New Tips

• Is spam getting you down, bunky?
  After reading our own '5 things' tips check out Issue 43 of Mike's List http://www.mikeslist.com/43.htm for some tips to stem the flow into your inbox but also be sure to read this exerpt from the Langalist http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2002/2002-09-12.htm#5 to see the downside of thoughtless spam blocking.

• Keyboard shortcuts for your Outlook Inbox

  If your inboxes are anything like ours, reading your email can take all day, here are some shortcuts to help:

  Switch to the Inbox folder -- Press [Ctrl][Shift]I
  Check for new mail -- Press [F5]
  Create a new message -- Press [Ctrl][Shift]M
  Delete the selected message -- Press [Ctrl]D
  Mark a message as read -- Press [Ctrl]Q
  Open the Address Book -- Press [Ctrl][Shift]B
  Select all messages -- Press [Ctrl]A
  Select the next message -- Press [Down Arrow]
  Select the previous message -- Press [Up Arrow]
  Open the selected message -- Press [Enter]
  To close an open message -- Press [Esc]
  To reply to a selected message -- Press [Ctrl]R
  Create a Reply To All message -- Press [Ctrl][Shift]R
  To flag a message for follow-up -- Press [Ctrl][Shift]G
  With a message open, to open the next message -- Press [Ctrl]+. ([Ctrl], plus, period)
  

Windows 98 Tips

• Add to your Start Menu

  One of the easier ways to add a program to your Windows98 start list is to simply browse in Windows Explorer to the program. Then, drag the program's icon over to the Start button and release it. Point at the program in the Explorer list, hold down the mouse key and point at the Start button. When the icon hovers over the Start button, release the mouse key and the program will be listed in the Start list. Rearrange the order of the listing by dragging and dropping the entries as you wish.

• Need to save an error message?

  When the error pops up use the ALT Key and the PrtScrn Key to copy the window to the clipboard then paste it into your favourite graphics program, Windows Paint will do if you've nothing better.

  Try MS Windows Error Message Utility! MS Windows Error Messages is a small utility that will allow you to look up MS Windows error code numbers and display a descriptive message explaining what the numeric code actually means. If you have software programs that produce numeric error codes now you can find out what they really mean.

• Fast Path to Your Icons.

  Call up all your desktop icons without leaving whatever applications you have currently open. Just click on Start|Run and enter a period using your keyboard, then hit the Enter Key. or to be mouseless, use the CTRL key with the ESC key, then the letter R, then a period, and hit the Enter key.

• Faster Restart

  If you want to quickly restart Windows 98 from the Shut Down Windows dialog box, select the Restart the computer radio button and hold down the [Shift] key while you c lick Yes. When you do, Windows 98 will restart without rebooting the computer.

• Adjusting Column Widths in Explorer

  As you probably know, you can adjust the width of the Name, Size, Type and Modified columns in Explorers detail window by positioning the mouse on the column header border and dragging once the cursor turns into a doubled-headed arrow.

  To quickly set the optimal column width, when the mouse pointer turns into a doubled-headed arrow, double-click the column border. When you do, the column width will be set to suit the content.

  Remember too that you can sort the detail window by name, size, type and date by clicking on the appropriate header. The first click sorts in ascending order, the next in descending.

• An faster way to create new folders

  One way to create a new folder in Windows Explorer or My Computer, requires that you pull down the File menu and select the New | Folder command. Here's another technique that allows you to quickly create a new folder.

  When you're ready to create a new folder in Windows Explorer or My Computer, right-click anywhere inside the folder to open the shortcut menu and press N and F on the keyboard. Doing so quickly creates a new folder. All you need to do is type the name of the folder and press [Enter].

• Close all your applications at once

  Wouldn't you like to close all your open applications at the same time at the end of the day? There's a hidden technique that will allow you to do so.

  To begin, hold down the [Ctrl] key and click on each application button on your taskbar. When you do, you'll notice that each button remains selected. Once you've selected all the application buttons on the taskbar, right-click on any one of them and select the Close command from the shortcut menu. When you do, all your applications will close. If you have any application in which an open file hasn't yet been saved, that application will prompt you to save the file.

• Having trouble double-clicking?

  You can adjust your mouse's double-click speed to your personal taste. The setting is found under the Mouse applet in Control Panel. Here'show you change it.

  First, click the Start button and select Settings, then click Control Panel. In the resulting window, double-click the Mouse icon to bring up the Mouse Properties window. Now, just click and drag the pointer on the Double-click speed slider bar, as shown below, to adjust the double-click speed to suit you. You can test your changes before you exit by clicking on the animated icon in the Test area. When you're satisfied with the double-click speed setting, click the OK button to exit the Mouse Properties dialog box, then close Control Panel.

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Keyboard Tricks

• A Quick Way to Copy, Cut, and Paste

  Using a few keyboard strokes can speed up the task of copying and pasting. Highlight the text with your mouse, then press the CTRL key and the letter C key. This copies the selection to your clipboard. Place the mouse pointer to the place you would like to paste either elsewhere in the document or even in a different document. Click the mouse one time to active the cursor and press the CTRL key and the letter V key. This will paste the data from your clipboard into that space. To cut a section of text rather than copy it. Press the CTRL Key and the letter X key.

• What to do with the Windows Logo Key?

  The Windows Logo Key is an often forgotten short cut key. Press the Logo Key (located at the bottom row of your keyboard) to open up the Start Menu of your taskbar. Use the Logo Key and the letter D key to safely minimize all your open programs to the task bar. OR use the Logo key with the Pause/Break Key to bring up your System Information dialog box which you can use to check your Device Manager, Hardware Profiles and Performance.
  More Windows Logo Key Short Cuts.

• Delete it completely in One Step!

  Normally, when you delete a file, folder or icon, it isn't really gone until you empty your recycling bin. Although, this comes in handy when you have deleted something you shouldn't have, there are times when you just want the thing gone. You can delete without sending the item to the recycle bin but holding down the SHIFT key while deleting using the DELETE key or using File|Edit|Delete from your program menu bar.
  More System Keyboard Short Cuts.

More Tricks

• Geek Speak

  Confused by all those acronyms that computer geeks use (and would be geeks frequently misuse)? Check out internet.com Webopædia.

• Free Utility Download; They're Your Favorites, Not Everyone's

  Like a five-year-old who cannot bypass an interesting piece of flotsam or jetsam without picking it up and pocketing it, we traverse the Web picking up interesting and unusual sites to add to our virtual pockets: Internet Explorer Favorites. But just like the little one's pockets, our virtual ones can be emptied to reveal all the things we hold dear. We assume you'd like to keep your list of Favorites more private. The fact is, the personal information within Favorites is open to anyone accessing your PC (including Mom). Fortunately, our crack team of utility developers has built a solution: FaveLock. This free utility lets you lock down Favourites on a folder-by-folder basis. Sure, not every Favourite is priceless, but they're your favourites and no one should be able to empty your pockets without your permission.

  Get the utility here:

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Checking the system:

• Using System Information, check for conflict(s) and problem device(s).
• Create or update the boot disk.
• Confirm that backups are being done.
• Check the power sources. Make sure systems are plugged into protected outlets or power strips, if not uninterruptible power supplies.
• Make sure the floppy & CD hardware works.
• Change passwords.
• Check the printers. Print a test page on your users' printers. Make sure the printers are producing clean copies, and that the toner cartridges aren't about to run out.
• Update the anti-virus and firewall software.

Cleaning up the Hard Drive:

• Delete all *.tmp files that have been created prior to the current day.
• Delete files that begin with a tilde. Make sure that all your application programs are closed first such as word-processing, spreadsheet and graphics programs as sometimes the temporary file you are currently viewing sometimes use a tilde. If the above are closed the tilde files can be deleted.
• Delete old .zip files.
• Delete .chk files.
• Delete Temporary Internet Files and Empty Browser Cache.
• Empty the Recycle Bin.
• Reboot the system.

Final Processes:

• Run ScanDisk
• Defrag the hard drive(s).
• Reboot the system.