Use Windows 7’s Previous Versions to Go Back in Time and Save Your Files

Previous Versions is an incredibly useful feature built into Windows 7, which allows the OS to record and view earlier versions of files without a flux capacitor. Here’s a detailed guide to using this excellent feature.
This feature goes beyond the functionality of the Recycle Bin as it allows you to:

• Recover files you may have permanently deleted.
• View or restore a version of a file which you have saved over.
• Allow you to compare current and/or previous versions of a file side by side.

With a little bit of dedicated hard drive space, an automation script and scheduled task, you can leverage this feature to guard against inadvertent file deletions and overwrites which traditional backups may not adequately cover.

Using Previous Versions: A Simple Demonstration

Before covering the configuration options, we are going to demonstrate the awesome power of previous versions. If you are already familiar with this, you can jump to the section about configuration.
Assume we have a folder on our desktop which has 3 files which have previously been captured as previous versions. We will use these files throughout the demonstration.




Making Changes to the Original Files
Now we are going to permanently delete (Shift+Delete) the Excel file,

edit the text file,

and rename the Word document.

Recovering the Original Files
Once the text file is closed, we lose the ability to undo our changes. So in the event we need to recover a previous version of the file, simply right-click on the file and select the Restore Previous Versions menu option.

In the Previous Versions tab of the file’s Properties dialog, you will see all of the previous versions (or snapshots) of this file which have been captured. Select the version you want to view or restore from.

• Clicking the Open button will open the the selected copy in the default program. This is the file at the time to snapshot was taken.

• Clicking the Copy button will prompt you for the location where you want to create a copy of the selected version.

• Clicking Restore will replace the current version with the selected version. You will be prompted to confirm you really want to do this.

But what about the Word Document we renamed or the Excel file we deleted? When you open the previous versions of the renamed file, there is nothing there. If a file is deleted, there is obviously no file to view the previous versions of.

In the event of a file being renamed or deleted, you have to view the previous version of the the containing folder. You do this by right-clicking on some white space in the folder and selecting the Properties option.

In the Previous Versions tab, you can see snapshots made of the folder as a whole.

By double-clicking the folder in the list or clicking the Open button you can view the contents of the folder at the time the snapshot was made. You can see here that the Word Document has the original file name and the contents also contain the Excel file which we permanently deleted.
From here you can view or copy the respective file versions. Additionally, you can use the Copy and Restore buttons in the Previous Versions tab exactly as you would have against an individual file.

Recovering a Deleted Folder
What about the case where an entire folder is deleted?
Currently our Sample Files folder is on the desktop, so we are going to permanently delete (Shift+Delete) it.

In order to recover this folder or a file inside of this folder, we have to view the previous version of the parent folder. In our case the desktop.
Unfortunately, if you right-click on the desktop, there is no Restore Previous Versions or Properties option.

So in order to get to this, we need to get to the Windows Explorer view of the desktop folder.
Open your profile folder from the Start Menu.

Inside of the Windows Explorer view of your profile, there is a Desktop folder. Right-click on this folder and select the Restore Previous Versions option.

As you can probably guess, you can now view historical snapshots of your desktop contents.

Open the respective previous version and you can view the contents of the desktop at the time of the snapshot. Notice this snapshot contains the folder we permanently deleted previously.

By opening the Sample File folder, we can now recover the contents of what we previously deleted.

While this is just a very basic example, it demonstrates just how powerful this function is. The same methodology can be use to recover files from almost any folder on your computer, not just your documents.

Setting Up and Configuring Previous Versions

Previous versions of files are recorded as part of a System Restore Point. So whenever a restore point is created, if you have the option set to capture previous versions of files, this data will be recorded at that time. It is important to note that this function is smart enough to know that only changes to documents should be recorded. For example, if you have not updated a document in 3 months, a new snapshot is not captured each time a restore point is created.
To view or change your current settings, open the System item in the Control Panel and click the System Protection item. If you get a UAC prompt, select the option to continue.

Under the System Protection tab, select the drive containing the files you want to monitor for previous changes and click the Configure button.

Under the Restore Settings section, make sure you have one of the options which includes previous files selected.
Under the Disk Space Usage, set the amount of space you want to allow for storing previous versions of files. The more space you allow here, the farther you can “go back” to a previous copy of a file. However, by dedicating space for this feature, you lose the respective amount of storage for new files so be sure to take this into consideration when making this setting.

Apply your settings and System Restore will start using them immediately.

Creating System Restore Points

As mentioned above, previous versions are captured as part of a System Restore Point. Restore points are created automatically by Windows whenever certain installations are done and also, according to Microsoft documentation, once a day (although my observations do not support this). However, if you want to take complete control over when restore points are taken, you can create them yourself either manually or via a scheduled task.
Manually Creating a Restore Point
To create a System Restore Point manually, in the System Protection tab in the System Properties dialog, simply select the respective drive and click the Create button.

Give the new restore point a name and click Create.

Automating the System Restore Point Creation
If this function is something which you intend to use heavily or simply want some additional insurance against accidental file overwrites and deletes, creating a Scheduled Task to force the creation of a System Restore Point is the way to go. While there is not a simple command you can run to create a restore point, we have provided a VBScript file which allows you to automate the process of creating a restore point. You can download this script at the end of the article.
Create a new Scheduled Task which runs as an administrator on the respective machine. Make sure you have the Run with highest privileges box checked.

In the Triggers tab, configure how often you want a restore point created. Remember, snapshots of files are captured as part of the System Restore Point.

In the Actions tab, configure the task to run the CreateRestorePoint.vbs script provided at the end of the article.

In the Conditions tab, select the option to Wake the computer to run this task.

In the Settings tab, select the option to be able to run the task on demand as well as the option to run the task as soon as possible after a missed schedule.

Apply your changes and you are all set.

Previous Versions vs. Backups

As you can see the previous versions function is quite powerful. However, to be clear, this is not a replacement for regular system backups as it will not protect against drive failure. That said, previous versions offer several conveniences and functions that backups and file syncing services may not:

• Ability to view or restore deleted/overwritten files with just a few clicks (in the event your backup drive is not available).
• Ability to pick from several snapshots of the same file as they were captured at different points in time.
• Historical snapshots can be created at regular, frequent intervals to provide in-day protection against accidental “oops”.
• No uploading or downloading required.

Previous versions, however, make a great compliment to backups and file syncing services as it not only adds an extra layer of protection but also the conveniences from above at no additional cost.
Download CreateRestorePoint Script

Sendoid Offers Instant and Secure P2P File Transfer

Sendoid is a file sharing client designed to shuttle files quickly between browsers and desktops with little need for configuration or firewall tweaking.
The web-based interface allows you to send files up to 1GB in size just by sharing a link with the person you want to share the files with. If you need a more flexible solution that allows for larger files and password protection you can download the free Adobe Air-based desktop client. The Sendoid servers merely facilitate the connection between you and the file recipient, all file transfer is conducted between the two browsers or your Sendoid client and their browser.
Hit up the link below to take it for a test drive or grab a copy of the desktop client for an easier to manage file sharing experience.
Sendoid [via Mashable]

Randomly Rename Every File in a Directory

UPDATE: An “undo” function has been added to the script. There are comments in the batch script which explain how to use this.
Looking to have a little fun with your files or play a clever prank on someone? With a simple batch script you can randomly rename every file in a directory instantly.
Just copy our RandomNames.bat script into a folder and run it.
Before:

After:

Uses

While it may not be immediately obvious, there are several somewhat practical uses for this:

• Easily bulk rename picture files to randomize the order they appear in slideshows or on digital picture frames.
• A practical joke (see the warning below).
• In case the “random” button on your MP3 player isn’t geeky enough for you.

Options

There are a couple of options you can configure in the script:

• Prepend the file names – instead of renaming the entire file, a random string is added to the beginning of each file name.
• Undo renaming -

You can set these options by opening the RandomNames.bat file in Notepad and editing accordingly. There are comments included to let you know how to set each option.

Warning!

When the script runs, it warns you that deleting the created translation file (__Translation.txt) will prevent you from being able to undo the renaming.

Needless to say, it would be a good idea to backup your original files before renaming them all.
Use responsibly and have fun!

How to Save Cash, Ink, and Paper by Printing More Efficiently

If you’re shocked by the costs your printer incurs—and who isn’t?—then this guide is for you. Learn how to slash printing costs by making some simple and free tweaks to your printing routine and print settings.
Printing costs, especially if you have an inkjet printer, are astronomical. Today we’re taking a look at techniques you can use to minimize your printing costs. The majority of the techniques don’t cost you a dime and those that do will save you piles of cash in the long run.

Rethink the Whole Idea of Printing

The first thing you can do to save huge chunks of money in the printing department is to rethink your relationship with printing. It’s the 21st century. We don’t need a hard copy of everything. There are dozens of ways that information can be transferred and manipulated that doesn’t involve a printer. You might already be pretty conservative with your printing practices but consider just a few of the ways you can cut back:
Email documents to the recipient instead of printing them. This seems painfully elementary but quite a few people, especially in corporate environments, have simply got in the habit of firing up the printer left and right when it would be cheaper, more efficient, and environmentally friendly to email the document.
Use your smartphone for directions instead of printing a map—an added bonus here is that you can get new directions automatically if you screw things up. Even if you don’t have a GPS enabled phone just cutting and pasting the directions for use on your phone helps.
Transfer articles to your tablet or smart phone for comfortable away-from-computer reading. Tools like Send to Kindle for Google Chrome and Read It Later’s support for sending articles to your ereader make it easy to shuttle what you want to read to your portable device. With a little digging you can find all manner of tools for your specific device or reading needs.
These are but a few examples of how you can keep things digital and cut down on your printing costs in the process.

Outsource Big Printing Jobs

Home printing and the accompanying printers have never been intended to take over the role of your local copy shop or photo lab. Sure it’s convenient to have a home printer to print whenever you want but you’re paying a premium for that convenience. When you factor in the cost of the printer, the cost of the ink/toner, the cost of the electricity, the wear and tear, and the paper cost you’re either paying more than you would at a copy shop or breaking about even. Sometimes breaking even isn’t really breaking even either, especially when it comes to color and photo printing where home machines generally give lackluster results.
Speaking of color photos, don’t print them at home. The amount of money you’ll spend chasing lab-quality prints is high and the chance you’ll end up with the same quality that the ten cent 4x6s from your local Walgreen’s photo kiosk have is low. At any reasonable consumer price point you’re just not going to get the kind of quality that will ensure your photos still look good a few years down the road. For small volume printing those photo kiosks are actually a great deal compared to trying to print photos at home. Doing a lot of photo printing? You should use a price comparison service like this one to find the best value for your needs. If you’re willing to wait a week or two to get the prints in the mail you can save a mint.
For the most part the same thing applies to color documents. The crappiest color copier at your local copy shop is still ten times better than that inkjet you got free with your computer—and way cheaper for you to use for your intermittent color printing needs.
Think in terms of cost and wasted material. If you print color pages a few times a year then it’s a complete money sink for you to have an inkjet printer. Spend $5 on a flash drive and use that to cart files back and forth to the copy shop when you need a presentation printed.

Adjust Your Printer’s Output

That’s all well and good, you say, but what about saving money with the printer sitting on my desk right now? Fair enough! As much money as you can save by reducing your printing needs and outsourcing the large and/or costly jobs, you can save even more by making small changes.
First, get in the habit of looking at print jobs with the lens of “What can I do to reduce the size of this job?” at all times. Some things are simple to do like using the print preview button to make sure you’re not printing blank pages at the end of the web site you’re about to print off. If you’re not using the print preview you’re just asking to end up with all sorts of crap out of the printer. When you preview you can see if the document will look the way you want on the page and you can also see if the last page will, for example, be nothing but the web site footer and a big ad for Car Fax.
Second, start shrinking your print size. Can you shrink to fit the page and still read it? Can you double your printing mileage by 2-upping or even 4-upping your document? As long as you have your reading glasses handy 2-up for regular documents and 4-up for presentations like PowerPoint slides are completely legible. Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Word, and most major document reading and editing applications support shrink to fit and n-up page printing.
Switch to draft mode as the default setting. Depending on your printer the actual title will vary. Some companies call it “draft mode” others call it “toner saver”, “print saver”, “economy” and so on. Regardless of the name it’s a setting or series of settings that allow you to dial back how much ink and toner your using. For simple things like articles and basic documents you’ll likely not even notice the difference. If you do notice it won’t likely decrease your ease of reading. What it will do is radically cut down on how much ink and toner you’ll laying down on the paper.

Start Selectively Printing

Earlier we suggested using the print preview in order to see what your printer was cranking out before it wasted the ink. Selective printing is an even more aggressive approach where you hack out or otherwise edit prints before they spool up, saving yourself a bundle in the process. A variety of solutions exist to help people conserve ink and toner by selectively printing.
When printing from the web, PrintWhatYouLike.com is a great resource for on-the-fly web site editing. By either plugging in the URL to their web site or launching the bookmarklet—seen in the screenshot above—you can quickly and easily edit a site and pull out the content you don’t want. Want the article, a few of the how-to photos you might need to reference, and that’s it? Go ahead and click on (and delete or resize) all the elements you don’t need. You can adjust the font size, selectively edit, and otherwise reduce the footprint of the document.
Other web and bookmarklet-based solutions you may want to look at include The Printliminator, MyPage, and Print Friendly.
If you want that functionality built in to your browser instead of using a third-party site or bookmark you should check out Printee for Internet Explorer and for Google Chrome, Print Edit for Firefox, and Nuke Everything Enhanced for Firefox.
There’s no need to waste your paper and ink printing the ads, sidebars that can’t be clicked in hard copy, and other web-only elements.

DIY Savings: Refilling Your Ink and Toner

One final way you can save big is by manually refilling your toner and ink cartridges. Be forewarned, however, that this is one of those areas that either goes swimmingly well and you exclaim how you can’t believe you haven’t been doing it for years or it goes terribly wrong and you end up either wasting money or outright buying a new printer.
This method is tricky not because it’s insanely difficult to pop a little cap off a toner drum and dump toner in but because print companies use all manner of cartridges and accompanying electronic mechanisms that make things difficult. Some Epson cartridges, for example, have a microchip on board that keeps track of prints and ink; you can’t just inject more ink into the cartridge and expect it to keep on trucking. Other cartridges are much easier to work with–one How-To Geek reader even showed us how he prolongs the life of his cartridges by simply injecting water into them.
Fortunately there are plenty of resources online to help you. The best thing you can do is to search Google for the specific company and printer model you’re dealing with and do your research. Replacement ink and toner is available at a fraction of the price of retail ink. Find yourself a dependable printer that takes well to refills and a quality source for refill supplies and you’ll have a long and happy relationship.

Did You Know You Can Copy and Paste Images Directly into Gmail?

When reader Artem wrote in with this tip, I was pretty surprised—turns out you can paste images from the clipboard directly into Gmail with Ctrl+V or the context menu… but only in Firefox 4 at the moment. In Google Chrome, it works a little differently.
Update: after doing a little more testing, seems like if you do this in Firefox, this might not make it through to the receiver properly in some or all cases. It does appear to work with Chrome, however.

Copy and Paste in Firefox

Update: This Doesn’t Work Right. Skip down to the Chrome section.
If you’re in Firefox, you can take a screenshot with the print screen key, with a third-party utility, or with the built-in Snipping Tool in Windows 7 or Vista. Or you can even right-click an image in any browser and choose “Copy Image”.

Then you can either Ctrl+V or right-click and choose Paste…

And just like that, the image will be in your new email.

Copy and Paste in Google Chrome

In Google Chrome, it works a little differently—you can’t copy an image from the clipboard, but you can copy images within Chrome. Just right-click on any image, choose “Copy image”…

And then you can paste it directly into Gmail.

Hopefully it’ll all work seamlessly between all browsers at some point in the future. At least you can drag and drop images to Gmail from most modern browsers.