Simple but Useful Windows Tips and Tricks

The Keys to Improving Your Use of Windows

– Using the right mouse button to Right Click on items

– Using the left mouse button to Drag and Drop items

Taskbar Tips, Tricks and Troubleshooting

Note: Applicable to both the Windows and Microsoft Office desktop taskbars

-- Finding a lost Taskbar – Always on Top and Auto Hide features

-- Right click on Taskbar and select Properties

-- Moving the Taskbar around the Desktop

-Use the left mouse button to Drag and Drop the taskbar around the     desktop

-- Viewing more than one Window or Program at time

-- Using the Taskbar to switch between programs ("task switching")

-- Running more than one Programs at a time ("multi-tasking")

-- Error Message: "Not Enough Memory" to run a program or open a file

-- Often caused by having too many windows open or programs running.

-- Minimizing all open Windows to the Taskbar at once

-- Right click on the Taskbar and select Minimize All Windows

Desktop Tips, Tricks and Troubleshooting

-- Creating Desktop Shortcuts for Programs and Documents

-- In Internet Explorer, right click on the item and select Create Shortcut

-- Drag and Drop the shortcut onto the Desktop icon in Explorer

-- In My Computer, right click on the item and select Create Shortcut

-- Drag and Drop or Paste the shortcut directly onto the Desktop

Desktop Tips, Tricks and Troubleshooting

-- Error Message: "File or Folder this Shortcut refers to cannot be found"

-- Files may have been moved and the shortcut needs to be updated

-- Right click on the Shortcut and select Properties

-- Click on the Shortcut tab and look in Target to see current path

-- Click on the Find Target button to update the path to the item.

-- Adding/Removing Programs to/from the Start Menu

-- Right click on taskbar and select Properties, then select Start Menu Programs

 

Program Tips, Tricks and Troubleshooting – Example: Microsoft Word

-- Adding new Toolbars or restoring "lost" Toolbars to Program Window

-- Right click on program icon on Menu Bar

-- To access this feature, you must have the document window maximized.

-- Using Alt key sequences to access program menus and commands

-- Holding down the Alt key, type the letters underlined in the various

Menus and Sub Menu items. Example: File menu items:

-- Alt, F, N to create a new file

-- Alt, F, O to open an existing file

-- Alt, F, S to save a file

-- Using Control key sequences to access menus and commands

-- Holding down the Cntrl key, type the letters shown next to various items in the

Sub Menus. Example: Edit menu items:

-- Control, C to copy highlighted text or graphics

-- Control, X to cut highlighted text or graphics

-- Control, V to paste items from clipboard to document

 

Document Access Tips & Tricks

-- Accessing Recent Documents

-- Using the Documents feature of the Start Menu

-- Adding/Deleting Documents to/from the Start Menu

-- Using a Program Window’s recent document feature

-- Creating New Documents from the Desktop using the right mouse button

-- Creating Desktop Shortcuts for Documents using Internet Explorer or My Computer

-- Deleting Documents vs. Sending Documents to the Recycling Bin

Tips & Tricks for Finding Documents and Files using Start Menu's Find feature

-- In the Find window, search by Date Modified

-- In the Find window, select Advanced and search by Program Type

Troubleshooting Floppy and Hard Disk Problems

-- Error Message: "Destination Disk Drive is Full"

-- Your floppy disk (A: drive) or your computer's hard drive (C:) may be

full or nearly full preventing you from saving a document or file.

-- To check on space available on your C: Drive, double click on My Computer

on the Desktop, and then Right click on C: Drive and select Properties.

-- Another sign that your C: Drive may be nearly full is when the computer seems to be

running slower than normal.

-- Start deleting unused files or move files to your Network Drive

Managing Your Files using Windows NT Explorer

-- Viewing the Properties and Contents of a File

-- Click on the various Details button in display window

-- Using the Preview window to see file contents

-- Renaming Files and Folders using Long File Names

-- Right click on file name and select Rename option

-- Forbidden file name characters (“Filename is Not Valid” error message)

-- Characters include: / \   \ < > : ? “

-- Backing Up Files and Folders

-- Daily tape back-ups of Network Drives (U: and S: Drives)

-- Making Copies of Files on floppy disks using the Send To command

-- Selectively backing up files on the C: Drive

-- Deleting Files using the Right Mouse button menu

Troubleshooting Documents and Files

-- Text Document cannot be opened by double clicking on its icon or e-mail link

-- Open up Microsoft Word (or Notepad) first and then open the document

-- Document or File cannot be changed or modified

-- In Internet Explorer, right click on the document and select Properties

-- If the Read Only box is checked, de-select it by clicking once in the box.

 

Troubleshooting Documents and Files

-- Windows does not have a program to open the file (usually e-mail attachments)

-- In Internet Explorer, select Options from the View menu

-- De-Select the Hide M-S DOS File Extensions feature and click on Apply

-- Try to identify the file type from the three letter extension of the file:

-- .wpd – Word Perfect Document

-- .doc – Microsoft Word Document

-- .txt – ASCII or Text Only Document

-- Make sure to Change the View options back to Hide M-S DOS File Extensions

Mouse Tips, Tricks and Troubleshooting

-- If no Mouse Pointer/Arrow appears on your screen, make sure the mouse cable is

plugged into the computer.

-- If the Pointer/Arrow jumps around the screen, the mouse needs to be cleaned.

-- Remove the tracking ball and clean the it and the rollers inside the mouse.

-- If the Mouse Buttons seem to be reversed, check to see if the mouse settings have been

changed from right-handed to left-handed (Start à Control Panel à Mouse).

-- In most dialog boxes, there is a default button which has a bold-faced line around it.

Instead of using the mouse to click on that item, simply hit the Enter button to select it.

Troubleshooting Printer Problems

-- Page doesn't printout right

-- Check page set-up in program window

-- Page doesn't printout at all

-- Checking your Printer selection in Print Window

-- Checking your Network Connection using Internet Explorer

 

Troubleshooting Computer Freeze-Ups

-- Press the Escape key on the keyboard twice (usually doesn’t work)

-- Press the Control, Alt and Delete keys all at the same time

-- In Windows 2000, a dialog box will appear, and then click on Task Manager

-- Select the program that is current running and click on the End Task button

-- Wait for the End Task dialog box to appear and click on End Task Now

-- Turn the power off to the computer, wait 30 seconds, and then turn it back on.