Windows Tips and Tricks
Underlined Shortcuts:
The underlined letters in menus are shortcuts. Press ALT + the underlined letter to choose the item.
ScanDisk:
You can use ScanDisk, in the System Tools folder, to check your hard disk for errors.
Control Panel in a Menu:
To put the contents of the Control Panel on your Start menu (or in any folder), create a folder and paste in Control Panel.
Dragging Executables:
Left dragging an executable to a new directory results in a shortcut to that executable.
MS-DOS Screen Toggle:
To toggle between a windowed and full MS-DOS screen, press Alt+Enter.
Selecting All Files:
To select all files in a folder press Ctrl+A
Moving the Taskbar:
You can move the Taskbar to any edge of your screen by dragging it with your mouse.
SysEdit:
From the Start button, choose the Run command. In the command line type sysedit. This will launch the System Configuration Editor which will allow you to edit the following files: protocol.ini, system.ini, win.ini, config.sys, and autoexec.bat.
Grabbing Data from MS-DOS Apps:
To move information between a Command Prompt/MS-DOS-based application, activate the toolbar in the MS-DOS-based application window. This will enable point/click access to copy, cut and paste operations from a Windows-based app to an MS-DOS-based app.
Dragging onto MS-DOS Apps:
You can drag file and folder icons from the desktop or a folder and drop them on an MS-DOS Command Prompt. The filename will then be shoved into the keyboard buffer of the running MS-DOS-based application.
Adding Icons to the Start Button:
Click and drag any object from the desktop and drop it on the Start button to add it to the Start Menu.
Minimizing All Windows:
To minimize all open Windows simultaneously, right click on the Taskbar and choose Minimize All Windows from the drop down menu.
Find File via Keyboard:
While the desktop is active press the F3 key. This will open the Find File window and allow you to search for a file on the computer.
Creating a Shortcut:
Right click on the desktop, choose New from the drop down list, and select Shortcut. After providing the path and Shortcut name, the new desktop Shortcut will be created.
Quick-Viewing a Document:
Right click on any document and choose quick view from the drop down menu. This feature will allow you to view the item without launching the application it is associated with.
Viewing a Disk's Properties:
Right click on any drive and choose properties. The properties box will appear allowing you to label the disk, view it's properties or run system optimization tools.
Copying and Moving Files:
Select the files you want to copy or move, right-click and select Copy or Cut. Open the destination location, right-click and select Paste.
Creating a New Folder While Saving:
When using "Save As" in a Windows 95 common dialog, you can create a new folder simultaneously in which to store the file you are saving. To do this, right-click the dialog list control and choose the New.Folder item to create a new folder. Double-click the new folder to open it and then continue the save process.
Closing All Open Windows:
To simultaneously close all the windows you have opened, simply hold the shift key and click the X button on the right side of the folders title bar.
Dragging Files Between Directories:
Left dragging objects from one directory to another on a different drive results in a copy. Ctrl+Left-drag forces a copy.
OLE Scraps:
Left drag a selection from an OLE document (e.g., Word 95) onto the Desktop or folder and a scrap will be created (a scrap is an OLE object that contains the selection). Dropping this scrap onto another document or back onto the original document will insert or render the scrap object. Taking advantage of this feature is similar to using those yellow stickies for notes.
Disk Space:
To see how much disk space is free, use your right mouse button to click the icon for the drive in My Computer; then click Properties.
Exploring the Start Menu:
Right-click the Start menu and select Open or Explore to view and modify its contents. Putting a new folder in your start menu directory will allow additional hierarchies off of the Start menu.
Folder Icons:
To change the icon for a folder, select Options from the folder’s view menu. In the Options dialog, select the File Types tab and scroll down the list to the Folder item. With the Folder item selected, click Edit, then click the Change Icon button. Select a new icon.
Avoiding the Recycle Bin:
To delete files without sending them to the recycle bin, select the file or files to be deleted. Right-click the selection and hold the Shift key down while selecting Delete.
Creating Document Shortcuts:
Right drag a selection from an OLE document (e.g., Word 95) onto the Desktop or folder, then select the ‘Create Document Shortcut Here’ item, and a shortcut (bookmark) will be created. Opening this document shortcut at a later time will open the original document and return you to the place in the document that the shortcut originated.
Avoiding AutoPlay CD-ROMs:
You can hold down the shift key when you insert a CD-ROM to disable AutoPlay or you can make the following changes: Open any folder and select view, options, file types. Select AudioCD and click Edit. Select Play from the Action listbox, choose Set Default (this actually toggles the default). If Play is bolded, the CD will play when inserted. If it is not bolded, it will not.
You can also go to the Device Manager. Right click on My Computer, then choose properties. Click on the + sign next to the CD-ROM entry under devices. Select your CD-ROM drive, then click Properties. Choose the Settingstab. Turn off the Auto Insert Notification by removing the check from the box. Click Ok, then OK again.
Checking Printer Status:
When you print a document, a printer icon appears on the Taskbar. Double-click it to see a list of documents waiting to print.
Moving the Taskbar:
If you don’t like where the Taskbar is located (by default at the bottom of the screen), you can drag it to one of the other 3 edges of the desktop area.
Explorer Windows:
If your View Options are set to Browse Folders Using a Single Window for Each Folder, you can open an additional window for the folder by holding Ctrl while you double click.
Adjusting the Volume:
On the Audio page of the Multimedia control panel applet, select the ‘Show volume control on Taskbar’ option. Once enabled, clicking the speaker icon on the Taskbar will launch the volume control slider. Double-clicking the speaker icon will launch the full volume control applet. (This tip is only applicable if you have a sound card installed).
Viewing DOS File Names:
To view MS-DOS names associated with long file names, right-click the file and select properties - you should see both representations of the file name.
Restarting the Taskbar:
To restart the Taskbar, press Ctrl+Alt+Del and Shutdown the Explorer task. When the Shutdown dialog pops up, choose No. When the End Task confirmation pops up, click End Task. The Taskbar will shut down and then automatically restart.
Moving to a Parent Folder in Explorer:
Pressing Backspace in an open folder takes you back to the parent folder.
Creating New Documents:
Right click on the desktop, select New, then select the type of file you want to create from the list.
Killing a Dying Application:
If your system "hangs", press CTRL + ALT + DEL. The Close Program dialog box appears allowing you to close the hung application without rebooting the system.
Drag & Drop From App to App:
If you drag an object, and hold it over the tray button for the desired window for a moment, that window will be moved to the top, allowing you to continue without rearranging the open windows.
Quick Printing:
To print a document quickly, you can drag its icon onto a printer icon.
Troubleshooting Memory:
You can solve memory problems on your computer by using the Memory Troubleshooter in Help.
Hiding the Taskbar:
To hide the Taskbar, choose Taskbar properties (from the Start button or by right-clicking the Taskbar), and enable the Auto Hide feature from the Taskbar Options property page.
Left-Handed Mouse:
You can switch mouse buttons if you are left-handed. Just double-click the Mouse icon in Control Panel.
Exploring Folders:
When a folder is open, you can press BACKSPACE to open the folder one level higher.
Faster Files:
You can use Defragmenter, in the System Tools folder, to speed up your computer's performance.
Backing Up:
You can use Backup, in the System Tools folder, to make backup copies of important files.
Tool Tips:
To learn what any toolbar button is for, you can rest your mouse pointer on the button for a few seconds.
Sending Files:
Right click on a file you would like to send, choose Send To and select the destination from the drop down menu.
What’s Today’s Date?:
Hold the mouse pointer over the Taskbar clock to see the date displayed.
Removing the Clock:
To remove the clock from the Taskbar do the following:
1) Right-click the Taskbar and selection the Properties item.
2) On the Taskbar Options page, uncheck ‘Show Clock’.
Speedy CD’s:
From the System control panel applet, click the Performance Tab, then click the CD-ROM Tab. From here, you can adjust the memory cache size for your CD-ROM drive.
Viewing Bitmaps:
Microsoft Paint can serve as a bitmap viewer. Simply drag a bitmap icon onto Microsoft Paint window to view it. The current image will be replaced with the new bitmap.
Start Menu Keyboard Trick:
You can improve keyboard access to the items at the top of the Start menu by numbering the icons there (rename them with a number at the beginning of the name). Then, you can press Ctrl-Esc followed by the number to launch your most commonly used programs.
Properties:
Just about everything in Windows 95 has properties. Sometimes if you’re trying to customize something, try to right-click on it, and see if there’s a "Properties" menu entry. The keyboard shortcut is usually Alt+Enter. For instance, in Explorer, you can view a file’s properties such as the date and time it was last modified.
Icon Properties:
One of the properties of a shortcut is its icon. You can change the icon of any shortcut by right-clicking, selecting "Properties", going to the "Shortcut" tab, and pressing the "Change Icon" button.
More Icon Properties:
If you want to change a shortcut’s icon, and only a few application icons are available to you, simply hit the browse button and find SHELL32.DLL in your Windows System directory. It contains over 70 icons you can use instead.
Avoiding the Startup Programs:
Hold down the CTRL key while entering Windows. This will keep items in the Startup folder from launching.
Open With:
If you want to open an already associated file with a different program than the one it is associated with, hold down the shift key and then right click the file. "Open with" should be added to the menu now so you can open the file with a different program.
Selecting Multiple Files:
Selecting multiple files in Large Icon View has a different behavior than in List View. To extend your selection, click on the first icon in your selection and hold down the Shift key while you click on the last icon in your selection. To toggle a selection, hold down the Ctrl key while you select the files you want to toggle (between selected and not selected).
Finding Disk Utilities:
Right-click a drive in My Computer and select Properties. The Tools tab offers the following disk tools: ScanDisk, Backup and Defrag which can be used to optimize your system and protect your data.
Keeping the Taskbar Visible:
If your screen resolution is 800 x 600 or higher, you should keep the taskbar visible at all times. There are many benefits to doing so. For instance, while you’re connected to the Internet you can see the flashing red and green modem icon’s lights in the taskbar’s system tray. If they’re not flashing, there’s no data being exchanged. It also lets you instantly see all the other applications you have running at any time.
Making the Taskbar Vertical:
If you’re a power user with a newfangled PC with tons of memory and acres of screen real estate, you might want to consider moving the taskbar to the right or left of the screen, in a vertical orientation. It may seem a little disconcerting at first, but there are two main reasons for this. First, a screen is 33% wider than it is tall. That means you can spare more room horizontally. Secondly, as a power user you will probably be running several programs at the same time – maybe over a dozen. The vertical orientation allows the programs to line up neat and clean so it’s easier to keep track of them.
MS-DOS Properties:
If you ever set the wrong properties for an MS-DOS box and cannot start it, you can go into the MS-DOS box’s PIF directory and edit command.pif, or find the command.com path and edit the properties there.
Start Menu Hot Keys:
You can use accelerator keys to improve keyboard access to the Start menu or Programs menu on the Start button by placing an ampersand ("&") before a unique letter in the name of items (rename them with an ampersand within the name).
Changing File Associations:
To change the default application of a file type, simply select the file, hold down SHIFT, and click the right mouse button. Select Open With, and choose the program you want to use for this file type. Select "Always use this program to open this type of file" at the bottom of the dialog box.
Create a Startup Disk:
To help you solve problems with your computer, make sure you always have at least one Windows 95 Startup Disk handy. Go to the Control Panel, then click Add/Remove Programs and select the Startup Disk tab.
Free Microsoft Phone Tips:
Get free Windows phone tips and info from Microsoft at (800) 936-4200.
More Tips from Microsoft:
Find the TIPS.TXT file in your WINDOWS folder for some tips from the Windows 95 Development Team!
Quick Rename:
Press F2 to rename a file or folder quickly.
Hidden IP Utility:
You can use a little-known utility called WinIPConfig to see information about your TCP/IP network settings. From the Start Menu, press Run, type WINIPCFG, and click OK.
Turning On Your Screen Saver:
To immediately turn on your screen saver, select the .SCR file in the WINDOWS SYSTEM folder that corresponds to your saver, right-click and drag it to the desktop to create a shortcut. Then double click the new shortcut to turn on the saver! This is also a good way to protect your machine quickly if you use password protection with your screen saver.
A Sign is Given:
Before you "drop" a drag and drop operation, look at the lower left corner of the icon you're moving. This will tell you what the default action will be: a plus means copy, an arrow means a shortcut will be made.
File Manager Still Exists:
You can still access the Windows 3.1 style File Manager by running WINFILE from the Run dialog. Or make a shortcut to WINFILE.EXE (in the WINDOWS directory) on your desktop.
False Security with Recycle Bin:
Not everything you delete ends up in the Recycle Bin. Files you delete from network drives, floppy drives, or other external drives (like Zip drives) will be deleted permanently.
Custom Explorer Root:
To make Explorer open to a specific folder, make a shortcut that points to "EXPLORER.EXE /n,/e,XXX". Just change XXX to the full pathname of the folder you want opened with this shortcut!
Finding the Welcome Screen:
If you turned off the Welcome Screen and would like to see it again or make it pop up every time you start Windows, to to the Start, Run, and type WELCOME, and click OK.
Box Selections:
Click and drag a box around a group of files to select them all at once. Then you can copy, move, delete, or do any other file operation to them all.
Hidden Icons:
When changing a shortcut's icon, you can find hidden icons at PIFMGR.DLL in the WINDOWS SYSTEM directory.
Auto Shortcut for Programs:
If you're dragging and dropping the icon of a program, the default action is to make a shortcut. If you drag and drop a data file, the default action is copy.
Filename First Letters:
In any Explorer Folder, typing a letter will take you to the first file in the folder that starts with that letter. Pressing the letter again will take you to the next file that starts with that letter.
Shift Key Works Like Right Click:
Hold down the SHIFT key when you drag and drop something with the left mouse button. You will get the same context menu as if you had dragged and dropped with just the right mouse button.
Installing New Programs:
When installing new programs to work with Windows 95, try using the Installation Wizard by going to Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs, then clicking the Install/Uninstall tab.
Running Minimized or Maximized:
To run a program minimized or maximized, simply create a shortcut for the item, then in the shortcut's Properties box change the Run option.
Sharing Hidden Folders:
To make a network share hidden, put a dollar sign ($) on the end of the share name. Only people who know the exact name of the share will be able to access it.
Clear Out Documents:
To clear your Recent Documents from the Start Menu, right click the Task Bar, select Properties, then choose the Start Menu Programs tab. Press the Clear button down bottom.
Locate the Location:
To see the full path of any item in Explorer, right click on it, select Properties, and hold the mouse over the info Location field.
Quick Close of All Programs:
To close all applications quickly without having to shut down Windows, simply click Start, Shutdown, then choose "Close all programs and log on as a different user" and log in as yourself again.
Quick CD Eject:
You can open or close your CD-ROM drive by right-clicking your CD-ROM drive icon in My Computer and pressing Eject.
Tab and Enter:
Remember that in Windows dialog boxes, the TAB key moves between fields in the dialog box and the ENTER key executes the default button in the dialog box - usually the OK button.
Using Shift Tab:
Use SHIFT+TAB to move backwards between fields in a dialog box.
Quick Top and Bottom:
To get to the top of a folder window quickly, press CTRL+HOME. To get to the bottom, press CTRL+END.
Quick Command:
To access the Command Prompt quickly, simply press Start, Run, then type COMMAND and hit OK.
Sorting the File List:
To see details on all the files displayed by Explorer, go into the View menu and select Details. You will see the display listed in columns, where each column has a button at the top labeled "Name", "Size", etc. To sort by any of these attributes, simply click the button. To reverse the sort order, simply click the same button again.
Program Manager Still Exists:
You can use the Windows 3.1 style Program Manager by running PROGMAN from the Run dialog. Or make a shortcut to PROGMAN.EXE (in your Windows directory) on your desktop.
Drag to the Run Dialog:
You can drag and drop an icon to the Run dialog box. There you can add startup options or modify the launch in any way.
Viewing Fonts:
You can see examples of all your fonts by opening the Fonts folder (in your Windows folder) and double clicking on any of the fonts. You can even print out examples of each font.
Using Task Bar Items:
Right-clicking on any item in the Task Bar will let you minimize, maximize, size, restore, move, or close the item.
Use Bitmaps as Icons:
You can use any BMP file as an icon in the Explorer. When you press the Change Icon button in a Shortcut's properties dialog, simply choose All Files in the drop down list and select the BMP file you want.
Upgrading to Windows 95:
Even though Windows 95 will install smoothly over a previous version of Windows, your system will run better if you back up your data, reformat your hard drive, and install Windows 95 on a clean hard drive.
Dragging Files in Explorer:
Am I copying or moving this file? In Explorer, it depends on whether the file is going to a different disk drive. If you're dragging a file from one folder to another on the SAME drive, Explorer assumes you want to move the file, meaning that it will be erased from the original location. If you're dragging a file to a folder on a DIFFERENT drive, it assumes you want to copy the file. If you want to make sure, use the Ctrl key to copy or the Alt key to move. Hold the key down just before you click the mouse to start dragging.
SendTo:
You can quickly copy a file to a floppy disk by right-clicking it, selecting "SendTo", and selecting the floppy drive item.
You can easily customize the list of places you can send a file. Under the Windows folder you'll find a folder called "SendTo". Simply create a shortcut in that folder, and from then on you can send files there.
If you have Word for Windows, find its icon in Explorer and right-drag it to the "SendTo" folder, creating a new shortcut. Now you can select any file, such as your autoexec.bat file, and send it to Word. This is easier than the "Open With" trick.
Right-drag your printer's icon (you should be able to find it in the "Printers" folder under "My Computer") to the "SendTo" folder. Now you can instantly print a document without having to drag it to the printer icon.
If you have a Windows 95 compliant email program such as Eudora, you can add Eudora's icon to the "SendTo" folder. It may already be there. This is a great way to send a file as an attachment. Send to Eudora, and a new (empty) mail message opens up, with the file already attached.
Go into Explorer (right-click on the Start menu and select "Explore"). In the left half of the screen (where the tree is), right-drag the "Desktop" folder icon into the "SendTo" folder. Make sure you drag with the alternate (right) mouse button, and select "Create Shortcut(s) Here". Rename it to "Desktop". Now you can instantly send any file to the desktop.
Customizing "Start":
Don't be afraid to customize and organize the Start Menu. As we mentioned in an earlier tip, the easiest way is to right-click the Start button and select "Explore". This puts you right in the "Start Menu" folder under the Windows folder.
You might want to create a folder called "My Favorite Programs". In there, you can create shortcuts to all the programs you run most often. Of course, the easiest way to do this is by dragging shortcuts from other folders.
If you have dozens and dozens of programs, you might want to create a few folders representing different categories, like "Business", "Fun", "Utilities", "Graphics", and so on.
Also, think about picking 5-10 of the programs you use every day, several times a day. Make shortcuts for them right at the top of the Start Menu.
Crash Avoidance, Part 1:
To help avoid crashes, make sure that you have twice as much hard drive space available as you have RAM. For example, a system with 16MB of RAM should have 32MB of hard drive space available.
Crash Avoidance, Part 2:
Your computer is constantly creating temporary files (.tmp) to help with productivity. To avoid crashes, delete all .tmp files that are not current. Using your find feature, search for *.tmp files, sort them by date and delete all .tmp files without today’s date.
Crash Avoidance, Part 3:
If your system does crash, make sure to reboot your system after the crash.
Quick Access:
Limit your desktop shortcuts to high-priority documents for quick access.
Explorer Print Screen:
To print the screen from the Explorer, press your Print Screen (PrtSc) button. Then open Microsoft Paint, select Edit, Paste, and print your screen.
Group File Selection:
To select a group of files or folder, hold the SHIFT key and click on the files or folders at each end of the group.
Start Up Disk:
In your haste to install Windows 95, you may not have created a start-up disk. To do so, open the Add/Remove Programs Control Panel item and click on the Startup Disk tab. Just follow the instructions. Make sure to label the disk when done.
Move by Mistake:
Ever moved a file and wished you hadn't? Simply click the Undo button from the Explorer's Edit menu, and the problem is solved.
Changing the Size and Spacing of Desktop Icons
Right Click on the desktop and choose Properties. Choose the Appearance tab and then choose Item, and then Icon to adjust the Icon’s size; Icon Spacing (horizontal or vertical) to adjust spacing.
Changing the Startup and Exit Screens
To change to a different Startup and Exit Screens, use a Bitmap image that is 320x400 and 256 color. Use a separate bitmap for the startup, the initial exit (the one that tells you to wait before shutting down) and the final exit screen (says it’s okay to shut off your computer).
The original file names are:
LOGO.SYS - the startup screen
LOGOW.SYS - the initial exit screen
LOGOS.SYS - the final exit screen
Rename the bitmap file you wish to use for your startup screen to LOGO.SYS and put it in your systems Root Directory. Be sure to first rename your original LOGO.SYS to LOGO.BAK in case you want to later change it back.
Rename the bitmap files you wish to use for your exit screens to LOGOW.SYS (for the initial screen) and LOGOS.SYS (for the final) and put it in your Windows 95 Directory. Be sure to first rename your original LOGOW.SYS to LOGOW.BAK and LOGOS.SYS to LOGOW.SYS in case you want to later change it back.
Easy file copying and moving
Use a right-click and drag to copy/move files between folders and drives. When you "drop" the files into the folder/drive, you will be presented a menu allowing to to choose whether the action is a "move", "copy", "creating a shartcut", or in case you picked the wrong folder, "cancel".
Access your Drives from the Desktop
You can create a shortcut to your drives on your desktop. Open My Computer, then drag the drive icon you want to create a shortcut to on to the desktop.
Access your Drives from the Start Menu
To access all your drives from the Start Menu, Open My Computer, and drag the drive icon to the Start button. You’ll now have a easy place to access your drive(s).
Expand the Taskbar
If your taskbar isn’t big enough to read the title of all your open programs, you can expand it by positioning your pointer over the edge of the Taskbar, and when you get the double-headed arrow, click and drag the Taskbar upward to the size you want.
Multiple Directory View in Explorer
To get Explorer to show a two-directory view similar to File Manager, open two instances of the Explorer, right-click on the Taskbar and select "Tile Vertically". Win95 will retain both of you leae then running when you shut down so they are instantly available the next time you boot up.
Interrupt Setting (IRQs) - Where is my list and how can I change them?
Right click on My Computer and select Properties. Choose the Device Manager tab and then Select "Computer" from the top of the device tree. Choose the Properties button to view a list of IRQs, DMA channel usage, I/O assignments, and Memory settings. You can print a list by clicking on Print instead of Properties. The Summary List is a short list and Devices and Summary is the long list.
Windows 95 assigns IRQs automatically, but if you need to change them to a specific value you can. While in Device Manager, Double-click the device you want to change settings for. A panel for that device will appear. If you select the Resources tab, a Resources windows will pop up. One of the choices in the window is Interrupt Request with the current value listed. If you click on that to highlight it, the Change Setting button will become usable. Click on that button and you will get the Edit Interrupt Request panel which will allow you to change the interrupt, and will immediately tell you if your new choice conflicts with other equipment.
Free Up Some More Memory
If you rarely use your CD-ROM drive, you can change the "Supplemental Cache" to a lower setting. The default setting is 1 mb which is a lot of memory.
Click on Control Panel, then choose the System icon. Click the Performance tab, then choose File System. Under the CD-ROM tab, you can adjust the Supplemental Cache settings downward to free up physical memory.
Refresh the Desktop without Restarting Windows
To refresh the desktop without restarting Windows, click on any area of your Desktop with the left mouse button, then press [F5].
Restoring Corrupted Icons
If you use a Graphics Card to change your resolution, the icons will sometimes go bad. Shutdown Windows 95 and restart. When you see the message saying "Starting Windows 95", press the [F8] key, then type "standard". After this start of Win95, exit and restart. Change back to your resolution and restart. This should take care of the bad icons.
Speeding up Windows 95
Don’t use wallpaper. Wallpaper takes up memory, and less memory means less performance. This has more to do with your video card than your RAM.
Don’t use more colors than you really need. Normally 256 colors is fine unless you are doing graphics work. This also has more to do with the kind of video card you have than RAM.
Don’t use animated cursors.
Set up your CD-ROM according to your needs. If you don’t use your CD-ROM frequently, then adjust your Supplemental caching to a lower level and set the optimization pattern for a lower speed CD-ROM.
Avoid using sound schemes.
Closely scrutinize your AUTOEXEC.BAT, CONFIG.SYS, WIN.INI, and SYSTEM.INI files. Determine what, if any, entries are no longer needed in these files and delete them. Look especially for the loading of 16 bit real mode drivers that are no longer required.
Windows Quick Restart
If you only want to restart Windows and not the whole computer, held down the [Shift] key while pressing Restart the Computer.
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