How to Move a Window When the Title Bar Is Off Screen

Sometimes a window gets moved so that the tile bar is off screen.  This means you can’t use your mouse to move or maximize the window.  If it is far enough off screen, such as on a monitor location that is no longer there, you can’t even get to the monitor.  This kind of thing happens a fair bit with multiple monitor setups, especially if you are moving around with a laptop.

There are several solutions to this problem:

1) If you have multiple monitors, adjust the location of monitor so that it exposes the title bar.  This is a bit annoying but it does work.

2) XP & Vista users can right click on the task bar button for the window.  There you will find the usual options for maximize, size and move.  Just chose move and the arrow keys should start to work.  Once you start moving the window with the arrow keys the mouse can be used to move the window too.  To drop the window just press enter.  This was my favorite little tip but it stopped working in Windows 7 quite the same way.  In Windows 7 you need to get the window list to appear when you hover over the  button a snapshot of the windows appear.  Roll over to the window in trouble and now you can right click to get the widows shortcut menu.

3) All versions including Windows 7 can click on the window’s button on the task bar.  Once the window is the active window the shortcut control can be accessed by pressing Alt-Space.  If you can’t see the menu then hit the down arrow twice as Move is usually the second command down.

Fast, Free and Easy Way to Bulk Install Common Applications – Ninite.com

Based on a post from Gizmodo I learned of the website Ninite.com that allows you to build a customized installer for bulk loading many commonly used applications.  Now that I have had a chance to use it a few times I am happy to report that I give it a solid recommendation.

The free for personal use product is as simple as can be to use.  On the website’s home page just check off the the applications desired to be installed.  Most of the common browsers, messaging, social media, and utilities are represented.  Depending on your needs it may not be every free application you desire or need but it is many of the common and necessary programs that are just annoying to keep installing.

Once you’ve made your choices. Click the “Get Installer” button.  This will create a small file with a very long name that you can download and run or just run from the browser.

The installer looks to be a small application that completes the downloads and silently installs all of the software on your list.  I can’t recall exactly if  all installs are silent, as in no dialog boxes with options, but most certainly are.  If for no other reason then not having to jump through all the hoops and crap-ware options when installing Adobe Reader this is worth the time.

In the free version the applications installer files are downloaded every time the installer is run.  For a larger deployment there is a Pro version, at $20/month, that will allow installers to be saved and reused such as from a USB drive.

Another plus to the Ninite installer is that it leaves no residue on your computer.  When you inspect your computers installed program list in the control panel all the programs Ninite installed are listed so that they can be uninstalled normally.  Additionally, there is no app from Ninite to uninstall.  Who ever designed this clearly was solving a pain they felt themselves.

Obviously there is a bit of trust because this would be an excellent vector for a Trojan.  In fact it is a Trojan but one you want.  So far no problems and no alarms from security and anti-virus software.

I don’t care for the pro version pricing.  I would give them money for a pro version on an annual basis but not at $20 per month.  $75 a year for a 100 computers and I’m in. {Just a suggestion if your listening Ninite.}

There were some other similar bulk loading sites that I tried and forgot, but Ninite is a keeper because it is just so simple and  works so well.

Windows Environment Variables

Environment Variables from Wikipedia article:

Default Values on Microsoft Windows

Variable	Windows XP	Windows Vista
%ALLUSERSPROFILE%	C:\Documents and Settings\All Users	C:\ProgramData
%APPDATA%	C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Application Data	C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming
%COMPUTERNAME%	{computername}	{computername}
%COMMONPROGRAMFILES%	C:\Program Files\Common Files	C:\Program Files\Common Files
%COMMONPROGRAMFILES(x86)%	C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files	C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files
%COMSPEC%	C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe	C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe
%HOMEDRIVE%	C:	C:
%HOMEPATH%	\Documents and Settings\{username}	\Users\{username}
%PATH%	C:\Windows\system32;C:\Windows;C:\Windows\System32\Wbem;{plus program paths}	C:\Windows\system32;C:\Windows;C:\Windows\System32\Wbem;{plus program paths}
%PATHEXT%	.COM;.EXE;.BAT;.CMD;.VBS;.VBE;.JS;.WSF;.WSH	.com;.exe;.bat;.cmd;.vbs;.vbe;.js;.jse;.wsf;.wsh;.msc
%PROGRAMFILES%	C:\Program Files	C:\Program Files
%PROGRAMFILES(X86)%	C:\Program Files (x86) (only in 64-bit version)	C:\Program Files (x86) (only in 64-bit version)
%PROMPT%	Code for current command prompt format. Code is usually $P$G	Code for current command prompt format. Code is usually $P$G
%SYSTEMDRIVE%	C:	C:
%SystemRoot%	The Windows directory, usually C:\Windows, formerly C:\WINNT	C:\Windows
%TEMP% and %TMP%	C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Local Settings\Temp	C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Temp
%USERNAME%	{username}	{username}
%USERPROFILE%	C:\Documents and Settings\{username}	C:\Users\{username}
%WINDIR%	C:\Windows	C:\Windows
%PUBLIC%		C:\Users\Public

 

Tips for Using KeePass

LifeHacker has an article with tips for using KeePass to securely store your passwords.

http://lifehacker.com/5046988/eight-best-keepass-plug+ins-to-master-your-passwords

I like KeePass but I also like LastPass.  There are pros and cons of using each.  I use both and I haven’t decided on a clear winner.

Add to the to do list a good review of both products.

Notepad ++ Shell Integration

Notepadd++ is one of a handful of text editors I routinely use.  It has worked successfully on Vista 64bit & now on Windows 7 64bit.  Unfortunately, something keeps the right click shell integration from installing correctly.

The good news there is a simple registry hack to add the functionality back in:

http://blog.donnfelker.com/post/Notepad2b2b-Shortcuts-Vista-64bit-Update.aspx