Geeks in Phoenix

Windows Vista Geek Tips

Welcome to Geeks in Phoenix, your go-to resource for all things Windows Vista! As a leading computer repair company in Phoenix, Arizona, we understand the ins and outs of Windows Vista. We are excited to share our top Geek Tips to help you optimize, troubleshoot, and maximize your Windows Vista experience. Whether you're a seasoned user or new to the operating system, our expert tips and tricks will empower you to unleash the full potential of Windows Vista.

The following is a complete list of our Windows Vista Geek Tips

See what your drive contains with Space Sniffer

Got a video or music library and want to see how large it is? Maybe you downloaded a really big file and cannot remember where it is? If so, Space Sniffer may just be what you need.

How to use DOSBox to run old DOS games and programs

Sometimes it is fun to go back and play the DOS video games I grew up with. But it can be tough since Windows doesn't utilize DOS anymore. But you can still run your old DOS games ...

Manage your Windows computer with the Microsoft Management Console

The Microsoft Management Console (MMC) is a program that is used to create, save, and open collections of administrative tools, called Consoles. Consoles contain items such as snap-ins ...

Using special font characters in Windows with Character Map

Have you ever wanted to insert a letter or symbol into a Windows document that was not shown on your keyboard? Maybe a copyright, trademark or tolerance symbol? You can do just that ...

Create your own Windows font character with Private Character Editor

Do you have a company logo or a simple graphic that you would like to use often in a Windows program, like Microsoft Word or Excel? Maybe your line of work has special characters that you ...

Eliminate spam from your inbox with MailWasher Pro 7.5

When it comes to communication, e-mail is by far the fastest and easiest way to exchange thoughts and ideas. But it can also be one of the fastest ways to spread viruses / malware too. But you can protect yourself and your ...

Harden / Mitigate the security of your Windows programs with Microsoft EMET

Let's face it, some of the software we use on a daily basis has become subject to security vulnerabilities and exploits. Software manufacturers do their best to develop and test fixes / patches ...

Troubleshooting Windows Update problems

When it comes to repairing Windows based computers, there seems to be a couple of problems that I get allot of requests for help with. One of them is when a computer cannot get updates ...

How to clean up and reset Mozilla Firefox

When it comes to computer repair, the most common problem I find is browser corruption. Malicious web sites with infected flash ads are the most common way a browser can get corrupted.

How to clean up and reset Google Chrome

Internet browsers are prone to getting compromised. It can happen by opening an infected e-mail to viewing a malicious ad on a web page. But knowing how to get your browser back ...

How to clean up and reset the Internet Explorer

In repairing computers for a living, the one thing I find myself doing constantly is cleaning up and resetting web browsers. Removing adware, malware and viruses can really screw up ...

Toughen your computer security with EMET 5.1

Keeping your computer secure has always been tough. It seems like every week there is another exploit making the rounds. Nobody can predict what kind of attack hackers will use next. But you can protect your computer from the ...

How to safely remove external drives

External storage devices like flash drives or hard drives are so convenient for carrying data between computers. Just plug and play, as they say. But did you know it's not the same for when you unplug your drives? Here's how to safely ...

The correct ways to shut down your Windows based computer

Doing computer repair, I see allot of different issues. But there is one problem I am seeing over and over again, start up corruption. This most commonly occurs when the computer is not turned off properly. And it appears that laptops are ...

Strengthen your computer security with EMET 5

It seems like every day a new software exploit or vulnerability is found. Software vendors' work hard at keeping their software secure, but it can take time to test and deploy patches. So what can you do to protect your ...

How to upgrade your computers hard disk drive to a solid state drive

Most computers (laptop & desktop) nowadays come with a Hard Disk Drive (HDD) as standard equipment with a Solid State Drive (SSD) as an option. Each drive type has its pros and cons: HDD's are cheaper and have more storage, ...

How to use layered security to protect your computer

It seems whenever I tell someone that I repair computers for a living, I almost always get asked the question "What do you recommend for anti-virus software?". I tell them that I use a layered approach to security, not relying on just one ...

Check the protected system files in Windows with System File Checker

There may come a time when your Windows based computer starts to run improperly. Installing and uninstalling software, viruses and malware are just a few things that can corrupt the integrity of system files. When it comes to ...

How to open a Command Prompt with Administrator privileges in Windows Vista and Windows 7

At some point in time, you may need to run a program or command from a Command Prompt with Administrative privileges. Some of the best features inside of Windows Vista and Windows 7 are only accessible through an ...

Manage e-mail, sync files and more for free with Windows Live Essentials 2011

Are you looking for a program to manage your e-mail? Or maybe one to write a blog with? Want to remotely connect computers and sync files between them? How about creating a photo gallery or movie? You can do all of these and ...

Be more productive in your office for free with OpenOffice 3

A client recently asked me if I knew of any alternative to Microsoft Office. As a firm believer in open source software, I told him about OpenOffice.org 3 from Oracle. It is a complete office software suite with a word processor, ...

Improve the performance of Windows 7 and Windows Vista with ReadyBoost

I am always looking at different ways to improve the performance of Windows. One of the ways is to use ReadyBoost that is built into Windows 7 and Windows Vista. ReadyBoost can speed up your computer by caching files ...

Security made easier with Microsoft Security Essentials Version 2

In a previous article, I discussed Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE). I like the easy of use, the integration with Windows Update and the small footprint it has, especially on my netbook. Recently, Microsoft has released ...

Resetting your network adapter in Windows Vista

Network shell (Netsh) is a tool an administrator can use to configure and monitor network devices on Windows based computers at a command prompt. A common use of Netsh, is to reset the TCP/IP stack back to default ...

Managing Virtual Memory / Pagefile in Windows Vista

If your computer lacks the Random Access Memory (RAM) needed to run a program or operation, Windows uses Virtual Memory to compensate. Virtual memory combines your computer’s RAM with temporary space on your hard ...

My five favorite Windows tips for maintaining your computer

In this article, I share my five favorite tips for maintaining your Windows Vista computer.

Simple security with Microsoft Security Essentials

In this article, I am going to spotlight Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE). This is not Microsoft's first venture into the ant-virus market, but it is probably the best. Having used the some of the more well know anti-virus software ...

Windows logo key keyboard shortcuts

Windows logo key keyboard shortcuts (based on Windows 7)

Image Resizer Powertoy Clone for Windows Vista

One of applications you can integrate into Windows Explorer is Image Resizer. With a right click on a picture, you can quickly resize a photo without ...

RAW Image Viewer for Windows Vista

I am into digital photography and like to organize and work with digital RAW image files in Windows Explorer (much as you can with JPEG images). But Windows does not have support for this format built-in. Well, I am glad to say I have found ...

List everything contained in the Control Panel in Windows Vista in one folder

In a recent article, I showed how to list everything contained in the Control Panel in Windows 7 in one folder. I had read couple of articles concerning the Windows 7 'GodMode' and I thought I would take look into. I then decided to check and see if this also worked with Windows Vista, and sure enough ...

Use your computer without the mouse or keyboard in Windows Vista

Windows has two features to help you use the computer without using a mouse or keyboard: Speech Recognition (which allows you to use voice commands to work with Windows) and On-Screen Keyboard (which allows you to enter text by ...

Make it easier to focus on tasks in Windows Vista

You can reduce the amount of information on your screen so that it's easier to read, and you can set up your keyboard to make typing easier ...

Use text or visual alternatives to sounds in Windows Vista

Windows provides settings for using visual cues to replace sounds in many programs. You can adjust these settings on the Use text or visual alternatives to sounds page ...

Make your keyboard easier to use in Windows Vista

You can use your keyboard to control the mouse and make it easier to type certain key combinations ...

Make your mouse easier to use in Windows Vista

You can change the mouse pointer and turn on other features that can help make it easier to use your mouse on the Make the mouse easier to use page ...

Make your computer easier to see in Windows Vista (optimize visual display)

If you sometimes have trouble seeing items on your screen, you can adjust the settings to make text and images on the screen appear larger, improve the ...

Use your computer without a display in Windows Vista (optimize for blindness)

Windows Vista has many features that allow you to use your computer without a display. For example, you can have screen text read aloud by using ...

Use Speech Recognition to operate windows and programs in Windows Vista

You can use your voice to work with windows and programs. Usually, you can just say the command that you want to perform. For example, to minimize all ...

Make items on the screen appear bigger with Magnifier in Windows Vista

Magnifier enlarges part of the screen. This is especially useful for viewing objects that are difficult to see. It's also helpful for people who generally have ...

Hear text read aloud with Narrator in Windows Vista

Windows comes with a basic screen reader called Narrator that reads text on the screen aloud and describes some events (such as an error message ...

Type without using the keyboard with On-Screen Keyboard in Windows Vista

Instead of relying on the physical keyboard to type and enter data, you can use On-Screen Keyboard. On-Screen Keyboard displays a visual keyboard with ...

Back up your files in Windows Vista

To make sure you don't lose the files that you create, modify, and store on your computer, you should back them up regularly. You can manually back up your ...

Check your hard disk for errors in Windows Vista

You can help solve some computer problems and improve the performance of your computer by making sure that your hard disk has no errors.

Using Disk Defragmenter in Windows Vista

Fragmentation makes your hard disk do extra work that can slow down your computer. Disk Defragmenter rearranges fragmented data so your hard disk can...

Using Task Scheduler in Windows Vista

You must be logged on as an administrator to perform these steps. If you are not logged on as an administrator, you can only change settings that apply to ...

How to reset Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) in Windows Vista

One of the components of the Internet connection on your computer is a built-in set of instructions called TCP/IP. TCP/IP can sometimes become corrupted. If your connection ...

Free Microsoft Tools for Windows Vista

These free applications can add fun and functionality to the Windows Vista experience.

Free computer diagnostics

Repairing a PC can sometimes be expensive, and that is why we offer free basic in-shop diagnostics. Give one of our professional and experienced technicians a call at (602) 795-1111, and let's see what we can do for you.

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Geeks In Phoenix LLC, BBB Business Review

Customer service is #1

Here at Geeks in Phoenix, we take pride in providing excellent customer service. We aim to give the highest quality of service from computer repair, virus removal, and data recovery.

Bring your computer to us and save

Repairing a computer can be time-consuming. That is why we base our in-shop service on the time we work on your computer, not the time it takes for your computer to work! From running memory checking software to scanning for viruses, these are processes that can take some time.

Contact us

If you have any questions, please feel free to give us a call at (602) 795-1111  and talk with one of our Geeks. Or you can send us a message from our contact page , and one of our Geeks will get back to you as soon as possible. Or you can stop by and see us. Here are our hours and location.

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