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Tips and Advice

In my experience, a great many of  Windows95's features are hidden, undocumented, or just plain overlooked.  As I read several of the Win95 related newsgroups, many of the same questions come up over and over.  I regularly share what knowledge I have in that forum, and decided to post some of the more common questions (with my answers) here.  As with anything you find on the web, usenet, etc. your own common sense is your best ally.  I post what I believe to be true, and helpful, but take no responsibility for any problems to your system.  Except where noted, anything posted here has been either tested, tried or incorporated on one of my own computers (a Dell Lattitude LM, and a Compaq Presario).  Use these tips as you see fit.  I try to use easy to understand, non-technical terms to explain things so that this will be of use to people of all levels of experience.  As such, some things may not be "exactly" right, but generally so.  If you see anything here that is blatantly wrong, please let me know.  (Last update:  December 29, 1999)
 
Page 1

How do I add a program to the Start Menu?
How do you back up Window's Registry?
Can I get to my Desktop from StartMenu or Taskbar?
How do I assign my CD drive the letter I want it to be?
Can I close "all those windows" when using My Computer?
FAT16 vs FAT32
 
Page 2

How can I get easier access to Control Panel?
I want that item Off my Start Button List!
Can I convert .hlp files to .txt files?
How do things get loaded into Systray?
How can I change the default "splash" or "logo" screens?
Can I reassign window's "temp" directory someplace else?
 
Page 3

My file list keeps changing, what gives?
How do I create a Windows 95 boot disk?
Can I capture graphics from the screen?
Does McAfee recognize FAT32?
What is the SYSBCKUP folder, and can I delete it?
In what file does CD Player save the playlists?
 
Page 4

Can I auto-connect to my ISP when I'm not there?
I messed up my Autoexec.bat and Config.sys, now what?
I found lots of TMP files, what do I do with them?
Can I change the icon used for My Computer?
"CMOS Battery Low".  What does that mean?
Save Password is grayed out, why?
 
Page 5

How do I edit my Autoexec.bat file?
Can I remove associations from Win.ini?
Why does Win95b try to access my floppy at startup?
How do I get a Systray on my taskbar?
Can I do my BackUps using WinZip?
Can you advise a novice on how to copy files?
 
Page 6

How can I test programs and still keep clutter minimal?
Can I prevent a program from launching more than once?
Where, on my computer, can I find the CD-ROM drivers?
My Zip drive's icon keeps changing, why?
I've lost all sounds, help!
How do I get a start program folder to open as a window?
 
Page 7

Why does the sort order in Explorer keep changing?
How can I customize My Computer?
How can I hide a directory in Explorer?
How do I fix my Master Boot Record?
How can I find what my IRQ, DMA, and I/O setting are?
How can I add a program to my Start Menu?
 
Page 8

 Why are my Paint files so big?
 My drive usage Pie Chart is wrong, how come?
 How can I print directory (and subs) listings?
 How can I span floppies while zipping files?
 Can I get a Recycle Bin for my Zip Drive?
 How do I get programs off my Start Menu?
 
Page 9

How do I partition my hard disk?
How do I get a command into Autoexec.bat?
How can I save large (>1.4Mb) files to floppies?
 How do I get Numlock to be ON at startup?
 How do I un-hide files?
 How can I run certain programs at shutdown?
 
Page 10

How do I get a program to load LAST at StartUp?
How can I swap drive letters for my CD-ROM and CDR?
 What is the System.1st file?
 My taskbar's too big, how do I fix it?
 Can I save Explorer info to a text file?
 My Speaker icon is missing, how do I get it back?
 
 Page 11

 How do I how to change the name Win95 is registered to?
 How do I change the phone number in my DUN?
 Can I uninstall EMM386?
 How can I eliminate theWin95 startup screen?
 How can I get to my Desktop when it's full?
 How do I access my Zip drive when starting in DOS?
 
 Page 12

 What the heck does AFAIK mean?
 How do I print out help (hlp) files?
 How do I get special characters into an e-mail address?
 Is there a quick way to access Windows Explorer?
 Is there a quick way to access an item's Properties?
 My Send To menu is missing.  How do I get it back?
 
 Page 13

How can I share a Zip drive between 2 computers?
"Other user(s) connected..." What does this message mean?
Is there any way to stop the items in StartUp from loading?
 How do I get my Taskbar back to the proper size?
How do I find details on what devices are on my computer?
 How do I get easy access to Volume Control?
 
Page 14

Why does my hard disk run while the screen saver is on?
  Why doesn't my Zip drive eject at shutdown?
  What is this *.swp file?
   Is there is any way to view the files within an exe file?
   What are Easter Eggs?
   My Registry keeps getting bigger, what can I do?
 
Page 15

Is it possible to delete an icon from the control panel?
How do I clear the Document & Run lists on my computer?
Is there a utility which works like the DOS "COMP" utility?
Can I delete C:\Windows\Temp without being prompted?
Is it possible to edit the Run drop-down history list?
When does Drag & Drop Copy vs Move?
 
Page 16

Another Easter Egg
How do you remove the documents menu?
How do I associate wavs with the program I want?
Mouse freezes, How do I exit?
What are the built-in shortcuts using the Winkey?
Anyone one know where theres's a list of built in shortcuts?
 
Page 17

How can I tell what's running?
How can I open Explorer in a Specific folder?
Can I export my Registry to a file I can read?
How can I remove the Network Neighborhood icon?
Can I call a Windows program from a batch file?
How I can get rid of the arrows on all my shortcuts?
Page 18

What is the file  save2dsk.bin used for?
How can I suspend confirmation of Delete in a batch file? 
How do I control the display of modem "lights" in Systray?
 How can I keep Screensavers that don't work off my list?
 How can I view "prn" files?
What happened to my Type column?
Page 19

How do I get character insert  to work in WordPerfect?
Can I copy multiple files from different directories into 1?
What is the keyboard shortcut to maximize active windows?
Can I get more files listed in MSWord's recent files list?
Can I get rid of that annoying InBox icon on my desktop?
Can I restart the taskbar without re-booting?
Page 20

Is there any way to get a file back from my Recycling Bin?
How can I UnDelete files from DOS?
How do I remove a program listed in Add/Remove?
What is ShellIconChache?
Is there a keyboard way to move up folder levels?
How can I permanently Delete files?
Page 21

Can I open a folder and have the enclosing go away?
How can I get "Find" to search where I want it to?
How can I get rid of that annoying Documents Menu?
 Is there a way to turn off Auto-play (for CDs)?
 Is there a  way to pause a batch file for input?
How do I make Netscape my default browser?
Page 22

Can I clear the History from the Run Command?
How can I convert my old Program Manager Groups?
How can I disable the ScreenSavers on my computer?
 Is there a way to create a shortcut to Shutdown?
Which files in Windows\Temp can I remove?
What is the command FDISK /MBR used for?
Page 23

How do I get rid of "Ghost" icons?
How do I find My Computer Registry entries?
Any tips for a safer transition to Win98?
How can I re-install a corrupt DLL?
Is there an easy way to backup my Bookmarks?
What are IO.SYS & MSDOS.SYS?
Page 24

How do I copy my Windows folder?
How do I access my CD-Rom starting in Safe Mode?
How do I find out what BIOS my computer is using?
Why does my PC try to dial up everytime I start it?
How do I get Windows to use less memory for itself?
How can I print out the info in Windows Explorer?
Page 25

Is there a HotKey for the screensaver?
How do I get rid of all desktop icons?
How do I get rid of Task Scheduler in Win98?
Can I get rid of that annoying "Shortcut to" prefix?
Can I change it so ScanDisk doesn't run after every crash?
How can I adjust columns in Windows Explorer?
Page 26

Is there a Recorder for Win98?
Can I switch between applications with no mouse use?
What the Hell does HHO1/2K mean?
How do I remove pesky file types?
Where did user.da0 and system.da0 go in Win98?
How can I restore the ability to create new folders in IE4?


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Mail To:  bs16@cornell.edu



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