Windows 98 Tips Page 4



*1.   New Install? Back Up Old!

If you're installing win98 for the first time and have about 50MB of
 hard disk space to spare, choose the installation option to back up
 your previous operating system. If the installation fails, you'll be
 able to restore your original configuration.


*2.   Customize Your View

With Web-style in Win98 and IE4 you can get rid of the underlines that
 show up every time you open a folder. Customize your view so that you
 see the underline only when you move your cursor over an icon. Select
 Start/Settings/Folder Options. Click on the General tab, select Custom
 and click on the Settings button. Choose "Single-click to open an item
 [point to select]" and select "Underline icon titles only when
 I point at them."


*3.   Restore Show Desktop Shortcut

If you accidentally delete the Show Desktop shortcut from the taskbar's
 Quick Launch toolbar, you can restore it by going to
 C:\WINDOWS\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch.
 Create a new text file with the following contents:

[Shell] 
Command=IconFile=explorer.exe,3 
[Taskbar] 
Command=ToggleDesktop 

Save the file as SHOWDESKTOP.SCF. This will restore the shortcut. 


*4.   System Resource Meter

   To keep an eye on Windows 98 system resources, make sure the System
 Resource Meter is installed. Run Add/Remove Programs from Control Panel,
 and select the Windows Setup tab. Click on System Tools and then Details;
 check the box for the System Resource Meter and click on OK twice to
 install it. When you run the program, a resource usage gauge will appear
 in the System Tray.


*5.   Boot Menu

Windows 98 changes the way you boot to a DOS prompt. Hold down the Ctrl
 key while your PC is booting. This takes you directly to the Boot Menu,
 including Safe Mode and "Boot to command prompt only."


*6.   Up Date Video Drivers

If your display doesn't work as well as before you installed Win98,
 it's probably a driver problem. The right driver might be on the Win98
 CD, but if it isn't, you can probably get it from the monitor vendor's
 Web site. To install the driver, right-click on the Desktop and choose
 Properties. Click on the Settings tab and then on Advanced. Select the
 Monitor tab and click on Change to launch a wizard that guides you
 through the installation process. Finally, select the Adapter tab and
 choose Optimal from the Refresh Rate drop-down list.


*7.   Use Microsoft Family Logon

If your PC serves multiple users and you want to prevent people from
 inadvertently creating multiple log-on names for themselves, use
 Microsoft Family Logon (in Win98 or IE 4.0x in Windows 95). It presents
 a list of all previously created log-on names for that PC. Users must
 choose from that list and can't create a new log-on name. To set it up,
 open the Network Control Panel and click on the Add button under the
 Configuration tab. Double-click on Client, then select Microsoft from
 the left pane and double-click on Microsoft Family Logon in the right.
 Under the Configuration tab, click on the down arrow next to the
 Primary Network Logon field and select Microsoft Family Logon from
 the drop-down menu. Click OK.


*8.   Slow (but Sure) Shutdown

Win98 shuts down faster than Win95, but it achieves this dubious benefit
 by pulling the plug on running applications without shutting them down
 first. If you're uncomfortable with that, disable it. Launch the System
 Configuration Utility
 (Start/Programs/Accessories/System Tools/System Information). Click
 on the Tools menu and select System Configuration Utility. Click on
 the Advanced button and check the Disable Fast Shutdown item.


*9.   Delete Content from Task Scheduler

The Task Scheduler is a handy tool, but you can't delete content from its
 log file unless you first close or disable the utility: Select
 Advanced/Stop Using Task Scheduler, then launch the log and delete
 to your heart's content.


*10.   

One of the cool things about IE 4.0 and Win98 is that when you view
 open folders as Web pages (My Computer/View/As Web Page), you can see
 image thumbnails on the left side of the window when you hover the mouse
 pointer over the files. Unfortunately, some JPEGs don't show up, because
 JPEGs come in two types - RGB and CMYK - and Win98 can read only RGB.
 The fix is to use your favorite graphics utility to convert your CMYK
 JPEGs to RGB.
