In This Issue · Tips and Tutorials · Voice Recognition · Family Pictures · Wireless Networking · Online Backups · Where is ScanDisk? · Keyboard Shortcuts · Using Remote Assistance in Windows XP Symantec McAfee rcc@RuidosoComputers.com Alto Enterprises provides sales and services through following: Ruidoso Computer Consultants Dickinson Marketing Mary Kay Cosmetics NextDayPC Remote Date Backups | I often get questions about how to do one particular thing. When I write out than explanation, I add it to my tips page on my website. This page is always growing so check there when you have a question. There is an excellent tip on Speeding Up Your Computer. Anti-Virus protectionThis one of the most important things to which you as a computer owner need to pay close attention. For most, this is the main protector for your computer. It is cheap insurance that once a year you have to pay for the service you want. Windows 95/98/ME users need to subscribe for the new virus definitions. The new programs may be too advanced for some of the programs on your computer even though it is supposed to work.Windows 2000/XP users should buy the CD for the new program rather than downloading. If you download and install the program and then your computer crashes, you don’t have any way to reinstall the current software that you bought.“You get what you pay for” If you install a free antivirus program, you are taking a chance. I recommend Symactec products. I have tested several different products and the Symantec products have consistently found viruses that none of the others found.I keep current stocks of these products on hand.I you must use some other product then use McAfee. Website Design.We now have a new service on our website. You can choose the template for your website by looking at thumbnails of the templates online. There are more than 400 to choose from and we still have many others that are not shown that include animations, splash screens and more. Using a laptop as your only computerI have installed stands for laptops that are similar to a docking station. In the home or office, the stand is connected to the printer(s) a regular keyboard, a mouse and any other peripherals. When you get to the office, you set your laptop in the cradle, connect a USB cable open the laptop and go to work. You type on a regular keyboard and use the laptop for your computer and monitor. Having a wireless network and a laptop computer provides opportunities for a completely different lifestyle. Freedom of movement. You can take your laptop and coffee out on the deck and work while enjoying your space. I recommend a laptop/notebook computer equipped with Centrino wireless technology and a Linksys brand wireless router/switch Speaking of wireless, recently one of my clients related an experience to me. She was at a workshop where several people setup their laptops in the same room. Several of them had a wireless mouse. They soon discovered that when they were not using their mouse and someone nearby moved theirs, the mouse that was moving took control of their computer.This could happen only when the computers are quite close to each other.The next time you are on an airplane or in an internet café using your wireless mouse and your computer starts doing strange things, realize that it is not caused by an alien presence but most likely the person in the next row. Protect Your Most Valuable Asset...
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Where has Scan Disk Gone?
Scandisk is not a part of Windows XP - instead you get the improved CHKDSK. You can use the Error-checking tool to check for file system errors and bad sectors on your hard disk.
1: Open My Computer, and then select the local disk you want to check.
2: On the File menu, click Properties.
3: On the Tools tab, under Error-checking, click Check Now.
4: Under Check disk options, select the Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors check box.
· All files must be closed for this process to run. If the volume is currently in use, a message box will appear prompting you to indicate whether or not you want to reschedule the disk checking for the next time you restart your system. Then, the next time you restart your system, disk checking will run. Your volume will not be available to perform other tasks while this process is running.
· If your volume is formatted as NTFS, Windows automatically logs all file transactions, replaces bad clusters, and stores copies of key information for all files on the NTFS volume.
Keyboard Shortcuts
When speed counts, the keyboard is still king. Almost all the actions and commands you can perform with a mouse you can perform faster using combinations of keys on your keyboard. These simple keyboard shortcuts can get you where you want to go faster than several clicks of a mouse. You'll work faster on spreadsheets and similar documents, too, because you won't lose your place switching back and forth between mouse and keys.
Here are some of the most useful keyboard shortcuts:
Copy. CTRL+C
Cut. CTRL+X
Paste. CTRL+V
Undo. CTRL+Z
Delete. DELETE
Delete selected item permanently without placing the item in the Recycle Bin. SHIFT+DELETE
Copy selected item. CTRL while dragging an item
Create shortcut to selected item. CTRL+SHIFT while dragging an item
Rename selected item. F2
Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next word. CTRL+RIGHT ARROW
Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous word. CTRL+LEFT ARROW
Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next paragraph. CTRL+DOWN ARROW
Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous paragraph. CTRL+UP ARROW
Highlight a block of text. CTRL+SHIFT with any of the arrow keys
Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text within a document. SHIFT with any of the arrow keys
Select all. CTRL+A
Search for a file or folder. F3
View properties for the selected item. ALT+ENTER
Close the active item, or quit the active program. ALT+F4
Opens the shortcut menu for the active window. ALT+SPACEBAR
Close the active document in programs that allow you to have multiple documents open simultaneously. CTRL+F4
Switch between open items. ALT+TAB
Cycle through items in the order they were opened. ALT+ESC
Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop. F6
Display the Address bar list in My Computer or Windows Explorer. F4
Display the shortcut menu for the selected item. SHIFT+F10
Display the System menu for the active window. ALT+SPACEBAR
Display the Start menu. CTRL+ESC
Display the corresponding menu. ALT+Underlined letter in a menu name
Carry out the corresponding command. Underlined letter in a command name on an open menu
Activate the menu bar in the active program. F10
Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu. RIGHT ARROW
Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu. LEFT ARROW
Refresh the active window. F5
View the folder one level up in My Computer or Windows Explorer. BACKSPACE
Cancel the current task. ESC
SHIFT when you insert a CD into the CD-ROM drive Prevent the CD from automatically playing.
Use these keyboard shortcuts for dialog boxes:
Move forward through tabs. CTRL+TAB
Move backward through tabs. CTRL+SHIFT+TAB
Move forward through options. TAB
Move backward through options. SHIFT+TAB
Carry out the corresponding command or select the corresponding option. ALT+Underlined letter
Carry out the command for the active option or button. ENTER
Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box. SPACEBAR
Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons. Arrow keys
Display Help. F1
Display the items in the active list. F4
Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box. BACKSPACE
If you have a Microsoft Natural Keyboard, or any other compatible keyboard that includes the Windows logo key and the Application key , you can use these keyboard shortcuts:
Display or hide the Start menu.
Display the System Properties dialog box. +BREAK
Show the desktop. +D
Minimize all windows. +M
Restores minimized windows. +Shift+M
Open My Computer. +E
Search for a file or folder. +F
Search for computers. CTRL+ +F
Display Windows Help. +F1
Lock your computer if you are connected to a network domain, or switch users if you are not connected to a network domain. + L
Open the Run dialog box. +R
Display the shortcut menu for the selected item.
Open Utility Manager. +U
Helpful accessibility keyboard shortcuts:
Switch FilterKeys on and off. Right SHIFT for eight seconds
Switch High Contrast on and off. Left ALT +left SHIFT +PRINT SCREEN
Switch MouseKeys on and off. Left ALT +left SHIFT +NUM LOCK
Switch StickyKeys on and off. SHIFT five times
Switch ToggleKeys on and off. NUM LOCK for five seconds
Open Utility Manager. +U
Keyboard shortcuts you can use with Windows Explorer:
Display the bottom of the active window. END
Display the top of the active window. HOME
Display all subfolders under the selected folder. NUM LOCK+ASTERISK on numeric keypad (*)
Display the contents of the selected folder. NUM LOCK+PLUS SIGN on numeric keypad (+)
Collapse the selected folder. NUM LOCK+MINUS SIGN on numeric keypad (-)
Collapse current selection if it's expanded, or select parent folder. LEFT ARROW
Display current selection if it's collapsed, or select first subfolder. RIGHT ARROW 
Using Remote Assistance in Windows XP
Your computer is acting weird. What did you do wrong? Luckily, your consultant got Windows XP, and he's already mastered it. If only he could fix your computer for you. . . .
With Windows XP's Remote Assistance, he can. If you turn on Remote Assistance, another person can log onto your computer and control it, just as if they were sitting in front of it. They can tweak your computer, setting up what needs to be done, and your computer will run as good as new. (At least, that's the concept.) To load Remote Assistant, click the Start button, choose Help and Support and choose Remote Assistance. Choose Invite Someone to Help You from the program's screen, allow 24hrs to respond, do not set a password and send. Open your email program (Outlook Express or Outlook) and click on “Send”. Call me at 336-7822 an let me know you have sent the invitation. When I accept your request, I can see your computer's screen on my monitor. We can talk on the phone, while I move your mouse, clicking the right things, until the situation is fixed. This is an attempt to provide my customers with timely information. Let me know what you think. rcc@RuidosoComputers.com |
