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Appendix A.
Personalizing Your Desktop Summary.
These settings are not set in
concrete, as the only way to setup your computer. Do what is
pleasing to you. Setting 3D colors offers much room for
personals creative choices.
|
Feature |
How to do it |
|
Setup Display Theme automatically. |
Right
click open spot on Desktop, click Properties;
click Themes tab. Scroll down and click on
Windows XP, or others. Click Apply/OK. |
|
Setup Windows XP Style or Win Standard display.
|
Right
click open spot on Desktop, click Properties;
click Appearance tab.
In the
Windows and buttons drop down list, select
Windows XP style.
Color
scheme Default (blue), Font size Normal.
Click Apply and click OK. |
|
Setup Clear Type font to display sharper and
smooth-edge font. |
Right
click open spot on Desktop, click Properties;
click Appearance tab. Click Effects
box; place a check in first and second and
fourth and fifth check boxes. Scroll to Fade
effect in first box and Clear type in
second box. |
|
Change Icon Font size, Win Explorer font and Address
bar font. |
Right
click open spot on Desktop, click Properties;
click Appearance tab; click Advanced;
under Item – scroll to and click Icon.
Change font type and size and click Bold. |
|
Show or hide Desktop Icons. |
Right
click open spot on Desktop, select Arrange Icons
By, click Show Desktop Icons. To hide
Desktop Icons, uncheck this box. |
|
Show My Computer & My Documents Icons. |
Right
click open spot on Desktop, click Properties;
click Desktop tab. Click Customize
Desktop. Place check in My Documents and
My Computer. Click Apply and OK.
They can now be accessed from the Desktop. |
|
To
change screen background display. |
Right
click open spot on Desktop, click Properties;
click Desktop tab. Check Azul, or Bliss
background, or others. Click Apply and OK. |
|
To
change screen saver to display photos in My Pictures
folder. |
Right
click open spot on Desktop, click Properties;
click Screen Saver tab.
Scroll
down Screen Saver and click My Pictures
Slideshow. Set time; click Settings and
make other changes as desired. |
|
Show Desktop when Windows are open. |
Hold down
on Windows key
ÿ and press the “D” key. Repeat to open Windows. Or, click Show
Desktop icon on Quick Launch toolbar. |
|
Set
Auto Arrange Icons to align to left side or undo to
move them. |
Right
click open spot on Desktop, select Arrange Icons
By, and click Arrange Icons. (This aligns
and locks Icons to left side of Desktop, so they
cannot be moved). Uncheck Arrange Icons to
allow drag icons to relocate. |
|
Create shortcut (link) to your personal folder, file
or program |
Open Win
Explorer, right click and drag personal
folder, file or program’s .exe file and drop
on a clear spot on desktop. Click Create a
shortcut here, allowing you to access it
directly from desktop. |
|
Setup Desktop Cleanup Wizard to relocate unused
icons. |
Right
click Desktop and select Arrange Icons By;
click Run Desktop Cleanup Wizard, and follow
wizard. (If the Desktop icons are not used , they
will be placed into a folder on the desktop for
future use). |
|
Run
Desktop Cleanup Wizard every 60 days. |
Right
click open spot on Desktop, click Properties;
click Desktop tab. Click Customize Desktop
in lower left corner. Place checkmark in Run
Desktop Cleanup Wizard every 60 days. Click
Apply and OK. |
|
Set
Screen Resolution to 800 by 600. |
Right
click open spot on Desktop, click Properties;
click Settings tab. Move Screen resolution
slider bar to show 800 by 600 resolution. |
|
Open Screen saver to show all pictures in My
Pictures folder. |
Right
click open spot on Desktop; click Properties;
click Screen Saver tab. Scroll down and
select Screen Saver Slideshow. Set time and
other settings desired. Click Settings and Browse to
use pictures from other folders. Click Apply
and OK. |
Appendix
B. Personalizing your Taskbar Summary
|
Feature |
How to do it |
|
Show Quick Launch toolbar on Taskbar. |
Right
click Taskbar, select Toolbars and
click Quick Launch; click OK.
To remove
toolbar, uncheck Quick Launch menu item. |
|
Setup Taskbar Appearance, inc. showing clock. |
Right
click Taskbar, click Properties, and
click Taskbar tab. Place checkmark in all 8
items except first and second. (Author’s
choice – do not Lock the Taskbar or Auto-hide the
Taskbar). |
|
Setup Volume as Taskbar icon located in right side
of Taskbar. |
Click
Start button, and click Control Panel. In
Category view, choose Sounds, Speech and Audio
Devices. Click Sounds and Audio devices.
Select Volume tab, and place checkmark in
Place Volume icon in the Taskbar. Click Apply
and OK. |
|
Hide or show inactive Notification Area icons on
Taskbar. |
Right
click Taskbar, click Properties, and
click Taskbar tab. Click Customize.
Select each icon and make one of three choices –
“Hide when inactive” or “Always hide” or
“Always show”. |
Appendix C.
Personalizing your Start menu Summary.
|
Feature |
How to do it |
|
Limit number of shortcuts shown in first column of
Start menu, lower end. |
Right
click Start button, click Properties,
and click Customize. Under General
tab, click Small Icons, and set “Number of
Programs on Start menu” to 6-10 or as desired. [The
most often used programs or utilities will be
displayed for quick return].
While
this dialog box is open, click Small icons
for start menu to allow space for a larger number of
program shortcuts to be displayed. |
|
Remove a shortcut from left Start menu. |
Click
Start button, right click menu item to be
removed, and click Remove from this list.
[This action only removes the shortcut, and does not
remove the program from the computer]. |
|
Pin
a program shortcut to the Start menu. |
Click
Start button, and click All Programs.
Trace mouse to the program and right click it. Click
Pin to Start menu. [This places a shortcut to
that program on the upper extension of the Start
menu]. |
|
Place “My Recent Documents” on 2nd Column
of Start menu. |
Right
click Start button, click Properties,
and click Customize. Click Advanced
tab and click “List my most recently opened
documents”. [This places this item on the right
column of the Start menu. While Advanced dialog box
is open, place checkmark in first two Start menu
settings shown]. |
|
Add
more menu items to right column of Start menu. |
Right
click Start button, click Properties,
and click Customize. Click Advanced
tab, and under Start menu items box, place
checkmark in each item, and where appropriate, click
one of three choices – Display as a link, or Display
as a menu, or Don’t display this item. [Display as a
link is the author’s choice because it opens Win
Explorer at the address of the item. Control Panel
opens in the Category or Classic View, depending
upon which was previously selected]. |
|
Display Start menu in single column as in older
versions of Windows. |
Right
click Start button; click Properties
and click Start menu tab. Click radio button
Classic Start menu, and click Apply and
OK. Start menu reverts to the single column
Start menu, [This is not a choice of the Author
because it loses most of the benefits and features
of the Windows XP, two columns Start menu described
above]. For similar reasons, the Control Panel
Classic view doesn’t offer as much
flexibility and beneficial features as the
Category view. |
Appendix D. Summary of Win XP Utility Programs
|
ê
Item |
ê
Function |
ê
To open via Start Menu> “Run” choice |
ê
To open
other ways |
|
Task Manager |
Displays Programs in use and Sys Perform.
|
Type “taskmgr”
|
Right click Taskbar, click Task Manager. OR Hold
down Ctrl and Alt keys. Tap Del key. |
|
Disk Cleanup |
Free up space on hard disk to make Programs run
faster. |
Type “cleanmgr” |
*Under Sys Tools
#Control Panel.
Also Right click “C” drive click Properties/General. |
|
Check Disk (Same as Scandisk) |
Fix or isolate disk problems, such as bad clusters. |
Type “chkdsk” |
Right click C: drive, click Properties, click Tools
tab. |
|
Disk Defragmenter |
Rearrange items on hard disk to make programs run
faster. |
Type “dfrg.msc” |
*Under Sys Tools.
#Also under Control Panel. |
|
System Restore |
To restore Computer to prior date to work around a
problem. |
Type “restore”. Click file “rstrui.exe”. |
*Under Sys Tools. OR right click My Computer, click
Properties to change settigs. |
|
System Configuration |
Control Startup Programs. |
Type “msconfig”, click Startup tab. |
|
|
System Information |
Check System components. |
Type “msinfo32” |
*Under Sys Tools. |
|
System Properties
|
See basic Comp. Info, including Device Manager. |
Hold down Win key and tap Pause key. |
Right click My Computer, click Properties. Also
#Control Panel. |
|
Management Console for Computer & Disk Mgmt for
Administrator
(See note below) |
Manages disks and provides access to other tools to
manage local and remote computers. |
Type “compmgmt.msc” For Disk Management, type
diskmgmt.msc” |
#Control Panel> Administrative Tools. Start Menu if
selected as menu item. |
|
DirectX Diagnostic Tool |
Diagnose System configuration to make it work best. |
Type “dxdiag” |
*Under Sys. Tools, click Sys. Info, and click Tools. |
|
Device Manager |
Lists Hardware deviscs installed and allows changes
in Properties. |
Type “devmgmt.msc” |
Right click My Computer, click Properties, click
Hardware. Also #Control Panel. |
*Start
Menu>Accessories>System Tools
#Start
Menu>Control Panel>System. (Classic View of Control Panel)
Note:
If you are listed as the Administrator – you will see “Open
All Users” menu item when you right click the
Start button.
What is Service Pack
2? Do I need it? How do I get it?
Windows
XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), released by Microsoft on August 18,
2004, is a major upgrade to Windows XP, and is Microsoft’s response to
many of the security woes that have plagued the Operating System, Web
browser, and e-mail client. Basically, it adds proactive protection for
Windows XP. You can download the mega patch via Auto-Update or
you can order a free CD, or borrow one from a friend.
Service
Pack 2 provides better protection against viruses, hackers, and worms,
and includes a new Windows Firewall, Pop-up Blocker for Internet
Explorer, and the new Windows Security Center.
SP2,
the largest single update since Windows XP itself was released,
promises to cure many of the known security ills that have befallen XP
since it debuted in late 2001, and to put a stop to a still-unknown
number of others. Its new features bring enhancements to everything from
web browsing to wireless networking.
 SP2
is, first and foremost, about security. Installing SP2 is a must!
You can learn more about Windows XP Service Pack 2 at
ww.microsoft.com/windowsxp/sp2.
Microsoft allows you to share the SP2 compact disc with friends or
family members. For CD technical support, go to:
http://support.miscrsoft.com/windowsxpsp2.
You can also call (888) SP2HELP or (888) 772-4357. The
security improvements in SP2 outweigh the small probability of problems.
But SP2 is
not just a big security fix. SP2 is a major upgrade to Windows XP,
particularly Internet Explorer. The main features include an upgraded
Firewall, a new Security Center, and new protections built in Internet
Explorer. It also makes WiFi and Bluetooth networks easier
to navigate, adds new features to Tablet and Media Center PCs, and
updates XP’s multimedia components, to name a few new features.
Before
installing SP 2, adhere to Microsoft’s setup wizard instructions, and
the do’s and don‘ts listed in the SP2 edition of “Windows Guide for
You”, By Donald M. Crowley. (SP2 starts on page 44)
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