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Get Rid Of Shortcut Arrow Appearing On Various Icons In Windows

Trick To Get Rid Of Shortcut Arrow Appearing On Various Icons In Windows

In most Windows Operating Systems including Windows Vista, Windows XP and Windows 7, you will notice that all shortcut icons have a small arrow overlaid on them. This arrow basically differentiates between a real physical file and its shortcut. All shortcut icons on the desktop as well as in the Windows Explorer display this arrow.

However, you may follow a simple procedure in order to hide or remove this arrow from all such icons present on the desktop and inside the Windows Explorer.

  • Go to the Start Menu and select the option “Run”. Type in “regedit” and press the “Enter” key to open the “Registry Editor”.
  • Locate the registry key mentioned below: 

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile

  • Check in the right window pane and delete the registry entry “IsShortcut”. 

Alternatively, you may also rename the registry entry “IsShortcut” to some other name like “IsNotShortcut”.

  • The icons of other types of files and documents might also have the arrow. To remove this arrow overlay image from these icons, you need to locate the below mentioned registry keys and repeat step no. 3 so that the shortcut arrow is deactivated. 

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\WSHFile

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ConferenceLink

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\InternetShortcut

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\piffile

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\DocShortCut

  • Close the Registry Editor.
  • To make the changes effective, log out and login again. You may alternatively restart the Explorer. 

You need to note that sometimes duplicate items might be displayed within context menu of the Explorer if you deactivate the arrow on the icons of *.LNK files. This happen due to the fact that once you remove “IsShortcut”, Windows treats a shortcut as a real physical file.

Windows 7 might show an error saying that pinning the shortcut to the Start Menu or Taskbar is not possible. However, you need to use a different workaround to resolve this issue.

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Minimize The Windows Live Messenger/MSN Messenger Icon To The System Tray In Windows 7

Trick To Minimize The Windows Live Messenger/MSN Messenger Icon To The System Tray In Windows 7

If you have installed the program, Windows Live Essentials (Version 2009) on your Windows 7 OS and have been using the MSN Messenger or Windows Live Messenger (WLM), you must have noticed that the main contacts window of the MSN Messenger, conversation windows of all chats and display picture have a full fledged icon or button on the Windows Taskbar.

Even when you minimize the MSN Messenger, the main contacts window icon remains on the Windows Taskbar rather then being placed within the notification area or system tray.

In other Windows OS such as Windows Vista and XP, WLM main contacts window has its icon in the notification area which is generally known as the “System Tray” and is located at the right end of Windows Taskbar right next to the clock, whereas the chat/ conversation windows (whenever opened) have their respective icons on the Taskbar.

However, Windows 7 has the WLM icon removed from the notification area and instead shows it in the Taskbar along with the other chat/ conversation windows. The icon for WLM main contacts window in the Taskbar does not go even when you minimize WLM.

 

Moreover, when move your mouse pointer over the WLM icon on the Taskbar, you get a thumbnail preview that shows two confusing WLM Windows among which one is the actual WLM main contacts window whereas the other is one is the display picture. Nevertheless, it is possible that you make some settings so that WLM reverts back to its classic style.

You need to simply run WLM in Vista compatibility mode within Windows 7 so that the WLM icon, whenever minimized is placed in the system tray.

  • Close MSN Messenger or Windows Live Messenger completely by right-clicking on the WLM icon in the Windows Taskbar and selecting “Exit”.
  • Click on the “Start” button to display the Start Menu. Now, locate the shortcut of “MSN Messenger” or “Windows Live Messenger”.

 

It is also possible that you go directly to the actual Windows Live Messenger program, i.e. msnmgsr.exe. You will normally find it at the location “%ProgramFiles%\Windows Live\Messenger\ folder”.

  • Next, right-click on the shortcut or executable of Windows Live Messenger. You will see the right-click context menu. Select the option “Properties” from the menu.

  • Click on the tab “Compatibility”.
  • Under the section “Compatibility Mode” tick on the checkbox that corresponds to the option for running WLM program/ application in a compatibility mode for the selected OS. Also select “Windows Vista” as the OS from the drop-down box placed below.

  • Click on the “OK” button.
  • Finally, run your WLM to check whether the trick has worked.

 

Now you will notice that, whenever you minimize WLM, the WLM icon will be placed in the notification area or system tray.

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“Stardock Fences” Freeware For Organizing and Grouping Shortcut Icons on Windows Desktop

“Stardock Fences” Freeware For Organizing and Grouping Shortcut Icons on Windows Desktop

Do you have a habit of creating shortcut icons of your favorite applications on the desktop for easy access? If yes, it is very important that you properly group and arrange the desktop items before your desktop starts looking messy. Moreover, as you tend to add more and more shortcut icons to your desktop, you will find it difficult to locate a desired application.

However, you can take care of this issue with the help of Fences, a grouping application by Stardock. This free Windows enhancement helps you organize your desktop shortcuts effortlessly by grouping the shortcut icons into fenced blocks with labels. You can add shortcuts to the suitable block and arrange them accordingly.

For example, you may create a block “Microsoft Office” and include the shortcut icons of MS Excel, MS PowerPoint and MS Word into this group. You may also create a block named “Games” and fence all your computer games into it. With Stardock Fences, you can basically enhance the look of your desktop along with the accessibility.   

Stardock Fences is simple to use and extremely flexible. For creating a fence, you need to right-click on the desktop and simply drag your mouse pointer to draw a rectangle. It is also possible to resize or rearrange the fences as and when necessary.

Although the desktop shortcuts are better organized into fences, if you still feel that your desktop looks crowded with lot of fences and icons, Stardock Fences offers another feature “Quick-Hide Activated” to deal with this. This feature is able to hide/ show all the shortcut icons with a simple double-click on any blank space on the desktop.

Quick-Hide Activated feature in Stardock Fences also allows you to keep some selected fences or icons visible while you quick-hide the others. For doing so, you need to right-click on a fence and select the option “Exclude from Quick-Hide”.

This application can be downloaded free of charge from Here. Stardock Fences supports 32 bit as well as 64 bit versions of Windows Operating Systems such as Windows Vista, Windows XP and Windows 7.

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F5 For Auto Arranging Icons And Shortcuts On Desktop Of Windows7

F5 For Auto Arranging Icons And Shortcuts On Desktop Of Windows7

The desktop of Windows 7 may get messy when lots of icons, files, documents, shortcuts and applications remain scattered all over the desktop and in each and every corner of it. In order to get rid of it, select “View” then opt for the option “Auto Arrange”.

We know that normally, F5 is being used for refreshing the desktop, still if you press F5 slightly longer than usual in Windows 7, that function key will automatically rearrange the desktop. So, if you want to see your desktop neat and clean, and the icons arranged neatly, just try this trick out.

However, you’ll need to be very careful while trying to refresh your desktop with F5. Otherwise, you’ll see all new desktop with icon designs at different position, and you will wonder if some Virus or malicious program has affected the computer.

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Turn Off Or Automatic Stats Plug-In Smiley Icon In WordPress.Com

Turn Off Or Automatic Stats Plug-In Smiley Icon In WordPress.Com

The WordPress.com Stats plug-in designed for self-hosted WordPress blog is an excellent free of cost web visitor’s information tracker used for WordPress Blogs. The Status plug-in for WordPress.com displays a lot of useful metrics, information and stats that a blogger needs in a concise and clear interface.

On the other hand, following the starting and implementing Stats plug-in in WordPress, a little smiley face image will be exhibited at the foot of the blog or page. The smiley face, even if little in dimension, possibly will concern the overall look and presentation of the blog, and it could also create confusion to the visitors since the image comes out peculiarly at the base.

However, it’s likely to conceal the smiley face added by means of the WordPress.com Automatic Stats plug-in, via next CSS hack.

In order to smiley face of WordPress.com Stats plugin invisible, you will need to following CSS code.  It needs to be added to the Blog’s stylesheet in WordPress (style.css):

img#wpstats{width:0px;height:0px;overflow:hidden}

Otherwise, put in the next JavaScript code into the footer.Php in WordPress following wp_footer() declaration:

<script type=”text/javascript”>
var e = document.getElementById(“wpstats”);
e.style.width = “0px”;
e.style.height= “0px”;
e.style.overflow = “hidden”;
</script>

Please be reminded that the image is essential for good stats collecting pool and for tracking the traffic to blog. The image will not be loaded via browser and it will smash the stats if you will apply the “display:none” to the image.

The overflow style of JavaScript or CSS could be mistaken for unseen text or concealed link by the search engines, which could result in banning of Blogs. This happens particularly with Google which could penalize such execution, as the results presents different data to search engines which the visitors to not get to see.

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Reduce Size Of Icons On Windows 7 Superbar (New Taskbar)

Reduce Size Of Icons On Windows 7 Superbar (New Taskbar)

// Windows 7 is integrated with a new taskbar named as Superbar or Awesome Bar. The Superbar has totally new appearance. Actually, an old, classic Quick Launch bar and an ordinary Taskbar buttons are together merged and integrated to create a new improved Taskbar. This new improved taskbar is known Superbar or Awesome Bar. Contrary to the appearance of Quick Launch, a Superbar is also introduced with icons by replacing the classic buttons.

On the other hand, most of us are uncomfortable with the size of icons on Superbar. The size of the icons in Superbar is too large so that it acquires pretty much screen area which is a little bit inconvenient.

There is small trick which will definitely help you to reduce the size of the icons on Superbars. To do so, just follow the steps given below.

  • Firstly, right click in an empty space on Taskbar and select Properties
  • Go to the “Task Bar and Start Menu Properties” dialog box
  •  After that go to the “Taskbar” tab. Now you have to check the checkbox named as “Use small icons”.

Done, now you will notice the reduced size of the icons on Superbar.

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Easy Way To Use The Show Desktop Icon And Quick Launch Alternative In Windows 7

Easy Way To Use The Show Desktop Icon And Quick Launch Alternative In Windows 7

The latest Microsoft Operating System Windows 7 is making news for some of the features of previous OS being absent in it. Though Windows 7 is a level above the previous OS by Microsoft, you shall be surprised to find that the Quick Launch Button/ Bar is not displayed on the Windows 7 taskbar.

The feature is also not present by default. In addition to this the Show Desktop Icon is also absent in Windows 7. Both the features helped users to save time while operating.

The Show Desktop icon is usually present in the Quick Launch toolbar. With the latter being absent you cannot access the Show Desktop Icon. However you can now hack the OS to launch the Toolbar for Quick Launch purposes.

The Show Desktop icon is located in the far end of the right corner of he Windows Taskbar just beside the Time clock and data Icons. For this feature, you need to display the clock system icons.

In this way you can click on this notification area whenever you require using the Show Desktop icon. Besides this unique Show Desktop icon, Windows 7 has a good feature called the Aero Peek or the Desktop Preview.

By clicking on this Icon all the opened windows on the OS desktop become transparent temporarily. This happens when the mouse moves over the Show Desktop Icon on the right far end of the windows taskbar.

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Creating Backup For Your Deleted Desktop Icons

Creating Backup For Your Deleted Desktop Icons

Displaying many icons on the desktop might lead to system crash, failure, sometimes also results in icons getting deleted. Every user remembers location of few frequently used programs or software’s, and accesses them from the same location.

If few icons get deleted without your knowledge, then automatically all the other icons rearrange themselves. This causes inconvenience and discomfort to the user in using the icons for a while. To overcome this problem install a software called iconrestorer. This is a freeware which will create a backup for all your icons on the desktop and restore them for future use.

Iconrestorer software helps in creating a backup for all you icons and shortcuts available on your desktop. This software monitors the order in which they are arranged. It also helps in restoring few icons deleted from the desktop because of its backup facility.

The primary features of the iconrestorer are as follows:

  • Tracks and records every single icon with differing screen resolution.
  • Creates separate backing options for every computer-screen resolution.
  • Manages color schemes.
  • Software gets automatically updated.
  • Many other features are included to help a user in managing and displaying their icons.

Download this iconrestorer software to enjoy hassle free management and restoration of your shortcuts and icons on desktop.

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Simply Create You Own Icons With ToYcon In Windows

Simply Create You Own Icons With ToYcon In Windows

To create own customized icon, you will possibly have to go through much complicated ways. Now, a very small utility known as “ToYcon” will greatly help you out of this hassle. ToYcon places a user interface of uniquely designed box on the desktop. With this box, you could simply drag and drop an image which has to be converted into icon.

All you have to do is just download this interesting application. You don’t even need to install this app, simply execute the downloaded file directly and the small box will be displayed on the desktop. After that, you just have to drag and drop the image files into the box. The selected image file should have gif, jpg, png, tga or bmp format. You could also select size for the icon as big (256×256), medium (128×128), small (64×64) depending upon your own choice.

After completing, the new icon image will be placed inside the folder where you have selected the source image file. Now, you have to link the newly created icon to your particular program. For this, right click on the newly created icon, click on ‘Properties’ button. Now, go to ‘General’ and click on the ‘Change’ button. Now, you’ll have to select or browse to the program path. After assigning the program for the icon, whenever the icon gets clicked, the respective program will be launched.

With this tiny utility, you’ll be able to create icons with own creativity keeping all the restrictions aside. Just go and download this utility by using the link given Here.

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Change Solid Icons To Transparent Icons In Windows XP

Change Solid Icons To Transparent Icons In Windows XP

Do you want to make your desktop more attractive and organized? Changing the default icons to transparent icons is the best way to adorn your desktop. It enhances the look of your desktop. Usually, windows7 users have multiple options to make transparent interface using numerous windows 7 theme.

As far as windows XP users concerned, they have more flexibility to change the look of the interface by making transparent icons. Here are the two manual methods mentioned to show you hot to do it so. You just need to stick on the steps as referred.

Step 1

  • Initially, go to Start> Control Panel>System>Advanced tab.
  • Now, navigate to Performance>Settings>Visual Effects tab.
  • Enable “Use drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop” option.
  • In case, it is already enabled, then disable it first and enable again.
  • Then, click on the “Save” option button to apply the changes made.

 

 

Step 2

  • Go to Start>>Run then, type “regedit” in the box. The registry window will be opened.
  • Then, go to “HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer”
  • Tap on the “ForceActiveDesktopOn” and modify its value to 0.
  • If there is no such key, then create one manually [Data Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value)].
  • Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Policies\Explorer” and repeat the same process to change its value.
  • Finally, tap on the save button.
  • Reboot your system to apply changes properly.