Expand the YouTube Video Player to its Maximum Size Without Full Screen

When we expand the YouTube video it covers  entire desktop area and all existing windows on the screen stay hidden as long as you are watching the video is this "maximized" state.

 

   

 

Here is a simple trick , just replace the word "watch" in the URL of any YouTube video with "watch_popup" and the video will expand to fit your browser window, not the desktop

 

For example original  YouTube video is located at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkgMSCD-sDY  

 

Change it to http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=XkgMSCD-sDY  and watch it

 

Thanks to Amit

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How to set Multiple Download Sessions in Internet Explorer

Internet Explorer does not allow more than two simultaneous download sessions. This is to comply with certain Internet standards that prohibit multiple file downloads at a time. This can however be changed by making changes in the registry.Make sure that you follow these steps closely and only in a manner as described below since certain changes to the registry can be risky. Do make sure that you read the footnote at the end of this tip.

  Click “Start | Run”.
Type in “regedit” and click “OK”.
In the registry, navigate to “HKEY_CURRENT_USER|Software|Microsoft|Windows| CurrentVersion|InternetSettings”.

Click “Edit | New|DWORD
Value” and name it as “MaxConnectionsPer1_0Server”
Double-click on the newly created Value and enter the Value Data as “10” and Base value as “Decimal”.
Again, click “Edit | New| DWORD Value” to create another Value and name it as“MaxConnectionsPerServer”
Double-click on the newly created Value and enter the Value Data as “10” and Base value as “Decimal”.
Close the Registry Editor.

NOTE: This tip violates Internet standards if used outside a closed network. Microsoft does not recommend this change in an open network since it conflicts certain standard procedures. The above tip will increase the number of simultaneous downloads to 10.

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Windows Hacks

How to Speed Up  Windows  XP Boot and Shutdown Times?

Boot Defragment

There’s a simple way to speed up XP startup: make your system do a boot defragment, which will put all the boot files next to one another on your hard disk. When boot files are in close proximity to one another, your system will start faster.

On most systems, boot defragment should be enabled by default, but it might not be on yours, or it might have been changed inadvertently. To make sure that boot defragment is enabled on your system, run the Registry Editor  and go to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Dfrg\BootOptimizeFunction

Edit the Enable string value to Y if it is not already set to Y. Exit the Registry and reboot. The next time you reboot, you’ll do a boot defragment.

Fine-Tune Your Registry for Faster Startups

Over time, your Registry can become bloated with unused entries, slowing down your system startup because your system loads them every time you start up your PC. Get a Registry clean-up tool to delete unneeded Registry  entries and speed up startup times.

Eusing Free Registry Cleaner is a free registry repair software that allows you to safely clean and repair registry problems with a few simple mouse clicks. The Windows Registry is a crucial part of your PC's operation system.

Eusing Free Registry Cleaner will scans your Windows registry for invalid or obsolete information and provide a list of the errors found. After fixing the invalid entries, your system will be more stable and run faster.

Download Site1 Site2 Site3 Site4

Speed Up Shutdown Times

For security reasons, you can have XP clear your paging file (pagefile.sys) of its contents whenever you shut down. Your paging file is used to store temporary files and data, but when your system shuts down, information stays in the file. Some people prefer to have the paging file cleared at shutdown because sensitive information, such as unencrypted passwords, sometimes ends up in the file. However, clearing the paging file can slow shutdown times significantly, so if extreme security isn’t a high priority, you might not want to clear it. To shut down XP without clearing your paging file, run the Registry Editor and go to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory
Management

Change the value of ClearPageFileAtShutdown to 0. Close the Registry and restart your computer. Whenever you turn off XP from now on, the paging file won’t be cleared, and you should be able to shut down more quickly.

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Restore Your Vista Recycle Bin Icon

It is a common mistake to lose the Recycle Bin .Why people delete their recycle bin?

Microsoft have tried to provide extra features for Vista in general, and for the Recycle Bin in particular.  Unfortunately, in the case of the Recycle Bin they underestimated users' ability to read and understand the menus.

                              

Confusion is caused by the two options, 'Delete' or 'Empty Recycle Bin'.  When people decide to empty their rubbish, their brain is already thinking 'delete'. So when they see the word 'Delete' on the bin's shortcut menu, they click on that instead of looking for the option to 'Empty Recycle Bin'.

As a result of making the wrong choice Recycle Bin disappears from the desktop.

HOW TO RESTORE RECYCLE BIN

1. Step-by-Step Instructions to Find a Deleted Vista Recycle Bin

• Launch regedit
• In Regedit, navigate to the following key: 
  HKCR\CLSID\{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}
• To create a new registry Key called 'Shell', click on the Edit Menu, New, select: Key and name it 'Shell'.  You should now have:
  HKCR\CLSID\{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}\Shell
• Under Shell create  a new (Sub) Key called 'Delete'. Click on the Edit Menu, New, select: Key.  You should now have:
  HKCR\CLSID\{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}\Shell\Delete
• Edit the 'Default' REG_SZ, as this is just a string value for display you could set to anything you like, for example 'YourName's Indestructible Bin'.

2.Registry Tweak

If you have lots of machines to configure, then a .reg file will save time merging the data into the registry.

Instructions for using creating the .reg file.

1. Copy the settings below into a text file. 
2. Save the file with .reg extension, for example Recycle.reg.
3. You now have three ways of transferring the settings into your Vista Registry:
   a) Double-click the .reg file
   b) Launch Regedit then select, File (menu) Import
   c) Right-click the .reg file, select Merge from the drop-down menu

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}\shell\Delete]
@="Guy's Search..."
"Description"="Removes Delete, replaces with Search.."
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}\shell\Delete\command]
@=hex(2):25,00,77,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,69,00,72,00,25,00,5c,00,65,00,78,00,70,\
00,6c,00,6f,00,72,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,00,00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}\shell\Delete\ddeexec]
@="[FindFolder(\\\"%l\\\", %I)]"
"NoActivateHandler"=""
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}\shell\Delete\ddeexec\Application]
@="Folders"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}\shell\Delete\ddeexec\topic]
@="AppProperties"

If  your Recycle Bin Icon deleted   accidently try the following  to resotre it

• Right-click on your desktop and choose Personalize
           
• Click on the Change Desktop Icons link in the upper left hand corner

• In the Desktop Icons Settings window, check the Recycle Bin box and click OK

That’s it

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Windows Tips

Auto-Kill Hack                

Teach Windows how to shut down without nagging you about unresponsive processes.Open the registry and navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop.Double-click AutoEndTasks and change the value from 0 to 1. Then doubleclick WaitToKillApp and change the value from 5000 to 1000. Finally, double-click HungAppTimeout and change the value from 20,000 to 3000.

Eliminate Lag and Speed up the Start Menu
A fully loaded rig pays dividends in everything from productivity apps to games, but no matter how fast your machine is, the Start menu still lags. To give the Start menu a much needed speed boost, click Start, select Run, and type regedit. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_
USER\Control Panel\Desktop, double-clickMenuShowDelay in the right-hand pane, and change the value from 400 to 5. Reboot and watch your Start menu fly!

Install Support Tools for Advanced Diagnostics
To be a true IT ninja, equip yourself with  Windows Support Tools  a set of more than 100 troubleshooting utilities aimed at advanced users (view a complete list here) . Not all of them are gems, but a few notable standouts include pviewer, for gathering information
about running processes on remote computers; msicuu, to remove installer information when a program’s uninstaller gets borked (power outage,for example); and windiff, to compare files and see which is more recent, along with lineby-line code comparisons.

Enable Hibernate in the Shut-Down Dialog

Putting your PC into Standby conserves power without shutting down your computer, but if there’s a power outage, any open programs and unsaved work will be lost. Using Hibernation tackles this issue
by first taking a snapshot of your desktop and saving it to your hard drive before powering down, but Microsoft neglected to include a Hibernate button in the shut-down dialog box. To fix this, first make sure you’ve enabled hibernation under Power Options in the Control Panel. Next, go intothe registry and navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows and create a new key called System (right-click Windows and select New >Key). Highlight System and create another key called Shutdown (you should now be in HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System\Shutdown). Now create a DWORD value named ShowHibernationButton and change the Data from 0 to 1. You should now see the Hibernate button in the Shutdown dialog. If not, you’ll need torequest a hotfix from Microsoft at  Help and Support.

Enhance the Clipboard with Ditto

Download Ditto  and take Windows’s clipboard to new heights. Ditto retains up to 500 copied entries, including images, and stores the information on your hard drive, so you won’t be thwarted by a
power outage or system reboot. Stay productive by exporting saved entries and transferring them to another computer, paste HTML as plain text,perform keyword searches, and apply hotkey shortcuts to the fi rst 10 items.

Resize Windows to Specific Dimensions

Sizer the dimensions of any open window while resizing,making it an invaluable tool for web developers and anyone interested in grabbing screen captures. Manually resize a window to any resolution, or right-click and select a preset dimension, including any custom dimensions you create.

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Branding Your Windows With Your Name

Open notepad dump the following lines into it and save it with the name OEMINFO.INI in the c:\windows\system32 directory:
[General]
Manufacturer=Your Name Here
Model=Your Model Here
[Support Information]
Line1=Your Name Here
Line2=Your Address Here
Line3=Your Email Address Here
Save the file, then make a right click on my computer select properties, in the general tab a button will be highlighted (support information) make a click on it, you will be able to see the changes.
Now if you want to display some more information then simply increase the line in the file.
ex: Line4=Your Working Hours Here

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How to Hide a Shared Folder in Windows

If you want to prevent other users on your network from accessing your shared data but still want to be able to get to it yourself over the network here is how you do it.

1. Right click the folder or disk you want to be secured and choose Sharing and Security

2. Add a ‘$‘ to the end of the folder name (without the single quotes). For example if the folder name is SparksSpace, rename it to SparksSpace$.The name can be up to 12 characters long (including the dollar sign).

  

3. Now you can share the folder and people who know about the folder can use it.That folder is now hidden and won't be visible by any other user on your network, nor will it appear in My Network Places or Network Neighborhood. Only by knowing the name of the folder can others access it.

Now how can it be accessed?

Double click My Computer and go to Tools/Map Network Drive.

Choose an available drive letter and type the path for your hidden folder (with the dollar sign included).

Put a checkmark next to Reconnect at Logon, which will automatically map your hidden share every time you boot up

 

• Click Finish (Note! If you choose not to reconnect at logon, you will have to manually re-map your share after every reboot).

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How to add new destinations to "Send To" menu in windows XP?

In Windows Send To command is used to transfer files from one location to different locations. A user can quickly send his file between default destinations (ie Desktop, CD/DVD Drive, My Documents, Mail Recipient and Floppy Drive). You can add more new destination in Send To lists to increase the data transfer speed.

 

Follow the given steps to add new destinations to Send To lists:
First click on Start button and type sendto in Run option then press Ok button.

A window will appear with default Send To lists (Compressed (zipped) Folder, Desktop (create shortcut), Mail Recipient, My Documents).

Now using drag-and-drop technique (or using copy and paste method), you can move any program, folders and drives shortcuts to this folder.

Now you can verify, your new shortcut is created in Send To menu.

But next times, if you want to delete any destination, then open the Sent To folder and remove the destination shortcut.

Source:Microsoft

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Tips 'n' Tricks

Deleting Obstinate AVI Files

Sometimes you click to run  large sized .avi files,windows stops responding &CPU usage shows 100%,is it? You can neither view the video, nor rename it, nor move or delete it.

         This is because large AVI (700 MB or more) has no indexing information; it is absent in the file. Due to this, Windows tries to process each and every sector of the file to acquire the information, which can take a very long time - up to two hours or more. The AVI structure might have gotten corrupted  when  download.Partially downloaded files are considered corrupt as they are incomplete.Some codecs or conflicting codecs also can cause this behaviour to occur.

How to rectify it?

1. Click Start | Run

2. Type in regsvr32 /u shmedia.dll. Click OK.

3. In an instant, you will get a dialog with the message "DllUnregisterServer in shmedia.dll succeeded."
To re-enable previewing of media files, do the same, except that you should now type in regsvr32 shmedia.dll. It's the same text without the /u.
You can do the same for photo formats if you like:
To remove photo preview, run regsvr32 /u shimgvw.dll.
To re-enable photo preview, type in regsvr32 shimgvw.dll (without /u).
     This solution which cures any and all problems associated with previewing media files, whether it is video or audio. If the problem started to occur after, say, installing a different codec pack to view a movie, simply removing the codec pack in question should solve the problem.
If you don't want to disable and re-enable previewing of files, there is another solution that requires Registry-tweaking. What we are going to do in this solution is, allow us to access the file in question without Explorer crashing. Access equals clicking on the file, renaming it, moving it, or deleting it.
1. Click on Start | Run

2. Type in regedit and press OK.

3. What you need to look for is this PropertyHandler key under HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT. The easiest way to do this is to right-click on HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, click Find, and type in SystemFileAssociations with no spaces.
4. Once regedit finds this, you need to go to PropertyHandler a few folders below. Therefore the entire path would be HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\.avi\shellex\PropertyHandler.

5. In the right pane, right-click on Default, hit Delete, and then Yes to confirm. You'll need to close any open programs and restart the PC.

Source:techcrunch

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Speed Up Your Connection, Step-By-Step Guide

Please note this is not for dial-up connections.  Your computer must be on a Broadband Cable or DSL internet connection in order for our free internet speed increasing software utilities and settings to work their magic .

Step One-Clean up your PC:
1. Use new updated AV and Anti-Spyware to clean Virus, Malware, Adware, especially Spyware coz Spyware kill your speed.
2. Use something like Ccleaner or Windows Washer to clean up all "crap" thing.

Read more How to Stop Hijackers & Spyware Infections, And other malware    Spyware ,Virus Symptoms &Cure    Virus/Malware/Spyware Preliminary Removal Instructions

Step Two -DISABLED UNNECESSARY SERVICE:
Automatic Updates
Computer Browser
Error Reporting Service
Help and Support
NVidia Display Driver Help
Protected storage
Remote Registry
Secondary Logon
Task Scheduler
Indexing Service (ALREADY)
Messenger (ALREADY)
Routing and Remote Access (ALREADY)
NetMeeting Remote Desktop Sharing (ALREADY)
Performance Logs and Alerts (ALREADY)

To disable these services:

1. Go to Start and then Run and type “services.msc”
2. Doubleclick on the service you want to change
3. Change the startup type to ‘Disable”

More Details Here

Step Three - Internet Speed Software:   First let’s get the necessary Tools and Utilities needed to complete the steps in these instructions.  Download them to your desktop for easy access when we’re ready to use them.

• FireFox - If you already have Firefox, you can skip downloading the Firefox browser.  But if not, you’ve been missing out on faster smarter web browsing. We’re going to change that NOW - You Need to   Get Firefox with Google Toolbar
• FireTune - We’ll need this free software component to optimize the FireFox browser for maximum speed, security, and smarter browing.  Get FireTune Here.
• Lvllord patch - We’ll use this patch to increase the number of TCP connections (don’t worry if you don’t know TCPs from ABCs - Just follow the steps)  Download the free Lvllord patch.
• SG TCP Optimizer - The last Internet speed software we’ll need is the SG TCP Optimizer utility from SpeedGuide.  Download SG TCP Optimizer

Step Four - Time for the Optimization Steps

Part 1 - Modify LAN Properties

• Go to Start > Network Connections.
• Right Click > Properties on your main internet connection.
• Make the following changes: Unselect everything except "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)"

Part 2 - Run the Lvllords patch

With WinXP Service Pack 2, Microsoft limited TCP connections to 10. Running the Lvllords patch will add more TCP connections and increase your speed.

• Extract the patch and run it (see example):

• Change the limit - Press "C" and set it to 100.

• Press "Y". You’ll then be presented with with a Windows XP message saying that your original files are being replaced. Click "Ignore" or "Cancel" for that window, and choose "Yes" when asked for confirmation
• If the Lvllords patch was successfully executed, you’ll get a ‘SUCCESS’ message.
• Exit and reboot your computer.

Step Five -  Perform the SG TCP Optimization

Now it’s time to use the SG TCP optimizer you downloaded from SpeedGuide. This program modifies and optimizes the system registry, increasing your internet connection speed.  Here’s how you do it.

 

• Choose your connection speed (mine is 2Mb).  Then, scroll down and select ‘Optimal Settings’. Next, click on ‘Apply Changes’. You’ll be presented with a window similar to the one below:

• Click OK,  and then and click "Yes" to reboot your computer.

Step Six- Run FireTune

Assuming that you’re already using FireFox, or have downloaded and installed it per Step 1. 

• Install FireTune. After installation and before proceeding, Click on ‘Create backup configuration’.

• Choose the settings based on your needs and computer configuration. Check out the other two tabs - ‘Other Optimizations’ & ‘Other Useful Settings’ as well.
• Now Click ‘Tune It’  (the FireFox browser should NOT be open).

Step Seven - That’s it!

You’ve completed optimizing your internet browser and connection settings

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How to change the location of the IE 7 toolbar

In previous versions of Internet Explorer, the main toolbar (File, Edit, View, Favorites, Tools, Help) was located at the very top of browser window, above the address box into which you type URLs. With IE 7, Microsoft moved the address bar to the top and put the toolbar under it. Although it's not a huge change, some people don't like it. If you're one of them, you'll be happy to know that there's a way to put things back the way you're used to, with a registry tweak. Here's how:

1.Open your favorite registry editor.
2.Navigate to the following key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Microsoft \ Internet Explorer \ Toolbar \ WebBrowser
3.Right click an empty space in the right pane and then click New DWORD Value.
4.Name the new value ITBAR7Position.
5.Double click the new value and set the Data Value to 1.
6.Click OK and close the registry editor.
7.Close and reopen IE7.
This switches the toolbar position for the currently logged on user. If you want to change it back, you can do so by following these same steps and setting the DataValue to 0.

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Internet Connection Sharing in Vista

Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) is useful if you wish to share a
single Internet connection between several computers. To share
such a connection, the host computer (the one connected directly
to the Internet) must be configured to use ICS.

On the host computer, you need to share the internet connection
by enabling ICS on it. Once you have enabled this sharing,
other computers on your network can connect to the Internet
using this shared internet connection.
To enable ICS, follow these steps:
1. Go to Start > Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network
Sharing Center, then click on the “Manage network connections”
text link on the righthand Tasks pane (the fourth entry)

2. Right-click the connection that you want to share, and then click
Properties. Note that you should share the one which connects you
to the Internet
3. Click the Sharing tab, and then select the “Allow other network
users to connect through this computer’s Internet connection”
checkbox.

4. You can also select the “Allow other network users to control or
disable the shared Internet connection” checkbox. This option can be
used to start an Internet connection if a user on your network demands it
5. You can also share services running on your system; click Settings
and select the services you want to allow .

When you enable ICS, your LAN connection gets a new static IP address and configuration. You also need to ensure that all computers on your network are configured to automatically get an IP address:
1. Go to Start > Control Panel >Network and Internet > Network
Sharing Center, then click on the “Manage network connections”
text link on the right-hand Tasks pane (the fourth entry)
2. Right-click a LAN connection and then click Properties
3. Click Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) or Internet Protocol
Version 6 (TCP/IPv6), and then click Properties

4. Click “Obtain an IP address automatically” or “Obtain an IPv6
address automatically”

You also need to change the settings of Internet Explorer to use ICS:
1. Start Internet Explorer
2. Click on the Tools button and then on Internet Options
3. Click on the Connections tab and here, click “Never dial a connection”
4. Click LAN Settings
5. Under Automatic configuration, clear the “Automatically detect settings” and “Use automatic configuration script” checkboxes

6. Under Proxy Server, clear the “Use a proxy server for your LAN”
checkbox

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XP -Save Disk Space

Windows XP, after Service Pack 1,2,3,keeps uninstall information for all updates in the C:\Windows folder. These appear as $NTUninstall…
Depending on how many updates you’ve installed, you might have
anywhere from a couple to a couple of dozen of these folders. In order to save some disk space, you can delete these folders. Doing this does not uninstall the updates, but will make sure that you
cannot uninstall them later—though why someone would want to uninstall security fixes is something we can’t understand at all anyway.

In case you do want to know exactly what uninstaller you’re deleting, you can go to http://support.microsoft.com /?kbid=<###>, where <###> is the number listed in the name of the folder you are deleting—remember, don’t add the text “$NTUninstallKB”, just the
number after the prefix.

Once you’re satisfied, just select the folder(s) and press [Shift] + [Delete]. Now, there are two ways in which to remove their references from the Add/Remove Programs list. Open the Registry Editor and  navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\ Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall

Now, select the key that corresponds to the Update uninstall information that you want to delete, and delete it. Another way to do this would be to select the update in the Add/Remove Programs list and clicking Remove.

Since you have already deleted the Uninstall information, it’s obvious that you will get an error message that tells you that the update cannot be uninstalled, and you’ll get the option to remove the entry from the Add/Remove Programs list. Just click OK and the
entry will be removed.

Remember to check the Show updates box so you can see the installed updates in Add/Remove Programs.

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Create an Invisible Folder

You ever have a folder on your computer that you really dont want any one to find? You can make this folder  hidden but then you have to un-hide all the folders when ever you want to find it. So how can you make a  folder truly invisible? Follow these simple steps and your
unmentionables will stay that way.

• Right-click where ever you want the invisible folder to  be and select create a new folder.
• Right-Click on the folder and hit rename. Erase the  name of the folder so there is nothing there.
• If you try to stop here windows will tell you that you  need to provide a name. So to get around this… with  the name field still active hold down ALT and press  0160 on the number pad (make sure Num Lock is on), release alt  You should now have a blank name with nothing but a folder next to it
• Now click on the nameless folder and right-click. Select Properties.

                              

•   Go to the Customize tab.

                              

• Find and press the Change Icon  button. Scroll  through the icons until you find one  that has no image.

                                 

• Hit OK and you  have an invisible  folder!

With the invisible  folder you can hide what ever undesirables you have. Be it video games at work, pictures of your family or anything else you can think of “wink”.
The folder will show up for a brief second if you put it on your desktop. For that reason it might be smart to place it inside a folder or amongst a group of folders.
Happy Hiding!

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