Windows 9x Tips #2


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*1.   If the Desktop As Shortcut icon is missing from your
 SendTo menu, here's how to restore it: Open C:\WINDOWS\SENDTO
 and right-click on the folder's background. Choose New/Text
 Document and rename the new file Desktop as Shortcut.DESKLINK
 (click on Yes when the Rename warning dialog opens).


*2.   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.


*3.   If you've ever wondered which DLLs a program uses,
 right-click on the executable file and select QuickView. In the
 QuickView file, find the Import Table category. You'll see each
 DLL used by the file, with additional details below each
 DLL's name.


*4.   Problem: You install a program that insists its program
 folder be installed in C:\PROGRAM, instead of the standard
 C:\PROGRAM FILES folder.

Solution: These programs do not recognize long filenames; when
 they see PROGRAM FILES they stop at the space and interpret the
 input as C:\PROGRAM. To force it to install properly, uninstall
 the program if it's already installed.

Then reinstall it, instructing Setup to install the program
 folder in C:\PROGRA~1\. That's the DOS abbreviation of the
 long filename for C:\PROGRAM FILES.


*5.   Prepare for possible PC catastrophes by regularly copying
 the following files to a second hard drive, removable hard disk
 or diskette - especially if you frequently install and uninstall
 applications. From your root directory (you may find only some
 of these), back up AUTOEXEC.BAT, AUTOEXEC.DOS, CONFIG.SYS,
 CONFIG.DOS and MSDOS.SYS. From your Windows folder, back up
 CONTROL.INI, SYSTEM.INI and WIN.INI, as well as the SYSTEM.DAT
 and USER.DAT Registry files (SYSTEM.DAT probably won't fit on
 a floppy disk). 


*6.   If you found the "One-Minute Life Saver" tip useful for
 backing up important system files, here's how to do it even
 more easily: First, create a destination folder (such as
 D:\VAULT) in which to save your backups. It's better-although
 not essential-to create the folder on a drive other than your
 boot drive, if possible. Next, create a text file called
 LIFESAVE.BAT and place it in your root directory. Edit the file
 and copy the following lines into it, where D:\VAULT is the
 name of the destination folder you created:

copy C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT D:\VAULT
copy C:\AUTOEXEC.DOS D:\VAULT
copy C:\CONFIG.SYS D:\VAULT
copy C:\CONFIG.DOS D:\VAULT
copy C:\WINDOWS\CONTROL.INI D:\VAULT
copy C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM.INI D:\VAULT
copy C:\WINDOWS\WIN.INI D:\VAULT
attrib -r -h -s C:\MSDOS.SYS
attrib -r -h -s C:\WINDOWS\USER.DAT
attrib -r -h -s C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM.DAT
copy C:\MSDOS.SYS D:\VAULT
copy C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM.DAT D:\VAULT
copy C:\WINDOWS\USER.DAT D:\VAULT
attrib +r +h +s C:\MSDOS.SYS
attrib +r +h +s C:\WINDOWS\USER.DAT
attrib +r +h +s C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM.DAT

Now you can back up the files by double-clicking on LIFESAVE.BAT.
 (NOTE: This tip was submitted by Don MacDonald.)


*7.   You can automate the above tip by auto-running the batch
 file whenever you launch Windows. First, open your
 C:\WINDOWS\START MENU\PROGRAMS\STARTUP folder.\ Right-click on
 the background and select New/Shortcut. Enter C:\LIFESAVE.BAT
 in the Command Line field. Give the new shortcut a name, such
 as "One-Minute Life Saver." Finally, right-click on the
 shortcut, choose Properties and then the Program tab. At the
 bottom of that tab, check the Close On Exit box. Now each time
 you start your machine, the One-Minute Life Saver will run
 automatically in a DOS window and then close automatically.


*8.   WHAT A CHARACTER 

When you type words like "resume" or "voila," do you just ignore
 the fact that they're supposed to have accents, because you
 aren't sure how to add them? No one will notice, right? Wrong.
 Don't give anyone the chance to assume you didn't know any
 better. Use the Windows 95 character map--or better yet, a
 keyboard combination--to add the proper foreign characters to
 your word processing documents.

Select Start, Programs, Accessories, Character Map; in the
 drop-down list under Font, select the font you're currently
 using in your document. Locate the character you need,
 double-click it (to add it to the Characters to Copy box), then
 click the Copy button. Switch over to your document, place your
 cursor where you'd like the character, and select that
 application's Paste command. 

When you get the hang of this character stuff, you can add a
 character to a document using a simple keystroke--no character
 map necessary. Inside the character map, select any character,
 and you'll see a four-digit number next to "Keystroke: Alt+" in
 the lower-right corner of the dialog box. Make a note of it.
 Then, from inside any document, press the Num Lock key on your
 keyboard, if it isn't already, then hold down the Alt key and
 type this four-digit number (on your numeric keypad).
 Magically, the character appears. 


*9.   FORGET-ME-NOT RESOLUTIONS 

Want to be sure you remember your New Year's resolutions? Use
 Paint to turn them into desktop wallpaper, and you've got an
 instant reminder (at least five days a week). 

Open Paint (select Start, Programs, Accessories, Paint) and
 select a wallpaper background color by right-clicking any color
 in the palette. (The default white is a little hard on the
 eyes.) Select Image, Clear Image, and the new color
 appears on-screen. 

Next, select Image, Attributes and set the size of your
 wallpaper. For example, assuming you plan to tile your
 esolutions across the desktop, you might set the size to 4
 inches by 2 inches. (Or 4 inches by 8 inches if you have a big
 list in mind!) Click OK, and you're ready to add some text. 

Click the text tool (the one with the "A" on it), then click
 anywhere on the canvas to place a text box there. Hold the
 mouse pointer over the box's edge, and when it changes to a
 double-pointed arrow, click and drag to enlarge the box to the
 desired size. Now just start typing your resolutions. When
 you're finished, you'll probably want to change the text's font
 and point size. Select View, Text Toolbar, and use the resulting
 drop-down lists to make your changes. (Tip: Do all your typing
 and attribute changing at once. Once you deselect the text box,
 you can't get back inside.) 

Save your file, then select File, Set As Wallpaper (Tiled)--or
 (Centered), if that's what you prefer. You'll never forget
 those resolutions now! 


*10.   THE TITLE BAR BEARS ALL 

Want to know the full path of any open folder window at a glance?
 Ask Windows 95 to display this information right on the
 title bar. 

-From inside any Explorer window, select View, Options. Click the
 View tab, select Display the Full MS-DOS Path in the Title Bar,
 and click OK. Now, not only does an open window's path appears
 on its title bar, but it also shows up on the corresponding
 Taskbar item (whether the window is minimized or not). 

(Note: If you have IE 4.0 installed, the full path of any open
 folder window appears in the Address bar--assuming you have
 it showing.)
