This page contains assorted tips that I have used successfully to improve both the performance and the interface of Windows 95. All of the following information can be found on other Windows 95 web sites or in several good books. You may use the information on this page freely and distribute it to anyone you like. I am in no way responsible for any problems that may arise due to your implementation of these tips. However, I have used each of the following with great success.
Sometimes, though, something may go wrong. You can avoid disaster by backing up your critical system files beforehand. I use the Emergency Recovery Utility (ERU) that is included on the Windows 95 CD-ROM.
To install ERU, you will need to create a new directory. Open Windows Explorer by clicking Start, Programs, followed by Windows Explorer. Once open scroll down and click on the Windows folder icon to open it. Click File, New, and Folder. A highlighted New Folder will appear in the right plane. Type Eru to rename it and press Enter. Next, just copy all of the files in the \Other\Misc\Eru directory on the Windows 95 CD-ROM to your new C:\Windows\Eru folder. To copy the files hold down the left mouse button and move the cursor over the files until they are all highlighted. Next right-click the highlighted files and select Copy. Right click again on the Eru folder and choose Paste.
You will also have to make your own shortcut. Do this by clicking the Start button, selecting Settings, and then Taskbar. Click on the Start Menu Programs tab and click the Add button. In the Command line field, type C:\Windows\Eru.exe and click Next. Click once to highlight the System Tools folder icon in the Select folder to place shortcut and click the Next button. For Select a name for the shortcut, type E.R.U., click Finnish, and finally OK. Now when you want to run ERU, click on Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, and finally E.R.U.
If your copy of Windows 95 resides on floppy disks instead of a CD-ROM, then you can download the Emergency Recovery Utility. Download eruzip.exe to the C:\Windows\Temp directory by pointing your web browser to the above link. Refer to your specific browser help files for instructions on how to download a file from the Internet. Once the download is completed, use Windows Explorer to locate eruzip.exe and double-click it. A WinZip window will open. Click the Unzip button and five files will be extracted into the C:\Windows\Eru directory (WinZip will also create the new directory). Click the Close button to exit WinZip. Use the above directions above for creating a shortcut.
Once either of the above has been completed, double-click the E.R.U. shortcut to create a backup. Click Next, select Other Directory (the is default C:\ERD, which is fine), click Next three more times, and finally click OK once the backup completes.
If you ever need to restore the system files just click Start, Shut Down, Restart the computer, and Yes. Upon reboot press the F8 key when you see the phrase Starting Windows 95, select (by using the arrow keys) Safe Mode Command prompt only from the Microsoft Windows 95 Startup Menu and press Enter. At the C:\ prompt type cd erd followed by pressing Enter. Then type erd followed by Enter again to begin the restore process. Once you are returned to a C:\ prompt press the Ctrl, Alt, and Delete keys simultaneously to restart Windows 95.
NOTE: Always backup these files before implementing each tip!
That way, if anything goes wrong you can correct it by only having to undo a single change.