Windows Tips     

Increase your Windows enjoyment and productivity with our  tips!

Create a rescue disk to use if you need
to emergency boot your computer

Did you create a rescue disk when you installed Windows? If not,
or if you can longer locate it, you may want to make sure that you have
one on hand, in case a technical problem (usually a problematic new
program which you just installed) prevents your computer from booting.
Here's how in Windows:

CREATE YOUR RESCUE DISK
1. Insert a blank (empty) formatted floppy disk in your floppy drive.
2. Open your Control Panel, accessing it through My Computer, or
    through Start, Settings.
3. Double click on Add/Remove Programs.
4. Open the Startup Disk tab, and click on Create Disk.
5. Allow Windows to create your bootable floppy disk.
    
6. Also, open your Windows directory, and copy your Windows
   registry files -- system.dat and user.dat
7. When done, label it as your bootable floppy disk.
8. For extra security, make TWO bootable rescue disks.
9. Test them out. Turn off your computer, then place your rescue
   disk in your floppy drive, wait 30 seconds, then turn on your
   computer again. You should be able to boot into Windows. 
   Enter in the SAFE mode to troubleshoot further.

NOTE: To view the steps in our normal boot process, open and
read the bootlog.txt file in your root drive. Be careful not to alter it
as you read it!





Crash 101: What to do when your
mouse and screen freeze....

It's about time! Now isn't this the most useful tip of all?

You're working in a program, and suddenly something goes wrong. Your
mouse is frozen. Your screen is frozen. You can't close the program or
get to SHUTDOWN. What do you do? First of all, DON'T turn off your
computer. You have many more alternatives before flipping off the
power switch and risking damaging your programs.

Here are the steps to take, in order:

Save and close your documents:
1. If you're working on a document, try to save it by using the control, s
    command if your program supports that standard SAVE command.
    Usually, you can then control, f4 to close your file.

2. OR hold down the alt key, and press F to open the file menu. Use your
    arrow keys to navigate down to SAVE, then press enter. Use your
    arrow keys then to select CLOSE and close your file.

3. If you want to save more than one document, you can usually press
    alt, w to open your window menu, then use your arrow keys to
    switch to the next document and repeat the above procedure.


Alternative #1 for closing programs:
1. Try to close the program by holding down alt, then pressing f4.
2. OR, hold down alt, then F, then your arrow keys to navigate down to
    your program's file, close menu. Then press enter.
3. Hold down alt, and slowly press tab to navigate through your other
    open programs. Close each of them using the above procedure.
    (You might also try to save any open documents as you do so.)

Alternative #2 for closing programs:
1. Hold down control, then alt, then delete.
2. Use your arrow keys  to choose the programs you wish to close,
    then when each is selected, press e on your keyboard to end task.


Shutting down OR restarting Windows:
1. TO SHUTDOWN: From step #2 above, press S to shutdown your
    computer. Or if that doesn't work........

     This next tip may be the best!!!......
2. TO SHUTDOWN: Holding down control, press the escape key
    to open your START MENU. Use your arrow keys to navigate
    through the list till you reach TURN OFF COMPUTER at bottom
    (difficult to see). Press ENTER to activate SHUT DOWN.

IF none of the above alternatives work:
PRESS the RESTART or RESET button on your computer (NOT the power
switch) to exit and restart Windows. If you can't re-enter Windows,
you may have to enter in the SAFE mode and troubleshoot - perhaps
de-installing the offending program. But that's another tip.....





Change the program association for a file type,
so that files with a particular file extension will
open in the program of your choice.

Ever installed a program, only to have it take over the file extension association
and open the program every time you click on a particular kind of file?
Here's how to change it back.

1. In Windows Explorer or My Computer, select a file with the extension you wish
to change. Let's use .jpg as an example.
2. From your menu (in Windows XP), choose Tools, Folder Options, File Types .
3. Scan through the list and select .jpg files or .jpeg files.
Note the program associated with that kind of file type, which is currently
your default program for opening that kind of file.Then click the Change button.
4. Browse for the program you wish to use instead, select it and click ok.
5. Click o.k., then the close button.