How to resize disk space in VirtualBox

 

VirtualBox is an excellent free solution if you need to run Windows on your Mac. However, one common problem is that over time, you run out of disk space. If you receive the "Low Disk Space" warning in Windows, your only option is to either delete files and applications or resize the amount of hard drive space you allow Windows to use on your Mac.

Fortunately, you can resize the disk space in VirtualBox, although it is a bit tricky. Here's how to resize a Windows hard drive in VirtualBox on your Mac.

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How to use photo filters in Facebook 5.1 for iOS

 

Facebook already released standalone apps messenger and the camera, but Facebook's latest update to the iOS app adds more than just improved chat or multiple photo sharing. You can now take photos and apply different filters to them before you upload them to your wall.

Even though Facebook purchased Instagram, these filters are different. The update adds a new menu you select to bring up the filters option. It's simple to use, but the included filters are a lot more difficult to see changes because of the smaller screen.

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Which version of DirectX do I have?

Which version of DirectX do I have?

 

PC games almost always have a DirectX requirement - it's often 'DirectX 9.0C'. If you're not sure which version you have installed, there's an easy way to check! These instructions will work on Windows XP, Vista andWindows 7. Read on to find out how.

Click on the Start button:

Type 'dxdiag' into the search field, then click on the dxdiag icon that appears:

A window will open with lots of information about your system - here's where you'll find your DirectX version:

That's all you need to find out your installed version of DirectX!

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Ten useful tricks for Windows Vista

Ten useful tricks for Windows Vista

  

After the Vista fever outbreak in January it seems that everything is back to normal again. There have been many articles written about Vista's qualities and weaknesses, and many opinions expressed on what Microsoft has got right and where they have failed.

In any case, during the last few months, we've had plenty of time to test Windows Vista and check all the new features for ourselves. So if you're planning to switch to Vista soon, take a look at this list with the top ten Vista tricks we've prepared for you.

1.When launching Vista for the first time, you'll be surprised to see there's no menu bar displayed on windows. To enable it, just press and then release the Alt key.

2.There are some Vista features you may not like, for example, the constant disk indexing. You can turn this (and other functions) on or off in Control Panel. Click on Programs and then, under the Programs and Features title, find the option called Turn Windows features on or off.

3.Talking about disabling features, you probably want to get rid of that User Account Control warning that appears every time you try to start a program. To do so, open the Control Panel, enter "User Account Control" in the search field on the top right corner and you'll see the option to turn it off among the results.

4.Vista can restore previous versions of your documents. To gain access to them, right on the document file and select Restore previous versions.

5.When using Windows Explorer, you'll see a navigation pane on the left: the top window is Favorite Links and the bottom one is Folders. You can customize the Favorite Links list with new shortcuts by dragging and dropping new elements onto it.

6.You already knew how to use Quick Launch icons from Windows XP, right? Vista has improved this feature by enabling keyboard shortcuts to launch each one of the applications you save in the Quick Launch bar. The combinations are based on the Windows key plus a number, so that Windows key +1 launches the first application on the left, Windows key + 2 the second one, and so on.

7.Do you like big icons? Vista can display them for you! Click anywhere on the Desktop and move your mouse wheel while keeping the Ctrl key pressed. You'll be able to choose from tiny to really huge icons.

8.The Sidebar is one of Vista's main new features. You can add as many gadgets as you want (right click on the Sidebar and select Add Gadgets) but you can also disable it if you don't like it. Right click on the Sidebar, select Properties and uncheck the box Start Sidebar when Windows starts.

9.Vista includes a nice capturing tool that comes in very handy for small text or image snippets. To find it, click on the Start button and enter "Snipping" on the search field. Don't forget to pin it to the Start menu (right click on the program's shortcut in the Start menu and select Pin to Start menu) if you plan to use it frequently!

10.Another great tool featured in Vista is the ability to generate a quick system performance report. Open the Control Panel, click on System and Maintenance and then on Performance Information and Tools. In the list on the left side of the Window, select Advanced Tools and then click on Generate a system health report (last item on the list). You'll get a full report with data about software, hardware, CPU, memory and other important system elements.

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Customize the Windows 7 start button

Customize the Windows 7 start button

Windows 7's start button is something you'll use all the time, but what if you get bored of it? Windows 7 Start Button Changer, unsurprisingly, lets you change it!

You can download the application here, and it comes with 10 sets of sample 'orbs' to get you started. If you don't like them, there are lots more to be found on DeviantArt.com. Alternatively, you can create a BMP image (54 x 162 pixels) made up of three 54 x 54 pixel images.

To use Windows 7 Start Button Changer, extract the RAR file - IZArc is a great app for this - and move the folder (it will be called W7SBC) to Program Files.

Next, run the program as an administrator by right clicking the .EXE file in the W7SBC folder, and choosing Run as. Windows 7 Start Button Changer will automatically back up your current start button, and by clicking on the Select and Change Start Button icon, you can pick the BMP image of your choice.

The results are not always perfect, but it's pretty good overall. If you're not happy, just click Restore Original Explorer Backup and everything will be put back to normal.

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