The following are tips and "Cool Freebies" that have been sent by members for the website and eMonitor

 

December 2005

Quickly Find Things on Web Pages

Obviously there are searches on most websites that help you find what you're looking for. However, there may be a situation where you are reading lots of content on a site and want to find a specific topic or name on the same page. To quickly find something, hit Ctrl+F on your keyboard and a "Find" prompt should show up. Just type in a word or phrase and hit enter; this will take you to the first occurrence of whatever you entered on the page, starting at the top. Each time you hit enter after this, it will go to the next occurrence on the page. If you are like me, you will definitely find this useful in a ton of different situations. It doesn't hurt to make web browsing as easy as possible, so try this one out today!

 

Increasing Process Priority

Certain applications require a higher process priority than others; for example, if you are

burning a CD, you may want to make the CD burning program a higher priority than Google's

Desktop Crawler. To do this, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc and find the process whose priority you

wish to modify. Right-click the process and go to Set Priority. The Priorities listed in this menu

are self-explanatory, with "RealTime" being the highest and "Low" being the lowest. Adjust

any necessary processes (or unnecessary ones) accordingly to further optimize performance;

this is especially useful with CD burning applications!

 

November 2005

How many Vistas does it take?

If you were confused by the different editions of Windows XP (Home, Pro, Tablet, Media Center), get ready to be even more overwhelmed by the choices you'll have with Windows Vista. At last count, Microsoft was planning no less than nine separate editions - but you won't find a Tablet PC edition or a Media Center Edition. Instead, tablet functionality is expected to be included as part of Vista Home Premium, Professional, Small Business, Enterprise and Ultimate editions (but not Starter Edition or Home Basic Edition). Media Center functionality will be included in Home Premium and Ultimate Editions. Want a media center that can also join your domain? Get Ultimate Edition. Need Internet Connection Sharing (ICS)? You can do it with any edition except Starter Edition. Want Remote Desktop services? None of the Home editions support it, nor does Starter, but Professional, Small Business, Enterprise and Ultimate all do.

So how do you figure out which edition you need for the things you want to do with your Vista computer? For a chart comparing the features in each of the nine editions, see Paul Thurrott's Web site at:
http://www.wxpnews.com/rd/rd.cfm?id=051018TI-Vistas

 

If you want to know where your email is stored on your HD, check out this location:  http://www.mrmodem.net/cgi-bin/library.pl?action=view&article=112

 

October 2005

How to Back up your Product Activation Files - from WinXP News

Last week, we talked about reformatting the hard disk and reinstalling XP. But do you have to go through the whole product activation hassle again when you do that? Actually, there's a way around it. Before you wipe out the current installation, backup your product activation files and then you can restore them to the new installation. Here's how:

            1. Right click Start and click Explore.

            2. In Windows Explorer, navigate to \WINDOWS\System32\ (usually on the c: drive but may be on a different drive depending on where you installed XP).

            3. Copy the following files to a floppy, CD or second hard disk: wpa.dbl, wpa.bak.

To restore the files, start the computer in Safe Mode and copy them to the same directory (\WINDOWS\System32).

 

 Free credit report!     Cool Freebie from Doris Collins     
      Identity theft is running rampant. It seems there's another story about it in the news every day.
      So you should check your credit report regularly. You'll find out if someone has opened credit accounts in your name. Unfortunately, credit reporting agencies charge about $10 per report.
       Everybody in the country is entitled to a free report. The new Federal law says you can get it free yearly. You can view what's in your file at each of the three nationwide agencies. This report is really free. If you go to any URL except the one at the end of this article, you are probably going to be asked for a credit card number to pay for the report. There are three reporting agencies (credit bureaus); if you request a credit report from just one of them every four months, you can keep a closer eye on your credit.
       Anyone can fall victim to identity theft. So do your friends and family a favor and forward them today's Cool Freebie. They'll benefit from the free credit report.
       The URL for the site is: http://www.annualcreditreport.com

 

September 2005

Control + Click   from Fran Crane

     The control key is usually a very handy Windows keyboard shortcut key. It performs a similar function in almost every situation; when you hold down the control key and click (or double-click) something, it will typically open it in a new window. For example, if you hold control while clicking a link in IE, it will spawn a new window pointed to that link; if you hold control and double-click a folder in the Explorer interface, it will open a new window pointed to that folder. Similarly, if you hold control while dragging a file or folder to a new location, Windows copies, rather than moves, the file.

 

September Cool Freebie   from Doris Collins

     This month's cool freebie is recommended by PC World magazine. It is a very helpful utility that lets you get to know your computer "inside out."

Whether you're troubleshooting a computer problem, shopping for an upgrade, or just want to check what's underneath the hood, it's helpful to know what your PC has. Belarc Advisor gives you the scoop on what's installed on your desktop or notebook. It scans your computer and generates a profile of everything installed on it, from your main circuit board to software. Version, manufacturer, and serial numbers are listed, as well as statistics such as available memory slots and hard drive space.

     Note: This version of Belarc Advisor is free and licensed for personal use only.  Download the program from this site: http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_download.asp?fid=8078&fileidx=1

 

 

August 2005

Spyware and Adware Tool from PCMechanic Tip of the Day  - from Fran Crane

      Anti-spyware and adware tools can help protect your computer from displaying random pop-up ads, experiencing system freezes and mysterious Visual C++ Runtime errors, and more, but one program is not enough. To better your chances against spyware and adware, you really need to use at least two removal tools. There are constantly new spyware apps being created, and the company behind any individual anti-spyware product might not be quick to issue new definitions for their software to protect you. To be thorough, then, you want to use more than one anti-spyware utility. This will double up your chances of staying free of such spyware, even as new ones come out.

       There is personally one spyware app that finds things another one missed. It happens all the time. I would recommend one of your spyware defenses be CounterSpy, by Sunbelt Software. It was the featured product in the April 2005 edition of PC World. CounterSpy was given PC World's top rating in a comparison of several different spyware utilities. Of the 9 utilities, CounterSpy had the highest detection rate while also providing real-time protection.

 

Cool Freebie - from Doris Collins
      This month's Cool Freebie is another journey into yesteryear, and you have to be at least approaching your golden age to appreciate how great this site is. Remember the old radio shows before TV - (yes, there really was a time before TV)? The Lone Ranger, Amos & Andy, Ma Perkins, The Shadow, Superman.....all of these are now available for free on a great website! They are approximately 38 minutes long, with an introduction that includes the identities of the characters, and even the old commercials. What memories they brought back! I remember when I had the measles as a child and had to stay in a darkened room; listening to The Lone Ranger and shows like it made things a little easier.
      The shows are archived and there is a search feature, so you can find whatever you're looking for rather easily. The download for the actual program is at the bottom of the page you select.
      The website is http://radiomemories.libsyn.com/.  Enjoy your journey to the past.

 

July 2005

Disable Error Reporting in XP
By default, Windows XP will ask to report any program errors to Microsoft. It can be a bit annoying, especially because you're already annoyed the program crashed in the first place. Most of us just hit Don't Send and move on. Well, you can stop Windows from asking every time. Go to Control Panel > System > Advanced and click the "Error Reporting" button at the bottom. Choose "Disable error reporting" and hit OK.

 

July Cool Freebie by Doris Collins

     Have you ever wished you could print a directory in Windows Explorer without doing a screen print, which gives you much more than you need? Now you can! A free utility called ?JR Directory Printer Utility? allows you to make a text file that lists the names of files in a folder. Simply check the boxes you want for the bells and whistles you prefer. You can choose to include or ignore the files in subdirectories. JR Directory Printer can pull in extra information--such as Display Size, Date/Time, and Attributes--if you need it, or can omit it if you don't. If you prefer, you can instruct JR Directory Printer to limit the file name length or to make all file names lowercase.

      Download JR Directory Printer Utility now at: http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,25110,tk,hsx,00.asp

 

June 2005

Get Rid of Script Error Messages

     Internet Explorer, if you choose, announces script errors relentlessly. This may help Web and application developers, but it's just plain annoying for the rest of us.

     If you're getting these messages, click Tools>>Internet Options. Select the Advanced tab. Under Browsing, select "Disable script debugging." Clear "Display a notification about every script error."

 

June Cool Freebie
      Have you ever tried to remember the exact filename of your document? Opening each file to look inside wastes a lot of time. Now there's a more simple way: Agent Ransack. Agent Ransack displays the text found inside each file, so you don't have to separately open each search result.
You can also search for text inside of documents using this application. Agent Ransack integrates into the Windows Find menu, so it can easily replace the File Search function included with Windows.
      Agent Ransack is free. To download, simply go to: 
http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_download.asp?fid=16100&fileidx=1
 
(Note: If the link doesn't work, simply copy and paste it into your browser.)
Enjoy!  Doris

 

May 2005

      BackUp in Windows XP Home Edition - by Charles Crane

For those of you who have Windows XP-Home Edition, but would still like to use the XP Backup program, you can find it on your XP Installation CD. Go to: \VALUEADD\MSFT\NTBACKUP folder; click on NTBACKUP.MSI. This will install the program; read the HELP file for instructions.
Cheers---Charlie

 

     Lost "Show Desktop" icon - by Doris Collins

If you have lost your "Show Desktop" icon (the one that immediately minimizes all the windows on your computer and leaves you at your desktop), there is a way to retrieve it. Thanks to "WorldStart" for this tip:
     "Show Desktop" is not a normal program and you can't just make a shortcut or reactivate it in a normal way. What you'll need to do is create a file in Notepad and save it to where Show Desktop should be.
     Go to Start/Run and type in "notepad" (without the quotes) then type in these lines:
[Shell]
Command=2
IconFile=explorer.exe,3
[Taskbar]
Command=ToggleDesktop
     Next, save the file with the name "Show Desktop.scf" in the folder C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\ Microsoft\Internet Explorer\ Quick Launch.  Your actual user account name goes where it says "username".  The Show Desktop icon should reappear next to your Start button and you can close out Notepad.

 

Cool Freebie from Doris Collins

      The Cool Freebie for this month is not a utility or any of the things I usually offer; it is, instead, a walk down memory lane. If you have used computers for several years, or if you liked the old Atari games, then you will love this!
      Called Classic Arcade Pack, you can relive the days when times were simple and games were simpler yet. This pack includes Asteroids, PacMan, Pong, Snake, and Space Invaders. All are lovingly recreated, right down to the sound. With the online score-taking function, you can compete against other nostalgia-ridden gamers. The best news is, these games are completely free!
Download Classic Arcade Pack now at:
http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,24814,tk,hsx,00.asp 

 

 

April 2005

Tip of the Month   Disabling Unsigned Driver Dialog  - by Fran Crane       

In Windows XP, there is a warning box whenever you try to install drives that are unsigned. Many times you can just ignore the warning and install the driver anyway, but sometimes you are just stuck right there. There is a way to disable these messages:

(1) Click Start > Run.
(2) Type "gpedit.msc" and hit OK.
(3) Browse to User Configuration - Administrative Templates - System.
(4) Right-click Code signing for Device drivers and select Properties.
(5) On the Settings tab, either select enable, and then select ignore from the appearing listbox..., or click the disable option.
(6) Click Apply then OK.

Alternatively, you can go to Control Panel > System. Then go to the Hardware tab and click on Driver Signing. Choose Ignore in the resulting window.

 

March 2005

Tip of the Month  - by Fran Crane

      Research your Retailer (Tip from PC Mechanic "Tip of the Day")

If you are in the market for PC hardware or software, you can do very well buying it online. It many cases, you can save yourself some money. Plus, online retailers often have selections which a retail store just can't rival. But, in shopping online, its good to know who you are buying from. Can you trust them? How is their support? Do they provide good service? A site you have to check out (if you haven't already) is ResellerRatings (http://www.resellerratings.com). It contains a large database of online retailers and provides members the opportunity to comment on and vote on retailers. As a consumer, just head over there and find out if the company you are considering was voted good or bad by other consumers.

 

March "Cool Freebie"  - by Doris Collins 

Each month we feature a "Cool Freebies," wherein a free program is shared and discussed.

Ever wish you could keep an eye on things like your CPU or RAM usage, uptime, battery level (on a laptop), volume control, etc without having to open an icon to see the status of these things? Then you are in luck - that program exists and it's free!

The program is called "Statbar." It sits at the very top of your screen (or elsewhere, should you desire), is completely customizable, and very useful. There are many functions you can choose to monitor, and you can remove some that you don't need.

The download for this program is located here:

www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,23785,tk,hsx,00.asp

If you need instruction for downloading this program, please see previous months' "Cool Freebies" for general downloading instructions

 

February 2005

 Tip by Fran Crane

No Confirmation

Ever notice how every time you delete something, Windows asks you if you would really like to do it? If you find yourself shouting "YES, I wouldn't have hit

delete if I didn't want to delete the stupid thing," then you may want to disable the deletion confirmation. To do so, just right-click the Recycle bin, Properties,

and deselect the checkbox for "Display delete confirmation dialog box."

 

  February Cool Freebie by Doris Collins

This month's freebie is a simple little program, but a very useful one; it is called "NISTime" and is a tiny, 260KB application that sets your computer's clock to the atomic clocks operated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology atomic clocks, in either Colorado or Maryland. The program requires no installation (just download and unzip the file to your C:\windows or C:\winnt folder) and very little setup, though you may wish to read the PDF manual (included in the download) before you begin.

 

If you need instruction for downloading this program, please see previous months' "Cool Freebies" for general downloading instructions.

The URL for NISTime-32bit is:
http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,23895,tk,hsx,00.asp

January Tip 2005 - by Fran Crane

More to Google Than Meets the Eye

Google is the most popular search engine on the internet by far. It has gotten to be

a household name. But, many people may not realize that there are a lot of extra

services which Google provides. The site's simplistic homepage tends to hide the

fact that there is more to their site than just a little search box with sometimes changing logos. Here are a few of their services:

Google Services: www.google.com/options/index.html

Google News: news.google.com/nwshp?hl=en&gl=

Google Suggest: www.google.com/webhp?complete=1&hl=en (new and in testing)

Froogle: www.google.com/froogle?hl=en&tab=wf&complete=1&q=

Google Images: www.google.com/imghp?hl=en&tab=wi&complete=1&q=

 

January 2005 Cool Freebie by Doris Collins

      Each month we have a feature called "Cool Freebies," wherein a free program is shared and discussed.

      This month's freebie is one of my favorite programs. It is a real time-saver, not to mention that it takes over where my brain stops! The program is called Roboform; it sits waiting quietly on your computer until you open a form or web page with fields to be completed, then it completes them for you if you ask it to do so. When you initially set up the program, you enter as little or as much personal information as you desire; this program is only on your computer - it does not send information back to the mother ship. In my Roboform I have my name, address, etc, and even my credit card number, bank account number, etc. Then when I go to a web site to purchase something or sign up for something, all I have to do is tell Roboform to fill in the forms and I'm done. It even notifies you if it's filled in sensitive information such as your credit card or checking account. This has been helpful several times, because I haven't really looked at the whole form and somewhere at the bottom is an offer to purchase something, which wants a credit card. Then I simply go to the information I don't want revealed and delete it. It's really that simple! Also, each time you bring up a web page or program that requires you to log in, Roboform pops up and sits there waiting for you to instruct it to fill in your user name and password. The first time you fill in this information yourself after you have installed Roboform, it will pop up and ask whether you want the information saved. When you click "Save" it is then ready to enter your information for you the next time you open that page. If several people use your computer there is a password-protect feature so that no one can use your information but you; you can also have more than one "identity" so others can use the program too.

      The free version of Roboform allows 30 saved user names/passwords. If you need more than that, the paid version is only about $20 a year, and allows unlimited space. I used this program for about three years before I felt the need to advance to the paid version.

       The latest version has a feature called "Pass To Go" which allows you to put your information on another drive (such as a thumb drive) to use on computers other than your home computer!

      The URL for Roboform is www.roboform.com. In the upper right of the web page are two downloads; the one on the left is for the free version. The program should be downloaded in the usual fashion (make sure to choose “Save” instead of “Open” and that the little box that says "Close When Download is Finished" is NOT checked). Once the download has been accomplished, choose “Open” or "Run" and follow the instructions to install the program. An icon will appear in your system tray (on the right, by the clock); it is a rather strange-looking green and white icon:

 

You will see screens asking you to fill in your information such as name, address, etc. Fill in as much or as little as you like; no one anywhere will see this information.

If you have ever used a similar program called "Gator," which did send information on your surfing habits (it is spy ware), please don't confuse the two. This is a great program and hopefully you can conserve space in your brain for more important things than remembering passwords, and shred all those sticky notes with passwords you have stuck to the side of your computer!

 

December 2004

Tip 1: Printing an email or website page - from Charlene Francis

Printing an email page and losing part of the text at the end of each sentence can be very frustrating. To overcome this, you can do the following: 1) Select the text you want to print; 2) go to File and select print and this will open the print window;  3) click on the block beside Selection and then click OK.

 

Tip 2:  Get Rid of Script Error Messages  - Fran Crane

Internet Explorer (IE), if you choose, announces script errors relentlessly. This may help Web and application developers, but it's just plain annoying for the rest of us.

If you're getting these messages, click Tools>>Internet Options. Select the Advanced tab. Under Browsing, select "Disable script debugging." Clear "Display a notification about every script error."

 

November 2004

To be notified when you turn on the Caps lock Key or Num Lock Key accidentally: from James Duncan

If you like a bell to ring when you hit the Caps Lock Key or the Num Lock Key accidentally when reaching for the Tab Key or the Shift Key, here is a way to be notified. Do the following:

• Click Start

• Control Panel

• Accessibility Options (depending on your Operating System it will bring up window with the options

• Click on the Keyboard tab at the top

• Look for the Toggle keys Section

• Click on check box that says use Toggle Keys

• Press OK

Close the windows and you have noise when you hit the Caps Lock or Num Lock Key.

 

Adjust the size of the Recycle Bin: from Fran Crane

By default, the recycle bin uses 10% of each drive/partition for a pit stop for deleted data before it gets permanently deleted.

To adjust the amount of space the recycle bin uses, right click on the "Recycle Bin" and click "Properties". On the "Global" tab, set the slider to about 5%. This value will be applied to all drives/partitions. If you wish to configure them independently, check the "Configure drives independently" box, and proceed to go to each drive tab to adjust each slider.

Once finished, hit apply and OK. If you find that the files are too large to go to the recycle bin, you will be prompted to either permanently delete, or cancel. If you don't want to permanently delete the file yet, hit cancel and just increase the size of the appropriate recycle bin.

 

 

September 2004

Do you know what version of DirectX you are running on your computer? from Fran Crane

Using the DirectX Diagnostic tool: Click Start, Run and type "dxdiag" (without the quotes) in the dialog box. Click OK. The DirectX Diagnostic Tool will start, and display a properties page. The DirectX version number will be displayed at the bottom of the properties page.