Guides, links, useful stuff, and Java VM links.

[Orifice]

Guides, links, and useful stuff.

Desktop tips and tricks

The Desktop thread is getting pretty big, and I've noticed some questions that have been asked quite a few times in the ten or so pages, so I thought that I'd put (some of) them together in one thread.

• Style XP: Useful for themes in XP
  Note: StyleXP can be closed once you've applied the theme, it'll save memory!
  
• Themexp.org: A site with a lot of themes (Wallpapers, styles, login screns, boot screens, etc) on.
  
• Coolmon: Allows you to have stats (CPU Usage, HDD Free space, IP Address, Windows Uptime, etc onto your desktop. Motherboard Moniter
  Note: You can make the background of Coolmon transparent by right clicking on the tray icon, and selecting "Transparent".
  
• XPThemes.com: Very much the same as ThemeXP.org, seems to have more on it (like Windows Media Player skins, etc).
  
• Cleartype: A very nice way of making text look nicer by manipulating the colours around text, making it smoother.
  
• Format.zip: Photoshop plugin which lets you use icon and cursor files.
  Note: Unzip file into Photoshop's Plug-Ins\File Formats directory.
  
• Winamp Buttons: Lets you make shortcuts to Next, Play, Previous and Stop functions in Winamp.
  
• FauxS-X: This site has many modified Windows style icons - lots of people seem to use it.
  Note: The *.ip files downloaded can be renamed to *.zip files, and opened in Winzip if you don't want to download the IconPackager.
  
• Powertoys for XP: Very useful set of programs in XP, such as TweakUI which will let you get rid of the arrow on shortcuts. Link updated
  
• The Wonderful Icon: An immensely useful program which can be used to assign hotkeys to pretty much anything, including but not limited to: Toggle Window on top, Hide window, Increase volume, etc, etc... Assigned hotkeys can even include the Windows button, so you can do what I do, and have Win+W set to start Winamp, etc.
  
• MonZzz: A useful program (written by BeepCake) which allows you to turn off your moniter/screen without waiting for windows to do it - just run it, and after a one second delay, your moniter will turn off! Run it as MonZzz/L to lock your computer (i.e. password protect it) at the same time..

_________________________________________________

• To get rid of the arrows in shortcuts:
  - Run TweakUI, go to Explorer, then Shortcuts
  - Select None as the Shortcut Overlay icon.
  
• Changing desktop icons:
  - Goto Desktop Properties, Desktop, then Customise Desktop, and you can change the My Computer, My Documents, Network Places, and Recycle Bin (Full and Empty) icons
  
• You can have icons on your desktop without any text on them if:
  - You rename them to Alt+255 (use the numeric keypad!).
  - Since you can't have two files with the same name, if you want to have another icon with no name, call it Alt+255 [space] Alt+255.
  - With each text-less icon, add on another [space] Alt+255
  
• To have icons on your desktop (and everywhere else, by the way!) open with a single click:
  - Go to Folder Options (in Control Panel)
  - Select "Single-click to open an item (point to select).
  This is not recommended, though, as it's sometimes easy to accidentally open programs.
  
• You can make the icons on your desktop twice as big by:
  - Going to Desktop Properties, Appearance, Effects, then select "Use Large Icons".
  This, however will make the icons in some other places big, though - not just the desktop.
  
• You can show your windows version in the bottom right hand corner of your desktop by:
  - Running TweakUI
  - Go to General
  - Select "Show windows version on desktop"

 

[Orifice]

Help for Stop Errors/Recovery Commands.


Windows 2000, XP Pro, XP Home Edition:
Stop Errors/Repair Facility/Recovery Console.


Windows Stop Errors

Windows Stop Errors or Blue screen of death, (BSOD) are generated when windows experiences a fault from which it cannot recover. They are a feature of all Microsoft NT based operating systems e.g. NT, Windows 2000 and Windows XP.
The purpose of the stop error is to help you to troubleshoot problems with your system. The stop error is usually written in hex, for example 0x0000000A this can also be shortened to 0xA.

Causes of Stop Errors

Many things can cause stop errors, hardware and software, fortunately the Stop error describes the error and can be used to determine the cause. The probability of these errors also increases when you overclock your PC.
Below is a list of Stop errors, it is in no way a definitive list but hopefully deals with the more common stop errors.

0x0000000A: IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

When people see this error, they see the IRQ part and assume that this must be caused by an IRQ conflict. This is not the case. It is caused when a kernel mode process or, more commonly, a driver attempts to access memory that it shouldn’t. If you receive this error, you should be thinking about the drivers you have installed. Are they certified to work by Microsoft?

0x0000007B: INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE

This one is more self-explanatory. Windows cannot boot from the selected device. You will need to check that the drivers for your hard disk controller are loaded if you’re are using an onboard or external raid controller or if you are using a SCSI card. If you cannot boot the PC, move the hard disk to a standard IDE controller, boot and then install the correct drivers.

0x000000C2: BAD_POOL_CALLER

Again a kernel mode process or driver performed an illegal memory operation. Check for any recently installed drivers, which could be causing the problem.

0x00000050: PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA

A hardware or software component attempted to access a memory address which does not exist or the data it was attempting to access does not exist. This can also be caused by defective memory and can also be caused by pushing the memory too far when overclocking.

0x00000076: PROCESS_HAS_LOCKED_PAGES and
0x000000CB: DRIVER_LEFT_LOCKED_PAGES_IN_PROCESS

This is also caused by drivers. A driver uses allocated memory but doesn’t free up the memory correctly after its operation.

0xC0000218: UNKNOWN_HARD_ERROR

A registry hive could not be loaded. You will need to restore the registry. This can happen if the registry data on your hard disk gets corrupted or if when loading the registry into memory it gets corrupted. This is usually hardware related.

0x0000001E: KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED

This Stop message indicates that a kernel-mode process tried to execute an incorrect or unknown processor instruction. This error handler is a default error handler that catches errors not associated with other specific error handlers. This can be caused by drivers or possibly a hardware problem.

What to do after a stop error?

There are several options after you receive a stop error, depending on which operating system you use and how well prepared you are. A lot of the time you may be able to let the pc reboot as normal and everything will be fine, sometimes it won’t. When you receive a stop error, switch off your pc when it reboots and consider your options. These are the options:

Last known good configuration (NT/Windows 2000/Windows XP)

This is a “one shot” method. If immediately after you receive the stop error you select last known good configuration from the advanced start up options, windows will use a copy of the registry from the previous reboot. This only works once, if you reboot without it the old version of the registry will be overwritten with the version you were using when the blue screen occurred. The disadvantage to this is that any applications or drivers you have installed since the last reboot will be lost.

Preparation

Create an ERD (Emergency Repair Disk)

Windows 2000/XP (not available with Windows Xp Home edition)

To create an ERD follow this procedure
Go to Start>Programs>Accessories>System Tools>Backup.
On the first screen, click ERD and insert a floppy disk
Make sure Also backup the registry check box is selected, click OK

Windows NT

From the ‘run’ box type rdisk /s press enter.

System State Backup

This is a new feature in Windows 2000 and Windows XP. ( available with Windows Xp Home edition but is not default loaded from the CD)
It basically involves backing up the registry and important system files to a file which can be stored on either removable media or a hard drive. To create a System state backup follow this procedure:

Right-click on the drive containing your windows 2000/XP installation, go to properties.
Select tools then Backup Now. This will open the backup and restore wizard.
If you’re using Windows XP, uncheck the box “Always start in wizard mode” and click next then cancel.
Select Backup Now again, this time you will go straight to advanced mode, Windows 2000 users will not need to complete these two steps.
Select backup from the tabs at the top of the window and place a check in the system state box, notice that you can also use the utility to backup other files/folders.
Select a meaningful name and a destination for the backup, Windows will also stamp the date of the backup on the file.
Click start backup, on the new window also click start backup, notice that you can use this utility to automatically schedule backups.

Note: Windows NT doesn’t have system state backups but you can use NTbackup to backup the partition containing your NT installation. This can be used for disaster recovery.




System restore and driver rollback

This is a new feature for Windows XP which was first seen in Windows Millennium. System restore works by taking a snapshot of your Windows configuration, either automatically when changes are made or manually. Driver rollback uses system restore to create a restore point so you can rollback a driver if you need to.

To access the system restore utility, go to Start>Programs>Accessories>System Tools>System Restore. System restore by default monitors all partitions in windows, you may want to change this to monitor only your system partition. Once in the system restore utility, you have the choice of either creating a restore point or restoring to an earlier time. Normally, you won’t need to manually create a restore point as Windows will do this periodically and every time you change your system configuration. To view the current system restore points, go to restore my computer to an earlier time. On the calendar, dates will be in displayed in bold, this is when there is a system restore point.

Repairing a damaged installation

Repair Function

To repair a damaged installation, you can use the built in repair feature. To do this run the setup for the operating system, either by booting off the CD or if this is not possible a boot disk containing CD drivers.

When Windows has finished loading drivers, press R to Repair a Windows installation using the emergency repair process.
On the next screen, press F to choose fast repair.
Next you will be prompted to repair using an ERD (Emergency Repair Disk) or the CD. Using an ERD is better; this is why you should create one. (ERD option not available for Windows XP Home Edition-only CD option )
Setup will then search for a Windows installation, if you have more than one, choose the one that you would like to repair.
Windows will then attempt to repair the installation and will reboot when this is completed.

Note: The procedure for NT4 is essentially the same but you maybe prompted to install mass storage controller drivers.

Recovery Console
Specifics for Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition/Microsoft Windows XP Professional.
For Windows 2000 see below.
The Windows Recovery Console is designed to help you recover if your Windows-based computer does not start properly or does not start at all.

When you use the Windows Recovery Console, you can obtain limited access to NTFS, FAT, and FAT32 volumes without starting the Windows graphical user interface.
In the Windows Recovery Console, you can: Use, copy, rename, or replace operating system files and folders, enable or disable service or device startup when you next start your computer, repair the file system boot sector or the Master Boot Record (MBR), create and format partitions on drives.
Note that only an administrator account can obtain access to the

 

[Orifice]

Recovery Console

Windows Recovery Console.

Starting the Windows Recovery Console:
To start the Windows Recovery Console, use any of the following methods: Start your computer by using the Windows Setup floppy disks or the Windows CD-ROM.
At the "Welcome to Setup" screen, press F10 or press R to repair, and start the Windows Recovery Console.
You can add the Windows Recovery Console to the Windows Startup folder by using the Winnt32.exe utility with the /cmdcons option. This procedure requires approximately 7 megabytes (MB) of hard disk space on the system partition to hold the Cmdcons folder and files and allows you to have the Recovery Console as a boot option.

Using the Command Console: After you start the Windows Recovery Console, you receive the following message: Microsoft Windows(R) Recovery Console

The Recovery Console provides system repair and recovery functionality.
Type EXIT to quit the Recovery Console and restart the computer.

1: C:\WINDOWS
Which Windows Installation would you like to log onto, (To cancel, press ENTER)?After you enter the number for the appropriate Windows installation, you are prompted to enter the Administrator account password.
Note that if you use an incorrect password three times, the Windows Recovery Console quits. Also, if the SAM (Security Accounts Manager) database is missing or damaged, you cannot use the Windows Recovery Console because you cannot have proper authentication.

Restrictions and Limitations of the Recovery Console:
When you use the Windows Recovery Console, you can use only the following folders: The root folder, the %SystemRoot% folder and the subfolders of the Windows installation that you are currently logged on to, the Cmdcons folder and removable media drives such as CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drives.

NOTE : If you try to obtain access to other folders, you receive an "Access Denied" error message. Also, while you are using the Windows Recovery Console, you cannot copy a file from the local hard disk to a floppy disk. You can however copy a file from a floppy disk or from a CD-ROM to a hard disk, and from one hard disk to another hard disk.

Available Commands
HELP
Use the help command to list all of the following supported commands: attrib, del, fixboot, more, set, batch, delete, fixmbr, mkdir, systemroot, bootcfg, dir, format, more, type, cd, disable, help, net, chdir, diskpart, listsvc, rd, chkdsk, enable, logon, ren, cls, exit, map, rename, copy, expand, md, rmdir.


(Only explanations for the common console commands are included)


On certain XP installations Norton Anti-Virus will need to be disabled to run CHKDSK.

CHKDSK
chkdsk drive /p /r
The chkdsk command checks the specified drive and, if necessary, repairs or recovers the drive. The command also marks bad sectors and recovers readable information.

You can use these options:
/p : Does an exhaustive check of the drive and corrects any errors.
/r : Locates bad sectors and recovers readable information.
Note that if you specify the /r option, the /p option is implied. Specifying the chkdsk command without arguments checks the current drive, with no options in effect.

Running the chkdsk command requires use of the Autochk.exe file. CHKDSK automatically locates this file in the startup folder. If the Command Console was preinstalled, the startup folder is typically the Cmdcons folder. If CHKDSK cannot find Autochk.exe in the startup folder, CHKDSK tries to locate the Windows CD-ROM installation media. If it cannot find the installation media, CHKDSK prompts you for the location of the Autochk.exe file.

The destination can be any folder in the system folders of the current Windows installation, in the root of the drive, in the local installation sources, or in the Cmdcons folder. The destination cannot be removable media, and the destination file cannot be read-only. Use the attrib command to remove the read-only attribute.


FIXBOOT
fixboot drive name :
Use this command to write the new Windows boot sector code on the system partition. In the command syntax, drive name is the drive letter where the boot sector will be written. This command fixes damage in the Windows boot sector. This command overrides the default of writing to the system boot partition. FIXBOOT is supported only on x86-based computers.

FIXMBR
fixmbr device name
Use this command to repair the master boot record (MBR) of the boot partition. In the command syntax, device name is an optional device name that specifies the device that needs a new MBR. Use this command if a virus has damaged the MBR and Windows cannot start.

WARNING : This FIXMBR command can damage your partition tables if a virus is present or a hardware problem exists. Using this command can result in inaccessible partitions. Microsoft recommends that you run antivirus software before you use this command.


You can obtain the device name from the output of the map command. If you do not specify a device name, the MBR of the boot device is repaired, for example:
fixmbr \device\harddisk2
If FIXMBR detects an invalid or non-standard partition table signature, FIXMBR prompts you for permission before rewriting the MBR. FIXMBR is supported only on x86-based computers.

FORMAT
format drive : /Q /FS:file-system
Use this command to format the specified drive to the specified file system. In the command syntax, /Q performs a quick format of the drive, drive is the drive letter of the partition to format, and /FS:file-system specifies the type of file system to use [FAT, FAT32, or NTFS]. If you do not specify a file system, the existing file system format is used, if it is available.


LOGON

The logon command lists all detected installations of Windows, and then requests the local administrator password for the copy of Windows that you want to log on to. If your first three attempts to log on do not succeed, the console quits, and your computer restarts.


Windows 2000 specifics with the Recovery Console.

Starting the Windows Recovery Console:
To start the Windows Recovery Console, use any of the following methods:
Start your computer with the Windows Setup floppy disks, or with the Windows CD-ROM.
At the "Welcome to Setup" screen, press F10, or press R to repair, and then press C (Windows 2000 only) to start the Windows Recovery Console.
Select the appropriate number for the Windows installation that you want to repair, and then type the administrator password.
If the administrator password does not exist, just press ENTER. Add the Windows Recovery Console to the Windows Startup folder by using Winnt32.exe with the /cmdcons switch. This procedure requires approximately 7 MB of hard disk space on your system partition to hold the Cmdcons folder and files.

Using the Command Console
After you start the Windows Recovery Console, you receive the following message:
Windows NT(TM) Boot Console Command Interpreter.

WARNING: This is a limited function command prompt intended only as a system recovery utility for advanced users. Using this utility incorrectly can cause serious system-wide problems that may require you to reinstall Windows to correct them.
Type 'exit' to leave the command prompt and reboot the system.

1: C:\WINNT

Which Windows installation would you like to logon to (enter to abort)?
After you enter the number for the appropriate Windows installation, enter the Administrator account password.
Note that if you use an incorrect password three times, the Windows Recovery Console quits.
Also, if the SAM database is missing or damaged, you are not able to use the Windows Recovery Console because you cannot be properly authenticated.
After you enter your password and the Windows Recovery Console starts, type exit to restart your computer.

Restrictions and Limitations of the Command Console:
From the Windows Recovery Console you can only use the following folders: The root folder, the %SystemRoot% folder and the subfolders of the Windows installation you are currently logged on to, the Cmdcons folder and removable media drives such as CD-ROM drives

NOTE : If you try to obtain access to other folders, you receive an "Access Denied" error message. Also, while you are using the Windows Recovery Console, you cannot copy a file from the local hard disk to a floppy disk. You can copy a file from a floppy disk or CD-ROM to a hard disk, and from one hard disk to another hard disk.


Available Commands

Same as XP above.

 

[Orifice]

Help for configuring Multi boot systems.

How to Multiple Boot Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows NT, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, and MS-DOS.

If you want to multiple boot operating systems, it is recommended that the "older" operating system is always installed first on a clean formatted partition.........as follows.

1. MS-DOS

2. Either: Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Me (only one of these O/S can be loaded in a multi boot)

3. Windows NT

4. Windows 2000

5. Windows XP

Install each operating system according to the standard installation procedure. You can start the following operating systems from the boot loader (Osloader) screen:

• Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Me

• Windows NT

• Windows 2000

• Windows XP

You should install each operating system on a separate logical drive. If you install multiple operating systems on a single drive, you may experience problems when you attempt to run those operating systems.

If you install multiple operating systems on a single drive, Microsoft Internet Explorer may quit and you may receive an error message that is similar to the following error message:
"iexplore caused an Invalid Page Fault in module kernel32.dll"

You can configure your computer to start Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows NT, and either Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Me.
However, you cannot configure a computer to multiple boot any combination of Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows Me because Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows Me use the same boot file.

Therefore, multiple booting Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows Me at the same time is not supported.

As stated above...you should always, were possible, clean install Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Me before you install Windows NT, Windows 2000, and Windows XP to prevent the Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Me Setup program from replacing the Windows XP, Windows 2000, or Windows NT boot sector with its own boot sector.

This is basically because a Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Me boot sector identifies the partition as a FAT16 or FAT32 partition and therefore, Windows NT, Windows 2000, and Windows XP can no longer access NTFS volumes.

To install Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Me first, use the installation procedures that are provided with Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Me.

If you want to multiple boot Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows NT, and Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Me with MS-DOS, install MS-DOS first.

To start MS-DOS from the Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Me Startup menu:

1. Choose either Windows 95 , Windows 98 , or Windows Millennium Edition from the menu on the boot loader screen, and then press ENTER.

2. To display the Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Me Startup menu, press F8.

3. To start MS-DOS, choose the Previous version of MS-DOS option.

To start MS-DOS directly:

1. Choose Windows 95 , Windows 98 , or Windows Millennium Edition from the menu on the boot loader screen, and then press ENTER.

2. To start MS-DOS, press F4.

Another way to start the operating systems is to configure your computer to multiple boot Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows NT, and Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Me, and then start MS-DOS from an MS-DOS bootable floppy disk.

Additionally, if you currently multiple boot Windows XP, Windows 2000 and MS-DOS, or Windows NT and MS-DOS, it is possible that you can install Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Me without reformatting, by using the procedure in the following section. This negates the 9x systems overwriting the Boot sectors in XP/2000/NT....you must however, have MS-DOS already loaded.

"How to Install Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Me in a Windows XP, Windows 2000, and MS-DOS, or a Windows NT and MS-DOS Multiple-Boot Configuration."

To Install Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Me in a Windows XP, Windows 2000, and MS-DOS, or a Windows NT and MS-DOS multiple-boot configuration:

1. When you start your computer, choose MS-DOS from the menu on the boot loader screen.

2. Install Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Me in a folder separate from the Windows XP, Windows 2000, or Windows NT %SystemRoot% folder.

After you successfully install Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Me and restart your computer, the Windows XP or Windows 2000 boot loader screen appears, and you can choose between MS-DOS and Windows XP, Windows 2000, or Windows NT. If you "then" choose MS-DOS, Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Me starts. You will not be able to access other NT files on other operating systems other than through DOS command prompts and with their limitations.

How to then Start MS-DOS from Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Me.

To start MS-DOS from Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Me:

1. On the View menu in My Computer or Windows Explorer, click Options or Folder Options .

2. Click Show All Files on the Options tab, and then click OK .

3. In the list of files, double-click the Msdos.sys file.

4. On the File menu, click Properties .

5. In the Attributes section on the General tab, click to clear both the Read-Only and Hidden check boxes, and then click OK .

6. Open the Msdos.sys file by using a text editor (such as Notepad).

7. Add the following line to the [Options] section of the Msdos.sys file:

BootMulti=1

8. Save the file, and then close the file.

 

[Orifice]

Assorted Junk - No particular order


This will be sorted out one day - promise

try out www.tweakfiles.com a greate place if you want to....well.....use to tweak files!

www.regedit.com that is a gr8 site believe me!!!!


www.bootdisk.com - self explanatory name methinks

www.lavavsoftusa.com - supplier of AdAware, the spyware removal prog.

http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/ntfswin98.shtml - read NTFS from
win9x. The link also lead to other useful utilities, such as saving BSOD's.

http://kickme.to/adbusters - guide to removing the annoying advert banners
in ICQ. (A google search for 'ICQ Banner' will find some automated progs
that do this {NOT TRIED!})

http://www.jsiinc.com/reghack.htm - LOADS of hints and tips for windows
NT/2000

A helpful site for resolving issues with XP crashing. link

Before you buy XP, try this readiness test to see if your hardware is up to scratch and if you have any software that may not work with XP:

http://www.pcpitstop.com/xpready/


http://www.agoodjohn.freeserve.co.uk/helpdesk.htm

Ever wanted to know about all the Windows 2000 Services and what they do?

Well now you can find out:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/tr...windows2000serv/deploy/prodspecs/win2ksvc.asp

It explains what they are and the problems you could run into if just stop services without thinking about it.

http://www.totalidea.de/framesetproducts.htm

Worth a look!

http://www.tweakxp.com/


3DMark - benchmarking for video cards.

PerformanceTest - more general PC benchmarking.

RegCleaner - Great for tinkering with your registry.

X-Setup - Tweak the appearence and functionality of Windows.

annoyances.org - Get rid of those annoying features.

Startup Cntrl Panel - "Startup Control Panel is a nifty control panel applet that allows you to easily configure which programs run when your computer starts."

TaskInfo - Better task manager utility to see really how much your computer puts in to running each background task.

I have got a list of all the Windows shortcut's laying around somewhere, but here's a few link's to keep you going until I find them.

Axcel 216 is a great place to start if you're looking to tweak your system, it's full of hint's, shortcut's and registry hack's for the major Windows platforms.

SpeedGuide.net is another useful site to add to your favorites, it's mainly aimed at tweaking Cable Modems and DSL technology but it does have a few other good sections.

Speaking of modem tweaks Optimizing.net is the place to go for tweaks for all types of connections for most operating systems, they haven't got anything up for XP yet, but I'm guessing that most Win2K tweaks should work for XP.

 

[Orifice]

Windows shortcut keys

I found these here, it's not all of them (I'm sure there are more) but it's a start.

Windows System Key Combinations
F1: Help

CTRL+ESC: Open Start menu

ALT+TAB: Switch between open programs

ALT+F4: Quit program

SHIFT+DELETE: Delete item permanently

Windows Program Key Combinations
CTRL+C: Copy

CTRL+X: Cut

CTRL+V: Paste

CTRL+Z: Undo

CTRL+B: Bold

CTRL+U: Underline

CTRL+I: Italic

Mouse Click/Keyboard Modifier Combinations for Shell Objects
SHIFT+right click: Displays a shortcut menu containing alternative commands

SHIFT+double click: Runs the alternate default command (the second item on the menu)

ALT+double click: Displays properties

SHIFT+DELETE: Deletes an item immediately without placing it in the Recycle Bin

General Keyboard-Only Commands
F1: Starts Windows Help

F10: Activates menu bar options

SHIFT+F10 Opens a shortcut menu for the selected item (this is the same as right-clicking an object

CTRL+ESC: Opens the Start menu (use the ARROW keys to select an item)

CTRL+ESC or ESC: Selects the Start button (press TAB to select the taskbar, or press SHIFT+F10 for a context menu)

ALT+DOWN ARROW: Opens a drop-down list box

ALT+TAB: Switch to another running program (hold down the ALT key and then press the TAB key to view the task-switching window)

SHIFT: Press and hold down the SHIFT key while you insert a CD-ROM to bypass the automatic-run feature

ALT+SPACE: Displays the main window's System menu (from the System menu, you can restore, move, resize, minimize, maximize, or close the window)

ALT+- (ALT+hyphen): Displays the Multiple Document Interface (MDI) child window's System menu (from the MDI child window's System menu, you can restore, move, resize, minimize, maximize, or close the child window)

CTRL+TAB: Switch to the next child window of a Multiple Document Interface (MDI) program

ALT+underlined letter in menu: Opens the menu

ALT+F4: Closes the current window

CTRL+F4: Closes the current Multiple Document Interface (MDI) window

ALT+F6: Switch between multiple windows in the same program (for example, when the Notepad Find dialog box is displayed, ALT+F6 switches between the Find dialog box and the main Notepad window)

Shell Objects and General Folder/Windows Explorer Shortcuts
For a selected object:
F2: Rename object

F3: Find all files

CTRL+X: Cut

CTRL+C: Copy

CTRL+V: Paste

SHIFT+DELETE: Delete selection immediately, without moving the item to the Recycle Bin

ALT+ENTER: Open the properties for the selected object

To Copy a File
Press and hold down the CTRL key while you drag the file to another folder.
To Create a Shortcut
Press and hold down CTRL+SHIFT while you drag a file to the desktop or a folder.
General Folder/Shortcut Control
F4: Selects the Go To A Different Folder box and moves down the entries in the box (if the toolbar is active in Windows Explorer)

F5: Refreshes the current window.

F6: Moves among panes in Windows Explorer

CTRL+G: Opens the Go To Folder tool (in Windows 95 Windows Explorer only)

CTRL+Z: Undo the last command

CTRL+A: Select all the items in the current window

BACKSPACE: Switch to the parent folder

SHIFT+click+Close button: For folders, close the current folder plus all parent folders

Windows Explorer Tree Control
Numeric Keypad *: Expands everything under the current selection

Numeric Keypad +: Expands the current selection

Numeric Keypad -: Collapses the current selection.

RIGHT ARROW: Expands the current selection if it is not expanded, otherwise goes to the first child

LEFT ARROW: Collapses the current selection if it is expanded, otherwise goes to the parent

Properties Control
CTRL+TAB/CTRL+SHIFT+TAB: Move through the property tabs

Accessibility Shortcuts
Press SHIFT five times: Toggles StickyKeys on and off

Press down and hold the right SHIFT key for eight seconds: Toggles FilterKeys on and off

Press down and hold the NUM LOCK key for five seconds: Toggles ToggleKeys on and off

Left ALT+left SHIFT+NUM LOCK: Toggles MouseKeys on and off

Left ALT+left SHIFT+PRINT SCREEN: Toggles high contrast on and off

Microsoft Natural Keyboard Keys
Windows Logo: Start menu

Windows Logo+R: Run dialog box

Windows Logo+M: Minimize all

SHIFT+Windows Logo+M: Undo minimize all

Windows Logo+F1: Help

Windows Logo+E: Windows Explorer

Windows Logo+F: Find files or folders

Windows Logo+D: Minimizes all open windows and displays the desktop

CTRL+Windows Logo+F: Find computer

CTRL+Windows Logo+TAB: Moves focus from Start, to the Quick Launch toolbar, to the system tray (use RIGHT ARROW or LEFT ARROW to move focus to items on the Quick Launch toolbar and the system tray)

Windows Logo+TAB: Cycle through taskbar buttons

Windows Logo+Break: System Properties dialog box

Application key: Displays a shortcut menu for the selected item

Microsoft Natural Keyboard with IntelliType Software Installed
Windows Logo+L: Log off Windows

Windows Logo+P: Starts Print Manager

Windows Logo+C: Opens Control Panel

Windows Logo+V: Starts Clipboard

Windows Logo+K: Opens Keyboard Properties dialog box

Windows Logo+I: Opens Mouse Properties dialog box

Windows Logo+A: Starts Accessibility Options (if installed)

Windows Logo+SPACEBAR: Displays the list of Microsoft IntelliType shortcut keys

Windows Logo+S: Toggles CAPS LOCK on and off

Dialog Box Keyboard Commands
TAB: Move to the next control in the dialog box

SHIFT+TAB: Move to the previous control in the dialog box

SPACEBAR: If the current control is a button, this clicks the button. If the current control is a check box, this toggles the check box. If the current control is an option, this selects the option.

ENTER: Equivalent to clicking the selected button (the button with the outline)

ESC: Equivalent to clicking the Cancel button

ALT+underlined letter in dialog box item: Move to the corresponding item

 

[Orifice]

Free Stuff

http://www.ntfaq.com/


http://www.winxpnews.com/

ICS

http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp_ics/

http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/ics/ics.htm


Freeware !!

Sun StarOffice 5.2
http://www.sun.com/staroffice/get.html

Replacement for MS Office .. really nice and has converters/filters for documents (etc) of MS file type. Sun now charge a fee for StarOffice.

OpenOffice
http://www.openoffice.org/

Similar to Sun StarOffice, but totally free.

Zip Central
http://zipcentral.iscool.net/

Replacement for WinZip. It doesnt do the advanced archive file types but its better than nothing and a nice little program to use.

Miranda ICQ
http://miranda-icq.sourceforge.net/

Tired of the bloatware that is ICQ ? Try this. Its really small, efficient and pleasent to use. Its based around plugins and you can build it up to meet your needs. Can also communicate with the MSN protocol I believe.

Smart FTP
http://download.cnet.com/downloads/...?st.dl.10064-107-7681442.bc.10064-100-7681442

Really nice FTP client. Well worth a look into.


File Extentions listed here:

http://filext.com/

 

[Orifice]

How to get rid of programs which come bundled with windows xp.

When you install XP and boot it up Windows messenger always loads. Then there are a whole bunch of other programs like wordpad and calculator. It's unlikely you would want to get rid of calculator etc, sometimes they might be useful. You might however not want Windows messenger. So....

1. Microsoft doesnt want you to uninstall MSN so it requires editing...
2. Open the file C:\windows\inf\sysoc.ini in a plain text editor (notepad!)
3. This is optional, but make a backup of the file into a zip. If you mess it up you might mess up your computer, better safe than sorry!
4. Scroll down to the [components] section
5. Locate the line

msmsgs=msgrocm.dll,OcEntry,msmsgs.inf,hide,7

remove the hide word, but leave the comma there so it looks like this:

msmsgs=msgrocm.dll,OcEntry,msmsgs.inf,,7

6. Save and close the file
7. Open up the control panel, and you should notice that there is an entry for Windows Messenger which you can uninstall in the usual manner

 

[Orifice]

Startup

To edit the programs which start when windows starts in 98 and XP (not sure about other versions) you can click start, run and type MSCONFIG. If you are running win 2k or a windows without msconfig.exe search the internet and you can download it. For a more fine tuned approach you need to edit the registry. This allows you to choose the order in which your programs start up, rather than just what starts up. Heres a quick outline:

In the registry the startup keys used are (predominantly) as follows:

RunServices runs programs before a user logs on.
Run executes a program after the user logs on.
RunOnce and RunServicesOnce executes a command.
RunOnceEx is not supported by all windows and is an error handling message.
Run- and RunServices- are entries which have been disabled in the registry.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion has Run and RunServices
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion contains programs are executed by a user when the log on. ie: the HKCU commands run before a user logs on, these run after the user has logged on and so can be customised for each user

boot up runs in the following order (some win. versions dont have all of them)

1. HKLM\Software\...\RunServicesOnce
2. HKLM\Software\...\RunServices
[login]
3. HKLM\Software\...\RunOnce
4. HKLM\Software\...\Run
5. HKCU\Software\...\Run
[startup folder]
6. HKCU\Software\...\RunOnce

hope this helps

 

[Orifice]

WinXP Tweakage!!!!

Want to know what all those services in WinXP are and what effect they have on your system? Want to reclaim some ram back but not sure which services to disable or leave running? The check out this excellent services tweak guide!

http://www.xptuneup.com
Plently of lovely registry tweaks for you to play around with.

http://www.techspot.com/tweaks/startup/index.shtml
Thats for tweaking your startup time and also to download and instructions how to use BootVis.

http://www.techspot.com/tweaks/memory-winxp/index.shtml
Memory tweaking.

More links to come!

 

[Orifice]

Quick CLI access to defrag via simple right click

Create a new Registry import file named context_defrag.inf in Notepad (be sure to save with it with the Save as type set to All Files and not Text Documents) and place the following text inside:

; context_defrag.INF

; Adds Defrag to the right click context menu in Windows XP

[version]
signature="$CHICAGO$"

[DefaultInstall]
AddReg=AddMe

[AddMe]

HKCR,"Drive\Shell\Defrag\command",,,"DEFRAG.EXE %1"

Then, right-click and choose Install. This will add a context menu to XP that allows you to automatically defrag drives, using the command line version of the built-in defragmentation utility. To use it, navigate to a drive in My Computer, right-click, and choose Defrag. A command line window will appear, and that drive will be defragged. When it's complete, the window just disappears.

UPDATE: To remove this functionality, Open regedit.exe and navigate to the following location:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell\

Then delete the Defrag folder and close Regedit.

Much quicker and easier way of doing a defrag

 

[Orifice]

Java Virtual Machines

If you want a Java virtual machine, but dont want to download SP1 for XP, then you have two options.

The Microsoft virtual machine.

Or, the Sun Java virtual machine.