Is there a right way to delete a program?

How can I open a document using my choice of programs?

Q: Sometimes I use Notepad to edit text files and other times I use Word. Is there a way to make Windows give me a choice of editor when I open a text file?

A: Usually, there's a one-to-one correlation between file types and the applications used to open them. In technical parlance, people say a particular program is associated with a particular type of document.

For instance, .doc files are always opened by Microsoft Word (or by WordPad, if you don't have Microsoft Word on your system); .rm files are opened by RealPlayer; text (txt) files are opened in Notepad; and so on. But if you frequently use a variety of programs to edit or open a particular file type, all you need to do is set up a multiple file association. For instance, if you normally edit text documents using Notepad but sometimes like to use Microsoft Word for the same job, a multiple association will save you time.

Here's how you set up a multiple file association in Windows 98:

1. Open any folder or Windows Explorer window.
2. From the View Menu, select Folder Options.
3. In the Folder Options dialog, click the File Types tab.
4. Scroll down the Registered File Types list until you find the TXT file type (a shortcut is to press T to zip down to file types beginning with 'T').
5. Click the Edit button, then click the New button, and in the Action box type:

Open With Word

6. Click the Browse button and navigate to the folder where the Word application is stored (by default, it's C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\). Double-click winword.exe to insert its name into the Application Used To Perform Action box.
7. Click OK and then Close to exit.

In Windows Me and Windows XP, it's just a little different:

1. Open any folder or Windows Explorer window.
2. From the Tools Menu, select Folder Options.
3. In the Folder Options dialog, click the File Types tab.
4. Scroll down the Registered File Types list until you find the TXT file type.
5. Click the Advanced button to display the Edit File Type dialog.
6. Click the New button to display the New Action dialog.
7. In the Action box, type:

Open With Word

then click the Browse button to locate the Word application. Double-click the application to insert its name correctly in the New Action dialog.

8. Click OK twice and then Close to exit from the dialog boxes.

Now, when you double-click a .txt file, it will open in the default application, Notepad. If you want to open it in Word, right-click the file and select your newly created Open With Word option from the pop-up menu.

You can add as many of these customised Open With commands as you like, but each command must have a unique name (for instance, Open, Open With Word, Open With WordPad, and so on).

Windows Me and Windows XP also keep a list of applications you've recently used to open a particular file type and create their own Open With... sub-menu. For example, if you edit a .bmp (bitmap picture) file in both Microsoft Paint and Paint Shop Pro, when you right-click any .bmp file you'll find an Open With... option and a cascading menu that lets you choose either Paint or Paint Shop Pro. This is useful because it minimises the list of options on the right-click menu.

All you have to do to get a program inserted onto this sub-menu is to use the File -> Open or File -> New option within the program with the appropriate file type. You can also add programs to this sub-menu by using the Choose Program option on the sub-menu itself.

How can I share my XP machine safely with others?

Q: How should I set up Windows XP so I can share it with others but not have them mess up my files and settings?

A: XP makes sharing a computer with others a snap. In fact, it's so easy, even if you normally fly solo you may still wish to set up a guest account so visitors can use your computer without messing with your files and settings.

If you do share your computer, you can keep people out of your account by adding a password. To do so:

1. Click Start, Control Panel.
2. In the Control Panel, click User Accounts.
3. In User Accounts, click Change An Account, then click the account you wish to change, then click Create A Password.

When creating your password:

1. Type your password once, press Tab, and type the password again to confirm it.
2. To protect against forgetting your password, add a password hint in the box provided. Remember that this hint will be viewable by anyone who uses the computer, so it should be something that helps jog your memory but won't assist others. For instance, if you use purple as your password and provide the hint My favourite colour, you're laying your account open to others. All they need do is try various colours until they find the right one to crack your account.

Having a password does nothing more than prevent others from accessing your Desktop settings. To protect your documents, after creating your password you should click the Yes, Make Private button to protect your files and folders. You'll still be able to share documents with others by placing them in the Shared Documents folder.

Once you've created a password, whenever you start Windows or switch users, you'll be prompted to enter your password. If you can't remember it, click the Question Mark icon to see your password hint.

Sometimes, a password hint is not enough. If you've made your hint sufficiently obscure to deter others, you may also find you end up deterring yourself. Never fear! XP provides another level of safety for recalling your password by letting you create a Password Recovery Disk.

To do so:

1. Click Start, Control Panel, User Accounts and click the account you wish to change.
2. In the Task Pane, click Prevent A Forgotten Password to open the Forgotten Password Wizard.
3. Follow the prompts in the wizard to create a password recovery disk.

Note that any user with an administrator's account can also reset another user's password. If you've forgotten your password, the hint doesn't help, and you have no Password Recovery Disk, you can still regain access to your account if another user has administrator privileges. An administrator can reset your password by:

1. Opening User Accounts, selecting the account with the missing password, and clicking Reset Password.
2. Typing in a new password and clicking Change Password.

As soon as you regain access to your account, use User Accounts to change your password once more so the administrator no longer knows it, add a useful hint, and use the Forgotten Password Wizard to protect it.

How do I make XP look more like Windows 9x?

Q: Can I make Windows XP look more like Windows 98? I'd like to have the familiar interface back. The XP interface is pretty but takes up way too much space.

A: Some people love XP's new look, others loathe it. If you fall into the latter camp, there's no need to whinge about it: Instead, dial XP back to that old familiar Windows 98 feel with a few quick tweaks.

To eliminate the bloated Taskbar, rounded windows and glossy coloured look:

1. Right-click in an empty spot on the Desktop and choose Properties from the pop-up menu.
2. In the Display Properties dialog, click the Themes tab.
3. From the Themes drop-down box, select Windows Classic and click OK.

To return the Start Menu to its pre-XP look:

1. Right-click the Start button and select Properties from the pop-up menu to display the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog box.
2. On the Start Menu tab, select Classic Start Menu.

Not only can you switch the Start Menu back to its Classic look, you can also customise its content and behaviour. To do so:

1. On the Start Menu tab of the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog box click the bottom Customize button.
2. You'll find a dozen options which let you change the size of Start Menu icons, expand folder contents, display Personalized Menus (where the options you use frequently are displayed first, with other options accessible via an arrow at the bottom of the menu), and more. Tick the options you want to use.
3. From the same dialog, you can use the Add and Remove buttons to add or delete programs items from the Start Menu. The Advanced button gives you the same capabilities, but with more control over the process.

To resurrect a familiar looking Control Panel:

1. Click Start, Settings, Control Panel to open the Control Panel (or, if you're still using the default XP Start Menu, click Start, Control Panel).
2. Click Switch To Classic View in the Task Pane.

With Classic View in the Control Panel, you not only get an entirely different look, you also get access to all the standard Control Panel applets you're accustomed to. In XP's default Category View, you have to dig down through the categories to locate many familiar tools.

To bring back the Explorer-style windows:

1. Open any folder window.
2. Click the down-arrow on the right of the View button and select Icons, List or Details view.
3. From the Tools Menu, select Folder Options.
4. On the General tab select Use Windows Classic Folders.
5. On the View tab, click the Apply To All Folders button to apply your view settings to all folders. If you enable the Remember Each Folder's View Settings options in the Advanced Settings list, you can use the current view as the default view and then adjust the view for an individual folder if you want a special look. Click OK once you're finished.
6. On the folder's toolbar, click the Folders button to display a folder tree on the left.

Is there a quick way to move paragraphs in Word?

Q: I normally use cut and paste to move paragraphs in Microsoft Word. Is there a faster way to do this?

A: Word provides a whole bunch of methods for doing this. The quickest way to move a paragraph up or a down a short distance, or to quickly transpose two paragraphs, is this:

1. Click anywhere inside the paragraph you wish to move.
2. Hold down the Alt and Shift keys and press the Up-Arrow or Down-Arrow key. The paragraph will move up or down one paragraph each time you press the arrow key.

You can use the same technique with multiple paragraphs by first selecting the block of paragraphs you wish to move and then pressing Alt+Shift+Up/Down-Arrow.

If you want to move a paragraph a longer distance, use the select-and-drag method:

1. Triple-click anywhere within the paragraph to select it.
2. Click anywhere within the paragraph and -- without releasing the mouse button -- drag the paragraph up or down to the desired location. By placing the cursor close to the top or bottom edge of the document window you can scroll quickly to other parts of the document. Once at the new location, release the mouse button.

How do I convert Word documents to PDFs?

Q: I want to convert a Word document into PDF (Adobe Acrobat) format for placing on my Web site. Is there some way to do this without having to buy the full Adobe Acrobat program?

A: There are a number of utility programs which can do this for you, but my favourite method is to use the free GoBCL service.

GoBCL lets you convert documents by submitting them directly to the GoBCL Web site or via email. When you submit documents via email, you attach the original and a few minutes later back comes the converted document as an attachment to the reply.

Go BCL can convert documents either to Adobe Acrobat PDF format or to HTML. The types of files you can submit include:

• PDF (for conversion to HTML)
• RTF (Rich Text Format)
• DOC (Word documents)
• XLS (Excel spreadsheets)
• PPT (PowerPoint presentations)
• TXT (plain old text)

You can submit documents from a PC or Mac.

It's a pretty smart service and can handle documents with multiple columns, embedded images and so on. The only limitation is that no single document may be longer than 500 kilobytes. There are no limits on the number of documents you submit.

It's hard to believe this is a free service. Go take advantage of it!

How do I use XP's firewall?

Q: Is it true XP has an in-built firewall? How can I set it up to protect my Internet connection?

A: Yes, XP comes with the Internet Connection Firewall. It's fairly basic, but does a good job of protecting your computer from outside attacks.

The easiest way to activate the firewall is to use the New Connection Wizard to create an Internet connection. If you have an always-on cable or DSL connection, your connection should be set up already, so you won't need to do this. If you use a dial-up connection with a modem, here's how to create a protected connection:

1. Click Start, Control Panel, Network And Internet Connections, Setup Or Change Your Internet Connection.

2. In the Internet Properties dialog box, click Setup to open the New Connection Wizard and then click Next.

3. For Network Connection Type, choose Connect To The Internet and click Next.

4. If you already have an ISP, select Set Up My Connection Manually. You'll need to make sure you have your username, password and -- for dial-up connections -- the connection number from your ISP.

If you don't already have an Internet Service Provider (ISP), select Choose From A List Of Internet Service Providers. This option will, in fact, close the Network Connection Wizard and direct you to the Online Services folder, where you can create a connection from a list of ISPs. The third option (Use The CD I Got From An ISP) also closes the Network Connection Wizard. If you're setting up your connection manually continue with the following steps.

5. Select your type of connection, dial-up or high-speed (broadband) from the list and click Next.

6. On the following screens, type in your ISP's name and, for dial-up connections, phone number, and click Next to proceed.

7. In the Internet Account Information screen, type in your ISP-supplied username and password (you enter the latter twice to ensure it's correct). You can tick options to make this connection the default connection (in case you have multiple ISP accounts) and the connection for all users of your computer. To activate the firewall for this connection, click Turn On Internet Connection Firewall For This Connection. Click Next and then Finish.

What are folder templates?

Q: What are folder templates in Windows XP and how can I use them?

A: Every XP folder contains a task pane on the left which provides clickable tasks appropriate to the content of the folder. Standard folders have tasks such as Move, Copy, Delete, Make New Folder, and so on. Multimedia folders, such as the My Pictures, My Music and My Video folders, have specialised tasks in their task panes. For example, My Pictures sports a View As A Slideshow task; My Music has a Copy To Audio CD task. As well as specialised tasks, picture folders contain a special Filmstrip view for displaying the contents of the folder.

XP uses folder templates to customise each of these folders. And, best of all, it lets you nominate a folder template for any folder you create. There are seven templates to choose from: Documents (for files of any type); Pictures (for large numbers of graphics files); Photo Albums (for limited numbers of graphics files); Music (for audio files and playlists); Music Artists (for audio files by a single composer or artist); Music Albums (for tracks from one album); and Videos.

One easy way to apply a folder template is this:

1. Create a new folder.
2. Immediately create a file within that folder or copy a file into it: The file type of the first file in the folder will determine the folder template. If it's a graphics file, XP will use the Pictures template; if it’s an audio file, it will use the Music template; if it’s a video file, it will use the Video template; if it's a non-multimedia file, it will use the standard template.

Alternatively, you can manually select a folder template for any folder:

1. Right-click the folder's icon or, if you have the folder already open, in a blank space within the folder, and choose Properties from the pop-up menu.
2. Click the Customize tab.
3. Select the appropriate template from the Use This Folder Type As A Template drop-down list and click OK.

Where's Explorer in Windows XP?

Q: I've just started using Windows XP and I can't seem to find Windows Explorer. Is it still there?

A: In Windows XP, Windows Explorer is still there, but it has been relegated to a sub-sub-sub-menu of the Start menu. That's because the easiest way to access Windows Explorer is to open any folder and click the Folders icon on the toolbar to display the folder tree in place of the Task Pane. By default, Windows Explorer opens to display the My Documents folder, so entering via the My Documents icon makes sense.

If you prefer to use Windows Explorer directly but don't want it opening to the My Documents folder:

1. Click Start -> All Programs -> Accessories, right-click Windows Explorer and choose Properties.

2. Click the Shortcut tab and, in the Target box where you'll see:

\%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe

add the following, preceded by a space:

/n, /e, /select, C:\

and click OK. This will open Explorer on the root folder of drive C:. Replace C:\ with whichever folder you want as the default.

3. Press and hold Ctrl while you drag and drop Windows Explorer from the All Programs menu to create a copy of the shortcut on your Desktop or the Quick Launch bar.

How do I get XP to recognise my camera?

Q: How can I get Windows XP to recognise my digital camera?

A: Windows XP recognises many, but not all, digital cameras and scanners. If it fails to recognise your camera or scanner and doesn't load drivers for it, you can still download your photos by installing the software which accompanied your device and using it to download photos.

Sometimes XP partially recognises hardware, leaving you in a functional twilight world, where some options are available and others are not. If your camera contains a MicroDrive or SmartCard, while XP may not recognise your camera, it may well recognise your drive or card as removable media. In that case, you may be able to download photos from your camera usingXP's auto-disk notification to recognise the photo content of the drive/card and initiate a photo download in that way. To do that, connect the camera to the PC then switch it on. If the drive or card is recognised, the auto-disk notification dialog will appear automatically.

Where can I learn VB?

Q: Can you recommend a site that teaches Visual Basic from scratch? I need to teach it to 15 year olds in secondary.

A: Give Gary Beene's Visual Basic Information Center a try. He has an extensive tutorial on all aspects of VB and links to many resources.

For how-tos, tips and tricks check out the 'old' section of VB Helper.

To track down further tutorials and resources, VB Bookmark will help. So, too, will searchVB.com (a search engine dedicated to Visual Basic) and VBNet.

How do I increase the size of text on Web pages?

Q: Some sites use very small text, making them hard for me to read. I tried to increase the text size using Internet Explorer's Text Size setting (View Menu -> Text Size -> Largest), but on many sites this seems to have no effect. Is there any way I can increase the text size on such sites?

A: You're right, the Text Size setting doesn't always work, but there's good news for your aching eyes. You can get around the problem this way:

1. In Internet Explorer, select Internet Options from the Tools menu.
2. On the General tab, click the Accessibility button.
3. In the Formatting section, place a tick (checkmark) beside Ignore Font Sizes Specified On Web Pages.
4. Click OK twice to exit.

This should help with most sites. Unfortunately, on some it will probably cause the text to appear jumbled. In that case, you'll need to remove the tick from Ignore Font Sizes Specified On Web Pages to view the page correctly.

Is there an easy way to rename multiple files in Windows?

Q: Is there an easy way to rename multiple files in Windows?

A: In Windows XP there is.

Windows has always been useless when it comes to renaming multiple files. Normally, you have to do the task one by one (right-click the file and select Rename from the pop-up menu, type in the new name and press Enter). With XP, though, you can rename a batch of files in one go:

1. Select the files you wish to rename.
2. Right-click any of the selected files and choose Rename from the pop-up menu (or, alternatively, press the F2 key). You'll note that the remaining selected files are still selected in grey.
3. Type the new name for the selected file and press Enter.

You'll see all the selected files are given the same name followed by a number in parentheses.

For example, if you select three files and rename the first file Foobar.doc, the other two files will be renamed Foobar (1).doc and Foobar (2).doc.

How do I make a Windows XP boot disk?

Q: Is it possible to create a DOS boot disk in Windows XP?

A: Yes, here's how:

1. Place a blank floppy in the drive.
2. Click Start, My Computer.
3. In My Computer, right-click the floppy drive icon and select Format.
4. In the Format dialog box, enable the Create An MS-DOS Startup Disk option.

Which programs should my firewall block?

Q: I use ZoneAlarm to protect my computer while I'm on the Internet. When I'm surfing, ZoneAlarm often asks whether I want to allow certain programs to access the Net. How do I know which I should allow and which I should block?

A: ZoneAlarm, like most software firewalls, monitors when a program on your computer wants to access the Web and when some sort of probe has been made from the Internet to your computer. The trick, as you've discovered, is knowing which ones to allow, and which ones to prevent.

Obviously, you should block almost all probes from outside. Outbound programs, though, need a more selective response. If a program you know to be safe wants to access the Web, it's usually okay to allow it. For example, you would always allow your Web browser access.

If an unknown program wants to access the Web, be cautious. Chances are it's okay, but it could be a Trojan (virus) or another nasty. Such activity, for instance, often gives away so-called advertising spyware, which stealthily collects information about your usage of a program and uploads it when you're online.

Before allowing an unknown program to access the Web, do some research. One way is to use search engines on the Web to look up the name of the program, and see if they say it is benign or malicious. Another is to check the Readme file that came with the latest signature file for your virus checking program.

One of the problems is that firewall programs often identify a program trying to access the Web by the actual filename instead of the program's common name. For instance, your firewall may say iexplore.exe is trying to access the Web instead of Internet Explorer. If you don't recognise the program name, you can always use Windows' Find or Search command (available via the Start Menu) to locate the specified filename and see by its location whether it appears to be installed as part of a program you recognise. If so, let it have access.

After a while, as you 'train' your firewall to recognise legitimate programs, you won't have to constantly monitor the activity.

How can I stop misplacing files I've downloaded?

Q: I recently learned how to download files from the Internet, but sometimes the files go missing after I've downloaded them. Is there an easy way to keep track of downloaded files?

A: Downloading files is half the fun of the Internet, but if you're inexperienced, it's easy to lose track of where those files are stored on your computer. If you misplace a file, providing you can remember at least part of the filename you used to save it, you can use Windows' file search to locate it:

1. Click Start -> Find -> Files or Folders (in Windows ME, it's Start -> Search -> For Files and Folders).
2. In the Search For Files Or Folders Named box, type the file's filename (or part of it, at least).
3. In the Look In box select Local Hard Drives.
4. Click Search Now.

In Windows XP the process is just slightly different:

1. Click Start -> Search.
2. Type the filename or a part of the file's name in the box labelled All Or Part Of The File Name.
3. In the Look In box select Local Hard Drives.
4. Click Search.

An easy way to keep track of your downloads is to create a Downloads folder on your Desktop purely for this purpose. Here's how:

1. Right-click in a vacant spot on the Desktop and choose New, Folder from the pop-up menu.
2. Name the folder Downloads.
3. Next time you are prompted to save a file, in the Save As dialog box click the down arrow beside the Save In drop-down box and select Downloads from the list.
4. Give the file a name and click Save.
5. When you want to locate your downloaded files, simply double-click the Downloads folder on your Desktop.

You'll find the next time you do a download, Internet Explorer will remember you used the Downloads folder and it will automatically default to saving the file in that folder.

One of the traps in downloading files is that sometimes the files have the weirdest filenames. If you don't change the filename, you may be left wondering what on earth you have in your downloads folder. So make sure you check the filename when you're saving the file. If it doesn't make sense, change it to something descriptive before clicking Save, but make sure you keep the same extension (the extension is the characters following the full stop/period.

For example, if you download a game called Boobytrap but the actual file you download is uninformatively named bbt.exe, when you're saving the file rename it Boobytrap.exe.

Should I 'refresh' Windows? If so, how?

Q: I've heard it helps to 'refresh' Windows periodically, even if things are running smoothly. Is this true and, if so, what is the best method of doing this?

A: If your system is running smoothly, the best advice is to go with the flow. Count your blessings and keep computing.

If, on the other hand, your system has the shakes or the slow-downs, or it's clogged with who-knows-what program remnants, or it seems to lack its erstwhile sparkle, or applications appear to crash more frequently than usual, then maybe it's time for a good house clean. You need to base your decision on the health of your PC, not on any pre-set schedule.

Take, for example, the three desktop PCs in my house. Two of them I fool around with on a daily basis. On these machines, I install, test and uninstall programs; try out new techniques; fiddle with the registry; and get up to all sorts of satisfying mayhem. As a result, I need to reinstall Windows every couple of months or so to keep them in decent working condition. Usually I freshen the OS up every month or so, then do a full format and reinstall every three to six months.

The third PC I am forbidden, on pain of nameless tortures, to tinker with, except for the occasional installation of a tried-and-true program. This latter PC, running Windows 98 Second Edition, has been running smoothly for over two years now. It rarely crashes and it performs as well today as it did when I first bought it. Should I freshen or reinstall Windows on this PC? No way! I'd have to be nuts to do so (and besides, there are those nameless tortures to keep in mind).

So, if your system is running smoothly, leave it alone. But if things are starting to fray at the edges, consider a refresher. Here's how:

1. Grab your Windows Startup Disk and insert it in the floppy disk drive. (If you don't have a startup disk, it's easy to make one: Grab an empty floppy disk and click Start, Settings, Control Panel, double-click Add/Remove Programs, click the Startup Disk tab and follow the instructions.)
2. Click Start, Shut Down, select Restart and click OK.
3. Your system will reboot and display a menu. Choose the option to start with CD-ROM support. After a while, you'll be deposited at an A:\ prompt. If you're not, and instead you end up back in Windows, you need to change the boot order. To do so, you'll need to enter BIOS setup (you can usually do so by pressing the F1 key during bootup – refer to your motherboard manual to discover which key to press on your computer). In the BIOS, locate the option which lets you change the 'boot order' or 'startup sequence' or some similar term, and ensure your floppy drive A: is the first option in the sequence. Then exit from the BIOS setup and save your settings.
4. Place your Windows CD-ROM in the CD drive and log onto that drive by typing its drive letter (usually D:) and pressing Enter. Under Windows Me, the drive will have the same letter it has under Windows. Under Windows 98, the drive will have been shunted down one letter, so if your CD drive is usually D:, it will now be E:.
5. If you're using Win Me, type CD win9x and press Enter to change to the Windows installation folder. If you're using Win 98, type CD Win98 and press Enter.
6. Type setup and press Enter to start the Windows setup program. Follow the prompts as it proceeds through the entire procedure.

By the way, if you're using an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) version of Windows supplied with a new computer instead of an upgrade version, setup won't run with Windows already on the system, so you'll need to fool it. Before going through the procedure above, you'll need to rename win.com and winver.exe (both located in the \Windows folder) to something different – simply changing the last letter of the filename is sufficient. Check to see whether there are copies of these files elsewhere on your computer, and rename the copies as well. Then, when you perform the Windows setup, make sure you install it into the same folder where it already exists – usually C:\Windows.

How do I add album cover art to Windows XP folders?

Q: I've seen pictures of XP folders displaying album cover art. How do I do this with my folders?

A: When you download track information using Windows Media Player (WMP), it usually downloads album cover art as well. The cover art is displayed in WMP when you use the Album Art visualisation and it appears on the album's folder when you copy the album to your hard disk using WMP. That's the simplest way to get cover art on your folders.

Sometimes, though, WMP fails to find any cover art. In those cases, you can add your own cover art:

1. Track down the cover art on the Internet. Good sources are massive CD stores such as Amazon and CDNow. Australian users should check out local online stores such as HMV Australia and Gaslight Music. If you live elsewhere, check any of the local online music stores. Alternatively, you can scan your CD's cover.
2. Use a graphics program to resize the image and save a copy of the image in JPG format at 200 x 200 pixels resolution. If your graphics program lets you adjust the quality of the JPG as you save it, select the highest possible quality. Name this file Folder.jpg.
3. Create a second copy of the image resized to 75 x 75 pixels. Save this copy as AlbumArtSmall.jpg.
4. Place both JPG files in the folder where you saved your album.

You'll now see the cover art on the album's folder when you navigate through My Music in thumbnail view. If you don't see the image, right-click the folder and select Refresh Thumbnail from the pop-up menu.

Is it better to switch off?

Q: I turn my computer on and off every time I use it. Do I need to?

A: There's no need to switch your computer on and off every time you use it, especially if you use it a number of times during the day.

Some experts suggest that switching a computer on and off frequently can stress system components. On the other hand, switching your computer off at the end of the day can make sense. By doing so you avoid wasting electricity, save on power bills, clear the memory, give Windows a chance to update settings that may have changed, reduce stress on mechanical components such as the fan, and protect your computer from damage through thunderstorms.

Some people prefer to leave their computer on all the time. This way, they don't have to go through the tiresome startup and shutdown procedures. To minimise power bills they use Windows Power Management (available via the Control Panel in Windows 9x/Me; in Windows XP, click Performance And Maintenance in the Control Panel and then click Power Options); to clear memory and update settings they restart during the day without shutting down; and to avoid damage from thunderstorms they switch the computer off whenever one approaches -- provided they're around to do so.

I prefer to switch my computer off at night to save power. In thunderstorm season, I not only switch it off, I also disconnect the modem cable and power plugs from the wall sockets so I don't have to jump up at an ungodly hour to perform these chores. Remember, even if your computer is switched off it is still vulnerable during thunderstorms if it (or a modem) is connected to the power outlet.

How do I change my user icon in Windows XP?

Q: How can I change the picture which appears beside my account name when I log on to Windows XP? I don't like any of those supplied by Microsoft.

A: You can use any picture in BMP, GIF, JPG or PNG format. It doesn't matter how large the original picture is, but as it will be displayed as a 48-by-48 pixel image, something fairly simple or designed for viewing at a small size works best. Just make sure your image is square, or it will be distorted when shown.

To select your image:

1. Click Start, Control Panel, User Accounts.
2. Click your account, then click Change My Picture.
3. Click Browse For More Pictures, locate the picture you wish to use and click Open.
4. Click Change Picture.

How do I brand Windows with my name?

Q: I bought a new PC running Windows Me. In the System applet in the Control Panel it shows the computer as being registered to the company which sold it to me, instead of being registered in my name. I presume that's because this company 'branded' it when they installed Windows.

Is there any way for me to change this registration name to mine?

A: Yes, you can do this by editing a registry key. Please take the usual precautions before fiddling with the registry (that is, don't do it at all unless you are aware of the risks involved, and back up your regsitry before you make any changes).

To update your PC so it features your name as the owner in Windows 95, 98 or Me:

1. Click Start, Run, type regedit in the Open box and click OK to open the Registry Editor.
2. From the Registry Menu select Export Registry to back up your Registry.
3. Double-click HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, then Software, then Microsoft, then Windows (or Windows NT, if you're using Windows XP).
4. Click CurrentVersion.
5. In the right-hand pane, double-click RegisteredOwner, type in your name, and click OK. You may also want to update the RegisteredOrganization value in similar fashion while you're at it.
6. Exit Registry Editor and reboot.

In Windows NT, 2000 and XP it's the same deal, but instead of using the key above, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, Software, Microsoft, Windows NT, CurrentVersion. Also note that when you back up your registry in these versions of Windows, you must use the Export option on Registry Editor's File Menu.

Should I 'defrag' my RAM?

Q: There are lots of memory utilities on the market, such as MemTurbo, which are supposed to streamline Windows' memory management. Do you recommend any of these utilities?

A: The short answer is No. Windows does a good job of managing RAM, having improved its technology over the years. In almost all cases, you'll get the most efficient RAM usage by letting Windows manage all the settings and leaving them that way.

RAM defraggers and other memory utilities do nothing to improve Windows' memory management. In fact, according to performance tests done by Australian PC User in its September 2001 issue, the best of these utilities have a slight negative effect on performance.

Don't believe all you hear about Microsoft's inability to make a solid, well-functioning operating system. Some of it's true; a lot of it's not, especially when it comes to RAM management.

Is there a quick way to change my home page?

To change Internet Explorer's default home page quickly:

1. Browse to the page you want to be your home page.
2. In IE's address box, you'll see a little blue IE icon to the left of the page's address. Drag-and-drop that icon onto the Home button on the toolbar.
3. When prompted to set your page to the current page, click OK.

Can I resend e-mail in Microsoft Outlook ?

Q: I sent an e-mail to someone using Microsoft Outlook 2000 but it didn't arrive at its destination. Is there an easy way to resend this e-mail?

A: Outlook has a Resend option. To use it:

1. Open the original message you sent (you should find a copy of it in the Sent Items folder).
2. From the Action menu choose Resend This Email.
3. Click the Send button.

You can use this same technique to forward a message to someone while maintaining the original sender's address in the From: box (normally forwarding an e-mail places your own e-mail address in the From: box). When you use Resend This Email in this way, Outlook will warn you that you didn't send the original message. You can ignore this message and continue, and the message will be sent with the original author's address as sender.

How do I recover a lost Windows CD key?

Q: I want to reinstall Windows 98 Second Edition but I've lost the CD Key. Is there any way to retrieve it?

A: The Windows product key is stored in the Registry. To find it:

1. Click Start, Run, type regedit in the Open box and click OK to open the Registry Editor. Make sure you don't fiddle with anything in the Registry Editor while you have it open -- you can cause all sorts of problems for Windows if you don't know what you're doing.
2. Double-click HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.
3. Double-click Software.
4. Double-click Microsoft.
5. Double-click Windows.
6. Click CurrentVersion.
7. In the right-hand pane, look for the item named ProductKey. The value you see there is your Windows CD Key.
8. Note down the key, then choose Exit from the Registry Menu to close the Registry Editor.

To save yourself this trouble in the future, make sure you write the product key on the CD itself (on the printed side, not the data side, of course). In fact, you should do this with all CDs you own. It's easy to lose track of jewel cases, manuals and other items bearing the required product key, so having the key on the CD itself is the best solution. You can write on a CD using a fine, felt-tip pen.

How can I change XP's toolbars?

Q: How can I customise XP's toolbars - they appear to be locked.

A: By default, XP locks Taskbar toolbars in place. This is great for beginners, but it means that before you modify your toolbars you'll need to unlock the Taskbar. To do so, right-click the Taskbar and select Lock The Toolbars to remove the tick beside this option. You can then right-click the Taskbar once more and choose Customize to modify the toolbars. This trick also works with toolbars in Internet Explorer and Outlook Express.

What's the easiest way to network two XP computers?

Q: I have two computers I'd like to upgrade to Windows XP. What's the easiest way to network these two PCs?

A: Perform a new install of Windows XP on the two computers. To do so:

1. Install your network hardware (network interface cards, cabling, et cetera).

2. Perform a new installation of Windows XP on each PC. To perform a new installation, pop the XP CD in the drive; on the Welcome screen click Install Windows; in the first setup screen select New Installation (Advanced) from the drop-down list; click Next and let the setup wizard prompt you through the rest of the installation.

3. During installation, XP will sense your hardware setup and ask for a name for each computer.

4. When prompted to choose the type of setup you wish to create, select Typical Settings For A Default Network Configuration.

That's it. Provided your hardware is XP-compatible, XP will create a LAN using the workgroup name MSHOME.