Windows Tricks; Making Your life Easier

Written by:  Dan Daily 

Hi Gang!

Something on a lighter note today.  Today we're going to do something special:  I'm going to share some tricks with Windows that I guarantee you'll like, if you don't already use them.

So Let's Get To It!

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Tired of always having to hunt for Windows Yes/No boxes with Your Mouse When They Pop Up?  Where is that Cursor Anyway?

Try this;  Go to control panel, mouse.  Go to the "Pointer Options" tab.  If you don't have a tab that says that, try them all, it's in there.

Click on the box that says "snap to."  And the apply, and yes stuff.

From now on, anytime a Windows box pops up, the cursor will automatically be at the default yes or no, depending on what Windows thinks you want.  This saves so much hassle, it's not even funny.  Try it, you'll love me for it.

Need a little More Desktop Space?  Tired of looking at the Bottom Start Tray?

You'll like this one; find a blank spot on your system tray, right click on it, then left click on properties.  Check the box that says "autohide."  And all the apply/OK junk.  Now click on the center of your screen, POOF, the tray is gone.  Just move your cursor to the bottom of the screen, and PRESTO!  The tray reappears.  How's that for kewl.

Tired of the Stupid Shut Down Routine?

Who ever heard of clicking on a start bar to shutdown anyway?  Geeks; we need more of them.  LOL

OK, why don't we make an Icon for it right on the desktop.  I've always had one.  Ready?  OK, here we go, don't worry, it's not hard.

Put your cursor on a blank part of your screen.  Right click on your screen, hold the cursor over new...let the menu pop up and left click on shortcut.

K?  Got it?  The next screen that pops up will say command line;  alright, here's where you have to type, and you have to do it absolutely exact.  Hey, if you screw it up the first time, you can always delete the Icon.  So here goes;

C:\WINDOWS\RUNDLL.EXE user,exitwindows

There is a space between exe, and user.  Just do it exactly.  Now, click next.  The next screen wants you to name it, just backspace the highlighted text already there, and put your own name in.  Mine is called "Shut Down."  Original, huh?  That's it, POOF!  It's on your desktop.  Double click it, and Waa Laa, windows just shuts down, the same way it would; only now, you don't have to click on start/shutdown/OK, or whatever the hell it says.  LOL

Don't like the Icon?  Kewl, just right click on it, and click on properties, click on "change Icon" and use browse to find the one you want to use.  Simple as that.  Neato, eh?  Need Icons?  Simple, just pop in your "Danny's Junk" CD and find one you like, copy it over to your computer, (remember where you put it!) and use that one.  Who Loves You Baby?

Tired of Seeing Those Little icons on the Left of your Tray?

Easy, get rid of them,  I mean really, how many icons do you need for Internet Explorer, and AOL anyway?

Find a blank spot on your system tray, right click on it.  Hold your cursor over toolbars, and allow the menu to pop up.  Now, left click,  the "Quick Launch" line.  Which will uncheck it:  Poof!  All gone.  Easy, eh?

Tired of all the Icons on Your Screen?

I only have 5.  Really:  5.

OK, now first, decide which few you really need and use a lot.  Got that written down?  OK, now right click on each one, left click on properties.  Do you see the highlighted command line?  Hold your cursor over it, right click, and left click on copy.  You now have that command line in your clip board.  Got it?  And, it's letter perfect, no typing!  Woo Hoo!

OK, next:  Go to "start/settings/taskbar" and click on advanced, or add, depending what version of Windows you have.  Click on add.  Another box will come up asking for a command line.  Hold your cursor over the box, right click, and left click on paste.  POOF!  That command line you just copied is now there.  Hang on gang, we're almost there:  

Click on Next, and highlight the Start menu at the very top.  Then click on next again, now it will ask you for a title.  Type in the one you want, and Presto, when you click on start, it's right there at the top.  Neato huh?  Repeat this for all the programs you use a lot.  Oh, and don't forget, click on your new icons on the start bar to make sure they work.  When you know they do?  Delete them off the desktop.  How?  Simple, right click on them, and left click on delete.

Got items on the start bar you don't need?  Right click on them and click delete.  You won't delete any programs, it just clears up the startbar.  Have an order you'd like to put them in?  That's easy to, just click on it and hold the click, then just drag it up to where you want it.  Simple, eh?  

What About the Rest of the Desktop Icons You Never Use?

Simple; right click on them, and delete them.  Except for very few, Windows will let them all go.  Again, these are just shortcuts, not the programs themselves.  (note; unless you downloaded a program to your desktop, if you did, it must remain there) Just check at "Start/programs" to make sure they are there as well.  They will be.  If not?  Use the procedure above, but instead of highlighting on startbar to put them in, just highlight programs instead.  Simple.  Then delete them from your desktop.

This will really clean up the clutter on your desktop.  And, you'll never stop thanking me.  Really, I use very pretty wallpaper, I like to see it.

You Have To Constantly Scroll your Startbar  Cause You added so Many Programs?

Make the Icons Smaller,  How?  Simple!

Right click on a blank section of your tray.  Left click on properties, and check the "Use small Icons In Start Menu" box.  Click the apply button and Presto, the start bar Icons are now small, and many more fit.  Kewl huh?

Those are just a few of the things that helps you on your road.

Your Road?

Oh Silly; don't you know by now?  The Road To Computer Sanity!

Have some you want to share?  Sure, send them on in!

                              Danny