| Windows XP/Vista SIG |
| This SIG meets on the Second Tuesday each month at 7 pm |
|
Tips on Windows XP/Vista to make your computing easier, better, and more fun.
During the year we will explain and demo: Desktop, Taskbar, Customize the Start Menu, Control Panel, Device Manager, Windows Explorer, Wordpad, Right Clicking, Keyboard Shortcuts, Tweakui, Scan Disk, Defrag, Add and remove Windows Components, and more. |
| SIG Leader: Joe Isaac joeisaac@insightbb.com |
| This Months Program Notes |
7 8 08 System Tools *
(The 800 lb Gorilla.)
Dear
Classmates,
Tuesday,
July 8 at 7 pm, we will have our Windows XP/Vista Workshop.
Special
treat: Bob Brown will do a comparison of
Windows
Vista and Windows XP. He will review the most significant differences and search for the
reasons why Vista has such a bad reputation. Is it possible that Vista is not really
all that bad?
Also,
he will have a schedule of Microsoft's support for various
Windows
releases and a few rumors about the next version of Windows
coming
someday.
Also
he will do a brief demo of home networking.
After
Bob Brown's presentation we will have our Question and Answer period and we
will discuss and demo:
1.
Disk Cleanup: It deletes; Temporary Internet Files, Temporary Files,
Recycle Bin, Offline Web Pages, etc.
2.
Error Checking (Scan Disk); (removes errors from your hard drive.)
3.
Defrag. (rearranges your data for faster access) As you add and delete programs and files your, it is scattered all
over the hard drive Defrag rearranges
your data so there are no empty spaces and the programs and data you use the
most are put into the fastest accessible portion of your hard drive.
4.
System Info. Tells you all about the Hardware and Software
on your computer. (More than you want to
know).
5.
System Restore: Restores your system to a
previous date.
Say you installed a new program today and
your computer
went haywire, use System Restore to restore
it to yesterday.
6.
Files and Settings Transfer Wizard. (you can have problems with this)
7.
Security Center: Manage security settings for Automatic
Updates,
Internet Options, and Windows Firewall.
(Notice,
there will be no meeting in August.)
Kindest
regards,
joe
isaac
======================================
Control +
H will bring up History in either Netscape
or
Internet Explorer.
======================================
LOST
CLUSTERS- When you scan your hard drive, it will save
lost
clusters with the extension of .CHK (They are named and
numbered
this way: File0000.chk - File0001.chk, etc.)
This
is just me, but I always delete them.
.chk
= Misc File fragments saved by ScanDisk.
BACKUP
FILES- These end in .OLD or .BAK and are older
versions
of files that a program has changed
TEMPORARY
FILES- Files that end in .TMP or have a $ or ~ in their
extensions
or in their names are usually temporary files that can be
safely
removed.
======================================
After the
accident, I told the police officer I thought the driver
of the
other vehicle was drunk.
He told me
the other vehicle was a cow.
=======================
Make your
Email Text Bigger
In Outlook
Express and Windows Mail: click on VIEW, Text Size.
=======================
COOL Computer Tip.....for Scroll Wheel Mouse Users:
Having
trouble reading a webpage) because the type is too small?
You can change the size of the text!!!
Hold down your Ctrl key
and spin the wheel. It makes the
text larger or smaller
depending on which way you spin.
=======================
The
most common ways to get a virus:
E-mail attachments and Internet downloads.
-------------------------------------------------------------
If
you have something you need to clean and everything you've
tried
isn't working, you can always check out this site.
http://www.howtocleananything.com/
=======================
Put
a stock symbol in Google. For example, to view information for Microsoft or
Intel, you would type in msft and it
will bring up Microsoft
or
intc and it
will bring up Intel.
--------------------------------------
Definitions: (Google Stuff)
Type Define: and any word you wish to know, like
Define computer
it
is amazing.
--------------------------------------
Deciphering
Centrino:
Centrino
consists of: For laptops only.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Best
of online Museums:
Computer
History Museum:
Tech
Museum of Innovation:
U.S.Army
Military History:
http://ftp.arl.army.mil/ftp/historic-computers/
Smithsonian:
www.americanhistory.si.edu/index.cfm
Henry
Ford Museum & Greenfield Village:
U.S.Library
of Congress:
===============================
Daily
Fun Site:
Phrases
A
bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. It's better
to
light a candle than curse the darkness. These are
phrases
we've probably all heard of and a lot of us use.
Did
you know there was a site you could go to in order to
find
out about their origins and histories?
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/index.html
-------------------------------------------------------------
Q. Hi Joe I've got Vista and you'd think it'd have Power
Point,
but I got an email on pictures of animals from a
former
work buddy and my PC says "can't perform requested
activity"?????
How
do I initate Power Point on Vista?
Thanks.
A. All you need is the PowerPoint Viewer that is on the
TIPS 2008 CD.
Or
you can download it from:
Let
me know if this works.
Response: It worked. Thanks a
million!
-------------------------------------------------------------
From Norm Severin:
" The American Indians found out what happens when you
don't control immigration."
-------------------------------------------------------------
Response to the Vista $20 class email:
Geez Joe.....I'm still trying to learn XP!!!!
-------------------------------------------------------------
Q. Joe, I'm still in XP, and recently when
ever I return to
the desktop, I get the following message:
IEXPLORE.EXE - Application Error
X The instruction at "0x02802bf2" referenced memory at
"0x02da6c38". The memory could not be
"read".
Click on OK to terminate the program.
A. I don't really know but I have 3
suggestions:
1. Go to Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools,
System Restore, and go back to a date when you computer
was working OK. If it was recently.
2. Download Internet Explorer 7.0 and see if that will fix it.
3. Google it and see what they say.
Response:
Thanks for the quick response Joe. I shoulda thought of
System Restore......old age sure ain't for sissies, is it.
Thanks again.
===============================
Memory
2 or 3GB
120 to 350 GB Hard Drive
19" LCD Monitor
(DVD- RW Drive To burn CD's and DVD's.)
128 MB graphics card, 256 MB is
better.
Digital Media Reader for your Digital
Camera memory card.
Windows Vista Premium
(comes with a Firewall and
Windows Defender, an AntiSpyware
program.)
Speakers with a sub-woofer
Good Surge Protector
Optical Mouse
AntiVirus Program
===============================
Q.
I just returned from a European trip and took over 500 pictures
with my digital camera. If I put these
on my computer and
then to a cd and then delete them from
the computer, will
the space used up for the photos be
returned or does it
just look deleted but is really still
there?
A.
They are in your Recycle Bin, you must delete them from the Recycle Bin, then the
space used by the photos will be returned.
===============================
http://www.yourdictionary.com/library/misspelled.html
===============================
Untouched Amazonian Tribe Caught On
Camera:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16fvTonR_gA&eurl
----------------------------------
From: Myra Engle
Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 10:52
PM
You wrote this in another email
earlier. That statement is why I now
own a new laptop with Vista. :)
In a message dated 6/11/2008 12:08:33
P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
joeisaac@insightbb.com writes:
We also discussed the Snipping Tool in
Vista, to me it is one on the
great new programs within Vista. I
don't care what you see on your
monitor, web site, email, pdf file you
can capture any part of it by
using the Snipping Tool and save it as
a jpeg file. Now you can
insert it in an email or word
document.
----------------------------------
From: Wanda Green
Sent: Wednesday, May 28, 2008 6:21 AM
Subject: Thank you
Joe,
I am happy to see someone who likes
Vista and has some positive
information to help Vista users. I
have been using it on my
clients' computers, and bought 1 new
computer with Vista for our
company. It has been a real challenge
for me and I have been one of
those complainers. I sincerely
appreciate your positive
emails--this will help me.
Thank you.
Wanda Green, QuickBooks Certified
ProAdvisor
Fifth Point Enterprises, Inc.
Payroll, Bookkeeping, and all things
QuickBooks
859.263.8237
----------------------------------
Microsoft is offering free support for
Windows XP, SP3 problems:
http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?ln=en-us&prid=11273&gprid=522131
Bob Brown reported that Microsoft's
support for XP will end
April 8, 2014.
----------------------------------
Excellent
information From Laurie Barnett:
Upgraded to Vista? Frustrated?
These Quick & Simple Steps May
Help!
1)
For your information, in Vista the word "My"
has been dropped
from the titles My Computer, My
Documents, My Pictures, etc.
2)
Every time I change a setting, I'm prompted to grant permission
to allow the system to make the
change. This is annoying!
This User Account Control feature in
Vista is a good one. It is
intended to make the Administrator of
the computer aware of all
changes to the system (such as
installing new software, changing
settings to the Start Menu, etc.) and
helps prevent malicious
software from being installed on the
computer. When a user (who is
not the Administrator) decides to
change a setting, they are
prompted for the Administrator to
enter a password. When the user
is the Administrator, however, the
User Account Control can be
annoying, especially when customizing
Windows and installing
software after first installing Vista.
During this time the
Administrator is continually prompted
to grant permission. When
this happens, the Administrator may
want to temporarily turn off
the User Account Control while configuring
the computer to their liking.
Before turning off the User Account
Control, ensure that you have
antivirus, spyware, malware and
firewall protection. To turn off
the User Account Control, open the
Control Panel and go to User
Accounts. Click on Turn User Control
On/Off and then uncheck the
box labeled Use User Account Control
(UAC) To Help Protect Your
Computer. Reboot your computer. A red
shield with a white cross
will appear in the Notification area
of your Taskbar alerting you
that the UAC has been turned off. To
turn the UAC back on, simply
take the same steps but instead of
unchecking the box, place a
checkmark inside the box.
3)
Where's the Menu bar (File, View, Help, etc. buttons) on the
Windows Explorer screens, e.g.,
Computer, Document, etc?
The Menu Bars in Vista are hidden by
default because most of the
tasks are found on the Toolbar or on
menus when you right click on
a file or folder. To temporarily
reveal the Menu Bar, press the
Alt key and the Menu Bar should
appear. Selecting an option from
the Menu Bar will make it disappear,
or press the Alt key again.
To permanently display the Menu Bar,
click the drop-down arrow on
the Organize button on the screen and
go to Layout and then click
on the Menu Bar option. The Menu bar
should now be displayed.
4)
Windows Flip 3D is a new visual effects feature in Vista that
helps a user quickly scroll between
windows and tasks; however some
may consider the scrolling too
distracting. This feature can be
disabled if you like. You can always
enable it after you've become
accustomed to Vista. To disable it,
right click on Computer and
select Properties. Click on Advanced
System Settings. Click on
Continue. Select the Advanced tab and
then press the Settings
button. Select the Visual Effects tab.
You will be presented with
the following options:
- Let Windows Choose
- Adjust for Best Appearance
- Adjust for Best Performance
- Custom
Select Custom and scroll through the
list until you see the setting
for 3D and uncheck it.
When you have changed the setting,
click OK for the change to take
effect.
While scrolling through the list in
Custom, take the time to become
familiar with the other settings that
you have control of. At some
point you may decide you want to
change some of them.
5)
Whenever I turn on my computer the Welcome Center screen
displays. This is annoying!
To stop the Welcome Center screen from
displaying each time you boot
up your computer, locate the box
labeled Run at Startup in the
lower-left of the screen. Uncheck the
box and close the Welcome
Center screen. Next time you boot up
your computer, the Welcome
Center should not display. If needed,
you can access the Welcome
Center by clicking the Start button
and select the Control Panel
and then click System &
Maintenance and then select Welcome Center.
6)
Where's the Run command on the Start Menu? I miss it.
You can access the Run command by
pressing the Windows logo key in
conjunction with the letter R. If you
prefer to place the Run
command on the Start Menu, right click
the Start button and select
Properties. Go to the Start Menu tab
and click on the Customize
button. Scroll through the list and
place a checkmark in the Run
Command box. Click OK for the change
to take effect.
7)
To the right of my desktop is a Windows Sidebar with Gadgets. I
prefer to have a "clean"
desktop. How do I remove the sidebar?
Right click on the word Gadgets
located in the upper-right corner
and select Close Sidebar.
8)
Can't find something? Vista has a search feature called Instant
Search to help you locate
applications, email, any file, document,
photo, Internet Favorite or History,
etc. It searches not only by
name but inside the file or document
as well. It also searches by
date or a property of what you are
trying to locate. At the bottom
of the Start Menu is a text box.
Inside the box, type the word,
phrase, date or property of what you
are looking for. As you begin
to type, the computer immediately
begins to search and return all
relevant matches. Double-click the
specific item you are looking
for in order to open it. This Instant
Search box is also located in
every Windows Explorer window, e.g.,
Computer, Documents, Music, etc.
9)
Where is Log Off, Shut Down, Restart, etc.?
Click on the Start button. At the
bottom of the Start Menu to the
right of the Instant Search, box, you
will see the Power button (an
icon of a circle broken at top). The
default for the Power button
is Sleep! To the right of the Power
(sleep) button is the Lock
Button Menu. Log Off, Restart, Shut
Down, etc., can be found on
the Lock Button Menu (Click on the
arrow to reveal the Lock
Button's menu).
10)
Do you find the Start Menu too confusing? Wish it looked like
it did in XP? Change it to Classic
View! To do so, right click on
the Start button and select
Properties. Go to the Start Menu tab
and select the option for Classic
Start Menu and then click OK.
Microsoft has promised to
continue security updates and technical support for Windows XP until April 2014.
----------------------------------
To create a one-click
shortcut to shutdown Vista, right click on
your desktop and then select New.
Click on Shortcut. In the textbox, type: shutdown -s -t 01
Click on Next when done.
----------------------------------
Q.
How do I increase the size of my font in Vista?
A.
Right click on your desktop and choose Personalize. Then on the left side,
click on the "Adjust font size (DPI)" link. Next, click the option
that says "Larger scale (120 DPI) - make text more readable." When
you're all finished, click OK.
----------------------------------
Microsoft VP Confirms Windows 7 Ship
Date: January 2010
(You know how well Microsoft does dates.)
----------------------------------
Joe, I bought Office
2007 Student & Home Edition on your information
and I must say I want to thank you,
thank you, thank you. I have
never owned Office, just had Word as a
part of the Works Suite. I
have never been too fond of Word till
now. I love it. It is absolutely fantastic. And I love Power Point too. I
haven't opened Excel and may not use it because although I use a spreadsheet a
lot, I just need the simple Works ss.
But again, I thank you so much for
recommending the program and at
that price.
Frankie
----------------------------------
GET REAL-TIME STOCK QUOTES FOR FREE In
today's volatile market,
you're probably keeping a closer eye
on your stocks and investments.
Traditionally, it has been difficult
to get free real-time stock
information online. Stock quotes are
typically delayed 15 or 20
minutes. This can make it difficult to
buy low and sell high.
This week, Google added real-time
stock quotes from NASDAQ and
the New York Stock Exchange.
For real-time sale prices, visit
Google Finance.
http://finance.google.com/finance
Or, simply enter the ticker symbol on
Google's search page. Keep the page open to have the quotes updated
automatically.
----------------------------------
Q.
Joe, I installed the latest version of AVG (8.0) and now it tells me
that the connection with the update
manager has failed and therefore
I'm not protected. But what can I do
to correct this? The only thing I can think of is to uninstall and reinstall.
I'd appreciate any suggestions.
A.
That is what I would do.
----------------------------------
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