What we need to build a Network using Windows

You'll need to base your network on one or more of the network technologies, or types, described below. In every case, however, you'll need these basics:

• One computer equipped with Windows XP and Internet access. This computer will serve as the network's central unit, or Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) host. It should be your fastest, most capable machine.
• One or more additional computers running Windows XP, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows 98 Second Edition, or Windows 98. These computers are called clients and will connect to the ICS host.
• Individual network adapter(its the device that connects your computer to a network. This device is sometimes called an adapter card or network interface card) for each computer.

You can include Windows 95, Windows 2000, Macintosh or UNIX/Linux computers on your home network. However, these computers may require additional software to allow you to share folders or a printer. Consult the documentation that came with those computers.

Networking features of Windows XP

A network is more than the sum of its parts. Networked computers can share an Internet connection, printer and other hardware, and view files in common. You can even use a network to play multi-user computer games.

Linking computers to create a network greatly expands their capacity and can even save you money! Does your home contain two or more computers? By networking them, you can:

Share a single Internet connection: Microsoft® Windows® XP has a feature called Internet Connection Sharing (ICS). Using ICS, one computer, called the ICS host, shares its Internet connection with the rest of the computers on the network. By sharing one Internet connection, you can simultaneously surf the Web on your computer while another family member checks e-mail on a different computer.

Share a printer, scanner, and other hardware: You may have a printer that is connected to a computer in another room. With home networking, you can print to this printer from your computer. You no longer have to copy a file onto a floppy disk and take it to the computer that has the printer.

Share files and folders: Suppose your child asks you to look at a school report that is located on the computer in his or her bedroom. When computers are networked together you can, for instance, open the file from your computer, make changes, and then save the file on your child's computer.

Play multi-computer games: By networking and sharing an Internet connection, family members can play games on separate computers with each other or on the Internet. And while they're playing, you can be surfing the Web, too — for example, visiting your favorite financial or sports sites.

And there's more: Microsoft Windows XP makes home networking easier than ever. But first you must link your computers together, by installing appropriate hardware in each and by joining the computers with wires or by means of wireless technology.

In next few days we explains the process from start to finish. You'll learn how to choose the right network technology for your home, the right components to obtain, and how to install and connect them properly. There's also a section on protecting your home network from outside hackers by creating a secure barrier called a firewall, the same as that used by businesses.

Stay in touch.........

Turn on or off Fast user switch in Windows

If you hold a computer administrator account you can turn on or disable Fast User Switching. Here's how:

• Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
• Click User Accounts.
• Under Pick a task, click Change the way users log on or off.
• On the Select logon and logoff options page, select the Use the Welcome screen and the Use Fast User Switching check boxes.

Switching btw user accounts quickly in Windows

You're in the midst of writing an important document or composing a lengthy spreadsheet when someone sharing the computer asks to use it for an emergency. Sound familiar? Windows XP allows you to take those situations in stride. With the Fast User Switching feature in Windows XP, you can easily interrupt your work without closing your files. All you need to do is:

1. Click Start, and then click Log off.

2. Click Switch User.

Alternatively you can Switch User by pressing "Windows Logo Key + L"

Doing so displays the Welcome screen where another account holder can log on. When finished, that person can log off the same way, and you can simply log back on to find your open files just as you left them. What's more, if the other user accidentally shuts down the computer instead of returning to the Welcome screen, Windows XP automatically saves all open files and any application programs that are running, so that they are restored when the computer is restarted.

Changing account picture in Windows

For a personal touch, Windows XP can display a photo or other image beside the names of account holders on the Welcome screen. While an administrator of an account can assign pictures for all users, any account holder can choose his or her own picture.

Here's how:

1. Click Start, and then Control Panel.
2. Click User Accounts.
3. Under Pick a task, click Change an account.
4. On the Pick an account to change page, click your user account.
5. On the What do you want to change about your account page, click Change my picture.
6. On the Pick a new picture for your account page, click one of the pictures displayed, or click Browse for More Pictures.
7. In the My Pictures folder, or in any of the folders in the Look in list, click the picture you want to use for your account, and then click Open.
8. The picture will then be displayed, selected, on the Pick a new picture for your account page.
9. Click Change Picture.

Saving and displaying a picture from Internet to user account

Why not be creative with your account picture? If you find a picture on the Internet that you want to display on the Welcome screen, Do the following:

Navigate to the picture you want to save. Right-click the picture, and click Save Picture As (this saves the picture in the My Pictures folder). In the File name box, type a name for the picture, and then click Save.

Now repeat the first five steps mentioned above and then

Click Browse for more pictures to navigate to the My Pictures folder. Select the picture you saved in step three, above, and click Open.

The new picture is then assigned to your user account.

Assigning a Password to user account in Windows

Unless they are protected by passwords, accounts listed on the Welcome page can be opened by anyone simply by clicking on them. Passwords help ensure information that you keep on the computer stays private and secure. By controlling access to your user account with a password, no one but you (and holders of computer administrator accounts, if yours is a limited account) can view or alter data in the account.

If you are the only holder of a computer administrator account for a shared computer, protecting the account with a password is especially important to prevent accidental or unauthorized changes to important system-wide settings and application software.

To protect a computer administrator account with a password:

1. Click Start, and then Control Panel.

2. Click User Accounts.

3. Under or pick an account to change, click the name of your account.

4. On the What do you want to change about your account page, click Create a password.

5. In the Type a new password box, type a password. In the Type the new password again to confirm box, type the new password again. If you want a reminder in case you forget your password, type a hint for yourself in the Type a word or phrase to use as a password hint box, and then click Create Password.

If you hold a limited user account, you can change your password by following steps 1 and 2 above, then:

1. Under or pick an account to change, click your password-protected account.
2. On the What do you want to change about your account page, click Change my password.
3. In the Type your current password box, type your password. In the Type a new password box, type a new password for your account. In the Type the new password again to confirm box, type your new password again. If you want a reminder in case you forget your password, type a hint for yourself in the Type a word or phrase to use as a password hint box, and then click Change Password.

If you're a party of one - sole owner and user of a computer - you might still want to set up your computer with user accounts, naming you as computer administrator and protecting the account with a password. Doing so prevents casual access to the system by others if you leave your computer unattended while logged onto Windows XP, provided you log off from your account. For added security, disable guest access.

To Disable Guest access:

• Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
• Click User Accounts.
• Under or pick an account to change, click Guest.
• On the What do you want to change about the guest account page, click Turn off the guest account.

Creating User accounts in Windows

Setting up user accounts is easy, but you must remember to set up your own computer administrator account first. If you do not, you won't be able to set up the others. The names of the user accounts you set up appear listed on the Welcome screen (Welcome Screen is the first screen that appears when you log onto Windows XP. The Welcome page lists the holders of all accounts) and individually on each account holder's Start menu (Start Menu is a menu containing important and frequently used programs, folders and utilities. to open the Start Menu, click the Start button on the Taskbar ).

Note: This description and procedure applies only to users of Windows XP Home Edition and to users of Windows XP Professional configured to link the computer to a workgroup or to a Domain.

To determine whether your computer is linked to a workgroup or to a Domain:

click Start, and then Right Click My Computer.

Click Properties from drop down menu that appears.

Click the Computer Name Tab.

To Set up a user account in a workgroup:

Click Start, and then click Control Panel.

Click User Accounts.

Under Pick a task, click Create a new account.

On the Name the new account page, type a name for the new account, and then click Next.

On the Pick an account type page, click the type of account you want to assign, and then click Create Account.

Notes:

• The name you assign to the account is the name that will appear on the Welcome screen and the Start menu.
• The first user you add to the computer must be assigned a computer administrator account.

To Set up a user account in a Domain:

• Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
• Click User Accounts.
• Follow the instructions on the screen to add a new user.

Notes:

• Add New User gives an existing domain user permission to use the computer.
• You can only add existing domain users by using User Accounts. To add a new local user, on the Advanced tab, click the Advanced button. In Local Users and Groups, click Users, and then on the Action menu, click New User.
• You should not add a new user to the Administrators group unless the user will perform only administrative tasks.

Types of User accounts in Windows

User Accounts offers personalized settings and preferences for everyone who uses the computer. There are three types of user accounts:

1. Computer Administrator account:

This allows the holder unlimited power to modify the computer in any way, and - importantly - to view and alter the contents of all other accounts. Generally, only one user of a shared computer holds a computer administrator account - the boss! A person with a computer administrator account can, among other things:

Create and delete other user accounts on the computer. Change any user's account name, picture, password, and account type. Install and uninstall software and hardware. Change all system-wide settings.

However, the holder of a computer administrator account cannot change his or her account type to any other unless at least one computer administrator account remains. This ensures there is always someone able to fully operate the computer.

2. Standard account:

This account type is available only to users of Windows XP Professional using computers in a domain environment. With a standard account, a user can:

Install and uninstall software and hardware, provided doing so does not alter computer settings restricted by the holder of a computer administrator account. Create, change, or remove the account password. Change the account picture.

3. Limited account:

Assigning limited user accounts is an effective way to prevent inexperienced or unauthorized users from changing computer settings or deleting important files. Holders of limited accounts can only:

Create, change or delete their account password. Change their account picture.

Guest access:

The guest access feature of Windows XP allows someone who is not a regular user of the shared computer to operate it as if he or she holds a limited account. Guest access is not protected by a password. Using Guest access makes it easy for visitors to log on quickly to check e-mail, browse the Internet, write and print documents, and perform similar activities.

Changing the location of Taskber in Windows

Before we continue lets know about Taskbar and Drag function.

What is Taskbar? : its the bar that contains the Start button and appears by default at the bottom of the desktop. You can click the taskbar buttons to switch between programs.

What is Drag? : To move an item on the screen by selecting the item and then pressing and holding down the mouse button while moving the mouse.

Now back to the topic

Taskbar taking up too much room?

You can move it to any convenient location

simply drag it to the sides, top or bottom of your screen!

You might need to unlock the taskbar first.

To do this, right-click any open area on the Taskbar,

then click Lock the Taskbar to unlock it.

Backup photos to a CD in Windows

Unlike the prints in your old shoebox, digital photos never fade or become disordered. And it is great to have instant access to dozens of snapshots on your computer. But there is a cost to your shutter-happiness: Digital pictures use more of your computer's memory than other files might. Windows XP makes backing up your favorite photos as easy as viewing them in the first place. A wizard guides you through the process of storing pictures on a CD. Using a CD frees up space on your computer. To make use of this feature, you'll need:

• A recordable CD drive.
• A blank CD onto which you can transfer your photos.
• Some stores refer to recordable CDs as CDRs. Make sure you purchase recordable CDs that will work with your computer.

To store your Photos to CD:

1. In the My Pictures folder, locate the photographs or folder containing the photos you want to transfer to a CD.
2. Right-click the desired folders or photos. To select more than one photo, click the first one, and then hold down CTRL and click the other photos.
3. Point to Send To, and then click Writable CD.
4. Follow the instructions on your screen.

After copying your photos to a CD, you can delete them from your computer.

Renaming photos, folders in Windows

Shoe boxes are great - for storing shoes. But cramming them with photo envelopes makes it tough to find what you're looking for quickly. Windows XP takes the guesswork out of finding digital pictures by automatically naming photos according to the date you transfer them to your computer. This makes them easy to search for if you remember when you took them. To make it easier still, Windows XP enables you to rename individual photos or entire subfolders with memorable names, like "graduation".

Here's how:

1. Click Start, and then click My Pictures.
2. Click the photo or folder you want to rename.
3. Do one of the following:

• To rename a file, under File and Folder Tasks, click Rename this file.
• To rename a folder, under File and Folder Tasks, click Rename this folder.

4.Type a new name for the photo or folder, and then press ENTER.

Displaying, adjusting Picture size on Desktop

Any photo you have in your computer can be displayed as a background on the desktop.And you can also Adjust picture size on your desktop.

You can control the size of the picture you place on the desktop. You can:

• Stretch the picture to fill the entire desktop.
• Center the picture on your desktop.
• Tile the picture across your desktop.

Here's how:

• Click Start, and then click My Pictures.
• Click the photo you want as your desktop background.
• Under Picture Tasks, click Set as desktop background.

• Minimize the My Pictures folder.
• Right-click the picture you placed on the desktop, and then click Properties.
• Under the Desktop tab, in the Position list, select Center, Tile, or Stretch and then click OK.

The image will be sized to your specification.

Related to: Windows XP Proffesional, Windows Tips, Windows Tricks, Windows learning, Windows How to's

Using My Pictures as Screen Saver in Windows

Windows XP makes it easy to customize the screen saver that's displayed when you take a break from the keyboard. Here's how:

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
2. Click Appearance and Themes.
3. Under Pick a task, click Choose a screen saver.
4. On the Screen Saver tab, in the Screen saver list, click My Pictures Slideshow.
5. Click Settings.
6. In the My Pictures Screen Saver Options dialog box, click Browse to locate the folder

containing the photos you want to display as a screen saver.

If you tire of the photos in one folder, you can return at any time to the settings and select a different folder.

Related to: Windows XP Proffesional, Windows Tips, Windows Tricks, Windows learning, Windows How to's

Publishing photos on the Web in Windows

It doesn't take long to master the photo features of Windows XP. Then you're ready to post your photos to a Web site where family, friends, colleagues, and others can easily view them from any Internet-connected computer around the globe. Here's how:

• Click Start, and then click My Pictures.
• Click the photo you want to publish.

To select more than one photo, press and hold down the CTRL key while clicking each photo. Release the CTRL key before clicking on the task you wish to perform.

• Under File and Folder Tasks, click Publish this file to the Web, and then follow the instructions on your screen.

If you selected more than one photo, click Publish the selected items to the Web. Follow the instructions on your screen.

Printing photos in windows

For social gatherings, nothing beats handing around actual photographs. Print your photos for special occasions or to share with family and friends who don't have e-mail. Windows XP makes it easy by supplying a wizard to automate this task. Here's what to do:

• Click Start, and then click My Pictures. Click the photos you want to print.

To select more than one photo, press and hold down the CTRL key while clicking each photo. Release the CTRL key before clicking on the task you wish to perform.

• Under Picture Tasks, click Print this picture, and then follow the instructions on your screen.

For the best results in color quality, try printing with the glossy photo paper used by professionals. Check your printer handbook for instructions. Application programs also are available for making the most of your photos by transforming them into calendars, greeting cards, and more. For example, Microsoft Greetings provides a range of features for customizing your own photos.

Ordering prints online:

If you don't have a printer, send your photos in e-mail to a Web-based photo-processing service. They'll print them for you on photo paper and then mail copies out to you or others you provide addresses for. This is also a great way of sharing photos with distant relatives and friends. Here's how:

• Click Start, and then click My Pictures. Click the photo for which you want prints made.

To select more than one photo, press and hold down the CTRL key while clicking each photo. Release the CTRL key before clicking on the task you wish to perform.

• Under Picture Tasks, click Order prints online, and then follow the instructions on your screen.

Send Photos by e-mail in Windows

Photos were made for sharing, and Windows XP provides a number of options to help you show off those magical moments. For instance, you can send photos stored in My Pictures by e-mail. Now you can share photos minutes after you take them by sending them in e-mail. It only takes a minute; here's how:

Simply:

• Click Start, and then click My Pictures.
• Click the photo you want to send.
• Under File and Folder Tasks, click E-mail this file.
• Windows XP automatically compresses photo files prior to sending them, which speeds

opening them on the other end.

Why does it sometimes take a long time for a photo sent in e-mail to appear on your or a recipient's monitor? Digital images of all kinds consist of tiny dots, called pixels. Digital photos often consist of thousands of pixels, an amount that can take extra time to pass through the telephone and other communication lines over which Internet information travels. Some Internet service providers occasionally limit the size of individual files and attachments. If you have trouble sending or receiving a group of digital photos, try sending each image separately; or contact your Internet Service Provider for advice.

Note: you need to setup your email client (ie Outlook Express, Microsoft Outlook, Mozilla Thunderbird, Windows Live Mail Desktop and other) before sending Photos by Email. and you need an Email address which provides Feature to use them with an Email client. (such as Gmail)

Rotating, Flipping, Zooming photos in Windows

What if you take a picture with the camera turned sideways to get a tall image into the frame?

No problem.

Use the toolbar in Windows Picture and Fax Viewer to flip the image right-way up.

With the toolbar you can also zoom in for a closer look at any area of a photo,

and enlarge an image to its actual size.

Finding your photos easily in Windows

Windows XP enables you to find photos on your computer quickly. No more hunting and pecking. That's because when you save a photo Windows XP automatically stores it in a folder named My Pictures, right on the Start menu.

Each time you transfer photos from your digital camera, Windows XP creates a new area, or subfolder, within My Pictures to contain them.

Windows XP also names the subfolder, but you can change the name at any time. (Remember, you're always in control!)

Clicking on the subfolder displays the contents in thumbnail-size images. Double-click any thumbnail to see a larger version of the photo in the preview pane in the Windows Picture and Fax Viewer program.

If you have network or Internet access, you can also save your photos to a network location or publish them directly to a Web site.

To select more than one photo in the folder, press and hold down the CTRL key while clicking each photo. Then drag and drop to move, copy, or delete the selected photos.

By the way, Windows XP can also store photos from other sources besides digital cameras, such as photos sent to you in e-mail or that you capture and save from the Web.

Installing Cameras in Windows

Windows XP is compatible with a broad range of the latest digital cameras. If your computer came with a USB (Universal Serial Bus) connection, simply plug the cable into your computer, and you're good to go. A wizard walks you through the rest of the steps to get the photos from the camera to your computer.

If your camera does not have a USB connection, it's easy for you to manually install the necessary software supplied by the manufacturer to enjoy the photo features of Windows XP.

Here's how:

• Click Start, click Control Panel, and then click Printers and Other Hardware.
• Click Scanners and Cameras.
• Under Imaging Tasks, click Add an imaging device.
• In the Scanner and Camera Installation Wizard, click Next.
• Click the manufacturer and model from the Manufacturer and Models lists, and then click Have Disk.
• Insert the disk containing the camera software, and then follow the instructions on the screen.

If your camera is not listed in the Scanner and Camera Installation Wizard, or if you don't have a disk containing the software, connect the camera to the computer and try locating compatible software by clicking on Add Hardware in step 2. Then follow the instructions on the screen.

You can also install the software controlling your camera or scanner, especially if it is not a USB (Universal Serial Bus) device, by using the Add Hardware Wizard in Control Panel. Afterward, connect the camera to the computer.

USB and USB Port Explained

USB is an external bus that supports Plug and Play installation. Using USB, you can connect and disconnect devices without shutting down or restarting your computer. You can use a single USB port to connect up to 127 peripheral devices, including speakers, telephones, CD-ROM drives, joysticks, tape drives, keyboards, scanners, and cameras.

USB Port is An interface on the computer that enables you to connect a Universal Serial Bus (USB) device. USB is an external bus standard that enables data transfer rates of 12 Mbps (12 million bits per second). USB ports support a plug that is approximately 7 mm x 1 mm. A USB port is usually located on the back of your computer near the serial port or parallel port.

Desktop Cleanup Wizard in Windows

Shortcut icons are very convenient, but they have a way of cluttering your desktop. The Desktop Cleanup Wizard solves the problem! The wizard clears your desktop of icons you haven't clicked on during the past 60 days and sweeps them into a single desktop folder titled Unused Desktop Files. You can open the file to retrieve any of the icons (clicking on them places them back on your desktop), or you can easily send them to the Recycle Bin.

What is Desktop? its the on-screen work area on which windows, icons, menus, and dialog boxes appear.

To enable the Desktop Cleanup Wizard:

• Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
• Click Appearance and Themes.
• Under Pick a task, click Change the screen resolution.
• On the Desktop tab, click Customize Desktop.
• Select the Run Desktop Cleanup Wizard every 60 days check box, and then click OK.

If you want to clean your desktop of unused files between the dates the wizard visits, simply follow steps 1 through 4 described above, and then click the button labeled Clean Desktop Now.

Showing Quick Launch on the Taskbar

If you have opened more than one program, you might like to display and use the Quick Launch bar. The Quick Launch bar makes it easy to access frequently used programs like Windows Media Player and your e-mail, and to open an Internet Explorer window. Windows XP loads several programs in the Quick Launch, including Show Desktop. One click on Show Desktop minimizes all the programs on your desktop. Another click restores them just as you'd left them.

What is taskbar? Its the bar that contains the Start button and appears by default at the bottom of the desktop.

To show Quick Launch on the taskbar:

• If the Quick Launch bar is not displayed, right-click an empty area on the taskbar and click Properties.
• On the Taskbar tab, under Taskbar appearance, select the Show Quick Launch check box and click OK.

After Quick Launch is displayed, click Show Desktop to minimize all open programs.

Make your mouse Left handed in Windows

If you're left-handed and you'd like your change your mouse to work the way you do, you can change the setting so your mouse is also left-handed. Here's how:

To make your mouse left-handed..

Click Start, and then click Control Panel.

Click Appearance and Themes.

Under See Also, click Mouse Pointers.

On the Buttons tab, under Button configuration,

select the Switch primary and secondary buttons check box.

Click OK.

Adjusting Mouse pointer speed

Did you know you can change the speed at which your mouse pointer moves around the screen?

To change the mouse pointer speed:

Click Start, and then click Control Panel.

Click Appearance and Themes.

Under See Also, click Mouse Pointers.

On the Pointer Options tab, under Motion, drag the slider left to make the pointer move slower, or right to make the pointer move faster.

If you choose a fast speed, make sure that the Enhance pointer precision check box is selected (this provides better control of the pointer when moving it at short distances), and then click OK.

Changing mouse pointers in Windows

Windows XP offers a lot of flexibility if you'd like to use a different mouse pointer. You can switch all your pointers at once, or you can switch them one a time.

To switch from standard mouse pointers:

• Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
• Click Appearance and Themes.
• Under See Also, click Mouse Pointers.

On the Pointers tab, do one of the following:

• To change all of your pointers at once, in the Scheme list, click the scheme you want.
• To change pointers one at a time, in the Customize list, click the pointers you want to change.
• After each selection, click Browse, click the pointer image you want to assign as a replacement (a preview of the image displays in the lower left-hand corner), and then click Open.
• Click Apply and OK to complete the procedure.

Windows Explorer keyboard shortcuts

Use shortcut keys as an alternative to the mouse when working in Windows. You can open, close, and navigate the Start menu, desktop, menus, dialog boxes, and Web pages using keyboard shortcuts. Keyboard shortcuts may also make it easier for you to interact with your computer.

END: Display the bottom of the active window.

HOME: Display the top of the active window.

NUM LOCK+ASTERISK on numeric keypad (*): Display all subfolders under the selected folder.

NUM LOCK+PLUS SIGN on numeric keypad (+): Display the contents of the selected folder.

NUM LOCK+MINUS SIGN on numeric keypad (-): Collapse the selected folder.

LEFT ARROW: Collapse current selection if it's expanded, or select parent folder.

RIGHT ARROW: Display current selection if it's collapsed, or select first subfolder.

Accessibility keyboard shortcuts for Windows

Use shortcut keys as an alternative to the mouse when working in Windows. You can open, close, and navigate the Start menu, desktop, menus, dialog boxes, and Web pages using keyboard shortcuts. Keyboard shortcuts may also make it easier for you to interact with your computer.

Some keyboard shortcuts may not work if StickyKeys is turned on in Accessibility Options.

Right SHIFT for eight seconds: Switch FilterKeys on and off.

Left ALT +left SHIFT +PRINT SCREEN: Switch High Contrast on and off.

Left ALT +left SHIFT +NUM LOCK: Switch MouseKeys on and off.

SHIFT five times: Switch StickyKeys on and off.

NUM LOCK for five seconds: Switch ToggleKeys on and off.

Windows logo key+U: Open Utility Manager.

Natural keyboard shortcuts for Windows

Use shortcut keys as an alternative to the mouse when working in Windows. You can open, close, and navigate the Start menu, desktop, menus, dialog boxes, and Web pages using keyboard shortcuts. Keyboard shortcuts may also make it easier for you to interact with your computer.

You can use the following keyboard shortcuts with a Microsoft Natural Keyboard or any other compatible keyboard that includes the Windows logo key and the Application key .

Windows logo key: Display or hide the Start menu.

Windows logo key+BREAK: Display the System Properties dialog box.

Windows logo key+D: Show the desktop.

Windows logo key+M: Minimize all windows.

Windows logo key+Shift+M: Restores minimized windows.

Windows logo key+E: Open My Computer.

Windows logo key+F: Search for a file or folder.

CTRL+ Windows logo key +F: Search for computers.

Windows logo key+F1: Display Windows Help.

Windows logo key+L: Lock your computer if you are connected to a network domain, or switch users if you are not connected to a network domain.

Windows logo key+R: Open the Run dialog box.

Application key: Display the shortcut menu for the selected item.

Windows logo key+U: Open Utility Manager.

Dialog box Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows

Use shortcut keys as an alternative to the mouse when working in Windows. You can open, close, and navigate the Start menu, desktop, menus, dialog boxes, and Web pages using keyboard shortcuts. Keyboard shortcuts may also make it easier for you to interact with your computer.

These are Keyboard Shortcuts for performing Dialog box tasks

CTRL+TAB: Move forward through tabs.

CTRL+SHIFT+TAB: Move backward through tabs.

TAB: Move forward through options.

SHIFT+TAB: Move backward through options.

ALT+Underlined letter: Carry out the corresponding command or select the corresponding option.

ENTER: Carry out the command for the active option or button.

SPACEBAR: Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box.

Arrow keys: Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons.

F1: Display Help.

F4: Display the items in the active list.

BACKSPACE: Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box.

General keyboard shortcuts for Windows-3

Use shortcut keys as an alternative to the mouse when working in Windows. You can open, close, and navigate the Start menu, desktop, menus, dialog boxes, and Web pages using keyboard shortcuts. Keyboard shortcuts may also make it easier for you to interact with your computer.

ALT+SPACEBAR: Display the System menu for the active window.

CTRL+ESC: Display the Start menu.

ALT+Underlined letter in a menu name: Display the corresponding menu.

Underlined letter in a command name on an open menu: Carry out the corresponding command.

F10: Activate the menu bar in the active program.

RIGHT ARROW on an open menu: Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu.

LEFT ARROW on an open menu: Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu.

F5: Refresh the active window.

BACKSPACE: View the folder one level up in My Computer or Windows Explorer.

ESC: Cancel the current task.

SHIFT when you insert a CD into the CD-ROM drive: Prevent the CD from automatically playing.

General keyboard shortcuts for Windows-2

Use shortcut keys as an alternative to the mouse when working in Windows. You can open, close, and navigate the Start menu, desktop, menus, dialog boxes, and Web pages using keyboard shortcuts. Keyboard shortcuts may also make it easier for you to interact with your computer.

CTRL+A Select all.

F3 Search for a file or folder.

ALT+ENTER View properties for the selected item.

ALT+F4 Close the active item, or quit the active program.

ALT+Enter Displays the properties of the selected object.

ALT+SPACEBAR Opens the shortcut menu for the active window.

CTRL+F4 Close the active document in programs that allow you to have multiple documents open simultaneously.

ALT+TAB Switch between open items.

ALT+ESC Cycle through items in the order they were opened.

F6 Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop.

F4 Display the Address bar list in My Computer or Windows Explorer.

SHIFT+F10 Display the shortcut menu for the selected item.

General keyboard shortcuts for Windows-1

Use shortcut keys as an alternative to the mouse when working in Windows. You can open, close, and navigate the Start menu, desktop, menus, dialog boxes, and Web pages using keyboard shortcuts. Keyboard shortcuts may also make it easier for you to interact with your computer.

These are Keyboard Shortcuts for General Windows Commands

CTRL+C: Copy.

CTRL+X: Cut.

CTRL+V: Paste.

CTRL+Z: Undo.

DELETE: Delete.

SHIFT+DELETE: Delete selected item permanently without placing the item in the Recycle Bin.

CTRL while dragging an item: Copy selected item.

CTRL+SHIFT while dragging an item: Create shortcut to selected item.

F2: Rename selected item.

CTRL+RIGHT ARROW: Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next word.

CTRL+LEFT ARROW: Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous word.

CTRL+DOWN ARROW: Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next paragraph.

CTRL+UP ARROW: Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous paragraph.

CTRL+SHIFT with any of the arrow keys: Highlight a block of text.

SHIFT with any of the arrow keys: Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text within a document.

Use Keyboard instead of Mouse to work faster

Move over Mister Mouse: When speed counts, the keyboard is still king!

Almost all the actions and commands you can perform with a mouse you can perform faster using combinations of keys on your keyboard. These simple keyboard shortcuts can get you where you want to go faster than several clicks of a mouse. You'll work faster on spreadsheets and similar documents, too, because you won't lose your place switching back and forth between mouse and keys.

Try this example:

Press the Windows key (WinKey) - found between the Ctrl and Alt keys - to open the Start Menu.

Press the cursor keys to move around the menu items.

Press the Enter key to open a highlighted item.

Press the Alt and F4 keys simultaneously to close the item.

Press the F2 Key to rename files

Press the F3 key to search/find

In next few days we will post shortcut keys of almost every command of windows. Keep visiting....

Changing the Look of Window Elements

Changing the look of individual items is only useful if you select Windows Classic in the Windows and buttons list on the Appearance tab. If you select a different option, the theme determines the appearance of your menus, fonts, icons, and other Window elements.

To change the look of Window elements:

• click Start, click Control Panel, and then double-click Display.
• On the Appearance tab, click Advanced.
• In the Item list, click the element you want to change, such as Window, Menu, or Scrollbar, and then adjust the appropriate settings, such as color, font, or font size.
• Click OK or Apply to save your changes.
• Your changes are saved until you make further changes or choose a different theme.
• The Font area will be unavailable for elements in the Item list that do not display text.

Setting or Changing a Screen Saver

Screen saver is A moving picture or pattern that appears on your screen when you have not used the mouse or keyboard for a specified period of time.

To set or change a screen saver:

• click Start, click Control Panel,and then double-click Display.
• On the Screen Saver tab, under Screen saver, click a screen saver in the list.
• To view possible setting options for a particular screen saver, click Settings on the Screen Saver tab.
• Specify the number of minutes in wait box after which screen saver starts.
• Optionally, for extra security you may tick the check box on resume, display welcome screen. its great for those who leave their desk for the long time and don't want any intruder to get into their work.
• Click Preview to see how the selected screen saver will appear on your monitor. Move your mouse or press any key to end the preview.
• Click the Ok button.

After you select a screen saver, it will automatically start when your computer is idle for the number of minutes specified in Wait.

To clear the screen saver after it has started, move your mouse or press any key.

Turn your monitor off automatically

You must be logged on as an administrator or a member of either the Administrators or Power Users group in order to complete this procedure. If your computer is connected to a network, network policy settings might also prevent you from completing this procedure.

By using Power Options in Control Panel, you can adjust any power management option that your computer's unique hardware configuration supports. Because these options may vary widely from computer to computer, the options described may differ from what you see. Power Options automatically detects what is available on your computer and shows you only the options that you can control.

If Turn off monitor is not available, your monitor does not support this feature.

To change the elapsed time before your monitor automatically turns off

• click Start, click Control Panel, and then double-click Power Options.

• In Turn off monitor, click the arrow, and select the time you want after which monitor turn off automatically .

• Click the OK button.

• To turn on the monitor again just press any key or move your mouse.

Changing Desktop screen resolution

Increase your screen resolution to view more information at one time. Everything will appear smaller on your screen, including text.

Decrease your screen resolution to increase the size of items on your screen. You will be able to view less information at one time, but text and other information will be larger.

A higher screen resolution reduces the size of items on your screen and increases the relative space on your desktop.

You can switch your screen resolution temporarily to 640 X 480 if you have games or other programs that are set to run at that resolution. To switch, right-click the game or program (on the desktop or on the Start menu), and then click Properties. Click the Compatibility tab, and then select the Run in 640x480 screen resolution check box. Your display reverts to its default resolution when you close the program.

Your monitor and video adapter determine how much you can change your screen resolution. You may not be able to increase the resolution above a certain level.

Changes to screen resolution affect all users that log on to the computer.

To Change your screen resolution:

• Open Display in Control Panel. To open Display, click Start, click Control Panel, and then double-click Display.

• On the Settings tab, under Screen resolution, drag the slider, and then click Apply.

Only the recommended screen resolutions will be listed. For additional settings, click the Advanced button on the Settings tab, click the Adapter tab, and then click List all Modes.

• When prompted to apply the settings, click OK. Your screen will turn black for a moment.

• Once your screen resolution changes, you have 15 seconds to confirm the change. Click Yes to confirm the change; click No or do nothing to revert to your previous setting.

• Select the resolution, color level, and refresh rate you want.

Increasing the Size of Windows Text Fonts

If the text on your screen is too small for easy reading, you can increase the size of the fonts. This option enables you to enlarge the fonts used in window headers, icon labels, and menus.

• Open Display in Control Panel. To open Display, click Start, click Control Panel, and then double-click Display.
• Click on the Appearance tab.
• in Font size drop down box, choose Large Fonts or Extra Large Fonts.
• Click the OK button and you are done

Note:

The font size options are based on the current visual style, and color scheme. For some styles or schemes, you may only have one font size option.

Renamimg a series of files at once

• Open My Documents.

-To open My Documents, click Start, and then click My Documents. -If the series of files you want to rename is not located in My Documents or its sub folders, use Search to find it. To open Search, click Start, and then click Search.

• Select the files you want to rename.

-To select consecutive files or folders, click the first item, press and hold down SHIFT, and then click the last item. To select nonconsecutive files or folders, press and hold down CTRL, and then click each item

• On the File menu, click Rename.

• Type the new name, and then press ENTER.

-To specify the starting number for the series, type the starting number in parenthesis after the new file name. The files in the series will be numbered in sequence starting with the number you type. For example, if you type Car (10), the other files will be named Car (11), Car (12), and so on.

-All of the files in the series will be named in sequence using the new name you type. For example, if you type Car, the other files in the series will be named Car(1), Car (2), and so on.

Choosing between NTFS, FAT, and FAT32

You can choose between three file systems for disk partitions on a computer running Windows 2000/XP/Vista: NTFS, FAT, and FAT32. Use the information below to compare the file systems. NTFS is the recommended file system for the following reasons:

• NTFS is more powerful than FAT or FAT32, and includes features required for hosting Active Directory as well as other important security features. You can use features such as Active Directory and domain-based security only by choosing NTFS as your file system.
• It is easy to convert partitions to NTFS. The Setup program makes conversion easy, whether your partitions used FAT, FAT32, or the older version of NTFS. This kind of conversion keeps your files intact (unlike formatting a partition). If you do not need to keep your files intact and you have a FAT or FAT32 partition, it is recommended that you format the partition with NTFS rather than convert from FAT or FAT32. Formatting a partition erases all data on the partition and allows you to start with a clean drive.

Whether a partition is formatted with NTFS or converted using the convert command, NTFS is the better choice of file system. For more information about Convert.exe, after completing Setup, click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then press ENTER. In the command window, type help convert and then press ENTER.

• In order to maintain access control on files and folders and support limited accounts, you must use NTFS. If you use FAT32, all users will have access to all files on your hard drive, regardless of their account type (administrator, limited, or standard.)
• NTFS is the file system that works best with large disks. (The next best file system for large disks is FAT32.)

There is one situation in which you might want to choose FAT or FAT32 as your file system. If it is necessary to have a computer that will sometimes run an earlier version of Windows and other times run Windows 2k/XP/Vista, you will need to have a FAT or FAT32 partition as the primary (or startup) partition on the hard disk. Most earlier versions of Windows cannot access a partition if it uses the latest version of NTFS. The two exceptions are Windows 2000 and Windows NT 4.0 with Service Pack 4 or later. Windows NT 4.0 with Service Pack 4 or later has access to partitions with the latest version of NTFS, but with some limitations: It cannot access files that have been stored using NTFS features that did not exist when Windows NT 4.0 was released. For anything other than a situation with multiple operating systems, however, the recommended file system is NTFS.

Important:

• Once you convert a drive or partition to NTFS, you cannot simply convert it back to FAT or FAT32. You will need to reformat the drive or partition which will erase all data including programs and personal files on the partition.

The following table describes the compatibility of each file system with various operating systems.

NTFS	FAT	FAT32
A computer running Windows XP/Vista or Windows 2000 can access files on an NTFS partition. A computer running Windows NT 4.0 with Service Pack 4 or later might be able to access some files. Other operating systems allow no access.	Access is available through MS-DOS, all versions of Windows, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, OS/2 and Windows Vista.	Access is available only through Windows 95 OSR2, Windows 98, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Vista.

The following table compares disk and file sizes possible with each file system.

NTFS	FAT	FAT32
Recommended minimum volume size is approximately 10 megabytes (MB). Volumes much larger than 2 terabytes (TB) are possible. Cannot be used on floppy disks.	Volumes from floppy disk size up to 4 gigabytes (GB). Does not support domains.	Volumes from 512 MB to 2 TB. In Windows XP, you can format a FAT32 volume up to 32 GB only. Does not support domains.
File size limited only by size of volume.	Maximum file size is 2 GB.	Maximum file size is 4 GB.

Note:

• Some older programs may not run on an NTFS volume, so you should research the current requirements for your software before converting.

How to Backup Internet Explorer Favorites

Open Internet Explorer and click File menu, choose Import and Export...

Click Next, choose Export Favorites, Select the top-level folder.

Type a filename, say C:\MYFavorites.htm and click Finish.

The favorites are now stored as a bookmark file named MYFavorites.htm. You can transfer this file to a floppy/CD/USB if you want to backup or transfer to another system.

and when you want to add these favorites to internet explorer in your or any other system.

Open Internet Explorer and click File menu, choose Import and Export...

Click Next, choose Import Favorites, Browse for the file MYFavorites.htm and select it.

click the Next button and you are done.

Use Hibernate instead of Shutdown to save time

Hibernate is great because it saves the status of your Windows XP session (all the programs and documents you have open) to the hard drive, so it can automatically restore it the next time you power up. The first step to making a Hibernate shortcut is to make sure you have Hibernate turned on.

Go to the Control panel then click Performance and maintenance.

Next, choose Power options, and select the hibernate tab.

Finally, make sure Enable hibernation is checked.

Please note that hibernate will make a file in your root drive and take space equal to you RAM size. make sure you have enough free disk space in your root drive (a root drive is a partition where you have installed the windows e.g C:\) before enabling it.

Now to actually make the shortcut

right click your desktop and choose New Shortcut.

Next, type this case-sensitive command into the dialog box Code:

rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,SetSuspendState Hibernate

click next. Give the shortcut a name like Hibernate and click finish.

From now on all you need to do to enter hibernation is double click the shortcut.

Alos you can put this shortcut to Windows task scheduler so that system Hibernate can be achived at a particular time automatically.