Set Desktop Icons to a Toolbar
Windows XP offers some very flexible methods of building custom desktops that are very orderly and functional for a particular
user. The problem with these methods is that they are not very well known and seldom see any use. Which is why as a tech, I
am constantly dealing with computers the desktops of which are so cluttered with icons of every variety that it physically
pains the eyes.
So when I will ask a typical customer, "Do you use all these icons?" What do you suppose their
answer is? "No, most of that stuff my kids put on there." And then I'll ask, "Well... of these 80 or so icons, how
many of them do you use?" Usually the answer will be: "Oh... I don't know.... 5 or 6 maybe. I wish I could find my
Icons easier." That is when I say, "How about we put the icons you use into a special tool bar?" Looking
stunned and bewildered they ask, "You can do that?"
Well... absolutely! And hear is how....
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Basic Windows Key Navigation on the Microsoft Natural Keyboard
So you're looking at your keyboard and you're wondering to yourself, "Just what is that key between the Ctrl and Alt
keys with the Windows Logo on it?" You may have even pressed it out of general curiosity and found that you can use it
to toggle the Start Menu on and off, and thought to yourself, "Oh... so that's what that does... cool!" Well it certainly
is useful for that purpose, and it is easier then using the Ctrl+Esc combination which will also toggle the Start Menu on and
off, but it can do so much more for you. The Windows Logo Key can be used for a variety of Windows Keyboard shortcuts. Let's
take a look at them....
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Desktop Icons - Removal of Short Cut Arrows from the XP Desktop
In the interest of keeping a Desktop looking sharp and clean, there are those who would prefer not to see the little arrows
that Windows by default ads to any Shortcut Icon. There is a very simple method to effect this tweak, but it involves editing
the Windows Registry. So....
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File Extensions and Hidden Files and Folders in XP
A question that I would get quite often at the service counter from customers still making the transition from Windows 98 to
XP was, "Why can't I see any of my files extensions? I can't find them if I can't tell what they are." Well, the answer to
this of course is that by default XP hides extensions for known file types. Why? Who knows, but apparently Microsoft thought
that it was a good idea.
This is a simple issue to solve, but it throws a lot of "basic users" because they are just not accustomed to having to think
about making certain configuration adjustments. Nor really should they be. But here is what you need to do....
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The Case for Disabling Messenger Service
In their native state, going back to Windows NT and moving forward, Windows operating systems include a "background service"
called Messenger Service, which provides a method for network users to communicate with one another using "pop-up" messages. By
design, the original intent of Messenger Service was for system administrators to notify users on their networks of system-wide
events or other useful information. It was never widely employed by legitimate users. However, Messenger Service remains as a
legacy feature of Windows which allows, if you are online, anyone on the Internet to actuate pop-up messages on your system. At
best this includes unscrupulous spamming advertisers. At worst, malicious individuals distributing viri.
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