... Windows Tips 'n Tricks 10 ...
As he teaches, so he learns.

Do you frequently right-click a folder and select Explore to view the folder's contents in a two-paned Explorer view? How would you like any folder you double-click to open in a two-paned view automatically? That's the way I have mine configured. All you have to do is change the default action of folders. In any open folder window:

1. Select View, Folder Options.
2. Click the File Types tab, then select Folder under Registered File Types.
3. Click the Edit button, then select Explore in the box under Actions.
4. Click the Set Default button, and Explore will now appear in bold to indicate that it is the default action.
5. Click Close twice

The next time you double-click a folder, watch as it opens in a two-paned view. To open a single-paned folder window, right-click it and select Open.

In case you didn't know, your computer is all about memory. Without it, your computer may as well be a lump of coal. Here's how we find out how much RAM (Random Access Memory) you have:

1. Choose Start, Settings, Control Panel.
2. Double-click the System icon.
3. Click the Performance tab.
4. Under Performance Status, you see a number for the amount of RAM.

Another way is to make a quick visit to your System Properties screen. Right click My Computer and select Properties. You'll see the amount of RAM listed. Mine shows 127 MB, which is 120,000 bytes. That means I have 120,000 little pigeon holes to store stuff in. If you have 64 MB, or 64,000 bytes, you have 64,000 pigeon holes of your own. (MB is short for megabyte, and saying "meg" will get all eyes looking at you at your next party).

If you're hearing a lot of microphone feedback, your microphone is probably set to route the sound directly to the speakers. There is an easy way to fix the problem.

Double-click on the speaker in the Taskbar. Once the window is open, check to see if the recording and microphone volume controls are there. If not, go to Options and open up Properties to check the microphone and recording monitors. Close that window and mute the recording and microphone volume controls. This should fix the problem.

To make sure your computer is still recording from the mic, open up Sound Recorder and do a test record. If no sound was detected, go back to volume control and remove mute from the microphone and recording volume controls and bring the volume for them way down.

Microsoft's code is protected and to view the code outside of hacking the code is illegal, though if you contact MS and pay a fee you should be able to have a look. If you want to see the code in a raw format, open a DOS window (DOS Command or DOS Prompt), and type "edit" … then find Explorer.exe and open it. BE WARNED, do not make any changes here unless you want to reinstall Windows.

You don't have to click the maximize button to maximize a window. Just double-click its title bar, the thick strip along the window's top bearing its name. That double-click does the same thing as clicking the maximize button, and the title bar is easier to aim for.

To minimize you can also press Alt + Spacebar to display the context menu of the currently active window. Then press N for Minimize.

Even if you have a 56Kbps modem, you won't connect at 56K every time. In fact, every time you connect to your ISP, it will probably be at a different speed. There's not much you can do about this -- your modem connects at the fastest speed that your ISP and the phone connection allows at the time.

If the squeal of your modem is driving you (or your family or colleagues) crazy, turn down its volume and restore peace to your domain There are two ways as follows:

1. Double click on "My Computer", then on "Control Panel", and then on "Modems"
2. Make sure the "General" tab is selected on the top of the page, your modem is highlighted blue, and then click on the "Properties button.
3. On the modem Properties page, click on the "General" tab, and look for the speaker volume adjustment. Slide the tab all the way to the left to turn the volume off. Make sure you click "OK" when you are done.

The second place where you can make this adjustment (and I suggest you check both places) is as follows:

1. Double click on "My Computer", then on "Dial up Networking"
2. Right click on your connection to your Internet Service Provider, and select properties.
3. On the lower portion of the "General" page, look for the words "Connect Using" and click on the "Configure" button below your modem listing.
4. In the middle of the general page, you will see the same speaker adjustment. Make sure this one is also in the off-position.

If your modem goes off-line frequently, it may be due to a temporarily lost carrier. To lengthen the time before the modem goes off-line after losing the carrier, change your modem properties using the appropriate S-Register. Check your modem manual or call your ISP (internet service provider) to see which one controls connection time-out interval.

1. Open the Control Panel and double-click the Modem icon.
   
2. Click Properties, Connection, Advanced.
   
3. In the Extra Settings, enter your S-Register command. For example, if the S-Register controlling the time-out interval for your modem is S10, then you would enter S10=10 to make the modem stay connected for 10 seconds after losing the carrier signal.

Do you find that after you've waited hours to download a program, it sometimes won't work due to bad or missing files? Don't blame the source; even if you have the latest and greatest modem, sometimes traffic on the Web can cause data to be corrupted as it's being downloaded. If this is happening to you, it's a good idea to slow down the receive buffer under Start, Settings, Control Panel, Modems, Properties, Connection, Port Settings and try downloading the file again. What's worse, a slower download, or one that's completely unusable? You can always up the settings after the program has finished downloading.

Sometimes software loses its ability to detect your modem, and modem error messages appear onscreen. Your best bet is to reinstall your modem software. First, remove your modem from the Device Manager. Right-click on My Computer and select Properties. Click on the Device Manager tab from the pop-up window. Click the plus (+) sign next to modem from the device list. Your modem will then be displayed. Click it once to highlight it. Then, click on the Remove button at the bottom of the screen. Windows will notify you that the modem driver will be removed. Click OK. Finally, restart your computer and reinstall the modem software from the Control Panel by clicking on the Modems icon and selecting Add from the General tab.

Another possibility (with a new modem won't work) is that Dial-up Networking was never set up. Double-click on the My Computer icon. Do you see a Dial-Up Networking icon? If so, then this isn't the problem. If not, create one:

1.Click on Start and then on Settings and Control Panel.
2.Double-click on the Add/Remove Programs icon.
3.Click on the Windows Setup tab and then double-click on Communications.
4.Click the checkbox beside Dial-Up Networking. Then click on Apply.

When your modem is active, the modem status icon will appear in your Tasktray (that little area on the right side of your taskbar). This is two little computer screens within a single icon. When data is moving through your modem, those tiny computer screens will blink. You can right-click on the icon to see details on the connection. You can double-click it to see a dialog box where you can disconnect (or just right-click it and click "disconnect" … many roads to Chicago, you know.

If Windows says that it can't detect a modem on any of your COM ports, there could be a problem with the Windows 98 installation. You have to make sure that Windows did a complete installation of the communications component. To do this, from the Start menu, select Settings and then Control Panel.

Click on Add/Remove Programs from the Control Panel. From the Add/Remove Programs window, click on the Windows Setup tab. Scroll down until you see the communications component. Windows did not do a complete installation of important communications software if there is no check or if there is a check in a gray box. Click on the box until it becomes white and displays a check, then click OK. Then restart the computer and usually Windows will detect your modem.

It's easy to lose track of your mouse cursor, especially if you tend to move it quickly across the screen. One way to make it more visible is to give it a trail; make it leave momentary evidence of where it has been. Try this:

1. Click on Start.
2. Open Settings, Control Panel.
3. Double-click on Mouse.
4. In the Mouse Properties control panel, click on the Motion tab..
5. Click on the Show Pointer Trails box.
6. Now move the mouse. You should see it leave cartoon-like images behind. If you hate it, just click on Cancel and close the control panel.
7. If you think these trails might make for happier computing, click on and drag the slider, moving it from jong toward short. The shorter the trail, the less noticeable.
8. If you like the effect, click on Apply and then on OK and close the control panel.

If you're left-handed, you probably use your mouse with your left hand. Most mouse software, however, sets the left mouse button as the primary button by default. If you'd like the right button to be your primary button instead, switch the button functions through the Control Panel. Click the Start button, point to Settings and select Control Panel. Double-click the Mouse icon. Click the Buttons tab in the Mouse Properties dialog box and select your button preferences (note that mouse properties will be organized differently from manufacturer to manufacturer so you may have to do a little searching for the button settings).

Needless to say, everyone's mouse slows up eventually. Most of the time it is due to some lint on the ball and on the rollers. To remedy this, when the computer is shut down, do the following:

1. Open the mouse from the bottom by turning the round door-opening (older mice need to have some screws removed).
2. Remove the ball and using a swab and some denatured alcohol, clean the ball.
3. Look inside the mouse and locate the round bars. Lint from the mouse pad gets picked up by the ball and then deposited on these bars. Since the movement of the mouse is transferred from the ball to these rollers and then on to the computer, any interference can cause the problems you are describing. With the swab, gently remove the lint from the rollers and your mouse should work much better.

Clicking with the left mouse button will select any item. Clicking with the right button will give you information about the item or things that you can do with that item.