and feature-packed version of the operating system we've seen so far, but you
won't necessarily see that straight away.
Dubious default settings mean
most Windows 7 installations aren't properly optimised, and if you want your
system to have the best performance, usability, security and battery life then
you'll need to apply a few extra tweaks. Here's what you need to
know.
1. Get Windows 7
anti-virus
It's a dangerous world out
there, so the very first step you should take on any Windows 7 system is to get
yourself protected with an anti-virus tool. AVG Anti-Virus is a good free
choice, but the betas of Panda Antivirus Pro 2009, F-Secure Internet Security
and McAfee Total Protection are also worth a look.
FREE AV: The latest
F-Secure beta provides free all-round PC protection for six
months
2. Tweak the Windows 7
taskbar
Next you'll want to get your
Windows 7 system feeling a little more like home. Are you a little confused by
the way application buttons are combined on the new taskbar, for instance? Then
get things back to normal by right-clicking the taskbar, selecting Properties
and selecting "Combine when taskbar is full" from the "Taskbar buttons"
list.
And while you're there, try
checking the "Use small icons" box to save a little screen real
estate.
3. Customise
Explorer
Windows 7 adds many useful
improvements, but the default Explorer settings are still as dubious as ever and
you'll want to tweak them right away. Click Start, type Folder and choose Folder
Options from the list to get started.
The new Explorer navigation
pane shows disconcertingly few drives and folders when you start. This makes for
faster loading, but also means reaching your destination often requires extra
clicks.
If you prefer the Vista style
of navigation then click the General tab, and check both "Show all folders" and
"Automatically expand to current folder".
Windows 7 also hides drives
that are empty, which means the contents of the Computer folder can change in
unexpected ways. We find that distracting, but it's easy to change: just click
the View tab and clear the "Hide empty drives..." box.
And it's generally a good idea
to set up Explorer to display file extensions and hidden files, unless very
inexperienced users have access to your PC. Click the View tab, select "Show
hidden files, folders and drives", clear the "Hide extensions for known file
types" and "Hide protected operating system files" boxes and click OK to finish
the job.
4. Uncover secret
wallpaper
Right-click the desktop,
select Personalise and you'll be able to set your desktop background to some
impressive new wallpapers, including a set for the United Kingdom (or wherever
in the world you are).
But Microsoft has also
provided more regional wallpapers for you to try. Click Desktop Background >
Browse, navigate to \Windows\Globalization\MCT, choose a region you like -
MCT-AU\Australia, say - and click OK to see the new images.
(You don't see the MCT folder?
Windows must be configured to display hidden folders - see step 3, "Customise
Explorer".)
CHANGE OF SCENERY: The South
African folder has some spectacular wallpaper photos
5. Speed up Windows
7
By default Windows 7 puts you
on its "balanced" power plan, which saves energy but might also cut
performance.
If you're using a desktop and
are interested in speed above all else then click Control Panel > Hardware
and Sound > Power Options > Create a Power Plan, choose the High
Performance option and give your plan a name. Click Next > Create, choose the
"Change plan settings" link next to your custom power plan, and tweak it to suit
your needs.
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