Knowledge Base

WINDOWS XP

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Direct Windows Explorer to a specific folder

Have you ever wished that a specific folder would open whenever you launched Windows Explorer? Well, you can configure your Windows XP computer to do just that with a specially configured shortcut and a little creative use of Windows Explorer's command-line parameters.

For example, suppose that you want Windows Explorer to automatically open a folder called Downloads, which is located in the root directory of drive D. Follow these steps:

  1. Right-click the desktop and select New | Shortcut.
  2. When the Create Shortcut wizard appears, click the Browse button.
  3. Locate the Windows folder, select Explorer.exe, and click OK.
  4. Position your cursor at the end of the command line, press [Spacebar], and type the parameters /e, d:\Downloads.
  5. Click Next, give the shortcut a name, and select Finish.

If you want to limit Windows Explorer to a specific folder or subfolder, use the parameters /e, /root, d:\Downloads.

Put your laptop to sleep

If you have Windows XP installed on a laptop, you can configure the settings to place the system in a power-saving mode when you close the lid.

Here's how:

  1. In Control Panel, click Power Options.
  2. Select the Advanced tab.
  3. Locate the Power Buttons panel.
  4. From the When I Close The Lid On My Portable Computer section, choose a power-saving mode.

There are two power-saving modes in XP: Stand By and Hibernate. The Stand By option puts your system into a low power state, while Hibernate saves your existing system state to a file on the hard disk and then shuts down the system.

The power-saving mode you choose will depend on your main power source. Laptops that are usually plugged into an electrical socket should use Stand By. However, if you normally run your laptop on battery power, choose Hibernate.

Remove the account name from the Start menu

Windows XP is designed to make it easy to set up and manage multiple user accounts on the same computer. One of its features is to place the account name for the person who's currently logged on to the system at the top of the Start menu.

If you're the only person using a particular computer, you don't need to have your name at the top of the Start menu. To remove it, use the Group Policy console--the Microsoft Management Console snap-in that's used to edit Group Policy objects. Here's how:

  1. Launch the Group Policy console by typing Gpedit.msc in the Run dialog box.
  2. Go to User Configuration | Administrative Templates | Start Menu And Taskbar.
  3. Double-click Remove User Name From Start Menu.
  4. Select Enabled and click OK.
  5. Exit the Group Policy console.

This change will take place immediately.

Use the keyboard to switch active applications

While using the taskbar is the most obvious way of switching among active applications, you can also use the original Windows task-switching mechanism--the [Alt][Tab] keyboard combination.

Simply hold down the [Alt] key and press [Tab]. Windows XP will display a selector box that shows an icon for each application that's currently running. A square outline around an icon indicates that the corresponding application will become active when you release the [Alt] key. Below the icons is a text box that displays the text from the title bar of the selected application.

To switch to the next application in the sequence, press the [Tab] key while continuing to hold down [Alt]. You can reverse the sequence by holding down [Alt][Shift] as you press [Tab].

Using [Alt][Tab] has advantages over the taskbar in several common situations. For example, the taskbar can run out of room and won't display each application's title when there are multiple applications open at the same time. The keyboard combination also comes in handy when you've configured the taskbar with the Auto-Hide setting.

System Restore

What does System Restore do?

System Restore takes snapshots of your system status and archives them for retrieval, so if your PC crashes, you can restore your system files. Your system files are critical to the smooth operation of your OS.

What doesn't System Restore do?

How can it be modified?

Out of the box, System Restore creates a restore point every 24 hours. It also saves each restore point for up to 90 days. Both of these can be adjusted, but not very easily. Here's how you modify your restore points:

  1. Open Regedit. Go to Start > Run and type "regedit" with the quotes.
  2. Navigate to HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\System Restore.
  3. To modify how many restore points are created, double-click the RPGlobalInterval key.
  4. Change the Value Data field from 86,400 (in seconds), which is 24 hours, to anything you'd like. For example, 43,200 is 12 hours, so a restore point will automatically be created every 12 hours. If the number in the default Value Field is different (it should be 86,400), then it's probably in hexadecimal format. Click the radio button titled Decimal to display the correct default setting.
  5. To modify how many restore points are saved, double-click the RPLifeInterval key.
  6. Change the Value Data field from 7,776,000 (in seconds), which is 90 days, to anything you'd like. For example, if you'd rather save precious hard-drive space, opt for 30 days instead. That should equate to a value of 2,592,000 seconds.

Helpful tips for a successful System Restore

Reconfigure the directory list layout

If you spend a lot of time working from the command prompt, you know that the directory list layout displayed by the Dir command is sorted alphabetically.

However, sorting filenames and folder names together can make it difficult to track down a particular file or folder. This is especially true when you're looking at a directory listing that contains a lot of files and folders, such as the Windows directory.

You can reconfigure the Dir command's directory listing layout to separate the folders from the files, yet still list them alphabetically, by using the command-line parameter /o. To make this layout the default for the Dir command, use the Dircmd environment variable.

Follow these steps:

  1. Right-click My Computer and select Properties.
  2. On the Advanced tab, select Environment Variables.
  3. In the System Variables panel, select New.
  4. Enter dircmd in the Variable Name text box.
  5. Enter /o in the Variable Value text box.
  6. Click OK three times.

Change Explorer's Hot Tracking Color

When you hover over an object in Windows Explorer, Windows XP underlines it and changes its color. If you select an object, XP highlights it with the same color. This is called the Hot Tracking Color, and it's designed to help you keep track of the objects you're working with.

If the default color is too subtle, you can change the shade of the Hot Tracking Color by tweaking a registry setting. Here's how:

  1. Launch the Registry Editor (Regedit.exe).
  2. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Colors.
  3. Double-click the HotTrackingColor string value.
  4. Type a new red green blue (RGB) code in the Value Data text box.

 

An RGB code is a standard that computers use to display different colors. The value of each number in the code varies from 0 to 255, and the code specifies how much red, green, and blue is used to create the color. To set the Hot Tracking Color to red, specify an RGB code of 255 0 0. For dark orange, change the RGB code to 255 140 0.

You can find numerous RGB codes by using Paint's Edit Colors tool. Follow these steps:

  1. From the Start menu, open Paint.
  2. From the Colors menu, select Edit Colors.
  3. Click the Define Custom Colors button.
  4. Select a box in the palette, and take note of the values in the Red, Green, and Blue boxes.

Note: Editing the registry is risky, so be sure you have a verified backup before saving any changes.

Change file type descriptions

The Details view in Windows Explorer displays column headers in the file list. One of the column headers, Type, contains a description of the file type. For example, the Type column for a Notepad file lists the file type as a Text Document.

Most of the file type descriptions are complete and fairly self-explanatory, but some file type descriptions are too long to fit in the average column, such as Paint Shop Pro 7 Image. However, you can change the file type descriptions to anything you want. Here's how:

  1. Launch Windows Explorer.
  2. From the Tools menu, select Folder Options.
  3. Select the File Types tab.
  4. Choose the file type whose description you want to change.
  5. Click Advanced.
  6. Type the new description in the text box.
  7. Click OK twice.

Organize that Desktop
 Is your desktop cluttered with icons? Clean it up with this simple tip:

1. Right-click on an empty part of the desktop.
2. Select Auto Arrange.

Your desktop icons will automatically arrange in orderly rows.

Reposition the Quick Launch toolbar

If you like using the Quick Launch toolbar but wish it didn't take up so much room on the taskbar, you can easily move it to any corner of the desktop.

Follow these steps:

  1. Right-click the taskbar, and select Lock The Taskbar to toggle the check mark selection to off.
  2. Position your mouse pointer over the vertical divider on the left edge of the Quick Launch toolbar.
  3. When your cursor turns into a double-headed arrow, click and drag the Quick Launch toolbar to the desired edge of the desktop and drop it.
  4. After you drop the Quick Launch toolbar, it may appear as a window. If so, perform the drag-and-drop operation again, making sure that the toolbar anchors to the edge of the desktop. You may then need to resize it.
  5. Once you have it positioned, right-click the toolbar and select Always On Top. This allows you to view the Quick Launch toolbar at all times, similar to the taskbar.

DISABLE THE 8.3 FILENAME CREATION PROCESS

Are you using the NTFS file system on your hard disk? If you've ever used the DIR command along with the /x parameter in a command prompt window, you've seen firsthand that Windows XP creates an 8.3 filename for each long filename that you create. The OS does this to maintain backwards compatibility with older 16-bit applications.

However, the process of creating and maintaining 8.3 filenames adds a lot of overhead that can significantly degrade the overall performance of the NTFS file system. Chances are good that you're not using any of these older 16-bit applications, so why suffer the performance hit?

Here's how to disable the 8.3 filename creation process:

  1. Launch the Registry Editor (Regedit.exe).
  2. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem.
  3. Double-click the NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation value.
  4. Type 1 in the Value Data text box, and click OK.
  5. Close the Registry Editor, and restart the computer.

NOTE: Editing the registry is risky, so be sure you have a verified backup before making any changes.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE SHOW IN GROUPS VIEW

If you're managing a Windows XP system that stores a significant number of data files, chances are good that you're using Windows Explorer's Details view to help sort through all of the files. While the Details view is a great way to look at your data files, Windows XP offers another view that, in many circumstances, can make it even easier to manage your collection of data files: the Show In Groups view.  To enable the Show In Groups view, follow these steps:

  1. 1. Launch Windows Explorer.
  2. 2. Go to View | Arrange Icons By | Show In Groups.

This view setting divides Windows Explorer's displays into sections with headers that correspond to the sort option that you've selected. For example, if you've sorted files by Name, XP will group them alphabetically by letter. If you've sorted files by Date Modified, XP will group them by time, such as Yesterday, Earlier This Week, Last Week, etc. You can easily change the group sort order by clicking a different column header.

TRACK SYSTEM UP TIME

If you want to know how long your Windows XP Professional system has been running since the last reboot, you can run the command line version of System Information. Unlike its GUI counterpart, the command line version offers System Up Time information.  In a command prompt window, type Systeminfo. Near the top of the report that displays on the screen, you'll find an item titled System Up Time that tells you in days, hours, minutes, and seconds how long the system has been running since the last reboot.  If you'd rather not visually sort through the report to track down the System Up Time, you can pipe the Systeminfo report through the DOS-based Find command to get this information. Open a command prompt window, and type the following command:

Systeminfo | Find "System Up Time:"

NOTE: The command line version of System Information is only available in Windows XP Professional.

EXTEND THE COMMAND PROMPT WINDOW

Have you ever issued a command at a command prompt window that sent a long listing of output faster than you could read it? One example is the Driverquery command, which commonly produces over a hundred lines of output.

Windows XP's default command prompt window buffers 300 lines of text that you can scroll through. However, the lines after that disappear off the screen and are gone forever. This can be extremely frustrating, especially if you need to issue the command several times and monitor the results.

Fortunately, you can increase the size of the buffer to view more than 300 lines of text in a command prompt window. Here's how:

  1. 1. Launch a command prompt window.
  2. 2. Right-click the control icon in the upper left corner of the window, choose Properties, and select the Layout tab.
  3. 3. In the Screen Buffer Size panel, type a larger number in the Height text box and click OK.
  4. 4. When the Apply Properties To Shortcut dialog box appears, choose the appropriate option and click OK.

Windows Tip: Kill the Little Gray Boxes

Tired of getting WinXP Messenger screen spam? Turn off the service.
1. Right-click My Computer and select Manage.
2. Scroll down to Services and Applications and cascade the menu out.
3. Click Service and look for Messenger.
4. Right-click this option to access its properties.
5. Stop the service and change the Startup Type to Disable.
6. Click OK.

GET RID OF A JAMMED PRINT JOB

As you know, print jobs occasionally become jammed in the print queue. You can see the print job in the queue by going to Start | Printers And Faxes and double-clicking the appropriate printer. While the queue lists Printing as the status, the job never prints, and other print jobs begin to stack up behind it.

If you cancel the jammed print job, the Status column indicates that you've deleted it. However, it never completes the delete operation, and the jammed print job remains right where it is.

When you encounter a jammed print job, your first instinct may be to reboot the system, which will flush the jammed print job from the queue. But there's an easier way.

Follow these steps:
1. Open Control Panel, and double-click Administrative Tools.
2. Double-click Services.
3. Scroll through the list of running services, and select the Print Spooler service.
4. Click the Stop Service button on the toolbar.
5. After waiting a moment, click the Start button on the toolbar.
6. Close Services, and close Administrative Tools.

When you return to the print queue, the jammed print job should no longer be there. If it is, you should now be able to delete it normally. Keep in mind that you may have to manually update the queue by selecting Refresh from the View menu.
 

INVESTIGATE CHANGES WITH THE SYSTEM INFORMATION TOOL

Have you ever been in the process of troubleshooting and needed to know what configuration changes the system has recently experienced? Knowing this kind of information can go a long way in helping track down the cause of the problem you're investigating.

Windows XP's System Information tool takes a daily snapshot of your system's configuration, and it records all changes to key elements. In fact, System Information compiles and stores a month's worth of data in its history file. As such, System Information provides a beneficial troubleshooting database.

You can easily investigate System Information's configuration change
history. Follow these steps:

1. Open the System Information tool by typing Msinfo32.exe at the command prompt. (You can also access it by going to Start | All Programs | Accessories | System Tools | System Information.)
2. From the View menu, select System History.
3. Select a category from the System Summary tree on the left.
4. Select a date from the View Changes Since drop-down list.

When you do so, you'll see a listing that displays the date and time of the change along with detailed information on the exact nature of the change.

If you know what you're looking for, you can use the System Information tool's Find feature to quickly scan through the listing.

Windows Tip: Adjust Your Mouse Settings
Customize your Windows mouse cursor.

  1. Click Start > Settings > Control Panel.
  2. Open the Mouse icon, select the Pointers tab.
  3. You'll see a dropdown box labeled Scheme.
  4. Scroll through the various Schemes and select your favorite.
  5. Click Apply.

SET SYSTEM TIME
XP has a new feature that allows you to adjust the correct time through the internet. To set the clock. Double-click on the time in lover right corner of taskbar. Select "Internet time" tab, Select update now button. I have had trouble with the time.windows.com server but it seems to work just fine if I switch to the time.nist.gov server

Windows Tip: Window Management
When you want to get back to your desktop without closing all your open windows, click the Show Desktop icon in your taskbar. Click it again to restore your windows.

Windows Tip: Manage Your Icons
Is your desktop cluttered with icons? Clean it up with this simple tip.

  1. Right-click on an empty part of the desktop.
  2. Select Auto Arrange.

Your desktop icons will automatically arrange in orderly rows.