Make Windows 7 Work Your Way With Customization

PC World - Tweakers, rejoice! Windows 7 offers more customization options than any previous version of Windows--from total control over annoying pop-up system messages to homebrew "search connectors" that let you run Web searches right from Windows Explorer.

A few of these options require third-party software, but they're all freebies and all easy to use. Most of the tweaks, however, can be accomplished with a few simple clicks. So get ready to make a good OS even better by adding some personal customization touches.

Change the Log-on Screen's Wallpaper

Windows 7 has a lovely blue log-on screen, but it gets a little boring after awhile. Wouldn't it be nice if you could customize it the way you can Windows' desktop wallpaper? You can, without visiting the Registry. All you need is the Tweaks.com Logon Changer for Windows 7, a free utility that lets you turn any image into your log-on screen background.

Run the program, click Change Logon Screen, and then navigate to the folder containing the image you want. If it's too large (Windows limits image size to 245KB), Logon Changer will offer to copy and resize it. Once the new background is in place, you can preview it at full-screen size by clicking Test. If you want the old wallpaper back, click Revert to Default Logon Screen.

Tweak the User Interface

Remember TweakUI, the old Microsoft utility that let you fine-tune the Windows interface? The Windows Club's Ultimate Windows Tweaker, its unofficial successor for Windows 7, goes so far as to bill itself as a "Tweak UI utility."

Like TweakUI, UWT provides a king's ransom in customization controls, from changing what appears in the Start menu to optimizing performance by disabling various Windows features (like Aero and Tablet PC). Tired of Windows' automatically rebooting after an unattended system update? You can turn off that option and countless others. UWT even lets you wrangle Internet Explorer 8: no more warnings when you're about to close multiple tabs, for example.

Granted, you can reach many of the same settings by delving into the Control Panel, Registry, and other areas. But Ultimate Windows Tweaker puts every imaginable option (and some you never imagined) under one convenient roof. It's a must-have tool for any serious Windows tweaker.

Change Windows Media Center Startup Options

If you use Windows Media Center, you've probably wished for a way to bypass the startup animation and go straight to live TV. Or to start playing your music favorites immediately. Fortunately, by flipping a few hidden "switches," you can configure WMC to start exactly the way you want.

Click Start, All Programs, find and right-click the Windows Media Center icon, and then choose Properties. Place your cursor at the end of the Target field, where you'll see this line: %windir%\ehome\ehshell.exe. Now it's time to tack on one or more of the following switches: