PC Help Guide

You will all have seen the windows key on your keyboard, well here are some shortcuts you can use with it;

• Windows + F: Search for files
• Windows + L: Locks down the desktop
• Windows + M: Minimize your windows
• Windows + Q: Quick switching of users (Powertoys only)
• Windows + Q: You have to hold down your windows key, then tap Q to scroll thru the different users on your pc
• Windows: Displays the start menu
• Windows + D: Minimize or restore all windows
• Windows + E: Display windows explorer
• Windows + Pause/ Break: System Properties dialog box
• Windows + Shift + M: Undo minimize all windows
• Windows + R: Run dialog box
• Windows + U: Utility Manager
• Windows + Ctrl + F: Search for computer
• Windows + F1: Help and Support Center

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Here is a cool tweak that allows you to get all your Windows version information through your registry;

• Open regedit
• Navigate here: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion

In this section it will give you this information;

• CSDVersion: Service Pack
• CurrentBuildNumber: Build Number
• CurrentVersion: Version Number
• ProductName: Windows Version Name

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The paging files in Windows XP are there to basically store your temporary files and data, and in XP these files are cleared everytime you shut down. So whenever you shutdown XP it takes time first to clear the paging files, and this can take time.

If you have information that is secure or you don’t want anyone else to see then I recommend you keep XP clearing the paging files, but if you don’t really care then you can get faster shutdown speeds by stopping XP from clearing the paging files.

To stop XP from clearing the paging files you need to do this registry edit;

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management

• Now you need to find this – ClearPageFileAtShutdown
• Double click on it
• Set the value data to 0
• Restart your PC

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For some reason I have never heard of this cool feature before (as we all know there are thousands of unknown features in windows!), it allows you to basically ‘find’ your mouse pointer if you have lost it.

It can be useful for people with impaired vision of other problems locating their mouse pointer, and it is so simple to activate.

• Open your control panel
• Navigate to mouse section
  • XP is just control panel/mouse
  • Vista is control panel/hardware and sound/mouse
• Click the pointer options tab
• Check show location of pointer when I press the CTRL key
• Apply and OK
• You will find now that when you press the CTRL button a big circle shows around your mouse pointer making it simple to find.

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I have received a few emails from frustrated uses that are having trouble installing fonts on their Windows XP computers, well I can say font installation is quite simple and should take only a minute or two.

Just follow these points to install a font on Windows XP;

• Download your new font (usually in a true type or open type format)
• Now open your fonts section from your control panel
• Select install new font from your file menu
• Find the font you have installed in the add fonts box
• Click OK, done

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ToggleKeys are a useful little thing for both XP and Vista that will let the user know when they accidentally press the caps lock, scroll lock or num lock buttons.

So if you are writing away and accidentally press the caps lock without noticing your PC will sound a little beep, so you don’t have to go and re-write a bunch of capitalized words.

To setup this service just follow these points;

Windows XP ToggleKeys

• Open control panel
• Click accessibility options
• Check use togglekeys
• Done

Windows Vista ToggleKeys

• Open control panel
• Click ease of access center
• Click make the keyboard easier to use
• Check turn on togglekeys
• Apply and OK

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Here is a quick shortcut you can do so that all your windows will minimize at once.

Why do you need this? I have no idea why you would really need this but it certainly can clean things up if you are someone like me who often has a bunch of browsers open plus many other programs.

To minimize all the windows just do this shortcut;

Windows key + d

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Here is an easy and quick way that you can get a complete list of the drivers that are installed on your PC. To get the total list of drivers on your PC you can just do the following;

(This will work on both Windows XP and Windows Vista)

• Click start
• Type run in the start search box
• Click cmd in the run box and press enter
• On the command line type in driverquery and press enter
• It will now list out all the drivers on your PC
• Done

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Yesterday I wrote about removing the games menu from your start menu, well today I thought I will talk about how to remove the music link from your start menu.

There are the same two methods you can do to remove the music link from your start menu, through your start menu and through a registry hack.

Through Your Start Menu

• Right click your start menu and click properties
• Click customize on the start menu area
• Scroll down to music
• Click don’t display this item
• Click apply and OK
• Done

Through a Registry Hack

Note: Remember to backup your registry before doing any edits

• Go to this location
  • HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
• Create a new DWORD called NoStartMenuMyMusic
• Set the value to 1
• Done
• Note: you can set the value back to 0 and the music will come back

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System icons are located in the right hand side of your task bar and include things like the clock and the volume. You probably wouldn’t have paid much attention to them, but you would definitely notice if they were missing.

I personally look at that clock all the time at work hoping it goes a little faster but it never does!

If you want to edit what system icons show up then just follow this;

• Right click on your task bar
• Select properties
• Click on the notification area tab
• Here you can select what system icons are to be showed and not
• Done

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