Microsoft Office 365 Business Premium

(formerly Microsoft 365 Business)

• Stay up to date with the latest versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more.
• Connect with customers and coworkers using Outlook, Exchange, and Teams.
• Manage your files from anywhere with 1 TB of cloud storage on OneDrive per user.
• Defend your business against advanced cyberthreats with sophisticated phishing and ransomware protection.
• Control access to sensitive information using encryption to help keep data from being accidentally shared.
• Secure devices that connect to your data and help keep iOS, Android, Windows, and Mac devices safe and up to date.

Compatible with Windows 10 Pro. Some management features are not supported in Windows Home. All languages included.

The reason I posted the article is to address one of the features of this license. You are given upgrade rights for previous versions of Windows with this subscription but it has to be a pro version. So if you have a PC with Windows 10 (Home) on it, it does not qualify for the upgrade with this license.

Customers who wish to run Microsoft 365 Business Premium in their organization must be running Windows 10 Pro* on their desktops in order for the service to manage their PCs.
*Windows 10 Pro upgrade rights are included with Microsoft 365 Business Premium if the machines are presently running Windows 7 Pro or 8.1 Pro.

How To: Using Windows File Explorer as an FTP Client

Richard Hay, winsupersite.com discussed the built-in capabilities of Windows File Explorer to be used as an FTP Client.  I love tips like these and always want to keep them somewhere so I can pull them out when I need them. That is one of the reasons I have this blog. Not only can I share with others but I also get to keep the info available for us as well. Anyway, Richard has great illustrations to lead you by the hand and explains very well how to use it and what you are able to do with this in File Explorer.

FTP or File Transfer Protocol is a standard network protocol that is used for transferring computer files between a client and a server on a computer network.

FTP Wikipedia Site

Windows 10S Video Walk Through

Windows 10S overview provided by Windows Central:

Should You Take Advantage of Microsoft’s FREE Windows 10 Upgrade?

There are quite a few questions that you will have to ask yourself before you should pull the trigger. With the deadline coming up the end of July, 2016, You have just a short time to make your decision before it costs you money to do the upgrade instead of being free.

1. Can my hardware take advantage of Windows 10? If your hardware isn’t capable of taking advantage of Windows 10 then maybe you should do your upgrade by purchasing new hardware. It obviously will cost you money to do this but if your system was an entry level device when you purchased it, and it is 4+ years old then you may be in this category. Minimum requirements are not always acceptable performance levels. Here is what Microsoft says are for Windows 10 System Requirements.
2. Will my software work with Windows 10? This is a big issue especially in a business environment. Do you have legacy software that performs poorly or not at all in a Windows 10 machine? While you might want to jump onto this new operating software, your application software might not work. How will that affect your job and the things that you need to do? Obviously in the best of all worlds your software will be compatible but this might not be the case. Take for instance the number of “Cloud-Based Applications” that we now use that require a specific browser to be able to work correctly. You would think that with the application being online it would always be up-to-date and be able to take advantage of newest and greatest operating systems. Not the case, especially in the financial industry where things move at a slow crawl. So, you need to look at all of the applications that you are using before flipping the switch and make sure that they will work in Window 10.
3. What is it going to take to learn Windows 10? If you find yourself not adopting will to change, or your users are of the ilk, then this has to be a real consideration. If you are running in a WIndows 7 environment you have until 2020 before EOL sets in for you. That’s almost four years before you will forced to do something. If you are running Windows 8.0, I think that it is a “NO BRAINER”, jump and upgrade. You’ll be much happier especially with the how Microsoft has compromised between the Windows 7 interface and the Windows 8. But for a lot of people, change is hard. You want to keep what is familiar to you at hand. But, if everything else is pointing you to make the change, do so. It really isn’t that bad and there are some real advantages especially if you are running a laptop with a touchscreen.
4. Support? Do you have a support network to help you through the transition? Not everyone has a tech department to fall back on. While we do offer these services, they are not necessarily cheap. There are many online videos that can help you transition and learn the little nuances of the operating system and there are plenty of books available as well. If you have been around computers for awhile then you are not a stranger to change I’m sure.

With all of these things in mind and you want to make the leap, this is the time to do it. Make sure you have good backups before starting the process and follow the instructions exactly. Microsoft has a booklet that will help you through the process located right here.

Windows 10 Feature Cuts

Before deciding what you want to do about upgrading your Windows 7 or 8.1 operating systems to Windows 10, think about what programs that you use that may or may not be available to you in the new operating system.

Windows Media Center is one of those programs that I am sorry to see go by the wayside. Microsoft has been planning this for a while but it makes me unhappy to see it go. From Microsoft's Windows 10 spec page here are some of the other features that are being cut:

Feature deprecation section

• If you have Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Ultimate, Windows 8 Pro with Media Center, or Windows 8.1 Pro with Media Center and you install Windows 10, Windows Media Center will be removed.
• Watching DVDs requires separate playback software
• Windows 7 desktop gadgets will be removed as part of installing Windows 10.
• Windows 10 Home users will have updates from Windows Update automatically available. Windows 10 Pro and Windows 10 Enterprise users will have the ability to defer updates.
• Solitaire, Minesweeper, and Hearts Games that come pre-installed on Windows 7 will be removed as part of installing the Windows 10 upgrade. Microsoft has released our version of Solitaire and Minesweeper called the “Microsoft Solitaire Collection” and “Microsoft Minesweeper.”
• If you have a USB floppy drive, you will need to download the latest driver from Windows Update or from the manufacturer’s website.
• If you have Windows Live Essentials installed on your system, the OneDrive application is removed and replaced with the inbox version of OneDrive.

Most of these items you can live without but if you still have some things on on floppies that you haven't moved to other media, you may want to consider doing that before upgrading. I think most people have already done that but here is the impetus to do so. Entire experience at the store more people will be worried about Solitaire than anything else.

Microsoft announces six different versions of Windows 10

There will be six versions released, with Windows 10 Home, Windows 10 Mobile, Windows 10 Mobile Enterprise, Windows 10 Pro, Windows 10 Enterprise, and Windows 10 Education. As you can see, most people will opt for Home or Professional. Here is a quick run down from Mary Jo Foley:

Windows 10 Home: The consumer-focused desktop edition. This will include the core Windows 10 features, such as the Edge browser, Continuum tablet-mode for touch-capable devices; Cortana integration; free Photos, Maps, Mail, Calendar; Music and Video apps; and Windows Hello face-recognition/iris/fingerprint log-in for devices that support those technologies. On devices with screen sizes of 10.1 inches or less, users also will get Universal Office apps for free, once they are available.

Windows 10 Mobile: This is the SKU for Windows Phones and small Intel- and ARM-based tablets. ("Small" means between three and 7.99 inches in size.) This SKU will include the core Windows 10 features; free Universal Office apps once they are available; and support for Continuum for Phone, allowing customers to use phones as PCs connected to larger screens (but only on new devices supporting certain screen resolutions).

Windows 10 Mobile Enterprise: This is a version of Windows 10 Mobile for volume licensing customers only. According to the blog post, this SKU incorporates the latest security and feature updates to Windows 10 once they are available. There's no word if users will be able to delay these updates in order to test/stagger their delivery, which is offered under Windows Update for Business.

Windows 10 Pro: A desktop version of Windows 10 for mobile workers, tech enthusiasts and other power users. This version is one of at least two -- the other being Windows 10 Enterprise -- that will allow users to opt for Windows Update for Business. Windows Update for Business will allow admins to opt to not receive all feature and security updates from Microsoft immediately after they are available.

Windows 10 Enterprise: This is the Enterprise version of Windows 10 that is available to volume-licensing customers. This version is not part of Microsoft's first-year-free upgrade offer, but those with volume-licensing Software Assurance customers will be able to move to this version as part of their licensing terms. The Enterprise version customers get access to the Long Term Servicing Branch of Windows 10 -- which allows them to opt to receive security fixes only and no new features as Microsoft rolls them out.

Windows 10 Education: This is the version for staff, administrators, students and teachers, and will be available through academic Volume Licensing. Microsoft officials say there will be paths for schools and students to upgrade from Windows 10 Home and Pro, but don't yet provide details on that front.

Microsoft sets Windows 9 reveal for Sept. 30

Are you ready for a new update? Most of the world says yes but what will it look like? Invitations went out on Monday for a September 30th event where Microsoft will show off the next version of Windows. One of the ongoing questions being bandied about is how much is the new version going to cost. If they decide to give it away for free or very low nominal cost then it would go along way to heal the rift that has opened up on how Corporate Users look at version 8 and 8.1.

Microsoft is going to presumably release it sometime during the first half of 2015. Corporate users as a whole don’t much care for the split personality (User Interface) of Version 8 and if Version 9 converges the functions within a single user interface than it might be a more widely accepted product. If Microsoft doesn’t provide a product that Corporate wants to use than we might see a real decline in Microsoft’s presence in the workplace.

There have been some images leaked showing what the new operating screen is going to look like but I still take a wait and see attitude before I jump aboard. What everyone is saying should happen will hopefully happen and we will get a good product that makes us all very happy users.

Is 2014 the year for Windows Tablets to have their first strong boost in sales?

So the simple question is whether the corporate world is going to make its first will push into replacing notebook purchases with tablet purchases. This is the real area that has a use for a Windows based tablet if there is one. Gartner seems to thing that this will one of the 2014 trends but I am still in a wait to see stance about this. Window’s main advantage is the ability to run natively programs such as Microsoft Office and of course Outlook. While there are ways to work around this on the other devices, having this one capability for most of us pounding with Office through out the day would much rather have it running device that we are used to. Add in other job related applications that require Windows as the base operating system and all of sudden you have a real reason to buy this type of device. I am surprised that it hasn’t happened as of yet and that is the main reason that I still hold the wait and see attitude.

The choices are going to get better as the year progresses so keep your eyes open for some of the new products that you will have to choose from.

Windows XP SP3 and Office 2003 support ends April 8, 2014. So, what does this mean to you?

Those of us in business environments are going to be the most affected, especially if you are in industries that require your company to maintain certain compliancy's. CPA firms, Law Firms, Banking and other Financial Institutions, Investment Advisors, Medical Offices and other facilities. If you fall under HIPPA requirements this is going to be an issue for you.

But are these the only issues? No! Software companies are constantly updating their software and they are going to stop support of their software on XP based systems. They will not want to expose themselves to the exploits that will become rampant after the end of support by Microsoft. But it isn’t going to be just software but also hardware manufacturers will also stop creating drivers for the products to be supported on this older technology. We have seen it with every discontinued Microsoft Operating System. So begin thinking about want you are going to do to get yourself up to date before it is too late.

Microsoft News…

This has been a busy couple of weeks for Microsoft with the introduction of the Surface RT and Surface Pro tablets. StatCounter has stated that Windows 7 has garnered more than half of the worldwide operating system market. Windows 7 is officially more popular than Windows XP by their count.Net Applications claims that Windows XP still holds 43.61-percent of the OS market, with their data showing that XP edges out Windows 7 ever so slightly, with Windows 7 sitting at 41.59-percent. Who ever you wish to believe we are seeing the acceptance of Windows 7 as a primary Windows Platform.

So what about Window 8? Microsoft is hoping that you will take advantage of their upgrade pricing they have announced. There are two options available for you to choose from. If you purchase a new Windows 7 computer between June 1st and the end of the year you can get a Windows 8 pro upgrade for about $15. That’s a pretty good deal. They have also announced that you can get Windows 8 and Media Center for download for anyone that is running Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7 for $39.99 or if you want your own media it will cost you $69.99. This upgrade will run through January 31, 2013.

Windows 8 Pro upgrade settings, files, apps migration details:

• From consumer Windows 7: Can bring everything, which includes Windows settings, personal files, and apps.
• From Windows Vista: Can bring Windows settings and personal files.
• From Windows XP: Can only bring along personal files.

"You will be able to create your own bootable USB or .ISO file, which can be burned onto a DVD for upgrade and backup purposes. If you prefer, you also have the option of purchasing a backup DVD for $15 plus shipping and handling," Microsoft said.

Here's How: Set Windows 7 To Auto Log ON

Our Mark Stein recently sent over instructions on how to turn on Auto Log ON on a Windows 7 System. I also found this excerpt from Microsoft’s Channel 9 that suggests that you might not want to do this, but if your heart is set on bypassing this security function read on…

Although I don’t personally recommend this, there are some people out there who don’t want to bother with using a password to protect their Windows user account. Using a password in Windows isn’t required, only suggested. But even if you don’t fill one in, you still have to click your user icon to start the login process.

An easier way - although again much less secure - is to enable auto-logins for your Windows PC. This is possible in Windows 7, as it was in prior versions, but it takes a little finagling to do so. (And for good reason, darn it.)

Still, if you must do this, here’s how:

1. Press the Windows key + R on your keyboard to launch the “Run” dialog box.
2. Type in control userpasswords2
3. Press Enter. The User Accounts window will display.
4. Uncheck the option “Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer”
5. Click “OK”
6. You will then be prompted to enter the current password and confirm it.
7. After doing so, you will no longer be prompted to enter your password upon login.

Use this tip at your own risk!

It’s Official! 3 Versions of Windows 8…

Surprise, Surprise… Microsoft makes Windows name OFFICIAL and there will only be three versions.

So what did we expect. Window 8 will be the consumer/home version, Windows 8 Pro is the business/enterprise version and what is the third version? WOA! WOA is the ARM version of the Windows 8 and that is all we get. That’s okay. What else do we need. This is of course overly simplified.

Take a look at the “Announcing the Windows 8 Editions” blog post to get more information. There is some detail here that will highlight the differences between the versions and you can determine what you will want from there.

http://windowsteamblog.com/windows/b/bloggingwindows/archive/2012/04/16/announcing-the-windows-8-editions.aspx

Cheat Sheet: 100 Windows 8 Keyboard Shortcuts

TechRepublic has put together a handy cheat sheet of 100 keyboard shortcuts. If you are just getting into Windows 8 you will want to take the time to download this document. It will help you get started rather quickly. If you want to take the Windows 8 Tour and looking for help use the short cut key choice of [WINDOWS] + [F1].

Here is the link to TechRepublic’s article and the free PDF you can download can be found here.

Windows XP only has two years support left

So, we are seeing the information coming to us from many sources but what does this deadline in 2014 really mean? So what is Microsoft saying to us? There are just two years to go. Two years to migrate your Windows XP-based PCs to a more modern operating system, such as Windows 7. Two years to enter the 21st century. Two years until XP support is over.

This week Microsoft began its two year countdown to the end of Windows XP support. The magic date is April 8, 2014. This is also true for Microsoft Office 2003. “If you still have some PCs running Windows XP and Office 2003 in your organization,” Microsoft director Stella Chernyak wrote in a post to the Windows For Your Business Blog, “now would be a good time to start migrating them to Windows 7 and Office 2010.”

The number of systems this will affect is huge. About 50% of Windows based systems (approximately 900 million) are still running Windows XP with that percentage probably much higher for enterprises. Microsoft downplays the benefits of continuing to use XP by stating that XP was “a great software release for its time”  but that the market and user’s expectations have grown with time. Most people would agree though, that Windows XP is no less usable today it just not able to take full advantage of today’s technology advances.

The number one reason most people tell me that they are hesitant in moving to Windows 7 is application compatibility. Either with actual programs or web applications. In most cases I haven’t seen this as a problem unless you are still running forms of DOS applications. Even then there are workarounds though not very elegant. Web apps are another concern though where in some cases older browsers are need to be used to function correctly. This has been a big problem especially since support for IE 6 has been dropped and the reported security problems with this browser version are well documented. This tie down of the infrastructure growth is something that needs to be addressed but in many cases is time consuming and could be quite expensive.

The number two and three blockers of Windows 7 migration have nothing to do with technology. Money and inertia are telling because in large institutions are like an ocean liner and you can move them easily from their current course quickly. In today’s tight economy everyone is looking at cutting costs not incurring new costs. We are all trying to learn to do with what we have for longer.

Paul Thurrott wrote:

XP, in some ways, is the best investment the enterprise ever made, the Windows version that refuses to die. Ironically, it came of age at a time when Microsoft was trying to grow beyond its roots as a maker of systems for smaller companies; in courting enterprises and big business, Microsoft had to extend the lifecycle for its platform offerings far beyond that of older products. And XP’s lifecycle was positively affected by the lateness of Windows Vista, which caused Microsoft to push things even further out.

So let’s go back to my initial question, what does it mean to you when Microsoft stops supporting Windows XP? Microsoft states: “An unsupported version of Windows will no longer receive software updates from Windows Update. These include security updates that can help protect your PC from harmful viruses, spyware, and other malicious software, which can steal your personal information. Windows Update also installs the latest software updates to improve the reliability of Windows—new drivers for your hardware and more.” In other words, your system could become open to attack with Microsoft no longer plugging the holes like they currently do with their patch updates. In a locked down environment this may  not mean anything but very few of us live in that kind of world. The internet has become a large part of our computer experience and a necessary evil. We need to look forward starting now to work our way into migrating our systems to Window 7 so that we are not caught up in the problems that could occur down the road by not taking the necessary steps and upgrading your equipment/software.

Windows lifecycle fact sheet

More Information from Microsoft:

Windows XP Support and End of Sales

Even though we ended the sale of Windows XP on October 22, 2010, we still plan to provide support for individual users and businesses until April 2014. For more information, see the Windows XP Help & How-to page. As Windows XP sales come to an end, it's also a good time to think about upgrading to Windows 7, which is designed to be compatible with many of the Windows XP programs you're accustomed to using.

My business relies on Windows XP. What'll happen if I have technical problems?

We understand some of our customers aren't ready to upgrade their PCs to Windows 7. Although Windows XP will soon disappear from stores, we'll continue to offer Extended Support for the operating system until April 2014. For more details, see the Microsoft Support Lifecycle.

Can I run my earlier Windows XP programs on Windows 7?

Windows 7 is designed to be compatible with the most popular hardware and software products you use every day. Thousands of these will work just fine. The Windows 7 Compatibility Center makes it easy for you to find out if particular programs or hardware work with Windows 7.

What if my business software only runs on Windows XP?

Some editions of Windows 7 support Windows XP Mode, which enables you to run older Windows XP business software right on your Windows 7 desktop. Designed primarily with small- and medium-sized businesses in mind, Windows XP Mode comes as a separate download and works only with Windows 7 Professional, Ultimate, and Enterprise. Windows XP Mode also requires virtualization software such as Windows Virtual PC. Both are available free on the Microsoft website. 

Can I downgrade my OEM version of Windows 7 Professional to Windows XP Professional?

Chit Chat for Facebook

One of the things that I look at when I test out a new software is how well it is suited for its purpose and how easy it is to use. Ease of use entails two things for me, first, how intuitive is the interface and second, how clean the GUI is for the user. I have found that an uncluttered interface helps the end-user to easily see the information the program is presenting and allows you to use more efficiently.

For those of you that are active in Facebook and use the chat feature a good bit you may want to opt for a UK product called Chit Chat for Facebook. If you have a Mac computer you are currently out of luck but if you are Windows PC user, iPhone or Blackberry smart phone user you can download the app on these system. You can use it on your iPad as well but it has not been optimized for that device. If you have an Android device you are also currently out of luck.

This product has a simple streamlined interface and provides a smaller more specific screen footprint to allow you to continue working on your PC while trying to keep in touch with your Facebook IM. If this is something that you find you are doing a lot of, then this might be just the product for you.

Press Release

A few screen prints have been provided here: 
http://images.chitchat.org.uk/fbwebmessenger_screenprint3.png
http://images.chitchat.org.uk/fbwebmessenger_screenprint1.png
http://images.chitchat.org.uk/fbwebmessenger_screenprint2.png

Is it time to start thinking about migrating to Windows 7?

Microsoft has already begun a major campaign talking up its soon to be released Windows 8 operating system. They are positioning it to try to make it relevant for the legions of iPad and Smartphone buyers to reconsider Windows as a choice for their operating system. While it is true that there are still some holdouts that haven’t migrated from XP to Windows 7 yet if you haven’t made the leap you may want to consider it soon. Microsoft wars that there will be no support for Windows XP beyond 2014.

“We are end-of-lifing XP and Office 2003 and everything prior in April 2014,” said Kevin Turner,  Microsoft’s chief operating officer, during a meeting with financial analysts this month. “So for all those companies that have the old products that haven’t quite started the refresh, guess what? ... It’s now time for [XP] to go.”

Typically Microsoft ends support for a product after 10 years which would mean this year but Microsoft extended support until 2014. Don’t expect another extension.

”We’re basically giving it a time-of-death stamp,” Turner said. Once it retires XP, Microsoft won’t offer support or security updates.

There are quite a few things to consider over the next few years. Most of us that are in the Microsoft house have a large commitment to their infrastructure and it would be difficult to make a complete change to another operating system. Windows 7 and the soon to be released Windows 8 are new operating systems, and though they retain some backwards compatibility with previous versions it is ever more apparent that you need to make the leap and either embrace the new operating systems or make a break and move on to something totally new.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this.

Tech note. Repairing a broken windows boot with a missing system32.doc

Repairing an broken windows boot with a missing system32/config file

The easy way.

Ok now we have all done the boot to windows CD and ran chdsk /r and fixboot with fixmbr.

But sometimes it just won’t work, here a quick way that so far has fixed everything I have thrown at it.

• Get a copy of Ubuntu Linix
• Throw your copy in and boot to it on the broken system. The OS will load and then ask you if you wish to try it or install it. Click try, sit back and wait a min.
• Once you get to the desktop click on places>Filesystem
• The file system should have a number in front of it that will the size of your HDD
• Once inside your HDD go to system volume information.
• Once in here look for a folder called _restore-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
• (xxx should be random numbers and letters)
• Go in here you will see a bunch of RP folders with numbers next to them. These are restore points folders. Find the latest restore point and pick the one before that. Click in there and find a folder called snapshot.
• Once inside here folder your file called _registry_machine_system.
• Minimize this window.
• Open another instance of your HDD (places> File system)
• This time go to Windows/system32/config.
• Find the SYSTEM file and rename SYSTEM.old.
• Now go back to your _registry_machine_system file copy it and paste it in to system32/config and rename the file to SYSTEM.

Once all this is done, go to the top right of the OS and find the power button click it pick shut down, when it asks you to remove the disk do so, and hit enter. Let the system fully power off then turn it back on, with some luck you have ticked the system in to using an older system config file but with your changes from the last restore point. Remember restore points are made with every windows update so worst case you might lose a program that was installed a week earlier.

Hope this helps.

Scott

How To: More Special Windows Keystroke Functions

Here are some more keyboard shortcuts that you may find useful.

Shift + Delete	If you want to delete the highlighted item and bypass the Trash Can, use this key combination. The downside is that you won’t get the opportunity to easily restore the file from the Recycle Bin if you later decide you want it back, but you also won’t have to bother emptying the Recycle Bin if you use this method to ditch unwanted files.
Windows + (+/-)	Want a closer look at whatever’s on your screen? Hit Windows and + to zoom in for a magnified view. While you’re magnified, moving the mouse around the screen will move you to the far corners and bring them into view. Windows and - zooms you back out again.
Windows + 1, 2, 3, etc.	Windows 7 introduced a new feature that lets you pin apps to your Taskbar for quick access. An even quicker way to access those apps is with this slick keyboard shortcut. Press Windows + 1 to launch the first pinned app in your Taskbar (from left to right). Windows + 2 launches the second one, Windows + 3 launches the third one, and so on.
Windows + T	Windows + number launches pinned apps in your Taskbar, but if your apps are already open, there’s a quick way to scroll through them. Press Windows + T and you’ll highlight the first open app in your Taskbar. Press it again and you’ll move to the second open app. As you scroll through them, you’ll get a preview box just as you would if you were hovering over the icon with your mouse. When you get to the app you want, hit Enter to bring it to the foreground. This shortcut only works with open apps, and ignores unopened apps that you’ve pinned to your Taskbar.
Windows + Spacebar	If you need to take a quick look at your desktop use this keyboard combo. All of your windows will clear and you will be able to see your desktop. Why might you want to do this? Maybe to see the file you just saved to the desktop… Press Windows + Spacebar, and all of your open windows will turn transparent so you can see right through them. This even works with maximized windows and full-screen views. To return your view to normal, simply let go of the keys.
Windows + Shift + Left or Right Arrow	If you use a dual-monitor setup to maximize your screen real estate, you might like to use one monitor as your primary working screen and the other as a holding pen for active windows. Or maybe you just need to move a window from one side to the other for some reason. In either case, hitting Windows + Shift + Left Arrow will move a current window to from the right display to the left, and using Right Arrow will move it from the left display to the right. If you only have one monitor, these commands will dock your window to the designated side of the screen.
Windows + Shift + Down Arrow	Do you want to minimize the current window to work on something underneath? Using this Keystroke combination will Minimize the current Window.
Windows Logo + L	Do you have sensitive information on your screen that you don’t want others to see when you walk to the coffee machine for a refill? Use this key combination to instantly bring you back to a login screen. You will need to have put in a login/password for you account for this to work this way.
Alt + F6	If you’ve got multiple windows open within a given app, this handy shortcut will let you quickly switch between them, so you don’t have to waste time clicking around in search of the right window. This doesn’t work inside an application like a browser where you have multiple tabs open to different sites. The application must be in separate windows.
Windows + M	We all have a tendency to leave program windows open as we move from application to application during the day. If you want to clear the screen to get back to your desktop this key combination will Minimize all your windows to get to your desktop quickly.
Shift + CTRL + N	Windows 7 Explorer window is easier to use to create new folders but using this keystroke combination will create a new untitled folder in the current folder location.The new folder will appear with the name ‘New folder’ already highlighted so you can type in your own name for it and hit Enter to move on to the next task.

How To: Some of my favorite keyboard shortcut commands

When it comes to Windows I am totally old school. Whenever I find a keyboard shortcut that I can use instead of going through a menu system I definitely use them. Here are 10 of my most often use keyboard shortcuts that can be used in many different Windows Programs as well as Office.

1. Cut, Copy and Paste are usually some of the first commands that you learn the shortcut keys for. They can be used not only when editing documents but in many utility situations as well. Cut – will delete your selected text or item and place that selection into the memory buffer that is called the clipboard. You can perform this operation with a mouse one of two ways, by selecting it of the edit menu or ribbon bar, right mouse clicking on the selection and choosing Cut on pop-up menu or by holding down the [CTRL] key and pressing [X] simultaneously.
2. Copy – the keyboard shortcut is [CTRL] [C]
3. Paste – the keyboard shortcut is [CTRL] [V]
4. Select entire contents can be done with [CTRL] [A]
5. To force a save press [CTRL] [S]
6. To center a line press [CTRL] [E]
7. To align text to the left press [CTRL] [L]
8. To align text to the right press [CTRL] [R]
9. To undo the last command press [CTRL] [Z]
10. And for my last one I will give you a twofer, [CTRL] [I] applies Italics to the selected text and [CTRL] [B] will Bold the selected text.