How-To Geek

http://www.voidtools.com/

Everything Search Engine. Locate files and folders by name instantly.

Free study guide to Comptia Strata (basics) simple registration process to get your password (have tried and tested this site fully) :

http://www.strata-learning.co.uk/

OLD and NEW applications :

http://www.oldapps.com/

Tutorials

http://www.7tutorials.com/tutorials

Rick P.

Mike Halsey is a Microsoft MVP who - among other things - contributes to a wonderful tech site called gHacks.com

Halsy is also the author of a very useful eBook titled, "Windows 7 Power Users Guide"

Originally, the book was available for download by purchasing it - however today Mike Halsy has decided to make it available for free. The book covers a wide range of topics - such as how to install, setup and get started - all the way to some very useful tips, tricks and "hidden secrets".

Anybody who may be interested can learn more about the book, as well as access the free download link, via the gHacks website, where Mike Halsey makes the offer:

http://www.ghacks.net/2011/05/.....-now-free/
Hope some people find this useful.

NOTE TO ALL:

I just tried to click on the link in my original post from this morning, which now appears as a sticky at the top of the forum page.

Apparently, Mike Halsey has updated his original article and, as a result, that link is no longer valid and will render an error page on the gHacks website.

Halsey writes:

"UPDATE : In the first day of it’s release as a free eBook, the Windows 7 Power Users Guide has received more than half a million downloads! The book contains 16 chapters and is a guide on how to get the very best out of Windows 7 from installation to configuration and advanced operations. It includes step-by-step guides, screenshots and diagrams on every page, quick tips throughout the book and is presented in full colour."

He provides some further interesting details, as well as the link where people can still go to download a free copy of his wonderful eBook.

The new link for this is:

http://www.ghacks.net/2011/05/.....-now-free/

I would respectfully request that the moderators here either edit, correct or replace the old and invalid information with the link above, which is current and working.

Apologies for any problems or confusion tghis may have caused anybody.

Can I REQUEST a site or 12??? The BEST beginner Windows 7 sites.. I did see a lot of reference stuff here about W7 - but that right now is even too advanced. I do the basics in Vista 64 Home Premium Serv Pac 2 and get by fine, I dont do ANY customizations what so ever - i dont know what would have been best for me. (photographer and editor of said digital images) Now, Windows 7 im deathly afraid of the change and I LOATHED V64 forevvver. Thank you!!!

Intel Raid Chipset Drivers for XP F6 or Slipstream installations.
http://downloadcenter.intel.co.....Technology

Ultimate Windows Tweaker

http://www.thewindowsclub.com/.....ws-7-vista

No Installation needed.

Direct download page for W7 with SP1. It's a 30 day trial which can be activated with your pc/laptop's product key. Installed it myself and works fine but it's a big download at 3GB:

http://www.askvg.com/direct-do.....nd-64-bit/

Burn .iso at 4x with Imgburn or other iso burner.

I've found a simpler alternative to WinPatrol which doesn't clutter up your system tray but notifies you when an application wants to register to startup with your system and needs permission from you to block/allow. It has none of the other functionality of WinPatrol but the StartUp monitor side of it was the only bit I used of it so I like this app.

http://www.mlin.net/StartupMonitor.shtml