Whether you have Windows 7, Vista, or XP, keeping the operating system in good working order doesn't necessarily mean wasting hours (or even days) digging into obscure settings. Our fast fixes will help you correct common problems and optimize your Windows PC in just a few minutes.
Stop AutoPlay From Bugging You
To disable AutoPlay for an individual device, first plug the device into your computer and allow any drivers to install completely. The AutoPlay window will pop up for the first time. Simply close it by clicking the red X.
To turn AutoPlay off for all devices, in the ‘View more AutoPlay options' screen, at the top, uncheck Use AutoPlay for all media and devices.
Kill a Stuck Program
Press Ctrl-Alt-Delete; click Start Task Manager. Click the Processes tab.
To more easily find the offending process, click the Memory header to sort by which process is using the most RAM. Chances are, your crashed application will be at or near the top of this list (and likely it will be outlook.exe, firefox.exe, or iexplore.exe). Click the process that has died and click End Process.
Uninstall an Application
If the program has other parts (plug-ins, toolbars, ActiveX components, and so on), uninstall them too, following the above instructions. If an application won't uninstall, don't edit the Registry in an attempt to manually scrub the program away; in all likelihood, you'll accidentally cause more harm than good.
If you installed the program recently, you can try rolling back your PC with System Restore to get rid of it. Find this function under Accessories, System Tools.
If that doesn't work, try the $39 Revo Uninstaller. A more-limited free version of Revo Uninstaller is also available.
Bypass Windows Login
At the main User Accounts page, ensure that your primary account is active. Click Change your password. Enter your old password where required and leave your new password blank. Reboot your machine, and it will load Windows directly without presenting the login screen. Just remember that you are compromising your system's security by operating it without a password.
In Video: How to Manage Multiple Users With Windows 7
Remap a Keyboard
Run the application. Click Full Teach Mode to remap one key to another, pressing the original key and the one you want to assign to it in sequence.
Remember that a laptop's Fn key normally cannot be remapped, so if you want to swap Fn and Ctrl--a common tweak--you'll have to check for the option in the PC's BIOS.