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Today's Tips 08/17/2006
Clean The Keys On The Keyboard!
Along the same lines as another tip, you should clean the keyboard keys
with an alcohol wipe or cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol.
Cathy Chambers
Arrange Start Menu Programs In One Or Multiple
Columns In Windows XP!
Do you prefer to view contents of your Start menu folders in multiple
columns or in a single column with scroll arrows at the top or bottom?
In Windows XP, you have a choice.
Right-click the Start button and select Properties. On the Start Menu
tab, click the Customize button next to "Start menu," then click the
Advanced tab. Under "Start menu items," select or deselect Scroll
Programs, depending on your preference. Click OK twice to keep the
change.
Gary Chambers
Use Personalized Start Menus In XP!
In the above tip, I mentioned that Windows XP will display the contents
of Start menu folders in multiple columns or one, scroll-able list. If
you prefer the Personalized Menus feature of previous Windows versions
for example, Windows Me you can use those instead (assuming you don't
mind using the Classic Start menu). With Personalized Menus turned on,
Windows displays only the Start menu items you've accessed recently.
To turn Personalized Menus on, right-click the Start button and select
Properties. On the Start Menu tab, make sure "Classic Start menu" is
selected, then click the Customize button next to this option. Under
"Advanced Start menu options," select Use Personalized Menus, then click
OK twice.
Gary Chambers
Watch Your Start Menu Folders Grow In XP!
If you've enabled Personalized Start Menus, as described in the above
tip, Windows XP displays shortens folder lists to display recently
accessed Start menu items. So what happens when you need to access an
item that doesn't appear in the list? There are two ways to expand the
list: One, click the double-arrow at the bottom of the folder list; or
two, wait five seconds (with the menu displayed), and the rest of the
folder list appears.
(Note: The 5-second trick doesn't work for folders directly on the Start
menu, such as Programs or Favorites. It only works for their
subfolders.)
Gary Chambers
Disable The Log Off And Turn Off Computer
Buttons!
Do you support users who, regardless of what you tell them, insist on
logging off or shutting down public computers in common areas? If so,
you'll be glad to know that you can disable the Log Off and Turn Off
Computer buttons on the Start menu.
Follow these steps:
1. Open the Registry Editor (Regedit.exe).
I don't publish the actual hacks in my
newsletters! You can get this one at my
Customer Support Site!
This is a Free Site that I am combining several sites to. All that
you have to do is register if you haven't already!
9. Close the Registry Editor.
At this point, both the Log Off and Turn Off Computer buttons are still
on the Start menu, so click the Log Off button and then log back on.
When you need to shut down the computer, launch the Registry Editor, and
change the values to 0.
Note:
Editing the registry is risky, so be sure you have a verified backup
before saving any changes.
Gary Chambers
Use The IIS Permissions Wizard In Windows 2000
Professional!
A Windows 2000 Professional computer can host a single Web site through
the version of Internet Information Services (IIS) included with the
operating system. Although Professional is limited to 10 connections,
IIS still offers a useful means for hosting small sites, such as
departmental sites, without the added expense of Windows 2000 Server.
Security is generally an issue regardless of the type of site you decide
to host. Although you can configure permissions for a Web site manually
with the IIS console, the IIS Permissions Wizard offers an easier means
for setting permissions. You'll find the wizard useful if you don't have
a lot of experience with IIS.
To run the wizard, open the Internet Information Services console from
the Administrative Tools folder. Expand the server, right-click the Web
site or a directory under the site for which you want to set
permissions, and choose Action | All Tasks | Permissions Wizard.
The Permissions Wizard steps you through a handful of security options
and then sets permissions as needed. For example, you can choose either
Public Web Site to configure permissions for a public site or Secure Web
Site to increase security.
After you configure permissions, right-click the site and choose
Properties to fine-tune the permissions.
Gary Chambers
Shutdown Steps In Windows 98!
When I see people just turn off their computers without doing a
shutdown, it makes me cringe. Here are the best three reasons why you
really need to perform a shutdown instead of just flipping the switch:
1. Windows 98 performs something called write-behind caching. This
feature speeds up your computer by allowing Windows to write information
in memory to the disk when more resources are available.
2. There are some registry entries that Windows does not make until a
shutdown is performed. If you just flip off the computer, these entries
will never be made and your computer will act bizarre.
3. If you are a network and have shared resources, performing a shutdown
will release those resources, whereas just shutting off the computer
will not and hangs the resources indefinitely.
Always perform Shutdown!
Gary Chambers
Being Prepared For The Worst Will Stand You In
Good Stead In Case Of A System Meltdown. Your preparation will save you
time and trouble during that nerve-wracking initial stage of disaster
recovery, considerably ease your tension and anxiety, and ensure a
smoother, more focused approach of the final stages.
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