Windows 98 Tips #23



*1. PLUS! 98: COMPRESSED FOLDERS OVERVIEW         
     
Microsoft Plus! 98 includes a folder compression utility that
 allows you to archive files and folders. Similar to other
 compression utilities, Compressed Folders saves hard disk space
 by storing data in a compressed form, as a *.zip file. 

To create a compressed folder, right-click the desktop and
 select New, Compressed Folder. (You can identify a compressed
 folder by the zipper on its icon.) To add files or folders to
 this new folder, simply drag them inside. Store it anywhere you
 want, or zip (ha!--very punny) it off to someone else as an
 e-mail attachment. The recipient can unzip the file using any
 unzipping utility. 

To extract a file from a compressed folder, right-click it,
 select Extract, identify a destination folder, click Next, then
 click Finish. Alternatively, click and drag a file from inside
 the compressed folder to another location, then release the
 mouse button. 

(Over the next month, you'll find Microsoft Plus! 98 tips
 scattered throughout the Windows 98 tips of the day. Similar to
 Plus! for Windows 95, but even better, this Windows 98 companion
 includes a number of bells and whistles--desktop themes, games,
 utilities, and so on--not included in Windows 98. For those of
 you who don't own Plus! 98, these tips will serve as a sneak
 preview, especially if you're on the fence as to whether this
 add-on is worth the 33 bucks or not. Our opinion is yes, or we
 wouldn't be giving it so much ink. And if you already have Plus!
 98--well then, these tips will show you how to make the most of
 this feature-packed enhancement.)


*2. PLUS! 98: ENCRYPTING COMPRESSED FOLDERS         
     
In our last tip, we introduced Compressed Folders, the
 compression utility (similar to WinZip) that comes with
 Microsoft Plus! 98. To create a compressed folder, right-click
 the desktop and select New, Compressed Folder. To add files or
 folders to this new folder (*.zip file), click and drag them
 inside, then release the mouse button. 

One of the handiest features in Compressed Folders is encryption.
 Basically, encrypting a folder is like password-protecting it.
 (Finally, a way to password-protect a folder!) Right-click any
 compressed folder, select Encrypt, then type a password (twice).
 Click OK, and the next time you try to open a file inside the
 compressed folder, you'll be prompted to enter a password. No
 password, no entry. 

(Note: Once a compressed folder is encrypted, you can open that
 folder or any folders within it; you just can't open the files
 inside--at least not without the password. Also, if you add new
 files to the compressed folder, you'll need to re-encrypt it in
 order to encrypt the new files.) 

(Over the next month, you'll find Microsoft Plus! 98 tips
 scattered throughout the Windows 98 tips of the day. Similar to
 Plus! for Windows 95, but even better, this Windows 98 companion
 includes a number of bells and whistles--desktop themes, games,
 utilities, and so on--not included in Windows 98. For those of
 you who don't own Plus! 98, these tips will serve as a sneak
 preview, especially if you're on the fence as to whether this
 add-on is worth the 33 bucks or not. Our opinion is yes, or we
 wouldn't be giving it so much ink. And if you already have Plus!
 98--well then, these tips will show you how to make the most of
 this feature-packed enhancement.)


*3. PLUS! 98: HELP RESOURCES         
     
We can't possibly cover everything about Microsoft Plus! 98 in
 this series, so for our last tip on Microsoft Plus! 98 (for now,
 anyway), we'd like to point you to some resources. Upon
 installing Plus!, a new help folder is added to Windows Help.
 Select Start, Help, click the Contents tab, and then select
 Using Plus! 98 Features. In addition to providing tips on Plus!
 98's components, these help topics provide direct links to its
 games and utilities (in case you can't find them in the
 Start menu). 

For more information on Microsoft, SegaSoft (Lose Your Marbles),
 and McAfee (VirusScan) technical support, open the Using Plus!
 98 Features help folder, select Registration And Support For
 Plus! 98, then select Get Technical Support.


*4. USE DESKTOP THEMES ICONS TO DRESS UP SHORTCUTS         
     
Did you know you can use any icon that's part of a desktop theme
 to represent any shortcut on your system? All it takes is a trip
 to the Themes folder. 

Right-click the shortcut to which you'd like to apply a new icon,
 and select Properties. On the Shortcut tab, click the Change
 Icon button, then click Browse. Navigate your way to
 C:\Program Files\Plus!\Themes, and there you'll see all the
 icons that are part of desktop themes. (Note: Some themes may be
 contained in separate folders within the Themes folder. If so,
 open any one to reveal the icons inside.) Select the icon you
 want to use, click Open, then click OK twice (to close all open
 dialog boxes). And enjoy your new shortcut!


*5. WINDOWS KEY SHORTCUTS         
     
We frequently receive requests for a listing of Windows
 key shortcuts. So without further ado... 

Press: 

 Windows-D to jump to the desktop (minimize all open windows) 
 Windows-E to open Windows Explorer 
 Windows-F to open Find 
 Windows-L to log off Windows 
 Windows-M to minimize all open windows (or Shift-Windows-M to
  undo this command) 
 Windows-R to open the Run window 
 Windows-Break to open the System Properties dialog box 
 Windows-F1 to open Help 
 Windows-Tab to cycle through the Taskbar buttons


*6. FOR MAXIMUM PROGRAM PERFORMANCE, DEFRAGMENT         
     
Want to make sure that when you select a program in your Start
 menu, that application starts as fast as possible? Be sure to
 defragment your hard drive on a regular basis--say, once a
 month--using the Disk Defragmenter. The version of this utility
 that comes with Windows 98 will rearrange your program files for
 optimum performance. 

Select Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Disk
 Defragmenter, and select the drive you want to defragment. Now
 click the Settings button and select Rearrange Program Files So
 My Programs Start Faster, if it isn't already selected. Click OK
 twice, and let the defragmenting begin!


*7. DEFRAGMENT MULTIPLE DRIVES         
     
In our last tip, we suggested that you defragment your hard drive
 on a regular basis--say, once a month--to ensure that your
 applications start quickly. And what if you have more than one
 drive on your system? Defragment them all in one fell swoop. 

Start the Defragmenter as usual--select Start, Programs,
 Accessories, System Tools, Disk Defragmenter--but instead of
 selecting a single drive, scroll all the way down to the bottom
 of the list (in the Select Drive dialog box) and select All Hard
 Drives. Click OK, and you're off!


*8. WINDOWS 98 STARTUP DISK HAS REAL-MODE CD-ROM DRIVERS         
     
In a previous tip, we showed you how to create a Windows 98
 startup disk (a disk that, should you ever have trouble starting
 Windows, boots your system and provides utilities to help
 diagnose the problem): Open the Control Panel, double-click
 Add/Remove Programs, select the Startup Disk tab, click the
 Create Disk button, and so on. 

We should point out that one of the best features of this disk is
 its inclusion of real-mode CD-ROM drivers. In other words, if
 you determine that reinstalling Windows 98 (via CD) is your best
 chance at recovery, you can do that--right from the command
 prompt. (With Windows 95, you had to add real-mode CD-ROM
 drivers to your startup disk manually--not the easiest thing in
 the world to do!) 

In our next tip, we'll show you how to use your startup disk (and
 the Windows 98 installation CD) to reinstall Windows 98.


*9. USE STARTUP DISK TO REINSTALL WINDOWS 98 FROM CD         
     
In our last tip, we pointed out that the Windows 98 startup disk
 includes real-mode CD-ROM drivers (so that you can access your
 CD-ROM drive from a command prompt). To create a startup disk,
 open the Control Panel, double-click Add/Remove Programs, select
 the Startup Disk tab, click the Create Disk button, and so on. 

Now the question is, how do you use the startup disk to access
 your CD-ROM drive? Let's assume you can't start Windows 98, and
 you've decided you want to reinstall it using the installation
 CD. Turn the system off, and with the startup disk in your
 floppy drive, turn it back on. In the list of startup options,
 select Start Computer With CD-ROM Support, then press Enter.
 When the A:\ prompt appears, insert the Windows 98 installation
 CD in your CD-ROM drive and type 

X:\setup 

where X is your CD-ROM drive plus one letter (in most cases--see
 the next tip for details). For example, our drive is E, so we
 would type 

F:\setup 

at the A:\ prompt. Press Enter, and the Windows 98 setup
 will begin. 

For our third and final tip in this series, we'll explain why
 your CD-ROM drive letter typically changes when you use the
 Windows 98 startup disk.


*10. WHY THE STARTUP DISK CHANGES YOUR CD-ROM DRIVE LETTER         
     
In our last tip, we showed you how to use the Windows 98 startup
 disk to reinstall Windows 98 (via CD) from the command prompt:
 Turn the system off; pop the startup disk in your floppy drive;
 turn the system back on; select Start Computer With CD-ROM
 Support; press Enter; when the A:\ prompt appears, insert the
 Windows 98 installation CD in your CD-ROM drive and type 

X:\setup 

where X is your CD-ROM drive plus one letter (in most cases);
 and press Enter. 

Wondering why your CD-ROM drive letter usually changes? After you
 choose a startup option, config.sys loads a 2MB RAMDrive that
 contains a number of tools useful in diagnosing common problems.
 In most cases, this drive assumes your CD-ROM drive's letter.
 (Note: To confirm the letter used to represent this RAMDrive,
 watch the screen during the boot process.) 

(Tip: To view the contents of the RAMDrive, at the command
 prompt, type 

dir X: 

where X is, in most cases, the former letter of your CD-ROM
 drive; then press Enter.)
