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Keyboard short cuts are 3-5 times faster than using the mouse. ALT+TAB switches you between windows CTRL+ESC opens the start menu ---Frances
Take a look at these key board shortcuts and speed up your keyboard work. Microsoft Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows ---Bloss45
I have a bunch of programs down by the clock that I don't use all the time, for example, a program that I can change the size of my desktop at a click. I hardly ever change the size of my desktop. If I know I'm not going to be using them, I right click and exit, to save resources. ---Prbaker
To stop these programs from starting up all the time, run msconfig and select the startup tab .... deselect those programs you do not want to run at start up. You will get a "worry window" next time you reboot, just tell it to go away. ---Bloss45
When using IE, if you need a larger screen for what ever you are working on, the toolbars at the top and task bar at the bottom can be shrunk or removed. To shrink the toolbar, just grab it with the mouse and push it up. If that does not work, go to View-Toolbars and remove the check in front of "lock toolbars" Also, uncheck any bars you don't want to show. To shrink the task bar at the bottom, just grab it and pull it down. Both bars can be restored the same way. (I often do this when doing online jigsaw puzzles.) --- Blue Maverick
On most computers using Win 98 and Win ME the system clock will drift. The computer I'm using now tends to lose little over a second every couple of days. What I would do is every few months is go to time.gov and manually reset my system time to the right time. Now, I have found this Power Tool "Rocket.Time" (I'm using the free version) Every time I turn on my computer, it goes to the Internet to get the right time and update the system clock (if it needs it). It also keeps Correction Log. Rocket Time ---Riglon
This tip is for frequent downloaders. Create a Downloads folder on your hard drive and create subfolder for fonts, programs, filters, ect. Where applicable, keep a nice subdirectory system going within each one. Example: Programs could have the subfolders for Audio & Video, Games, Internet, Privacy & Security, ect. Inside each subfolder keep a text file with crucial information such as program name, exe or zip name, a brief description of the program, and author's web site or download location. It may take some time to get this process started, but it's a great time-saver in the end because you don't have to hunt for downloads. --- Reading Dragon
Franadora Adds: My version of this is to have everything load into the one Downloads folder, then I move it into an Installed folder underneath after I have installed. So far, I've broken that into Fonts and Filters but I like the Programs idea too.
MarkFowler Adds: If there are multiple people using one computer this works especially well.
When on a network, I like to turn on the icon that shows network activity. This available in Windows 2000 and XP. CLick on the start button, select settings, then Network and Dial-up Connections. Right Click on the local Area Connection and select Properties from the popup menu. Make sure Show Icon in Taskbar when connected is selected. Is a great troubleshooting item to see if any network activity is occurring when a website is not coming in. ---MarkFowler
I have found doing a Google search for a really stubborn virus will often turn up a removal tool designed specifically for it. For example, if you identify the infected file as !@#$.exe and your antivirus and antispy programs are not helping, enter !@#$.exe in the Google search to find a cure. --- Glo
Click the [Windows Key] and [Break] (above page up) and it will bring up your system properties, Which you can get normally from your control panel, system, properties, or right click my computer on desktop. I regularly use this to update my USB ports via device manager due to moving my laptop around so much. ---Will
When you want to select multiple files from a directory, here are two ways to do it. If all the files are contiguous/together in one group, hold down [Shift] and click on the first file and then the last file. All of the files in between will be highlighted as well. You can now move them, delete them, or do whatever you want with them as a block. If you want scattered/noncontiguous files, hold down [CTRL] and go down the list clicking on those files you wish to work with. When you are finished, release [CTRL] and all the clicked files will be highlighted. You can now move them, delete them, or do whatever you want with them as a block. ---LCBane
To copy highlight and press control [CTRL] plus letter c. To Paste, use control [CTRL] key plus letter v. ---Barb
Want to know more about bogus email virus warnings, scams and urban legends? Check out Snopes.com and SeriousVirusWarning.com---Gillie2tat
Netscape 7.1 has a popup blocker that is a good alternative to Google's Tool Bar. To set it up, go to Edit-Preferences Click on "Privacy and Security", then click on "Pop-up Windows". Then check "Block Unrequested Pop-Up Windows" There's an option to have it play a sound when it blocks a pop-up if you want it to. It doesn't interfere with legitimate pop-ups because it's only unrequested ones it stops. There's also an "Allowed Sites" section where it will let you set sites to allow to have pop-ups. ---Gillie2tat
Sometimes when you open a program by clicking on an icon on the desktop, it does not open to the "Maximized" size. Generally, it will open to the size that it was when you last closed it. However to always have it open to the maximum size, do the following: Left click on the desktop icon, then click on "Properties" in the dropdown menu. Select the "shortcut" tab and then in the "Run" dialog window, select "Maximized" ---Arnie
Need help understanding Internet Security? Patrick Crispen is running a computer security series now archived online. There should still more parts to it and for me it is a good introduction. Internet Tourbus Archives from 2004 Or for Home Computer Security: Part One TOURBUS - 07 24 04 Exploits and Patch Management Home Computer Security: Part Two TOURBUS - 07 31 04 Firewalls---Anne
Help.com is running a variety of free courses of particular interest is the one on maintaining Windows XP. Well worth a look, scroll down to find the Windows XP button. Help.com---Bloss45
Instead of downloading yet another program to your computer (e.g. Natata Quick Encoder) to avoid spambots grabbing your email address on your website, you can have your email address encoded online at the following site: Email Encoder---JoannaTo use the Windows Setup Switches for Windows 98 and ME. The first thing is copy the Windows OS CD to either a separate hard drive or partition using a boot disk with xcopy. Then I start the installation by doing the following:
Tame your Start Menu to save time and avoid scrolling. Use Windows Explorer or a similar program to move your program group folders and icons into categorized folders. Folder names could include: Audio & Video, File Management, Font & Graphics, Internet, Misc Utilities, Personal Management, Privacy & Security, Word Processing, ect. ---ReadingDragon
A quick and mouseless way to get to your homepage in Internet Explorer and Netscape. Just go 'Alt' + 'Home'.---Prbaker
I, too, have a folder called "Downloads." I store all my downloads in it, but when I download a program, I create a folder for the program with the complete name of the program. (The complete name because who's going to remember that tfti.zip stands for "The Font Thing" six months later? Not me!) Then I download the program AND I also download the installation instructions, the manual, and any other FAQs that are available. This way, if I don't get it installed right away, I still know what it is and how to install it. ---LCBane
Ever have a problem openning a program that is minimized? Normally you can just click on the minimized program in the bottom tray and it will open. If that won't work, Right click on it in the tray and choose Maximize to bring it back.---Eagle
Shirley adds: Ever have a program down there that won't close? Right Click the tray and choose Close
Does it seem to take forever for your windows to boot? Go to your Programs/StartUp to see what programs were loading. Take out those you don't need. ---Eagle
Check out Cybia's Pasteboard one of my favorite tools when I'm working with HTML. This awesome little utility is like having ten PC clipboards and is great for cutting and pasting. It autosaves your text on closing the program with the exit button. This program saves me a lot of time working with urls for links, virtual includes, ect. ---ReadingDragon
Do you use a PDA and Microsoft's ActiveSync? ActiveSync installs in you System Tray and stays there even when you are not Syncing you PDA and PC. If you are like me I don't sync the PDA with the PC but a few times a week. Since, Microsoft doesn't include a way to exit ActiveSync from the system tray it's always running. Here is a free program that will let you Enable or Disable ActiveSync. ActiveSync Toggle---Riglon
Windows Links. Not sure how many people use this, many times I find on people's pc's the links bar but it is hidden. I use it all the time (VU) is up there too. Right click on bars and remove tick from 'lock toolbars' and then when you on a site you can drop and drag with the "e" from the address block onto the links bar. I usually then rename this so they all fit nicely. ---Will
"Tired of the costs and complexities of keeping up with security challenges and configuration changes across thousands of enterprise servers, desktops and laptops? Better call BigFix. Our simple, powerful, automation-assisted vulnerability management solutions are easily deployed to give you the visibility and control you need to proactively identify, assess and remediate threats and vulnerabilities across the enterprise. On your terms. In real-time in seconds and minutes versus hours and days. Fix it before it fails, with Bigfix---Bloss45
To open a picture directly from the camera you connect the memory card to your computer, in what ever way is your custom. (I have a card reader, I can also connect the camera directly). The you can browse to that drive in the same way as you do your hard drive, CD or floppy disk.---Bloss45
If you're in a hurry and need a quick screen shot, try ALT+PrtScn. You can then open a handy image utility--like IrfanView--and select the paste option to complete editing and resizing. Works great for error messages!---ReadingDragon
Keep your desktop from getting cluttered up! It seems like almost every program you install (or update) wants to put its icon on your desktop, your Quick Launch, and install in the System Tray. I do put programs I use frequently in the Quick Launch. I find it is more useful there than on the desktop, because the desktop is usually covered up. I put programs I use frequently, but not daily on the desktop and remove all the other shortcuts (Hint: if it has a little curved arrow in the corner, it's a shortcut and can be deleted without hurting the program). This is really important for those still using Win98 because all those icons slow down your computer. I'm not sure about the effect on WinXP. Besides, with all the icons, how can you find anything? Finally, there is on the Quick Launch one shortcut that looks (on WinXP) like a blue on white target (at least that's what it looks to my old eyes); this will minimize all your programs and show you the desktop. ---Franadora
Josh Madison's Convert program is great for anyone that may need help with unit conversions. It can convert: angles, area, density, distance, temperature, volume, ect. You can also create custom conversions. ---ReadingDragon
