Pruning tips

"When you right click certain files, you'll see a selection to "open with," and when you click it, you'll see a list of programs to choose from. You can remove some of the applications from this list if you will never use them to open this type of file, or you can clear the list completely, by editing the registry.

1. Open the registry editor.
   (Start>Run Regedit will do it)
   
2. Go to the following key: HKEY CURRENT USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts
   
3. Scroll down the list of file extensions to the one for which you want to edit or clear the list.
   
4. Click the + to expand OpenWithList
   
5. In the right pane, you should see a list of programs (for example, Word.exe, notepad.exe, etc.).
   
6. Click the one(s) you want to remove. Press the Delete key.

• Go to: HKEY CLASSES ROOT
  
• Scroll to the desired file extension
  
• Click OpenWithList, and remove the program there

Labels: Customize, Tips

More choices

"The fonts presented on this website are their authors' property, and are either freeware, shareware, demo versions or public domain, most of the time for non-commercial use. Look at the readme-files in the archives or check the indicated authors' website for details, and contact him if in doubt."

"One little known fact about Windows' font handling. You don't necessarily have to move fonts into the Fonts directory to make them usable. If you store extra fonts in another directory, you can double click it, bringing up a dialog that demonstrates the font's usage. If you open your application at this point, it will recognize the font as being installed."

"One little known fact about Windows' font handling. You don't necessarily have to move fonts into the Fonts directory to make them usable. If you store extra fonts in another directory, you can double click it, bringing up a dialog that demonstrates the font's usage. If you open your application at this point, it will recognize the font as being installed."

Labels: Fonts

All files in a folder

• The folder name for the listed files
  
• The file names of the files found
  
• The file sizes of the files found
  
• The dates and times of the files found
  
• The total number of files listed

Macro to List All Files in a Folder

Here are some other suggestions:

List Word and Excel Files



See all Topics

windows

Labels: Files

Open, but hidden

1. Hold down the Alt key and tap the Tab Key. When you see the desired window, let go of the Alt key.
   
   
2. Hit Alt+Spacebar
   
   
3. Hit M and then use the arrow keys to get the window to the right spot.
   
   
4. Hit Esc when it's near the right spot.
   
   
5. Now drag on the edges of the window to size it. (do not use the Maximize button)

Labels: General, Tips, Troubleshoot

Click quizzers

Unlike the kids today, not all of us were born with a mouse in our pablum glazed paw.

If you have a new user who needs practice using a Mouse, take a look at some of these links. There are some very well done games and some step by step instructions.

Ferry Halim:
Games

Seniornet.org:
Mouse Exercises

• Placing the mouse
  
• Clicking the mouse
  
• Drag and drop
  
• Drawing with the mouse

USA Quiz

Paper doll game

Queens Borough Public Library, New York:
How to use the mouse

Click tester

Shambles.net:
(This website is designed to support the international school communities in 17 countries in South East Asia.)
Mouse skills collection



See all Topics

windows

Labels: General, Hardware, Tutorials

Choose your own images

1. Open the PowerPoint presentation. If you want to save a specific slide, select it in Normal view.
   
2. On the File menu, click Save As.
   
3. Select an empty folder or create a new empty folder in which to save your presentation or slide.
   
4. In the Save as type box, click Device Independent Bitmap, and then click Save. You can keep the original presentation file name or create a new name.
   
5. Click Every Slide or Current Slide Only, and then click OK.
   
6. Your presentation or slide is saved to the folder that you selected. After you close your PowerPoint presentation, you will use Windows XP to open the presentation or slide as a screen saver.
   (Animations that you may have added to the original presentation will not play when you create the screen saver. )
   
7. Close your presentation.

1. Click Start, click Control Panel, and then click Display, or right-click an empty part of the desktop and choose Properties.
   
2. On the Screen Saver tab, click My Pictures Slideshow (Photos in Vista).
   
3. Under Screen saver, click Settings.
   
4. Under How often should pictures change?, set the slider at the interval you want between pictures, or, if you are making a single slide a screen saver, move the slider to Less (three minutes) to avoid a distracting flicker on the screen during the transitions.
   
5. Under Use pictures in this folder, browse to the folder in which you saved the presentation or slide.
   
6. If you saved a single slide, clear the Use transition effects between pictures and Allow scrolling through pictures with the keyboard check boxes.
   (screen saver transition effects in this screen saver option are predesigned and do not include the transitions that you set when you created the presentation.)
   
7. Click OK.

To preview your new screen saver, on the Screen Saver tab, click Preview

Create a screen saver from slides



See all Topics

windows

Labels: Customize, General

Won't someone please!

"AJ Screensaver is a freeware clock screensaver. This screensaver is based on work of others.

Several very interesting clock shockwave flash files are packed in this screensaver."

A variety of clocks appear. The web site gives links to the original artists.

Freeware: AJScreenSaver

Anne Jan Beeks's site is part of a ring that includes:
Free Screensavers.com




See all Topics

windows

Labels: Customize, General

Cougar Gold

"Paint.NET originated as a Computer Science senior design project during the Spring 2004 semester at Washington State University.

Paint.NET v3+ is image and photo manipulation software designed to be used on computers that run Windows. Paint.NET is jointly developed at Washington State University with additional help from Microsoft, and is meant to be a free replacement for the MS Paint software that comes with all Windows operating systems. The programming language used to create Paint.NET is C#, with GDI+ extensions.

It has been compared to other digital photo editing software packages such as Adobe Photoshop, Corel Paint Shop Pro, Microsoft Photo Editor, and The GIMP."

Paint.NET free download

Tutorials

To order Cougar Gold Cheddar Cheese see:
The Creamery



See all Topics

windows

Labels: Add-in, General, Tutorials

Web based Newsreader

"The Web-based Newsreader allows you to participate in discussion groups directly in your Web browser; you don't need to install or configure anything. You can use the Web-based Newsreader to read, post, search for, and reply to messages in discussion groups from the part of Usenet that concerns Microsoft products and technologies."

Labels: General

Really basic

To create a file that time-dates entries, on the first line of a Notepad document, type the following extension at the left margin, making sure you use all uppercase letters and include the period:

.LOG

After making an entry, save Notepad. When you next open the file, the previous date and time will be displayed.

You can, also insert the date and time by clicking Edit and select Time/Date, or just press F5. The current date and time will automatically be inserted into your file.

You can also change the Font on the Format menu and change the page layout on File>Page Setup.

To work with Headers and Footers,
On the File menu, click Page Setup.
In the Header or Footer box, type the letter and character combination from the following list:

Insert the open file's name or (untitled) if the file has no name.

&f

Insert the date.

&d

Insert the time specified by your computer's clock.

&t

Insert page numbers.

&p

Insert an ampersand (&).

&&

Align the header or footer to the left, center, or right.

&l, &c, or &r

• You can use more than one combination in the Header or Footer box. Leaving a space or two between each combination will make the header or footer easier to read.
  
• To align text to the left, center, or right, you must first enter &l, &c, or &r in the Header or Footer box, followed by any other combinations you want to use.
  
• You can also incorporate text with the combinations. For example, Page &p will print out as Page 1, Page 2, and so on.

Product description

Replacing notepad in Windows Vista

Also see:

WebTech University:
Using Windows Notepad as an HTML Editor




See all Topics

windows

Labels: General, Tips

Both Desktop and Server

Jim Boyce puts out a newsletter that covers various computer topics.

His web site, Boyce.us, has a long list of topics.

Microsoft Windows XP / 2000 Professional Tips

Here are just a few of the 516 Windows desktop items:

• A Better Calculator
  
• Adding Options to the Send To Menu
  
• Avoid reinstalling applications after a clean install
  
• Changing Icons of Desktop Items and Documents
  
• Cloning Your Current Configuration
  
• Defrag a drive when not logged on as Administrator
  
• Fine-tune Internet Explorer’s behavior
  
• Give your middle button a reason to live
  
• Lock your workstation with a keystroke
  
• Locking Down the Registry
  
• Prevent users from shutting down the computer
  
• Sharing a dial-up Internet connection
  
• Take control of Explorer
  
• Taking your notebook home
  
• Test your connection speed
  
• Use Ctrl for opening folders
  
• Use two or more monitors
  
• Using the Last Known Good Configuration
  
• Working with Safe Mode

(This has not been updated in awhile, but there is still good information.)

Labels: Tips

Safe or sorry, your choice

"This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs."

The Registry contains information that Windows continually references during operation, such as profiles for each user, the applications installed on the computer and the types of documents that each can create, property sheet settings for folders and application icons, what hardware exists on the system, and the ports that are being used

Here's the Microsoft support article to guide you through the process:
How to back up, edit, and restore the registry
in Windows XP, Vista and Windows Server 2003

Also:
How to backup the Windows Registry

WindowsNetworking.com :
WindowsRegistry Backup 101



See all Topics

windows

Labels: Backup, General, Tutorials

I said shutdown!

" Have you ever tried to shut down Windows, only to have the shutdown sequence hang, or to have the computer reboot instead of shutting down? Shut down problems are one of the most common types of problems with the Windows operating system. At the same time though, they are also one of the problems that is most seldom resolved because shut down problems tend to take a back seat to more serious issues. Troubleshooting operating system shut down problems is easier than you might think though. In this article, I will share some techniques with you that you can use to resolve shut down problems on machines in your office."

WindowsNetworking.com:
Troubleshooting Windows Shutdown Problems

Also:

Windows Support Center:
Windows Shutdown & Restart Center

The Elder Geek on Windows XP:
Troubleshooting Windows XP Shutdown Issues

LabMice.net
Troubleshooting Windows XP Shutdown Issues

Microsoft Support WebCast:
Microsoft Windows XP: Troubleshooting Startup and Shutdown Problems

Vista Shutdown problems

Make Windows Vista Shut Down Services Quicker



See all Topics

windows

Labels: Troubleshoot

Screen capture plus

" Windows Media Encoder can capture the screen as you perform a task such as editing a photo; in fact, almost anything you can do on the screen can be recorded as a video. You can even narrate the demo as you record the steps you're performing. It's surprisingly easy to achieve good results in minutes. Probably the only reason the program isn't more widely used is that few people know it exists."

Microsoft Windows Media:
Windows Media Encoder 9 Series

Microsoft Support:
Support for Windows Media Encoder

Microsoft Media Knowledge Center:
Getting Started with Screen Capture Using Windows Media Encoder.



See all Topics

windows

Labels: Add-in, Tips, Tutorials

Make your own

"FontStruct is a free font-building tool brought to you by the world's leading retailer of digital type, FontShop.

FontStruct lets you quickly and easily create fonts constructed out of geometrical shapes, which are arranged in a grid pattern, like tiles or bricks.

You create 'FontStructions' using the 'FontStructor' font editor.

Once you're done building, FontStruct generates high-quality TrueType fonts, ready to use in any Mac or Windows application.

You can keep your creations to yourself, but we encourage users to share their "FontStructions". Explore the Gallery of fonts made by other FontStruct users and download them or even copy them and make your own variations.

You can also use the FontStruct widget to show your FontStructions on your own website or blog."

Labels: Fonts

What they're doing in the back room

The Microsoft Server home page is at:
Microsoft Windows Server

Windows Server 2003 Resource Kit Tools

"The Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Resource Kit Tools are a set of tools to help administrators streamline management tasks such as troubleshooting operating system issues, managing Active Directory, configuring networking and security features, and automating application deployment:"

Labels: General, Hardware

List maker

1. Open Word.
   
2. Use Alt+F11 to open the Visual Basic editor.
   
3. Choose Insert>Module from the Menu.
   
4. Copy and Paste this code in the module.
   
5. Return to Word and go to: Tools>Macro>Macros.


6. Select and run "InstalledFonts".

Sub InstalledFonts()

Dim F As Integer
Dim InstalledFonts As Table

  'Open a fresh document

Set FreshDoc = Documents.Add

   'Create a table and define the header

Set InstalledFonts = FreshDoc.Tables.Add(Selection.Range, FontNames.Count + 1, 2)
With InstalledFonts
.Borders.Enable = False
.Cell(1, 1).Range.Font.Name = "Arial"
.Cell(1, 1).Range.Font.Bold = 1
.Cell(1, 1).Range.InsertAfter "Font Name"
.Cell(1, 2).Range.Font.Bold = 1
.Cell(1, 2).Range.InsertAfter "Example"
End With

   'Loop through all the fonts and add them to the table

For F = 1 To FontNames.Count
With InstalledFonts
.Cell(F + 1, 1).Range.Font.Name = "Arial"
.Cell(F + 1, 1).Range.Font.Size = 10
.Cell(F + 1, 1).Range.InsertAfter FontNames(F)
.Cell(F + 1, 2).Range.Font.Name = FontNames(F)
.Cell(F + 1, 2).Range.Font.Size = 10
.Cell(F + 1, 2).Range.InsertAfter "ABCDEFG abcdefg 1234567890 &$@"
End With
Next F
   'Sort the names of the fonts

InstalledFonts.Sort SortOrder:=wdSortOrderAscending

End Sub

Labels: Fonts

Help yourself

"WritersUA specializes in providing quality training and publications for the community of user assistance professionals. The world of user assistance comprises a variety of techniques and technologies to make working with software a better experience. This includes online Help, wizards, web sites, printed documentation, and improvements to the application user interface."

Help writing tools
Resources

Also:
Creating "Smart Help" with Conditional Content
By Dave Gash, HyperTrain dot Com

"This article discusses several methods you can use to make Web-based Help systems "smart", by using conditional content to customize the appearance and behavior of your pages to the users' needs. "

Also:
TheFreeCountry.com:
Free Help Authoring Tools



See all Topics

windows

Labels: General, Tips

A collectors collection

• Red Hat 8.0
  
• Windows 2000 Professional and Server
  
• Windows 2003 Enterprise Server
  
• Windows Me
  
• Windows Vista
  
• Windows XP Home
  
• Windows XP Professional

Labels: General, Tips, Troubleshoot

Change display

1. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
   
   
2. Locate and then click the following subkey in the registry:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
   
   
3. On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click DWORD Value.
   
   
4. Type ShowDriveLettersFirst, and then press ENTER.
   
   
5. On the Edit menu, click Modify.
   
   
6. Type 4, and then click OK.

Key: ShowDriveLettersFirst
Type: DWORD
Value: 1, 2, or 4
If the value is 1, the drive letter is displayed first for remote drives.
If the value is 2, drive letters are not displayed.
If the value is 4, the drive letter is displayed first for all drives.

Microsoft KB:

The computer description appears before the computer name in Windows XP

"In Windows Vista, you can also use the ShowDriveLettersFirst and the ToggleCommentPosition registry entries to set the display order. However, if you set the ShowDriveLettersFirst entry only under the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE registry key, the setting will not take effect after you change folder options. You must set the ShowDriveLettersFirst entry under both the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE registry key and the HKEY_CURRENT_USER registry key."

Labels: Customize, General, Tips

Plus or minus 32

Regedit.exe is the registration editor for 16-bit Windows. It is used to modify the Windows registration database.

Microsoft recommends that you use Regedit.exe only for its search capabilities on a Windows NT 4.0-based or Windows 2000-based computer.

Regedt32.exe is the configuration editor for Windows NT. It is used to modify the Windows NT configuration database, or the Windows NT registry. This editor allows you to view or modify the Windows NT registry.

The editor provides views of windows that represent sections of the registry, named hives. You must use extreme caution when you use it to change registry values.

Missing or incorrect values in the registry can make the Windows NT installation unusable.

Meryl.net:
An explanation with follow-up links.
A Tale of Two Regeds
By Meryl K. Evans

Also:
Editing the Vista Registry



See all Topics

windows

Labels: Customize, General, Troubleshoot, Tutorials

Hands on control

"You can use Command-line reference to familiarize yourself with new and enhanced command-line tools, to configure your command prompt, to learn about the command shell, and to automate command-line tasks by using batch files or scripting tools."

"The command shell is a separate software program that provides direct communication between the user and the operating system. The non-graphical command shell user interface provides the environment in which you run character-based applications and utilities.

The command shell executes programs and displays their output on the screen by using individual characters similar to the MS-DOS command interpreter Command.com.

The Windows XP command shell uses the command interpreter Cmd.exe, which loads applications and directs the flow of information between applications, to translate user input into a form that the operating system understands."

Labels: DOS, General

Source list

"A virus is a type of program that can replicate itself by making (possibly modified) copies of itself. The main criterium for classifying a piece of executable code as a virus is that it spreads itself by means of 'hosts'.

A virus can only spread from one computer to another when its host is taken to the uninfected computer, for instance by a user sending it over a network or carrying it on a removable disk. Additionally, viruses can spread to other computers by infecting files on a network file system or a file system that is accessed by another computer.

Viruses are sometimes confused with worms. A worm, however, can spread itself to other computers without needing to be transferred as part of a host. Many personal computers are now connected to the Internet and to local-area networks, facilitating their spread.

Today's viruses may also take advantage of network services such as the World Wide Web, e-mail, and file sharing systems to spread, blurring the line between viruses and worms."

(Wikipedia)

Virus Information

Google Directory

Panda Software:

Virus Course

This is a two-hour basic course, through which you will acquire a basic knowledge on viruses and on how to be protected against them.
The course consists of twelve chapters:

1. The beginning.
   
2. Basics.
   
3. Viruses and their effects.
   
4. Types of virus.
   
5. Example of virus.
   
6. Example of hoaxes.
   
7. Virus entry-points.
   
8. What is an antivirus program?
   
9. How to combat viruses?
   
10. Is my computer protected?
    
11. Suspected virus infection?
    
12. Some tips.

Labels: Troubleshoot, Virus

Choose your Folder

%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /e, c:\folder

where c:\folder is the path to the folder that you want Explorer to open.

If you leave off the /e switch, Windows Explorer opens in a single pane view.

Another switch is /n. It opens a new single-pane window for the default selection. This is usually the root of the drive that Windows is installed on. If the window is already open, a duplicate opens.

Explorer.exe Command-Line Options

Click OK. Now when you launch Windows Explorer from the Start Menu, it will open in the folder that you specified.

If Explorer is not one of the shortcuts, Right click the contents pane and choose New>Shortcut.
Enter the same instructions.

You could also Right click the desktop and create a new shortcut.


See all Topics

windows

Labels: Explorer

Eat your heart out Dvorak

Ever wanted to quickly and easily define your own keyboard layout for a language Microsoft doesn't support? Or define your own keyboard layout so you can quickly and easily enter your favorite symbols with a simple keystroke? Well, want no more: the Microsoft Keyboard Layout Creator is here!

The Microsoft Keyboard Layout Creator (MSKLC) extends the international functionality of Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003 or Windows Vista (MSKLC will not run on Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows ME or Windows NT4) by allowing users to:

• Create new keyboard layouts from scratch
  
• Base a new layout on an existing one
  
• Modify an existing keyboard layout and build a new layout from it
  
• Multilingual input locales within edit control fields.
  
• Package the resulting keyboard layouts for subsequent delivery and installation.

Global Development and Computing Portal:
Windows Keyboard Layouts
(many different language keyboards)

Belarusian keyboard

Labels: Customize, General, Hardware, Tutorials

Order in chaos

(IE7 is not that much different)

Microsoft:
Use Favorites to Get Around the Web

• Add a Web Page to Your Favorites
  
• Go to a Web Page on Your Favorites List
  
• Alphabetize Your Favorites
  
• Remove a Web Page from the Favorites List
  
• Organize Your Favorite Web Pages in a New Folder
  
• Remove a Web Page from a Folder in the Favorites List

Labels: IE

Slow machine

Do the three finger Vulcan salute (Ctrl+Alt+Delete) to bring up the Windows Task manager.

If you see a level 100% on the performance tab try these possible solutions.

If you see near 100% CPU activity on the Processes tab by an "Image name" of Cisvc.exe, you might want to turn that service off.

Description: Microsoft Index Service Helper, a service that monitors the memory usage of Microsoft Indexing Service (cidaemon.exe) and automatically re-starts cidaemon.exe if it uses more than 40 MB of memory.

It's needed if you've set up any of your drives or directories to be indexed. Without it running, you could potentially invite a memory "hole", as the indexing service would not clear its RAM usage, as it goes.

If you are not indexing anything, there's no need for it to run

1. Go to Control Panel Administrative Tools > Services
2. Click on the "Standard" tab at the bottom of the box
3. Click on the Name label to sort by Name. Locate "Indexing Service". Double click.
4. Change the "Startup type" to 'Disabled'
5. Click on "Apply"
6. click on "Stop"

Another suggestion:

100 Percent CPU Usage Occurs When You Print on an LPT Printer Port

SYMPTOMS

When you print on an LPT printer port, 100 percent CPU usage occurs until the print job is completed. This slows down other programs until the print job is completed. In some case, other programs may slow down enough that they seem completely unresponsive. This behavior affects all power users who have many programs running at one time.

CAUSE

This behavior occurs because Windows 2000/XP does not have interrupt support for LPT printers.

WORKAROUND

To work around this behavior, print to a Universal Serial Bus (USB) printer port. If the printer does not have this capability, use a parallel-USB cable.

STATUS

This behavior is by design.

Also see What Slows Windows Down

Is Vista slow? Ed Bott answers



See all Topics

windows

Labels: Troubleshoot

Before the service call

• Restarting the computer
  
• Unplugging the router
  
• Unplugging the modem

Labels: General, IE, Vista

An IT low point

What are those noises when a PC starts up?

And:

Amptron.com,
Bios Central,
Hardware Central - Tutorial,
PC Guide.com,
PC Hell.com

Labels: Hardware

Refine the questions

date:>2/7/05<2/10/05>

Searches for a date in the Date property between the values 2/7/05 and 2/10/05, excluding the end dates.

Camera make

cameramake (cameramake:canon)

Labels: Files, Vista

Start menu gone

Labels: Troubleshoot