Windows 8 Hacks

Preston Gralla is the editor of WindowsDevCenter.com and OnDotNet. He is the author of more than 30 books, including Internet Annoyances, PC Pest Control, and Windows XP Hacks, Second Edition, and co-author of Windows XP Cookbook. As an award-winning author and technology expert, Preston has written articles for major national newspapers and magazines and has also appeared on several TV and radio programs.

1. Chapter 1 Setup and Startup Hacks

   1. Disable Windows 8’s Lock Screen

   2. Hack Your Way Through the Lock Screen

   3. Speed Up Boot Time

   4. Speed Up Startup by Halting Startup Programs and Services

   5. Reset and Refresh Your PC Instead of Doing a Complete Reinstall

   6. Installing and Running Windows 8 on a Mac

   7. Use Hyper-V to Install and Run Other Operating Systems Inside Windows 8

2. Chapter 2 Hacking the Start Screen, the Windows 8 Interface, and Apps

   1. Create an Application Folder for Quick Launches on the Start Screen and the Desktop

   2. Put a Tile to Computer on the Start Screen

   3. Force Desktop Apps to Show up on the Start Screen

   4. Hack the Windows 8 All Apps Screen

   5. Add Folders and Other Objects to the Start Screen

   6. Run Windows 8 Native Apps Side by Side

   7. Hack Your Way Through the Start Screen

   8. Access Windows 8’s Power Search Tools

   9. Use the Task Manager to Track App Use

   10. Use Your Own Graphic for Your User Account

3. Chapter 3 Hacking the Desktop

   1. Bring Back the Windows Start Menu to Windows 8

   2. Use the Built-In Mini Start Menu

   3. Bring the Quick Launch Toolbar Back to the Desktop

   4. Hack a Quick-and-Dirty Start Menu for the Desktop

   5. Turn on Windows “God Mode” on the Desktop

   6. Run the Desktop and Window 8 Native Apps Side by Side

   7. Put Helpful Navigation Icons on the Desktop

   8. Make the Desktop More Tablet-Friendly

   9. Hack the Notification Area Using the Registry Editor

   10. Change Folders in the Open Dialog Box

   11. Control the Control Panel

   12. Hack the Taskbar

   13. A Power User’s Hidden Weapon: Improve File Explorer’s Context Menu

   14. Open an Administrator Command Prompt Anywhere in File Explorer

   15. Hack Your Way Through File Explorer

4. Chapter 4 Productivity and System Performance Hacks

   1. Three Quick System and Performance Hacks

   2. Troubleshoot Performance Issues Using the Resource Monitor

   3. Track Performance and Reliability with the Reliability Monitor

   4. Peer Deep into Your System with the Performance Monitor

   5. Speed Up System Performance with the Task Manager

   6. Windows 8 Keyboard Shortcuts

   7. Using Windows 8 Gestures

   8. Use File History to Recover Your Files

   9. Troubleshoot with the Action Center

   10. Track Down Windows 8 System Woes

   11. Save Money: Use These Free Alternatives to Microsoft Office

5. Chapter 5 Cloud and Social Networking Hacks

   1. Use SkyDrive to Sync Your Files Everywhere

   2. Make SkyDrive Play Nice with Other Windows Folders

   3. Recover Deleted Files on SkyDrive

   4. More SkyDrive Hacks

   5. Using Other Syncing Services

   6. Configure Windows 8 Syncing

   7. Create a Non-Syncing Windows 8 Account

   8. Power Hacks for Windows 8 Syncing

   9. Mastering the People App

   10. Share and Share Alike in Windows 8

   11. Other Social Networking Apps

6. Chapter 6 Music, Media, and Video

   1. Open Graphic Files In Photo Viewer Instead of the Windows 8 Native Photos App

   2. Add Facebook and Flickr to Your Windows 8 Photo Collection

   3. Hacking Through the Photos App

   4. Add Folder Locations to Photo and Video Libraries

   5. Improve DVD and TV Watching in Windows 8

   6. Using Windows 8 with Your Xbox 360

   7. Power Up Windows 8 with a Free Movie Maker, Photo Gallery, and More

   8. Organize Your Photos with Metadata

   9. Use RAW Photos in Windows Photo Gallery

   10. Get a Free Copy of Windows Media Center

   11. Play it Loud!

   12. Convert Vinyl and Tapes to MP3s

7. Chapter 7 Networking, the Web, Wireless, and the Internet

   1. Make the Desktop Version of Internet Explorer the Default Rather than the Windows 8 Native Version

   2. Change Your Default Native Windows 8 Browser to Chrome

   3. Make Windows 8 Play Nice with Your Home Network

   4. Hack DNS to Speed up Web Browsing

   5. Control Another PC with Remote Desktop

   6. Hack Windows 8 Wi-Fi, Wireless, and Network Settings

   7. Use Task Manager to Track Bandwidth Use of Individual Apps and Overall Network Use

   8. Map a Network Drive or Network Location

   9. Troubleshoot Network Connections with ping, tracert, and pathping

   10. Troubleshoot Network Connections with netstat and ipconfig

   11. Troubleshoot Wireless Interference Woes, and Extend Your Range

8. Chapter 8 Security

   1. Keep Portable Storage Secure with BitLocker to Go

   2. Hide Folders and Files with the Encrypting File System

   3. Tell Windows 8 Apps Not to Snoop on Your Location

   4. Turn off the Windows 8 SmartScreen Filter

   5. Protect Yourself with a Windows 8 Picture Password

   6. Create a Windows 8 Recovery Tool

   7. Hack Windows 8’s User Account Control

   8. Unlock Windows 8’s Super-Secret Administrator Account

   9. Punch an Escape Hole Through the Windows 8 Firewall

   10. Track Firewall Activity with a Windows 8 Firewall Log

   11. Protect Your Privacy by Removing Windows 8 Metadata

   12. Impersonate Another Computer on the Network

   13. Protect Your Home Wi-Fi Network

9. Chapter 9 Email

   1. Trick the Windows 8 Mail App into Using POP Mail

   2. Use Different Live Tiles For Different Email Accounts

   3. Hack Your Way Through your Windows 8 Mail Accounts

   4. Understanding Windows Mail and Metered Networks

   5. Send Large File Attachments in Windows 8 Mail and Outlook.com Using SkyDrive

   6. Import Gmail Mail and Mail from other Web-Based Mail into Outlook.com

   7. Configure Outlook.com for Windows Phone, Android Devices, and iPhones and iPads

   8. Switch Fast Between Outlook.com Accounts

   9. Turn Outlook.com Into a Universal Inbox

   10. Great Freebies for Turbocharging Gmail

   11. Turn Gmail into a Universal Inbox

   12. Use Gmail as a POP3 Server

   13. Stay Off Spam Lists

   14. Prevent Your Newsletter from Being Blocked as Spam

   15. Block International Spam in Outlook

   16. Open Blocked File Attachments in Outlook

   17. Instantly Compress Files You Send via Outlook

   18. Sync Calendar and Contacts Between Google and Outlook

10. Chapter 10 Hardware

    1. To Infinity and Beyond with Windows 8 Storage Spaces

    2. Hack Windows 8’s Power Plan

    3. Two Screens Are Better than One

    4. Find Drivers for Windows 8 Fast

    5. Troubleshoot Hardware with Device Manager

    6. Get a Complete History of Troublesome Hardware

    7. Uncover Hidden Hardware with the Device Manager

    8. Get a Comprehensive List of All Your Drivers

11. Chapter 11 The Registry and Group Policy Editor

    1. Don’t Fear the Registry

    2. Hack Away at the Registry

    3. Safely Edit the Registry Using .reg Files

    4. Better Registry Backups

    5. Hack Away at Windows with the Group Policy Editor

1. Colophon