Last year we had a great Christmas giveaway. This year we are giving away 1 game per day, 3 copies of GlaryUtilities and 3 copies of Minecraft. You don’t really have to do much to participate, so what are you waiting for?
Main Giveaway: 1 Game A Day
Thanks to Steam we are giving away a lot of games this year. Every day we will select one of the comments on this page (this particular page only, so post your tricks below) and send you a free game via Steam. You can select the game yourself, but only if there are still copies left. What are we giving away?
- 6 x Portal
- 9 x Lead and Gold: Gangs of the Wild West
- 8 x Trine
How to participate? Post a useful comment below, that can be your favorite Windows 7 trick/tweak or that can be anything else Windows 7 related.
When: Starts today. 1 game will be given away every day (with delay of 24 hours). On December 24th we are giving away all copies that are left.
3 Copies Of Minecraft
How to participate? Click here: Post a comment related to Minecraft here.
3 Copies Of Glary Utilities
Upload a Windows 7 theme to our site and win a copy of Glary Utilities! All you have to do is to create a .themepack on Windows 7 and upload it to rapidshare or other uploading sites, then post your link here. Thanks goes out to GlarySoft for sponsoring this.
How to participate? Click here: Post a link to your uploaded .themepack file here.
Almost nobody whom I know knows about the ‘Windows key + TAB’ combination, and it’s a shame.
It’s just like ALT-TAB, yet way more useful for quickly switching (and it looks great.)
Winkey + Space Makes all windows transparent without having to hover over the bottom right button!
Hi, great giveaway. My favorite windows 7 trick would have to be Windows ++(plus key), Windows +-(minus key) which allows to zoom in and out of windows desktop when aero desktop is enabled. Please can you count me in for either Lead and Gold: Gangs of the Wild West, or Trine as I already have Portal.
Thanks
hello my favorite trick is ctrl+alt then one of the arrows and the screen will turn to the way the arrow is turned on.
if I can pick a game i don´t want portal cause i allready got it but minecraft I really want so please if I ever could win something on internet please giv minecraft to me.
When you are on windows 7, you can use readyboost with your memory stick.
This makes you have more ram memory and your pc is faster.
Ctrl + Shift + Esc
to open task manager directly.
I’d love trine or Lead and Gold.
December 5th winner: Travis
December 6th winner: TBA on 7th (king_burger and Jerizo qualify so far)
travis is the first winner. Congratz! He has been randomly picked by random.org. Please check your mail.
Everyone else who has not won yet, you can always submit new tricks or any Windows 7 info you find useful to win on another day. All participants will also have the chance to win again on December 24th (big raffle) when we will give away multiple copies.
When you shake the screen you are currently dragging, all other screens opened will close!
This is really useful when you have alot of applications open and you don’t want to be distracted by the others.
Nice giveaway!
My most used trick that’s unique for Windows 7 must be if you put a program to either the left or the right side of the screen, it will fill half of the screen. It’s great for multitasking
Also if you put it up at the top, it will go fullscreen.
Oh, the cleverness!
My favorite one would have to be Winkey+L, which instantly locks your comp. Great for when you’re in a hurry and don’t trust the roommates with your machine :D
I’d love a copy of Lead and Gold or Trine
Another windows trick I like is the function to display and hide the explorer preview panel, ie ALT + P to hide it and to display it again.
Please can you count me in for either Lead and Gold: Gangs of the Wild West, or Trine as I already have Portal.
Thanks
Dcember 6th winner: Jerizo
December 7th winner: Jax2386100
December 8th winner: TBA
6th
7th
My favorite thing about Windows 7 is that you can pin programs to the taskbar. This is one of the main features of Macs, and since I don’t use Macs this feature was something I’ve always wanted in Windows.
Since I’m a college computer science student, all the programs I need for classes in each semester are pinned to the taskbar; makes it so much faster to do work.
I already have Portal, so please count me in for Trine or Lead and Gold: Gangs of the Wild West.
Another windows 7 functionality I like is the ability to open command prompt in any folder.Please can you count me in for either Lead and Gold: Gangs of the Wild West, or Trine as I already have Portal.
Thanks
Jerizo and Jaxxx I’ve sent you Lead and Gold via Steam, check your accounts. Travis if you read this please check your mail, I still need your Steam mail and the name of the game that you want.
7 copies of Lead and Gold left now.
Hi, windows 7 have many new functionalities to help users. Another helpful thing is the ability to adjust screen text with clear type by typing cttune.exe in run.
Please can you count me in for either Lead and Gold: Gangs of the Wild West, or Trine as I already have Portal.
PS: I commented on the 8th but it seems that my comment wasn’t authorised.
Thanks
Hey, my favourite tweak for windows 7 is the “logon-screen changer”, which allowes you to customize your logon screen by picking pictures that are replaced with the default blue background at the logon screen.
link from chip online: http://tinyurl.com/3x5zol4
Further copies for the last couple days will be given away on Dec 15th, which will make things easier to manage this effectively.
Keep the good tricks coming!
Another of my favourite windows 7 tricks/tips, is a new feature called AppLocker. This allows you to restrict someone’s access to your files, documents or even applications. An easy way to access this new feature is be typing Gpedit.msc into Run.
Please can you count me in for either Lead and Gold: Gangs of the Wild West, or Trine as I already have Portal.
Thanks
Hi, in windows 7 you can search the internet using the Start Menu. This is a great windows 7 trick. To enable this feature Run gpedit.msc, once the Local Group Policy Editor window is open click on User configuration>Administrative Templates>Start Menu and Taskbar and enable ‘Add Search Internet link to Start Menu’
Please can you count me in for either Lead and Gold: Gangs of the Wild West, or Trine as I already have Portal.
Thanks
Hold the Windows key and press an arrow key and the active window will react accordingly. Left/Right will be the same as if you had dragged the window to the left/right side of the screen. Up will maximize the window to fill the screen and down will undock the window from the top, left or right if it is docked there by you from before, or it will minimize it to the taskbar.
Quite useful for quickly setting windows up to compare them to one another without having to use the mouse.
hey, would it be possible for you to resend me the email. for some reason either I didn’t get it or i accidentally deleted it.
Much appreciated!!!
Just a little update on this.
We will be giving away games to all valuable contributions to our site. So, post whatever you think is useful or entertaining.
k19s has clearly one copy..will send you a mail later!
@travis sure thing, sent you another mail. Let me know!
Windows 7 makes the lives of the ‘computer people’ easier when they have to deal with relatives who run into issues and have no clue what the difference between the control panel and the taskbar is. The computer savvy user can hit the windows key and then type ‘psr’ into the search area and hit enter.
This will start a nifty little program (problem steps recorder if I recall correctly) that will allow you to record all your clicks, keypresses and takes screenshots before compuiling it all into one nice little file you can send to whoever is having issues so they can do what you want them to do by following a helpful video.
(I didn’t mentioon it before, though if I get lucky enough to win I would love to have Portal!)
Sending out the following games via Steam. Happy holidays guys!
Tartarus: Trine
Cadeus: Portal
k19s: Lead & Gold
Benge: Sending mail
Still many copies left.
Hi, thanks sOliver for the Lead & Gold game. I have received it and I’m in the process of downloading it now. Can the winners re-enter the giveaway to win another game? If so, my windows 7 trick/tip for today is the ability to run window explorer folders in a separate process, so that you can a prevent system freeze. Recently I’ve been having few system freezes within, the explorer of, windows 7 while running a game cd. Even though there are many reasons why a system freeze occurs, I have found out that one of them reason is to do with the windows explorer.
Within windows 7 there is a hidden option, recommended for advanced users, called “Launch folder windows in a separate process”. Once enabled this allows you to run a windows folder in a separate process. Enabling this feature may not stop system freeze. You can find this feature under “Folder Options”>”View”>”Launch folder windows in a separate process”. Note: 4GB RAM is required.
Please can you count me in for Trine.
Thanks
If you miss the Quick Launch toolbar that has seemingly been removed from Windows 7, take heart – it’s still there, you just have to go get it. Here’s how: right click on an empty space in the task bar and go up to ‘Toolbars’ – select ‘New Toolbar” – then browse to “C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch” and select the Quick Launch folder. There you go!
I see so many great tips/tricks out here. I don’t know if I can think of any that aren’t listed here. I know this isn’t much but I like being able to hold the windows key + a number key. Whichever application on the task bar corresponds with the number pressed will open the app.
For instance, if I press the Win Key + 1, Outlook will open for me. Just a quick shortcut.
If I am chosen, I would like the Lead and Gold game or Minecraft, whichever you have available. Thank you for the contest!!!
Hi, my windows 7 trick for today is the ability to add videos to start menu. In order to add videos to the start menu right click on Start Menu and choose “Properties” and then click on “Customize” and on the video menu choose “Display as a link”.
Please can you count me in for Trine.
Sorry if i’m posting this twice as the first time while posting my internet stopped.
Thanks
My Windows 7 trick is “Windows key + P” witch switches between screens, projector, extended desktop, etc.
here i am posting some windows shortcuts
Windows Logo+D: Minimizes all open windows and displays the desktop
Windows Logo+M: Minimize all
SHIFT+Windows Logo+M: Undo minimize all
Windows Logo+L: Log off Windows
CTRL+Windows Logo+TAB: Moves focus from Start, to the Quick Launch toolbar, to the system tray (use RIGHT ARROW or LEFT ARROW to move focus to items on the Quick Launch toolbar and the system tray)
Hi, my windows 7 trick/tip for today is changing the Power Button. By default the power button is Shutdown and if you want to change it to the Restart icon right click on Start and click on Properties and under the Start Menu tab choose Power button you use most.
Please can you count me in for Trine.
Thanks
Windows powershell. I am a linux user so it really helps with command line work.
My Favorite think @ Win7 is the style and its so easy to change Startbutton, Theme and other things.
If you don’t like changing your background manually you can setup a slideshow and setup the time interval for the images. To do this right click on desktop and choose Personalize>Desktop Background and then hold down the “Ctrl” key while choosing the images.
Please can you count me in for Trine.
Thanks
When first installing Windows 7, wallpaper is unique by the chosen locale.
So for example, if I install Windows 7 and choose the location of say New York City it will be different from Shanghai’s wallpaper!
If you go to “C:\Windows\Globalization\MCT” (without quotes) you will see the list of all the wallpapers offered depending on location. Very neat!
If I win the drawing, may I please receive Trine? I already have Portal and Lead and Gold. :P Cool contest.
The “windows + up” key combination will maximize your window. You can also use down, left and right to minimize or move your window to different portions of the screen.
If you hold down ALT+TAB you can actually see the outline of all the programs running!
If you hold SHIFT while clicking on an open application on the taskbar, it will open a duplicate. Very handy for when you have to quickly open another instance of notepad, explorer or anything else.
Cheers!
Btw. forgot to say, if I do win something, I already have everything here except Lead and Gold so it would be nice to get that. Thanks!
Ctrl + N opens the desktop in a window and Windows logo + L locks the computer. can I have Portal please.
What a great tricks about Window 7! Thanks all 4 sharing!
Hi, you can get a power efficiency report in windows 7. This is really useful if you have a laptop. To view your laptop’s energy report, run command Prompt as an Administrator and enter the following code: powercfg –energy –output \Power\Power_report.html
The report would be created in the C: drive under the folder called Power.
Please can you count me in for Trine.
Thanks
my favourite trick would have to be ctrl+Windows Logo+tab. by using the arrows you can pick what you want to appear on the screen. its good for switching through all windows quickly. I hope i win! :)
drag window either in the right corner wall of the screen to make the window set on the half side of the screen. awesome
Ctrl-Shift-Esc: Very handing for launching Task manager, especially when you have continuous issues with performance and want to see what is hogging your processor.