Do more with Windows XP
Windows
XP tips and tricks
The [Windows] key
on your keyboard does more than just display the Start menu. The
following combinations are particularly useful:
[Windows] + [E] Opens My Computer
[Windows] + [F]
Starts a file search
[Windows] + [D]
Shows the desktop
[Windows] + [L]
Locks the computer
Caps Locked by mistake?
If you regularly
find you’ve turned on Caps Locked by mistake, try this. Choose the
Control Panel from Start > Accessibility Options (you may need to
choose this again) and tick the box labeled ‘Use Toggle Keys’.
You’ll now hear a beep every time you press [Caps Lock].
Delete it and mean it
You probably know
that when you delete a file, it actually goes into your Recycle Bin
in case you need to restore it later. However, if you want the file
to be truly deleted and bypass the Recycle Bin, hold down the
[Shift] key on the keyboard when you delete it.
Day, date and time
It’s useful to see
the time in the right-hand corner of your screen. Stretch you
Taskbar upwards slightly and you can display the day and date as
well. Alternatively, hold your mouse pointer over the time to see
the date, or double-click on the time to change the date and time or
to use the calendar.
Icons
If you find you
have icons on your desktop that you no longer use, or want to change
the default icons which appear on it, then check out the Desktop
Items dialogue box:
- Right-click
on your desktop and choose Properties.
- Click on the
Desktop tab, then click the Customize Desktop button.
- Choose any
options required in the dialogue box.
- Click the’
Clean Desktop Now’ button if you want unused desktop icons to be
moved out of the way.
Pay attention to this
Do you ever use
your mouse pointer to draw attention to different parts of the
screen whilst presenting or working with other people? If so, try
this: choose Control Panel from the Start menu and then the Mouse
icon. (If you can’t see this, click ‘Switch to Classic View’ on the
left.) Select the Pointer Options tab and tick the option labeled
‘Show location of pointer when I press the CTRL key’. Now you can
simply move your mouse into position and press the [Ctrl] key on the
keyboard at the appropriate moment.
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