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Windows |
Windows 95
WINDOWS CRASHES & USING THE "VERIFY" OPTION
If your system has been acting sickly lately, it could caused by missing Windows 95 files. Symptoms are having start-up problems or receiving strange error messages or the dreaded blue screen signifying a system crash. One great fix is to run Windows 95 setup and select the VERIFY option. This tells Windows to check all files it needs and replace those that are missing or damaged.YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ERU in Windows 95
The Emergency Recovery Utility can be a lifesaver. This hidden utility is located on your Windows 95 CD disk. Put this disk in your CD ROM and from your START button, click on RUN, then type or browse to on the CD: other/misc./eru ERU is the utility that will make a ERD (emergency recovery disk) on your floppy (default is A:) or you can change the location to your (C:) hard drive. Now the next time you add software or programs that begin playing captain chaos with your computer - you can restore your old system settings.HERE'S HOW: Boot from your system startup disk, then place your ERD in your floppy or change the address on the command line (c:\ERD), then type: ERD. The program will change all of your registry items and startup files back to the original ones which were copied at the time you made the ERD.
THE CONFIGURE BACKUP UTILITY in Windows 95
Another utility found in the same location as ERU (other/misc./cfgback.exe) is the configure backup utility. Running this program (see ERU directions), will make a backup of all your important computer configure files. You can backup from time to time, use a date and then later, select the restored files that you want.SYSTEM STARTUP DISK (HOW?)
Forgotten how to make that very important for emergencies, system startup disk? Here's a refresher. Click on MY COMPUTER, next select CONTROL PANEL, next ADD/REMOVE PROGRAMS, then select the 3rd tab at the top, STARTUP DISK.FIXES FOR FASTER NET ACCESS in Windows 95
A little known fix for Win95 (that is included with Windows 98 ) is increasing the transfer packet size. The default size in Windows 95 (for reasons only the programmers know) was set - you guessed it - too small. With the faster modems and new compression protocols, you can beef the default settings and do so without waiting for Win98. The MTU or Maximum Transmission Unit can be reset which doubles and in may cases even triple the throughput of Internet access. What's the catch? None... and it's free. Now you could go about resetting this slow default speed in the registry with regedit but there is an easier way! Obtain PPP-Boost. This a free down load from c3sys.demon.co.uk. The interface is easy to use. Here is their link: http://www.demonweb.co.uk/c3sys/ppp.htmHidden Program Launches in Startup Manager
Many program's run invisibly in the Startup folder. :-( That's great, you didn't put them there and even through you can see them running, you can't find the buggers easily to get rid of them. (Of course you could travel to the regedit zone. Oh no, not that!) No, it's actually easier than that. Startup Manger is a freeware program available from PC World Online. It reveals all and lets you disable applications temporarily or permanently. Be advised as with any major change, backup before hand. This program should only be used by advanced users. While your there check out other freebies.Windows Startup & Shutdown Screens
Tired of looking at that Windows Startup Screen? Here what you can do. Down-load replacements from such sites as PCWORLD.com or ... rename your logo.sys, logos.sys & logow.sys .old (so you can go back later)... Then create a 8 bit, 256 colors BMP picture: size 320X400. Now replace the images you want with these. Again these files are:1. logo.sys (found in the root drive) Startup image and will take precedence over the one which is embedded in io.sys
2. logos.sys (located in windows directory) This is the "Turn off your computer now" image.
3. logow.sys (located in windows directory) This is "Waiting for Shutdown" screen.
The best setup for Windows on your computer
if you have 16MB of ram or more... right click on: "My Computer", select "Properties", select "File System" - set this to "Network Server".
Next check Read-ahead Optimization to make sure it is on "Full"Usually you should let your Virtual Memory be handled by Windows (default) but if you must mess with this... click on: "My Computer", select "Properties", "Performance", "Virtual Memory"...
Set the minimum & maximum size of your swap file to the same number and this should be 2.5 to 3 times what your machine's ram size is... EXAMPLE: 32MB ram on computer - set this at 80MB. 64MB ram on machine - 204 MB virtual ram. (The reason for performance increase is that windows doesn't have to constantly adjust this.
Fonts rob valuable system ram
Try to limit your fonts to between 50 -100. Avoid the urge to have graphic programs load thousands of fonts on your system. Move the ones you have used or don't need to another folder. Windows font's folder in Control Panel will also let you compare fonts to see which are alike.
Faster Menus
Why is it when you click the Start button, then Programs, the menu takes a second or more to appear? The reason is Windows has a built-in delay before displaying the fly-out menus. Want to reset that for faster menus? Here's how:1. For safety sake it's a good idea to back up your registry first.
2. Start Regedit (click Start, Run, then type regedit and click on Enter.)
A. Now find the key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\
B. Choose Edit, New, String Value
C. Name this new value: MenuShowDelay.
D. Right click on the new key and choose Modify
E. enter a value of 1
3. Exit regedit.
4. Restart Windows and now see those menus fly!Add the explorer channel bar
to your start up task bar. First, expand your task bar to 2 field wide with your up/down arrow. (Move your cursor until you see it turn into this arrow at the task bar.) With this expanded, right click on an empty space, up comes a menu, select "Toolbars", select "Address".Kill the Channel Bar in Internet Explorer
To remove the "Channel Bar", open "My Computer", "Control Panel", select "Display" option, then click on "Web tab", select "Internet Explorer Channel Bar" - click "Delete".Build a wall between your Browser & your desktop
(You need 32MB or more of ram for this.)
Open your web browser - Click: "View" - "Internet Options" -at the " Advanced Tab" check "Browse in a New Process" Click "OK". (Under IExplorer 5. you'll find this under "Tools")
Kill the Log Off Prompt
So who needs this if you have a personal computer and no network... Ok, let's remove it! Start your registry editor. (run c:/windows/regeditt) Go to: Hkey_Current_User\software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer now choose "Edit", "New" - "Binary Value". Name this entry: NoLogOff - and press enter. Now set the value at: 01 00 00 00 and click "OK". (Restart computer to take effect.)
Kill the Favorites Start Menu in WIN98
Does that Favorites addition on WIN98 bug you? (Can't seem to get your cursor past it to the programs option?) Here's how to kill it.
Start Regedit. (see the last entry.) With registry editor Go to: Hkey_Current_User\software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer - Choose "edit", "New", "DWORD value" - Change the default name to: NoFavoritesMenu , press enter and change the "contents" values to: 1 - click OK. (Restart computer to take effect.)
Unlock the Windows folder
Do you hate that annoying message displayed when you try to scan the windows directory? Here's how to remove it. Press "START - select "FIND" and type in: Folder.htt when this file is located just rename it or delete it.
Add a Quick Start Control Panel
If you use your Control Panel a lot, you will save time by adding the Control Panel menu to your Start Menu. Here's how: Right click on Start and choose Explore. Select File/New/Folder. Change the name on the New Folder to Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D} and be careful to type in this name exactly. Press Enter when done and you'll see the Control panel changes back to simply Control Panel, but now the new item (Control Panel) will appear on your Start Menu.
