JOE'S FAVORITE WINDOWS TIPS AND TRICKS

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1. Backups - If you get our newsletter, then you know that we frequently mention (read: beat on) this subject.  Backup when leaving the office or client (lunch or at the end of the day).  This is a must for laptop users due to possible theft or travel damage.  Backup to floppy, email yourself the file, use a zip compression tool such as WinZip (see below) to reduce file size.  Also, buy a USB / Thumb drive of at least 256 Megs (try eBay, or search on USB Drive in a search engine).  These little flash-ram drives hold a ton and they are super fast and reliable.  ALWAYS keep any backup separated from the computer and computer bag just in case--That's why they're called backups! 
   
   

2. Zone Alarm - We use Norton and McAfee products too.  The Norton Internet Security Suite has virus protection, spyware protection and a firewall in one suite.  The new Zone Alarm has all of that too.  If you are on a network, DSL internet, cable internet, T1, T2 or T3 this is a must have set of tools.  Basic Zone Alarm is free for personal use and under $40.00 for business use.  This product blocks intruders from your computer, kills off spy programs and won't allow data to flow from your computer to another.  If you value your privacy and want to keep intruders away, this is a great and affordable firewall.  If you have Norton Internet Security (Personal Firewall) installed, then you don't need this.  Personal firewalls from Norton and McAfee work and they block open ports that would let a hacker in.  These go by names like "Internet Suite" and you get the virus scanner with them.  Windows XP security with SP2 is better than before, but it is not as effective as the above.
   
   

3. Power Toys or Power Toys for XP (updated) - Get rid of the training wheels in Windows-95/98/NT/2000.  After you get used to the slow scrolling of menu items it seems normal. After you try this it will seem "too slow."  The guru's at Microsoft have come up with some tools that are free to download and the most popular one is called Tweak.ui.  It has an option to accelerate the menus, get rid of that stupid little bent arrow telling you it's a link (everything is a link or shortcut!) and it has settings to get rid of your most recently used files from prying eyes.  Installation instructions are on the Microsoft page. It will show up in the Control Panel (Start-Settings-Control Panel) after being installed.  Don't delay, this one's a must have.  
   
   

4. Speed-up your keyboard.  This was an old DOS trick that required an Autoexec.bat setting of "mode con: rate=30 delay=1."  With Windows, its a simple trip to the Control Panel (Start-Settings-Control Panel) and select the keyboard icon.  Set the two character repeat rate options to the far right.  Try scrolling around your word processor now.  Your spreadsheet scrolling and Page-up / Page-Down seems to fly!  Try to edit a formula in a spreadsheet and watch the cursor fly right to left.  Ahhhh much better.  Also remember to use the End and Home keys when editing to move to the front or end of a row of text or formula edits
    

5. Windows Explorer Column Order - We're in and out of Windows Explorer all of the time and explorer allows you to sort on the column headers to order things alphabetically or by date.  We use date sorts all of the time to get the newest file to the top of a long directory list, but the problem is that the date is the 4th column.  Lets reorder the columns.  This should be done in the order shown to make it "stick" for the future:

   • Launch Explorer (try a right-click on Start and then select Explore)

   • Select the menubar option named View and Select Details in the list (it may be have that selected already)

   • Select the menubar option named View again and select Choose Details (Change Order in Windows 2000)

     • Select the Date Modified item (4th item in the list) by clicking on the words Date Modified (it becomes highlighted when clicked)

     • There is a Move Up button - Press it twice to move the Date Modified up to the second position in the list.

   • Press OK to accept the changes

   • Select the menubar option for Tools

   • Select the tab named View

   • Remove the Checkmark from the list that says "Hide extensions for known file types" (There should be NO checkmark there)

   • Press the button to Apply to All Folders -- Agree to allow the change after you press that option.

   • Press OK
      

6. Use the Keyboard.  No downloads needed for this one.  Most people still don't know that Microsoft and most intelligent programmers have stuck to the Windows Standard for Keyboard Shortcuts. Remember these:

   • Copy = Ctrl + C

   • Cut = Ctrl + X

   • Paste = Ctrl + V

   • Undo last Keystroke - Ctrl + Z

   • Bold = Ctrl + B

   • Italic = Ctrl + I

   • Underline = Ctrl + U

   • Save File = Ctrl + S

   • Open a File = Ctrl + O

   • Print = Ctrl + P

   • Right Margin Presentation = CTRL + R

   • Left Margin Presentation = Ctrl + L

   • Center Presentation = Ctrl + C

   • Justify Presentation with even margins = Ctrl + J

   • To place the cursor at the start of a word processor section = Ctrl + Home

   • To place the cursor at the end of a word processor section = Ctrl + End

   • To move the cursor to the prior page. For tabbed objects, moves to the next tab = CTRL + PgUp

   • To move the cursor to the next page. For tabbed objects, moves to the prior tab = CTRL + PgDn

   • Double Click on a word to select the word in a sentence

   Any bets that in the above text I didn't retype = Ctrl + over and over?
   
   

7. Alt-Tab.  Again, no downloads needed here. Just hold down the alt key and tap the tab key to cycle through running programs.  Yes, you can still grab your mouse and hit the item in the system tray.
    

8. Laptop Caps Lock Key - The smaller keyboards on laptop computers are annoying because it is so easy to bump the Caps Lock Key and then you're typing in ALL CAPS by mistake.  There are some fixes and some tweaks available:

   • Tweak - This will sound an audible beep if you press Caps Lock, Num Lock or Scroll Lock keys (assuming that your volume is not on mute)

     • Go to Control Panel (Start -- Control Panel in XP and Start -- Settings -- Control Panel in everything else)

     • Select Accessibility Options

     • On the Keyboard Tab select the checkbox for Use Toggle Keys

   • Fix -- Some new laptops such as IBM Laptops have a utility for enhanced keyboard functionality.  This is what you really want if you can find such a thing.  It will let you set the number of seconds to hold down the Caps Lock key before it becomes active.  This eliminates the accidental taps from messing THINGS UP.
      

9. The Lightest Printer in the World - Part 1.  Hate carrying a printer on the road?  Then Don't.  Just get a 6' printer cable and put it in your bag (cheap at Staples or Office Depot).  Install all of the base model Hewlett Packard InkJet and LaserJet Drivers (i.e., HP-Laserjet, HP-Inkjet, HP-Deskjet) and follow with specific drivers for popular HP models (i.e., HP-2, HP-III, HP-IV, HP5) and then install a basic Lexmark driver, Epson and Okidata.  When you need to print at a client, unplug the cable from the printer (ahhh not the back of the CPU) and away you go.
   
   

10. The Lightest Printer in the World - Part 2  If printing to a printer is a problem, send a fax. Microsoft includes a fax driver with Windows-95 (Windows 98 / ME users will need to use a third party software package).  Assuming that you have a fax-modem, select the fax driver as the printer and send it to your client's fax machine.  CAUTION:  Most companies have digital or PBX lines that carry voltage and your modem will get Fried in a nanosecond.  
    
    

11. The Lightest Printer in the World - Part 3  If printing to a printer is a problem, save the file and let your client print it.  Don't want to give them the whole workpaper set?  Highlight the range with your mouse, select copy (usually on a right click of the mouse) and paste it into a new empty worksheet.  Save the sheet to your USB Thumb Drive (see above) you're set.  The "Save As" option will usually let you save to other formats besides Excel.
    
    

12. Driver Updates - When new machines ship, they include the latest chips for the video portion, but the drivers to put the stuff on the screen are a bit green. Try to get the latest drivers from the manufacturer of your unit. Companies like IBM, HP, Toshiba, etc. post updates every once in a while and they have automated update utilities to help with this task. Desktop machine users can go right to the web page of the video board manufacturer (you did save your manuals, right?).  Laptop users should be careful to use only drivers approved by your vendor. Speed improvements on the video vary, but 5%-50% improvements are not unheard of.  You do have a problem if you can move a Window and it doesn't "snap" into place.  Slow painting is a sign of slow video (Hey, one more excuse to ditch the old 386).  Cheers to Dell, IBM, Toshiba and HP for great driver updates.
    
    

13. Send To.  When you're in Windows Explorer you can copy files to a floppy drive or USB / Thumb drive in seconds with a right click on the file and then select Send To >. This saves time from using Windows Explorer and  Copy (also on the right mouse click), finding the drive and then selecting Paste (also on the right mouse click).  Send To is a fast and logical copy and paste in less steps.
    
    

14. Get a great zip utility. We use WinZip - the top shareware zip utility on the market.  It includes the must have feature of allowing a right mouse click to zip or unzip when in Windows Explorer.  With a right click you can unzip in the directory that you're in, but it can make a subdirectory in the existing directory (using the file's name) during the unzip.  A MUST HAVE tool.  By the way, we have a free tutorial on using WinZip as part of this web site.  Want freeware ZIP?  Look at: https:// www.7-zip.org/ and you'll be amazed that it handles ZIP, RAR, LZH and other formats for free.  The right click options in Windows Explorer are much like WinZip and it works for free!
    
    

15. Virus scanning is a necessity these days. We use McAfee and Norton on a regular basis.  Very cool to put in a floppy disk and have these programs nab the critters instantly and without you thinking about it.
    
    

16. Speed Up Printing in MS-Word or Lotus WordPro  The default settings in MS Word and Lotus WordPro set the printing to "background" which is a spooler that slows-down how long it takes to print.  Probably left over from Windows 3.1, turning this option off saves printing time in Windows-95.  Speed man, speed! 

    • For MS Word - Select Tools from the menubar, then Options at the bottom of the list and then the Print Tab from options.  On the print Tab, make sure that "Background Printing" is not checked.

    • For Lotus WordPro - Select File from the menubar, then user setup, then WordPro Preferences.  On the General Tab and in the Other General Usage Options group-box, select the drop-down listing labeled "Disable:"  At the bottom of that list click on Background Printing until a check appears.  Click on the gray space in the open response window and then select OK.
       

17. On-The-Fly Fast Summing in Excel  If you drag your mouse over a range of cells in Excel-97, the status bar at the bottom has the sum.  You can change this to count, average, max, min or turn it off completely by right clicking in the lower status area.  If it's blank when you try this, try to right click in the Excel status area at the bottom of the screen, just to the right of center screen.  WOW!
    
    

18. Graphics File Viewer  We work with graphic files quite often for our programs, seminars, web page and the ABL Help file.  A free utility is available that can allow you to zoom through the graphic files on your hard drive in seconds.   It allows you to make slide shows (great for family photos), view almost every movie format and it includes filters and plug-in abilities for Photoshop filters.  This program is small, fast, and a true gem.  Free at:   https:// www.irfanview.com/english.htm
    
    

19. DCOM for 95 or 98 - https:// www.microsoft.com/com/resources/downloads.asp  DCOM is the Microsoft Distributed Common Object Model and the drivers are not installed on Windows 95 Machines by default.  Some systems, such as Microsoft Office will install the drivers.  However, Microsoft has upgraded this set of drivers many times.  More importantly, the installation of the patch includes the latest versions of OLE, MSVCRT, etc.  In short, it is a hidden upgrade.  Versions are available for Windows-95 and Windows-98 (I upgraded my Windows-98 machine with this stuff).  DO NOT APPLY TO WINDOWS-ME or WINDOWS 2000 or XP.
    
    

20. Spyware Sucks! - Your computer probably has 20 - 200 spyware programs installed.  These get glued into your PC when advertisements popup and then embed JS or Java class files into your computer.  They keep track of where you surf.  They also slow down your PC with all that logging.  Older (pre-2004) Virus engines don't include this category and thus you are not protected.  The 2004 internet security suites don only a fair job so far.  Get rid of spyware for free with: 

    • https:// www.spybot.safer-networking.de/  This little freeware program rocks for killing off this stuff and blocking future attacks if you buy the licensed version.  Highly rated and easy to use; this is one of the most effective at any price.  Newest version has a feature that allows scanning at all times plus a "tea timer" to scan things at startup.  Stop this junk before it stops you!

    • https:// www.lavasoftusa.com - Freeware that is extraordinary and polished.  Certain features are very advanced, but for a quick scan, this program will kill off most of the problems.
       

21. Windows XP and Windows Explorer.  Tired of opening Explorer to the default My Documents folder?  You want to go to where you files are located which is usually Drive C or Drive D right?  Select Windows Explorer in your Programs menu.  If possible make a desktop icon so that you can do this quickly from the desktop.  Right click on the Explorer link or icon or menu and select Properties.  The Shortcut tab is generally selected by default.  On the Shortcut tab you will see something like this:
    C:/Windows/Explorer.exe 
      Modify this to read as C:\Windows\Explorer.exe /e, c:\  (NOTE: there are spaces after .exe and after the comma)
        The /e means to use the left and right double pane view and the c:\ means drive C (change to your liking)
          You can also specify a default path like C:\Exams.
     

22. Printing to PDF requires the full version of Adobe Acrobat and that could be $200.00+ per copy.  There are many good alternatives, including the free web interface at www.adobe.com.  But printing more than one thing per day is a chore that way and you might not be on line all of the time.  There are cheap and free alternatives.  Try www.pdf995.com and spend the $9.95 so that you don't get web advertising.  Free is good too and the public GNU license at Source Forge is a stellar knockout for most of us.  Go to https:// www.pdfforge.org/ and look at the PDF Creator menu item and then select the Download PDFCreator Now! option (You want the PDF Creator GPL vesion).  These PDF installs will give you a PDF Print driver and when you need a PDF document, just print it with the PDFCreator Print Driver instead of your default printer.  Print to Black and White if it is just text to make the files even smaller.

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