Assorted Tips & Tricks

StartUp Blues

One of the most common problems that comes up at the Clubhouse when we’re setting up systems or helping members is that some program or other wants to start up when we don’t want it to. We usually start with the most obvious place to find the program—the StartUp folder.

To open this folder, right-mouse click the Start button, select open, double-click Programs, and then double-click Startup. You will see some of the programs that Windows starts when you boot up your computer. Typical applications include the Microsoft Office toolbar and fax applications.

I recommend that you create a folder in the StartUp folder, calling it something like "StartUpOld." Move the shortcuts to the application you want to stop into the new folder. When you restart your computer, the applications will not startup automatically. If you need to retrieve the shortcut, just move it back to the StartUp folder.

The next place from which applications may startup is the registry. Remember to backup the registry files, User.dat and System.dat, before you do any editing there. Both files are in the Windows folder. There are three locations in the registry that may include references to programs:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\RUN

HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\RUN

and (if user profiles are enabled):

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\RUN

The next place to check is in the WIN.INI files. Select Start, Run, type sysedit, click OK.

One more place to look for references to those annoying applications is your WIN.INI file. Select Start, Run, type sysedit and click OK. Inside the System Configuration Editor, select the WIN.INI window and under the [Windows] section, search for a "run=" or "load=" line. These lines instruct programs to load at startup. (Note: Don't mess with this file unless you know what you're doing. Ask for assistance from someone who does. The same rule applies—back it up before you modify it.)

It's All in the Fingers

Minimize and Maximize a Window with the Keyboard

Minimize a window using the keyboard (select Alt-spacebar, then press N for Minimize). Maximize a window by press Alt-spacebar, then press X for Maximize.

To restore the active window to its less-than-screen-size state, press Alt-spacebar, then press R for Restore.

Right-Mouse Keyboard Equivalent

Use Shift-F10 to right click the desktop, an active window or a highlighted shortcut instead of the right mouse button.

Hot Key Access To Application

Do you use an application frequently, but don’t want it to open on StartUp? You can create a hot key to the application to access it quickly. Right-click the shortcut you use to open the application and select Properties. Select the Shortcut tab and find the box next to "Shortcut Key. Type the letter you want to use. Then you can access the program by pressing Ctrl-Alt and the letter you selected.

For example, if you use WordPerfect or Word for word processing, type "w" in the box. Then when you press, Ctrl-Alt-W, the program will launch.

By the way, when you select the box, you won’t be able to remove the word "none." Just position the cursor in the box and type the letter. Windows will automatically fill in the "Ctrl+Alt+" part.

Stupid Mouse Tricks

Ok, so they’re not stupid, but they are mouse tricks.

Right-Mouse Window Commands

Many of the options available through menu commands in a window are also available in the right-mouse context menu in Windows 98? Right-click a blank area inside an open window and check out the resulting list. There, you'll find almost every command from the View menu (except Folder Options and the three toolbar commands). What appears depends on what window you are in. You will also see some commands from the Edit and File menus.

Shortcut To Properties

Most of the time if you want to see the Properties of an icon, shortcuts, files, folders, etc., you right-click, then drag the pointer to Properties at the bottom of the list. Instead, you can hold down the Alt key as you double-click the icon. Voila, the properties dialog box.