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| UNFREEZE YOUR PC |
December
5th 1999
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What should you do if an application gets stuck? First, close any other applications, saving your work, just
in case your entire PC gets locked up. Now, hit the Ctrl, Alt and Del keys (simultaneously, and only once). A little
menu will pop up, listing all active programs.
If a program is listed as "Not Responding," then select that application and click in "End Task"
box. If the application doesn't shut down immediately, you may have to wait up to 20 seconds. Another box will
then pop up, asking whether you really want to end the task. Click End Task again, and the application should close.
If that doesn't work, try hitting Ctrl-Alt-Del again, this time selecting Shutdown. If your PC is still frozen,
then you have no choice. Hit the reset button on your computer. |
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| December
5th 1999 |
I'VE BEEN ON FOR HOW LONG?
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Have you ever wondered how long you've been sitting in front of your computer? If you have Windows 98, you can
find out by using the System Information tool.
Simply click on Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, then System Information. See where it says "Uptime"?
This is how long it's been since you booted up Win98. This timer resets to zero
any time you start your PC or restart Windows. |
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| FIND THE RIGHT FILE IN WIN95/98 |
December
12th 1999
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Need to find an old file, but don't know the name, size, date saved or location of the file?
Believe it or not, there is a ray of hope, if you know a particular word or phrase in the document.
1. From the Start menu, select Find, then Files or Folders.
2. Select Browse to narrow your search to a particular folder, such as MS Office or My Briefcase. Make sure that
Include Subfolders is checked, if you are searching
multiple folders.
3. Click on the Advanced tab. In the "Containing Text" window, type a word or phrase that would be in
the document (such as an addressee's name or a unique topic).
The Find routine may take a while to search all your documents, but it is still much faster than opening every
file yourself until you find the right one. |
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| December
12th 1999 |
MAKE ROOM FOR MORE SHORTCUTS IN WIN95/98 START MENU
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Does your Start menu take up too much space? You can make each item take up less space, and make room for more
shortcuts, by doing the following:
1. Right-click on an empty area of the Taskbar and select Properties.
2. Click on the Taskbar Options tab.
3. Select Show Small Icons in Start Menu and click on OK. |
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| December
12th 1999 |
GIVE YOUR CDs SOME TLC
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Audio compact disks must be handled correctly to maintain sound quality and to prevent skipping. Proper handling
is even more critical for CD-ROMs. In some cases, especially for multimedia titles, a single skip in the wrong
place can yield corrupted files, making the entire CD unusable.
You should handle both types of CDs with care. When handling a disk, hold it only at the edges, either at the outer
edge or by the center hole. Do not stack or store your CDs without their cases. They can accumulate dust and become
scratched.
If a CD gets dirty, use a CD cleaner. Do not try to wipe a CD clean. Also, do not use any type of cleaning fluid
directly on CDs. |
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| UNCLOG YOUR SYSTEMWORKS |
December 19th 1999
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If you have Norton SystemWorks installed, and you are having problems with system crashes and slow performance,
then the solution may be in your config.sys file. Click on the Start Menu, then Run. Type:syseditNow take a look
at your config.sys file. Do you have any lines that start with "FILES" or "BUFFERS"? If so,
then add "REM" to the beginning of those lines. According to Symantec, you should not have the FILES
or BUFFERS parameters set with SystemWorks.
click OK. |
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| December
26th 1999 |
SAVE MONEY ON TAXES, WITH THIS DEDUCTION
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| Did you do your own taxes last year, using tax preparation software such as TurboTax or Tax Cut? If so, and
if you itemize your deductions this year, remember that money spent last year on tax preparation is tax deductible.
This is true whether you used a professional service or if you bought a tax software package to do it yourself. |
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| AUTOMATIC COLUMN SIZING IN WINDOWS EXPLORER |
December 12th 1999
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| When you run Windows 95/98's Explorer, you may find that the "Name" column is too narrow to display
the entire file names, while other columns, such as the the date column, are too wide. Here's a quick solution:
Anytime you open a folder, hold down the Ctrl key and tap the + key on the numeral keypad. This will automatically
"fit" each of the columns to the size of the longest entry B much like Excel's Format/Column/AutoFit
command. |
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Coming Next Week: Understanding modems and
baud rates.
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