In case you haven't already picked this one up, there's a neat and simple trick (emanating from MSoft apparently) whereby you can create a desktop folder that when opened will give you access to all the things you'd like to access directly in Windows 7, and much more besides.

I occasionally had problems with file extension conflicts (whereby one program, Serif Photoplus, hijacked a particular file extention for its own use instead of the original intended use) and spent ages searching the net for a remedy, which when I found it entailed editing my registry...phew... The Godmode folder contains a simple way to do that. Here's a link showing how to create the Godmode folder.
Techspot - Godmode

John

Yes, I've used this for a few years. Very powerful. The usual warnings are appropriate: use with caution.

Ditto. Good stuff.

Thanks for this! That is what a Control Panel should look like!