Win7 help

[TomTom]

I have just moved from bloody Vista to Win7 and it's been quite a relief so far. There are two new features I would like to reverse somehow and go back to how it was...maybe somebody here can help me on this way.

1. In Vista it was this way: I had different Windows (IE, Windows Explorer) open and played a music file with the Windows Media Player. Sometimes, in order to mute the sound or make it louder, I clicked on the Media Player in the quick start bar to bring it back on top of all Windows, made my changes and when I clicked on another Window, the Media Player went back to the background.

In Win7, after doing Changes like this and clicking on another open Window, the bloody Media Player remains on top till I manually minimize it. Is there a way to bring the former behaviour back?

2. In Vista, I had an IE icon in the quick start bar. Clicking on it opened a Browser window but the IE icon in the quick start bar remained intact so I was able to quickly open more websites.

In Win7, I have the same IE icon in the quick start bar but when I click on it, the website I open takes that space over. In order to open a new Explorer, I have to go to the existing entry of the IE in the quick start bar, make a right click and open a new IE window from there.

Same question...any chance to go back to the old behaviour where one click was enough? I know I am lazy, I know IE is the Devil and there is a shortcut to open a IE window. But I am an old conservative fucker, so plz help!

[demonAfro]

Re: Win7 help

I don't have Win 7 but....

1. In Tools -> Options -> Player there might be an option that "keeps player on top" (press Alt to get to the menu)

2. The IE on the taskbar is a "pinned" application, I think (and much less intuitive IMO). There should be a way to add a folder as a shortcut bar to the taskbar, then you can put a shortcut to IE in there....?

[TomTom]

Re: Win7 help

Thanks a lot.

Answer #1 is already live...there was indeed such an option in WMP and now it's disabled. Answer #2 I am going to try out now...should have thought about this option by myself because I already did a pretty similiar thing with the "Show Desktop" icon. I am used that it's on the left side of the bottom since so many Years...having it on the right with Vista sucked big times. Nothing against new options but why in Earth is it no given feature to pin it wherever you like to or at least provide people with a method to bring the old behaviour back. Guess that's Microsucks for you lol.

[TomTom]

Re: Win7 help

mmm what I had in mind didn't work. What I did was the following:

I have created a file called Explorer.exe on the Desktop and pinned it. Then under properties I pointed to the location of the IE. But the result is the same. Is this what you were suggesting as well (didn't get why it should be a folder) or did you have something else on your mind, Tom?

[demonAfro]

Re: Win7 help

Oooh, toolbar was the word I was looking for! In the older windowses quick launch is just a toolbar made from a folder somewhere in your profile directory. I had a play at work and this should hopefully do what you need:
+ Create a folder somewhere eg MyToolbar
+ Make a shortcut to IE in the folder
+ Right click the taskbar and do Toolbars->New Toolbar and point it to your folder
+ Right click and unlock the taskbar
+ RIght click the toolbar and turn off all the text and the title text so it should just leave the IE icon

Any good?

[TomTom]

Re: Win7 help

If I do this, the folder name shows up in the tool bar but you can't click on it. If I disable text and title, I don't see anything anymore. I have pointed to the folder, not to IExplore.exe inside it because it's not possible.

[TomTom]

Re: Win7 help

Nevermind, I am just a dumbo. I have forgotten to put a shortcut in the Folder I was pointing at. It works now, thanks so much.

[TomTom]

Re: Win7 help

I have asked the same question on a German forum and they came up with an even better solution. Method is the same as yours but now I point to %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch so I have the entire old quick launch bar with IE, show desktop and Switch between Windows icons back.

[demonAfro]

Re: Win7 help

Trust Microsoft to just leave the folder there but hide it!

Here's another top tip for you! If you have IE (or any other program) open and want to open another copy just middle-click or shift-click it in the taskbar. Woo!

[TomTom]

Re: Win7 help

Trust Microsoft to just leave the folder there but hide it!

Here's another top tip for you! If you have IE (or any other program) open and want to open another copy just middle-click or shift-click it in the taskbar. Woo!

Yes, that's typical. Like it would have been too much to give the user the option to have either the old view or what they think is better now lol. As for the middle click, I have found about about this by complete random (weird mouse clicker in me). Nice thingie! This week on the Menu: What are jump points good for LMAO. Don't worry, I don't need help but just haven't figured out if there is any use of the new feature for me.....but all in all, I am very pleased with Win7 though it has the bitter taste of spending money for an OS I already did 2 years ago...for fucking Vista. Win7 is what Vista should've been I guess but that's Microsoft for you. Bugfixing? Nah..we make a new version. Asshats, all of them!

[Simon Preston]

Re: Win7 help

In the days of tabbed browsing it seems a little strange that you'd want to open another copy. Although it is handy if you have a widescreen monitor and you have one browser one the left to do your usual browsing and the other one on the right streaming your world cup matches.
Having said that I have both Opera and Firefox installed so its a none issue for me. I do like the Win7 style. Having all my main programs pinned to the taskbar has 'almost' made me forget about the Start Menu. Which I'm still annoyed they took out the Classic mode.

[TomTom]

Re: Win7 help

Tabbed browsing is no good for my crap and quickly clicking fingers. When I have too many sites opened in a tabbed window, I am either annoyed when I wanna close the browser "Do you really want to close all tabs" and when I turn that message off, it happened too often that I wanted to close one tab but closed them all. I know tabbed browsing is a good invention but I never got used to it. I just like to keep my Browser Windows separate.