Windows 7 tips and tweaks
Enable God Mode
Did you know that Windows 7 has a secret God Mode? Want to know how to enable it on your computer? Then read on!
God Mode isn't quite what it seems to be though and the name implies that it is an all-powerful tool that gives you the ability to do things that you wouldn't normally be able to do.
The truth is that it is simply a special folder and it is one of many special folders that you can create. It is not one that is very well known though and it has some very useful features, so it is well worth using.
OK, let's get straight down to business. Right click the desktop and select New, Folder. Now copy and paste this in as the name: GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}.
You'll see that that folder is given a special icon that looks like a sort of control panel with flashing lights, and you don't see all those numbers and letters in the name. Double click it and you'll see a long list of actions you can perform.
All the actions are grouped and there is Action Center, Administrative Tools, AutoPlay, Backup and Restore, Date and Time, and many more. There is absolutely nothing here that is not available elsewhere, so it's not really a 'God' mode that is all powerful. However, it does collect virtually every button, menu and function in one place and organise them by subject.
It is sometimes hard to remember in which dialog or Control Panel tool a particular function is located, so you might find it easier to open the God Mode window and find it in the list.
Of course, you can type into the search box in the top right corner to find what you are looking for too. It's really quite useful.
Actually, there is nothing special about the name GodMode and it is the .{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C} in the name that gives the folder its special features. You can call the folder whatever you like, such as TopTools.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C} and it will work just the same. Someone obviously thought that GodMode would catch more people's attention and the name has stuck. Feel free to call it what you want though.
This is just one of number of special folders and it's a fairly new one, but others have been around for 15 years! Right click the desktop and create a new folder, then copy and paste this in as the name: Printers.{2227A280-3AEA-1069-A2DE-08002B30309D}, or try this one: Games.{ED228FDF-9EA8-4870-83b1-96b02CFE0D52} or this: Devices.{F02C1A0D-BE21-4350-88B0-7367FC96EF3C}. All these are from the following registry key: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{blah blah}. You can use any name you like, add a dot and the key name, and you've got a special folder. There are dozens of keys in the registry here, but few are useful though. Poke around and you might find something even more useful than God Mode!
