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Don't Ignore the Windows Logo Key
The Windows logo key, located in the bottom row of most computer keyboards is a little-used treasure. Don't ignore it. It is the shortcut anchor for the following commands:
Windows: Display the Start menu.
Windows + D: Minimize or restore all windows.
Windows + E: Display Windows Explorer.
Windows + F: Display Search for files.
Windows + Ctrl + F: Display Search for computer.
Windows + F1: Display Help and Support Center.
Windows + R: Display Run dialog box.
Windows + break: Display System Properties dialog box.
Windows + shift + M: Undo minimize all windows.
Windows + tab: Move through taskbar buttons.
Windows + L: Lock the workstation (or switch to the Logon screen w/Fast User Switching enabled).
Windows + U: Open Utility Manager.
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Fast User Switching
If you have multiple users logged on to your machine, you can bypass the Welcome screen to switch users:
Go to the User tab in Task Manager, right-click on a user and choose Connect.
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Place a "Run" Icon On Your Desktop
Open the Start Menu and drag the Run option on to your desktop.
You may want to rename it to get rid of the ampersand. Now you will be able to double-click the "Run" icon on your desktop to go directly to the Run dialog.
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Skip the Recycle Bin Confirmation Message
When you delete items by moving them to the Recycle Bin, Windows displays a message confirming the deletion: "Are you sure you want to send FILENAME to the Recycle Bin?" If you’re tired of clicking an answer to that question, you can configure Windows XP to skip the confirmation message whether or not you’re using the Recycle Bin.
Right-click the Recycle Bin, and then click Properties.
In the Recycle Bin Properties dialog box, clear the Display delete confirmation dialog check box, and then click OK.
If you don’t want to use the Recycle Bin at all, in the Recycle Bin Properties dialog box, select the Do not move files to the Recycle Bin. Remove files immediately when deleted check box.
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Manually Install Backup in Windows XP Home Edition
The Backup utility is not included in the default installation of Windows XP Home Edition. The Backup icon is not present on the Start menu in Windows XP Home Edition, nor is Backup listed in Add/Remove Programs for Windows XP Home Edition. The backup program is found on the Windows XP Home Edition CD in the Valueadd folder.
Double-click the Ntbackup.msi file in the following location on the Windows XP Home Edition CD to start a wizard that installs Backup:
CD-ROM Drive:\VALUEADD\MSFT\NTBACKUP
When the wizard is complete, click Finish.
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Create a Keyboard Shortcut to Open a Folder
Do you have a folder to which you want instant access from anywhere on your computer? For example, if you want the My Music folder to pop up while Internet Explorer or Word is maximized, follow these steps:
Select the folder in Windows Explorer.
Create a shortcut, and place it on the desktop. (You create a shortcut by opening the folder, pointing to New on the File menu, then clicking Shortcut. Drag the shortcut to your desktop.)
Right–click the new shortcut, and then click Properties.
In the Properties dialog box, click the Shortcut tab, and in the Shortcut key box, enter a Control key combination or a Control–Shift key combination, (that is, Ctrl+Alt+M or Ctrl+SHIFT+M when M is for music), and then click OK.
Anytime you hit the key combination you specified, your folder will open, even when other programs are maximized! This tip can be applied to folders, programs, and text file shortcuts that are placed on the desktop.
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Add an Item to the Send To Menu
You can create a new shortcut on the Send To menu, for example, one that goes to a frequently-used folder.
Open My Computer, and double-click the drive where Windows is installed, which is usually drive C.
Double-click the Documents and Settings folder, and then double-click the folder for the particular user.
Double-click the Send To folder. The Send To folder is hidden by default. To see the Send To folder, click Tools, click Folder Options, and then click Show hidden files and folders.
On the File menu, point to New, and then click Shortcut.
Follow the instructions to create a shortcut.
Now, when you right-click a file, and click Send To, the shortcut to the item you selected will be an option. You can create shortcuts to local or network programs, files, folders, computers, or Internet addresses.
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Change the Picture on the Welcome Screen
If your computer is a member of a workgroup or is a stand-alone computer, you can replace the picture on the Welcome screen with another picture. First, store a head shot that you’ve scanned or taken with a digital camera in the My Pictures folder. The picture will be automatically resized to fit the picture box, so don’t worry too much about getting an exact size, and then follow these steps:
Click Start, click Control Panel, and then click User Accounts.
Click your account name, and then click Change My Picture.
Click the picture you like, and then click Change Picture.
To find the user’s picture, click Browse for more pictures, click the picture you want to use, and then click Open.
Now, when you open the Welcome screen, you will see the new picture.
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Change the Start Menu Style
Does the new Windows XP Start menu take up too much space on your desktop? You can easily change the look back to the Windows Classic Start menu by following these steps:
Right–click the Start button, and then click Properties.
Click Classic Start menu.
Click the Customize button to select items to display on the Start menu.
By default, selecting the Classic Start menu also adds the My Documents, My Computer, My Network Places, and Internet Explorer icons to your desktop.
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Add a Map Drive Button to the Toolbar
Do you want to quickly map a drive, but can’t find the toolbar button? If you map drives often, use one of these options to add a Map Drive button to the folder toolbar.
Option One (Long Term Fix):
Click Start, click My Computer, right-click the toolbar, then unlock the toolbars, if necessary.
Right-click the toolbar again, and then click Customize.
Under Available toolbar buttons, locate Map Drive, and drag it into the position you want on the right under Current toolbar buttons.
Click Close, click OK, and then click OK again.
You now have drive mapping buttons on your toolbar, so you can map drives from any folder window. To unmap drives, follow the above procedure, selecting Disconnect under Available toolbar buttons. To quickly map a drive, try this option.
Option Two (Quick Fix):
Click Start, and right-click My Computer.
Click Map Network Drive.
If you place your My Computer icon directly on the desktop, you can make this move in only two clicks!
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Add Familiar Icons Back to Your Desktop
It’s the case of the missing icons. Many of you may be wondering where all the icons from your desktop are in Windows XP? You can place at least My Computer, My Network Places, and My Documents on the desktop.
Right-click on the desktop, and then click Properties.
Click the Desktop tab and then click on Customize Desktop.
Put a check mark in the box next to My Document, My Computer, My Network Places, or Internet Explorer, to add those familiar icons to your desktop.
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Unlock Toolbars to Customize Them
Windows XP now features locking toolbars, and you can adjust them. You can customize a lot of the Windows XP features such as the Taskbar, Start Menu, and even toolbar icons in Internet Explorer and Outlook Express.
Right-click on a toolbar, and then click Lock the Toolbars to remove the check mark.
Right-click on the toolbar again, and then click Customize. You can add and remove toolbar buttons, change text options and icon options.
When you've got the toolbar customized, click Close.
Now right-click on the toolbar and then click Lock the Toolbars to lock them in place.
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Keep Your Favorite Programs Near the Top of the Start Menu
Do you have a favorite program that you frequently use? Elevate its priority on the Start menu by putting it at the top of the list. This ensures that the program will remain on the Start menu and cannot be bumped by other programs, even if you use the others more frequently.
Right-click the link to your favorite program on the Start menu and select Pin to Start Menu.
Your program will be moved permanently to the top part of the list, just below your browser and e-mail programs.
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Use the Address Bar to Launch Programs or Web Pages
Windows XP Professional enhanced the functionality of the Address bar to make it easier to launch your favorite programs. You can add the Address bar to the taskbar on the bottom of your desktop. Then you can launch programs simply by entering their names in the Address bar.
For example, to launch Calculator, simply enter calc in the Address bar. Anything you would normally enter in the Run box on the Start menu can be entered in the Address bar. The Address bar also lets you quickly go to any Web page you specify.
Right-click an empty area on the taskbar.
Point to Toolbars, and then click Address.
Open the Address bar by double-clicking it.
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Create a Personal Screen Saver
For a great way to put your digital photos to work, try creating a slide show presentation for use as a screen saver.
Right–click an empty spot on your desktop, and then click Properties.
Click the Screen Saver tab.
In the Screen saver list, click My Pictures Slideshow.
Click Settings to make any adjustments, such as how often the pictures should change, what size they should be, and whether you’ll use transition effects between pictures, and then click OK.
Now your screen saver is a random display of the pictures taken from your My Pictures folder.
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Turn on ClearType Font-Rendering Technology
Get that extra text clarity you've always wanted. The incredible Microsoft ClearType® technology can be enabled in Windows XP to smooth all fonts at all sizes, making the whole system so much easier to read. I don't know how I lived without it!
Click Start, click Control Panel, and then click Appearance and Themes.
Click the Display icon, click the Appearance tab, and then click Effects.
Click the Use the following method to smooth edges of screen fonts check box to select it, and select ClearType from the list.
Click OK, and then click OK again.
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Use a Shortcut to Local Area Network Connection Information
Something new in Windows XP—instead of using the command line program and typing ipconfig to find local area network information, you can use the following shortcut:
Click Start, point to Connect to, and then click Show All Connections.
Right–click the connection you want information about, and then click Status.
In the connection Properties dialog box, click the Support tab.
For even more information, click the Advanced tab.
To automatically enable the status monitor each time the connection is active, in the connection Properties dialog box, select the Show icon in taskbar notification area when connected check box.
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Synchronize Your Computer Clock with an Internet Time Server
Does your computer have the right time? If your computer is not part of a domain, you can synchronize your computer clock with an Internet time server.
Double–click the time on your task bar.
Click the Internet Time tab.
Select the time server you want to use and make sure to select the Automatically synchronize with an Internet time server check box.
Make sure that you have set the correct date before you attempt to synchronize your clock, because the Internet time server won’t update the time if the date is wrong.
If you have a personal or network firewall, you may have to tweak the settings to unblock time synchronization.
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Renew and Release IP Addresses
You can use the command-line tool IPCONFIG to get network information such as your IP address and to perform other tasks for troubleshooting network issues.
However, if you prefer a graphical user interface over command lines, you can download a GUI tool that will run on Windows XP and Windows 2000. The tool that’s installed is Wntipcfg.exe.
The tool identifies your IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway for each of your network interfaces, including the interface for your network adapter, your dial-up networking interface, and your PPTP interface. It allows you to click a button to Release, Renew, Release all, or Renew all when configuring an IP address.
To download and install the tool:
Open the Windows 2000 Resource Kit tool download page Wntipcfg.exe: Windows NT IPConfig Utility
Click the download link in the box at the top right corner of the page.
In the File Download dialog box, select Save this program to disk.
Select a location on your computer to save the file, and then click Save.
In Windows Explorer, go to the location where you saved the downloaded file, double-click the file to start the installation process, and then follow the instructions.
To provide quick access from the Run line, install the program to C:\Documents and Setting\yourusername or the equivalent. Or, create a shortcut to the program on your start menu or desktop.
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Customize the Internet Explorer 6 Toolbar
You can choose which features you want on the Internet Explorer 6 toolbar. If you want to simplify the toolbar, you can remove icons, change to smaller icons, or remove the text labels displayed next to the icons.
Right–click the Standard toolbar, and then click Customize.
In the Text options list, click No text labels to remove them.
In the Icon options list, click Small icons to change the default setting.
In the Current toolbars list, click any icon that you want to remove, and then click Remove.
To keep your changes safe, right–click the toolbar again, and make sure to select the Lock Toolbars check box.
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Change Web Page Font Size on the Fly
If your mouse contains a wheel for scrolling, you can change font size on the fly when viewing a Web page.
Press and hold Ctrl.
Scroll down (or towards yourself) to enlarge the font size.
Scroll up (or away from yourself) to reduce the font size.
You might find it useful to reduce font size when printing a Web page, so that you can fit more content on the page.
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Use AutoComplete to Enter Addresses Faster in Internet Explorer 6
The AutoComplete feature in Internet Explorer 6 can fill in the prefix and suffix of Web addresses so all you must enter is the name.
Just type the name in the address bar and hold down the Control key while you press Enter. Internet Explorer 6 automatically adds the http:// and the www. and the .com.
For example, click in Address bar and type MSN, and then hold down the Control key and press Enter. Internet Explorer 6 will go to the address http://www.msn.com
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Manually Put Your Computer Into Hibernation
If you are using Windows XP Home Edition, or Windows XP Professional with Fast User Switching turned on, the Turn Off Computer menu will present the options to Stand By, Turn Off, or Restart your computer. You might want to put your computer into Hibernate mode, a cool feature in Windows XP that is hidden in the Turn Off Computer box.
To manually place your computer into hibernation (after enabling hibernation on your computer) follow this tip:
Click Start, and then click Turn off computer.
Press and hold the Shift key. The label under the first button on the left changes from Stand By to Hibernate.
Click the Hibernate button.
To enable hibernation support on your computer:
You must be logged on as an administrator or a member of the Administrators or Power Users group. If your computer is connected to a network, network policy settings may prevent this procedure.
Click Start, click Control Panel, click Performance and Maintenance, and then click Power Options.
Click the Hibernate tab, and then select the Enable hibernate support check box. If the Hibernate tab is not available, your hardware does not support this feature.
Click OK to close the Power Options dialog box.
Note: When you put your computer into hibernation, everything in computer memory is saved on your hard disk. When you turn the computer back on, all programs and documents that were open when you turned the computer off are restored on the desktop.
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Add a Voice Message to an E-Mail Message
Personalize e-mail with a voice message? You can perform this task using the Windows XP Sound Recorder and a microphone. First, open the sound recorder:
Click Start, click Programs, click Accessories, click Entertainment, and then click Sound Recorder.
On the File menu, click New.
To begin recording, click Record, and to stop recording, click Stop.
Save the .wav file to a folder of your choice.
Attach the file to an e-mail message.
To record sounds, your computer must be equipped with a microphone. Recorded sounds are saved as waveform (.wav) files.
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Stop Windows Messenger From Signing In
If you’re running Windows Messenger and it signs you in, even when you don’t want it to, follow these steps to turn off signing in automatically:
Click Start, click Control Panel, and then click User Accounts.
On the Advanced tab, click Manage Passwords.
In Store User Names and Passwords, select Passport.Net/*, and then click Remove. This removes your Passport’s connection to your computer, but doesn’t delete your Passport.
Click Close, and then click OK.
When you restart Windows Messenger, it won’t sign you in automatically.
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Activate NetMeeting
Using NetMeeting, you can participate in virtual meetings, work in shared applications, and share data over the Internet or your company intranet. NetMeeting is actually already installed after you perform a full install of Windows XP, but it won’t appear on the Start menu until it's activated.
Click Start, then Run, and enter Conf.
Click OK.
In the NetMeeting Wizard, supply the necessary information, and then select the Put a shortcut to NetMeeting on my desktop (or on my Quick Launch bar) check box.
NetMeeting should start and is now listed in the most frequently used programs list on the Start menu.
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Add Administrative Tools to Your Start Menu
If you are an administrator to your Windows XP Professional machine, you might want to be able to perform administrative functions. Yet, it is sort of a hassle to navigate to the Control Panel and select the Administrative Tools from there.
Right–click the Start menu, and then click Properties.
On the Start Menu tab, click Customize.
Click the Advanced tab, and under Start menu items, scroll to System Administrative Tools.
Click Display on the All Programs and the Start menu.
You can navigate through those tools right from the comforts of the Start menu.
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Access the Administrator Account from the Welcome Screen
If you are at the Welcome screen and want to log on with the Administrator account, but it’s not listed:
Press Ctrl+Alt+Del twice to bring up the Windows 2000 logon window, which then allows you to log on as Administrator.
Logging on at the Welcome screen is not available on computers that are members of a network domain.
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Three New Command-Line Tools
If you’re running Windows XP Professional, you can use a number of great new command-line tools:
Use schtasks.exe to script the scheduling of tasks from the command line.
Defragment your drives from the command line with defrag.exe.
Query all or any of the event logs from the command line with eventquery.vbs.
To execute some of these commands, you must be a member of the Administrators group on the computer that the command affects.
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Change Drive Letters in Windows XP
When you add drives to your computer, such as an extra hard drive, a CD drive, or a storage device that corresponds to a drive, Windows automatically assigns letters to the drives. However, this assignment might not suit your system; for example, you might have mapped a network drive to the same letter that Windows assigns to a new drive.
Right-click My Computer, and then click Manage.
Under Computer Management, click Disk Management. In the right pane, you’ll see your drives listed. CD-ROM drives are listed at the bottom of the pane.
Right-click the drive or device you want to change, and then click Change Drive Letter and Paths.
Click Change, click Assign the following drive letter, click the drive letter you want to assign, and then click OK.
You will not be able to change the boot or system drive letter in this manner. Many MS-DOS-based and Windows-based programs make references to a specific drive letter (for example, environment variables). If you modify the drive letter, these programs may not function correctly.
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Temporarily Assign Yourself Administrative Permissions
Many programs require you to have Administrative permissions to be able to install them. Here is an easy way to temporarily assign yourself Administrative permissions while you remain logged in as a normal user.
Hold down the Shift key as you right-click on the program’s setup file.
Click Run as.
Type in a username and password that have Administrative permissions.
This will also work on applications in the Start menu.
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Enable Services to Work Through Internet Connection Firewall
When people are having trouble getting to specific programs or services on your Windows XP machine after you enable Internet Connection Firewall (ICF), you may need to enable the program or service to work through the firewall.
Click Control Panel, click Network and Internet Connections, and then click Network Connections.
Right-click your Internet connection, and then click Properties.
Click the Advanced tab in the Properties dialog box.
Click Settings, and the Advanced Settings dialog box opens.
From there you can enable most common services just by clicking them, or add your own by clicking the Add button.
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Disable the Shut Down Button on the Welcome Screen
Do you have little ones that like to click all over the screen when you’re not looking? Afraid of someone shutting down the computer without logging on?
Click Start, click Control Panel, click Performance and Maintenance, and then click Administrative Tools.
Double-click Local Security Policy.
Expand Security Settings, then expand Local Policies, and then click Security Options.
In the right pane, double-click the Shutdown: Allow system to be shut down without having to log on policy, click the Disabled radio button, and then click OK.
No more shutting down without logging on!
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Create a Desktop Shortcut to Lock Your Computer
You secure your computer by locking it whenever you’re away from your desk. If you’re on a domain, by pressing Ctrl+Alt+Del and then clicking Lock Computer, you can prevent unauthorized users from gaining access to your computer. Only you and members of the Administrators group on your computer can unlock it. (You unlock it by pressing Ctrl+Alt+Del, typing your password, and then clicking OK.)
To create an even quicker means of securing your computer, place a shortcut on your desktop to lock your computer:
Right-click an open area of your desktop, point to New, and then click Shortcut.
In the Location box, type %windir%\System32\rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation
Click Next, in the Name box type a name for the shortcut such as, Lock Computer, and then click Finish.
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Update Computer Clock Through a Firewall
If your computer is a member of a domain, your computer clock is probably synchronized automatically by a network time server. If your computer is not a member of a domain, you can synchronize your computer clock with an Internet time server.
However, the Internet Time service in its default state does not work with Internet Connection Firewall enabled on a dial-up connection in Windows XP.
Click Start, point to Connect to, and then click Show all connections.
Right-click your dial-up account, and then click Properties.
On the Advanced tab, click Settings.
Click the Add button, and type Internet Time Service for the description.
Enter 127.0.0.1 for the IP address, and enter 123 for both the External and Internal port numbers, and then make sure that TCP is selected.
Click OK three times until the Properties dialog box closes.
If you’re online, a message box tells you that you need to disconnect and reconnect for the settings to take effect. When you double-click the clock on the taskbar, and then click Update Now on the Internet Time tab, your clock will be synchronized with an Internet time server.
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Show Encrypted Files in Color
You can encrypt files and folders on NTFS volumes to hide their content from other users. To quickly identify encrypted files and folders in your system, follow this tip to display the name of the encrypted file or folder in color.
Double-click My Computer, and then click Folder Options on the Tools menu.
Click the View tab.
Select the Show encrypted or compressed NTFS files in color check box, and then click OK.
Now the name of the encrypted file or folder is listed in color within Windows Explorer. The EFS feature is not included in Windows XP Home Edition.
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Remove Record of Recently Used Documents
In Windows XP Professional, the Start menu contains a My Recent Documents folder that contains 15 of your recently used documents.
To remove the record of recently accessed documents:
Right-click Start, click Properties, and then click Customize.
Click the Advanced tab, and then click Clear List. If you're using the Classic Start menu, click Clear.
Clicking Clear List empties the My Recent Documents folder. It doesn’t delete the documents from your computer.
If you don’t want to include anything in the My Recent Documents folder:
On the Advanced tab, click Customize, and then clear the List my most recently opened documents check box.
In Windows XP Home Edition, My Recent Documents is not automatically listed on the Start menu. You can turn on this feature by right-clicking Start, clicking Properties, clicking Customize, and then selecting the List my most recently opened documents check box.
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Set Permissions for Shared Files and Folders
Sharing of files and folders can be managed in two ways. If you chose simplified file sharing, your folders can be shared with everyone on your network or workgroup, or you can make your folders private. (This is how folders are shared in Windows 2000.) However, in Windows XP Professional, you can also set folder permissions for specific users or groups. To do this, you must first change the default setting, which is simple file sharing.
Open Control Panel, click Tools, and then click Folder Options.
Click the View tab, and scroll to the bottom of the Advanced Settings list.
Clear the Use simple file sharing (Recommended) check box.
To manage folder permissions, browse to the folder in Windows Explorer, right–click the folder, and then click Properties. Click the Security tab, and assign permissions, such as Full Control, Modify, Read, and/or Write, to specific users.
You can set file and folder permissions only on drives formatted to use NTFS, and you must be the owner or have been granted permission to do so by the owner.
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Stop Getting Tricked into Running Viruses
Stop getting tricked into running viruses because you don’t see the file extension of an attachment.
Click Start, click My Computer, and on the Tools menu, click Folder Options.
Clear the Hide file extensions for known file types check box, and then click OK.
Now when you receive a file called something.jpg.vbs, you’ll see the .vbs extension and know that it is not an ordinary .jpg file.
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Install the Recovery Console on Your Computer
You can install the Recovery Console as an option on your startup menu and use it to recover your system in the event that safe mode and other startup options don’t work. This tool is for advanced users.
With Windows XP running, insert your Windows XP CD in the drive, and click Exit when the installation options are displayed.
Click Start, click Run, and then type D:\i386\winnt32.exe /cmdcons Where D: is the CD-ROM drive letter, and then press Enter. (There is a space between .exe and the slash.)
Follow the instructions on screen to install the Recovery Console, and when the installation is complete, restart your computer. The Recovery Console will show up in the list of available operating systems in the Startup menu. You must be an administrator to use the Recovery Console.
If the i386 directory is already installed on your computer (as might be the case in computers purchased with Windows XP pre-installed), you can use the same syntax as in Step 2, using the [path]\i386 directory without having to use the CD.
An alternative method is to boot to the CD and start WINNT.EXE, then when prompted to Install or Repair, click Repair, which installs the Recovery Console for you.
If Windows XP will not start, you can run the Recovery Console from the Setup CD.
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Modify Boot.ini
Windows XP uses the Boot.ini file to determine the operating system options to display during the startup (boot) process. Boot.ini is set with the hidden and system file attributes and flagged as read-only by default.
Have you been changing Boot.ini lately? Are you tired of opening Folder Options, and clicking Show hidden files and folders on the View menu, so you can see Boot.ini in Windows Explorer? Or worse, did you forget to remove the read-only attribute before editing the file?
You can use the command-line tool, Bootcfg.exe, to quickly edit your Boot.ini file. You can modify the timeout (the amount of time Windows waits before choosing the default operating system), and add additional entries.
Click Start, click Run, and then type cmd.
Type bootcfg.exe
Check out bootcfg.exe /? for more options.
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Restore Declined Windows Update Reminders
Windows Update scans your computer and provides you with a selection of updates that apply only to the software and hardware on your computer. The updates include security fixes, drivers, critical updates, and the latest Help files to keep your computer up to date. If you choose not to install a specific update that has been downloaded, Windows deletes its files from your computer.
Click Start, click Control Panel, click Performance and Maintenance, and then click System.
On the Automatic Updates tab, click Restore Declined Updates.
If any of the updates you previously declined still apply to your computer, they will appear the next time Windows notifies you of available updates. You can always install specific updates from the Windows Update Web site, by opening Windows Update in Help and Support Center.
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Speed up Menu Display
You can use this tip to speed up the way menus display in Windows XP.
Click Start, click Control Panel, click Performance and Maintenance, and the click System.
Click the Advanced tab, and under Performance, click the Settings button.
Clear the Fade or slide menus into view check box, and then click OK.
Now when you bring up a collapsed menu, it will expand without delay.
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Compress Files and Folders in Windows XP
Running out of room on your hard disk? Need some extra space to install a new program? Don't worry, Windows XP comes to the rescue. Both Windows XP Professional and Home Edition now include a zip compression utility that you can use to compress files and folders on your hard disk.
To compress a file or folder:
Right–click the file or folder.
Point to Send To.
Then click Compressed (zipped) Folder.
This will make a compressed folder, identified by a zipper icon, which displays the same name as the file you compressed.
You can also make a compressed folder from scratch, by following these steps:
Right–click the desktop.
Point to New.
Click Compressed (zipped) Folder.
Open the new compressed folder and drag files inside that you would like compressed.
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Modify Settings to Improve Performance
Windows XP uses processor time to handle system performance according to default settings, which can be adjusted for your computing needs. Also, settings that govern visual effects enhance the appearance of the Windows XP interface, but can slow down performance.
Right–click My Computer, and then click Properties.
Click the Advanced tab, and in the Performance area, click Settings.
On the Visual Effects tab, click the Custom radio button, and then select which UI features to disable to improve performance.
Click the Advanced tab, and in the Processor scheduling area, click the Background services radio button. Selecting this option means that background tasks that you want to run while you work, such as backup utilities or print jobs, will share processor time equally with programs.
You may need to be logged on as an Administrator to make these changes. Note that applying these settings may change your current desktop theme.
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Perform a Repair Installation
How do you perform a reinstallation of Windows XP, sometimes called a repair installation?
Configure your computer to start from the CD-ROM drive. For more information about how to do this, refer to your computer's documentation or contact your computer manufacturer.
Then insert your Windows XP Setup CD, and restart your computer.
When the Press any key to boot from CD message is displayed on your screen, press a key to start your computer from the Windows XP CD.
Press ENTER when you see the message To setup Windows XP now, and then press ENTER displayed on the Welcome to Setup screen. Do not choose the option to press R to use the Recovery Console.
In the Windows XP Licensing Agreement, press F8 to agree to the license agreement. Make sure that your current installation of Windows XP is selected in the box, and then press R to repair Windows XP.
Follow the instructions on the screen to complete Setup.
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Check for Disk Errors in Windows XP
The ScanDisk utility is not available in Windows XP. However, you can use the Error-Checking tool in Windows XP to check the integrity of your hard disk.
Double-click My Computer, and then right-click the local disk that you want to check.
Click Properties, and then click Tools.
Under Error-checking, click Check Now.
Under Check disk options, select the Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors check box.
Click Start.
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Create Your Own Restore Points
Windows XP makes it easy for you to take a snapshot of critical system files before you make any major changes, such as installing new software, adding hardware devices, or changing the registry. (Windows XP automatically creates system restore points, called system checkpoints, but you can create your own to make it even easier to recover your system in case of a failure.) Note that using restore points doesn’t affect your personal files, such as the My Documents or Favorites folders.
Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click System Restore.
In the System Restore dialog box, click Create a restore point, and then click Next.
Type a description for your restore point, such as "Before Office XP", then click Create.
If your system fails, press F8 in the boot menu, and then click Last known good configuration. Windows XP restores your system to the most recent restore point.
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Format Backup Drives with NTFS
Are you planning to backup your computer data using the Automated System Recovery Wizard or Backup utility in Windows XP Professional?
Be sure the destination drive, on which you store the backup, is formatted with the NTFS file system. The FAT32 file system can store no more than 4 gigabytes in a file. That may not be large enough for a backup file that contains everything on your computer. The NTFS file system does not have the 4-GB limitation on file size.
To convert the destination drive to NTFS:
Click Start, click Control Panel, click Performance and Maintenance, click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Computer Management.
Click Disk Management.
Right-click the volume (disk) you want to format (or reformat), and then click Format. Select the options you want, and then click OK.
To convert a volume to NTFS from the command prompt:
Click Start, click Run, and then type: cmd
Click OK.
In the command prompt window, type: convert drive_letter: /fs:ntfs
For example, typing convert D: /fs:ntfs would format drive D: with the NTFS format.
For a safe backup, use a removable disk or tape as the destination for your backup files. In case of a total system disk failure, you can use this removable disk or tape and the floppy disk with system settings that you can create using the ASR Wizard to recover your system.
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Clear System Restore Points for Performance
You keep your system as clean as possible, clearing your Temp Folder, and Temporary Internet files. But what about other space hogs?
What about System Restore Points? By default, Windows XP creates a restore point after installing Windows XP, once every 10 hours that Windows XP is running, or every 24 hours. It also creates a restore point when you install a new program, or install an update to Windows XP. And you can manually create restore points at any time. You can end up with a number of restore point files, which can be large.
So how do you clean them out? First, make sure your system is stable. There will be a brief period when you won't have a restore point.
Click Start, click All Programs, click Accessories, click System Tools, and then click System Restore.
Click to add a check mark beside Turn off System Restore on all Drives, and click Apply.
When you are warned that all existing Restore Points will be deleted, click Yes to continue.
All system restore points are deleted. Now you should manually create a restore point.
Click Start, click All Programs, click Accessories, click System Tools, and then click System Restore.
Click Create a Restore Point, and then click Next.
Name your restore point. ( I use the date as well as a descriptive term such as "After Restore Point Deletion.")
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Disable Error Reporting
You can get rid of the Windows XP error report messages if you don't want to send another one in.
Click Start, and then click Run.
Type msconfig to open the System Configuration Utility.
Click the Services tab.
Clear the Error Reporting Service check box, and then click OK.
Hit Restart to reboot your system.
Your computer will now start without loading the error reporting service.
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Review Upgrade Report
Are one or more of your programs not working after an upgrade? Are you experiencing hardware issues? Did you forget to completely read the upgrade report during the upgrade to Windows XP? You can still review the upgrade report after Setup is complete.
Click Start, and then click Run.
Type upgrade.txt to review the upgrade report.
This document is stored in C:\WINDOWS.
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Roll Back to the Previous Version of a Driver
Have you ever installed a device driver that makes your system unstable? I know I have. Well, in Windows XP you can roll back such a change if it causes you problems!
Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
Click Performance and Maintenance, and then click Administrative Tools.
Double–click Computer Management, and then click Device Manager in the left pane.
Right–click the device for which you'd like to roll back the drivers, and then click Properties.
On Driver tab of the Properties dialog box, click Roll Back Driver, and follow the wizard's instructions.
It's that simple, although you need to be an administrator or a member of the Administrators group to complete this procedure.
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Create an MS-DOS Startup Disk
You can easily create a bootable floppy disk by following these steps:
Place a blank disk in the floppy disk drive.
Click Start, and then click My Computer.
Right–click the floppy disk drive, and then click Format on the shortcut menu.
Click Create an MS–DOS startup disk, and then click Start. Now you’re on your way to a bootable startup disk.
Note: The MS-DOS startup disk only allows the system to boot into an MS-DOS prompt. The disk contains no additional tools.
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Create a Password Reset Disk
If you’re running Windows XP Professional as a local user in a workgroup environment, you can create a password reset disk to log onto your computer when you forget your password.
Click Start, click Control Panel, and then click User Accounts.
Click your account name.
Under Related Tasks, click Prevent a forgotten password.
Follow the directions in the Forgotten Password Wizard to create a password reset disk.
Store the disk in a secure location, because anyone using it can access your local user account.
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Remove Icons for USB Devices from Notification Area
If you have an USB device attached to your system, you will notice an icon in the notification area. When you click this icon, you’re given the option to stop your hardware before you unplug it. It’s possible that you never unplug this hardware.
Right-click within the notification area, and then click Properties.
In the Display Properties dialog box, click the Appearance tab, and then click Advanced.
On the Taskbar tab, click Customize.
Select Safely remove hardware, and in the Behavior column, click Always hide.
You may also hide the icon for a particular USB device by right-clicking its icon on the taskbar, and then clicking Hide Icon.
USB stands for Universal Serial Bus. This is the name for a class of hardware that makes it easy to add peripheral devices (such as a mouse, keyboard, joystick, or digital camera) to your computer. If your mouse, keyboard, game controller, scanner, or other device has a USB connector, you can plug it into a USB port.
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Turn On the Sticky Keys Feature
When a shortcut requires a key combination, the StickyKeys feature lets you press a modifier key, such as Shift, Ctrl, Alt, or the Windows Logo key, and have it remain active until another key is pressed.
Press the Shift key five times. A dialog box opens with instructions on how to set up the StickyKeys feature.
If you click OK, an icon (a group of squares) appears in the notification area.
To turn off StickyKeys, press the Shift-key five times.
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Turn Off Autoplay for Program CDs
How can you stop Windows XP from launching program CDs?
Click Start, click Run, type GPEDIT.MSC to open Group Policy in the Microsoft Management Console.
Double-click Computer Configuration, double-click Administrative templates, double-click System, and then click Turn off autoplay. The instructions on your screen describe how to configure this setting.
Click Properties to display the setting dialog. Click Enabled, and choose CD-ROM drives, then click OK, to stop CD autoplay. This setting does not prevent Autoplay for music CDs.
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Turn on ToggleKeys
ToggleKeys is designed for people who have vision impairment or cognitive disabilities. When ToggleKeys is turned on, your computer provides sound cues when the locking keys (CAPS LOCK, NUM LOCK, or SCROLL LOCK) are pressed. A high sound plays when the keys are switched on and a low sound plays when they are switched off.
Click Start, click Control Panel, and then click Accessibility Options.
Click the Keyboard tab, and under ToggleKeys, select the Use ToggleKeys check box.
To use the keyboard shortcut which allows you to turn ToggleKeys on and off by pressing the NUM LOCK key for five seconds, on the Keyboard tab, under ToggleKeys, click Settings.
If the Use shortcut check box in the Settings for ToggleKeys dialog box is selected, you can turn ToggleKeys on or off by holding down the NUM LOCK key for five seconds.
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Turn on High Contrast
High Contrast is designed for people who have vision impairment. High contrast color schemes can make the screen easier to view for some users by heightening screen contrast with alternative color combinations. Some of the schemes also change font sizes for easier reading.
Click Start, click Control Panel, and then click Accessibility Options.
On the Display tab, under High Contrast, select the Use High Contrast check box.
To turn off High Contrast, clear the Use High Contrast check box.
If the Use shortcut check box in the Settings for High Contrast dialog box is selected, you can turn High Contrast on or off by pressing the left ALT+Left SHIFT+PRINT SCREEN keys (depending on the other settings you have selected in the Accessibility Options dialog box).
To open the Settings for High Contrast dialog box, open Accessibility Options, click the Display tab, and then, under High Contrast, click Settings.
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Use Your Keyboard if Your Mouse Goes Dead
If your mouse is not functioning, don't panic. You can use your keyboard to move around the Windows XP desktop. The keys to get used to are the Windows key, the arrow keys, and the Enter key.
Press the Windows key.
Press the up arrow key one time to highlight Shut Down, and then press Enter.
Press the up and down arrow key to select Shut Down from the menu, and then press Enter.
Use your Esc key to cancel.
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Move Your Taskbar to a New Spot
Is your taskbar taking up too much room? You can move it to any convenient location—simply drag it to the sides, top or bottom of your screen! You might need to unlock the taskbar first.
Right-click any open area on the Taskbar, then click Lock the Taskbar to clear the check mark.
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Add Favorites with One Keystroke
You can quickly add a Web page to your Favorites folder with a single keystroke. The page is automatically added to your Favorites list without any further input from you.
Press Ctrl+D.
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Set Your Browser to Open to a Page of Your Choice
Is there a site you always visit first when you browse the Web? Would you like it to be the first site you see when you start Internet Explorer? Just follow the steps below to change your home or "start" page.
Navigate to the Web page you want to see when you start Internet Explorer.
Click Tools on the menu bar, and then click Internet Options.
In the Home page area, click Use Current.
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Make Sure Downloaded Files Are Easy to Find Later
With Windows XP, it's easier than ever to download software updates, games, sounds, pictures—just about anything. But sometimes it's hard to find them again on your hard disk. To make sure you can, specify where you want a downloaded file to go.
After you've indicated you want to download an item, a dialog box asks "What do you want to do with this file?" Select Save this program to disk.
A dialog box opens where you can specify a folder where you want the file to go.
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Use Single-Click Everywhere
With single–click in Windows XP, navigating the files and folders on your hard disk is as easy as navigating the Web. You simply click an icon to open a program or document.
In the Tools menu in Windows Explorer, click Folder Options.
In the Click items as follows section, click Single–click to open an item (point to select).
Note: To access Windows Explorer, click Start, point to All Programs, and then click Windows Explorer.
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Turning AutoComplete Addresses On or Off
The AutoComplete feature in Outlook Express in Windows XP saves you time by automatically completing addresses that you type when composing e–mail messages. However, if you don't want to use this feature, you can easily turn it off.
On the Tools menu in Outlook Express, click Options > Send tab, and then clear the Automatically complete e–mail addresses when composing check box.
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Set Your Windows So They All Have the Same View
If you like to see lists of your files in a certain way—as large icons, for example, or with detailed information—Windows XP lets you set your view options for all your folders at once the way you want them.
On the Tools menu in Windows Explorer, click Folder Options.
Click the View tab.
Set the view for this folder the way you want it to be for all folders.
Click Like Current Folder, then click Yes to confirm, and click OK.
Note: To access Windows Explorer, click Start, point to All Programs, and then click Windows Explorer.
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Customize the Taskbar
With Windows XP, you can customize your taskbar so you can do everything from one place, including start programs, view documents, and surf the Web. Simply right–click the background of the taskbar, point to Toolbars, and then click the toolbar you want to add: an Address bar, a Links bar, a toolbar containing all items on your desktop, or the Quick Launch bar.
You can also create your own toolbar from any folder. To create a toolbar from a folder:
Right–click the background of the taskbar, point to Toolbars, and then click New Toolbar. Navigate to the folder you want. A toolbar containing all items in that folder will be added to your taskbar.
You can drag the new toolbar to any location on your desktop. You can also easily remove a toolbar from the taskbar by right–clicking the taskbar and then clicking the item again to remove the check mark.
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Show Hidden Program or System Files
Showing hidden files can come in handy—for example, say you've tried to delete everything from a floppy disk and the disk properties still indicate 100K of disk space is being used by hidden files.
On the Tools menu in Windows Explorer, click Folder Options.
Click the View tab.
Under Hidden files and folders, click Show hidden files and folders.
Note: To access Windows Explorer, click Start, point to All Programs, and then click Windows Explorer.
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Rename a Series of Files
When you download photos from your digital camera, they often have unrecognizable names. You can rename several similar files at once with the following procedure. This also works for renaming other types of files.
Open the My Pictures folder. (Click Start, and then click My Pictures.) Or open another folder containing files that you want to rename.
Select the files you want to rename. If the files you want are not adjacent in the file list, press and hold Ctrl, and then click each item to select it.
On the File menu, click Rename.
Type the new name, and then press ENTER.
All of the files in the series will be named in sequence using the new name you type. For example, if you type Birthday, the first will be named Birthday and subsequent files in the series will be named Birthday (1), Birthday (2), and so on.
To specify the starting number for the series, type the starting number in parentheses after the new file name. The files in the series will be numbered in sequence starting with the number you type. For example, if you type Birthday (10), the other files will be named Birthday (11), Birthday (12), and so on.
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Search for Information From the Address Bar in Internet Explorer
You can quickly search for information on the Web using the AutoSearch feature in Internet Explorer 6 in Windows XP:
In the Address bar, simply type "go" or "find" or "?" followed by a keyword or phrase, and then press ENTER. Your search results will soon appear.
Note Internet Explorer searches for your word or topic using only one search service. If you don't find what you need, click the Search button on the toolbar and try using different search services.
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Save Time and Effort in Typing URL Addresses
With Internet Explorer 6 in Windows XP, typing Web addresses can be a breeze.
Type the domain of an address, such as Microsoft, and then press Ctrl+ENTER. Internet Explorer automatically wraps "http://www....com" around what you typed.
Not sure if the site uses a .com extension? Just type the domain of the address, and then press ENTER. Internet Explorer tries to find the site by using the various extensions.
If you need to edit an address, you can use Ctrl+LEFT ARROW and Ctrl+RIGHT ARROW to easily move between different parts of the address separated by periods.
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Opening a Web Page in a New Window
When surfing the Web, sometimes you might want to check out a Web page and at the same time stay on the page that gave you the link in the first place.
With Internet Explorer 6 in Windows XP, that’s exactly what you can do:
Simply press and hold down the SHIFT key while you click the link. The page will open in a new Internet Explorer window.
Need to look at two Web pages side by side? That’s easy too. To view any open windows side by side:
Right-click an empty part of the taskbar (the bar at the bottom of your screen), and click either Tile Windows Horizontally or Tile Windows Vertically.
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Stay Up to Date Automatically
Automatic updates in Windows XP ensure that your computer is always current. Windows XP checks Windows Update for the latest updates whenever you are on the Internet, determines which updates apply to your computer, and downloads them in the background while you keep working or playing. If you prefer, you can have the computer continue notifying you with automatic balloon message reminders about updates. It’s up to you! Here's how.
Click Start, click Control Panel, click Performance and Maintenance, and then click System. On the Automatic Updates tab, click the setting of your choice.
Note: If you choose not to use automatic updating, you can install specific updates from the Windows Update Web site whenever you like.
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Learn How to Spot a 16-Bit Application
Because most Windows 3.x–based programs run properly under Windows XP, it’s sometimes difficult to tell 16-bit and 32-bit applications apart.
Right-click the program’s executable file and then choose Properties. If you see a Version tab, it’s a 32-bit program.
Or, if the program is running, press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open the Windows Task Manager. On the Processes tab, look in the Image Name column for the name of the program’s executable file. If any 16-bit programs are running, you’ll find an entry for Ntvdm.exe, the virtual DOS machine. Just above it in the list, you’ll see indented entries for Wowexec.exe (the Windows on Windows subsystem) and the executable name of each 16-bit program running in that virtual machine.
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Get Fast Access to System Settings
You don’t have to pass through Control Panel to get to the System Properties dialog box.
Hold down the Windows key and press Break to open this handy dialog box immediately.
No Windows key?
Create a shortcut to Sysdm.cpl (you’ll find it in the %systemroot%\System32 folder) and place it anywhere in the Programs menu. Then open the shortcut’s Properties dialog box and assign it an easy-to-remember keyboard shortcut such as Ctrl+Alt+Shift+S.
Some laptop keyboards may have separate keys for Break and Pause, and you may find this dialog box opens if you hold the Windows key and press Pause.
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Finding Encrypted Files
Unless you use a command-line utility like Cipher.exe, it’s difficult to see at a glance which files are encrypted and which are not. Right-clicking each file and then choosing Properties, General, Advanced (followed by Cancel, Cancel) is tedious.
Open a folder containing the encrypted files.
On the View menu, choose Details, and then select Attributes. Encrypted files show a letter E in the Attributes column. You can also set an option so that the names of encrypted files appear in a different color from other file names.
On the Tools menu, choose Folder Options, click the View tab, and select Show Encrypted Or Compressed NTFS Files In Color.
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Protect Your Files During a Power Outage
If the power goes out while your computer is on standby, you lose whatever is in memory. If you have any unsaved documents, for example, they’re gone. With an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), however, you can prevent data loss during blackouts.
Although the blackout might last longer than the battery run time provided by the UPS, you can prevent loss, even if your computer happens to be on standby and you’re away when the power goes out.
Enable hibernation. (Click Start, click Control Panel, click Performance and Maintenance, and then click Power Options. On the Hibernate tab, select Enable Hibernate Support.
Specify a time for the computer to switch to hibernation. This should be less than the battery run time. (On the Power Schemes tab, set a time for System Hibernate under Running On Batteries.)
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Working with Files
To rename several files at once:
Select all of them in any folder view, or in the Windows Explorer, rename the FIRST one in the list, and the rest will follow.
To turn off filenames:
Hold down the Shift-key when you click to open a folder in Windows Explorer or when you switch into thumbnail view. This will turn of the file names, giving more space for the thumbnails. Doing it again turns them back on.
Try grouping your files. In the top menu bar select View – Arrange icons by… - Type, and then View – Arrange icons by… - Show in groups.
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