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Have the Freshest Folder Views
To set Windows 95 to perform a constant refresh of file and folder
views, launch the Registry Editor (type regedit in the Run command
line), then drill down the left-hand pane through HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/System/CurrentControlSet/control/Update.
In the right-hand pane, right-click on UpdateMode and select Modify.
In the edit window, change the 01 to 00. You'll have to exit regedit
and reboot your computer before the change takes effect.
** This Tip is for Users who know the Registry Editor *** |
Stop! Back Up First
Don't even think about editing the Windows 95 Registry until you've
made an extra backup. Windows is supposed to recover from Registry
mishaps, but why take chances? Copy the hidden SYSTEM.DAT and USER.DAT
files into another directory for safe-keeping. |
Oust the Update Folder
When you install Internet Explorer 5 over Win9x, you'll find a new
folder called Windows Update Setup Files in your root directory.
This folder is filled with setup files that take up between 10MB
and 20MB of space on your hard disk. It's a good idea to save them
for a while after installing IE5 to make sure it's running properly.
That way, you won't have to download the app again if you run into
trouble and want to reinstall. After using IE5 for a while without
encountering any problems, you can delete these files to regain
the disk space. |
Text File Trickery
Here's an easy way to always open TXT files in WordPad rather than
Notepad. Click once on any TXT file, then hold down the Shift key
and right-click on the file. Choose Open With from the pop-up menu,
scroll through the list of programs and choose WordPad. Check the
box labeled "Always use this program to open this type of file"
before you click on OK |
Get Back to Win9x
Have you ever pressed the Full Screen button on the toolbar of an
MS-DOS Prompt window and then couldn't find your way back to Win9x?
If so, simply press Alt+Enter to return to Windows. |
Reboot the Taskbar
If you change a Registry setting that affects the taskbar or Start
menu, here's how to enable the new setting without restarting Windows.
After making a change, press Ctrl+Alt+Del to bring up the Close
Program dialog. Select Explorer and click on the End Task button.
In the Shut Down Windows dialog that pops up, click on No (or Cancel
if you have IE 4.0 installed) |
Last-Ditch Effort
If Win95 crashes and Ctrl+Alt+Del fails to bring up the Close Program
dialog, try hitting Ctrl+Esc. The Start menu may come up, letting
you perform a graceful and safe reboot |
More than One Find Is Fine
When you need to search for more than one file, speed up the process
by running more than one instance of Find at a time. This is especially
useful for searching for multiple items in the background. |
Boxed In
You can select groups of icons or folders on the desktop or within
folders by clicking outside the body of icons and, while holding
the left mouse button, dragging a rectangle to surround all the
icons you want to select, then letting go. You can then move, copy
or delete them en masse. |
Quick! Put It on a Diskette
The quickest way to put a file or folder on a diskette is to right-click
on it, select Send To from the context menu and choose "3 1/2 Floppy
(A)." |
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Defrag Virtual Memory
Although the Disk Defragmenter utility speeds up file access, it
doesn't defrag your swap file, which is t he file Windows uses as
virtual memory. You can get additional performance gains by disabling
your swap file, defragging your disk, then re-enabling the swap
file. The new swap file will be effectively defragged and therefore
faster. To do so, right-click on My Computer and select Properties
from the Context menu. Click on the Performance tab, then the Virtual
Memory button. Select the "Let me specify my own virtual memory
settings" radio button, then select Disable Virtual Memory. Click
on OK, then OK again. After defragging your disk, follow the same
procedure above, but this time select "Let Windows manage my virtual
memory setting." |
Explorer Function Key: F4
If you're a killer keyboard commando-we're guessing that you are-you
should know the function keys that let you rip through Windows Explorer.
The F4 function key opens the Address drop-down menu and highlights
it so you can quickly use your arrow keys to navigate local or network
drives, plus My Computer and Desktop folders. |
When What's New Is Old
Some applications add themselves to the Context menu's cascading
New menu that appears when you right-click on the Desktop or within
a folder. You may find that even after you've deleted a particular
application, it stays on the New menu. If you want to remove it,
launch My Computer, select Options from the View menu and click
on the File Types tab. Find the offending application on the list,
select it and click on the Remove button. Click on Yes when it asks
for confirmation. |
Explorer Function Key: F6
The F6 function key lets you quickly toggle between Window
Explorer's left and right pane and the Address box. |
Stuff Your Start Menu
When you "add a folder" to your Start menu by dragging and dropping
it onto the Start button, you're really just adding a shortcut to
the folder. It's usually better to put the actual folder there instead
of a shortcut. The Start menu is just a special folder in
the Windows folder called, unsurprisingly, "Start Menu." If
you put folders that contain your documents into this folder, you
gain three advantages. First, what you see on the Start menu is
always correct; delete a folder, for example, and it disappears
from the Start menu as well, while a shortcut would remain. Second,
actual folders appear on the Start menu as cascading menu items,
whereas shortcuts to folders just open the folder on your Desktop
when selected. And finally, the Start menu is always available,
even if your Desktop is packed with clutter. |
Know Your File Types
Power users, it's time to get really familiar with your File Types
dialog. This is where you can turbocharge Windows and customize
the way it works for you. Launch My Computer, select Options from
the View menu and click on the File Types tab. Scroll down the list
of file types, highlight a file that you use a lot (an HTM file,
text file or e-mail file, for example) and click on the Edit button.
In the dialog box that comes up, you can change the icon for that
file type, add extensions of the same file type, put items on the
Context menu, enable QuickView and much more. |
Cache in CDs
You can set performance parameters on practically every computer
that comes with a built-in CD-ROM. Go to Control Panel/System/ Performance,
click on the File System button under Advanced settings and open
the CD-ROM tab. You can increase your cache size and inform Windows
9x of your CD-ROM's speed so it can optimize access to the CDs you
use. |
Fixing "File Not Found," Part Two
If you don't find the file, you must find a reference in your Registry
or SYSTEM.INI to a program that no longer exists on your system.
Use the Registry Editor's search function to find the filename,
then use Notepad to open and search SYSTEM.INI for the same
file. When you find any references to the file, carefully note where
it is and the exact settings in case you have to reinstate it, then
delete the references. (Back up your Registry before making any
changes.) Also check the WINDOWS\STARTUP folder for any shortcuts
that call the file, and delete them. |
Fixing "File Not Found," Part One
It's not uncommon in Windows to encounter a "File Not Found" error
while booting up. The message indicates that a particular file-usually
a DLL or VXD-is missing. Chances are, the file was improperly removed
when you uninstalled an application. The file may be gone, but one
or more lines in your System Registry or SYSTEM.INI could still
be trying to load it. To fix the problem, reboot and note the exact
name of the errant file. From the Windows taskbar, select Start/Find/Files
and Folders to search for the missing file. If you find it, copy
it to your WINDOWS or WINDOWS\SYSTEM folder. If you think you might
have moved or renamed a program folder, make a new folder with the
old name, and copy the offending file there. Reboot and see if the
message goes away. |
Sort Your Recycling
The Recycle Bin lets you view items you've tossed in the same way
as an ordinary Windows folder. If you're looking for something in
the recycle Bin, select Details from the View menu and click on
the bar of your choice (Name, Original Location, Date Deleted, Type
or Size) to sort by that category. |
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Mouseless Moves
You can move or resize open Windows applications by using only your
keyboard. First, press Alt+Spacebar to bring up a menu. Press S,
then use the arrow keys to resize the window. Press M and move the
window using the arrow keys. Press Enter to keep the window change
or Esc to return the window to its previous state. |
A Fast Move
When you use Win9x's Send To feature (right-click on the item, then
select Send To from the Context menu) to place something on a floppy
disk or on a drive other than your C: drive, the file is copied.
To move it, hold down the Shift key while clicking on the Send To
item. |
Clear Start Menu Clutter
Empty the contents of the Documents item on your Start menu by selecting
Start/Settings/Taskbar and clicking on the Start Menu Programs tab.
Under Documents menu, click on the Clear button. |
Simplify the One-Minute Life Saver
If you found the "One-Minute Life Saver" tip useful for backing
up important system files, here's how to do it even more easily:
First, create a destination folder (such as D:\VAULT) in which to
save your backups. It's better-although not essential-to create
the folder on a drive other than your boot drive, if possible. Next,
create a text file called LIFESAVE.BAT and place it in your root
directory. Edit the file and copy the following lines into it, where
D:\VAULT is the name of the destination folder you created:
copy C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT D:\VAULT
copy C:\AUTOEXEC.DOS D:\VAULT
copy C:\CONFIG.SYS D:\VAULT
copy C:\CONFIG.DOS D:\VAULT
copy C:\WINDOWS\CONTROL.INI D:\VAULT
copy C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM.INI D:\VAULT
copy C:\WINDOWS\WIN.INI D:\VAULT
attrib -r -h -s C:\MSDOS.SYS
attrib -r -h -s C:\WINDOWS\USER.DAT
attrib -r -h -s C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM.DAT
copy C:\MSDOS.SYS D:\VAULT
copy C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM.DAT D:\VAULT
copy C:\WINDOWS\USER.DAT D:\VAULT
attrib +r +h +s C:\MSDOS.SYS
attrib +r +h +s C:\WINDOWS\USER.DAT
attrib +r +h +s C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM.DAT
Now you can back up the files by double-clicking on LIFESAVE.BAT.
NOTE: This tip was submitted by Don MacDonald. |
One-Minute Life Saver
Prepare for possible PC catastrophes by regularly copying the following
files to a second hard drive, removable hard disk or diskette -
especially if you frequently install and uninstall applications.
From your root directory (you may find only some of these), back
up AUTOEXEC.BAT, AUTOEXEC.DOS, CONFIG.SYS, CONFIG.DOS and MSDOS.SYS.
From your Windows folder, back up CONTROL.INI, SYSTEM.INI and WIN.INI,
as well as the SYSTEM.DAT and USER.DAT Registry files (SYSTEM.DAT
probably won't fit on a floppy disk). |
Look at the Small Picture
One of the cool things about IE 4.0 and Win98 is that when you view
open folders as Web pages (My Computer/View/As Web Page), you can
see image thumbnails on the left side of the window when you hover
the mouse pointer over the files. Unfortunately, some JPEGs don't
show up, because JPEGs come in two types - RGB and CMYK - and Win98
can read only RGB. The fix is to use your favorite graphics utility
to convert your CMYK JPEGs to RGB. |
Dump the Log File
The Task Scheduler is a handy tool, but you can't delete content
from its log file unless you first close or disable the utility:
Select Advanced/Stop Using Task Scheduler, then launch the log and
delete to your heart's content. |
Program Files by Any Other Name
Problem: You install a program that insists its program folder be
installed in C:\PROGRAM, instead of the standard C:\PROGRAM FILES
folder.
Solution: These programs do not recognize long filenames; when they
see PROGRAM FILES they stop at the space and interpret the input
as C:\PROGRAM. To force it to install properly, uninstall the program
if it's already installed. Then reinstall it, instructing Setup
to install the program folder in C:\PROGRA~1\. That's the DOS abbreviation
of the long filename for C:\PROGRAM FILES. |
Before You 'Del' that DLL
If you've ever wondered which DLLs a program uses, right-click on
the executable file and select QuickView. In the QuickView file,
find the Import Table category. You'll see each DLL used by the
file, with additional details below each DLL's name. |
Slow (but Sure) Shutdown
Win98 shuts down faster than Win95, but it achieves this dubious
benefit by pulling the plug on running applications without shutting
them down first. If you're uncomfortable with that, disable it.
Launch the System Configuration Utility (Start/Programs/Accessories/System
Tools/System Information). Click on the Tools menu and select System
Configuration Utility. Click on the Advanced button and check
the Disable Fast Shutdown item. |
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One Name Only, Please
If your PC serves multiple users and you want to prevent people
from inadvertently creating multiple log-on names for themselves,
use Microsoft Family Logon (in Win98 or IE 4.0x in Windows 95).
It presents a list of all previously created log-on names for that
PC. Users must choose from that list and can't create a new log-on
name. To set it up, open the Network Control Panel and click on
the Add button under the Configuration tab. Double-click on Client,
then select Microsoft from the left pane and double-click on Microsoft
Family Logon in the right. Under the Configuration tab, click on
the down arrow next to the Primary Network Logon field and select
Microsoft Family Logon from the drop-down menu. Click OK. |
Missing SendTo the Desktop?
If the Desktop As Shortcut icon is missing from your SendTo menu,
here's how to restore it: Open C:\WINDOWS\SENDTO and right-click
on the folder's background. Choose New/Text Document and rename
the new file Desktop as Shortcut.DESKLINK (click on Yes when the
Rename warning dialog opens). |
How to Defeat AutoPlay
You probably already know a couple ways to disable AutoPlay for
CDs: As a one-time measure, hold down the Shift key when you insert
any CD. Or for a permanent effect, uncheck the Auto Insert Notification
box under the CD-ROM Device Manager: Open Start/Settings/Control
Panel/System/Device Manager, expand the CD-ROM entry and double-click
on your CD-ROM. Open the Settings tab and uncheck the appropriate
box. But did you know you could also use Tweak UI's Paranoia tab
to separately toggle AutoPlay options for audio or data CDs? This
is also helpful if you don't want to alter your Device Manager settings.
For more information (and to download TweakUI) visit http://www.elgan.com/answers/tweakui.htm |
Instant Gag Order
Need silence from your PC? Click on the little yellow speaker on
your taskbar and check the Mute box. Don't see it on your
taskbar? Open the Multimedia control panel, click on Audio,
and check "Show volume control on the taskbar." |
Disorderly Display
If your display doesn't work as well as before you installed Win98,
it's probably a driver problem. The right driver might be on the
Win98 CD, but if it isn't, you can probably get it from the monitor
vendor's Web site. To install the driver, right-click on the Desktop
and choose Properties. Click on the Settings tab and then on Advanced.
Select the Monitor tab and click on Change to launch a wizard that
guides you through the installation process. Finally, select the
Adapter tab and choose Optimal from the Refresh Rate drop-down list. |
Rearrange Start
If you're running either Win95 with IE 4.0 or Windows 98, you can
drag and drop to rearrange Start, Programs or any of their submenus,
as well as the IE 4.0 Favorites menu. Click on and drag any item
you want to move, then drop it at its new location on the menu.
A horizontal black line indicates the drop point before you release
the mouse button. You can also reposition submenus, such as program
folders, on the Programs menu. Just wait for them to open fully
before you move them. |
A Dialog for All Drives
Here's an easy way to view the properties for multiple hard drives
simultaneously. Open My Computer and select all your hard drives
by holding down Ctrl and clicking on each drive in turn. Next, right-click
on any of the drives and choose Properties. Windows creates a single
dialog box with Properties tabs for each drive. This also works
for floppy disk, removable and mapped network drives. |
The Only Way to Drag and Drop
It's easy to become confused in Windows about what's going to happen
when you drag and drop a file from one place to another. That's
because the operating system has context-sensitive defaults for
copying and moving objects. When you drag and drop a file from one
hard drive to another, copying is the default operation. But when
you drag between two folders on the same drive, moving is the default
operation. Forget all that, and just remember this: Use the right
mouse button for drag-and-drop operations. When you do, Windows
displays a Context menu that lets you choose whether to Copy, Move
or Create a Shortcut in the new location. |
Close In on the Parents
To close a folder and all its open parent folders, hold down the
Shift key while clicking on its Close (X) box or press Alt+Shift+F4.
Note: Neither method works with mixed Explorer and single-pane folder
windows. |
Your First Resort
If you suspect one of your open programs is causing a problem, save
any data and press Ctrl+Alt+Delete to open the Close Program box.
This box displays Not Responding after the program name if it shows
trouble spots. You may be able to save your Windows session by selecting
an unresponsive program and pressing End Task to terminate it. (You
may have to wait several moments for an End Task confirmation dialog
to appear.) Sometimes you can unstick one frozen program by terminating
another that's not responding - a trick that could save any unsaved
data. |
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Convert to FAT32 in Win95B
Open Control Panel/System Properties and look under System. If it
reads 4.00.950 B, you can convert to FAT32. There are two ways to
convert to FAT32 under Win95: the free way and the easy way.
The free way: Move or back up all files off your hard drive. Use
your Win95B Emergency Startup Disk to boot to DOS and run FDisk,
where you "enable large disk support" and repartition your drive.
After that you'll have to format the disk, reinstall Win95, restore
your other files, and reinstall all your apps.
The easy way: Buy a product like PowerQuest's PartitionMagic, which
can perform FAT32 conversion without damaging your data or requiring
any reinstallation. |
New Route to DOS Boot
Windows 98 changes the way you boot to a DOS prompt. Hold down the
Ctrl key while your PC is booting. This takes you directly to the
Boot Menu, including Safe Mode and "Boot to command prompt only." |
Meter Made to Keep Eye on System
To keep an eye on Windows 98 system resources, make sure the System
Resource Meter is installed. Run Add/Remove Programs from Control
Panel, and select the Windows Setup tab. Click on System Tools and
then Details; check the box for the System Resource Meter and click
on OK twice to install it. When you run the program, a resource
usage gauge will appear in the System Tray. |
Which Windows CD?
To determine which version of Windows you have on an installation
CD, pop in the CD and select Browse This CD. In the root folder,
or the C:\WIN9x folder, right-click on SETUP.EXE, choose Properties
and click on the Version tab. You'll find the version number at
the top of that dialog box. |
Build Your Own 'Show Desktop'
If you accidentally delete the Show Desktop shortcut from the taskbar's
Quick Launch toolbar, you can restore it by going to C:\WINDOWS\Application
Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch. Create a new text
file with the following contents:
[Shell]
Command=
IconFile=explorer.exe,3
[Taskbar]
Command=ToggleDesktop
Save the file as SHOWDESKTOP.SCF. This will restore the shortcut. |
See It All
Any time you're using Explorer's single- or dual-pane view in Details
mode, you can adjust column widths to view the complete text in
every column. Simply press Ctrl++ (plus sign on the numeric keypad).
This tip also works with many simple programs and applets that rely
on the Explorer window as the basis of their interface.
Note: You'll have to expand the window borders to accommodate the
new window size. |
Undermine the Underline
With Web-style in Win98 and IE4 you can get rid of the underlines
that show up every time you open a folder. Customize your view so
that you see the underline only when you move your cursor over an
icon. Select Start/Settings/Folder Options. Click on the General
tab, select Custom and click on the Settings button. Choose "Single-click
to open an item [point to select]" and select "Underline icon titles
only when I point at them." |
Drag, Drill Down and Drop
In a dual-pane Explorer view, a folder will expand automatically
if you hold a file you're dragging over a collapsed folder list.
You can keep doing this until you drill down to the folder you want
to drop the file in. |
Make a Map
You can map a machine's IP to any hostname you want by editing the
HOSTS.SAM file in your WINDOWS directory. The file must be renamed
HOSTS with no extension, and you must reboot for the changes to
take effect. Edit the HOSTS file as follows:
10.10.10.11 anyhost.anydomain.com # descriptive
comment. |
Get Rid of the Overhead
If you're simply dialing into an ISP for Internet access or POP
mail, you can significantly lower your connection times via your
Dial-Up Networking profile's Properties menu. From there, choose
the Server Types tab, and uncheck "Log on to the network," NetBEUI
and IPX/SPX Compatible protocols. (Make sure you don't need these
protocols for any applications, such as access to Netware file servers.) |
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You Can Go Home Again
If you're installing win98 for the first time and have about 50MB
of hard disk space to spare, choose the installation option to back
up your previous operating system. If the installation fails, you'll
be able to restore your original configuration. |
Start Menu Without the Menu
If you find the Start menu too slow, right-click on the taskbar
and select Toolbars/New Toolbar. In the dialog box, open the C:\WINDOWS\START
MENU folder, choose the item you want to access and click on OK.
Now you'll have single-click access right fromthe taskbar. |
Suspect the Simple, Part 2
Sometimes, all you need is a reboot. At other times, press Ctrl+Alt+Del
to bring up Windows' Close Program applet and shut down only the
nonresponsive app or component. Check the vendor's Web site to see
if patches or updates are posted, as well as the FAQ pages, fax-back
services and BBS areas. Try undoing or backing out of recent changes,
or reinstalling the malfunctioning application. Often, one or more
of the above steps is all it takes to get Windows running smoothly
again. |
Suspect the Simple, Part 1
Large problems sometimes stem from ridiculously small causes. For
example, cables, cards and chips can work themselves loose over
time or develop bad connections from oxidation on their contacts.
CPU cooling fans can die or malfunction, and dust can block air
intakes or exhausts, leading to heat problems and erratic performance.
To avoid all this, make sure all cables-inside the case and out-are
properly inserted. Ensure that all socketed chips are firmly seated,
that your fans are working and that your system case has unobstructed
airflow. |
Safe Steps to a Smaller Registry
Here is a safe technique that can reduce the size of the Registry
up to 10 percent. Make a backup of your system and especially the
current Registry. Under Windows 95, use the ERU program located
on the Windows 95 CD. Under Windows 98, run ScanReg by entering
SCANREGW.EXE in the Start/Run menu. In Windows 95/98, open the Registry
Editor and export the current Registry to a REG file, such as C:\MYREG.REG,
by selecting the Registry/Export Registry File command with the
All button highlighted. Restart Windows in an MS-DOS Mode sessi
on. Or reboot, press Ctrl at boot time and select Command Prompt
from the Windows 98 Startup menu. Enter SMARTDRV at the C: prompt
to load the DOS disk cache. After the successful creation of the
MYREG.REG export file, run RegEdit once more from C: as follows:
REGEDIT /C MYREG.REG This will recreate a new compact version of
the Registry in the \WINDOWS directory. |
Less Distance, More Speed
The number of switches between the dialing party and receiving party
directly relates to the amount of line noise introduced into a call.
Line noise forces modems to negotiate lower speeds. If you are dialing
to a national ISP while on the road, use a local access number instead
of your usual number (even if it's toll-free). Ask your ISP for
the telephone number of the closest "point of presence" to your
current location. This could significantly speed your connection. |
Faster Start-Up, Take 2
We got a lot of questions about our tip on November 13 tip, which
told how to speed up the loading of Windows by telling Windows not
to search for a floppy drive. This tip is a correction and clarification.
The tip involves telling Windows not to search for a *new* floppy
drive. It has nothing to do with searching for an existing, permanently
installed floppy drive. Importantly, using this tip will not prevent
you from booting from a Startup or boot floppy. It disables only
the plug-and-play feature that checks for a new drive (useful mainly
on portable computers with external floppy drives). To speed up
Windows by telling it to not check for a new floppy drive, go to
My Computer/Properties/Performance. Click on File System and the
Floppy Disk tab. Deselect "Search for new floppy disk drives each
time your computer starts." |
Painless Extraction
If a system file gets damaged, you can extract a fresh copy. Launch
the System File Checker from System Information's Tools menu. Click
on the "Extract one file from installation disk" radio button, type
the full file name and click on Start. Type x:\WIN98 (where x is
your CD-ROM drive) in the Restore From box, enter the destination
in the Save File In box and click on OK. |
Faster Start-Up
You can speed up your boot process by telling Windows not to search
for your floppy drive. (You'll still be able to use the drive, but
Win98 will search for it only when you click on its icon in My Computer.)
Go to My Computer/Properties/Performance. Click on File System and
the Floppy Disk tab. Deselect "Search for new floppy disk drives
each time your computer starts." |
Shorten Windows Start Times
Fix the top five things that slow down Start:
1.) Not enough RAM: Upgrade if you have less than 32MB.
2.) The hard disk is highly fragmented: Run Disk Defragmenter.
3.) The hard drive is slow: Consider buying a new one.
4.) Not enough free disk space for Windows' swap file: You should
have at least 50MB free disk space, including the size of the swap
file WIN386.SWP) in your WINDOWS folder or root directory.
5.) You have too many fonts installed: Remove some of them in the
Fonts control panel. |
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An Ounce of Prevention
Maintain your hard drive by performing these steps at least monthly,
in this order:
1.) Delete all files and folders with dates older than one week
from C:\WINDOWS\TEMP.
2.) Purge your browser's history and Internet cache files.
3.) Run ScanDisk. Select the Standard radio button and enable Automatically
Fix Errors. Click on Advanced and, under Log File, pick Replace
Log; for Cross-Linked Files, select Delete; click Free under Lost
File Fragments; under Check Files For, check "Invalid dates and
times;" and disable "Check host drive first," unless you've compressed
your hard drive.
4.) Empty the Recycle Bin.
5.) Run Defrag. |
Faster Modem Dialing
Speed up your modem's dialing. Go to Control Panel/Modems, select
your modem and click on Properties. Open the Connection tab and
click on Advanced. Enter S11=50 in the Extra Settings field. The
number specifies the time (in milliseconds) for each tone and the
delay between tones. Lower numbers after the equal sign speed up
dialing; higher numbers make each tone last longer and slow dialing.
(Note: Supported settings depend on your modem.) |
Change Your Identity
Modify Windows' registered user and company info by editing the
Registry. Run RegEdit and navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion.
You'll see the RegisteredOrganization and RegisteredOwner string
values in the right pane. Double-click on a value and enter the
new information in the Edit String dialog box. Press OK and repeat
the steps for the other entry, if necessary. (Note: Any program
registration, dial-up connection or log-on you've already created
with the previous name will remain intact.)
Note that any tip involving editing the registry is for advanced
users with good backups only! |
Don't Merge That File!
If you export a Registry key to disk or create a special RegEdit
script, double-clicking the file automatically merges its content
with the Registry. You can prevent inadvertent merging of REG files
by changing the default action to display a REG file in Notepad.
Select View/Options/Filetypes (Folder Options in Win98). Then select
Registration Entries from the Registered Filetype list and click
Edit. Choose Edit and Set Default. When you do want to merge a file
into the Registry, right-click it and select Merge from the popup
menu. |
Define Default Folder
Create a new default look for all your Win98 folders using the Like
Current Folder button. First, customize a folder's view, sort order
and so forth; then select View/Folder Options and the View tab.
Click on Like Current Folder to create the new default setting. |
Flexible Dialog Boxes
One of Win98's subtler capabilities is support for stretchable dialog
boxes: You can expand some of them by dragging their corners or
edges. This is especially useful in IE 4.0's Favorites/Organize
Favorites dialog box, so you don't have to scroll if the Favorites
list doesn't fit in the default view. But try it also in the System
Configuration Utility and other Win98 utilities and applets. |
Dial-Up Networking connection icons
Win98 makes it easy to copy Dial-Up Networking connection icons
(also called connectoids) between two Win98 PCs. Under Win95, this
used to be a Registry-intensive process, but now you can drag and
drop a connectoid over a network (or via floppy) to another PC's
root directory or Desktop. Once there, drag and drop the connectoid
directly into the Dial-Up Networking folder, right-click on the
connectoid and make sure that your local modem--not the modem on
the original machine--is selected. You will also have to re-enter
the user name and password, and you may have to connect twice to
save the password. |
Four Web sites within one browser
Why browse only one Web site at a time? With KatieSoft Scroll, you
can open up to four Web sites within one browser window. Each
"sub-window" has its own controls and each can be resized. In addition,
links can be dragged from window to window. This shareware program
from KatieSoft Inc. is $39.95. http://www.katiesoft.com/ |
Disk Cleanup
Some of the best Win98 utilities around are free--they're built
right into the program. We'll highlight one in each newsletter.
Let's start with Disk Cleanup, which can make "out of disk space"
dilemmas a bad memory. This handy utility will remove unneeded files
from Recycle Bin, Temp directories, your browser cache and more
whenever your available space falls below a certain size. You can
even set it to run automatically. You can find Disk Cleanup under
Start/Programs/Accessories/System Tools. |
TweakUI for Win98
TweakUI for Win98 makes it easy to eliminate the Windows logon screen.
The app comes right on your Win98 CD in the \TOOLS\RESKIT\POWERTOY
folder. Install it by right-clicking on TWEAKUI.INF and choosing
Install from the Context menu. Once you've installed it, launch
the utility from the Control Panel, open the Network tab, type your
logon name and password (if any) and check the box labeled "Log
on automatically at system startup." Win98 will fill in the name
and password on the logon screen next time you boot. |
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FastFolders
Why dig through piles of directories to get to your destination?
With FastFolders, all you have to do is right-click a folder and
follow the menus through to the folder you want. A single click
on your destination directory will get you there in a snap.
FastFolders will also recognize shortcuts to folders and display
the contents as if they were normal folders. The included SmartStatus
98 will resize the Explorer status bar to optimally display the
file information. This shareware program from DeskSoft is only $10.
Get more information at: http://www.desksoft.com/ |
Dr. Watson help
A new, improved version of Dr. Watson helps pinpoint problems--and,
hopefully, leads to a quick fix. The doc sits patiently in your
system tray until a problem occurs, but the minute things go haywire,
leaps into action to grab a snapshot of your PC's settings. That
information can be invaluable in diagnosing problems. You can find
Dr. Watson at: Start/Programs/Accessories/System Tools/System Information/Tools. |
Win98 shut down faster
Win98 shuts down faster than Win95, but it achieves this dubious
benefit by pulling the plug on running applications without first
shutting them down. If you're uncomfortable with that, disable it.
Launch the System Information Utility (as explained above), then
select the System Configuration Utility from the Tools menu. Click
on the Advanced button, and check the Disable Fast Shutdown option. |
SUPER SHAREWARE
InstantFavorites is light-years ahead of IE4's Favorites Explorer
Bar. It gives you a fully searchable, Explorer-style view of your
Favorites folder. Simply start typing in a word, and Instant Favorites
will automatically hide any Favorites that don't match your search.
This shareware program is available from Sergei O. Ivanov for $20.
Get more information at: http://www.nwlink.com/~sergiva/ifav/ |
System Information
This time out, let's look at System Information, an invaluable
aid in diagnosing system errors. System Information combines
a standalone utility and a launcher (its Tools menu) for several
other mini programs (including Dr. Watson). It records an impressive
amount of information, such as how much memory your PC has, which
processor it's running, IRQ assignments and conflicts, drivers and
much more. You can save all this info in a standard system report
that you can send to a support technician. You'll find it at: Start/Programs/Accessories/System
Tools/System Information |
Take a CAB to Replace Bad System Files
You can manually extract files from your Windows CD or IE setup
CAB files, which can be very useful when your PC tells you KERNEL32.DLL
or another system file has been corrupted. Win98's System File Checker
(SFC.EXE in the \WINDOWS\SYSTEM folder) can automatically fix some
corrupted files for you. But Win95 users can also make repairs using
the DOS EXTRACT.EXE tool (in the \WINDOWS\COMMANDS folder). Type
EXTRACT /? from a DOS window to view the syntax requirements and
available options for using this tool. For more detailed information,
see Microsoft's Web page "How to Extract Original Compressed Windows
Files" at http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q129/6/05.asp |
The X Files
If you want to keep files-or even folders full of files-from prying
eyes, just right-click on each file and select Hidden in the Attributes
box at the bottom of the Properties dialog. To see the files you've
hidden, double-click on My Computer, select View/Options, click
on the View tab and select Show All Files. |
Single-Key Shortcuts
If you don't use the number keys on the numeric keypad, you can
use them as single-click keyboard shortcuts for launching your 10
favorite apps. Start by pressing the Num Lock key if it isn't already
on. Next, right-click on an existing program shortcut and choose
Properties. Open the Shortcut tab. Click once inside the Shortcut
Key field, press the number key that you want to associate with
the program, then click on OK. Repeat the steps for each app. For
Internet Explorer, you'll have to make a shortcut to the Desktop
icon first, then follow the same steps using the new shortcut. If
your Num Lock key isn't turned on by default, check your system's
BIOS setup for a Num Lock default setting. |
Return Filched File Types
Ever encounter an application that designates itself as the default
program for a file extension previously owned by another program?
The quickest way to get out of this jam under Win9x is to find an
example of an incorrectly associated file. Click on the file once
to select it, then hold down the Shift key while you right-click
on it. Choose Open With. Select the correct program, check the "Always
use this program to open this type of file" box and click on OK.
Or, if you don't find the program, click on the Other button and
navigate to the correct program on your drive. |
Let This Be a Warning
If you frequently hit the Caps Lock key by accident, open Control
Panel's Accessibility Options applet and put a check in the Use
ToggleKeys box on the Keyboard tab. Then select the General tab
and clear the check box next to "Turn off accessibility features."
From now on your computer will beep if you press the Caps Lock,
Num Lock or Scroll Lock keys. |
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Keep Your Hard Drive in Tip-Top Shape
Corrupted sectors and physical errors on your hard drive will affect
performance. You can clean your disk using Windows 9x's built-in
ScanDisk utility. Its default location is under Start/Programs/Accessories/System
Tools/ScanDisk. For fastest results, use the Advanced options. |
Find Missing Windows
Has a folder or program window mysteriously moved off your screen?
It can happen for several reasons-the most common is that you've
recently changed your video resolution. Right-click on the taskbar,
select either the Cascade Windows or Tile Windows (Horizontally
or Vertically) option, and the window will magically appear (you
may need to resize your windows). |
Explore a Different Folder
The Windows Explorer normally opens to your C: drive, but you can
make it launch with the contents of any folder you want. Go to your
Windows Explorer shortcut, right-click and select Properties. Open
the Shortcut tab. Edit the entry in the Target field to read explorer.exe
/n , /e , <drive:\path\folder> , where <drive:\path\folder>
is whichever folder you want to first see when Explorer launches. |
Easy Come...
Sometimes the setup procedure doesn't find everything in your system.
If an installed hardware device is missing, select Control Panel/Add
New Hardware and let the Hardware wizard search for whatever it
is. To speed up the search, click on the No button and narrow the
search to a specific device type. If it's a missing modem, Control
Panel's Modem applet may find it faster. |
Dump Fonts Cautiously
Before you start deleting all those font files that make your system
boot slowly, make sure that Windows doesn't need them. For example,
you should not delete the following fonts: Arial, Courier, Marlett,
Modern, MS Sans Serif, MS Serif (or any font with a name beginning
with "MS"), Small Fonts, Symbol and Times New Roman. Also, don't
delete any fonts that start with 8514 or VGA. You may also have
some hidden fonts that some application installed and needs, so
you don't want to delete them either. To identify hidden fonts,
open a DOS window and type CD \Windows\Fonts to switch to the fonts
directory. Type DIR /AH and press Enter to see a list of hidden
font files. |
Copy the Windows Folder
If you try to copy your entire C:\WINDOWS folder, either to another
directory or another drive, Windows copies most of the files and
folders before it hits WIN386.SWP. Then it terminates the copy,
because it prevents itself from reading and copying that virtual
memory system file. Here's a workaround: Create your destination
folder, then open your WINDOWS folder and choose Edit/Select All.
Scroll to the end of the folder and locate WIN386.SWP. Hold down
the Ctrl key and click once on the file to deselect it. Now just
drag and drop all the other files and folders to your destination
folder. |
Control Panel Control
Control Panel is one of the more frequently used folders in Windows,
but it's not always easy to access. You can, however, make the Control
Panel applets available directly from the Start menu. First, right-click
on the Start button and choose Open. Then, right-click on the background
area in the Start menu folder and choose New/Folder. Rename the
folder with this string: Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}
(Windows 95 users can copy and paste this filename from the TIPS.TXT
file found in the Windows folder.) Press Enter. This will place
Control Panel directly on the Start menu, with the applets appearing
on a cascading menu that opens when you move the cursor over Control
Panel. For frequently used Control Panel applets, make shortcuts
to the applets and add them to the Start menu or the desktop. |
Bypass the Password
You can disable Windows' log-on password. Open the Passwords in
Control Panel and click on the Change Windows Password button. Type
your old password in the Old Password field. Then tab to the New
Password and Confirm Password fields in turn, and press only Enter
in each one. |
...Easy Go
Setup sometimes "finds" things that aren't really there, such as
a non-existent serial mouse and a standard PS/2 port mouse. If the
Device Manager shows thi s or any other such ghost, highlight it
and click on the Remove button. |
Return to the Desktop
Here's a tip for those of you who prefer the keyboard. Sometimes
you'd like to select items on the desktop, but the desktop isn't
the currently selected "folder." With your desktop visible, Press
Ctrl+Esc to bring up the Start menu, hit Esc, then Shift+Tab. Now
your arrow keys will let you navigate items on the desktop. |
| 110 |
Make Good Time
Double-click on the time in the Taskbar tray to bring up the Data/Time
Properties dialog. From there you can change your system's time
and date settings. |
Good Memories
If you ever want to know what's happening with your system's use
of memory, just select Start/Run and type MEM. |
Your Disk Toolbox
Most of us use the Start menu to find ScanDisk, Disk Defragmenter
or Backup. But there's a better way. In My Computer, right-click
on a drive and select Properties. Click on the Tools tab. Here you'll
get information on the last time you performed each operation, with
launch buttons for each. |
Size Up Your Files
In Explorer, select Details from the View menu, then click on the
Size button to see the files listed in file-size order, with the
biggest files first. Click on the Size button again to see the smallest
files listed first. |
Reverse Yourself
Sometimes you want to select most, but not all, of the files in
a folder. Here's the easiest way to do it: Select all the files
you don't want to select, then choose Invert Selection from the
Explorer Edit menu. |
Notepad Surprise
Think there's not much to know about Notepad? Think again. For example,
you can insert the current time and date in Notepad just by pressing
F5. Or, if you want to log the date and time automatically each
time you open a Notepad file, type .LOG on the first line, then
save and close the file. Every time you open the file thereafter,
the current date and time will be recorded in it. |
One-Minute Life Saver
Prepare for possible PC catastrophes by regularly copying the following
files to a second hard drive, removable hard disk or diskette-especially
if you frequently install and uninstall applications. From your
root directory (you may find only some of these), back up AUTOEXEC.BAT,
AUTOEXEC.DOS, CONFIG.SYS, CONFIG.DOS and MSDOS.SYS. From your Windows
folder, back up CONTROL.INI, SYSTEM.INI and WIN.INI, as well as
the SYSTEM.DAT and USER.DAT Registry files (SYSTEM.DAT probably
won't fit on a floppy disk). |
Sound Off
Did the little yellow speaker that controls audio volume disappear
from your taskbar's system tray? If so, open the Multimedia Control
Panel. Under the Audio tab, check the "Show volume control on the
taskbar" option in the Playback section (in Win98, the option is
at the bottom of the dialog box). Click on OK, and the yellow speaker
should return. If not, try reinstalling your audio driver and then
repeat these steps. |
Little-Known Keyboard Commands II
To restore the default column widths in the Details view of any
folder window and many program or applet windows, press Ctrl and
the plus sign (+) key on the numeric keypad. |
Little-Known Keyboard Commands I
To expand all the subfolders of a selected drive in Windows Explorer,
press the asterisk (*) key on the numeric keypad (this could take
a while if the directory has lots of folders in it). But watch out-there's
no easy way to collapse them again. |
| 100 |
Dump the Recycle Bin Prompt
If your Recycle Bin prompts you with the Are You Sure? message whenever
you put something in it-even after you've unchecked the "Display
delete confirmation dialog box" option in its Properties screen-here's
a fix: Place a shortcut to the Recycle Bin in your :\WINDOWS\SENDTO
folder. To send something to the Recycle Bin without receiving the
warning, just right-click on the file or folder and choose Send
To/Recycle Bin. |
Direct Route to Documents
Add a folder to the Start menu that holds all the documents you
use frequently. Right-click on the Start button and choose Open.
Then right-click on the folder background, choose New/Folder and
give the new folder a name, like Hot Docs. For permanent documents
in other folders, drag and drop shortcuts into the new folder. Or
just copy or create new documents right in the Hot Docs folder.
Either way, all you'll have to do is click on Start and open the
Hot Docs folder to access your most important files. |
Connect SCSI Devices Without Restarting
SCSI hardware such as scanners and tape backup devices often require
you to reboot your system before using them. But sometimes you can
force Win9x to recognize such devices right after you plug them
in. Right-click on My Computer and choose Properties. Click on the
Device Manager tab, make sure the Computer entry is highlighted
and click on the Refresh button. The device should appear under
its appropriate heading in Device Manager. |
So Long, Log-On Prompt
You can prevent Win9x from prompting for a password at start-up-assuming
you're not using User Profiles and you're not connected to a network.
Launch the Network applet from Control Panel. On the Configuration
tab, select Windows Logon from the Primary Network Logon drop-down
menu. Click on OK and, when you are prompted to restart Windows,
click No. Next, launch the Passwords applet from the Control Panel,
and click on the Change Windows Password button. In the Change Windows
Password dialog, type your current Windows password in the Old Password
box. Leave both the New Password and the Confirm New Password boxes
blank, click on OK and then click on OK to confirm. Select the User
Profiles tab and select "All users of this PC use the same preferences
and Desktop settings." Click on Close and restart Windows. You must
restart Windows to execute these changes and have them take effect. |
Play Favorites with Programs
Do you have a few programs that you use far more than any others?
If so, you can make those programs more quickly accessible. The
improved Disk Defragmenter in Windows 98 can gather the program
files you use most often and move them to the faster parts of your
hard disk. To run Disk Defragmenter, click Start and select Programs/Accessories/System
Tools and then select Disk Defragmenter. Click on the Settings button
and make sure that the option labeled "Rearrange program files so
my programs start faster" is selected. Click OK twice to begin
defragmentation. |
Your Disk ToolBox
Most of us use the Start menu to find ScanDisk, Disk Defragmenter
or Backup. But there's a better way. In My Computer, right-click
on a drive and select Properties. Click on the Tools tab. Here you'll
get information on the last time you performed each of the three
disk operations, with launch buttons for each. |
Tell Your Apps Where to Go
Here's how to tell any application where to look for documents and
where to save them by default: Find the shortcut to the app on your
Desktop or Start menu (for the Start menu shortcuts, right-click
on the Start button and select open, then drill your way to the
shortcut). Right-click on the shortcut and select Properties. Click
on the Shortcut tab. Now type the path to the folder of your choice
in the Start In box. |
Tuck Away the Taskbar
If the taskbar gets in your way, there are a few ways to move or
hide it. You can move it to the top or sides of your screen by dragging
and dropping it on the appropriate edge. Wherever the taskbar is,
right-click on it, choose Properties and check the Auto Hide
option to make it disappear until you move the mouse pointer to
the screen edge where it hides. To hide it permanently, turn off
Auto Hide and drag the taskbar off the screen. Its edge will stay
visible so you can drag it back again. |
Send It to My Desktop
You can also use the previous tip to hasten objects to your own
Desktop. Follow the same steps above, but point the new shortcut
to your local WINDOWS\DESKTOP directory. Then click on the Next
button in the Create Shortcut Wizard dialog box, name the shortcut
Desktop and click on Finish. (Note: By default, this Send To operation
moves items; if you're using it from a different drive than the
one your Desktop is stored on, Windows 9x copies the objects.) |
A Dialog for All Drives
Here's an easy way to view the properties for multiple hard drives
all at once. Open My Computer and select all your hard drives by
holding down the Ctrl key and clicking on each drive. Next, right-click
on any one of the drives and choose Properties from the Context
menu that appears; Windows will create a single dialog with tabs
for each drive. It also works for floppy, removable and mapped network
drives. |
Save Your Searches
If you frequently run the same search query within Win9x's Find
utility, here's how to automate it. Open the Options menu and put
a check next to Save Results. Run your search and select File/Save
Search. This places a small FND file icon on your Desktop that's
automatically named for your search values. To access the same search
again-including your previous results-double-click on the FND icon. |
Open This Folder in DOS
Do you frequently open a specific folder as a DOS directory? You
can automate the process by placing a shortcut in the Windows folder.
First, create a new shortcut by right-clicking on the Desktop. In
the Command line field, type command; and in the name field, type
Open <FOLDER NAME>Directory. Once the shortcut is created, right-click
on it, select Properties, click on the Program tab, and type the
path for the DOS directory you want to open in the Working field.
For example, type \Windows\Favorites to open the Favorites folder.
If you'd like to see a file listing whenever you run the shortcut,
type dir /p in the Batch file field. |
On Your Mark ... Part II
You can skip Character Map altogether on characters you frequently
use, and use their keyboard shortcuts instead. The Character Map
applet shows the shortcut for each character you select. The e character,
for example, has a keyboard shortcut, Alt+0233. To insert a special
character this way, turn on Num Lock and hold down the Alt key while
you type the shortcut number using your keyboard's number pad. |
On Your Mark ... Part I
There's an easy way to add accent marks-and other special characters-to
words like resume and cafe. Open the Character Map application (Start/Programs/Accessories
in Windows 95, Start/Programs/Accessories/System Tools in Win98).
If Character Map isn't installed, you can add it using Control Panel's
Add/Remove Programs applet. In the drop-down list under Font, select
the font you're using in your document. In Character Map, find the
character you need, double-click it to add it to the Characters
To Copy field, then click on Copy. Return to your document, place
your cursor where you'd like the character to appear (or select
a letter to replace) and press Ctrl+V to paste the new character. |
Not-So-Private Properties
You can access Control Panel's Network, System and Display Properties
from the Desktop. Right-click on the Network Neighborhood
or My Computer icon and select Properties to access the Network
or System settings, respectively. Right-click on the Desktop itself
and select Properties to access the Display Properties. To quickly
access the Properties for any object on the Desktop, hold the Alt
key and double-click on the object. |
Faster Folders
You can eliminate tedious right-clicks and menu selections
when you create a new folder by pressing Alt+FWF instead within
any My Computer, Network Neighborhood or Explorer window (press
Alt+FNFfor Windows 98). The folder appears instantly, highlighted
and ready for naming. |
Accommodating Columns
If you open a folder in Details view, and part of the file/folder
information isn't visible because the columns are either truncated
or too wide for the window size, here's a quick fix: Press Ctrl
and the Plus (+) key on the numeric keypad. The columns will automatically
adjust to fit the window or widen to display all the information
(if your resolution and screen size are large enough). In an Explorer
window, you may need to select the pane first by pressing Tab. |
| 83 |
Launch Folders At Startup
You already know you can put programs and documents in your StartUp
folder to launch things at Win95 startup, but you can also put folders
in there. Just follow the normal procedure: Right-click on the Start
button and select Open, double-click on the Programs folder, then
the StartUp folder. Now drag the folder of your choice into the
StartUp window. |
A Refreshing Change
Win95 and Win98 don't refresh your view of files and folders as
often as you might like. Here's how to make Windows refresh constantly
(make sure you back up your system before editing the Registry).
Launch the Registry Editor by selecting Start/Run, typing REGEDIT
in the Run dialog and pressing Enter. Click on the plus sign next
to HKEY_LOCAL_ MACHINE, then on the plus sign next to System, and
then on CurrentControlSet. Select Control, then Update. In the right
pane, right-click on UpdateMode and select Modify. Select the 01
reading and change it to 00. Click on OK, exit the Registry Editor
and restart. |
Quick Close
If you give the ol' three-finger salute (Ctrl+Alt+Del), Win95 shows
you the Close Program dialog, which gives you the option to close
running applications--one at a time. A secret program (a holdover
from Windows 3.x) called the Task Manager shows you all your running
applications and lets you close any number of them--or even all
of them--at once. To launch the Task Manager, bring up the Run dialog
(Start/Run), type TASKMAN in the Open box and press Enter. To select
a bunch of running applications to close, press and hold the Ctrl
key, go to the Task dialog and click on each of the programs you'd
like to close, and select End Task from the Windows menu. |
Explore with The Explorer
If you prefer the dual-pane Explorer view, make it the default.
In Windows 95, click on My Computer and select Options from the
View menu. Click on the File Types tab, then scroll down and find
the Folder item in the Registered File Types box. Click on the Folder
item, then the Edit button. Click on the Set Default button so Explore
comes before Open on the list. For Win 95: click on OK, then on
OK once again.For Win 98: click on Close, then on Close once again. |
Use Your Keyboard as a Mouse
Windows comes with a few options designed to make it more accessible
to handicapped or injured users. One of these options is MouseKeys,
which lets you move your mouse pointer with the numeric keypad on
your keyboard. This is useful if you're recovering from a repetitive
strain injury caused by overly vigorous use of your mouse, or you
have a notebook on which you don't want to install a mouse. Turn
on MouseKeys by double-clicking on the Accessibility Options icon
in the Control Panel; then click on the Mouse tab and select Use
MouseKeys. |
Run, Don't Walk, to Your Favorite Site
By typing the URL of your favorite Web site into the Run dialog
(Start/Run) and pressing the Enter key, you'll enable Windows to
launch the Internet Explorer--if that's your browser--and go straight
to the site. For example, if you type www.usteda.com and press Enter,
you'll go directly to the Usteda Web site. |
Fun with Run, Part I
If you have a folder open when you launch the Run dialog (Start/Run),
Windows uses the folder as the current directory. Knowing that,
you can simply type the name of the file you'd like to lauch without
typing the path, assuming that file is in the open folder. |
Fun with Run, Part II
You can drag documents and folders into the Run dialog, and Windows
types the path for you. Then modify and launch with your changes. |
Fun with Run, Part III
Don't forget that the four most recently launched Run commands are
still available by clicking on the down arrow in the Run dialog
or by using the down-arrow key. |
Close All Apps Fast
Close all your running programs by selecting Shut Down from the
Start menu and choosing the "Close all programs and log on as a
different user?" option. Then, log back on as the same user. |
Survey Your Properties
Bring up the Properties dialog fast by holding down the Alt key
and double-clicking on the object of your choice. |
Start Menu Secret
Here's a tip that lets you put Start menu items in the order you
want and also launch them with keystrokes. In Win95, Right-click
on the Start button, then select Open. Rename each item by placing
a number in front of it. Now you can open the Start menu by pressing
Ctrl+Esc. Launch the program of your choice by simply pressing
the associated number. For Win98, simply drag and drop items to
place them in the order you want. Launch items by pressing Ctrl+Esc,
then the letter of the item you want to launch, followed by the
Enter key. |
Hot, Hot, Hot Keys
Create shortcuts for your most frequently used programs. Bring up
the Properties dialog for each by right-clicking on it and selecting
Properties. Click on the Shortcut tab, and click once in the Shortcut
Key field. Do the hot-key combination you want to assign,
then click on OK. Assigning a hot key will allow you to switch to
the program if it's already running on your deskto |
Familiar Faces
Print out all the fonts on your system by opening Control Panel,
double-clicking the Fonts icon, then on the font of your choice
and clicking on the Print button. |
Fast Ways to Free Disk Space - Part I
You can never be too rich, too thin or have too much available disk
space. Over the next few days, we'll give you some great tips
for quickly freeing up megabytes of hard disk space. To try today's
tip, launch your browser and purge its browser cache. To do this
in Navigator, choose Edit/Preferences; click on Advanced and then
Cache. You'll find two buttons for clearing memory and disk cache.
It's a bit more complicated in IE - the procedure varies for different
versions. Find the Internet Options item on either your Tools or
View menus. Click on the Delete Files button in the Temporary Internet
Files area. |
Fast Ways to Free Disk Space - Part II
Delete the animated Help files, which are the AVI files in the C:\WINDOWS\HELP
folder. |
Fast Ways to Free Disk Space - Part III
Delete the Online Services folder from the Program Files folder |
Fast Ways to Free Disk Space - Part IV
Open Add/Remove Programs and uninstall any program you haven't used
in six months. |
Fast Ways to Free Disk Space - Part V
Use the Find Files or Folders utility on the Start menu to search
for the largest files on your PC. Click on the utility's Advanced
tab, choose At Least beside the Size Is selector, and type 2000
in the KB field. You can make deletions right in the Find window.
But be careful-don't delete anything if you don't know what it is.
Be especially wary of files in the Windows folder and its sub-folders
or your root directory. |
Troubleshooting to Boot
If Windows fails to boot properly, press F8 for the Windows StartUp
menu, and pick the Logged (\BOOTLOG.TXT) option. It attempts a normal
boot but records the status of every step Windows takes during the
process. You can use this option to log a failed boot. Then, reboot
to Safe mode if necessary and use a text editor to open BOOTLOG.TXT
(in your root directory). Search for "fail" to find the boot steps
Windows had trouble with. Failed steps are often excellent clues
to the cause of the problem. |
No-Fuss Directory Printing
Yes, you can print a list of the files and folders contained in
any Windows folder, but you should seek outside help-free help,
of course. When we tried several directory-printing freeware
and shareware programs, a clear winner emerged: PrintFolder 1.1,
from No Nonsense software
(http://no-nonsense-software.com/freeware).
The small-sized PrintFolder doesn't try to do too many things and
works from a Context menu item. The 525KB PrintFolder download includes
a README file, Windows setup and uninstall. PrintFolder can print
files, subfolders or both, and it includes several other adjustable
options. This utility isn't fancy, but it does the job both locally
and on networks. |
Pause Scrolling DOS Text At Boot-Up
If you suddenly have a DOS line breaking into Windows 9x's blue
sky logo screen, you might want to slow it down so you can read
what it says. There are two ways to do this. First, you can watch
for the lines to appear during boot-up and quickly press the Pause
key (on some PCs you may have to press Shift+Pause) to freeze the
boot in place. The boot process continues when you press any other
key. Or you can restart your computer, and when you see the DOS
line that reads "Starting Windows 95," press F8 to summon the Windows
StartUp menu. On Windows 98 machines, the surest thing to do is
to press Ctrl when you see any DOS text on the screen, and hold
it down until the Windows StartUp menu appears. Choose the "Step-by-step
confirmation" option, which will pause after each command in CONFIG.SYS,
AUTOEXEC.BAT and other internal boot steps, so you can verify that
they're loading properly. |
Get with the Program
When you drag and drop a file, it is either moved or copied, depending
upon whether or not you're moving it from one drive to another.
Unless, that is, the file is a program. Whenever you drag and drop
a program file, Windows will create a shortcut in the new location
by default. |
Fastest Restart
Restarting Win9x is normally a four-step process (click on
the Start button, select Shut Down, click on the "Restart the computer?"
button and then click on OK). You can make it a one-step process
by creating an icon on your desktop that restarts Win9x. Open Notepad
and type @exit. Close the document and give it a name with a .BAT
extension. Now stash the file somewhere on your hard disk. Create
a shortcut to the
file by using the right mouse button to drag it to the Desktop and
then selecting Create Shortcut(s) Here. Right-click on the shortcut
and select Properties. Click on the Program tab and select the Close
on Exit box. Now click on the Advanced button and make sure "MS-DOS
mode" is selected and "Warn before entering MS-DOS mode" is not
selected. Click on the OK button twice. Give your new shortcut a
unique icon and name. From now on, whenever you double-click on
the icon, Win9x will restart, no questions asked. |
Check Out Your Hardware
Right-click on your My Computer icon and select Properties. This
tabbed dialog box is your hardware's Rosetta stone. By exploring
the various tabs and items, you can get the scoop on all the devices
installed on your system, plus memory and port settings. |
Icon Type Too Big or Tiny?
Wish you could make your icons just right? Right-click on the desktop
and choose Properties, then the Appearance tab, then the Item menu.
Scroll down and select Icon from the list, and then choose the font
and size you wish from the pick lists. |
Forget Your Password?
If you forget your Win95 password, just press Escape at the password
box, bring up the MS-DOS Prompt and enter dir *.PWL at the WINDOWS
folder to find your .PWL files. Delete the one with your name in
front of it. Restart your system and enter a new password when prompted. |
Make Your Own Icons
Take any .BMP file, rename it to give it an .ICO extension, and
voila! Instant icon. You access the file in the normal way: Right-click
on the current icon for a shortcut, select Properties from the Context
menu, select the Shortcut tab and click on the Change Icon button.
Now use the Browse button to find your new one. |
Make a Quick Exit
Right-click on the taskbar buttons of minimized applications and
select Close from the menu to quickly exit them. |
Control Freaks 'R' Us
If you're always launching Control Panel to fiddle with your system
settings, simplify your life by putting the Control Panel applet
right on the initial Start menu. Drag CONTROL.EXE from your WINDOWS
folder and drop it on your Start button. |
Get System Info On Paper
Right-click on the My Computer icon and select Properties from the
context menu. Click on the Device Manager tab, then the Print button.
Select the "All Devices and System Summary" radio button, then click
on OK. This will give you more information about your hardware,
IRQs, ports, memory usage, devices and drivers than you ever wanted
to know. Keep this printout handy for future reference. |
Fast Rename
If you click once on an icon, wait a second and then click again,
you'll be able to rename the icon. |
For Your INFormation
If a new application is accompanied by an information file (filename.INF),
that file may contain Registry-revision instructions. If so, search
it for lines beginning AddReg= and DelReg=. These lines point to
the sections of the INF file that contain those instructions. Review
the sections to get an idea of what changes are about to be made
to the Registry. |
Sort Your Recycling
The Recycle Bin lets you view items you've tossed in the same way
as an ordinary Windows folder. If you're looking for something in
the Recycle Bin, select Details from the View menu and click on
the bar of your choice (Name, Original Location, Date Deleted, Type
or Size) to sort by that category. |
Smart Program Management
You'll increase your chances of getting out of virtually any computer
problem if you follow this rule of thumb: Never install a program
unless you own it, and have the executable setup file and installation
CD or installation floppy disk handy. The same rule goes for programs
you download from the Internet: Always save the installer files.Create
a folder called C:\Setup, C:\Downloads or C:\Installers and store
the setup files in subfolders named for each program and version
number. Even better, store them on a second hard drive or partition.
You should also copy the Favorite shortcut to the program's Web
site to the program's folder. If there's a program serial number
or license file, store that too. If you ever have to reinstall your
applications, you'll be prepared. |
Registry Refresh Shortcut
Some Registry changes require restarting Windows before the changes
take effect. However, there's a way to reinitialize your Registry
and refresh your Desktop without fully restarting the OS. Save your
work, then press Ctrl+Alt+Del to bring up the Windows task list.
Select the Explorer entry and click on End Task. If the Shutdown
screen appears, click on Cancel. After a few seconds an error message
will appear. Click on End Task, and Windows Explorer will reload
with any new Registry settings. |
Mouseless Moves
You can move or resize open Windows applications by using only your
keyboard. First, press Alt+Spacebar to bring up a menu. Press S,
then use the arrow keys to resize the window. Press M and move the
window using the arrow keys. Press Enter to keep the window change
or Esc to return the window to its previous state. |
Launch Control I
Some programs tell Windows to launch them at start-up by placing
a shortcut in the StartUp folder. To remove start-up programs, right-click
on the Start button and select Open. Double-click on the Programs
folder, then the StartUp folder. Delete shortcuts to programs you
don't want to run at start-up. Or just drag the shortcut out to
the Desktop to temporarily remove it from the StartUp folder. You
can drag it back later or delete it. |
Fixing "File Not Found," Part One
It's not uncommon in Windows to encounter a "File Not Found" error
while booting up. The message indicates that a particular file-usually
a DLL or VXD-is missing. Chances are, the file was improperly removed
when you uninstalled an application. The file may be gone, but one
or more lines in your System Registry or SYSTEM.INI could still
be trying to load it. To fix the problem, reboot and note the exact
name of the errant file. From the Windows taskbar, select Start/Find/Files
and Folders to search for the missing file. If you find it, copy
it to your WINDOWS or WINDOWS\SYSTEM folder. If you think you might
have moved or renamed a program folder, make a new folder with the
old name, and copy the offending file there. Reboot and see if the
message goes away. |
Fixing "File Not Found," Part Two
If you don't find the file, you must find a reference in your Registry
or SYSTEM.INI to a program that no longer exists on your system.
Use the Registry Editor's search function to find the filename,
then use Notepad to open and search SYSTEM.INI for the same
file. When you find any references to the file, carefully note where
it is and the exact settings in case you have to reinstate it, then
delete the references. (Back up your Registry before making any
changes.) Also check the WINDOWS\STARTUP folder for any shortcuts
that call the file, and delete them. |
A Fast Move
When you use Win9x's Send To feature (right-click on the item, then
select Send To from the Context menu) to place something on a floppy
disk or on a drive other than your C: drive, the file is copied.
To move it, hold down the Shift key while clicking on the
Send To item. |
Redial Redux
Ever wish you could get Dial-Up Networking to redial when it encounters
a busy signal? Microsoft, unfortunately, doesn't make this the default
state. To turn it on, open Dial-Up Networking (in My Computer) and
select Settings from the Connections menu. The Redial selections
let you choose the number of times to retry a failed connection,
and the amount of time between tries. |
Explore Printing Shortcuts
You don't have to open every document you want to print. Instead,
add your favorite printer to the Send To menu accessed when you
highlight a document in Explorer or My Computer. Then printing a
document is only a mouse-click away. To list your printer on the
menu, go to Windows Explorer and select the SendTo folder in the
Windows directory. Create a shortcut for your printer there, and
next time you access the Send To command your printer will be one
of your options. You also can put a shortcut for the printer right
on your desktop and then drag and drop documents onto it to print
them. |
File Right
If you have some kind of mysterious executable file (EXE, DLL, OCX)
on your system, right-click on it in Explorer, select Properties
and click on the Version tab. This displays the version resource
inside the file (if it has one), which normally includes the name
of the company that created the file, the product the file is associated
with, and the file's version number. |
Resolve an Identity Crisis
If the System Properties General tab doesn't have your name spelled
correctly, search the Registry's Values for RegisteredOwner (no
space between words). When you find the Value entry that shows the
current name in the adjacent Data column, double-click on it and
make the necessary corrections. To change all other occurrences
of the same name, search Data for the name and do the same thing.
(To just search the Registry's Values or Data sections, run regedit.exe.
Select Edit/Find, and then make sure either "Values" or "Data" is
the only box checked off.) |
Check Your Cache
To ensure optimum performance, make sure Windows 95 is caching your
CD-ROM drive at the appropriate setting. You can check this by right-clicking
on My Computer, choosing Properties, then clicking on the Performance
tab and clicking the File System button. Clicking on the CD-ROM
tab will bring up the Settings. Make sure the Optimize Access Pattern
setting is correct for your drive's speed. If you have more than
8MB of RAM, you might also want to increase the setting for Supplemental
Cache Size. That setting is located in the same box. |
Traveling Taskbar
You can move the taskbar to any side of the screen-left, right,
top or bottom-by dragging it to the desired side. Those with
IE4's Desktop Update or Windows 98 installed can also detach any
Toolbar from the Taskbar and move it to any side of the screen.
Just click on the left-side of the Toolbar and drag. |
Open Applications Fast
If you keep shortcuts to applications in the area at the top of
the Start menu, you can start them even more quickly. Rename each
shortcut with a unique letter or number, then launch one using the
key combination Control+Esc (which expands the Start menu) followed
by its assigned letter or number. |
Win95 Has Your Number
Someday you may need to do a complete re-installation of Win95.
You'll need your registration number for the installation. If you
don't know it, right-click on My Computer and select Properties.
Write the registration number (it's the last item under "Registered
to:") and keep it with your Startup Disk. |
Find the Unfindable
If you search the Registry for a Desktop object and can't find it,
edit the object's icon title and try again. By default, some objects
(My Computer and Network Neighborhood, for example) don't write
their name into the Registry unless you edit the title. You can
even "rename" My Computer back to My Computer to force it into the
Registry. |
This Is Only a Test
If you can't hear CD-ROM audio on your system, play a music-only
CD and monitor the output via the front-panel headphone jack. If
that works, you know the drive is okay. Next, run a cable from the
headphone jack to the line input on the sound card, then adjust
the mixer's line level and master level. If that works too, the
sound card is also okay and the problem is probably in the separate
audio-only link between the CD-ROM drive and the sound card. And
remember, the only audio you'll hear from the drive's headphone
jack is conventional compact-disc audio. MIDI and WAV files on a
CD-ROM disc will not be heard via the headphone jack. |
Cursor Keys
If you want to control your mouse with the cursor keys, including
single-pixel movements, just open the Accessibility Options applet
in Control Panel, and turn on MouseKeys via the Mouse tab. This
lets you operate the mouse cursor with the keys on your numeric
keypad and still use the inverted-T cursor keys to move the text
cursor. |
Wall Painting
If you're bored with the opening and closing bitmaps Windows 95
displays, you can edit them. The files are bitmaps in the
Windows folder, named LOGOS.SYS and LOGOW.SYS. You can edit
them with the copy of Microsoft Paint that comes with Windows 95. |
No More Cloudy Days
So you hate those clouds hovering on your screen as you launch Windows
95? Just add the line:
logo=0 to the [options] section of the hidden system file MSDOS.SYS
in your boot drive's root directory, and Windows 95 won't display
its cloud logo at boot time. |
Is Your Setup Validated?
If you run Setup over an existing copy of Windows 95, you have the
option To restore files that have changed or copy all files again.
Both options take About the same time, because both check the validity
of all currently-installed Win95 files. In either case, damaged
files are restored to their original condition. |
Space Saver
If you're really tight on disk space under Windows, display the
folder C:/Windows/Temporary Internet Files in Explorer and delete
all the files. You won't be getting rid of anything important-these
are the cached files from your Internet Explorer browsing sessions. |
Chart Your Performance
The System Monitor tracks the performance of your system's components
in a series of useful charts. Information includes microprocessor
and memory usage, and the size of the disk cache and swap file.
Use the System Monitor to spot performance-inhibiting problems.
If you don't have it installed, go to the Control Panel's Add/Remove
Programs applet, and select the Windows Setup tab. Highlight
Accessories and click on the Details button. Check off the System
Monitor and click on OK twice. The System Monitor will now be installed
in your Start Menu under Programs/Accessories/System Tools. |
Send Away
If you often copy or move files to particular directories or networked
drives, add a shortcut to each destination in your C:\Windows\SendTo
folder. This way, when you right-click on a file in Explorer,
those items will appear on the Send To submenu. |
What's the Password?
If you don't want to use a password, leave that entry blank when
you're prompted for a user name and password, and you won't be asked
again. To get rid of a password you've already entered, select Control
Panel/Passwords, click on the Change Windows Password button, enter
your current password in the Old password box and click on OK. |
Dump IE's E-Mail App
If IE 4.0 doesn't recognize your e-mail client when you click on
a mailto: link in a Web page, you can bypass IE 4.0's options using
Win9x file associations. Open any folder and select View/Folder
Options. Click on the File Types tab and double-click on URL:MailTo
Protocol in the list of associations. In the next dialog box, highlight
Open under the Actions window, then select the Edit button. Another
dialog box will open, displaying the path of the e-mail app IE is
using. Click on Browse to locate the e-mail client you want to use. |
All Icons to the Right
Ever wish your Desktop icons lined up on the right side of the Desktop?
Right-click on the Desktop, select Arrange Icons and make sure Auto
Arrange is turned off. Highlight all the icons you want to move
and drag and drop them to the new location. Right-click on the Desktop
and select Line Up Icons. |
Back Up Your Bookmarks
Save your IE Favorites or Netscape Navigator Bookmarks to a floppy
disk for safekeeping. In IE 4.0, select Favorites/Organize Favorites,
then press Ctrl+A to select all of them. Right-click on any selected
file, select Send To from the Context menu that appears and choose
your A: drive. In Navigator, just copy the BOOKMARK.HTM file from
your C:\PROGRAM FILES\ NETSCAPE\USERS\<username> folder. Or press
Ctrl+B in Navigator to open your Bookmarks dialog box, then select
File/Save As and save the HTM file to your A: drive. |
Check Your Registry
Win98 comes with a handy way to check your Registry for errors.
Launch the Microsoft System Information (MSI) utility from Start/Programs/Accessories/System
Tools/System Information, then select the Registry Checker from
the Tools menu. |
Disappearing Drives?
You've added another hard drive or drive partition to your PC, but
your system won't recognize one or more of the new drive letters.
Here's a fix: Your CONFIG.SYS file (or CONFIG.DOS if you upgraded
to Win95 or 98 from Win3x) might contain a command that reads LASTDRIVE=X,
where X is the last letter that your system recognizes. If you find
this command, edit the file and place REM (including a space
at the end) at the beginning of the LastDrive line. That will render
the line invisible to your PC at boot-up.
Note: This problem typically occurs if you've used the My Computer
tab in Tweak UI for Win95 (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/download/tweakui.exe)
to change the settings that control drive displays. You can also
try enabling all your drives in the My Computer tab to fix the problem. |
Don't Leave Windows To Its Own Devices
As soon as Setup is finished and Windows opens successfully, select
Control Panel/System. Select the Device Manager tab and review the
list of devices. If you see a device with a small exclamation mark
on a yellow background, highlight that device and click on the Properties
button to learn more about the configuration conflict. If you're
not sure how to resolve it, click on the Remove button and then
restart. Windows will probably get it right the second time. |
Double Vision
You can set a dual-pane view as your default Explorer view by opening
any folder and choosing View/Options (or View/Folder Options under
IE 4.0 or Windows 98). Under the File Types tab, select the Folder
item from the Registered File Types list and click on the Edit button.
Highlight Explore in the Actions window, click on the Set Default
button and hit OK twice. If you ever want to reverse the setting,
follow the same steps, but highlight Open instead of Explore. |
Clean Up AutoComplete
You can remove the URLs that IE 4.0 remembers for its AutoComplete
feature. Launch RegEdit and go to HKEY_USERS\Default\Software\Microsoft\InternetExplorer\TypedURLs.
Delete any unwanted URLs.
To clear out Netscape's AutoComplete URLs, select the Communicator\History
menu item and delete any unwanted URLs from the resulting list. |
Faster Setup
Facing another Win95 setup chore? Save yourself some time and toil
and enter these Setup switches in either a DOS command line or the
Run dialog box before you begin: Setup /is to defeat the automatic
ScanDisk check; Setup /id to defeat the disk space check; Setup
/iq to disable the test for cross-linked files and folder integrity;
Setup /in to skip the network setup module; and Setup /iw to skip
the Microsoft legal warnings. |
Forget Your Password?
If you forget your Win95 password, just hit Escape at the password
box, run Find (Start->Find->Files or Folders) and search for *.PWL
in c:\windows\ directory to find your PWL files. Delete the one
with your name in front of it. Restart your system and enter a new
password when prompted (Win95 will ask you to verify it). |
Get Cache For CDs
It's easy to set performance parameters for nearly every computer
equipped with a built-in CD-ROM. Go to Control Panel/System/ Performance,click
on the File System button in the Advanced settings section and open
the CD-ROM tab. Here you can increase your cache size and inform
Windows 95 of your drive's speed, so it can optimize access to any
CDs you use. |
Get Off the Network!
Ending a dial-up connection doesn't always mean you're logged off
the remote network. The appropriate way to end the session is to
click on Start, Shut Down and then select "Close all programs and
log on as a different user." Win95 won't reboot, but it will disconnect
your Dial-Up Networking connection and log you off correctly. |
Jettison Java
If slow-loading Java applets are interrupting your Web browsing,
turn off Java support in your browser. In Communicator, go to Edit/Preferences
and select the Advanced dialog. Uncheck the Enable Java option.
In IE 4.0, select View/Internet Options, open the Security tab,
click on the Custom radio button and then on the Settings button.
Select the Disable Java option in the next dialog box. |
Just Say No
When you hit Ctrl+Alt+Delete, you'll see a list of what's running
on your system. Chances are, you'll discover drivers and programs
running that you don't need or want. If you have Windows 98 you
can find out by launching the Win98 System Configuration utility
(type MSCONFIG in the Run command line and press Enter). Click on
the StartUp tab and deselect the items you think you might be able
to live without. Click on OK and reboot. If you later realize you
need one of the items you deselected, go back and reselect it. |
Little-Known Keyboard Commands
- To refresh the Desktop (including Active Desktop Web pages), press
F5.
- To expand all the subfolders of a selected drive in Windows Explorer,
press the asterisk (*) key on the numeric keypad (this could take
a while if the directory has lots of folders in it). But watch out-there's
no easy way to collapse them again.
- To restore the default column widths in the Details view of any
folder window and many program or applet windows, press Ctrl and
the plus sign (+) key on the numeric keypad.
- To select the Address toolbar (if it's enabled) and open its drop-down
list in any folder window or in IE 4.0, press F4. |
Locate Your Desktop
Use the Run command line to get fast access to your Desktop. Select
Start/Run, type a period in the command line and hit Enter. Your
WINDOWS\DESKTOP folder will open instantly. |
Make a Start-Up Disk from DOS
You may already know how to create a start-up disk: Open Add/Remove
Programs from Start/Settings/Control Panel, then click on the Startup
Disk tab and click on the Create Disk button. But sometimes you
need a start-up disk when you can't get to Windows. Here's how to
create one from DOS. First, make sure you've got a disk in your
floppy drive, then type cd windows\command and press the Enter key.
Then type bootdisk a: and press Enter again. Windows will format
the disk, then copy the system and other required start-up files. |
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