Shared Documents Folders
Many are finding the links to all of the shared folders on your system to be pretty annoying. This may be the system default setting, but you certainly do not have to live with it. Here is how to remove the Shared Documents Folders from My Computer.
Go to Start > Run and type in: regedit
Hit [Enter] on your keyboard
Navigate through the following registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Explorer \ My Computer \ NameSpace \ DelegateFolders
Click once on DelegateFolders to empty its contents in the right pane.
You will see a sub-key named: {59031a47-3f72-44a7-89c5-5595fe6b30ee}Deleting this sub-key will remove all of the Shared Documents Folders.
It is not necessary to reboot to see this change.
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Encrypted Files
Windows XP and Windows 2000 both include the Encrypting File System (EFS). If you have NTFS permissions to a file that another user has encrypted, you will receive an "access is denied" error.
To determine whether a file is encrypted, perform the following steps to enable the view attributes option in Windows Explorer:
Start Windows Explorer.
From the View menu, select Details.
Select the Attributes option, and click OK.
If a file has an E attribute, that file is encrypted. Only the user who encrypted the file or the recovery agent user can decrypt the file.[Top]
Enlarge your Thumbnail Images
In Windows XP, you have the option of viewing a little thumbnail image of pictures on your hard drive as a quick preview of the image. If you would like to make these images a little larger, here's how:Warning: The following tip involves editing the Windows Registry. Be sure that you make a backup copy prior to making any changes to your registry. Please proceed with caution!
Go to Start>> Run. Type in: regedit [Enter] or click OK.
Drill to the following registry key:HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
Click once on the Explorer entry to empty its contents into the right pane.
Look for an entry named ThumbnailSize. Once you find it, double click this entry and change the hexidecimal value to anything between 32 and 96.
If this entry does not exist, right click an empty area within the right pane and select NEW>> DWORD. Name this value: ThumbnailSizeThen, double-click this new DWORD entry and insert a value between 32 and 96.
Exit the Windows Registry saving your changes.
It may be necessary for you to reboot your system for the changes to take effect. [Top]
Change file associations
If you would like to change how a certain file-type opens, here's how:
Right click the file you would like to change.
Hold your mouse over "Open With".
In the resulting menu, select "Choose Program...".
Select a program that you would like this file to be opened with.
Once you've made your selection, place a checkmark in the box titled: "Always use the the selected program to open this kind of file".
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Creating a backup registry file
Go to Start>> Run. Type in: regedit [Enter] Or click OK
Go to File, then select Export...
Browse to a folder where you would like to keep your backup copy.
Name the file what-ever you would like (eg: Backup 7-24-05)
To restore your registry from this backup copy:
Double-click your Backup file
Select Yes from the resulting menu. Your backup file will now be Imported in to your Windows Registry. [[Top]
Saving Files to a CD-RW
I often get questions from people who would like to use a CD-RW disc much like a floppy disc. Using it to save and erase files as needed. The RW stands for "Re-Writable". So in a sense, the CD-RW will perform this task as long as you have the proper packet writing software, which is not included with Windows XP.However, once you remove a file from the CD, the space is NOT reallocated until the disc itself is re-formatted. So, if you are going to continue saving and erasing files, the space available on the CD will continue to shrink.I personally do not recommend saving important data to a CD-RW as the media could become unreadable and the data lost forever. This can occur if you take your disc to a different computer system that may have different software. Other times, the data can become "magically" unreadable for no apparent reason.I would prefer that users use the CD-RW disc's as they were intended. Put your favorite songs, pictures or data on it until it is full. Then save what you would like to keep onto your hard drive and delete the rest. Reformat the CD-RW and start over.[Top]
Protect your files by using a screen saver password
A handy method of protecting your files while you are away from your desk is to use a screen saver password. For instance, when you set your screen saver to come on after your system has been idle for 5 minutes, your screen saver will automatically lock your system and a password will be required to unlock it. Here is how this is done:Note: Your screen saver password is predefined as your login password. If your system does not require a login password, then the screen saver password feature will not work.1. Go to Start>> Control Panel>> Display2. Once in the Display Properties window, select the Screen Saver tab.3. If you do not have a screen saver choice made, you will need to make a section from the Screen Saver drop down menu.4. With a screen saver selected, choose the amount of time you would like Windows to wait until activating your selected screen saver.5. Place a check mark in the check box labeled; "On resume, password protect". [[Top]
Clear Page File at Shutdown
To clear Windows Page File at shutdown;
Go to Start>> Run, Type in: regedit [Enter]
Drill to the following key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management
Single click once on "Memory Management" to empty its contents into the right pane. Double click on ClearPageFileAtShutdown, then change the value to 1.
Restart your computer for this change to take effect.
Note: If the value does not exist, add the following value:Value Name: ClearPageFileAtShutdownValue Type: REG_DWORDValue: 1
Warning: Be sure to make a backup copy of your registry prior to making any changes.[Top]
Directory size limitations in XP
I am often asked if Windows XP, both Home and Pro editions, have file limits on their directories. The answer is that it would depend on the file system that you are using. I have listed both below:
NTFS Size Limits Files per volume 4,294,967,295FAT32 Size LimitsMaximum number of files and subfolders within a single folder 65,534 Note: Using long file names can greatly reduce the figure listed.
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Erase Files from a CD-RW
If you have a computer that is equipped with a CD recorder and it supports CD-RW (re-writable) discs, then you will be able to easily erase and reuse the CD-RW disc. Here's how:1. Place the CD-RW disc you would like to reuse in your CD-RW drive.2. Go to Start>> My Computer3. In My Computer, right-click the CD-RW drive, and then click Open. A temporary storage area is now displayed. This storage area is where files are held before they are copied to the CD. You will find the files listed in the "Files Ready to Be Written to the CD" box.4. In the CD Writing Tasks pane, click "Erase this CD-RW". Windows will now display the "Welcome to the CD Writing Wizard". 5. Click Next. The "Erasing the CD" dialog box is displayed along with a progress bar.6. When the process is completed, you will receive a message in the notification area. You can now reuse your CD-RW disc.
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Stop seeing Links folder in your Favorites menu
Below, you will find two methods that can be used to stop seeing the Links folder in your Favorites menu. In the first method, the Links folder will be permanently deleted. In the second method, the folder will just be hidden from view but will not be deleted from your system.
First method:
Start>> Run. Type in: regedit [Enter]
Drill to the following key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar
Click once on "Toolbar" to empty its contents into the right pane.
Double click on "LinksFolderName".
Remove the default word "links" from this string value leaving it blank.
Open IE and delete the Links folder from the Favorites menu.
The next time you start Internet Explorer the Links folder will not be recreated.
Second Method:Using File Attributes-Using Windows Explorer find the location of your Favorites folder (e.g. C:\Documents and Settings\User Name\Favorites) within that folder will be a sub-folder named Links.Right click the "Links" folder and select Properties. Check the Hidden checkbox and click OK.From now on the Links folder should be hidden from the Favorites list. This works for any other folder or link on the favorites menu as well.
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Synchronizing Files
Question:
I have two separate computers that I keep photo files on. Is there a way to copy the files from one to the other so that both computers have the exact same files? Currently, I have many files that are the same on both, but many are different.Answer:
Yes, this can be done as long as the file names are intended to be the exact same for both computers. Here's how:Copy each file in any folder(s) that you wish to transfer from Computer #1. Paste them into the folder of choice on Computer #2. Once Windows gives a prompt asking if you wish to overwrite a file, simply choose Yes to all. Do the same thing from Computer #2 to Computer #1.
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Clean Out "Send To" Items
Deleting items that you'll never use is simple, here's how:
Open My Computer and navigate your way to the C:\Documents and Settings\[username]\SendTo folder, where C is the drive on which Windows is installed.
Inside the SendTo folder, right-click any shortcut you don't want and select Delete.It will no longer appear in the SendTo list.
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Create a Zip Folder
The information listed below gives instruction on three methods of creating a Zip Folder and password protecting your Zip Folder.Method #1:To create a new zip file in Windows Explorer, click the File menu>> New>> Compressed (zipped) Folder. A new folder will appear. Enter a file name making sure that you use .zip at the end. Press Enter on your keyboard to save it.Method #2:Right-click an open area of your desktop and select Compressed (zipped) Folder from the resulting menu. As in method #1, name and save your folder the same way.Note: In methods #1 and #2, you will need to drag and drop files into these folders once they are created. This is easily done by double-clicking your newly created folder to open it. Then drag a chosen file and drop it into your folder. If you are just wanting to copy a file, use drag and drop. If you want to move the file from its location into your folder, use drag and drop while holding down the Shift key.Method #3: (Preferred Method)Right-click a selected file or folder and choose Send To>> Compressed (zipped) Folder. This will create a new zip folder with a .zip extension. As an example; sending a file named AnyFile.txt to a compressed folder using this method, will automatically be named AnyFile.zip. If you double click your new Zip Folder, you will see that it contains AnyFile.txt.You can also send multiple files to one Compressed Zip Folder using this method. All you would have to do it use your CTRL key while clicking individual files, or click the first file, hold down the SHIFT key and click the last file. In either case, once you have all of the files highlighted (selected), just use the above instructions for method #3 to create a Compressed Zip Folder containing all of your selected files. In using this procedure, Windows XP will create a file name automatically. If you would like to change the name, simply right-click the folder and choose rename.
Note: Now that you have create a Zip Folder, you can password protect it. Open your folder then click the File Menu>> Add a Password... In the resulting dialog box, type in your password then again in the field below to confirm it. Click OK. To remove your password, open your zip folder, click the File Menu and select Remove Password.
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Folder Memory Setting
Windows XP remember the view settings for the 400 most recently used folders by default. Once that figure has been reached, it will start overwriting the data of the oldest folder. Below you will find a registry tweak that will increase the number of folders from 400 to 5000. The information is stored in two registry keys:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam
Open Windows Explorer and go to Tools>> Folder Options>> View>> Advanced Settings. Ensure that "Remember each folder's view settings" is checked.
Go to Start>> Run. Type in: regedit [Enter]
Navigate to: HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell
Right-click on "Shell", then follow to New>> Key>> DWORD Value.
Name this item "BagMRU Size" (without quotation marks) Ensure there is a space between BagMRU and Size.
Double-click BagMRU Size, give it a "Decimal" value of 5000, then click OK.
Now navigate to HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam.
Create another BagMRU Size DWORD Value for "ShellNoRoam". Again, give it a "Decimal" value of 5000, then click OK.
Close the registry and reboot your computer.
Windows XP will now remember 5000 folder view settings instead of 400.
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How to Put an Entire Drive into a Folder in XP
This feature, called "Volume Mount Points" (also supported in Windows 2000) allows you to associate an entire partition with a single folder on your hard disk. We recommend using the Volume Mount Points feature to free up disk space on a C: drive that's getting too full. If your C: drive is getting too full, you'll find this very helpful.
Create an empty folder on your C: drive called "NewDrive".
Install your new hard disk and open the Disk Management console. You can access Disk Management from the Run command. Type diskmgmt.msc in the Run command and click OK.
In the Disk Management console, right click on the new disk and click New Volume. Click Next when the Welcome to the New Volume Wizard dialog box appears.
On the Select Volume Type page, select the Simple option. Click Next.
On the Select Disks page, make sure the correct disk (the new one) is selected and then type in the size of the partition you want to create. The default is to use the entire disk. Type in the size in the Select the amount of space in MB text box and click Next.
On the Assign Drive Letter or Path page, select the Mount in the following empty NTFS folder option and then type in the path to the NewDrive folder. Click Next.
On the Format Volume page, accept the default settings and click Next. Click Finish and the volume will be created and formatted.
Find some folders that are taking up a lot of space. Right click on those folders and click the Cut command. Then click on the NewDrive folder and use the Paste command. Note that you shouldn't do this with Program Folders and System Folders, as there are many files in use in those folders so you won't be able to reliably copy them to the new location. The Cut and Paste operation moves the files from their old folders into the new one.
Notice that all the files still appear to be on the C: drive. This makes it easy for you to save all your stuff to the C: drive, but actually use the space on the new disk.
Note: You can, of course, name the folder whatever you wish instead of NewDrive.
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Print a Folders Contents
If you need to print the contents of a folder, then this batch file will come in very handy. Once you have followed the instructions below, you will be able to right click a folder and click Print Directory Listing from the resulting menu.
Create the Printdir.bat File:To create the Printdir.bat file:
Go to Start>> Run, type: notepad
Click OK
Paste the following text into Notepad:
@echo offdir %1 /-p /o:gn > "%temp%\Listing"start /w notepad /p "%temp%\Listing"del "%temp%\Listing"exit
On the File menu, click Exit, and then click Yes to save the changes.
In the Save As dialog box, type: %windir%\Printdir.bat
Click Save
Create a New Action for File Folders:
Click Start, click Control Panel (or, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel), and then click Folder Options.
On the File Types tab, click File Folder.
Click Advanced, and then click New.
In the Action box, type:
Print Directory Listing
In the Application used to perform action box, type:
printdir.bat
Click OK.
Click OK, and then click Close.
Edit the Registry:WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft and 5 Star Support cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using the Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.After you follow the steps in the previous sections, Search Companion may start when you double-click a folder (instead of the folder being opened). Or, if you have associated other actions with file folders, those actions may be performed instead.To resolve this issue:
Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).
Locate the Default value under the following key in the registry:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell
Click Modify on the Edit menu.
In the Value data box, type:
none
Click OK.
Quit Registry Editor.
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Rename Start Menu Folders
If you would like to rename the folders in your Start Menu (ie: My Documents, My Pictures...etc), Windows XP makes it very easy to do:
Click Start, then right-click My Pictures and select rename. Type in the new name, then press Enter. That's it! The same instructions will apply to all of the folders within the Start menu.
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Selecting Files
When viewing files in Windows Explorer, there may be times when you want to select more than one file at a time to work with. For example; if there are multiple files in a folder, and you would like to delete several of them, you could click them and delete them one at a time, or you could use one of the methods below to delete several of them at once. Here are a few ways to select multiple files:
If all the files to be selected are next to each other, click the first one, then hold down the Shift key and click the last one. Those two files and every file in between will be selected.
If the files to be selected are scattered throughout the folder, you can click the first one, then hold down the CTRL key while you click the others one at a time (holding down the CTRL key until they are all selected).
To select all of the files in a folder, click the first one, then press CTRL-A on the keyboard, and they will all be selected.
If there are 20 files within a folder and you would like to delete 18 of them, it may be faster to use CTRL-Click and select the two that you do not want to delete and then go to Edit and choose the "Invert Selection" command. This will reverse the process and highlight the other 18 files.
Once you have selected these files, any action you take will be applied to them as a group. For instance, if you press the DEL key, they will all be deleted. If you right-click them and choose Copy, they will all be copied, etc.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Windows XP Networking / Internet Tips, Tricks and Tweaks
Knowing Network Neighborhood
If you have other computers on your network that have file sharing enabled, accessing those files is as easy as accessing files on your own computer. Here's how: -In Windows XP, go to Start>> My Network Places. Here, you will find a list of the other computers on your LAN (Local Area Network). -In Windows 98, double-click the Network Neighborhood icon on your Desktop to see a list of the other computers on the network. In either case, if the other computers have file sharing enabled, you should be able to open documents stored on them or copy files to your PC. If you don't see or can't access the other computers in My Network Places or Network Neighborhood, then chances are file sharing is not properly configured. [Top]
Internet Connection Sharing
To enable Internet Connection Sharing on a network connection:
Open Network Connections.
Click the dial-up, local area network, PPPoE, or VPN connection you want to share, and then, under Network Tasks, click Change settings of this connection.
On the Advanced tab, select the Allow other network users to connect through this computer's Internet connection check box.
If you want this connection to dial automatically when another computer on your home or small office network attempts to access external resources, select the Establish a dial-up connection whenever a computer on my network attempts to access the Internet check box.
If you want other network users to enable or disable the shared Internet connection, select the Allow other network users to control or disable the shared Internet connection check box.
Under Internet Connection Sharing, in Home networking connection, select any adapter that connects the computer sharing its Internet connection to the other computers on your network.
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Using Remote Desktop
Windows XP Professional has a feature that will allow you to create your own virtual private network connection by remotely connecting two Windows XP Pro computers, and you can do this without installing any software.To use the remote desktop feature, follow these steps:
HOST: On the host computer, right click My Computer>> Remote>> Check the checkbox "Allow users to connect remotely to this computer"
CLIENT: If you use Windows XP, the client software is already pre-installed. Go to Start Menu>> All Applications>> Accessories>> Communications >> Remote Desktop Connection.
CLIENT: If you use a pre-Windows XP system, you have to run msrdpcli.exe from the \support\tools folder of the Windows XP Professional installation CD.
CLIENT: When the Remote Desktop Connection box appears, enter the IP address of the HOST and click "Connect".
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Local Area Network Connection Information Shortcut
Instead of using a command prompt and typing in "ipconfig" to find local area network information, you can use the following shortcut:
Go to Start>> Connect to>> Show all connections.
Right click the connection that you would like to receive information about and then click "Status".
Select the Support tab in the connection properties dialog box.
For additional information, click the Details button.
If you would like to automatically enable the status monitor each time there is an active connection, here's how:From the connection properties dialog box, select the "General" tab, then select Properties. Place a checkmark in the "Show icon in taskbar notification area when connected". Click OK and close all other networking connection windows.
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Internet Connection Sharing
If you would like to enable Internet Connection Sharing on a network connection, here's how:
Go to Start>> Control Panel>> Network Connections.
Double-click the dial-up, local area network (LAN), PPPoE, or VPN connection that you would like to share.
In the connection status window, click the Properties button.
In the connection properties window, click the Advanced tab.
Under the Internet Connection Sharing category, place a checkmark in the "Allow other network users to connect through this computer's Internet Connection" check box.
Click OK, then close all other open windows.
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Enable Printer Sharing
Do you have more than one computer on a network and would like to share the same printer? In this tip I will outline how you can enable printer sharing in Windows XP. You will need to be logged in as Administrator.Using the computer that has the printer that you would like to share connected to it. Go to:
Start>> Control Panel>> Printers and Faxes.
In the Printers and Faxes window, right click the default printer and select Sharing.. from the resulting menu.
In your printers properties window, tick the Share this printer option and click OK.
Your printer will now be available for other computers on your network to print from.Using the networked computer, connect to your newly created shared printer:
Start>> Control Panel>> Printers and Faxes.
Click Add a Printer.
Using the Add Printer Wizard, choose to browse for a network printer when prompted.
That's it! Enjoy the freedom of printing from any computer within your network.
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Create a Shortcut to your LAN Information
If you would like to create a shortcut to your Local Area Networking information, here's how:
Go to Start>> Connect to>> Show all connections.
Right click the desired connection.
Click Properties.
Place a checkmark in the checkbox titled: Show icon in notification area when connected.
Click OK.
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Off-Line Web Browsing
Here is a feature that I have personally never used, but I have always had a reliable Internet connection. If you are not so lucky, then you may find this feature useful at times. To configure IE for offline browsing:
Open up the web site of choice and click the Favorites button.
Select Add to Favorites...
Tick the box that reads; "Make available offline"
Note: If you would like to be able view even linked pages of this selected web site, you can click the "Customize" button and follow the Offline Favorite Wizard to help you determine how much content you would like to make available offline.
Select a favorites folder to place it in
Click OK
To remove a web page from offline browsing:
Select Tools>> Synchronize...
De-select the check box next to the web page you would like to remove
Click Close
The de-selected web page will no longer show in this menu when re-entered.
If you have other computers on your network that have file sharing enabled, accessing those files is as easy as accessing files on your own computer. Here's how: -In Windows XP, go to Start>> My Network Places. Here, you will find a list of the other computers on your LAN (Local Area Network). -In Windows 98, double-click the Network Neighborhood icon on your Desktop to see a list of the other computers on the network. In either case, if the other computers have file sharing enabled, you should be able to open documents stored on them or copy files to your PC. If you don't see or can't access the other computers in My Network Places or Network Neighborhood, then chances are file sharing is not properly configured. [Top]
Internet Connection Sharing
To enable Internet Connection Sharing on a network connection:
Open Network Connections.
Click the dial-up, local area network, PPPoE, or VPN connection you want to share, and then, under Network Tasks, click Change settings of this connection.
On the Advanced tab, select the Allow other network users to connect through this computer's Internet connection check box.
If you want this connection to dial automatically when another computer on your home or small office network attempts to access external resources, select the Establish a dial-up connection whenever a computer on my network attempts to access the Internet check box.
If you want other network users to enable or disable the shared Internet connection, select the Allow other network users to control or disable the shared Internet connection check box.
Under Internet Connection Sharing, in Home networking connection, select any adapter that connects the computer sharing its Internet connection to the other computers on your network.
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Using Remote Desktop
Windows XP Professional has a feature that will allow you to create your own virtual private network connection by remotely connecting two Windows XP Pro computers, and you can do this without installing any software.To use the remote desktop feature, follow these steps:
HOST: On the host computer, right click My Computer>> Remote>> Check the checkbox "Allow users to connect remotely to this computer"
CLIENT: If you use Windows XP, the client software is already pre-installed. Go to Start Menu>> All Applications>> Accessories>> Communications >> Remote Desktop Connection.
CLIENT: If you use a pre-Windows XP system, you have to run msrdpcli.exe from the \support\tools folder of the Windows XP Professional installation CD.
CLIENT: When the Remote Desktop Connection box appears, enter the IP address of the HOST and click "Connect".
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Local Area Network Connection Information Shortcut
Instead of using a command prompt and typing in "ipconfig" to find local area network information, you can use the following shortcut:
Go to Start>> Connect to>> Show all connections.
Right click the connection that you would like to receive information about and then click "Status".
Select the Support tab in the connection properties dialog box.
For additional information, click the Details button.
If you would like to automatically enable the status monitor each time there is an active connection, here's how:From the connection properties dialog box, select the "General" tab, then select Properties. Place a checkmark in the "Show icon in taskbar notification area when connected". Click OK and close all other networking connection windows.
[Top]
Internet Connection Sharing
If you would like to enable Internet Connection Sharing on a network connection, here's how:
Go to Start>> Control Panel>> Network Connections.
Double-click the dial-up, local area network (LAN), PPPoE, or VPN connection that you would like to share.
In the connection status window, click the Properties button.
In the connection properties window, click the Advanced tab.
Under the Internet Connection Sharing category, place a checkmark in the "Allow other network users to connect through this computer's Internet Connection" check box.
Click OK, then close all other open windows.
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Enable Printer Sharing
Do you have more than one computer on a network and would like to share the same printer? In this tip I will outline how you can enable printer sharing in Windows XP. You will need to be logged in as Administrator.Using the computer that has the printer that you would like to share connected to it. Go to:
Start>> Control Panel>> Printers and Faxes.
In the Printers and Faxes window, right click the default printer and select Sharing.. from the resulting menu.
In your printers properties window, tick the Share this printer option and click OK.
Your printer will now be available for other computers on your network to print from.Using the networked computer, connect to your newly created shared printer:
Start>> Control Panel>> Printers and Faxes.
Click Add a Printer.
Using the Add Printer Wizard, choose to browse for a network printer when prompted.
That's it! Enjoy the freedom of printing from any computer within your network.
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Create a Shortcut to your LAN Information
If you would like to create a shortcut to your Local Area Networking information, here's how:
Go to Start>> Connect to>> Show all connections.
Right click the desired connection.
Click Properties.
Place a checkmark in the checkbox titled: Show icon in notification area when connected.
Click OK.
[Top]
Off-Line Web Browsing
Here is a feature that I have personally never used, but I have always had a reliable Internet connection. If you are not so lucky, then you may find this feature useful at times. To configure IE for offline browsing:
Open up the web site of choice and click the Favorites button.
Select Add to Favorites...
Tick the box that reads; "Make available offline"
Note: If you would like to be able view even linked pages of this selected web site, you can click the "Customize" button and follow the Offline Favorite Wizard to help you determine how much content you would like to make available offline.
Select a favorites folder to place it in
Click OK
To remove a web page from offline browsing:
Select Tools>> Synchronize...
De-select the check box next to the web page you would like to remove
Click Close
The de-selected web page will no longer show in this menu when re-entered.
Windows XP Repairing / Troubleshooting Tips, Tricks and Tweaks
Back up the XP Registry
Go to Start>> Run, type in: regedit
Click on the registry key that you are going to edit.
Go to File and click Export.
Choose a location to save the registry key file and click Save.
Or you can use a small utility called "ERUNT" which stands for: The Emergency Recovery Utility NT. This is an emergency registry backup and restore utility for Windows NT/2000/XP
574 KB
NOTE: Please keep in mind that using the export style of backup is not a complete backup of the Windows registry. ERUNT is a very good backup program and is a complete backup of the registry, but I believe the System Restore (SR) feature that comes with XP is the best and safest way to backup. With SR, you'll have a months worth of clean registry backup copies to choose from (assuming the chosen restore point was in fact clean to start with). Remember, each restore point overwrites the next. Now, If you use ERUNT, you could be restoring a copy of your registry that is much older than a month, whereby you would lose any programs and/or changes that you've made after making your backup copy. So, you can see that the SR is best because you can always choose a restore point that is very recent.
For further information regarding the System Restore feature:
Click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
306084 HOW TO: Restore Windows XP to a Previous State
304449 HOW TO: Start System Restore Tool From Command Prompt
283073 HOW TO: Disable the System Restore Configuration User Interface
302796 Troubleshooting System Restore in Windows XP[Top]
DirectX Diagnostic Tool
Windows 2000/XP has a handy tool for running diagnostic tests on your DirectX program. Some of what this tool can do includes:
Display detailed information
Diagnostic tests on many components, which include:
Display
Sound
Network
...and more
Check for problems
Save the information to a text file.
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System Restore Feature
XP contains a new feature called System Restore that restores the system to a previous configuration point. Should you restore your system to a point before you activated XP on your computer, the OS will forget that you activated it and you'll need to reactivate XP. If the system restore point is past the 30-day grace period that Microsoft allows for activation, you'll have to activate XP immediately. The only workaround to reactivating your system is to perform the following steps:
Start your Windows installation in Minimal Safe mode.
Move to the \%systemroot%\system32 folder.
Rename wpa.dbl to wpa.noact.
Rename wpa.bak to wpa.dbl.
Reboot your system as normal.
Note: The above procedure will work only if you've made no significant hardware changes.[Top]
Defrag.exe
One of the problems with the welcome addition of the disk defragmenter in Windows 2000 is that it has no command-prompt equivalent. As a result, you can't easily schedule the defragmenter to run. To address this problem, Microsoft included defrag.exe in Windows XP for command-level disk defragmentation.
An example analysis execution shows: C:\>defrag d: -a Windows Disk Defragmenter Copyright (c) 2001 Microsoft Corp. and Executive Software International, Inc. Analysis Report 6.91 GB Total, 6.73 GB (97%) Free, 2% Fragmented (5% file fragmentation)
The command format is: defrag [-a] [-f] [-v] [-?] volume drive letter or mount point (d: or d:\vol\mountpoint) -a Analyze only -f Force defragmentation, even if free space is low -v Verbose output -? Display this help text
[Top]
Bootcfg
Bootcfg is a new addition to the Windows XP recovery console. You use this command to modify the boot.ini file, which contains the choices at system startup (in a multiboot environment, boot.ini contains the list of all the OSs and lets you choose one).
The Bootcfg command recognizes Windows XP, Windows 2000, and Windows NT. It doesn't recognize Windows 9x. Bootcfg has the following options:
/default-Sets the default OS (modifies the default= line in boot.ini).
/add-Scans the computer for OSs and lets you add located installations. You can also specify optional boot switches.
/rebuild-Same as /add except /rebuild automatically recreates boot.ini with all found installations if the user confirms.
/scan-Identifies current installations but doesn't modify boot.ini.
/list-Scans the boot.ini files and displays each entry.
/redirect-Enables redirection of the boot loaded to a specific port and baud rate (this option is useful for the Headless Administration options).
/disableredirect-Disables the redirection configured with /redirect.
Bootcfg is simply an extra tool. You can still modify boot.ini directly with Notepad (after removing read-only, system, and hidden attributes-attrib c:\boot.ini -r -s -h). Or you can use the System Control Panel applet or Msconfig[Top]
Tasklist.exe
Microsoft has replaced tlist.exe with tasklist.exe in XP. Tlist.exe lets you list all the processes running on your machine and the associated task name and memory usage. Tasklist.exe replicates all the functionality of the original utility. For information about tasklist.exe, type the following at the XP command prompt: tasklist /?
[Top]
Local Group Policy Editor
[Professional]
A nice feature of the Windows NT, 2000, XP Operating Systems is the "Local Group Policy Editor" This is a flexible Change and Configuration Management tool. This tool includes options for registry-based policy settings, security settings, software installation, scripts, startup, shutdown, logon, logoff, and folder redirection.
To invoke the Local Group Policy Editor, select Start and then Run, then type: gpedit.msc Now press ENTER on your keyboard.
[Top]
Format Hard Drive
There are several ways to format in XP:1 During install2. Using Diskmanagement under administrative tools3. Using the recovery console4. Using start run cmd then the format command.5. Right click on the drive in explorer and select format.6. Using a Win98 boot diskNote: WinXP will not let you mess with the boot partition or system partition since both contain items required to boot and run winXP. Thus, you should use the install process to format system and boot drive.Here is the easiest way to perform a "Clean Install" of XP:Using Windows XP CD:1. Insert your XP CD in the drive while running your current installation of XP. 2. You will be given some options here. You can select:
Clean Install
New Installation
Advanced
...and others I believe. But since this tutorial teaches a Clean Installation of XP, select "Clean Install".3. Put a checkmark in the box to "designate where you want to install XP" (or some such dialog). Typically, you will choose to install XP on your C: drive.4. Next, you will need to select the file system you wish to use. I recommend selecting NTFS as it is more sucure than the FAT32 system.5. Setup will then format the partition you chose and then you can install XP clean on that partition. Be sure that if you have more than one partition, you select the correct one. 6. Install your Windows XP Operating System.Using Windows 98 Boot Disk:Get yourself a Windows 98 boot-diskette with fdisk. Delete all partitions and THEN boot from the CD. If XP's setup finds formatted partitions, it proceeds without user intervention. If it doesn't find any, setup will prompt you for partitioning and formatting.Using Floppy Drive:If you are not able to boot from your CD-ROM, try changing the boot order in your BIOS so that your CD-ROM boots first.
[Top]
Common Command Console Utilities
Listed below are many of the Windows XP console utilities that you can run from the command line.
Computer Management
compmgmt.msc
Disk Managment
diskmgmt.msc
Device Manager
devmgmt.msc
Disk Defrag
dfrg.msc
Event Viewer
eventvwr.msc
Shared Folders
fsmgmt.msc
Group Policies
gpedit.msc
Local Users and Groups
lusrmgr.msc
Performance Monitor
perfmon.msc
Resultant Set of Policies
rsop.msc
Local Security Settings
secpol.msc
Services
services.msc
Component Services
comexp.msc
[Top]
PowerToys for XP
As with previous versions of Windows, Microsoft has released a set of great utilities to enhance the Windows experience.
Power Toys for XP consists of the following:
Super-Fast User Switcher: Switch users without having to go through the XP logon screen
Open Command Window Here: Open a command window that points to a particular folder just by right-clicking that folder
TweakUI: Make many modifications to internal XP settings that aren't accessible in the default UI
Power Calculator: Graph and evaluate functions as well as perform unit conversions
Image Resizer: Easily resize multiple images into a target size with a right-click
CD Slide Show Generator: View images as a slide show
Virtual Desktop Manager: Have up to four virtual desktops
Taskbar Magnifier: Magnify part of the screen from the taskbar
HTML Slide Show Wizard: Create HTML slide shows of your digital pictures, ready to place on a Web site
Webcam Timershot: Take pictures at specified time intervals from a Webcam connected to your computer and save them to a location that you designate
939 KB Download8 Min @ 28.8 kbps[Top]
Windows XP MSCONFIG
The Windows XP utility Msconfig (Microsoft Configuration) is useful for configuring various OS elements:
Startup type (e.g., which drivers are loaded, whether system.ini/win.ini are parsed)
Which parts of system.ini are used
Which parts of win.ini are used
Which commands run at start-up
Which services start
boot.ini options
With the boot.ini option, you can check the current entries, specify additional options, and configure the timeout.
Start Msconfig (Start, Run, msconfig.exe).
Select the BOOT.INI tab.
The dialog box displays the current OSs.
Click Check All Boot Paths to go through all the entries and ensure that they relate to a true installation.
If you select an actual installation, you can then set the various boot options, such as basevideo and SOS.
Once finished, click OK. [Top]
Personal Support
Have you ever made the mistake of telling friends or co-workers that you know something about computers and then get tasked with fixing all of their computer ailments? Well, as nice as it is to give your time for free, it's is even nicer if it doesn't take tons of time to fix them. With any version of Windows XP it can be pretty simple. If the other party has an Internet Connection, all they have to do is send you a Remote Assistance request then you will be able to connect to their computer to fix a wide array of troubleshooting tasks such as; file associations, registry settings, set system options and much more. But beware...they'll surely be so impressed that they will tell all of their friends about you. [Top]
Using the "Ping" Command
A very handy method of checking your computer's networking connection is the Ping command. Let's say that you are having trouble connecting to a certain site. You can PING that site to see if it is accessible. If the site is not the trouble, try PINGing your Internet Service Provider to see if the problem is at their end.Using the PING command in Windows XP/NT/2000:Once you are online, go to Start>> Run. Type in: cmd.exe [Enter]Using the Ping command in Windows 95/98/ME:Once you are online, go to Start>> Programs>> MS DOS [Enter]At the command prompt:Type in: ping www.your-isp.com [Enter][Top]
Description of the Low Disk Space Notification in Windows XP
When a Windows XP-based computer is running low on disk space, you receive a "Low Disk Space" message that, when clicked, starts the Disk Cleanup Wizard. This article describes the conditions in which you receive the "Low Disk Space" message. When free disk space reaches 200 megabytes (MB), you receive the following message for 10 seconds, once per session: You are running out of disk space on [drive]. To free space on this drive by deleting old or unnecessary files, click here. When free disk space reaches 80 MB, you receive the following message for 30 seconds, every four hours, twice per session: You are running very low on disk space on [drive]. To free space on this drive by deleting old or unnecessary files, click here. When free disk reaches 50 MB, you receive the following message for 30 seconds, every five minutes, until free space is above 50 MB: You are running very low on disk space on [drive]. To free space on this drive by deleting old or unnecessary files, click here. Note: There is a registry value you can set to disable this feature. To disable low disk space checks, follow these steps, log off, and then log on again: Follow these steps, and then quit Registry Editor: 1. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK. 2. Locate and then click the following key in the registry: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer 3. On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click DWORD Value. 4. Type NoLowDiskSpaceChecks, and then press ENTER. 5. On the Edit menu, click Modify. 6. Type 1, and then click OK. Source: Microsoft[Top]
Repair Option on a Local Area Network or High-Speed Internet Connection
In the latest versions of Windows, you are given a repair option when you right-click a network connection in the Network Connections window. Below, you will find exactly what Windows does, in order, when you tell it to repair a network connection:
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) lease is renewed (ipconfig /renew)
Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) cache is flushed (arp -d *)
Reload of the NetBIOS name cache (nbtstat -R)
NetBIOS name update is sent (nbtstat -RR)
Domain Name System (DNS) cache is flushed (ipconfig /flushdns)
DNS name registration (ipconfig /registerdns)
IEEE 802.1X Authentication Restart (WinXP SP1 or later)
Note: The bit in parenthesis is the actual command that is issued, which you can perform yourself from a command prompt.
Source: Microsoft KB Article[Top]
Detect and Repairing Disk Errors
In previous versions of Windows, you would find a built in utility called ScanDisk. This utility exists in Windows XP but is called the Error Checking utility. So, in addition to running Disk Cleanup and Disk Defragmenter to optimize the performance of your computer, you can check the integrity of the files stored on your hard disk by running the Error Checking utility.As you use your hard drive, it can develop bad sectors. Bad sectors slow down hard disk performance and sometimes make data writing (such as file saving) difficult, or even impossible. The Error Checking utility scans the hard drive for bad sectors, and scans for file system errors to see whether certain files or folders are misplaced.To run the Error Checking utility:Important: Be sure to close all files before running the Error Checking Utility. Any unsaved data will be lost.
1. Click Start, and then click My Computer.2. In the My Computer window, right-click the hard disk you want to search for bad sectors, and then click Properties.3. In the Properties dialog box, click the Tools tab.4. Click the Check Now button.5. In the Check Disk dialog box, select the Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors check box, and then click Start6. If bad sectors are found, choose to fix them. Tip: Only select the Automatically fix file system errors check box if you think that your disk contains bad sectors. Source: Microsoft [Top]
Update a Device Driver
Many people are of the opinion that if it isn't broke then don't fix it. However, there are other people that believe that updating your hardware with fresh drivers taps its full potential and makes for a smoother running device. In any case, it is easy to locate and update a device driver using Device Manager, here's how:
Go to Start and right-click on My Computer.
Select Properties from the resulting menu.
Click the Hardware tab.
Click the Device Manager button.
Select the device you want to update by hitting the plus sign next to the hardware category. The specific device will now be shown.
Right click on the device and select Update Driver (see Figure #1).
This will invoke the Hardware Update Wizard. Follow the onscreen instructions or visit the manufactures web site to locate an updated driver.If the new driver fails, you can easily reinstall the old driver. Here's how:
Open the Device Manager (steps 1-4 above).
Expose the desired device, right click it and then select Properties.
Choose the Driver tab.
Select the Roll Back Driver button (see Figure #2). Figure #1 Figure #2 [Top]
Troubleshooting Drivers Using Driver Verifier Manager
If you are having lockups, blue screens, error messages...etc. Many times the cause is a corrupt driver. Microsoft has a tool already installed in Windows XP called Driver Verifier Manager. This easy to use tool will help you identify the cause of a driver problem. Here's how to use this tool:
Go to Start>> Run. Type in: verifier [Enter] or Click OK.
With the Select A Task page open, keep the default setting "Create Standard Settings". Click Next.
Choose the "Select Driver Name From A List" option.
Select the driver files that you would like to verify by checking the checkbox next to a driver file.
Click Finish, then Reboot your system. If you encounter a Blue Screen along with an error message on restart, then one or more of the selected drivers are a problem. If your system boots normally, then you have no driver issues with the ones that you've selected.Driver Verifier will remain active until you turn it off. Here's how:Go to Start>> Run. Type in: verifier /reset [Enter] or Click OK.For further information about the Driver verifier program visit:http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;244617
[Top]
Create Password Reset Disk
I often get questions regarding forgotten passwords in Windows XP. Windows XP has a feature that will reset your password in the event that you forget it. Here's how to set this up:
Go to Start>> Control Panel>> User Accounts
Open the User account that you would like to make a reset disk for
Find a link titled: "Prevent a Forgotten Password" Click this link
The Forgotten Password Wizard will now guide you through the steps necessary to create the disk. When the process completes, label the disk accordingly and store it in a safe place.[Top]
System Information Tool
In Windows XP, you'll find a very handy tool called, the System Information Tool. The main purpose of this tool is to help in troubleshooting computer issues. As an example, if you are having a problem with an optical drive, you can use this tool to identify the status of the driver for this drive. While the troubleshooting aspect of this tool is used by the more advanced users, this tool is handy for all users who wish to find out information about what is installed on your Windows application at a glance. Here's how to start the System Information Tool:Go to Start>> All Programs>> Accessories>> System Tools>> System Information.OR - Go to Start>> Run. Type in: msinfo32.exe [Enter] or click OK.The categories of information you can expect to find in this tool are:
Installed Components
Hardware Resources
Installed Applications
Software Environment
Internet Explorer
[Top]
How to Easily Create a Partition on Your Hard Disk with XP
If you've moved up from Windows 95 or 98 to Windows XP, one big thing you'll notice is that creating new partitions doesn't have to be done from the command line any more. Windows XP makes it easy to create a new partition using the graphical disk management tool. Here's how:
Turn off your computer and install your new hard disk. It's unlikely that you have any unpartitioned space on which to create a new partition on the drive already in the machine, so you'll need to add a new drive. New drives typically don't come preformatted, so you'll need to create your own partitions and format them.
Start your computer and logon as an administrator. Click Start and then click the Run command. In the Open text box type: diskmgmt.msc and click OK.
A Wizard will appear when the Disk Management console opens. Go through the Wizard's steps and allow it to initialize the new disk, but do not allow the Wizard to convert the disk from basic to dynamic.
You will see, on the left side of the console, disk icons that represent "Disk 0", "Disk 1," etc. Your new disk should be the one with the highest number. The size of the disk should be listed, and the word "Unallocated" should be just under the size. Right click where it shows the size of the disk and click the New Partition command.
Click Next on the New Partition Wizard Welcome page.
On the Select Partition Type page, click on both of the options and read the Descriptions. We'll assume here you're creating a primary partition. Select Primary partition and click Next.
On the Specify Partition Size page, type in the size of the partition. Depending on what you want to use the disk for, you might want to create more than one partition. Type in the size of the new partition in the Partition size in MB text box and click Next.
On the Assign Drive Letter or Path page, you can bind the partition to a drive letter or mount it in an empty NTFS folder. In this example, you'll do it the old fashioned way and assign the partition a new drive letter. Select the drive letter and click Next.
You need to format the partition to use it. Always use NTFS unless you need to allow other operating systems on the same machine to access the drive. You can use the defaults, or customize the Allocation unit size based on the types of applications you want to run on the disk. Click Next.
Click Finish.
Note: You'll see the drive being formatted. You can use the partition after the formatting is complete. You don't even need to restart.
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Using the System File Checker
You can run the System File Checker to verify protected system files. Command line switches are:sfc [/scannow] [/scanonce] [/scanboot] [/revert] [/purgecache] [/cachesize=x] /scannow - Scans all protected system files immediately. /scanonce - Scans all protected system files once. /scanboot - Scans all protected system files every time the computer is restarted. /revert - Returns the scan to its default operation. /purgecache - Purges the Windows File Protection file cache and scans all protected system files immediately. /cachesize=x - Sets the size, in MB, of the Windows File Protection file cache.
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Configuring the XP firewall
To enable the firewall:
Go to start >>control panel >>network and Internet connections >>network connections
Right click on your Internet connection and select 'properties'.
Go to the 'Advanced' tab and check the 'Internet Connection Firewall' box.
What you have just done is enabled a combination of packet filtering and a circuit level gateway. Your computer will now record which applications on your computer attempt to access the Internet, and examine all incoming data against these records. Any unsolicited data will be dropped. If you choose to use Internet connection sharing as well, the firewall will handle requests from the other computers in your network as well, acting as a gateway. The XP firewall is effective at stopping unauthorized data from entering your computer or network.
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Reinstall Internet Explorer
To Reinstall Internet Explorer 6:1) Insert the Windows XP CD2) Open Start / Run and type: rundll32.exe
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Re-Enabling System Restore
If you've previously disabled system restore through the Group Policy Editor, the option to start it again does not show in the System Properties. You can re-enable it again. Here's how:
Start the Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc)
Navigate to Computer Configuration/Administrative Templates/System/System Restore
Set Turn off System Restore and Turn off Configuration to Disable
Right click on My Computer and Select Manage
Navigate to Services and Applications/Services
Navigate to System Restore Service and double click
On the General tab set [Startup Type] to Automatic using the drop down list
Click the Start button to start the service
Close the Computer Management console
Return to System Restore in Group Policy Editor and configure both to Not Configured
Close Group Policy Editor and reboot the system.
After the reboot is complete, right click My Computer, select Properties and the tab for System Restore will have been restored. Configure it to your individual needs and satisfaction.
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System Response
If your computer hangs while trying to access files or programs, you can try the simple steps below to reboot your system without actually rebooting it. However, if you still experience the problem, then I would recommend performing an actual reboot of your system.
Press CRTL + ALT + DEL
Go to the 'processes' tab and click explorer.exe once to highlight it, then click 'end process'.
Now, click File >> New Task and type: explorer.exe
Click OK
Everything should be working fine now!
[Top]
Accessing Safe Mode
To access Safe Mode, you have to press F8 as soon as you see booting into Windows XP text. This can sometimes be quite tricky, especially on very fast systems. To make it a little easier, you can tap the F8 key continually during the entire boot sequence, and if you have a dual boot system, select the OS, press Enter and F8 at the same time to enter Safe Mode.Using MSCONFIG to Access SAFE MODE
From Start> Run Type: msconfig
Choose the Boot.ini tab
From Boot Option
Select /SAFEBOOT by placing a check in the box.
Press Apply
Press OK
Select Restart
System will boot into Safe Mode
BEFORE rebooting from Safe mode repeat steps 1 thru 7 and uncheck the box selecting /SAFEBOOT
Press Apply
Press OK
Select Restart
You will get a message that your are in Troubleshooting Mode, place a check in the "do not show this again" box; press OK
From Start> Run; once again Type: msconfig
From the General Tab
Select Normal Startup
Press Apply
Press OK
This will restore normal boot.
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Restore Missing Windows Update Link
Microsoft has made available to all Windows users, a web site that provides Updates to its Operating Systems. By default, a link is provided in the Start Menu. If for some reason you have removed this link or it has just mysteriously disappeared, then here is a simple method to recover this link to your Start Menu:
Here is the address to the Windows Update website: windowsupdate.Microsoft.com
On the above link, point your mouse directly over the Windows Update link.
While holding your mouse over the link, left-click the link and keep the left button depressed.
While continuing to hold the left mouse button down, mouse over the Start Menu and wait a moment for the menu to expand.
Once the menu has expanded vertically, continue holding down the left mouse button and mouse over the "All Programs" button. The All Programs menu will also expand.
Once the All Programs menu has expanded, slide the mouse pointer up the programs menu until you have chosen a location within the menu for your link to reside (you should see a black horizontal line while you're moving your pointer around in the programs menu).
Once you've chosen the location for your link, remove your finger from the left-click button and the link will now pop into place.
You can right click the newly placed link and rename it "Windows Update" or just leave it as is.
Now, you can left click the link again and hold the left click button depressed while sliding the mouse pointer into the Start Menu area (you should again see a black horizontal line while you're moving your pointer around in the Start Menu).
Once you have chosen a location within the Start Menu for your link to reside, just lift your finger from the left-click button and again, the link will pop into place.
Congrats! You've just added the Windows Update URL to your Start Menu.
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Driver Rollback
Windows XP device Driver Rollback can replace a device driver with the previously installed version. When you install a new device driver that causes system instability, use Driver Rollback to reinstall the previous drivers. In the event that Driver Rollback cannot reinstall your previous driver, you can use System Restore to return your operating system to its state before the new device driver installation.
To use Driver Rollback, perform the following steps:
Click the Start button, and then right-click My Computer.
Click Properties.
Click the Hardware tab, and then click Device Manager.
In the Device Manager window, right-click the device for which the new driver was installed, and then click Properties.
Click the Drivers tab, and then click Roll Back Driver.
[Top]
Disable Boot Virus Detection
Having the Boot Virus Detection enabled is pretty much obsolete with the newer machines. This is due to more modern virus styles and the fact that most Motherboards now days can detect any attempts to write to the boot sector or the partition table. Disabling this feature in the "Advanced BIOS Features" section of the BIOS will improve your boot speed.
[Top]
Password Reset Disk
In the event you have forgotten your account password, Windows XP has made this feature available so that your password can be easily reset. The tips below include instruction for creating and using a Password Reset Disk for both Windows XP Home and Professional editions:
To create a Password Reset Disk: [Home Edition]
Open Control Panel from the Start Menu
Open User Accounts
Click on the User for which you want to create a Password Reset Disk.
Along the upper left side of the window, click on Prevent a Forgotten Password. This starts the Forgotten Password Wizard.
Insert a blank floppy disk and follow the prompts through the Wizard.
When the process is complete, label the disk and store it in a safe place.
Here is how to use your Password Reset Disk:
From the Welcome screen, click your user name
Click the Question Mark button.
Click Use Your Password Reset Disk. Follow the instructions to create a new password.
Note: Once you have logged in with your new password, be sure to store your Password Reset Disk in a safe place.
To create a Password Reset Disk: [Professional Edition]
Note that this procedure requires one blank, formatted floppy disk. To create a password reset disk for your local user account:
Press CTRL+ALT+DELETE. The Windows Security dialog box appears.
Select Change Password . The Change Password dialog box will appear.
In the Log on to box, click the local computer. For example, click Computer (this computer).
Select Backup . The Forgotten Password Wizard will now start.
On the "Welcome to the Forgotten Password Wizard" page, choose Next .
Insert a blank, formatted disk in drive A, and then choose Next .
In the Current user account password box, type your password, and then select Next . The Forgotten Password Wizard will create the disk.
When the progress bar reaches 100 percent complete, select Next , and then choose Finish . The Forgotten Password Wizard will quit and you return to the Change Password dialog box.
Remove and label the newly created disk. Be sure to store it in a safe place.
In the Change Password dialog box, click Cancel .
In the Windows Security dialog box, click Cancel. Here is how to use your Password Reset Disk:
In the Welcome to Windows dialog box, press CTRL+ALT+DELETE.
In the Log On to Windows dialog box, type an incorrect password in the Password box, and then select OK .
In the Logon Failed dialog box that appears, select Reset . The Password Reset Wizard starts.
On the "Welcome to the Password Reset Wizard" page, choose Next .
Insert the Password Reset Disk in your floppy drive and select Next.
On the "Reset the User Account Password" page, type a new password in the Type a New Password box.
Type the same password in the Type the Password Again to Confirm box.
In the Type a New Password Hint box, type a hint that will help you remember the password if you forget it.
Note : This hint is visible to anyone who attempts to log on to the computer by using your user account.
Choose Next , and then click Finish . The Password Reset Wizard will quit and return you to the Log On to Windows dialog box. The Password Reset Disk is automatically updated with the new password information. You do not have to create a new password reset disk.
In the Log On to Windows dialog box, type your new password in the Password box.
In the Log on to box, click the local computer. For example, click Computer (this computer) , and then click OK . You are logged on to the local computer with your local account information.
[Top]
Repairing IE / OE In Windows XP
If you are having any of the following problems, you may find that repairing your Internet Explorer / Outlook Express application may help.
If you click a hyperlink in an email message:
A blank page opens
The hyperlink does not function at all
You receive an error message
Unable to type in text boxes in a search engine or website.
Address bar search does not work.
Or, if you encounter various error messages while browsing. To fix most problems concerning IE/OE:Go to Start>> Run. Type in: rundll32.exe setupapi,InstallHinfSection DefaultInstall 132 %windir%\inf\ie.inf [Enter](for accuracy, it is best to copy and paste the entire above command)Or, you can repair IE/OE manually:Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.x Repair for Windows XP:
Go to Start>> Run. Type in: sfc /scannow [Enter] (Notice the space between sfc and /scannow)
Follow the onscreen prompts during the System File Checker process.
Reboot your machine when completed. [Top]
Constant Ping to Troubleshoot a Connection
If you would like to send a constant Ping to an Internet address, it is possible to do this using a DOS command:
Go to Start>> Run. Type in: cmd [Enter] or click OK
At the command prompt, type: ping /t
Note: To find additional ping commands, you can type: ping /?
[Top]
Remove a Randomly Named Trojan Virus
Warning: Be sure to make a backup copy of your registry prior to making any changes to it.
Start your computer in Safe Mode by pressing F8 once Windows first begins to load. Be sure that you login as Administrator.
Go to Start>> Search all files and folders. Search for the viruses file name and delete it where-ever it is found.
Go back to Start>> Run. Type in: regedit [Enter] or click OK.
Navigate to the following Registry keys one at a time:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shared Tools\MSConfig\startupreg
Click the last string entry (eg: startupreg & run) to empty its contents into the right pane. Look for entries that reference your specific Trojan file. Delete the strings that contain such reference. Be sure that you do not delete any string values in the left pane.
Close the Registry Editor when completed. Restart your computer normally.
Update your Antivirus software and run a full system scan. If your antivirus software states that your system is clean, you will now need to remove all of your restore points as the virus may reside there. The next time that you would use system restore, you will re-infect your system.
Here's how to remove your restore points:
Go to Start>> Control Panel>> System>> System Restore tab. Check the box to "Turn off system restore on all drives".
Click Apply. Then click OK. This will remove all restore points.
Follow the instructions in #1 above to restore your system restore on all drives by unchecking the entry.
Create a new clean restore point by going to Start>> All Programs>> Accessories>> System Tools>> System Restore.
Click "Create a Restore Point" then click Next.
Enter a name for this Restore Point and then click Create.
Note: If everything seems to be running well at this point, delete the backup copy of your registry. Then, empty your recycle bin.
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Installing the Windows XP Recovery Console
I have seen on many occasions that after trying to install software or a device, something in Windows may become corrupt and sometimes to the point where Windows will not boot. If after trying to restore to a last known good configuration you still cannot boot. You can try a last ditch effort at the Recovery Console. The Recovery Console will give you access to a DOS like environment where you can try to fix suspected problems. Here is how to install the Recovery Console:1. Place your Windows XP CD into your CD-ROM drive2. Go to Start>> Run. Type in: d:\i386\winnt32.exe /cmdcons (assuming D:\ is your CD-ROM Drive). Press Enter on your keyboard or click OK.A Windows setup dialog box will now appear. Here, you can read about the Recovery Console option. After you're done reading, click YES to confirm the installation.Once you restart your computer, you will now see "Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" on the startup menu.
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View event logs to troubleshoot issues
If you need to troubleshoot issues within Windows XP, you can view your event logs in the Computer Management Console. To access the Computer Management Console:
Go to Start>> Right click My Computer>> Select 'Manage' from the resulting menu.
Once in the console, select Event Viewer. Then double click any highlighted events within the Application or System categories to view the details on what the problem could be.
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How to use the Recovery Console
There are many things that can be done in the Recovery Console.
Enable and Disable Services
Format Drives
Read and Write data on a local drive to include NTFS formatted drives
Plus many other administrative tasks
The Recovery Console is mostly used for bringing a non-booting machine back from the dead. If you accidentally deleted a file that is keeping your system from booting, you can use the Recovery Console to copy the file from your CD-ROM to your hard drive. Or, if a particular service is preventing proper system function, then you can use the Recovery Console to reconfigure the service to restore proper system functionality.In any case, it is important for you to become familiar with the Recovery Console so that you can restore your computer in the event something should go wrong.Using either the Microsoft Windows XP startup disks or the Windows XP CD-ROM, you can run the Recovery Console. Here's how:Startup Disks:If you do not have the startup disks, you can use the following MSKB article to create them:http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310994/
CD-ROM:If you are going to use the Windows XP CD-ROM to run the Recovery Console, you will first need to configure your BIOS to start from the CD-ROM.Running the Recovery Console:1. Insert either media method (listed above) into the proper drive.Note: When using the CD-ROM, select any on-screen options that will allow the computer to start from the CD-ROM.2. When you get to the "Welcome to Setup" screen, press R on your keyboard to start the Recovery Console.3. If you have a dual-boot or a multi-boot system, select the installation that you need to access from the Recovery Console.4. When prompted, enter the administrator password. If there is no password, leave it blank and just press Enter on your keyboard.5. This will take you to the command prompt where you can enter the proper command to diagnose your problem and/or repair your installation.Note: At the command prompt, you can access a list of command options: type: help Press ENTERNote: For information regarding specific commands, type: help commandname (using the actual command name after "help")Press ENTER6. When you are ready to exit the Recovery Console, type: exitPress ENTER
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Most Common Reasons for System Crashes
[Windows XP]If you are seeing random system crashes or periodical restarts, it may help you to know what the most common reasons for Windows XP to become unstable.Bad Memory Module: Having a bad memory module will cause these issues. To troubleshoot this, you will need to either swap out a module for a known good module one at a time until you find the bad module. Or, remove one module at a time and reboot your system. Repeat this process as necessary until you find the bad module.Sound Card Driver:It is fairly common for a driver to cause this type of issue. Sometimes they become corrupt for no reason or even become out-dated. The sound card driver is not the only driver that can cause these issues, but it is the most common and should be the first card to focus on. Just simply visit the manufactures web site and reinstall the correct driver for your sound card.Overheating:Once your systems processor reaches a certain temperature, the system will shut itself down. The most common reason for overheating is a dirty fan not being able to spin fast enough to cool the processor. Or, a fan has just gone bad. Once you've gained access to the inside of your case, look and listen for a faulty fan. If they all appear to be working, it may not be a bad idea to go ahead and clean them while you are in there.Failing Power Supply:A power supply that isn't providing enough power to create a stable environment will cause this type of issue. It would seem if your computer turns on and boots up that the power supply is working, but in fact, it could be failing. This can be a tricky one to troubleshoot if you do not have the proper equipment. Without the proper test equipment, you are forced to either replace the power supply with a known good one or replace it with a new one.Mixing FAT32 and NTFS:If you have two hard drives installed on your system where one is FAT32 and the other is NTFS, this can cause conflicts that can ultimately create errors. Try converting your hard drives to the NTFS file system.Bad USB Hub:This one is pretty simple to troubleshoot. Just simply remove the hub from your system to see if the problem is resolved. This is not nearly as common as the scenarios listed above, but I have seen it happen a few times.
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Recover your XP Password
If you have forgotten your XP password, there is a small utility that will recover it for you:http://www.lostpassword.com/windows-xp-2000-nt.htm
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Windows Update Registered Incorrectly
Fortunately, this occurrence does not happen very often at all. But, if you do find an instance where you have already installed a particular update, but Windows is asking you to install it again. This is due to an update that did not register correctly. To fix this, you will need to delete the registry key associated with the update, then reinstall the update. Here's how:Warning: Making mistakes while editing the Windows Registry can have serious effects on your Windows installation. Be sure to make a backup copy prior to making any changes.
At the Windows update web page, note the KB article number (six digits) associated with the incorrectly registered update.
Go to Start>> Run. Type in: regedit [Enter] or click OK.
Drill down to the following registry key:
HKEY LOCAL MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Updates\Windows XP\SP2 (could possibly be SP1 instead of SP2)
Click once on the SP2 entry to empty its contents into the right pane.
In the right pane, locate the KB article number that you noted earlier.
Right click the KB article number and select Delete from the resulting menu.
Exit the registry editor saving the changes.
Restart your computer and then reinstall your Windows update.
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Cannot Create or Replace a File or Folder
If you are trying to create a file and receive one of the following error messages:
Cannot create or replace (filename). The directory or file cannot be created.
Cannot create file or folder, disk may be full or write protected.
This can occur from one of the following reasons:
The file name already exists.
The file name was typed incorrectly.
The file itself is to large for the remaining hard disk space.
The file cannot be created in a certain folder.
To correct the error message, do one of the following steps:[1] The file name already exists:By default, Windows will never allow two files to co-exist on any of their Operating Systems. Therefore, you must ensure that the file name that you are trying to create has its own identity. [2] The file name was typed incorrectly:The criteria for creating file names is as follows:
Use 8 characters or less.
Use only hypens (-), numerical or alphabetical characters.
[3] The file itself is too large for the remaining hard disk space:Be sure to check to make sure that your hard disk has sufficient space available to create the file you are trying to create. To check your available hard disk space:
Go to Start>> My Computer
Right click on your primary hard drive (usually C:\).
Check the space available against the file size you are trying to create.
Note: Your hard disk space should have at least twice the available space for the file size you're trying to create. If you are lacking in hard disk space, then continue reading below.To create more hard disk space:
Go to Start>> All Programs>> Accessories>> System Tools>> Disk Cleanup.
Select your hard disk drive (usually C:\). Click OK.
Select the files under "Files to delete" to remove them.
You can click the "More Options" tab to remove the following:
Unused Windows Components
Restore Points
Software Application
Click OK. All of your selected items will now be removed.
Restart your system.
[4] The file cannot be created in a certain folder:If the folder you are trying to create a file in has too large of a file size, then Windows will not accept it. Also, if the folder has any corrupt files in it, new files will not be accepted. To correct this issue, create a new folder and save your file in the new folder. Here's how:Note: Do not attempt to try to create a folder within the corrupt folder.
From the application your would like the folder to reside in, go to File>> New>> Folder.
Type the file name for your new folder.
Open both the new folder and the old folder side by side. Drag the file from the old folder (right click>> Cut) and drop (CTRL>> V) it into the new one.
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CD/DVD Drive Not Detected
Before Windows can see your Drive, it first has to appear in the Basic Input/Output System (BIOS). When getting error messages from Windows that state the CD or DVD drive is not detected, check to make sure it appears in the BIOS. Here's how:
Boot up your PC.
At the first logo screen, press F1 repeatedly until you see the BIOS setup screen.
Using the left and right arrows to navigate, select Main (usually at the top left).
The CD or DVD Drive name should be listed next to Primary Slave, Secondary Slave or Secondary Master.
Navigate to Exit and exit without saving changes.
If it is listed in the BIOS but the CD/DVD Drive no longer functions, then a ribbon cable could have come loose. If that is not the case either, try uninstalling the device in Device Manager. Here's how:
Go to Start>> Control Panel>> System>> Hardware tab>> Device Manager button.
In Device Manager, locate and expand the entry titled "DVD/CD-ROM drives".
Right click the appropriate drive and select "Uninstall" from the resulting menu.
When prompted, confirm that you would like to remove the selected device.
At the "Action" menu, select "Scan for hardware changes".
Click out of the Device Manager and the Control Panel.
If none of the above has worked, it is likely that your CD or DVD Drive no longer functions. Replace the drive with a compatible drive. See your manufactures web site for details.
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XP Pro Won't Completely Shutdown
Go to Start>> Control Panel>> Power Options.
Select the APM tab.
Place a checkmark in the "Enable Advanced Power Management support" check box.
Click OK and exit the Control Panel.
Your computer should successfully complete the shut down process.
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Game will not install
If you are having trouble installing a games software, the steps listed below may help you determine the cause and help you finish the installation.
Be sure that the Windows version that you are trying to install on is supported by the game.
Check to make sure that you have enough Hard Disk space available to load the software.
Check to make sure that your PC meets the minimum system requirements to run the game.
Turn off DMA:
Some game manufactures use a copy protection verification test. But with high-speed drives, the disc may spin so quickly that the test fails. If the test does not pass, the software will not install. Do get around this issue, try turning off DMA (Direct Memory Access) in your Device Manager. Here's how:
Go to Start>> Control Panel>> System>> Hardware tab>> Device Manager tab.
Go to the "View" menu and make sure that "View devices by type" is selected.
Expand the IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers entry (double click).
Double click Secondary IDE Channel entry.
Select the Advanced Settings tab.
Under the Device 0 category and next to the Transfer Mode entry, you will find a drop down menu that lists two entries:
DMA if available
PIO Only
If "DMA if available" is showing, select PIO Only. Click OK.
Exit Device Manager and Control Panel.
Restart your system
Note: Once the verification process completes and your game software is successfully installed, you can turn DMA back on using the above method.
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Fixing Defragmenter problems in Windows XP
When trying to access the Defrag tool in the Properties>> Tools dialog box for your local hard drive, one of the following problems may occur:
The Defragment Now button is missing
When you click the Defragment Now button, your receive the following error message:
The Disk Defragmenter is not installed on your computer. To install it, double-click the Add or Remove Programs icon in Control Panel, click the Install/Uninstall tab, and then follow the instructions on your screen.To fix this issue:Method #1:1. Go to Start>> Run. Type in: %Windir%\Inf [Enter] or click OK2. Locate the dfrg.inf file3. Right click the file and select Install.Method #2:Go to Start>> Run. Copy and paste the following command in to the "Open:" text box:rundll32.exe setupapi,InstallHinfSection DefaultInstall 132 %windir%\inf\dfrg.infThe above command will reinstall the Disk defragmenter.[Top]
Booting to Safe Mode in Windows XP
Booting to Safe Mode can be a very effective method of troubleshooting a system. Safe Mode allows only essential files and drivers to be used. An example of why you would need Safe Mode is; If you have installed a new hardware device and upon rebooting your system it will not start. If you can get into Safe Mode you will be able to remove the offending hardware device from your system and allow your system to boot normally.If there are damaged, deleted or corrupt system files involved, Safe Mode may not be an option. You may need to use the Recovery Console for help.To boot in to Safe Mode:
Go to Start>> Turn off computer>> Restart.
When the message "Please select the operating system to start" appears, press F8.
Using the arrow keys, highlight the appropriate Safe Mode option, then press Enter.
Note: If your system is a dual-boot or multi-boot system, choose the appropriate installation using the arrow keys, then press Enter.Alternate method:
Go to Start>> Run. Type in: msconfig [Enter]
Select the BOOT.INI tab
Check the box titled "/SAFEBOOT"
Click Apply and then exit the Configuration Utility.
Windows will now be configured to restart in Safe Mode and will continue this way until you uncheck the /SAFEBOOT box.
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Error message when you click a Mailto: link
Applies to:Windows XP/2000When you click on a Mailto: link, you may receive the following error message:Could not perform this operation because the default mail client is not properly installedThe mail client may also invoke several windows followed by the error message:Action CancelledThe reason these errors could occur is due to either:A missing String value in the Windows Registry-or- Registry Mailto key permissions are set incorrectlyTo resolve this issue:Resetting the default email client:
Go to Start>> Run. Type in: control inetcpl.cpl [Enter] or click OK.
Select the Programs tab.
Open the email dropdown menu and select another email client.
Click Apply.
Go back through steps 1 - 5 and reset your email client from the email dropdown menu. Click Apply.
If this does not resolve your issue, try this:Note: The following instructions involves editing the Windows Registry. Please be sure to make a backup copy before making any changes.Create a new registry string value:Note: Administrators, be sure that all users have READ access to the following Registry key.
Go to Start>> Run. Type in: regedit [Enter] or click OK.
Navigate to:HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\mailto
Single click the "mailto" entry to view its contents in the right pane.
Right click an empty portion of the right pane.
Select New>> String Value
Name the new string value: URL Protocol
Exit the Windows Registry.
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Reinstall System Restore in Windows XP
If you ever need to reinstall System Restore, this tip will guide you though the process. Follow the outlined procedures below:Method #1:1. Go to Start>> Run. Type in: %Windir%\INF 2. Scroll the list to find the SR.INF file3. Once found, right click the SR.INF file4. Select InstallWindows will now start the System Restore reinstallation. Restart Windows when the procedure has completed.Method #2:1. Go to Start>> Run. Copy and Paste the following in to the "Open:" line:rundll32.exe advpack.dll,LaunchINFSection %Windir%\Inf\sr.inf2. Press Enter or click OK.Windows will now start the System Restore reinstallation. Restart Windows when the procedure has completed.
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BIOS Power-On Selt Test (POST) Screen
Each Motherboard has a self-diagnostic program built in. It is call the POST screen. As your computer starts to boot, it passes through this self-diagnostic mode extremely quickly to determine if the motherboard is running all devices without error. If no error is found during this process, you will probably never notice it. But, if an error is detected, the program will omit a series of audible beeps. These beeps are codes are useful in determining where the error originated. For a complete list of beep codes by motherboard manufacturer visit here:BIOS Beep Codes from 5 Star Support
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Disable "Automatic Restart" feature
Windows XP has an automatic restart feature that is designed to restart the operating system when an error is detected. Most of the time, one restart and you're back in business again. However, on some rare occasions your system may continually keep restarting making it difficult to determine what the problem is. To disable this feature follow the instructions outlined below:
Click Start>> Control Panel>> System>> Advanced tab.
Under the Startup and Recovery category, click the Settings button.
Uncheck the "Automatically restart" entry.
Click Apply and then exit all windows.
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Muted sound
If you find that your DVD or CD won't play music any longer or if you are not getting any sound from your system at all. Try the following troubleshooting steps for help:Make sure the Mute feature is not turned on by trying one or more of the following steps:
Try Pressing the Mute button on the keyboard. By pressing this button, it will toggle the ON/OFF and will give you onscreen notification. Press this button until you receive a Mute OFF notification.
Double click the volume control icon on the taskbar. When the Master Volume window appears, make sure that the "Mute" check boxes do not have a check marks.
Check to make sure that other devices not listed in the Master Volume window are not muted. Here's how:
With the Master Volume window showing, go to Options>> Properties (see Figure #1).
Place a check in the volume controls that you would like to view (see Figure #2).
Click OK.
The Master Volume window will now show the additional selected devices. Uncheck any Mute check boxes for these devices.
Go to Start>> Run, type in: regedit
Click on the registry key that you are going to edit.
Go to File and click Export.
Choose a location to save the registry key file and click Save.
Or you can use a small utility called "ERUNT" which stands for: The Emergency Recovery Utility NT. This is an emergency registry backup and restore utility for Windows NT/2000/XP
574 KB
NOTE: Please keep in mind that using the export style of backup is not a complete backup of the Windows registry. ERUNT is a very good backup program and is a complete backup of the registry, but I believe the System Restore (SR) feature that comes with XP is the best and safest way to backup. With SR, you'll have a months worth of clean registry backup copies to choose from (assuming the chosen restore point was in fact clean to start with). Remember, each restore point overwrites the next. Now, If you use ERUNT, you could be restoring a copy of your registry that is much older than a month, whereby you would lose any programs and/or changes that you've made after making your backup copy. So, you can see that the SR is best because you can always choose a restore point that is very recent.
For further information regarding the System Restore feature:
Click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
306084 HOW TO: Restore Windows XP to a Previous State
304449 HOW TO: Start System Restore Tool From Command Prompt
283073 HOW TO: Disable the System Restore Configuration User Interface
302796 Troubleshooting System Restore in Windows XP[Top]
DirectX Diagnostic Tool
Windows 2000/XP has a handy tool for running diagnostic tests on your DirectX program. Some of what this tool can do includes:
Display detailed information
Diagnostic tests on many components, which include:
Display
Sound
Network
...and more
Check for problems
Save the information to a text file.
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System Restore Feature
XP contains a new feature called System Restore that restores the system to a previous configuration point. Should you restore your system to a point before you activated XP on your computer, the OS will forget that you activated it and you'll need to reactivate XP. If the system restore point is past the 30-day grace period that Microsoft allows for activation, you'll have to activate XP immediately. The only workaround to reactivating your system is to perform the following steps:
Start your Windows installation in Minimal Safe mode.
Move to the \%systemroot%\system32 folder.
Rename wpa.dbl to wpa.noact.
Rename wpa.bak to wpa.dbl.
Reboot your system as normal.
Note: The above procedure will work only if you've made no significant hardware changes.[Top]
Defrag.exe
One of the problems with the welcome addition of the disk defragmenter in Windows 2000 is that it has no command-prompt equivalent. As a result, you can't easily schedule the defragmenter to run. To address this problem, Microsoft included defrag.exe in Windows XP for command-level disk defragmentation.
An example analysis execution shows: C:\>defrag d: -a Windows Disk Defragmenter Copyright (c) 2001 Microsoft Corp. and Executive Software International, Inc. Analysis Report 6.91 GB Total, 6.73 GB (97%) Free, 2% Fragmented (5% file fragmentation)
The command format is: defrag
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Bootcfg
Bootcfg is a new addition to the Windows XP recovery console. You use this command to modify the boot.ini file, which contains the choices at system startup (in a multiboot environment, boot.ini contains the list of all the OSs and lets you choose one).
The Bootcfg command recognizes Windows XP, Windows 2000, and Windows NT. It doesn't recognize Windows 9x. Bootcfg has the following options:
/default-Sets the default OS (modifies the default= line in boot.ini).
/add-Scans the computer for OSs and lets you add located installations. You can also specify optional boot switches.
/rebuild-Same as /add except /rebuild automatically recreates boot.ini with all found installations if the user confirms.
/scan-Identifies current installations but doesn't modify boot.ini.
/list-Scans the boot.ini files and displays each entry.
/redirect-Enables redirection of the boot loaded to a specific port and baud rate (this option is useful for the Headless Administration options).
/disableredirect-Disables the redirection configured with /redirect.
Bootcfg is simply an extra tool. You can still modify boot.ini directly with Notepad (after removing read-only, system, and hidden attributes-attrib c:\boot.ini -r -s -h). Or you can use the System Control Panel applet or Msconfig[Top]
Tasklist.exe
Microsoft has replaced tlist.exe with tasklist.exe in XP. Tlist.exe lets you list all the processes running on your machine and the associated task name and memory usage. Tasklist.exe replicates all the functionality of the original utility. For information about tasklist.exe, type the following at the XP command prompt: tasklist /?
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Local Group Policy Editor
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A nice feature of the Windows NT, 2000, XP Operating Systems is the "Local Group Policy Editor" This is a flexible Change and Configuration Management tool. This tool includes options for registry-based policy settings, security settings, software installation, scripts, startup, shutdown, logon, logoff, and folder redirection.
To invoke the Local Group Policy Editor, select Start and then Run, then type: gpedit.msc Now press ENTER on your keyboard.
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Format Hard Drive
There are several ways to format in XP:1 During install2. Using Diskmanagement under administrative tools3. Using the recovery console4. Using start run cmd then the format command.5. Right click on the drive in explorer and select format.6. Using a Win98 boot diskNote: WinXP will not let you mess with the boot partition or system partition since both contain items required to boot and run winXP. Thus, you should use the install process to format system and boot drive.Here is the easiest way to perform a "Clean Install" of XP:Using Windows XP CD:1. Insert your XP CD in the drive while running your current installation of XP. 2. You will be given some options here. You can select:
Clean Install
New Installation
Advanced
...and others I believe. But since this tutorial teaches a Clean Installation of XP, select "Clean Install".3. Put a checkmark in the box to "designate where you want to install XP" (or some such dialog). Typically, you will choose to install XP on your C: drive.4. Next, you will need to select the file system you wish to use. I recommend selecting NTFS as it is more sucure than the FAT32 system.5. Setup will then format the partition you chose and then you can install XP clean on that partition. Be sure that if you have more than one partition, you select the correct one. 6. Install your Windows XP Operating System.Using Windows 98 Boot Disk:Get yourself a Windows 98 boot-diskette with fdisk. Delete all partitions and THEN boot from the CD. If XP's setup finds formatted partitions, it proceeds without user intervention. If it doesn't find any, setup will prompt you for partitioning and formatting.Using Floppy Drive:If you are not able to boot from your CD-ROM, try changing the boot order in your BIOS so that your CD-ROM boots first.
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Common Command Console Utilities
Listed below are many of the Windows XP console utilities that you can run from the command line.
Computer Management
compmgmt.msc
Disk Managment
diskmgmt.msc
Device Manager
devmgmt.msc
Disk Defrag
dfrg.msc
Event Viewer
eventvwr.msc
Shared Folders
fsmgmt.msc
Group Policies
gpedit.msc
Local Users and Groups
lusrmgr.msc
Performance Monitor
perfmon.msc
Resultant Set of Policies
rsop.msc
Local Security Settings
secpol.msc
Services
services.msc
Component Services
comexp.msc
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PowerToys for XP
As with previous versions of Windows, Microsoft has released a set of great utilities to enhance the Windows experience.
Power Toys for XP consists of the following:
Super-Fast User Switcher: Switch users without having to go through the XP logon screen
Open Command Window Here: Open a command window that points to a particular folder just by right-clicking that folder
TweakUI: Make many modifications to internal XP settings that aren't accessible in the default UI
Power Calculator: Graph and evaluate functions as well as perform unit conversions
Image Resizer: Easily resize multiple images into a target size with a right-click
CD Slide Show Generator: View images as a slide show
Virtual Desktop Manager: Have up to four virtual desktops
Taskbar Magnifier: Magnify part of the screen from the taskbar
HTML Slide Show Wizard: Create HTML slide shows of your digital pictures, ready to place on a Web site
Webcam Timershot: Take pictures at specified time intervals from a Webcam connected to your computer and save them to a location that you designate
939 KB Download8 Min @ 28.8 kbps[Top]
Windows XP MSCONFIG
The Windows XP utility Msconfig (Microsoft Configuration) is useful for configuring various OS elements:
Startup type (e.g., which drivers are loaded, whether system.ini/win.ini are parsed)
Which parts of system.ini are used
Which parts of win.ini are used
Which commands run at start-up
Which services start
boot.ini options
With the boot.ini option, you can check the current entries, specify additional options, and configure the timeout.
Start Msconfig (Start, Run, msconfig.exe).
Select the BOOT.INI tab.
The dialog box displays the current OSs.
Click Check All Boot Paths to go through all the entries and ensure that they relate to a true installation.
If you select an actual installation, you can then set the various boot options, such as basevideo and SOS.
Once finished, click OK. [Top]
Personal Support
Have you ever made the mistake of telling friends or co-workers that you know something about computers and then get tasked with fixing all of their computer ailments? Well, as nice as it is to give your time for free, it's is even nicer if it doesn't take tons of time to fix them. With any version of Windows XP it can be pretty simple. If the other party has an Internet Connection, all they have to do is send you a Remote Assistance request then you will be able to connect to their computer to fix a wide array of troubleshooting tasks such as; file associations, registry settings, set system options and much more. But beware...they'll surely be so impressed that they will tell all of their friends about you. [Top]
Using the "Ping" Command
A very handy method of checking your computer's networking connection is the Ping command. Let's say that you are having trouble connecting to a certain site. You can PING that site to see if it is accessible. If the site is not the trouble, try PINGing your Internet Service Provider to see if the problem is at their end.Using the PING command in Windows XP/NT/2000:Once you are online, go to Start>> Run. Type in: cmd.exe [Enter]Using the Ping command in Windows 95/98/ME:Once you are online, go to Start>> Programs>> MS DOS [Enter]At the command prompt:Type in: ping www.your-isp.com [Enter][Top]
Description of the Low Disk Space Notification in Windows XP
When a Windows XP-based computer is running low on disk space, you receive a "Low Disk Space" message that, when clicked, starts the Disk Cleanup Wizard. This article describes the conditions in which you receive the "Low Disk Space" message. When free disk space reaches 200 megabytes (MB), you receive the following message for 10 seconds, once per session: You are running out of disk space on [drive]. To free space on this drive by deleting old or unnecessary files, click here. When free disk space reaches 80 MB, you receive the following message for 30 seconds, every four hours, twice per session: You are running very low on disk space on [drive]. To free space on this drive by deleting old or unnecessary files, click here. When free disk reaches 50 MB, you receive the following message for 30 seconds, every five minutes, until free space is above 50 MB: You are running very low on disk space on [drive]. To free space on this drive by deleting old or unnecessary files, click here. Note: There is a registry value you can set to disable this feature. To disable low disk space checks, follow these steps, log off, and then log on again: Follow these steps, and then quit Registry Editor: 1. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK. 2. Locate and then click the following key in the registry: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer 3. On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click DWORD Value. 4. Type NoLowDiskSpaceChecks, and then press ENTER. 5. On the Edit menu, click Modify. 6. Type 1, and then click OK. Source: Microsoft[Top]
Repair Option on a Local Area Network or High-Speed Internet Connection
In the latest versions of Windows, you are given a repair option when you right-click a network connection in the Network Connections window. Below, you will find exactly what Windows does, in order, when you tell it to repair a network connection:
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) lease is renewed (ipconfig /renew)
Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) cache is flushed (arp -d *)
Reload of the NetBIOS name cache (nbtstat -R)
NetBIOS name update is sent (nbtstat -RR)
Domain Name System (DNS) cache is flushed (ipconfig /flushdns)
DNS name registration (ipconfig /registerdns)
IEEE 802.1X Authentication Restart (WinXP SP1 or later)
Note: The bit in parenthesis is the actual command that is issued, which you can perform yourself from a command prompt.
Source: Microsoft KB Article[Top]
Detect and Repairing Disk Errors
In previous versions of Windows, you would find a built in utility called ScanDisk. This utility exists in Windows XP but is called the Error Checking utility. So, in addition to running Disk Cleanup and Disk Defragmenter to optimize the performance of your computer, you can check the integrity of the files stored on your hard disk by running the Error Checking utility.As you use your hard drive, it can develop bad sectors. Bad sectors slow down hard disk performance and sometimes make data writing (such as file saving) difficult, or even impossible. The Error Checking utility scans the hard drive for bad sectors, and scans for file system errors to see whether certain files or folders are misplaced.To run the Error Checking utility:Important: Be sure to close all files before running the Error Checking Utility. Any unsaved data will be lost.
1. Click Start, and then click My Computer.2. In the My Computer window, right-click the hard disk you want to search for bad sectors, and then click Properties.3. In the Properties dialog box, click the Tools tab.4. Click the Check Now button.5. In the Check Disk dialog box, select the Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors check box, and then click Start6. If bad sectors are found, choose to fix them. Tip: Only select the Automatically fix file system errors check box if you think that your disk contains bad sectors. Source: Microsoft [Top]
Update a Device Driver
Many people are of the opinion that if it isn't broke then don't fix it. However, there are other people that believe that updating your hardware with fresh drivers taps its full potential and makes for a smoother running device. In any case, it is easy to locate and update a device driver using Device Manager, here's how:
Go to Start and right-click on My Computer.
Select Properties from the resulting menu.
Click the Hardware tab.
Click the Device Manager button.
Select the device you want to update by hitting the plus sign next to the hardware category. The specific device will now be shown.
Right click on the device and select Update Driver (see Figure #1).
This will invoke the Hardware Update Wizard. Follow the onscreen instructions or visit the manufactures web site to locate an updated driver.If the new driver fails, you can easily reinstall the old driver. Here's how:
Open the Device Manager (steps 1-4 above).
Expose the desired device, right click it and then select Properties.
Choose the Driver tab.
Select the Roll Back Driver button (see Figure #2). Figure #1 Figure #2 [Top]
Troubleshooting Drivers Using Driver Verifier Manager
If you are having lockups, blue screens, error messages...etc. Many times the cause is a corrupt driver. Microsoft has a tool already installed in Windows XP called Driver Verifier Manager. This easy to use tool will help you identify the cause of a driver problem. Here's how to use this tool:
Go to Start>> Run. Type in: verifier [Enter] or Click OK.
With the Select A Task page open, keep the default setting "Create Standard Settings". Click Next.
Choose the "Select Driver Name From A List" option.
Select the driver files that you would like to verify by checking the checkbox next to a driver file.
Click Finish, then Reboot your system. If you encounter a Blue Screen along with an error message on restart, then one or more of the selected drivers are a problem. If your system boots normally, then you have no driver issues with the ones that you've selected.Driver Verifier will remain active until you turn it off. Here's how:Go to Start>> Run. Type in: verifier /reset [Enter] or Click OK.For further information about the Driver verifier program visit:http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;244617
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Create Password Reset Disk
I often get questions regarding forgotten passwords in Windows XP. Windows XP has a feature that will reset your password in the event that you forget it. Here's how to set this up:
Go to Start>> Control Panel>> User Accounts
Open the User account that you would like to make a reset disk for
Find a link titled: "Prevent a Forgotten Password" Click this link
The Forgotten Password Wizard will now guide you through the steps necessary to create the disk. When the process completes, label the disk accordingly and store it in a safe place.[Top]
System Information Tool
In Windows XP, you'll find a very handy tool called, the System Information Tool. The main purpose of this tool is to help in troubleshooting computer issues. As an example, if you are having a problem with an optical drive, you can use this tool to identify the status of the driver for this drive. While the troubleshooting aspect of this tool is used by the more advanced users, this tool is handy for all users who wish to find out information about what is installed on your Windows application at a glance. Here's how to start the System Information Tool:Go to Start>> All Programs>> Accessories>> System Tools>> System Information.OR - Go to Start>> Run. Type in: msinfo32.exe [Enter] or click OK.The categories of information you can expect to find in this tool are:
Installed Components
Hardware Resources
Installed Applications
Software Environment
Internet Explorer
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How to Easily Create a Partition on Your Hard Disk with XP
If you've moved up from Windows 95 or 98 to Windows XP, one big thing you'll notice is that creating new partitions doesn't have to be done from the command line any more. Windows XP makes it easy to create a new partition using the graphical disk management tool. Here's how:
Turn off your computer and install your new hard disk. It's unlikely that you have any unpartitioned space on which to create a new partition on the drive already in the machine, so you'll need to add a new drive. New drives typically don't come preformatted, so you'll need to create your own partitions and format them.
Start your computer and logon as an administrator. Click Start and then click the Run command. In the Open text box type: diskmgmt.msc and click OK.
A Wizard will appear when the Disk Management console opens. Go through the Wizard's steps and allow it to initialize the new disk, but do not allow the Wizard to convert the disk from basic to dynamic.
You will see, on the left side of the console, disk icons that represent "Disk 0", "Disk 1," etc. Your new disk should be the one with the highest number. The size of the disk should be listed, and the word "Unallocated" should be just under the size. Right click where it shows the size of the disk and click the New Partition command.
Click Next on the New Partition Wizard Welcome page.
On the Select Partition Type page, click on both of the options and read the Descriptions. We'll assume here you're creating a primary partition. Select Primary partition and click Next.
On the Specify Partition Size page, type in the size of the partition. Depending on what you want to use the disk for, you might want to create more than one partition. Type in the size of the new partition in the Partition size in MB text box and click Next.
On the Assign Drive Letter or Path page, you can bind the partition to a drive letter or mount it in an empty NTFS folder. In this example, you'll do it the old fashioned way and assign the partition a new drive letter. Select the drive letter and click Next.
You need to format the partition to use it. Always use NTFS unless you need to allow other operating systems on the same machine to access the drive. You can use the defaults, or customize the Allocation unit size based on the types of applications you want to run on the disk. Click Next.
Click Finish.
Note: You'll see the drive being formatted. You can use the partition after the formatting is complete. You don't even need to restart.
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Using the System File Checker
You can run the System File Checker to verify protected system files. Command line switches are:sfc [/scannow] [/scanonce] [/scanboot] [/revert] [/purgecache] [/cachesize=x] /scannow - Scans all protected system files immediately. /scanonce - Scans all protected system files once. /scanboot - Scans all protected system files every time the computer is restarted. /revert - Returns the scan to its default operation. /purgecache - Purges the Windows File Protection file cache and scans all protected system files immediately. /cachesize=x - Sets the size, in MB, of the Windows File Protection file cache.
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Configuring the XP firewall
To enable the firewall:
Go to start >>control panel >>network and Internet connections >>network connections
Right click on your Internet connection and select 'properties'.
Go to the 'Advanced' tab and check the 'Internet Connection Firewall' box.
What you have just done is enabled a combination of packet filtering and a circuit level gateway. Your computer will now record which applications on your computer attempt to access the Internet, and examine all incoming data against these records. Any unsolicited data will be dropped. If you choose to use Internet connection sharing as well, the firewall will handle requests from the other computers in your network as well, acting as a gateway. The XP firewall is effective at stopping unauthorized data from entering your computer or network.
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Reinstall Internet Explorer
To Reinstall Internet Explorer 6:1) Insert the Windows XP CD2) Open Start / Run and type: rundll32.exe
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Re-Enabling System Restore
If you've previously disabled system restore through the Group Policy Editor, the option to start it again does not show in the System Properties. You can re-enable it again. Here's how:
Start the Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc)
Navigate to Computer Configuration/Administrative Templates/System/System Restore
Set Turn off System Restore and Turn off Configuration to Disable
Right click on My Computer and Select Manage
Navigate to Services and Applications/Services
Navigate to System Restore Service and double click
On the General tab set [Startup Type] to Automatic using the drop down list
Click the Start button to start the service
Close the Computer Management console
Return to System Restore in Group Policy Editor and configure both to Not Configured
Close Group Policy Editor and reboot the system.
After the reboot is complete, right click My Computer, select Properties and the tab for System Restore will have been restored. Configure it to your individual needs and satisfaction.
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System Response
If your computer hangs while trying to access files or programs, you can try the simple steps below to reboot your system without actually rebooting it. However, if you still experience the problem, then I would recommend performing an actual reboot of your system.
Press CRTL + ALT + DEL
Go to the 'processes' tab and click explorer.exe once to highlight it, then click 'end process'.
Now, click File >> New Task and type: explorer.exe
Click OK
Everything should be working fine now!
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Accessing Safe Mode
To access Safe Mode, you have to press F8 as soon as you see booting into Windows XP text. This can sometimes be quite tricky, especially on very fast systems. To make it a little easier, you can tap the F8 key continually during the entire boot sequence, and if you have a dual boot system, select the OS, press Enter and F8 at the same time to enter Safe Mode.Using MSCONFIG to Access SAFE MODE
From Start> Run Type: msconfig
Choose the Boot.ini tab
From Boot Option
Select /SAFEBOOT by placing a check in the box.
Press Apply
Press OK
Select Restart
System will boot into Safe Mode
BEFORE rebooting from Safe mode repeat steps 1 thru 7 and uncheck the box selecting /SAFEBOOT
Press Apply
Press OK
Select Restart
You will get a message that your are in Troubleshooting Mode, place a check in the "do not show this again" box; press OK
From Start> Run; once again Type: msconfig
From the General Tab
Select Normal Startup
Press Apply
Press OK
This will restore normal boot.
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Restore Missing Windows Update Link
Microsoft has made available to all Windows users, a web site that provides Updates to its Operating Systems. By default, a link is provided in the Start Menu. If for some reason you have removed this link or it has just mysteriously disappeared, then here is a simple method to recover this link to your Start Menu:
Here is the address to the Windows Update website: windowsupdate.Microsoft.com
On the above link, point your mouse directly over the Windows Update link.
While holding your mouse over the link, left-click the link and keep the left button depressed.
While continuing to hold the left mouse button down, mouse over the Start Menu and wait a moment for the menu to expand.
Once the menu has expanded vertically, continue holding down the left mouse button and mouse over the "All Programs" button. The All Programs menu will also expand.
Once the All Programs menu has expanded, slide the mouse pointer up the programs menu until you have chosen a location within the menu for your link to reside (you should see a black horizontal line while you're moving your pointer around in the programs menu).
Once you've chosen the location for your link, remove your finger from the left-click button and the link will now pop into place.
You can right click the newly placed link and rename it "Windows Update" or just leave it as is.
Now, you can left click the link again and hold the left click button depressed while sliding the mouse pointer into the Start Menu area (you should again see a black horizontal line while you're moving your pointer around in the Start Menu).
Once you have chosen a location within the Start Menu for your link to reside, just lift your finger from the left-click button and again, the link will pop into place.
Congrats! You've just added the Windows Update URL to your Start Menu.
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Driver Rollback
Windows XP device Driver Rollback can replace a device driver with the previously installed version. When you install a new device driver that causes system instability, use Driver Rollback to reinstall the previous drivers. In the event that Driver Rollback cannot reinstall your previous driver, you can use System Restore to return your operating system to its state before the new device driver installation.
To use Driver Rollback, perform the following steps:
Click the Start button, and then right-click My Computer.
Click Properties.
Click the Hardware tab, and then click Device Manager.
In the Device Manager window, right-click the device for which the new driver was installed, and then click Properties.
Click the Drivers tab, and then click Roll Back Driver.
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Disable Boot Virus Detection
Having the Boot Virus Detection enabled is pretty much obsolete with the newer machines. This is due to more modern virus styles and the fact that most Motherboards now days can detect any attempts to write to the boot sector or the partition table. Disabling this feature in the "Advanced BIOS Features" section of the BIOS will improve your boot speed.
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Password Reset Disk
In the event you have forgotten your account password, Windows XP has made this feature available so that your password can be easily reset. The tips below include instruction for creating and using a Password Reset Disk for both Windows XP Home and Professional editions:
To create a Password Reset Disk: [Home Edition]
Open Control Panel from the Start Menu
Open User Accounts
Click on the User for which you want to create a Password Reset Disk.
Along the upper left side of the window, click on Prevent a Forgotten Password. This starts the Forgotten Password Wizard.
Insert a blank floppy disk and follow the prompts through the Wizard.
When the process is complete, label the disk and store it in a safe place.
Here is how to use your Password Reset Disk:
From the Welcome screen, click your user name
Click the Question Mark button.
Click Use Your Password Reset Disk. Follow the instructions to create a new password.
Note: Once you have logged in with your new password, be sure to store your Password Reset Disk in a safe place.
To create a Password Reset Disk: [Professional Edition]
Note that this procedure requires one blank, formatted floppy disk. To create a password reset disk for your local user account:
Press CTRL+ALT+DELETE. The Windows Security dialog box appears.
Select Change Password . The Change Password dialog box will appear.
In the Log on to box, click the local computer. For example, click Computer (this computer).
Select Backup . The Forgotten Password Wizard will now start.
On the "Welcome to the Forgotten Password Wizard" page, choose Next .
Insert a blank, formatted disk in drive A, and then choose Next .
In the Current user account password box, type your password, and then select Next . The Forgotten Password Wizard will create the disk.
When the progress bar reaches 100 percent complete, select Next , and then choose Finish . The Forgotten Password Wizard will quit and you return to the Change Password dialog box.
Remove and label the newly created disk. Be sure to store it in a safe place.
In the Change Password dialog box, click Cancel .
In the Windows Security dialog box, click Cancel. Here is how to use your Password Reset Disk:
In the Welcome to Windows dialog box, press CTRL+ALT+DELETE.
In the Log On to Windows dialog box, type an incorrect password in the Password box, and then select OK .
In the Logon Failed dialog box that appears, select Reset . The Password Reset Wizard starts.
On the "Welcome to the Password Reset Wizard" page, choose Next .
Insert the Password Reset Disk in your floppy drive and select Next.
On the "Reset the User Account Password" page, type a new password in the Type a New Password box.
Type the same password in the Type the Password Again to Confirm box.
In the Type a New Password Hint box, type a hint that will help you remember the password if you forget it.
Note : This hint is visible to anyone who attempts to log on to the computer by using your user account.
Choose Next , and then click Finish . The Password Reset Wizard will quit and return you to the Log On to Windows dialog box. The Password Reset Disk is automatically updated with the new password information. You do not have to create a new password reset disk.
In the Log On to Windows dialog box, type your new password in the Password box.
In the Log on to box, click the local computer. For example, click Computer (this computer) , and then click OK . You are logged on to the local computer with your local account information.
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Repairing IE / OE In Windows XP
If you are having any of the following problems, you may find that repairing your Internet Explorer / Outlook Express application may help.
If you click a hyperlink in an email message:
A blank page opens
The hyperlink does not function at all
You receive an error message
Unable to type in text boxes in a search engine or website.
Address bar search does not work.
Or, if you encounter various error messages while browsing. To fix most problems concerning IE/OE:Go to Start>> Run. Type in: rundll32.exe setupapi,InstallHinfSection DefaultInstall 132 %windir%\inf\ie.inf [Enter](for accuracy, it is best to copy and paste the entire above command)Or, you can repair IE/OE manually:Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.x Repair for Windows XP:
Go to Start>> Run. Type in: sfc /scannow [Enter] (Notice the space between sfc and /scannow)
Follow the onscreen prompts during the System File Checker process.
Reboot your machine when completed. [Top]
Constant Ping to Troubleshoot a Connection
If you would like to send a constant Ping to an Internet address, it is possible to do this using a DOS command:
Go to Start>> Run. Type in: cmd [Enter] or click OK
At the command prompt, type: ping /t
Note: To find additional ping commands, you can type: ping /?
[Top]
Remove a Randomly Named Trojan Virus
Warning: Be sure to make a backup copy of your registry prior to making any changes to it.
Start your computer in Safe Mode by pressing F8 once Windows first begins to load. Be sure that you login as Administrator.
Go to Start>> Search all files and folders. Search for the viruses file name and delete it where-ever it is found.
Go back to Start>> Run. Type in: regedit [Enter] or click OK.
Navigate to the following Registry keys one at a time:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shared Tools\MSConfig\startupreg
Click the last string entry (eg: startupreg & run) to empty its contents into the right pane. Look for entries that reference your specific Trojan file. Delete the strings that contain such reference. Be sure that you do not delete any string values in the left pane.
Close the Registry Editor when completed. Restart your computer normally.
Update your Antivirus software and run a full system scan. If your antivirus software states that your system is clean, you will now need to remove all of your restore points as the virus may reside there. The next time that you would use system restore, you will re-infect your system.
Here's how to remove your restore points:
Go to Start>> Control Panel>> System>> System Restore tab. Check the box to "Turn off system restore on all drives".
Click Apply. Then click OK. This will remove all restore points.
Follow the instructions in #1 above to restore your system restore on all drives by unchecking the entry.
Create a new clean restore point by going to Start>> All Programs>> Accessories>> System Tools>> System Restore.
Click "Create a Restore Point" then click Next.
Enter a name for this Restore Point and then click Create.
Note: If everything seems to be running well at this point, delete the backup copy of your registry. Then, empty your recycle bin.
[Top]
Installing the Windows XP Recovery Console
I have seen on many occasions that after trying to install software or a device, something in Windows may become corrupt and sometimes to the point where Windows will not boot. If after trying to restore to a last known good configuration you still cannot boot. You can try a last ditch effort at the Recovery Console. The Recovery Console will give you access to a DOS like environment where you can try to fix suspected problems. Here is how to install the Recovery Console:1. Place your Windows XP CD into your CD-ROM drive2. Go to Start>> Run. Type in: d:\i386\winnt32.exe /cmdcons (assuming D:\ is your CD-ROM Drive). Press Enter on your keyboard or click OK.A Windows setup dialog box will now appear. Here, you can read about the Recovery Console option. After you're done reading, click YES to confirm the installation.Once you restart your computer, you will now see "Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" on the startup menu.
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View event logs to troubleshoot issues
If you need to troubleshoot issues within Windows XP, you can view your event logs in the Computer Management Console. To access the Computer Management Console:
Go to Start>> Right click My Computer>> Select 'Manage' from the resulting menu.
Once in the console, select Event Viewer. Then double click any highlighted events within the Application or System categories to view the details on what the problem could be.
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How to use the Recovery Console
There are many things that can be done in the Recovery Console.
Enable and Disable Services
Format Drives
Read and Write data on a local drive to include NTFS formatted drives
Plus many other administrative tasks
The Recovery Console is mostly used for bringing a non-booting machine back from the dead. If you accidentally deleted a file that is keeping your system from booting, you can use the Recovery Console to copy the file from your CD-ROM to your hard drive. Or, if a particular service is preventing proper system function, then you can use the Recovery Console to reconfigure the service to restore proper system functionality.In any case, it is important for you to become familiar with the Recovery Console so that you can restore your computer in the event something should go wrong.Using either the Microsoft Windows XP startup disks or the Windows XP CD-ROM, you can run the Recovery Console. Here's how:Startup Disks:If you do not have the startup disks, you can use the following MSKB article to create them:http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310994/
CD-ROM:If you are going to use the Windows XP CD-ROM to run the Recovery Console, you will first need to configure your BIOS to start from the CD-ROM.Running the Recovery Console:1. Insert either media method (listed above) into the proper drive.Note: When using the CD-ROM, select any on-screen options that will allow the computer to start from the CD-ROM.2. When you get to the "Welcome to Setup" screen, press R on your keyboard to start the Recovery Console.3. If you have a dual-boot or a multi-boot system, select the installation that you need to access from the Recovery Console.4. When prompted, enter the administrator password. If there is no password, leave it blank and just press Enter on your keyboard.5. This will take you to the command prompt where you can enter the proper command to diagnose your problem and/or repair your installation.Note: At the command prompt, you can access a list of command options: type: help Press ENTERNote: For information regarding specific commands, type: help commandname (using the actual command name after "help")Press ENTER6. When you are ready to exit the Recovery Console, type: exitPress ENTER
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Most Common Reasons for System Crashes
[Windows XP]If you are seeing random system crashes or periodical restarts, it may help you to know what the most common reasons for Windows XP to become unstable.Bad Memory Module: Having a bad memory module will cause these issues. To troubleshoot this, you will need to either swap out a module for a known good module one at a time until you find the bad module. Or, remove one module at a time and reboot your system. Repeat this process as necessary until you find the bad module.Sound Card Driver:It is fairly common for a driver to cause this type of issue. Sometimes they become corrupt for no reason or even become out-dated. The sound card driver is not the only driver that can cause these issues, but it is the most common and should be the first card to focus on. Just simply visit the manufactures web site and reinstall the correct driver for your sound card.Overheating:Once your systems processor reaches a certain temperature, the system will shut itself down. The most common reason for overheating is a dirty fan not being able to spin fast enough to cool the processor. Or, a fan has just gone bad. Once you've gained access to the inside of your case, look and listen for a faulty fan. If they all appear to be working, it may not be a bad idea to go ahead and clean them while you are in there.Failing Power Supply:A power supply that isn't providing enough power to create a stable environment will cause this type of issue. It would seem if your computer turns on and boots up that the power supply is working, but in fact, it could be failing. This can be a tricky one to troubleshoot if you do not have the proper equipment. Without the proper test equipment, you are forced to either replace the power supply with a known good one or replace it with a new one.Mixing FAT32 and NTFS:If you have two hard drives installed on your system where one is FAT32 and the other is NTFS, this can cause conflicts that can ultimately create errors. Try converting your hard drives to the NTFS file system.Bad USB Hub:This one is pretty simple to troubleshoot. Just simply remove the hub from your system to see if the problem is resolved. This is not nearly as common as the scenarios listed above, but I have seen it happen a few times.
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Recover your XP Password
If you have forgotten your XP password, there is a small utility that will recover it for you:http://www.lostpassword.com/windows-xp-2000-nt.htm
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Windows Update Registered Incorrectly
Fortunately, this occurrence does not happen very often at all. But, if you do find an instance where you have already installed a particular update, but Windows is asking you to install it again. This is due to an update that did not register correctly. To fix this, you will need to delete the registry key associated with the update, then reinstall the update. Here's how:Warning: Making mistakes while editing the Windows Registry can have serious effects on your Windows installation. Be sure to make a backup copy prior to making any changes.
At the Windows update web page, note the KB article number (six digits) associated with the incorrectly registered update.
Go to Start>> Run. Type in: regedit [Enter] or click OK.
Drill down to the following registry key:
HKEY LOCAL MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Updates\Windows XP\SP2 (could possibly be SP1 instead of SP2)
Click once on the SP2 entry to empty its contents into the right pane.
In the right pane, locate the KB article number that you noted earlier.
Right click the KB article number and select Delete from the resulting menu.
Exit the registry editor saving the changes.
Restart your computer and then reinstall your Windows update.
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Cannot Create or Replace a File or Folder
If you are trying to create a file and receive one of the following error messages:
Cannot create or replace (filename). The directory or file cannot be created.
Cannot create file or folder, disk may be full or write protected.
This can occur from one of the following reasons:
The file name already exists.
The file name was typed incorrectly.
The file itself is to large for the remaining hard disk space.
The file cannot be created in a certain folder.
To correct the error message, do one of the following steps:[1] The file name already exists:By default, Windows will never allow two files to co-exist on any of their Operating Systems. Therefore, you must ensure that the file name that you are trying to create has its own identity. [2] The file name was typed incorrectly:The criteria for creating file names is as follows:
Use 8 characters or less.
Use only hypens (-), numerical or alphabetical characters.
[3] The file itself is too large for the remaining hard disk space:Be sure to check to make sure that your hard disk has sufficient space available to create the file you are trying to create. To check your available hard disk space:
Go to Start>> My Computer
Right click on your primary hard drive (usually C:\).
Check the space available against the file size you are trying to create.
Note: Your hard disk space should have at least twice the available space for the file size you're trying to create. If you are lacking in hard disk space, then continue reading below.To create more hard disk space:
Go to Start>> All Programs>> Accessories>> System Tools>> Disk Cleanup.
Select your hard disk drive (usually C:\). Click OK.
Select the files under "Files to delete" to remove them.
You can click the "More Options" tab to remove the following:
Unused Windows Components
Restore Points
Software Application
Click OK. All of your selected items will now be removed.
Restart your system.
[4] The file cannot be created in a certain folder:If the folder you are trying to create a file in has too large of a file size, then Windows will not accept it. Also, if the folder has any corrupt files in it, new files will not be accepted. To correct this issue, create a new folder and save your file in the new folder. Here's how:Note: Do not attempt to try to create a folder within the corrupt folder.
From the application your would like the folder to reside in, go to File>> New>> Folder.
Type the file name for your new folder.
Open both the new folder and the old folder side by side. Drag the file from the old folder (right click>> Cut) and drop (CTRL>> V) it into the new one.
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CD/DVD Drive Not Detected
Before Windows can see your Drive, it first has to appear in the Basic Input/Output System (BIOS). When getting error messages from Windows that state the CD or DVD drive is not detected, check to make sure it appears in the BIOS. Here's how:
Boot up your PC.
At the first logo screen, press F1 repeatedly until you see the BIOS setup screen.
Using the left and right arrows to navigate, select Main (usually at the top left).
The CD or DVD Drive name should be listed next to Primary Slave, Secondary Slave or Secondary Master.
Navigate to Exit and exit without saving changes.
If it is listed in the BIOS but the CD/DVD Drive no longer functions, then a ribbon cable could have come loose. If that is not the case either, try uninstalling the device in Device Manager. Here's how:
Go to Start>> Control Panel>> System>> Hardware tab>> Device Manager button.
In Device Manager, locate and expand the entry titled "DVD/CD-ROM drives".
Right click the appropriate drive and select "Uninstall" from the resulting menu.
When prompted, confirm that you would like to remove the selected device.
At the "Action" menu, select "Scan for hardware changes".
Click out of the Device Manager and the Control Panel.
If none of the above has worked, it is likely that your CD or DVD Drive no longer functions. Replace the drive with a compatible drive. See your manufactures web site for details.
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XP Pro Won't Completely Shutdown
Go to Start>> Control Panel>> Power Options.
Select the APM tab.
Place a checkmark in the "Enable Advanced Power Management support" check box.
Click OK and exit the Control Panel.
Your computer should successfully complete the shut down process.
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Game will not install
If you are having trouble installing a games software, the steps listed below may help you determine the cause and help you finish the installation.
Be sure that the Windows version that you are trying to install on is supported by the game.
Check to make sure that you have enough Hard Disk space available to load the software.
Check to make sure that your PC meets the minimum system requirements to run the game.
Turn off DMA:
Some game manufactures use a copy protection verification test. But with high-speed drives, the disc may spin so quickly that the test fails. If the test does not pass, the software will not install. Do get around this issue, try turning off DMA (Direct Memory Access) in your Device Manager. Here's how:
Go to Start>> Control Panel>> System>> Hardware tab>> Device Manager tab.
Go to the "View" menu and make sure that "View devices by type" is selected.
Expand the IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers entry (double click).
Double click Secondary IDE Channel entry.
Select the Advanced Settings tab.
Under the Device 0 category and next to the Transfer Mode entry, you will find a drop down menu that lists two entries:
DMA if available
PIO Only
If "DMA if available" is showing, select PIO Only. Click OK.
Exit Device Manager and Control Panel.
Restart your system
Note: Once the verification process completes and your game software is successfully installed, you can turn DMA back on using the above method.
[Top]
Fixing Defragmenter problems in Windows XP
When trying to access the Defrag tool in the Properties>> Tools dialog box for your local hard drive, one of the following problems may occur:
The Defragment Now button is missing
When you click the Defragment Now button, your receive the following error message:
The Disk Defragmenter is not installed on your computer. To install it, double-click the Add or Remove Programs icon in Control Panel, click the Install/Uninstall tab, and then follow the instructions on your screen.To fix this issue:Method #1:1. Go to Start>> Run. Type in: %Windir%\Inf [Enter] or click OK2. Locate the dfrg.inf file3. Right click the file and select Install.Method #2:Go to Start>> Run. Copy and paste the following command in to the "Open:" text box:rundll32.exe setupapi,InstallHinfSection DefaultInstall 132 %windir%\inf\dfrg.infThe above command will reinstall the Disk defragmenter.[Top]
Booting to Safe Mode in Windows XP
Booting to Safe Mode can be a very effective method of troubleshooting a system. Safe Mode allows only essential files and drivers to be used. An example of why you would need Safe Mode is; If you have installed a new hardware device and upon rebooting your system it will not start. If you can get into Safe Mode you will be able to remove the offending hardware device from your system and allow your system to boot normally.If there are damaged, deleted or corrupt system files involved, Safe Mode may not be an option. You may need to use the Recovery Console for help.To boot in to Safe Mode:
Go to Start>> Turn off computer>> Restart.
When the message "Please select the operating system to start" appears, press F8.
Using the arrow keys, highlight the appropriate Safe Mode option, then press Enter.
Note: If your system is a dual-boot or multi-boot system, choose the appropriate installation using the arrow keys, then press Enter.Alternate method:
Go to Start>> Run. Type in: msconfig [Enter]
Select the BOOT.INI tab
Check the box titled "/SAFEBOOT"
Click Apply and then exit the Configuration Utility.
Windows will now be configured to restart in Safe Mode and will continue this way until you uncheck the /SAFEBOOT box.
[Top]
Error message when you click a Mailto: link
Applies to:Windows XP/2000When you click on a Mailto: link, you may receive the following error message:Could not perform this operation because the default mail client is not properly installedThe mail client may also invoke several windows followed by the error message:Action CancelledThe reason these errors could occur is due to either:A missing String value in the Windows Registry-or- Registry Mailto key permissions are set incorrectlyTo resolve this issue:Resetting the default email client:
Go to Start>> Run. Type in: control inetcpl.cpl [Enter] or click OK.
Select the Programs tab.
Open the email dropdown menu and select another email client.
Click Apply.
Go back through steps 1 - 5 and reset your email client from the email dropdown menu. Click Apply.
If this does not resolve your issue, try this:Note: The following instructions involves editing the Windows Registry. Please be sure to make a backup copy before making any changes.Create a new registry string value:Note: Administrators, be sure that all users have READ access to the following Registry key.
Go to Start>> Run. Type in: regedit [Enter] or click OK.
Navigate to:HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\mailto
Single click the "mailto" entry to view its contents in the right pane.
Right click an empty portion of the right pane.
Select New>> String Value
Name the new string value: URL Protocol
Exit the Windows Registry.
[Top]
Reinstall System Restore in Windows XP
If you ever need to reinstall System Restore, this tip will guide you though the process. Follow the outlined procedures below:Method #1:1. Go to Start>> Run. Type in: %Windir%\INF 2. Scroll the list to find the SR.INF file3. Once found, right click the SR.INF file4. Select InstallWindows will now start the System Restore reinstallation. Restart Windows when the procedure has completed.Method #2:1. Go to Start>> Run. Copy and Paste the following in to the "Open:" line:rundll32.exe advpack.dll,LaunchINFSection %Windir%\Inf\sr.inf2. Press Enter or click OK.Windows will now start the System Restore reinstallation. Restart Windows when the procedure has completed.
[Top]
BIOS Power-On Selt Test (POST) Screen
Each Motherboard has a self-diagnostic program built in. It is call the POST screen. As your computer starts to boot, it passes through this self-diagnostic mode extremely quickly to determine if the motherboard is running all devices without error. If no error is found during this process, you will probably never notice it. But, if an error is detected, the program will omit a series of audible beeps. These beeps are codes are useful in determining where the error originated. For a complete list of beep codes by motherboard manufacturer visit here:BIOS Beep Codes from 5 Star Support
[Top]
Disable "Automatic Restart" feature
Windows XP has an automatic restart feature that is designed to restart the operating system when an error is detected. Most of the time, one restart and you're back in business again. However, on some rare occasions your system may continually keep restarting making it difficult to determine what the problem is. To disable this feature follow the instructions outlined below:
Click Start>> Control Panel>> System>> Advanced tab.
Under the Startup and Recovery category, click the Settings button.
Uncheck the "Automatically restart" entry.
Click Apply and then exit all windows.
[Top]
Muted sound
If you find that your DVD or CD won't play music any longer or if you are not getting any sound from your system at all. Try the following troubleshooting steps for help:Make sure the Mute feature is not turned on by trying one or more of the following steps:
Try Pressing the Mute button on the keyboard. By pressing this button, it will toggle the ON/OFF and will give you onscreen notification. Press this button until you receive a Mute OFF notification.
Double click the volume control icon on the taskbar. When the Master Volume window appears, make sure that the "Mute" check boxes do not have a check marks.
Check to make sure that other devices not listed in the Master Volume window are not muted. Here's how:
With the Master Volume window showing, go to Options>> Properties (see Figure #1).
Place a check in the volume controls that you would like to view (see Figure #2).
Click OK.
The Master Volume window will now show the additional selected devices. Uncheck any Mute check boxes for these devices.
XP Windows Explorer Tips, Tricks and Tweaks
Rename Multiple Files
It is possible to rename multiple file all at once. In Windows Explorer, select the files that you wish to rename by holding down the CTRL key and single clicking each file. Once they are all highlighted, right click the first file and select "Rename" from the resulting menu. Once you have entered the new name into the text box, single click outside of the text box and all of the other files will follow suit.
[Top]
Choose Hibernate from Shutdown Dialog
If you would like to Hibernate your computer instead of selecting the default "Standby" setting. You will first need to be sure that Hibernation is enabled in your Power Options. Here's how:
Go to Start>> Control Panel>> Power Options>> Hibernate tab>> Place a checkmark next to "Enable hibernation".
Once Hibernation is enabled, go to the shutdown dialog (Start>> Turn Off Computer) and hold down the Shift key. Standby will now turn in to Hibernate. Release the Shift key and it changes back to Standby.
The differences between the two options are:
Standby
Standby mode is a power control option created to save energy for laptop computing. When in Standby mode, your computer is put into a power conservation mode. It will shut down the monitor and hard disk while keeping track of the files that you currently have open. This is a great method for taking a break from your computer because the computer wakes up very quickly from Standby mode. Standby mode is not designed for long term use. Leaving your computer in Standby mode overnight is probably pushing your laptop batteries limits.
Hibernate
Hibernation mode is also a power control option designed for much longer shutdown periods without actually shutting down the system completely. When you select the Hibernate option, an image of your current work is stored in a special file on your hard drive and then the computer is almost completely shut down. When you wake your computer back up, it will take less time than a normal Shut Down would, but much longer than from the Standby option because the computer will go through the actual boot sequence. The benefit of hibernation mode versus actually shutting down is that you can hibernate while in the middle of a work project without saving the work. I'm not a big fan of using the Hibernate option, but it is there in the event you need to shut down for a long period in a big hurry.
[Top]
Command a change when dragging files
When you are dragging files in Windows Explorer, you can quickly make a copy of the file, force a move or create a shortcut by using keyboard commands. Here's how:Click and hold the click on any chosen file. When you start to drag the file press the:
Control key to force a Copy
Shift key to force a Move
Alt key to force a Create Shortcut
While holding the key down, release the mouse click to complete the operation.
[Top]
File names in thumbnail view
In Windows Explorer, if you would like to view your image files in thumbnail view without having the file names listed, just hold down the Shift key then go to View and select Thumbnail. If you change your mind and want the file names listed, then simply repeat the procedure.
[Top]
Add Details to the 'Arrange icons by' Menu
When in Windows Explorer, you can arrange the icons in many different ways. To see a list of the additional options available in this list, go to View>> Choose Details... from here you can place a checkmark in any of the unchecked options to make your selection available. Once your selection is made, click OK to save the change and exit the window. Now, when you go to View>> Arrange Icons By, your selection will now appear in this menu.
[Top]
Create a Folders Thumbnail Image
In Windows Explorer, if you were to create an image and name it; Folder.jpg, Windows will use this image as the thumbnail for that folder. Also, it will be used as the album art in Windows Media Player for all of the media files in that folder.
[Top]
View more in Windows Explorer
The default settings in Windows Explorer keeps certain information about files and folders from being seen. I am sure that it is designed this way because most people do not need to see this information. If there are those of you that would like to view all of the information about your files and folders when in Windows Explorer, I can show you how with only a few quick tweaks. Here's how:
Open Windows Explorer>> View>> Status BarThis will show details at the bottom of the window.
Open Windows Explorer>> View>> DetailsThis will show the details of your files and folders in the right pane.
Open Windows Explorer>> Tools>> Folders Options>> ViewUnder the Advanced settings category, check all of the "Display" entries to display everything that Windows Explorer has to offer. There are a couple of "Hide" options listed that you can uncheck also. To apply these changes, click the "Apply to All Folders" button.
[Top ]
Customize Windows Explorer's Default Folder
Windows default setting for opening Windows Explorer is "My Documents". If you would like to customize Windows Explorer and make it open your root directory by default, here's how:1. Go to Start>> All Programs>> Accessories>> Windows Explorer2. Right click the Windows Explorer icon3. Click the Shortcut tab4. Replace the text in the "Target" box with:%systemroot%\explorer.exe /e,/root,5. Apply the change and then click OKWindows will now open Windows Explorer at your root directory by default.Bonus Tip:You can customize Windows Explorer to open with any folder you would like. For instance, let's say I would like Windows Explorer to open with "My Pictures" because I am working with that folder most often. Simple, just follow the above instructions and replace the "Target" box text with:%systemroot%\explorer.exe /e,C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\My Documents\My Pictures
Apply the change, then click OK.Windows Explorer will now open with your My Pictures folder by default.Note: Where "C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\My Documents\My Pictures" is my actual path for my "My Pictures" folder, yours may be different. To find out your actual path for My Pictures, simply right click the My Pictures folder and select Properties. Look at the "Location:" field for the exact location (see fig. 1).
(Fig. 1)
[Top]
Open Windows Explorer from a Command Prompt
If you would like to open Windows Explorer from a Command Prompt, here's how:Go to Start>> Run. Type in: explorer [Enter] or click OK.There are a number of different switches that you can use to perform different functions in Windows Explorer. Below you will see the switch and a description of its function:
explorer /nThis switch uses the default setting for showing only the root of the drive that Windows is installed.
explorer /eThis switch also uses the default setting for exposing the root drive. However, you can easily switch folders in this view as both the right and left panes are viewable.
explorer /e,c:\windowsIn this example, Windows Explorer will open the Windows folder in the root drive.
explorer /e,c:\windows\fontsThis example shows that you can go a step further and open Windows Explorer with the focus on the "Fonts" folder held within the Windows folder of the root drive. Replace "fonts" with any other folder within the Windows folder that you would like to view.
[Top]
Change Windows Explorer's Default Start Folder
Go to Start>> All Programs>> Accessories.
Right click Windows Explorer and select Properties.
In the "Target" textbox, enter the location change. For example, if you would rather have Windows Explorer start at the root drive (usually C:), make the following change:%SystemRoot%\Explorer.exe /root, C:\
[Top]
Enable "Show hidden files and folders"
Open Windows Explorer
Select Tools>> Folder Options
Click the View tab
Scroll the Advanced settings to find the entry titled: Show hidden files and folders.
Tick the entry and then click Apply.
Close Windows Explorer
[Top]
It is possible to rename multiple file all at once. In Windows Explorer, select the files that you wish to rename by holding down the CTRL key and single clicking each file. Once they are all highlighted, right click the first file and select "Rename" from the resulting menu. Once you have entered the new name into the text box, single click outside of the text box and all of the other files will follow suit.
[Top]
Choose Hibernate from Shutdown Dialog
If you would like to Hibernate your computer instead of selecting the default "Standby" setting. You will first need to be sure that Hibernation is enabled in your Power Options. Here's how:
Go to Start>> Control Panel>> Power Options>> Hibernate tab>> Place a checkmark next to "Enable hibernation".
Once Hibernation is enabled, go to the shutdown dialog (Start>> Turn Off Computer) and hold down the Shift key. Standby will now turn in to Hibernate. Release the Shift key and it changes back to Standby.
The differences between the two options are:
Standby
Standby mode is a power control option created to save energy for laptop computing. When in Standby mode, your computer is put into a power conservation mode. It will shut down the monitor and hard disk while keeping track of the files that you currently have open. This is a great method for taking a break from your computer because the computer wakes up very quickly from Standby mode. Standby mode is not designed for long term use. Leaving your computer in Standby mode overnight is probably pushing your laptop batteries limits.
Hibernate
Hibernation mode is also a power control option designed for much longer shutdown periods without actually shutting down the system completely. When you select the Hibernate option, an image of your current work is stored in a special file on your hard drive and then the computer is almost completely shut down. When you wake your computer back up, it will take less time than a normal Shut Down would, but much longer than from the Standby option because the computer will go through the actual boot sequence. The benefit of hibernation mode versus actually shutting down is that you can hibernate while in the middle of a work project without saving the work. I'm not a big fan of using the Hibernate option, but it is there in the event you need to shut down for a long period in a big hurry.
[Top]
Command a change when dragging files
When you are dragging files in Windows Explorer, you can quickly make a copy of the file, force a move or create a shortcut by using keyboard commands. Here's how:Click and hold the click on any chosen file. When you start to drag the file press the:
Control key to force a Copy
Shift key to force a Move
Alt key to force a Create Shortcut
While holding the key down, release the mouse click to complete the operation.
[Top]
File names in thumbnail view
In Windows Explorer, if you would like to view your image files in thumbnail view without having the file names listed, just hold down the Shift key then go to View and select Thumbnail. If you change your mind and want the file names listed, then simply repeat the procedure.
[Top]
Add Details to the 'Arrange icons by' Menu
When in Windows Explorer, you can arrange the icons in many different ways. To see a list of the additional options available in this list, go to View>> Choose Details... from here you can place a checkmark in any of the unchecked options to make your selection available. Once your selection is made, click OK to save the change and exit the window. Now, when you go to View>> Arrange Icons By, your selection will now appear in this menu.
[Top]
Create a Folders Thumbnail Image
In Windows Explorer, if you were to create an image and name it; Folder.jpg, Windows will use this image as the thumbnail for that folder. Also, it will be used as the album art in Windows Media Player for all of the media files in that folder.
[Top]
View more in Windows Explorer
The default settings in Windows Explorer keeps certain information about files and folders from being seen. I am sure that it is designed this way because most people do not need to see this information. If there are those of you that would like to view all of the information about your files and folders when in Windows Explorer, I can show you how with only a few quick tweaks. Here's how:
Open Windows Explorer>> View>> Status BarThis will show details at the bottom of the window.
Open Windows Explorer>> View>> DetailsThis will show the details of your files and folders in the right pane.
Open Windows Explorer>> Tools>> Folders Options>> ViewUnder the Advanced settings category, check all of the "Display" entries to display everything that Windows Explorer has to offer. There are a couple of "Hide" options listed that you can uncheck also. To apply these changes, click the "Apply to All Folders" button.
[Top ]
Customize Windows Explorer's Default Folder
Windows default setting for opening Windows Explorer is "My Documents". If you would like to customize Windows Explorer and make it open your root directory by default, here's how:1. Go to Start>> All Programs>> Accessories>> Windows Explorer2. Right click the Windows Explorer icon3. Click the Shortcut tab4. Replace the text in the "Target" box with:%systemroot%\explorer.exe /e,/root,5. Apply the change and then click OKWindows will now open Windows Explorer at your root directory by default.Bonus Tip:You can customize Windows Explorer to open with any folder you would like. For instance, let's say I would like Windows Explorer to open with "My Pictures" because I am working with that folder most often. Simple, just follow the above instructions and replace the "Target" box text with:%systemroot%\explorer.exe /e,C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\My Documents\My Pictures
Apply the change, then click OK.Windows Explorer will now open with your My Pictures folder by default.Note: Where "C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\My Documents\My Pictures" is my actual path for my "My Pictures" folder, yours may be different. To find out your actual path for My Pictures, simply right click the My Pictures folder and select Properties. Look at the "Location:" field for the exact location (see fig. 1).
(Fig. 1)
[Top]
Open Windows Explorer from a Command Prompt
If you would like to open Windows Explorer from a Command Prompt, here's how:Go to Start>> Run. Type in: explorer [Enter] or click OK.There are a number of different switches that you can use to perform different functions in Windows Explorer. Below you will see the switch and a description of its function:
explorer /nThis switch uses the default setting for showing only the root of the drive that Windows is installed.
explorer /eThis switch also uses the default setting for exposing the root drive. However, you can easily switch folders in this view as both the right and left panes are viewable.
explorer /e,c:\windowsIn this example, Windows Explorer will open the Windows folder in the root drive.
explorer /e,c:\windows\fontsThis example shows that you can go a step further and open Windows Explorer with the focus on the "Fonts" folder held within the Windows folder of the root drive. Replace "fonts" with any other folder within the Windows folder that you would like to view.
[Top]
Change Windows Explorer's Default Start Folder
Go to Start>> All Programs>> Accessories.
Right click Windows Explorer and select Properties.
In the "Target" textbox, enter the location change. For example, if you would rather have Windows Explorer start at the root drive (usually C:), make the following change:%SystemRoot%\Explorer.exe /root, C:\
[Top]
Enable "Show hidden files and folders"
Open Windows Explorer
Select Tools>> Folder Options
Click the View tab
Scroll the Advanced settings to find the entry titled: Show hidden files and folders.
Tick the entry and then click Apply.
Close Windows Explorer
[Top]
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