Simple and free

"Some of them are pretty decent alternatives, not only for those who are not willing to spend the big bucks, but also for those who need some specific tasks done, like resizing a batch of picture without needing to run the almighty Photoshop."

Labels: Add-in, General

Straight forward

Labels: Add-in, Files, General, Tips

Where they live and breathe

Labels: Files, General, Tips

Tap or Click?

Labels: Desktop, General, Tips

Registry mop

Labels: Customize, General, Tips, Tutorials

Wash and dry

"Your computer could fry if you don't keep it clean," says Jonathon Millman, chief technology officer for Hooplah Interactive.
Dust clogs the vents behind your computer, which causes your CPU to heat up—and heat is the biggest cause of component failure in computers. Regular cleaning could save you costly maintenance fees down the road.

Labels: General, Hardware, Tips

Rules, more rules

Labels: Files

You control

"If you want to leave your Task Manager showing on your desktop for a period of time, it can be nice to hide the title bar and gain that space for displaying more information. To do this, simply double-click on the empty area to the right of the tabs. Once it has switched views, you can switch back quickly by double-clicking anywhere on the border."

Labels: Customize, General, Tips

When all else fails

@echo off
echo.
echo Purging the print queue . . .
net stop Spooler
echo Deleting all print jobs . . .
ping localhost -n 4 > nul
del /q %SystemRoot%\system32\spool\printers\*.*
net start Spooler
echo Done!
ping localhost -n 4 > nul

Labels: General, Tips

I've got your number

"...the Hosts file is like an address book. When you type an address like www.yahoo.com into your browser, the Hosts file is consulted to see if you have the IP address, or "telephone number," for that site. If you do, then your computer will "call it" and the site will open. If not, your computer will ask your ISP's (internet service provider) computer for the phone number before it can "call" that site.
Most of the time, you do not have addresses in your "address book," because you have not put any there. Therefore, most of the time your computer asks for the IP address from your ISP to find sites."

"Important Notice - 2K/XP Users

In most cases a large HOSTS file (over 135 kb) tends to slow down the machine. This only occurs in W2000 and XP. Windows 98 and Windows ME are not affected.

To resolve this issue (manually) open the "Services Editor"

1. Start>Run (type) "services.msc" (no quotes)
   
2. Scroll down to "DNS Client",
   
3. Right-click and select: Properties
   
4. Click the drop-down arrow for "Startup type"
   
5. Select: Manual, click Apply/OK and restart.

Labels: Customize, General, Tips

No need to wind your PC

"If you wish to check your synchronization settings, look for the clock at the bottom right and double click on the time to bring up your time settings.

• You can adjust your local time and date by hand on the first tab,
  
• you can adjust your time zone location on the second,
  
• and on the third, labeled Internet Time, you can view your current atomic clock sync settings."

"The audio portions of the WWV and WWVH broadcasts can also be heard by telephone.
The time announcements are normally delayed by less than 30 ms when using land lines from within the continental United States, and the stability (delay variation) is generally 1 ms.
When mobile phones are used, the delays are often more than 100 ms due to the multiple access methods used to share cell channels.
In rare instances when the telephone connection is made by satellite, the time is delayed by 250 to 500 ms.
To hear these broadcasts, dial (303) 499-7111 for WWV (Colorado), and (808) 335-4363 for WWVH (Hawaii). Callers are disconnected after 2 minutes. These are not toll-free numbers; callers outside the local calling area are charged for the call at regular long-distance rates.

Labels: Time

Blanked out

1. 
   Create a new Desktop shortcut
   (Right click an empty spot on the desktop and choose New>Shortcut)
   
   
2. 
   Copy the following, and paste it as the target for the shortcut:
   
   
   

   "C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe" nohome

   
   
3. 
   Name the shortcut something like Blank IE

Labels: IE, Shortcuts

Take your own advise

1. Go to start>Run and type in Regedit
   
   
2. Find:
   

   [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Tips]
   

   
   
3. Create a new string value named by incrementing the existing value names and set it to the required tip text.
   
   
4. The Data Type is REG_SZ (String Value)
   
   
5. The Value Data: Your tip

Labels: Customize, Tips, Tricks

File location

1. From the Tools menu, click Options.
   
   
2. Select the File Locations tab.
   
   
3. Select ClipArt Pictures from the File Types list.
   
   
4. Click the Modify button.
   
   
5. Navigate to the folder you want Word to default to.
   
   
6. Click OK. OK.

1. Click on the Office logo
   
   
2. Go to Word Options>Advanced
   
   
3. Scroll down to General
   
   
4. Click the File Locations button

Labels: Customize, Tips

Smarten your machine

1. Open Windows Explorer
   
   
2. Go to Tools>Folder Options.
   
   
3. In the Folder Options dialog box, click the View tab
   
   
4. Clear the checkbox to the left of the Hide extensions for known file types option
   
   
5. Click OK to close the dialog box and return to Windows Explorer
   

Labels: Customize, Files, Tips

Revealed

Labels: Shortcuts

Distance Computing

"There are lots of reasons why you'd want to access your PC remotely, and luckily there are also plenty of ways to do so. Crossloop is one of the simplest (it’s also free), but for those willing to venture further, you've got lots of options.

Excuse us while we get technical for a second. This list is divided into four main sections: VNC (Virtual Network Computing), NX, remote desktop and cross-protocol. If those terms mean nothing to you, you might want to skip to the 'other' section for the most straightforward applications."

Labels: General, Reference

Works, but dangerous

"Cipher.exe is a command-line tool. Microsoft has developed an improved version of the Cipher.exe tool that provides the ability to permanently overwrite (or "wipe") all of the deleted data on a hard disk.
This feature improves security by ensuring that even an attacker who gained complete physical control of a Windows computer would be unable to recover previously-deleted data."

Labels: General, Tips, Tutorials

More symbols and letters

Labels: Reference

May you never need it

The Windows Memory Diagnostic tests the Random Access Memory (RAM) on your computer for errors. The diagnostic includes a comprehensive set of memory tests. If you are experiencing problems while running Windows, you can use the diagnostic to determine whether the problems are caused by failing hardware, such as RAM or the memory system of your motherboard.

Windows Memory Diagnostic is designed to be easy and fast. On most configurations, you can download the diagnostic, read the documentation, run the test and complete the first test pass in less than 30 minutes.

Labels: General, Troubleshoot

Just right

1. Click Start and click Run.
   
2. Type regedit and click OK.
   
3. Locate the following registry key:
   

   HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Explorer. 

4. From the Edit menu, point to New, and click DWORD Value.
   
5. Type in ThumbnailSize and press Enter.
   
6. Double click the new value. Enter in a hexadecimal value between 32 and 256.
   
7. Close the registry editor.

Labels: Customize, Explorer, General, Regedit, Tips, Vista

Change your Welcome avatar

Labels: Customize, Tips

Get an inventory

This article describes how to add the Print Directory feature for folders in Microsoft Windows XP and Vista. After you follow the steps that are listed in this article, you can right-click a folder, and then click Print Directory Listing to print a directory listing of the contents of a folder.

Labels: General, Tips, Vista

Get started in the right direction

• Access
  
  
• Adobe Acrobat
  
  
• Dreamweaver
  
  
• Excel
  
  
• FrontPage
  
  
• Microsoft Office Tools
  
  
• Outlook
  
  
• Outlook Web Access
  
  
• PowerPoint
  
  
• Publisher
  
  
• Visio
  
  
• Windows
  
  
• Word Art
  
  
• Word

Labels: Tutorials

Sole user

If you are the only person using the computer, you can have it automatically log you on.

Go to Start>Run ; type in:

"control userpasswords2"

(no quotes)

Uncheck:

"Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer"

[Edited entry from 4/12/2004]




See all Topics

windows

Labels: Customize, General, Tips

Adjust how it looks

1. Right Click the My Computer Icon
   
   
2. Choose Properties
   
   
3. Go to Advanced>Performance>Settings>Advanced

Let Windows choose what's best for my computer

Restore settings to Windows choice.

Adjust for best appearance

Turn on all visual effects

Adjust for best performance

Turn off all visual effects

• Fade or slide menus into view
  
• Fade or slide ToolTips into view
  
• Fade out menu items after clicking
  
• Show Shadows under menus
  
• Slide open combo boxes
  
• Slide taskbar buttons
  
• Use a background image for each folder type
  
• Use common tasks in folders

Labels: Customize, General, Vista

No more three fingers

1. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
   
   
2. Value Name: DisableCAD
   
   
3. Data Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value)
   
   
4. Value Data: (0 = Require Ctrl+Alt+Delete, 1 = Disable)

Labels: Customize, Regedit, Tips

Typographic connections

" Please do not visit this disappointing web site. Most of the links are dead: they die faster than I can renew them, and there is nothing I can do about it short of giving up my daytime job and divorcing my family, and I love both of them too much for that.

Many link descriptions are boozy and fuzzy. Some opinions are simply pathetic, but I do not want to leave this world without making a fool of myself. To make up for the awful service, I am inviting any type lover visiting Montreal to my house for drinks."

Labels: Customize, Fonts, Reference

Some clues

"You've finished your report, presentation, or cost analysis using a Microsoft Office program. The information is rich with data and detail. Now comes the final step: printing it and showing the world your hard work on paper. This is the point at which printing can give you a headache. Right when you want to wrap up your work, project, or school assignment, questions start popping into your mind"

Labels: Troubleshoot

Daily shots

"With 7.2 Million monthly visitors and more than 520 million photos to explore, Webshots is one of the largest photo- and video-sharing sites.

Webshots provides you with a variety of ways to enjoy photos and videos:

• Free and premium memberships with tons of storage—you'll never run out!
  Webshots provides you with a variety of ways to enjoy photos and videos:
  
• Share photos, videos and slideshows on Webshots and your personal website.
  
• Download professional photos in Webshots Pro Shots.
  
• Access Webshots on the go with Webshots Mobile.
  
• Easily manage your online photos with the FREE Webshots Desktop.
  
• Order prints and make custom photos gifts that anyone will love.

And more! "

Webshots! Over 20 MILLION FREE screen saver and wallpaper photos!

Labels: Add-in, General