... Windows Tips 'n Tricks 9 ...
As he teaches, so he learns.

Save a step or two when accessing the Internet for the first time each day by using the Windows Run command to launch your default browser so you can go directly to the web address (URL) you specify. Click Start and select Run. Type the full URL (e.g., "http://geocities.datacellar.net/buddychai/") of the web site you want to visit and press Enter.

The next time you need to select most of the files in an open Explorer window--single- or double-paned--don't waste your time holding down Ctrl and clicking each one by hand. It's much easier to select the ones you don't need, and then let Windows reverse your selection.

Inside an open window, hold down Ctrl as you select the file(s) you don't want to select (sounds backwards, but wait and see what happens). Select Edit, Invert Selection, and Windows turns your selection inside out.

Ask yourself "What's changed?". Did you install some new software or remove something you thought was trash? Now's a good time to make sure all your personal files are backed up (You should be doing that all the time). Some immediate steps to get it working again are:

• Close down as many other programs as possible and try again. If that fixes the problem, try starting up the other programs one by one. You may discover that two programs just don't get along.

• Close down the program and start it up again. This often works and the problem goes away.

• Shut down the machine in an orderly way and restart it.

• Reinstall the program that's causing trouble. In theory, you could examine your system, find the damage, what caused the damage and repair it. Running the installer again is quicker and more effective.

• Run a virus checker.

• Run Scandisk (part of Windows) to check for disk damage.

• Check how much free disk space you have. If you have at least 100 megs, that's fine. If you have less, especially under 10 megs that can cause all sorts of problems and the cause will not be obvious or logical.

• When things go wrong, suspect operator error first, software second and hardware third.

• Just telling someone about the problem can help - even if they have no technical knowledge.

• Stop using the computer, go for a walk/sleep/beer etc. Then try again.

MORE DESPERATE REMEDIES: Consider backing up all your personal files, formatting the disk and reinstalling Windows. Drastic, but can be the answer, especially if you are experiencing multiple problems - all you need is one corrupted file to foul up the works. Some people do these "Quick Restores" or "System Recoveries" periodically just to give the system a complete cleaning of "junk" files that that the usual care programs never get to. Suggestion: Do it the first time and write down each step as you go along; the next time it will be much easier.

A JPEG file (often pronounced "jaypeg" and the extension is jpg) is a type of graphics file developed by the Joint Photographic Experts Group specifically for photographic images. This format compresses graphics data, while minimizing the loss of image quality. It's usually used for photographs or images with complex textures or gradient colors.

To open a JPEG file, you need a special decompression program or JPEG viewer. Kodak Imaging, which comes in Windows 98, includes such a viewer. Many others are available from the Internet. In addition, some Web browsers have built-in JPEG viewing capabilities, allowing direct viewing of JPEG files without a special program or viewer and without downloading the files.

Sometime when you're on the Internet, right-click on a JPG image and choose Save Picture As. You CAN choose the Set as Wallpaper setting, but saving the file gives you more control over the file's location. Save the image by whatever name you wish, but be sure you add the .BMP extension to the end.

Now right-click on the desktop and choose Properties. Select Background if not already up and click the Browse Button. Find your file name and select it. Now you can play with the image by choosing Center, Tile, or Stretch. When you're finished, click Apply and enjoy your new wallpaper.

Unused programs clutter your hard drive, robbing you of valuable space and ultimately slowing down system performance. Hard drive clutter also causes conflicts with the useful apps on your system. You might fnde significantly faster performance and increased stability by just simply removing a few unused programs.

To get your hard drive squeaky clean, use an uninstaller application, such as Norton's CleanSweep Deluxe from Symantec. CleanSweep keeps track of unused files, schedules cleanup jobs, and removes applications more completely than the Windows Add/Remove Programs utility. If you're on a budget and can't afford CleanSweep, try a shareware uninstaller or keep a close watch on the applications you install and remove any that cause problems.

Windows 98 offers a great housecleaning tool to clear out file detritus from temp-file directories, caches, the Recycle Bin, and so on: Disk Cleanup. To run Disk Cleanup, select Start/Programs/Accessories/System Tools/Disk Cleanup. From the list of likely junk-filled places, select the ones you want to clear out, and click OK.

The Windows Maintenance Wizard is a Windows 98 utility that can flush your browser caches and temp folders, check the hard disk for errors (including bad sectors on the surface of the disk), and defragment your hard drive thoroughly. This program takes an exceedingly long time to get the job done, but fortunately you can schedule the maintenance and save yourself the wait. To schedule maintenance, select Start/Programs/Accessories/System Tools/Maintenance Wizard. Choose Express, and follow the prompts to set the time and frequency. Click OK, and watch as the Task Scheduler icon appears in the Taskbar's system tray. Remember to leave your computer running at the scheduled time, and the system will do the rest.

Once you've chosen your options, you can run the Maintenance Wizard at any time by choosing Start/Programs/Accessories/System Tools/Maintenance Wizard and selecting Perform Maintenance Now.

If your keyboard is a little too sensitive to your touch, change its repeat rate to keep the same character from appearing over and over when you hold down a key too long. Click the Start button and go to Settings, Control Panel. Double-click the Keyboard icon. Use the sliders to adjust the Repeat Delay and Repeat Rate settings. To test your new settings, click into the text box and press and hold a key, observing the rate at which the character begins to repeat.

1. Make a map of the keyboard; you'll need it later.
2. Remove the screws from the back of the keyboard; keep 'em safe.
3. That enables me to remove the face-plate from the keyboard.
4. Bend a paper cliip into a hook shape and carefully snap each key off the board.
5. Now you can wash the face-plate.
6. Now you can wash the keys.
7. Now you can remove those cookie crumbs (and whatever) from the board.
8. Replace the keys (good thing you made that map, btw, keep it).
9. Replace the face-plate, screw it back, and job is done.

Windows 98 includes a tool called Microsoft System Information (Msinfo32.exe). This tool can be used to gather information about your computer, to diagnose issues with your computer, or to access other tools that are included with Windows 98. To start Hardware Diagnostic, click Start, click Run, type msinfo32.exe in the Open box, and then click OK

Have you ever noticed the word "Links" on the far-right side of an Explorer window's Address bar? Double-click it (or the word "Address"), and you've got another whole toolbar. The Links bar provides you with--what else?--links to websites. Of course, you'll want to customize the links to suit your own needs.

To delete a link, right-click it and select Delete. To add a link, point the current window at that Web page (type its URL on the Address bar and press Enter), then drag that Web page's icon from the Address bar directly over the Links bar and release the mouse button.

Want your Address bar back? Double-click Address or Links. (Note: If you're missing the Address bar or the Links bar from your folder window, select one or the other, or both, from the View, Toolbars window.)

I find the list view much easier to work with (whether in "open" or "explore" window; of course, I'll always suggest "explore" window). My Computer always remembers its most recent setting, so double-click My Computer to open it, then choose View, List. You can now close My Computer (choose File, Close). The next time you start your computer, My Computer will open in list view

To remove the cloud logo and substitute something else you want to appear, I would suggest you first get TweakUI. That will facilitate removing the logo screen.

Then to remove the logo screen from the Windows StartUp, open Tweak UI (double-click its icon in Control Panel), click the Boot tab, deselect "Display splash screen while booting" and click OK.

Windows lets you create file names as long as 255 characters long. So why do nearly all of us still use mere 10 and 12 letter names? Habit from DOS days? Try to change that habit. Sure it saves time now to slap a quick, short name on a new file you've made or downloaded, but you'll lose more time later opening the file over and over to see what it is. Eventually you may clean up your drives, erase unnecessary files, and be faced with opening a thousand old files, just to see if they're ripe for deletion.