Offline files location in Vista

Offline files cache is stored in windows\csc folder on system drive. If the system drive is labeled c: then offline files cache would be stored in c:\windows\csc.

As in windows XP, this location can be changed by editing registry database. Registry key for this is HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\CSC\Parameters\

Regkey : CacheLocation
Type: REG_SZ

By default cache is stored in [systemdrive]:\windows\csc. If you want to move it to some other location you can do it by setting the above registry value to the path of the new location. Note that this path should be specified in NT format. For example, if you want d:\newcachefolder to be the place for csc cache then you should assign the value \??\d:\newcachefolder to the above registry value.

Though we have this option of changing the offline files location in Windows XP too, the registry key path is different.

Encrypt offline files in Windows Vista

On Windows Vista operating system offline files cache can be encrypted as follows.

• Click on Start button
  
• Select Control Panel
• Click on Network & Internet
• Click on Offline files
• Select Encryption tab

• Now click on Encrypt button

How to enable Offline Files in Vista?

In Windows Vista offline files feature can be enabled in the following way.

• Click on Start button (Shortcut for this: Ctrl-Esc (or) windows key)
• Click on Control Panel 
• Click on Network and Internet 
• Click on Offline Files.
• In the General tab, click on 'Enable Offline Files'.

• Say continue if user account control asks confirmation. 

Now you can see the offline files window in the below state. As stated below the 'Disable offline files' button reboot is required to make the changes effective.

Keyboard shortcut for switching windows in Vista

We can use Alt-Tab to switch the windows in the old fashion i.e the way we used to do it in Windows XP. To see the windows switch in 3D use Windows - Tab key combination. Hold Windows key pressed and then keep on pressing the Tab key. You can see the windows moving to the front one by one in 3D. When you see the desired window in the front position stop pressing tab and release Windows key. This one will become your active window now.