Internet Fixes Windows XP
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Issue 10
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1. Running Scheduled Tasks in Windows XP.
With Scheduled Tasks, you can schedule any batch file, script, program, or
document to run at a time that is most convenient for you. Scheduled Tasks
starts every time that you start Windows XP and runs in the background, and it
starts each task that you schedule at the time that you specify when you create
the task.
To open Scheduled Tasks:
Click Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Scheduled Tasks.
To schedule a new task:
Double-click Add Scheduled Task to start the Scheduled Task Wizard, and then
click Next in the first dialog box.
The next dialog box displays a list of programs that are installed on your
computer, either as part of the Windows XP operating system, or as a result of
software installation.
Use one of the following procedures:
If the program that you want to run is listed, click the program, and then click
Next.
If you want to run a program, script, or document that is not listed, click
Browse, click the folder and file that you want to schedule, and then click
Open.
Type a name for the task, and then choose one of the following options:
Daily
Weekly
Monthly
One time only
When my computer starts (before a user logs on)
When I log on (only after the current user logs on)
Click Next, specify the information about the day and time to run the task,
and then click Next.
Note that the information about the day and time to run the task vary depending
on the selection that you made in the previous wizard dialog box. For example,
if you chose Weekly, you must indicate the day of the week, the time, and if the
task should run every week, every 2 weeks, every 3 weeks, and so on.
Type the name and password of the user who is associated with this task. Make
sure that you choose a user with sufficient permissions to run the program. By
default, the wizard selects the name of the user who is currently logged on.
Click Next, and then click Finish after you verify the choices that you have
made.
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2.
Using The Advanced Options in Scheduled Tasks.
If you want to change the configuration of the task:
Click Open in the Advanced properties for the task before you click Finish.
After you click Finish, the Properties dialog box opens for the task.
On the Schedule tab, you can change any of the scheduling options that you
chose in the wizard, and you can also change the task configuration so that the
task does not run too long, does not run if the computer is running on batteries
(for laptops), and to specify whether or not the computer should be idle for the
task to run.
Note: You can open the Properties dialog box for the task at any time if you
open Scheduled Tasks, right-click the task, and then click Properties.
You cannot schedule a task so that it repeats in an interval less than one day;
however, you can do this in the Properties dialog box:
Click the Schedule tab, and then click Advanced.
Click to select the Repeat task check box, and then specify the number of
minutes or hours in which you want the task to be repeated.
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3.
Add a Map Drive Button to the XP Toolbar.
Do you want to quickly map a drive, but cant find the toolbar button?
If you map drives often, use one of these options to add a Map Drive
button to the folder toolbar.
Option One (Long Term Fix):
Click Start, click My Computer, right-click the toolbar, then unlock the
toolbars, if necessary.
Right-click the toolbar again, and then click Customize.
Under Available toolbar buttons, locate Map Drive, and drag it into the
position you want on the right under Current toolbar buttons.
Click Close, click OK, and then click OK again.
You now have drive mapping buttons on your toolbar, so you can map drives
from any folder window. To unmap drives, follow the above procedure,
selecting Disconnect under Available toolbar buttons. To quickly map a
drive, try this option:
Option Two (Quick Fix):
Click Start, and right-click My Computer.
Click Map Network Drive.
If you place your My Computer icon directly on the desktop, you can make
this move in only two clicks!
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4. Turning AutoComplete Addresses On or Off in Outlook
Express 6.0.
The AutoComplete feature in Outlook Express in Windows XP saves you time by
automatically completing addresses that you type when composing email messages.
However, if you don't want to use this feature, you can easily turn it off.
To turn AutoComplete off:
1. On the Tools menu in Outlook Express, click Options.
2. Send tab, and then clear the Automatically complete email addresses when
composing check box.
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5. Prevent a User From Running or
Stopping a Scheduled Process in Windows XP.
This short tip describes how to prevent a user from running or stopping a
scheduled process in Windows XP.
There are occasions where is not advisable to run a scheduled process before the
intended date and time, or when an administrator doesn't want a user to add new
scheduled processes to the computer. You can use the following procedures to
enable maximum control over what can be done with the Scheduler service.
Click Start > Run, type mmc, and then click OK.
On the File menu, click Add/Remove Snap-in. On the Standalone tab, click Add.
In the Available Standalone Snap-ins list, click Group Policy, and then click
Add.
In the Select Group Policy object box, click Local Computer to edit the local
Group Policy object, or click Browse to find the Group Policy object that you
want.
Click Finish, click Close, and then click OK. The Group Policy snap-in opens
the Group Policy object for editing.
Expand either the User Configuration or Computer Configuration branch, and
then expand Administrative Templates, Windows Components, Task Scheduler.
Double-click Prevent Task Run or End, click Enabled, and then click OK.
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6.
Install or Remove a Font in Windows XP.
This How To Article describes how to add and remove fonts in Windows XP. The
following fonts are included with Windows XP and are installed on every
computer:
Courier New (TrueType, including Bold, Italic, and Bold Italic variations)
Arial (TrueType, including Bold, Italic, and Bold Italic variations)
Times New Roman (TrueType, including Bold, Italic, and Bold Italic variations)
Symbol (TrueType)
Wingdings (TrueType)
MS Serif
MS Sans Serif
If any of the standard fonts that are included with Windows XP are missing, you
can run Windows XP Setup again. Setup replaces missing or changed files. If
these standard fonts are missing, other Windows XP files may also be missing,
and Setup corrects these problems.
Adding New Fonts
Windows supports TrueType fonts or fonts that are specially designed for
Windows, and these fonts are available commercially. Some programs also include
special fonts that are installed as part of the program installation.
Additionally, printers frequently come with TrueType or special Windows fonts.
Follow the directions that come with these products to install these fonts.
To manually install or re-install a font:
Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
Double-click the Fonts folder.
On the File menu, click Install New Font.
In the Drives box, click the drive that has the floppy or CD-ROM that contains
the fonts you want to add. If you are installing fonts from a floppy disk, this
is typically drive A or drive B. If you are installing the fonts from a compact
disc, your CD-ROM drive is typically drive D.
Double-click the folder that contains the fonts.
Click the font you want to add. To select more than one font at a time, press
and hold down the Ctrl key while you click each font.
Click to select the Copy Fonts To Fonts Folder check box. The Windows\Fonts
folder is where the fonts that are included with Windows XP are stored.
Click OK.
Removing Fonts
To completely remove fonts from the hard disk:
Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
Double-click the Fonts folder.
Click the font you want to remove. To select more than one font at a time,
press and hold down the Ctrl key while you click each font.
On the File menu, click Delete.
When you receive the "Are you sure you want to delete these fonts?" prompt,
click Yes.
To prevent a font from loading without removing it from the hard disk, move the
font from the Fonts folder into another folder. Use this method for
troubleshooting purposes. This process does not completely remove the font,
because font registry information is not deleted. However, it prevents the font
from loading.
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7. You Can Drag And Delete Files when the Recycle Bin
is Hidden in XP.
By default, the Windows XP Recycle Bin sits at the bottom right of the
desktop, just above the tray notification area and system clock. If you've got a
bunch of floating windows open, however, it's possible to obscure the Recycle
Bin and make it impossible to drag files and folders there for deletion.
However, Microsoft must have thought of this event, because you can
automatically hide all of those open windows during a drag operation.
Make sure a bunch of windows are open on the screen, with at least one of them
hiding the Recycle Bin.
Find a file or group of files you'd like to drag to the Recycle Bin.
Pick up the files with the mouse and move them to the lower right of the
screen.
As you reach the bottom area of the screen, pass the mouse cursor over a blank
area of the task bar, hover there for an instant, and--voila!--the open windows
all minimize, leaving the Recycle Bin available to accept the dragged files.
This tip also works when windows are maximized, assuming the file(s) you want to
delete are visible in one of the available windows.
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8.
Use Ctrl+Alt+Del Without Pushing All the Buttons in Windows XP.
For some people, pushing Ctrl, ALT and Delete (Ctrl+Alt+Del) at the same
time can be an inconvenience, if not a complete impossibility. With Windows XP,
there are two ways to get around this.
First option: Configure the system so that you do not need to press Ctrl+Alt+Del
at all during logon (assuming you're not using the Welcome screen, in which case
this key combo is not required).
Open Control Panel then User Accounts.
Navigate to the Advanced tab.
Uncheck the Require users to press Ctrl+Alt+Del checkbox under Secure Logon.
Second option:
Configure XP's accessibility options so that "sticky keys" will be activated at
the secure desktop: That way, you may "press" ALT, Ctrl, and DEL sequentially
rather than simultaneously. You can turn that on via the Accessibility control
panel. (Control Panel then Accessibility Options):
Bring up the Accessibility Control panel and navigate to the Keyboard tab.
Check Use Sticky keys.
Navigate to the General Tab.
Check Apply all settings to logon desktop.
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9.
Change the XP Start Menu Style.
Does the Windows XP Start menu take up too much space on your desktop? You can
easily change the look back to the Windows Classic Start menu by following these
steps:
Right-click the Start button, and then click Properties.
Click the Classic Start menu choice.
Click the Customize button to select items to display on the Start menu.
By default, selecting the Classic
Start menu also adds the My Documents, My Computer, My Network Places, and
Internet Explorer icons to your desktop. If you don't want this:
Right-click a blank area of the Desktop, choose Properties, and then navigate
to the Desktop page. Click Customize Desktop to determine which icons are shown
on the desktop.
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10. Using a XP Folder Type as a Template.
Every Windows XP folder provides a list of hyperlinked tasks appropriate to
that type of folder next to the folder contents. For example, the Pictures
folder type contains task links for ordering prints online and for printing
pictures. If you want to use a folder type as a template for a selected folder,
follow these steps:
Right-click a newly created folder, and then click Properties.
Click the Customize tab.
In the Use this folder type as a template list, click the template type you
want to apply, and then click OK.
Now, when you open the new folder, it will contain a hyperlinked task list
common to the type of folder you selected as the template.
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11.
Skip the Recycle Bin Confirmation Message in
XP.
When you delete items by moving them to the Recycle Bin, Windows displays a
message confirming the deletion:
"Are you
sure you want to send FILENAME to the Recycle Bin?" If youre tired of clicking
an answer to that question, you can configure Windows XP to skip the
confirmation message whether or not youre using the Recycle Bin.
Right-click
the Recycle Bin, and then click Properties.
In the Recycle Bin Properties dialog box, clear the Display delete
confirmation dialog check box, and then click OK.
If you dont want to use the Recycle Bin at all, in the Recycle Bin Properties
dialog box, select the Do not move files to the Recycle Bin. Remove files
immediately when deleted check box.
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12.
Vistas Startup Repair Tool Will Automatically Diagnose And Fix Startup
Problems.
One of the many new features in the Windows Vista operating system is a
utility called the Startup Repair Tool. What makes this new tool stand out among
its brethren is that is designed to intercede at the first hint of an operating
system startup problem. When a startup problem is detected, the Startup Repair
Tool will launch an automated, diagnostics-based troubleshooter that requires
little if any user intervention and will resuscitate an unbootable system.
Here Are The Types Of Problems it Repairs.
As you probably know from firsthand experience, startup problems are some of the
most difficult to troubleshoot and sometimes it seems that the best way to fix
the problem is to just reinstall the operating system. While this method offers
a sure fire resolution, it's time consuming. It could also be avoided because,
more often than you might think, the solution is as simple as replacing a single
file or altering a single setting. This is the type of problem that the Startup
Repair Tool will take care of.
For example, the Startup Repair Tool can automatically repair the following
problems:
· Missing/corrupt/incompatible drivers
· Missing/corrupt system files
· Missing/corrupt boot configuration settings
· Corrupt registry settings
· Corrupt disk metadata (master boot record, partition table, or boot sector)
· Problem update installation
Here Is How It Works
When Windows Vista's initial loading sequence detects a startup failure, it
automatically fails over to the Startup Repair Tool. Once the Startup Repair
Tool takes control, it begins analyzing startup log files for clues as to the
source of the problem and then launches a series of diagnostic tests to
determine the cause of the startup failure. Once the Startup Repair Tool
determines the cause of the failure, it attempts to fix the problem
automatically.
If the Startup Repair Tool successfully repairs the problem, it will then reboot
the system. It then notifies the user of the repairs and files a detailed report
in the new and improved Windows Vista event log that clearly identifies the
cause of the problem as well as the solution.
If the Startup Repair Tool can identify the cause of the problem, but can't
repair the problem by itself, it will provide access to a set of tools that you
can use to manually troubleshoot the problem further.
If the Startup Repair Tool is unsuccessful in its attempt to identify or repair
the problem, it will roll back the system to the last configuration that was
known to work. The Startup Repair Tool will then add detailed information about
the problem to the Windows Vista event log.
Saving You Time And Money.
As you can imagine, the automated system provided by the Startup Repair Tool
will save administrators and help desk personnel from expending valuable time
fixing simple problems. In addition, the event log reporting feature will help
administrators and help desk personnel to quickly understand the problem for
further troubleshooting as well as enacting preventative measures.
Additional Options.
Another way that the Startup Repair Tool will be a boon is via Group Policy. In
Windows Vista Group Policy settings provide full control over built-in
diagnostics, such as the Startup Repair Tool. These Group Policy settings will
allow administrators to disable portions of the default resolutions, provide a
enterprise-specific resolution, and even customize the tool to prompt the user
to seek assistance, and display enterprise-specific contact information.
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13.
Run
As An Administrator In Vista. On
occasion you may come across an application that, when you come to launch it,
refuses to launch due to insufficient user permissions. For example, if you try
to launch the boot configuration application,
BCDedt, from the Command Window you may get the following message 'The boot
configuration data store could not be opened. Access denied.'
When this
happens it usually indicates that Windows requires your permission to launch the
application. in this situation it is advisable to use the Run as Administrator
option.
By using
the Run as Administrator option you can allow this application to run once
without the need for full administrator privileges.
1. Locate
the applications icon or short cut and Right click on it
2. From
the Drop Down Menu select the Run As Administrator option
3. Now
click the application icon or short cut and it should run
4. When
the
User Account Control (UAC) message appears enter the appropriate credentials
if you are logged on as a standard user, and click the Submit button
5. If you
are the Administrator and UAC is not configured to always require credentials,
just Click the Continue button and the application should start.
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14.
Create A System Restore Point in Vista.
System
Restore is a form of system backup that enables the user to recover from many a
disaster. While system restore automatically creates a restore point at a given
time each day, if your PC is not switched on at that given time then the system
restore cannot be created; therefore, it is necessary for you to have to wait
for the next scheduled restore file creation point.
While
installing most software applications will automatically trigger a system
restore point, it is good practice to get into the routine of manually creating
a restore point every time you make significant changes to your PCs setup.
To
manually create a system restore proceed as follows:
1. Click
the
Start button
2. From
the Start menu click
Control Panel
3. In
Control Panel click the System Icon
4. On the
Left of the System Properties Window you will find a list of Tasks. From this
list click System Protection
5. In the
next window click the Create Button
6. A new
dialogue box now appears
7. In this
Dialogue box type a suitable name for the restore Point (preferably one that
gives you an insight into what you created the restore point for. It is far
better to have a title such as: 'Changed display settings' than one simply
called 'Restore point 1'. At least the first title gives you a description, the
second does not.)
8. After
typing a suitable title, click Create
9. The
Creating A System Restore Point progress bar will now appear
10. Once
the restore point has been created a box will appear with the legend 'The
restore point was successfully created.'
11. At
this point click OK to finish the process
As well as
the above, you can also create a system restore point as follows:
1. Click
the Start Button
2. Click
All Programs>Accessories>System Tools>System restore
3. In the
System restore window click the 'Open System Protection' link.
4. In the
System protection Window follow instructions 4 through to 11 above to complete
the task.
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15.
Change Windows Mail Preview Pane View In Vista.
By default
Windows Mail displays its preview pane below the list of messages. If you
want to change this view so the preview pane takes on a similar look to
Microsoft Outlook, i.e., preview pane beside messages, proceed as follows:
1. Open
Windows Mail
2. Click
View on the Main Toolbar
3. From
the drop down menu click Layout
4. In the
Windows Layout Properties window look for the Preview pane section.
5. Now
click the radio button next to the option you require:
·
Below Messages - default
·
Beside Messages
6. Finally
click the OK button
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