How To Access Hidden International Themes in Windows 7
When you Personalize (desktop>right click>Personaliize) your PC using a Theme (desktop background/window color /sounds) – the default choices are based on the location and language who selected during installation, i.e if you’re in Australia – you only get Australian themes, in Canada you only get Canadian themes and so on.
It is however, possible to gain access to the other location-based Themes.
In Explorer go to C:\Windows\Globalization\MCT, here you’ll see the following:
Double-click the country you’re interested in, then go into the Theme folder.
e.g.
To install Canada, go to the following folder:
C:\Windows\Globalization\MCT\MCT-CA\Theme
Now double-click the executable to install that Theme, in this case it’s the ‘CA’ Windows Theme File.
Now when you go back to Personalize (desktop>right click>Personalize) you’ll be presented with a new “Canada” option in My Themes.
How to Lock and Unlock your Computer with a USB Drive
With Predator, you can turn your USB drive into a “key” that unlocks your computer when plugged in, and locks it when it’s removed.
If you prevent access to your computer with just a password, you are missing out on an alternate (and more secure) way to lock down your computer.
Predator, a free Windows program, turns your USB drive into a key that locks your computer when it’s removed. To unlock your computer, you’ll have to plug the USB drive back in. (Talk about having secret-agent-style security.)
How to Prevent Excel from Reformatting Two Numbers to a Date and Month
Type an apostrophe before entering or pasting two numbers separated by a hyphen in Microsoft Excel to keep the numbers from being converted to their month and date equivalent.
Topping my list of Microsoft Excel pet peeves is the program’s automatic conversion of two numbers on either side of a hyphen into the date and month the numbers correspond to, such as “1-1″ becoming “01-Jan.”
How to Check your PC for Windows 8 Readiness with Upgrade Assistant
Is the software and hardware on your PC compatible with Windows 8? It’s easy to find out with the Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant.
The final build of Windows 8 is due out sometime later this year. If you’re considering upgrading your current PC to Windows 8, you might want to get a head start on preparing for the upgrade. Here’s how to check your PC for Windows 8 readiness, using the Windows 8 upgrade assistant.