Shortcuts
Command line tip #12- shut down hung programs
It’s been quite a while since I gave a straight command line tip but here’s one for quickly closing a program that gets stuck or frozen. You can use the Task Manager (described here) but that can take a fairly long time. With the command “taskkill”, you can force a quick shutdown of a hung [...]
Shortcuts to turn off your computer
This is a very popular tip. It was first posted in September, 2005:
I am often asked if there is a quick way to close down a computer without having to go through all the steps Start-Turn Off Computer-Turn Off. Windows XP comes with a special executable file for shutting down called shutdown.exe that allows you [...]
Hibernation and Stand By in Windows XP
Windows XP comes with two power management options and I find that many home PC users are unsure how they differ. The options are “Stand By” and “Hibernate”. (Your hardware must be Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI)-compliant but newer PCs come with this feature.)
“Stand By” is a standard option in the dialog that you [...]
Quick way to configure Windows user accounts
If you want to add/modify a user account or change a user password in Windows, you can go the long way through Control Panel or you can take a shortcut. In Windows XP, go to Start-Run and enter
control userpasswords2
In Windows Vista, enter the same command in Start Search.
Quick way to configure Vista folder options
Managing files and folders in Windows is done through Windows Explorer and there have always been a number of settings for configuring the ways that folders are presented and managed. Many of these settings can be found in the Folder Options dialog panel. There are a variety of possible ways to open Folder Options, depending [...]
Quickly open System Restore
Speaking of System Restore, sometimes you want to make a restore point in addition to the regularly scheduled ones. Opening System Restore through Control Panel can require several steps but there are quicker ways. In an old post, I showed how to create a shortcut for quickly opening System Restore in Windows XP. In Vista, [...]
Tips for the Firefox browser
Readers already know that I think the Firefox browser is preferable to Internet Explorer. Here are some links with tips or customizations for using Firefox:
25 essential Firefox add-ons for power users From TechRadar
Five Firefox Shortcuts You Need to Learn Right NowFrom PC World
Firefox 3: 8 Untold SecretsFrom ExtremeTech
Useful Firefox 3 Configuration Tweaks From Lifehacker
Fast way to open a recently used Word document
I have been using Microsoft Word in one version or the other since Word 95. However, Word is a far more powerful program than I need and I probably am unaware of 95% of its features. For that reason, I don’t give many Word tips but now and then I come across one that I [...]
A collection of tips
PC Magazine has published a collection of 529 computing tips. Many of them are not all that useful but, if you look through the collection, you may find some that are worthwhile. The collection begins at this page.
Quick way to open “Documents and Settings” folder
In Windows XP, the “Documents and Settings” folder contains subfolders for each user account. In turn, these account folders contain a number of important folders with individual files and computer settings. Instead of going through “My Computer” to access this key folder, you can use a shortcut. Open the “Run” line in the “Start” menu, [...]
Fast ways to clean up a Windows problem (sometimes)
These are old tricks but worth repeating since I find that many average PC users don’t know them. If you’re having a problem, try logging off and then back on. It’s quicker than turning the computer completely off and then turning it back on, which is the next recommendation I will mention for clearing up [...]
