful if you want to use single-click navigation rather than double click in Windows Explorer.

Solution 4:

For shutting down my machine I use Start , U , U. It depends on if you have anything that starts with U in your start menu or not, the above is for if you don't.

If you do have one, say uTorrent, in your frequently used programs area of the start menu, then you type: Start , U , U , Enter , U

The last U can be changed to either R or S.

Otherwise, I love altshiftesc, StartD, StartR and the like.

I'm truly amazed by how many people CANNOT REMEMBER alttab no matter how many times a year you tell them. The problem seems to be in holding alt down to tab through the apps.