Custom Concepts

Windows Tips

Maximize/Restore Windows
In Windows, another way to make the current window bigger or smaller is to double-left-click the blue title bar at the top of the window.

This works in Internet Explorer, Outlook, Outlook Express, My Computer, Explorer, and all other windows.

Shut Down Windows

Shut down Windows
Click on the desktop and press ALT + F4 at the same time. This will bring up a dialog box asking if you'd like to Stand by, Shut down, Restart, or Restart in MS-DOS mode. Chose one and press OK.

Close a window
Find a program or file you'd like to close, make sure to save anything you're working on, and hit ALT + F4 at the same time. This will close the topmost window that is open. Continue closing open windows by activating them with a single-click and pressing ALT + F4.

Quick-Launch Programs
There are two ways to quicken the launch process. You can program the function keys (the F keys at the top of your keyboard). You can also program a combination of CTRL + ALT + "Shortcut Key" to launch applications for you.

If you would like more functionality in assigning data, such as your email address, to keystrokes, download Hotkeys. This program not only lets you launch applications, but also lets you reboot your computer, log off Windows, and more.

System Properties Shortcut
Here's a quick tip for when you need to inspect the System Properties dialog box: Press down the Windows Key and the Break/Pause button.

Scheduled Tasks
If you never remember to scan for viruses, update virus protection, run Disk Defragmenter, or run any other system tool, then look to the Task Scheduler for help.

To take full advantage of this service, make sure that the system date and time for your computer are accurate before you add a task.

Schedule your own tasks:

1. Go to your desktop and double-click My Computer.
2. Now, double-click the Scheduled Tasks folder.
3. When the folder opens, double-click on Add Scheduled Task.
4. This will launch a wizard that will walk you through the process.

The wizard will load a list of everything that's installed on your machine. Try scheduling the Disk Defragmenter to run the first Monday of every month at 12 p.m.

Keep Icons Tidy
Create a customized icon pattern using WinTidy and it will automatically tidy your desktop icons every time you boot up.  Don't let the 95 scare you. This application works in Windows 95, 98, and ME versions. Download WinTidy 95 now.

 Disk Shortcut on Desktop
Desktop shortcuts present an easy way to gain access to almost any commonly used document, program, or hardware device. In particular, a shortcut to a disk drive or CD-ROM is incredibly useful.

Follow these directions to place a disk drive shortcut on your desktop:

1. Go to your desktop and double-click My Computer.
2. Right-click the disk drive you'd like to make a shortcut for and select "Create Shortcut" from the menu.
3. Then select "Yes" from the pop-up window which appears asking if you'd like to have the shortcut placed on your desktop.
4. Continue to create shortcuts to be placed on your desktop for as many drive letters as you have.

Turn Folder Into Toolbar
To turn a folder into a toolbar, follow these directions:

1. Before you start, make a shortcut of the folder you'd like to turn into a toolbar and place it on the desktop. If you don't know how to do this, read this Windows tip. If the folder you'd like to use is already stored on the desktop, then continue reading.
2. Locate the folder shortcut you've placed on the desktop or select a folder that already resides on the desktop.
3. Single-click on the folder and continue to hold the mouse button down.
4. Drag the folder to the right edge of the screen and release the mouse button.
5. You just made a toolbar out of a folder. To close the toolbar, find the line at the top, right-click on it, and choose "Close."
6. Continue making toolbars out of other desktop folders and drag them to the top and left portions of the screen.

Disclaimer: This tip will work for all folders or shortcuts placed on the desktop -- including My Computer and Network Neighborhood -- but not on My Documents or the Recycle Bin.

Change Desktop Icons
If you're tired of staring at the standard desktop icons, don't despair. You can easily change your icons. My Briefcase doesn't have to look like a briefcase; change it to look like something else.

Change Desktop Icon Size
If your desktop icons are too big or too hard to see, use this tip to quickly change their size.

Change Icon Spacing
Are your desktop icons so close together you can't separate one from another? Maybe you think they're too far away from each other. Luckily it's easy to change the amount of space between icons.

'Send To' Menu
"Send To" enables you to open a file with almost any program (as long as the program can read the file extension), create one-click shortcuts to the desktop without cutting and pasting, and export files to any removable storage device.  You can add almost anything you want to Send To, and it will automatically appear as a Send To option. All of the Send To options are located in the Windows directory in the Send To folder.  Drag and drop any shortcut you want, or right-click and create shortcuts of your favorite programs. Send To can be extremely convenient for opening files with programs other than what Windows has associated for them. A couple of examples include using Word Pad to quickly preview a document made for Word, or using MS Photo Editor to modify an image.  You can also add your printer to the Send To folder for automatic printing. And if you need to transfer files to a Web server, you can add an FTP function to the Send To menu.  Where is this coveted feature of the Windows OS? Well, it's right beneath your fingertips and waiting to be revealed with a simple right-click of your mouse.  To best illustrate the use of Send To, we'll send a .doc to be saved to a floppy disk. Make sure and put a floppy in your A: drive before proceeding.

1. Hold down the Windows Button + E (or double-click the My Computer icon) and click on your drive where Windows is installed.
2. Open the Windows folder by double-clicking it.
   Warning: Don't delete or play with any of these files or folders within the Windows folder unless you know what you're doing or are instructed to do so.
3. Find the Send To folder, right-click it and choose "create shortcut."
4. Now, single-click the shortcut you just created and press CTRL + X. You just Cut the folder.
5. Next, double-click the Send To folder to open it up. Once it's opened, hit CTRL + V to paste the shortcut inside the Send To folder and you're done.

Restart Windows Without Rebooting
If you ever need to restart Windows, but don't need to go through the hassle of rebooting the entire computer, this is the tip for you.

To restart the Windows operating system, follow these steps.

1. In the Start Menu, click Shutdown.
2. Check Restart.
3. As you click OK, hold down the Shift Key.
4. Continue holding Shift until you see the words, "Windows is now restarting."

This tip does not work with Windows Me.

Speed Up Dialup
Use this tip to speed up connection time to your ISP.

Stop ISP Disconnect
If you find that your dial-up often disconnects when you leave your PC, try changing the idle time.

Here's how:

1. In the Start menu, open Settings > Control Panel.
2. Press Internet Options.
3. Click the Connection tab.
4. Press the Setting button.
5. Press Advanced.
6. Uncheck the box next to "disconnected if idle for (blank) minutes."

Your ISP shouldn't disconnect you again without your permission. The only way this won't work is if your ISP is doing the disconnecting. Many ISPs will boot you off for an idle connection whether you want them to or not.

Default Email in IE
Have you ever noticed when you click on an email link while surfing online your browser automatically sends the address to a blank message of an email program? This is a great feature of most browsers, but only if the program that appears is the one you'd regularly use. If Internet Explorer is your preferred browser, then you can quickly change this to correctly display the email client of your choice.

To change the default email program, follow these steps.

1. Click Windows Start > Settings > and select Control Panel.
2. Double-click Internet Options and select the Programs tab.
3. Use the E-mail pull-down menu and change it to the email client of your choice.
4. When finished selecting, hit Apply.
5. Now, test your new change on the next email link to see.

Easy Deleting
Sure, you can delete a word by highlighting the entire word and pressing Delete, but is there a faster way? If the word is to the left of the cursor, press Ctrl and hit the Backspace key.

If the word is to the right of the cursor, press Ctrl and hit the Delete key.

Voila! No more backspacing character by character or highlighting to delete a word.

Kill Logon Screen
Eliminate the need to input your user name and password with these steps.

1. Open Control Panel.
2. Double-click on the Network icon.
3. In the Primary Network Logon, choose Windows Logon.
4. Press OK.
5. In the Control panel link the Passwords applet.
6. Click Change Passwords tab.
7. Press Change Windows Password button.
8. Type in your current password in the Old Password box.
9. Leave both the New Password and Confirm New Password boxes blank.
10. Click OK.
11. Select the User Profile tab and make sure the "All users of this PC use the same preferences and desktop settings" is selected.
12. Click OK.
13. Restart Windows.

This tip does not work if you use Windows NT or use profiles.

Speed Up Your Startup
Speed up your startup time by turning off those system-level tasks you don't need. Every application that launches at startup munches a few clock cycles, pulling power away from your CPU that could focus on more interesting stuff, such as games.

To run MSCONFIG, follow these steps.

1. 
   Go to the Start menu.
2. Choose Run.
3. Type in msconfig.
4. Press OK.

Now that you are in MSCONFIG, go to the Startup tab. Uncheck any programs that you are familiar with. Otherwise, you may inadvertently turn something off that you need to compute normally. When you are finished selecting programs, click OK. Next time you start your computer, it should launch faster.

If you turn off a program that you need, simply restore it. Open MSCONFIG and click on the General tab. Select the box stating Normal Startup, restore all drivers and software.

MSCONFIG is not available with Windows 95. To speed your startup with Windows 95, download PC Magazine's Startup Cop. This free program will manage your startup programs.

Tricky Text
If you use a word-processing program on a regular basis, a handful of text tricks can save you time. Use these keyboard shortcuts the next time you use your word processor or email program.

	Move one word at a time Press the Ctrl key as you hit the left or right arrow keys. This moves the cursor to the beginning or end of the current word.
	Move to the beginning or end of a line Press the Home or End keys to move to the beginning or end of the current line.
	Move to the top or bottom of the screen Press the Page Up or Page Down keys to scroll to the top or bottom of the computer screen.
	Move to the beginning or end of a document Press Ctrl+Home to move to the beginning of your document. Press Ctrl+End to move to the end of document.

Resize and Move Toolbar
Your toolbar doesn't have to stay on the bottom of your computer's screen. It's easy to move it to a new location.

1. Click and hold the left-mouse button anywhere on the toolbar other than an icon.
2. Move the toolbar to the sides or the top of your screen. You should see a line representing the toolbar during this process.
3. After you've finished placing the toolbar, release the left-mouse button.

If you want to change the size of your toolbar, move your cursor on the toolbar until you see the double arrow. Left-click and move the mouse. Release the mouse button when the toolbar is the right size.

Add Icons to Toolbar
Any program that you use often can be added to your Quick Launch toolbar. Simply click an item on your desktop and drag it to your toolbar.

If the program is not on your desktop, follow these steps:

1. Open your start menu.
2. Left-click on the program.
3. Drag it to the QuickLaunch bar.
4. Release.

Another option to make your QuickLaunch toolbar work to your advantage is to create a desktop folder of commonly used programs. Drag the entire folder to your toolbar. The programs will be added to the toolbar.

Add a New Toolbar
Make your computer life easy and add a new toolbar.

1. Right-click on your existing toolbar.
2. Click on Toolbars.
3. Click on Add New Toolbars.
4. In the pop-up, choose the folder or program you want to add to your toolbar.
5. The folder automatically opens in your toolbar.

Voila! You can add as many new toolbars as you need. Keep a folder for each of your major projects. If you are building a website, keep your graphics, Web browser, and text in one folder. Use this folder to create a new toolbar. You can further customize your toolbar with these tricks. First, right-click on your toolbar and choose Properties.

Always on top
Check this option if you want the toolbar to remain on top. When a new window opens, it will never cover the toolbar.

Auto-hide
Click this option to hide your toolbar.

You can also choose to show small icons in your start menu or hide the clock on your toolbar.

Shortcuts for Windows Key
The Windows icon key located on the bottom of your PC's keyboard is a little-used treasure. Don't ignore it. It is the shortcut anchor for the following 10 commands.

1. Windows: Display Start menu.
2. Windows + M: Minimize or restore all Windows.
3. Windows + E: Display Windows Explorer.
4. Windows + Tab: Cycle through buttons on taskbar.
5. Windows + F: Display find: all files.
6. Windows + Ctrl + F: Display find: computer.
7. Windows + F1: Display Help.
8. Windows + R: Display Run command.
9. Windows + break: Display system properties dialog box.
10. Windows + shift + M: Undo minimize all windows.

Control Key shortcuts
The Control key can actually do a lot more than cut, copy, and paste.

	Control + F4: Closes current window in mdi programs.
	Control + ESC: Displays the start menu.
	Control + Z: Undoes last command.
	Control + B: Bolds highlighted text
	Control + U: Underlines highlighted text.
	Control + I: Italicizes hightlighted text.
	Control + A: Selects all items in current window.
	Control + Tab: Moves through Property tabs.
	Control + F: Opens the Find window. Type in what you're searching for.

Function Key Fun

	F2 - Renames object
	F3 - Find: All files
	F4 - Selects the Go to A Different Folder box on the taskbar and moves down the entries
	F5 - Refreshes current window (Kate loves this one, especially after making modifications to a folder)
	F6 - Moves among panes

Shift Key Shortcuts
The Shift key is the gateway to five of these useful shortcuts.

	SHIFT+F10: Equivalent of right-click
	SHIFT+DEL: Deletes immediately without removing to the Recycle Bin
	SHIFT+TAB: Moves to previous control in the dialog box (TAB alone goes forward, SHIFT+TAB backward)
	Press Shift when inserting a CD-ROM and you can skip auto-run
	Pressing Shift while holding down CTRL and dragging to the desktop or to a folder creates an instant shortcut. (Of course, you can do the same thing by clicking and holding the right mouse button, letting go on the desktop, and choosing "create shortcut.")

Navigational Tips
It's easy to navigate Windows with these keyboard shortcuts.

Change File Association
Double-click on a text file and it will automatically open in Notepad. 
How can you open the file in Word instead?

Disable AutoPlay
It is helpful to disable the Auto CD Run feature, called AutoPlay, if you swap CDs frequently. Disabling AutoPlay is especially convenient if you change from audio CDs to game CDs to programs.

To enable AutoPlay, follow the instructions to step six and check the Auto Insert Notification box.
As an added bonus, here is a shortcut to suspend AutoPlay: Hold down the Shift key while inserting a CD.

X-Setup
X-Setup is a free program that enables you to tweak your Windows settings. For computer newbies, it allows you to change system settings without performing difficult registry hacks.  There are two different modes you can use-- Wizard and plug-in. The Wizard mode allows you to choose a topic and follow instructions to change the settings. The plug-in mode display is similar to that of Explorer. Navigate the settings and click on the one you want to change. Both modes are simple to use.  X-Setup has more than 500 functions that you can perform with a click of a button. It's easy to use and track. It writes a very detailed logfile that includes every change the program has made to your configuration.
Download X-Setup.

Tweak Appearance
Hate the way your PC looks? Alter the appearance of Windows with a few X-Setup tweaks.
There are two ways to do it-- Wizard or standard. The Wizard takes you through every step to change your Windows appearance. This is a good option if you are unsure what you want to change. The standard method is preferred if you only want to change one item. It saves you from clicking through extra steps.

X-Setup Plug-Ins
X-Setup is known for its plug-ins and wizards. In this case, a plug-in is a small software program that adds a specific feature to the larger program. An X-Setup plug-in is like adding salt and pepper to your food. The meal is ready to be eaten, but a bit of seasoning makes it better.
Go to the official plug-in site to see what is available. Most of the plug-ins found on this page are fully supported by X-Setup.

Plug-ins are listed by:

	Name and date
	Author
	Description
	Link

Double-click on the name of the program you want to download. Then open X-Setup to use.
Some of these plug-ins are submitted by users using X-Setup's SDK. It provides everything you need to create a plug-in.  Take a trip through X-Setup and your Windows will never look the same.

Internet Tweaks

X-Setup allows you to change your Internet settings without mucking around in your browser or you system configurations.

1. With the Wizard, select the Internet tab.
2. Choose from the following:

   	Instant Messaging
   	Server Settings
   	Web Browsers

3. Once you have a category, choose the program you use.
4. Follow instructions to change the settings.

If you don't have an Internet program, such as the Web browser Opera, X-Setup provides the URL so you can download it.

Turn Your Control Panel Into an Expanding Menu
Add an expanding Control Panel menu to your Start Menu. When you hit Start and go to programs, there will be an expanding Control Panel option. See the picture for an example of what I'm talking about.

You can just copy our key above and paste it in, but I went to the trouble of telling you all the steps because you might want to do this to more system folders. Explore and be creative.
One last thing: Don't hack your registry unless you've backed it up and you know what you are doing. If you mess it up you will have to reinstall your OS. This tip does not involve any actual Registry hacks, but you are messing around in there and it is always a good idea to back things up.
Special bonus keys for cutting and pasting (don't say we never made it easy for you):

	Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}
	My Computer.{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}
	Fonts.{BD84B380-8CA2-1069-AB1D-08000948F534}
	Inbox.{00020D75-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}
	URL History.{FF393560-C2A7-11CF-BFF4-444553540000}
	Printers.{2227A280-3AEA-1069-A2DE-08002B30309D}
	Network Neighborhood.{208D2C60-3AEA-1069-A2D7-08002B30309D}
	Recycle Bin.{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}
	Internet Cache.{7BD29E00-76C1-11CF-9DD0-00A0C9034933}

The standard option allows you to change more settings not found in the Wizard. Explore X-Setup. You will probably discover settings you didn't know existed.

Change the Registered Name in Windows 98
You can change the 'Registered to:' information for Windows itself. 
Why would you want to do this?

To repair the embarrassing effects of too much sangria during the registration process.

You give your computer to your parents/friend/dog and want to transfer the name. Don't forget to send the Windows disk along with the computer (remember, one OS per disk -- lets be responsible here). To change the registration information in Windows: You need to open your registry (Be careful here people. The first thing you want to do is back up your registry. Find out how here. OK, now that you have done that, I just want to remind you that we warned you. Be careful, follow all instructions). Open the Registry: Click on the Start menu, and select Run. Type in "regedit" in the field, and click OK. Find the key: Windows 98: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion Windows NT: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion Modify 'RegisteredOwner' and 'RegisteredOrganization' to become whatever you desire.

Change the Name and Company Info on New Program Install
You entered a lot of information into your computer when you first got it. Maybe it was late at night when you were setting it up, and perhaps you were a little dippy. Somehow, "Crazy Happy Bunny Woman" got entered as the default name... you don't know how. It was late. But now whenever you install a new program, "Crazy Happy Bunny Woman" is a little less than appropriate for the prying eyes of your 9-year-old child.
Or maybe you just gave your computer to your parents and want to change the names for them. Either way, we've come to the rescue. Here's how to change the default name and company information whenever you perform a software installation.

Remember, this only applies to the default name and company information on new installs. This change will not effect files that are already installed on your computer.

Adobe software
Did this not work for you? Were you doing the second install of an Adobe product perhaps? Some software companies add their own registry key to tell future installs the default name and company information. Search the Registry for instances of "Crazy Happy Bunny Woman" or whatever your user name happens to be, and see what you find. Don't just start hacking away. It is a good idea to do a little Internet research, or contact the software company for the go ahead to excise the offending information. Oh, and don't forget to back-up your registry.

Ditch Office Utilities
There are many options for speeding up Windows. We think you can always use one more. Besides, can your PC ever be too fast? We didn't think so.  There are a few utilities you can dump to increase your PC performance. Office Startup and Find Fast (a utility that builds indexes to speed finding documents using Open and Open Office Documents) can boost Office tasks, but they tend to drag down Windows performance.

1. Delete both icons from your Start Up folder.
2. Use the Office CD to fully remove Find Fast.

   	Use Add/Remove Programs to open the Office Setup tool.
   	Open Office Tools in the Setup program.
   	Uncheck the box.
   	Click OK.

3. Remove findfast.cpl from your Windows System directory.

Shortcuts for Unusual Characters
Cyberspace is an international community. You can chat with people from Spain, France, Germany, or a whole host of other places. It's fun to type in the language of your cyberpals, but how the heck do you put the tilde over the n?

Save keystrokes