Extract a file from the Win CD

1. Insert the Windows Startup Diskette and restart your computer.
2. Wait until you see the Startup Menu and choose to proceed with cd-rom support.
3. The DOS-prompt will be A:\>. Insert the Windows CD, type EXT and press Enter.
4. You are asked from which directory you want to extract; type X:\WIN9x (replace x with 5 or 8, and X with the letter of your cd-drive, usually E:\ and not D:\ because in this mode D:\ is the virtual RAM-drive, if you have more than one partition, the CD drive letter is higher up the alphabet, according to the number of your partitions).
5. You are prompted to type the name of the file you want to extract. Type the exact name and extension, for instance explorer.exe. The filename is not case-sensitive.
6. Now you will have to give the name of the file you want to extract to, usually X:\WINDOWS or X:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM (X being the drive with your Windows folder, almost always C:\). Make sure you know the right location before you extract.
7. The information you have given will be displayed and you will be asked to confirm it.
8. After you have confirmed, the file will be traced on the CD. When found, you will be asked to overwrite it. Choose all (type a) and press Enter. 
9. The file will be extracted and replaced. 

IMPORTANT:  Remember to use the right CD! For instance, if you have Windows 98 Second Edition, you should not use the original Windows 98 CD. New PC's often come with the Windows CD copied to a (hidden) partition on your hard drive, but there should always be a "recovery CD", which you can use the same way as an original Windows 98 CD. 

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Enable Modem Sound

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Missing Taskbar

Or you've manually shrunk the Taskbar down to nothing (by clicking and dragging it downward--most likely by mistake). To fix this; hold your mouse pointer down at the bottom of your screen where your taskbar use to reside. Slowly move the pointer up and down until the pointer changes to a double-pointed arrow, click and drag upward until the Taskbar appears at normal size. 

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Color Settings

1. Right-click the desktop, select Properties, and click the Settings tab. 
2. Click the down arrow under Colors to view your choices. 
3. Select a setting then click OK.
4. Restart Windows. 

Note: Making these changes are not permanent, if you don't like the setting you've chosen, just change it back using the same instructions above.

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Icon Spacing

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IP Configuration

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Turn off number lock at startup

1. Open Notepad by selecting Start> Programs> Accessories> Notepad and type the following: 
   
   a 100 
   mov ax,0040 
   mov ds,ax 
   and byte ptr [0017],df 
   mov ah,1 
   int 16 
   mov ax,4c00 
   int 21 
   
   r cx 
   0013 
   n NUM_OFF.COM 
   w 
   q 
   
   Note: Be sure to have the blank line above "r cx", and be sure to press Enter just once after typing the "q" at the very end of the file.
2. Save the file in the Windows folder as Numoff.deb. The result will be a file named numoff.deb.txt.
3. Inside the Windows folder, select the new file, press F2 for Rename, delete the .txt extension, press Enter, then click Yes to confirm that you want to change the extension.
4. Open an MS-DOS Prompt window (select Start, Programs, MS-DOS Prompt), type; debug $ numoff.deb at the command prompt and press Enter. 
   Note: Replace the dollar sign above with the less-than sign, the one over the comma on your keyboard. Then, type; exit and press Enter to return to Windows. The result is an MS-DOS-based program, num_off.com, in the Windows folder. 
5. Finally, add the line NUMLOCK=OFF to your config.sys file. Select Start, Run, type; sysedit and click OK. 
6. In the System Configuration Editor, select the config.sys window. Type the above line, select File, Save, then close the editor.

From now on, the Number Lock feature will default to off at Startup.

Tip: To undo this setting, remove the NUMLOCK=OFF line from your config.sys file.

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Mute Your Modem

Spice up your Title Bar

1. Right-click on your Desktop.
2. Select Properties from the resulting menu.
3. Choose Appearance.
4. In the area named "Item:" click the down arrow and select Active Title Bar.
5. Two colors are shown for this selection, simply change either #1 color or #2 color and your Title bar will have a nice gradient look to it.

Note: You can do the same thing to your Inactive Title Bar.

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Delete fonts from your computer

Note: You can highlight specific fonts by holding down the CTRL key while clicking on the font file.  Or you can select a range of font files by holding down the SHIFT key while clicking on the font files. Or, you can select all of the files with one fell swoop by going up to Edit (in the top navigation bar), and choose "Select all". 

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IntelliMouse Wheel Scroll Settings

Create a new string value called WheelScrollLines and set it to the number of lines you want to scroll. You need to restart Windows 98 to enable this effect.

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Open My Computer in a dual pane

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Speed up your refresh rate

1. Click on the Display icon in the Control Panel. 
2. Click on the Effects tab and look for the box that says "Show icons using all possible colors." 
3. Unchecking this often speeds up the computer. 

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Local Favorites Web Page

1. In Internet Explorer, go to File, Import And Export. 
2. Click Next and choose Export Favorites from the box at the left. 
3. Click Next again, select the Favorites Source Folder at the top to export 
   all Favorites, and then click Next. 
4. Choose a location for your bookmarks page from Export To File Or Address and click Next.

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Wintop - System Monitoring Utility

Revision Date: July 3, 1996
File Size: 16,822 bytes
Platform: Windows 9x
Version: Freeware

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Use a bitmap image as a 16-color icon

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Track your Internet connection

1. Open the System Monitor by going to Start> Programs> Accessories> System Tools> System Monitor.
2. To display information about your Dial-up connection, go to Edit, Add Item and click Dial-up Adaptor (you'll need to connect to the Internet first.) 
3. Choose which kind of information you wish to display in the right box and then click OK. 

System Monitor will begin tracking the information you've selected. 

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Notepad Word Wrap

Note:  Once the Word Wrap option is on, feel free to size your Notepad window up or down. Notepad adjusts the text inside so that you can see it all, regardless of the size of the window.

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Instant Desktop

• Go to Start> Run.  
• Insert a period (.) into the run command dialog box.
• Press Enter on your keyboard or click OK.

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Recycle your floppies

1. Insert the floppy into your floppy drive.
2. Double-click  the My Computer icon. 
3. Right-click your floppy drive icon and select Format. 
4. Select Quick (Erase) and type a label for the disk, if you want (up to 11 
   characters). 
5. Click OK, wait for a message telling you the operation is complete.
6. Click OK, then click Close. 

Now all you have to do is stick a fresh label on it and it is good as new!

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Instant Desktop Folder Toolbar

Note: You can do the same thing with the files and folders in Windows Explorer.

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Change default save/open folder

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Capture Text With HyperTerminal

1. Select Capture Text from the Transfer pull-down menu during your connection. 
2. Enter the path of the file to which you want to send the captured text and click the Start button. 

Note: All text transpiring during your session will be saved to the file you specified.

3. To finish the capture, simply reselect Capture Text from the Transfer pull-down menu and select the Stop option. 

• If you wish to continue the text capture but want to temporarily pause the capture, simply select Text Capture/Pause from the Transfer menu and re-select the Pause option again when you wish to continue the capture.

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Escape a Drag and Drop

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Drag and Drop Obstruction

Drag the item over your system tray and hold it still for a moment, every open window will automatically minimize giving you clear access to your desktop..

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Stubborn Icons

• NOTE: As always, prior to making any changes to your registry, make a back up copy first.

1. Go to Start> Run> type in: regedit [Press Enter]
2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
   Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\Desktop\NameSpace\.
3. Click on "+" symbol next to NameSpace to expose its contents.
4. Under the NameSpace folder, click once on one of the long string names to expose its contents in the right pane. (This will be the actual icon name as it appears on the desktop).
5. Click each of the string values under NameSpace until you find the name of the icon that you wish to remove from your desktop.
6. Once you have found the one in question, right-click it in the left pane and choose Delete.

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Changing file extensions

1. Open a folder and go to View, Folder Options. 
2. Click the View tab and uncheck the box that says Hide File Extensions For Known File Types. 
3. When you rename a file from that point forward, you can type a period and three letter characters to give it a new extension. 

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Shutting Down

1. Windows performs what is called write-behind caching. Write-behind caching speeds up your computer by allowing Windows to write information in memory to the disk when more resources are available.
2. There are some registry entries that Windows does not make until a shutdown is performed. If you just turn off the computer, these entries will not be made.
3. If you are a network and have shared resources, performing a shutdown will release those resources, whereas just shutting off the computer will not and leaves the resources hanging.

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Registry Tool

• Registry entries are displayed in green
• File attributes in magenta
• Configuration information in brown
• Error messages in red
• Warnings are displayed in blue

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Set up your Briefcase

• Right-click on your desktop and select New, Briefcase. (If you don't see Briefcase in the menu, you'll need to install this component: Click Start, Settings, Control Panel. Then select Add/Remove Programs, click the Windows Setup tab, double-click Accessories, select Briefcase, click OK twice, and insert your installation disk when asked.) Select the New Briefcase, press F2 (for Rename), type your name of choice, and press Enter.
• Now just copy any files you plan to work on at another location into the new briefcase, just as you would any other folder: Click and drag the file(s) directly over the briefcase and let go. The files in the briefcase, called sync files, are now linked to the originals.

To Edit Your Briefcase:

• To edit briefcase files on a floppy disk, pop the disk in the floppy drive of the destination computer and copy the briefcase files to any location on that system's hard drive. (Whatever you do, just don't move the Briefcase off the floppy disk.) Now just go ahead and edit these sync (or linked) copies of the briefcase files.
• If you've moved your briefcase from the originating PC to a laptop, leave the files in the briefcase and edit to your heart's content. (Don't copy or move the briefcase files to a new location on the laptop or you'll lose your links to the originals.)

Updating Your Briefcase:

• At the location where you edited the files, place the floppy disk containing the briefcase in the floppy drive, 
  display its contents, right-click the briefcase icon and select Update All. (Note: If you want to change an operation in the Update dialog box, right-click it and select a new operation, such as Skip.) Click Update.
• Insert the floppy disk in the drive of the originating PC and follow the steps above (right-click the briefcase 
  icon, select Update All, and so on). The original files are now identical to their copies on the second system (where you edited them).
• If you moved your briefcase to a laptop, updating is only a one-step process: Move the Briefcase back onto the system where the original files are located, right-click the briefcase icon and select Update All, then click Update. (Note: If you created the briefcase right on the laptop, connect the laptop to the originating PC, right-click the briefcase, select Update All, and so on.) Done.

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Rebuild Icon Cache

1. Right-click the desktop, select Properties, Appearance. 
2. Set Item = Icon. 
3. Look at your current icon size. Change it to 48; if it's already 48, change it to 32. 
4. Click "Apply".
5. Change your icon size back to the original value. 
6. Click "OK".

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Increase Icon Cache

1. Right-click on the "Download Now" button. 
2. Select - "Save Target As" from the menu.
3. Save to your Desktop, view in Notepad (if needed).
4. Double-click the new icon on your desktop to merge the info into the Registry. 
5. Reboot.

NOTE: This becomes a new option in Explorer.

Windows 98/ME

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Locks up in Suspend mode

1. Select Start, Run, type msconfig in the Open: box, then press OK
2. Select the System.ini tab
3. Click the + sign next to the [386Enh] section to expand it.
4. Select the line PagingFile= and click Edit.
5. Change the lowercase drive letter to uppercase.
6. Click Apply, then OK.
7. When prompted, restart your computer.

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Belarc Advisor

Windows 95/98/Me/2000 and NT 4
FREEWARE

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Play your own sounds

1. Create a directory anywhere you like and call it something like WAV_FILES so that you know what it contains. Save your files here. 
2. In the Control Panel, select Sounds and Multimedia or Sounds depending on which version of Windows you're using. 
3. Scan down the list and find something you want to play with. 
4. Use the Browse button and find your file. 
5. Click on the WAV file you want to use. 

You can test the sound with the button that looks like the Play button on a VCR. If you like it, then click Apply.

NOTE: Try not to use long files for frequently occurring sounds. What may sound cute initially might get really annoying after the fiftieth time. [Top] 

Application Jumping

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Creating new file types

Here's how it's done:

1. Go to Start/Settings/Folder Options. 
2. Select the File Types tab
3. Click New Type and the "Add New File Type" box will appear. 
4. Fill out the description however you want 
5. In the "Associated extension" box, type 'Work'(or whatever you want). Do not use spaces or periods in the name.
6. Click the New Button and the "New Action" box appears. 
7. In the Action box, type "Open" 
8. Click the Browse button to find the application you want to use to open your files (Word, in this case).
9. Click Open, and then click OK. 

Now you can select some additional options such as "Enable Quick View" (if supported), "Always Show Extension," and more. You can also choose to change the Icon. OK, all done. Now your new file type will appear in the Folder Options Box.

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Speed up your ports

1. Go to Start
2. Then Settings
3. Select Control Panel
4. Choose the System icon. 
5. Select the Device Manager tab and choose Ports. 
6. Right-click the Modem's Port and make sure that the following settings exist 

Note: It may not be a bad idea to write down the current settings so if there are any problems, you can change the settings back to there original positions.

7. Click Port Settings and make sure that the Bits Per Second is as high as possible. 
8. Make sure Flow Control is set for Hardware. 
9. Click Advanced and make sure the FIFO buffer is checked. 
10. Make sure the Receive and Transmit buffers are as high as possible.

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Menu Speed

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Metal Briefcase

Go to Start> Run.  Type in: regedit  [Enter]

Drill down to: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\88{85BBD920-42A0-1069-A2E4-08002B30309D}\DefaultIcon 

Double-click on the right hand panel "Default" value. It should show: syncui.dll,0 change it to: syncui.dll,1

Syncui.dll (located in C:\Windows\System) stores several icons but only 2 of them are briefcases: icon 0 represents the brown briefcase (default) and icon 1 represents the metal (aluminum) briefcase. 

Close Regedit & reboot your computer.

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Create a SafeMode Desktop Shortcut

1. Right click an empty area of your desktop.
2. Select New>> Shortcut.
3. In the command line enter this path: C:\WINDOWS\WIN.COM /D:M
   then click Next.
4. Choose a name for your shortcut. Click Next.
5. Here, you can select an icon for your new shortcut.
6. Click Finish.
7. Right click your new shortcut and select Properties.
8. Place a checkmark in the box labeled "MS-DOS Mode".
9. Uncheck the box labeled "Warn before entering MS-DOS Mode".
10. Click OK.

Now, whenever you need to enter SafeMode, you can easily do this by double-clicking your desktop shortcut.

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