Adjusting computer settings so they’re just right
In a perfect world you would buy a computer and everything to do with the operating system, printer, wi-fi and other settings would function just the way you like it.
Unfortunately, in our notperfect world there is usually a lot of tweaking of computer settings to get things running well, and making those adjustments can befuddle even an experienced computer user. Even more difficult may be finding out how to get to an area where you can change particular settings.
In Windows the portal to adjusting all kinds of settings, finding out important information about your computer, and checking whether devices are running properly, is the Control Panel. In Windows 7 you access it by clicking on the Start button in the far lower left and selecting it from the list that pops up. In the Control Panel you can see categories labelled with fairly broad terms such as System and Security or smaller icons with more specific headings.
Microsoft made it difficult to find the Control Panel in Windows 8.1 but you can get to it by right-clicking the Windows icon in the lower left and selecting Control Panel.
That used to work in Windows 10 but Microsoft made two huge updates and the Control Panel option disappeared from the list you get by right-clicking the Start button. Instead you now get a list with options such as Disc Management, Device Manager, Network Connections, and System.
Instead of the Control Panel you’re supposed to use Win 10’s Settings panel with its general categories. You access it by clicking on the Start button and then the little gear icon.
However, you can still open the Control Panel by left-clicking the Start button, scrolling down the program list until you get to Windows System and clicking on Control Panel. That all sounds fine but to make any adjustments you’ve got to start clicking on icons and text boxes and wandering about until you eventually arrive at a screen where you can tinker with the settings. And if you make some bad changes you’ll have to do the whole huntand-click routine again.
Fortunately, in any version of Windows from 7 to 10, there is an easier way. It’s called God Mode. You’ll have to blame Microsoft for the ridiculously pretentious name. In this mode more than 200 available Windows settings in 40 categories are arranged on a single page.
Double click on a setting name to open a window where you can make changes. The list of adjustments is long and detailed and includes such things as changing the default printer, adjusting how the mouse works, or what happens when you close the lid of your laptop. As you might expect, it will require a series of steps to get into God Mode, although they aren’t difficult. Right click on the desktop and select New and Folder. Right click on the folder you made and choose Rename. Now for the tricky part. You’ve got to change the name to exactly this, including the name, period, brackets and hyphens: God Mode.{ED7BA470-8E54465E-825C-99712043E01C}
If you’re reading this in the Examiner print edition and you don’t want to type it all out you can cut and paste the name at my Online website at www.rayser.ca/online or find instructions at Windows Central (https://tinyurl.com/y8dbw93n).
However, you may be a casual computer user who will find God Mode or even the Settings panel pretty intimidating and would prefer some instructions such as you would get in a printed manual. In this case you’ll be pleased to know that Microsoft has a Windows Help website (https://support.microsoft.com/en-ca/products/windows?os=windows-10) which will guide you through all the major aspects of Windows with instructions for many tasks and adjustments.
Ray Saitz, a Peterborough resident and teacher, writes a regular column on the Internet. He can be reached at rayser3@cogeco.ca