Windows 10/11 Tips, Tricks, Hacks & Features

[Bandung_Dero]

Good one Tam, have it as a shortcut on the desktop but yet to figure how to pin it to the Task Bar

[glalt]

TIP: Check your PC for HDD or SDD

I have two older but fast and reliable desktop computers. One is a Dell Precision and the other is an HP ProDesk. Both are much faster than a newer HP all in one that I bought for my game room. Neither are able or qualified to run Windows 11. If MS guessed that I will buy a new computer to run Windows 11, they have guessed wrong.

I'm with you glat, I have a PC in my workshop running since 2008. Yes, I have changed the crappy video card 3 times and upgraded to a SSD but it runs Windows 10 just fine. I built the HTPC in the living room in 2011 its had a new motherboard and a SSD added but it runs perfectly and is how I watch Netflix, Amazon Prime and downloaded TV/movies on the main TV. 5 other PCs around the house and office all can only run Windows 10 which works perfectly adequate.

The two laptops my wife and I use are W11 compatible so we updated to W11 when the time came and use them that way.

I suppose what I am saying here is that I am a fan of both W10 and W11. Windows 7 was fine as well and some Linux distros are nearly ready for aunt Milly. Hardware does eventually become more expensive to repair than buy new however. My workshop PC does not have much life left in it as eBay parts are disappearing for its small form factor design.

Something sounds wrong about your newer PC being slower than the older ones. Your HP all-in-one may have a spinning HDD in it which will slow it right down. I upgraded one for a friend recently and I frankly could not believe my eyes when I saw this modern PC with a spinning HDD crammed in that form factor instead of a faster cooler running SSD.

If you would like to know if you have a SSD or HDD you can press CTRL+SHFT+Esc to get the Task Manager, click on the Performance tab and your Drives will be on the left panel.

The example shows my office PC with two SSD drives and a 3TB HDD.

PM me if you need advise on solving the slow new PC issue. I enjoy trying to solve these mysteries.

My Dell has an SSD and it boots quite a bit faster than the HP Pro-desk. As far as everything else, there does not seem to be much difference. One of these days, I'll buy another SSD for the HP. As far as the HP All in one, both my wife and I never use it. Her nephews often play with it.

[jackspratt]

Good one Tam, have it as a shortcut on the desktop but yet to figure how to pin it to the Task Bar

Just right clicking on the Windows thingy in the bottom left corner does it for me, in terms of bringing up Task Manager etc.

[Bandung_Dero]

Just right clicking on the Windows thingy in the bottom left corner does it for me, in terms of bringing up Task Manager etc.

Thanks Jack but I'm talking about this one particular "All Tasks" application, Tams link brings up a shortcut to it but I need the application root to "Pin" it to the task bar. Right clicking on the shortcut brings up the Control Panel as the "file location" (same icon). Going that way defeats the purpose of the hint!

[tamada]

W10: Right-click on the shortcut and select "Pin to taskbar" from the drop-down menu.

I think W11 is same same?

[Shado]

You can drag and drop most of the "shortcuts" from the start page to the task bar as well.

[Bandung_Dero]

Can't do it in W11, as soon as the icon hits the Task Bar a red circle appears with a strike through = NO GO, I can pin to Start (behind the windows start icon) but not the Task Bar, I have some 12 of my most commonly used utilities/applications pinned there for a single click QUICK access.

[Shado]

Can you pin to the task bar the way tamada suggested in W-11 or is it just the drag & drop method that refuses to work?

W10: Right-click on the shortcut and select "Pin to taskbar" from the drop-down menu.

I think W11 is same same?

[Bandung_Dero]

NOT WITH THIS short cut, LOOK at the menu, there is NO option to pin to Task Bar!!!!!

That's why I want to find the executable (root) file and pin that.

[tamada]

I don't have a W11 machine but a Google search suggested that placing shortcuts in the Task bar is the same process as W10 (right-click or click-drag). I can see that aint working for BD.

Maybe W11 now considers it "too powerful" and revised the permissions needed for certain "dangerous" tools? Keeps the noob safe but annoys the bejezus out of the older and wiser who like to leave the lid open on the toolbox.

Wait and see if any other W11 users have the same issue.

[Mjkt]

I have already skinned the Startup group.

Not sure exactly what this means but Windows start up clean ups can involve going to several places to clean them up. The old users/.../startup folder is one place but hardly used these days as is a throw back to much older Windows versions.

The System Configuration has a startup tab that lists all start up apps it knows of that can be enabled on/off.

There is also a Windows Services tab in System Configuration that lists all the services starting up with Windows can that be turned on or off.

There is another Windows program called Task Scheduler that enabled various other third party tasks to start or not.

There is a context menu list of app related context menu items you might want to clean up to speed start ups - but afaik this can only be done via regedit.

A simple way to clean all the above start up hindrances is using CCleaner that takes care or them all (except the startup folder I think as thats pretty obsolete. CCleaner comes in a free version which is all I use but needs some attention installing to avoid the bloat ware it asks if you want during install. Always deselect the bloat and always turn of CCleaner so it doesn't start at Windows start up and slow you down as well (right click it in task bar and turn it off), but just when you want to run it. Other programs like CCleaner are out there, but I haven't found any as good.

[Potamoi]

Lots of back and fourthe here so I am not sure what is the ultimate ask here.

If one is after the Swiss Army Knife or even the Mother of All shortcuts, you won't go far wrong with adding this one to your desktop.

C:\Windows\explorer.exe shell:::{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}

Chances are there's at most half-a-dozen that get used regularly by the average computer user but it's handy when you forget where stuff is stored in the regular Settings like Task Manager or System Tools and Computer Manager.

Can't do it in W11, as soon as the icon hits the Task Bar a red circle appears with a strike through = NO GO, I can pin to Start (behind the windows start icon) but not the Task Bar, I have some 12 of my most commonly used utilities/applications pinned there for a single click QUICK access.

If you simply want to se Tams link with a taskbar link make a shortcut on the desktop (right click desktop, new, shortcut, copy/paste Tam's entry: C:\Windows\explorer.exe shell:::{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C} in the shortcut location (target), once any shortcut is on the desktop, name it whatever you feel fits (in this example AllTasks, drag and drop to the taskbar.

Or did I miss the use case here? Sorry lots of comments....

W10, W11 okay

[Bandung_Dero]

Thanks but your a little behind, since the post on the top of the page I have had the utility on my desk top (see attached screen shots) and works a treat = "All Tasks" (the MS title given to Tams link), it's a matter of getting the shortcut to the task bar.

[Potamoi]

TIP: All Tasks pinned to Taskbar

Thanks but your a little behind, since the post on the top of the page I have had the utility on my desk top (see attached screen shots) and works a treat = "All Tasks" (the MS title given to Tams link), it's a matter of getting the shortcut to the task bar.

Sorry, I'll give it another go.

• First, I am using a Windows 11 Pro machine Version 22H2 Build 22621.160
• Rather than have the applet on my desktop, I put a shortcut to it there
• Double click shortcut and the applet goes to temporarily to the taskbar
• Right click the taskbar item and it has an option to pin it there

If the applet is directly on the desktop rather than a shortcut, you will get the circle slash icon when doing a drag drop to the taskbar. Shortcuts play nicely.

[Bandung_Dero]

I opened "All Tasks" --- Right clicked it's Icon in the Task Bar, clicked "Pin to Task Bar" -- But Nah, I finished up with the Control Panel shortcut pinned to the Task Bar (NOT All Tasks) ,as back in the post 4th down???

I've actually changed the "All Tasks" Icon (so as not to confuse it with the Control Panel) and opened it off the desk top but still the Control Panel Icon appears in the Task Bar on this action. On closing "All Tasks" the Control Panel Icon disappears from the Task Bar as I would expect.

Beginning to think that All Tasks is a utility within the Control Panel application and has NO ability to be independently recognized.