It is just fine leaving your computer running 24/7 and using the Power Savings features which you can find in Control Panel ---> Display ----> Screen Saver (then click the "Power" button) to lower power consumption while your computer is idle. Here are the settings we use on one of our computers.
Turn monitor off after 10 minutes and hard disks off after 2 hours. You can choose to shut down your hard drives after an hour or two - and experiment with other settings - to find what suits your needs best
If you make any errors when reinstalling Windows XP you may need to "re-activate" Windows. So it would be a good idea, to error on the side of safety, and backup your "activation files" before proceeding with any kind of reinstallation of Windows XP. Just in case. That way if anything goes wrong, you won't have to call Microsoft and spend time on the phone getting a reactivation code from them.
Luckily, it's easy to back up your Windows XP activation files (assuming you've already activated Windows XP once): Go to your C:\WINDOWS\System32\ folder and find a file called "wpa.dbl" and "wpa.bak". Now back those files up to a floppy, USB flash drive or CD-ROM. If you have a computer with more than one hard drive you can save those files to any drive but the drive to which you install Windows. When you want to restore these files go into safe mode and put them into your windows\system32 directory. When you reboot you should be activated without actually going through Microsoft. This also works with Windows XP Home and Windows XP Media Edition.
How to change the amount of space reserved for System Restore In XP" is great. Perhaps this tip will go hand in hand. How to free up disk space by removing old restore points. Click start, all programs, accessories, system tools, clean up. The clean up wizard appears and scans the drive on which windows is installed (usually C ). After it scans click OK then "More options" "Remove restore points". Wizard asks if you want to remove all but the last restore point, if so click OK - then confirm OK.
F-Keys for Browser Shortcuts
F1 Opens Internet Explorer Help
F3 Opens a search box for the current page
F4 URL menu drops down so you can see last typed entries
F5 Refreshes the current page
F6 Highlights the URL (Web address) currently showing so you can type a new URL without using your mouse
F10 Opens the "File" menu (which you can then navigate with arrow keys for different commands)
F11 Opens the current window full screen. When you click F11 again the Window returns to normal size.
Another little goodie:
Click F4 while your browser is open and the last 25 addresses you have typed out in your address bar will show! Place your cursor in the address bar and hit the F4 key. Now, use your up/down arrow key to scroll to the one you want to go to. Yes, clicking the little arrow to the right of the address bar does the same thing, but sometimes it is nice not to have to leave your keyboard and use your mouse.
And, for closing those nasty little popup windows that don't have any obvious way to close them (or to avoid getting tricked into clicking "Close" and downloading Spyware or adware) use the ALT key + the F4 key to close the window in focus (the one "on top).
The more you use these F-key shortcuts, the more likely you are to remember them. If you remember them, you'll save time. Saving time is good. Remember?
Cashing Out Caching Out with Internet Explorer 7
Internet Explorer 7 - Windows XP and Windows Vista
With the release of Internet Explorer 7 and with more and more people installing it everyday, we thought it would be a fine time to remind all of you of a very basic but helpful tip for Internet Explorer that helps keep your Temporary Internet Files under control.
Every time you browse the Web, every image you see, every word you read, every song you hear, every flash file that goes bouncing across your screen, every movie you view, ever cookie you crunch, is being stored in your Temporary Internet Files folder. This is because, whether you know it or not, most everything you see on the Web, isn't coming from the Web at all, it's coming from your Temporary Internet Files folder. So while indeed tall the files, pages, images, and text, etc. are on the Web, you're not seeing them on the Web, you're seeing them from your own computer. Amazing huh?
Well, it does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that after browsing around just a few Web sites, your Temporary Internet files folder is going to be bulging with stuff. Internet stuff. Web page stuff. While this stuff is not harmful, after you've viewed the page and moved on, this stuff becomes junk. Are you with me? So why leave junk laying around if you don't need it.
There's a simple setting change you can make in Internet Explorer that will clear this junk from your Temporary Internet Files folder every time you close your browser. Sorta makes sense you'd want to do this, doesn't it? Sure it does. And here's how you do it:
Open Internet Explorer and click "Tools" on the toolbar.
Select "Internet Options"
Click the Advanced Tab (at the top)
Scroll down to the "Security Section" and locate the following:
"Empty Temporary Internet Files folder when browser is closed" and tick the box in front of it to check it.
Click Apply - Click OK
(See the picture below)
Unless you do a lot of viewing of pages offline, there is no reason to leave this box unchecked. It's good maintenance and good sense!
And, speaking of good sense, good housekeeping is always good sense. Junk accumulates all over your computer, not just in the Temporary Internet Files folder! There's no "automatic" way to clean all the junk files from your computer. But there is an easy way. And it's free. It's our own freeware program called Zappit. Zappit features a "safe" mode for beginners so only absolutely safe-to-remove junk files are removed. And Zappit features an advanced mode for those of you who love to tinker and customize things. In the advanced mode, Zappit will clear all the safe-to-remove junk plus other junk files - and junk or other files of your choosing. So whether you're a novice or a pro, you'll find Zappit a useful tool to help keep your computer free from junk and garbage files, that can, after time, cause your computer to run poorly. You can learn more about Zappit (or download it free - it's freeware) from this page.
Getting The Most From Your Memory
Windows XP Home, Professional, and Media Editions
No sorry, this is not a tip about memorization or how to keep from forgetting stuff, like your wife's or husband's birthday - or, heaven forbid, your anniversary. We're talking about computer memory here not human memory. Speaking of which, we have just about lost our memory - I think!
Anyway, before learning how to make the most of your computer memory, it's important to understand the difference between the two kinds of memory - that is: Virtual and Physical Memory
When you open a program, the program is loaded into your computer's RAM or Physical Memory. When your computer does not have enough RAM or Physical Memory to run the program you open, Windows creates "Virtual Memory". Virtual Memory is extra memory that Windows carves out of any free hard drive space you have available. This is sort of a stop-gap measure or workaround that gets you by so you can run the program. But, and this is a BIG but - Virtual Memory is very slow compared to Physical Memory (RAM). The only reason why you'll ever use much virtual memory is because you're computer does not have enough "available" RAM or "physical memory". At least virtual memory does allow you run additional programs -when your available RAM is too low- unfortunately, you're walking on thin ice, and programs loaded into virtual memory (specially allocated hard drive space) cause your computer to slow down. This is because hard drives are inherently slower than RAM - and therefore your programs will open slower and not run as well. The more virtual memory Windows is forced to use, the slower your computer becomes. If you get into this situation often enough, programs will start to "freeze" (stop responding) and eventually your whole operating system may become unresponsive. While this is a very simplified description, it should give you an idea why you don't want to be in a "virtual memory situation" too often.
What can you to do keep this from happening? The first thing is: Install more RAM. If you're using Windows XP, we strongly recommend at least 512 MB of RAM. While you can get by (barely) on 128 or 256, you're apt to find yourself in a "Virtual Memory " situation far too often, especially if you don't control your startup programs and/or you do a lot of multi-tasking. RAM is fairly cheap. Try to add enough RAM to bring your computer up to 512 or better, 1 GB of RAM. If you're planning on upgrading to Windows Vista, make sure your computer is compatible. Many older computers are not. If yours is compatible, plan on 1 GB of RAM minimum with 2 GB highly recommended. If you're going to be buying a new computer with Windows Vista pre-installed, you should look for a computer with 2 GB of RAM pre-installed.
Control Your Startup programs: Make sure you check that you don't have too many programs starting with Windows. This can put you behind the eightball (sorry Eightball) from the moment you start your computer. Startup programs always run in the background - the entire time your computer is in use. Not good. What's good is to control the number of programs you allow to start with Windows, regardless of how much RAM you have installed. Why waste good memory? Use MSCONFIG (click Start/Run and type in MSCONFIG and then click the "Startup Tab" at the top) to disable as many startup programs as you can. Just remember not to disable any Windows start ups or your Anti-Virus or anti-spyware programs.
Reboot Your Computer more often. While Windows XP can run seemingly forever without rebooting, reboot it every day need it or not, especially if you're having troubles with memory issues and cannot install more RAM at this time. Reboot your Windows XP machine after you're done using it for the day or the first thing in the morning. This will help to optimize your physical memory.
Finally, keep your computer free of adware and spyware. Most of these types programs have many tentacles that grope the innards of your computer and entangle and intertwine with all sorts of registry entries, programs, files, and other goodies. Plus they can sometimes install dozens of related or non-related programs which not only start with Windows and waste your available memory, but, are, for the most part, poorly programmed and rushed to market without much, if any, testing. Adware and spyware many times are the cause of system freezes, program crashes and other problems; not to mention the threat to your personal privacy. And to add insult to injury, Adware/Spyware uses your own precious system resources to show you advertisements to you - right on your own computer. While these advertisements are controlled by an outside server the resources they use are yours.
Six Quick Tricks For Windows
Windows 98/ME/2000/NT, Windows XP and Windows Vista - Except as noted
Hmm! Say "Six Quick Tricks" six times really fast. Are you good or what?
TimeStamp for Notepad
Just click F5 when you have notepad open and it will insert the date and time for you.
Windows Quick Tip:
Click Control + Escape to open Start menu.
Put Your Desktop On Your Taskbar (Windows XP)
Right click an empty area of your taskbar, choose "Toolbars" and tick "Desktop"
Put Internet Explorer Links On Your Taskbar (Windows XP) Right click and empty area of your taskbar, choose "Toolbars" and tick "Links".
Customize the Start Menu
You can right click on any item in the start menu and move it, copy it, delete it, change its properties, and more. To move or copy an item from your desktop to the Start Menu, just drag it over the Start icon, and the Start Menu will open up. Drop it wherever you want it in the start menu. Quick and easy. Play around with it! You'll be surprised what you can do!
One-Step URLs (Windows XP)
Right-click your taskbar, choose the "toolbars" option, and select "Address". A new item will show on the taskbar that allows you to type in any URL (on the Internet, or on your hard drive, and automatically open that Web page or folder.
What is a "Shell Extension"?
Shell Extensions are usually very small programs (normally under 250KB) which you install like a regular program but don't appear on the start menu. You "run" these tiny applications simply by right-clicking on a file or folder - and the "shell extension" displays an additional menu (in addition to the normal right-click menu you see when you click on a file).
Shell Extensions are one of our favorite types of software because they are most often focused on performing useful tasks. For instance, one of our favorite shell extensions is called "ContextMagic" which allows the user, simply by right-clicking on a file, to move or copy the file to any other location on the computer, to copy the "file path" to the clipboard and several other useful things - all accessible by a simple right-click.
ContextMagic is a great example of a useful shell extension. Try it and you'll be hooked on Shell Extensions like we are. Shell Extensions - small, useful utilities that you run simply by right-clicking on a file or folder!
Just how secure are your passwords? We're betting they're not very secure - most people's aren't. That's why our Site Of The Week is important - please use it to check the security of your passwords and see if you're leaving your keys lying around by your front door! Visit Microsoft's Password Checker - Our Site Of The Week - right here.
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