Enable How-To Geek Mode in Windows 7 - Stupid Geek Tricks

Why It's Considered a "Stupid Geek Trick"

It's worth noting that this feature may not be the most efficient method for accessing Control Panel tools. The standard Control Panel interface is often more user-friendly, and experienced users typically rely on the Start Menu or Control Panel search functionality. This technique is essentially the same as the widely publicized "God Mode" trick.

For further insight into its limited practicality, refer to Ed Bott's analysis on the subject.

This functionality isn't a hidden secret, but rather a clever trick leveraging a lesser-known aspect of Windows. Windows utilizes GUIDs (Globally Unique Identifiers) internally for all objects and components. Creating a folder with a GUID recognized by Windows will launch the corresponding item defined in the registry.

You can verify this by navigating to regedit.exe and searching for {ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C} within the HKCR \ CLSID section. The right-hand pane reveals that this GUID corresponds to the "All Tasks" view of the Control Panel, which is not typically accessible through the standard user interface.

Expanding the Possibilities with GUIDs

This technique can be applied to other Windows objects by exploring the registry. For example, searching under HKCR \ CLSID for "Recycle Bin" will eventually lead you to the relevant key.

Consequently, creating a folder named "The Geek Knows Deleted Files.{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}" will result in an icon representing the Recycle Bin.

This folder functions as a fully operational Recycle Bin; a right-click will display the familiar menu.

Here's a list of GUIDs that have been identified:

Recycle Bin: {645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E} My Computer: {20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D} Network Connections: {7007ACC7-3202-11D1-AAD2-00805FC1270E} User Accounts: {60632754-c523-4b62-b45c-4172da012619} Libraries:  {031E4825-7B94-4dc3-B131-E946B44C8DD5}

To utilize any of these, simply create a new folder using the syntax: AnyTextHere.{GUID}

Creating Shortcuts to GUIDs

Since the GUID points to a Windows object launched by Windows Explorer, you can also create shortcuts directly from explorer.exe, bypassing the need to create a folder. For instance, to create a shortcut to My Computer, use the following as the shortcut's location:

explorer ::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}

This will generate a shortcut to My Computer, which can be customized with a different icon and assigned a shortcut key.

While ultimately a trivial trick, exploring these hidden functionalities can be an enjoyable learning experience.

Note: The Control Panel's All Items hack and the Libraries hack may only function correctly in Windows 7. The remaining options should be compatible with various Windows versions.