Command Central - Godmode Tools

[allheart55 Cindy E]

Command Central: Windows functions in one place

How did an essentially undocumented trick, designed for IT administrators and commonly called GodMode, go viral on the Internet? Certainly the all-powerful connotation of the name aroused interest. But it’s this function’s one-stop list of Windows tools that wins over most users.

 

Whatever you wish to call this function, it conveniently consolidates into one folder a veritable switchboard of configurable Windows options and commands. The 256 items (sorted into 45 categories) are typically buried under layers of Control Panel menus or in right-click submenus — or otherwise submerged in the vast number of admin tools in Windows.

 

To create this folder, take the following steps:

• Right-click a free spot on the desktop and select New/Folder.
  
• Give the new folder any name you wish, as long as it’s followed by a period and the following string of characters: {ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}
  
• For example, the file name could be something similar to this: All Commands.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}
  
• Double-click to open the folder, and it should be populated with more than 250 functions.
  

 

 

A few of the 250+ Windows commands included in the so-called GodMode folder

 

Of course, any one of these functions can be called up from the Windows search bar. But if you don’t recall a specific function’s name, good luck with that route. Your new all-commands folder should make a needed tool quick to find and easy to launch.

 

Pin folders and icons to the Win8 Start screen

 

As with many long-time Windows users still tied to a keyboard and mouse, I rarely venture into Windows 8′s Modern UI. But the Win8 Start screen can be a good place to organize folders and other frequently used sites and apps. Sure, with Win8.1 you can now pin native Win8 apps to the Desktop taskbar, but that’s extremely limited real estate.

 

So the Pin to Start function, available by right-clicking any folder or application icon, can be particularly handy. As an example, right-click the aforementioned All Commands (GodMode) folder you created on the Win8 Desktop and click Pin to Start. You’ll now find on the Start screen a new movable tile labeled All Commands. Clicking the tile instantly returns you to the Desktop, with the All Commands folder open — no need to clutter up your Desktop or taskbar.

 

A related trick is one that’s often overlooked. You easily create shortcuts to frequently visited websites.

 

Creating a shortcut to a website is easy: right-click anywhere on the desktop, select New/Shortcut, and then type the website’s address into the location box. Click Next and give the shortcut a name. Click Finish when you’re done.

 

Keep in mind that the shortcut can live only on the desktop. Unlike apps, shortcuts for websites can’t be pinned to the Start screen or the taskbar (although files, folders, and website shortcuts can be pinned to associated apps that are pinned to the taskbar).