You can find these details in system’s settings or using a software which will display these details about your computer.

Windows 7

Method 1: Using My Computer

1 Go to Properties

2 View the results

The new window will display the name of your Windows version, such as Windows 7 Ultimate etc. Also, it displays the platform of your operating system (32-bit or 64-bit).

 

Method 2: Using Control Panel

1 Go to Control Panel

Click on Start, then click on Control Panel. Alternatively, if you don’t see it, you can type Control Panel in the search box and the link to this section will appear.

2 Go to System and Security

Click on the menu System and Security.

3 Click on System

Now click on the System link. A new window will appear and you can see the version of your current Windows installation, as well as other details such as RAM memory and system type (32 or 64 bit).

Method 3: Using winver command

1 Click on Start

Then type winver
Then press Enter.

2 View the results

This window will display the numbered version, such as 6.1 (Build 7600) and the name of the version such as Windows 7 Ultimate.

Method 4: Using Sandra Lite

1 Download Sandra Lite

Download and install the program called Sandra Lite (free).

Download Sandra Lite

2 Go to Software

After installation, open the program Sandra Lite. Then go to Software section.

3 Click on Operating System

After you click on Operating System section, the program will start to grab info about your computer’s configuration.

4 View your Windows version

In the new window you will see the complete version of your Windows with name and number, such as Windows 7 Ultimate 6.01.7600

Method 5: Using Ctrl+Alt+Del

1 Type the command

Press CTRL+Alt+Del in the same time and a new window will appear.
In the bottom you will see the name of your Windows version.

Method 6: Using MS-DOS

1 Access MS-DOS

Click on Start, then type cmd in the search bar, then press Enter.

2 View the version number

In MS-DOS, type ver
Then hit Enter and the number of version will appear.

Windows 8

Because Windows 8 has 2 different desktop environments (Classic and Metro), if you aren’t used with these 2, i think is easier to use a specialized program to find your Windows 8 version. This is useful for beginners to Windows 8, although i will present multiple methods to find your Windows 8 version.

Method 1: Using Sandra Lite

This program can be used to display information about your hardware and software configurations, is good to keep it installed.

1 Download Sandra Lite

Download the program and install it. Sandra Lite is free.

Download Sandra Lite

2 Go to Software section

After you install and start Sandra, go to Software section.

3 Go to Operating System

Click on the Operating System menu. Then wait until the program will grab and display the information about your PC.

4 View the results

After a few seconds, you will see the detailed info about your Windows version such as Windows 8.1 Pro 6.3.9600.

Method 2: Using Control Panel

1 Go to Control Panel

Right click on the Start button, then click on Control Panel.

If you are on the Metro interface, go with the mouse hover the bottom-right icon to activate the vertical Charms menu, then click on Search icon.
Then search for Control Panel and enter into it.

2 Go to System and Security

3 Go to System

Then click on System.

4 View the results

Now you can view details about the Windows version and additional info such as installed RAM memory and system type.

Method 3: Using winver command

1 Go to Run

Right click on Start, then choose Run.

If you are using the Metro interface and you don’t know how to switch to the classic Desktop, then go with the mouse hover the small button from the bottom-right side, then click Search, then search for Run word, then click on Run.

2 Type winver

Type winver
Then press Enter or Ok.

 

3 View results

Now you can view details such as version name and number, e.g Windows 8.1 Pro version 6.3 (Build 9600).

The post What Version Of Windows Do I Have appeared first on CrocoTIPS.

If you are new to Windows 8, you may find this Metro desktop a little annoying and you may want to use the default Desktop style. It is pretty easy to switch from Metro to classic Desktop mode and vice-versa.

Method 1: Using Desktop icon

1 Click on Desktop

2 The result

You are now on the classic Desktop and use your computer like Windows 7/Vista …

3 Switch between Desktop and Metro

If you want to go back to Metro interface, from the classic Desktop, press the Start button.
Alternatively, you can press the Windows key to switch between these 2 desktop modes.

Method 2: Windows key + D

1 Press Windows+D

Press in the same time the Windows + D keys. You will switch to classic desktop mode.

Method 3: Using Windows key

1 Press the Windows key

Press the Windows key to switch between these 2 types of desktops: Classic and Metro.

Method 4: Using Start button

1 Find the Start button

Go to the bottom-right side of your screen and put the mouse hover this icon.

2 Click on Start

Then, a new vertical menu will appear (also called Charms menu).
Then, click on the Start button.

3 The result

You are now on the classic Desktop. To switch back, press the Start button again (on the classic Desktop, the Start button is in the bottom-left side of your screen).

The post Windows 8 How Switch To Desktop Mode appeared first on CrocoTIPS.

Windows 7

Method 1: Using Desktop

1 Right click on Desktop

2 The result

As you can see, this is a fast way to change the size of the Desktop’s icons with a few clicks.

Method 2: Using mouse scroll

This method is better because you can choose a custom size for icons.

1 Select icons

Select all icons with your mouse. Left click and keep it pressed, then select all icons.

2 Release the left click

Then release the left click button of your mouse. The icons should remain selected, like in this image.

3 Resize icons

Then keep pressed the Ctrl key on your keyboard and in the same time scroll with the mouse wheel: up to increase the size and down to make the icons smaller.

The smallest size for icons using this method.

Method 3: Through Control Panel

This method is not very convenient because requires logoff/login in order to apply changes.

1 Go to Control Panel

2 Go to Appearance

Click on Appearance and Personalization.

3 Click on Display

4 Change the size

Then change the size of the icons by choosing one of the options: smaller (100% – the default one), medium (125% size) or larger (150% size).

5 Click Apply

Then click Apply.
You need to logoff and login in order to apply these changes.

Windows 8

Method 1: Mouse scroll

1 Hold Ctrl + mouse scroll

Click once anywhere on your desktop, then hold the Ctrl key and scroll with the mouse. Scroll forward to increase the size or scroll backward to make the icons smaller.

Method 2: Select a View mode

1 Right click on Desktop

Right click on your Desktop, then choose View.

2 Choose the new size

Choose between large, medium and small icons.

The post How To Change Icon Size (for Desktop) In Windows appeared first on CrocoTIPS.

Method 1: Windows + X

This method works for both desktop modes: Metro and classic.

1 Press Windows + X

2 Access Control Panel

Now you can click on the Control Panel link.

Method 2: Using Windows Explorer

1 Press Windows + E

Press Windows + E keys.

2 This PC

Then click on This PC

3 Go to Computer

Then click on the Computer tab.

4 Go to Control Panel

Then click on Open Control Panel.

Method 3: Search it

1 Open the Search menu

Press Windows + Q keys in the same time.

2 Search it

Then search for Control Panel.

Note: Make sure that Everywhere is selected.

Tip: if you right click on Control Panel icon, you can Pin it to taskbar and you will always have it in the bottom of the screen.

Method 4: Run menu

1 Press Windows + R

2 Search it

Then type control panel, then hit Enter or press Ok.

The Control Panel is now visible.

Method 5: Through Metro interface

1 Go to Apps view

Move the mouse down (to bottom-left) until an arrow will appear. Then click on this arrow.

2 Go to Control panel

Then, a new window will appear, with different applications and buttons. You can swipe to the right (yes, there are more items to the right) and click on Control Panel.

Alternatively, you can search for it in the search bar.

Tip: if you right click, then you can click on Open File Location and from there you can create a shortcut to Control Panel on your desktop.

The post How To Get To Control Panel In Windows 8 appeared first on CrocoTIPS.

For the new features, Windows shows tips and small windows with tutorials that will disappear after you use that feature for a couple of times.

Although you don’t have a touchscreen device, Windows 8.1 shows this message and you can’t close it.
“Switch between apps. Swipe in from the left edge to go back to the last app .. Begin with your finger outside of your screen”.

If you have a touchscreen device, performing the actions (from the message) will make the message to disappear. But if you don’t have it,you need to close this annoying message.

1 The message

2 Go to Search

Press Windows + Q keys, to go to Search menu.

3 Go to Device Manager

Search for “device manager”, then click on it.

4 Go to Human Interface Devices

Double click on it and a menu will expand.

5 Disable touch screen

Right click on HID – compliant touch screen and then click Disable

6 Confirm the Disable

Choose Yes. Then the message will disappear.

The post How To Disable Switch between apps Message in Windows 8.1 appeared first on CrocoTIPS.

Windows 8

1 Go to Desktop

2 Go to Personalize

When you are on your Desktop, right click, then choose Personalize.

3 Change desktop icons

Then click Change desktop icons

4 Add Computer icon to desktop

Then choose Computer, then click Apply and Ok.

5 Result

The Computer icon is on your desktop. You can re-arrange them with drag&drop.

Windows 7

1 Go to Personalize

Right click on Desktop, then choose Personalize.

2 Change desktop icons

Then click on Change desktop icons

3 Add the icon to desktop

Select the Computer item, then click Apply and Ok.

4 Result

The (My) Computer shortcut is on your desktop.

The post How To Add My Computer To Desktop in Windows appeared first on CrocoTIPS.

In this guide you will learn how to disable/enable the Sleep mode.

Windows 7

1 Go to Control Panel

2 Go to Power Options

Search for Power Options, then click on it.

3 Change plan settings

For the plant that is currently selected or checked, choose Change plan settings

4 Change settings

At Put the computer to sleep, choose Never and your computer will not enter in the Sleep mode. Also, you can choose another time interval. Then click Save changes.

In addition, in the same way, you can disable the turning off of the display.

Windows 8

1 Go to Search menu

Press Windows + Q keys to be able to use the Search function.

2 Search for Power Options

Search for Power options, then click on it.

3 Change settings

For the selected plan, click on Change plan settings

4 Turn off Sleep

At Put the computer to sleep, select Never.
Then click Save changes.

Also, you can choose a different time interval if you don’t want to completely disable the Sleep mode.

The post How To Turn Off Sleep Mode On Windows 7/8 appeared first on CrocoTIPS.

What is doing? BIOS is checking the main hardware components (processors, memory, motherboard, sound card ..) to see if they are working properly and if there are any errors. Usually, there aren’t any errors and the computer will continue to load the operating system.

Why do you need BIOS? You can make different basic adjustments for hardware configuration, such as the boot order (where the computer will look to load the first program), change date and time for PC , set a password at BIOS level.

1 Restart the computer

2 Press the special key

During the start, the computer will display which keyboard key you must press in order to enter into BIOS. Depending by the instructions from the start-up process, press the keyboard key to enter into Setup or BIOS.

Common keys used to enter into BIOS (CMOS) menu:

• F2
• Del
• F10
• F12
• Esc

3 The BIOS

The BIOS menu will look like this.
In this menu you can navigate with arrow keys and if you need to exit, go to Exit, then press Enter or follow the instructions from the screen.

The post How To Enter in BIOS – Windows 8/7/XP appeared first on CrocoTIPS.

The boot location is defined in BIOS (also called CMOS) menu.

The BIOS sets the boot order, this means it will look on those locations and if will find a valid file, it will start it from there.

For example, if you have the Hard Drive first (in the boot order), the computer will start the Windows operating system. If you have a bootable DVD/CD or USB and you want to reinstall Windows, you can’t because the Hard Drive is first and the computer will load the installed operating system and will not check for the next devices mentioned in the boot order. So, to install a new Windows from DVD/CD or USB, you must put these devices first, in BIOS->Boot order.

Tip: in order to start the PC faster, let the Hard Drive first at the boot order, after you finish your new Windows installation from a CD, USB etc..

1 Go to BIOS

2 Go to Boot menu

Using the arrow keys, go to the Boot menu.

3 Change boot order

With arrow keys, go to the device that you want to be first, at boot order.
Then press + or – to move it up or down.

For example, I pressed + to move the CD-ROM drive first.

4 Save changes

Then Exit by Saving changes.

The post How To Change Boot Order appeared first on CrocoTIPS.

To see how you can manually switch between Start(Metro) and Classic desktops on Windows 8 check this tutorial.

Method 1: via Control Panel

1 Go to Control Panel

2 Appearance and Personalization

Then go to Appearance and Personalization

3 Taskbar and Navigation

Then click on Taskbar and Navigation

4 Go to Navigation

Click on Navigation tab.

5 Boot directly to classic desktop

Then check the option “When i sign in or close all apps on a screen, go to the desktop instead of Start”.
Then click Apply and Ok.

Next times when you start Windows, the first screen will be the classic desktop instead Start (Metro).

Method 2: From Taskbar

1 Go to classic Desktop

In you are on the Start(Metro) desktop, then press Windows + D keys to go to classic Desktop.
(for other methods to switch between Start(Metro) and classic Desktop check this guide.

2  Right click on Taskbar

Right click on Taskbar, then click Properties.

3 Go to Navigation

Go to Navigation tab.

4 Change the default desktop

Check the option “When i sign in or close all apps on a screen, go to the desktop instead of Start”, then click Apply and Ok.
Next time, when you start computer, the default desktop will be the classic one.

The post How To Boot/Start Directly to Desktop in Windows 8.1/8 appeared first on CrocoTIPS.