Information and Digital Technologies

January 28, 2009

Tips & Tricks for Windows XP Users

Files or Folders
In order to set a global file view and apply it to all folders, you need to:

1. Open any folder and go to the View menu of the My Computer window.
2. Select what type of view you would like (I.E. List, Details).
3. Go to the Tools menu.
4. Select Folder Options.
5. Click on the View tab.
6. Click the Apply to All Folders button.
7. Click on Yes to the Folder views dialog box’s question.
8. Click the OK button to exit.

To reset global settings, under the View tab (Step 5 above) of the Folder Options
window, select the Reset All Folders button.

To backtrack to a folder's parent directory, just press the Backspace key (or the
Delete key – Intel Mac) while in that folder's window. Repeated performance of this
operation will take you all the way to C:\ or you can click the folder with the green
arrow pointing up below the window’s menus.

Click (either right or left mouse) and drag a box around a group of files to select
them all at once. Then you can copy, move, delete, or do any other file option to
them all. Be careful to not have the mouse pointer on any one file. Drag from the
side of the file icon. NOTE: If you right click and select a group of files or an
individual file, you will get a pop-up window with your option choices.

Use a Shift key with a click you can select groups of contiguous files or folders.
Using the CTRL key with a click you can deselect non-contiguous files or folders
from the group, one at a time, without disturbing the whole group selection.

Typing a letter will take you to the first file in a folder or on the desktop that starts
with that letter. Pressing the letter again will take you to the next file that starts
with that letter.

To view the Properties of a file or folder, select the item, and then press the Alt
Enter key combination. Alternately, you can right click an item and then select
Properties from the pop-up window. NOTE: This is a little tricky on an Intel Mac
running Parallels, as the Alt and Enter key combination is assigned for Parallels use.
The properties dialog box of the file or folder appears, but it also pops-up a message
for the Parallels process that requires you to click a Cancel button. This will happen
each time you use the Alt and Enter key combination.
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To delete a file or folder without dragging it to the Recycle Bin, right click the file or
folder and select Delete from the pop-up window. You will be asked for
confirmation before the system will complete the task.

Press the F2 key to change the name of a selected file or folder. NOTE: This is a
little tricky on an Intel Mac running Parallels, as you will need to press an fn F2 key
combination to do this.

Applications and Windows

Hold down the Alt key and press the Tab key to toggle forward between open
applications and windows. Pressing an Alt Shift Tab key combination will toggle
backwards.

The Windows key on the standard keyboard can serve more purposes than just
clicking the Start button. Hold down the Windows key and press one of the
following keys to start that application:
e my computer
f find
m minimize all windows
Shift m maximize all windows
r run

If you like to keep four or five windows open while you work (or play) on your
computer, you'll appreciate knowing these keyboard shortcuts. You can quickly
switch between your Web browser, e-mail, instant message windows, and other
programs without taking your hands off the keyboard. Here are a few:

Action Shortcut
Minimize a window to your taskbar Alt, Spacebar, N (press keys in that
order)
Maximize a window so it takes up your Alt, Spacebar, X (press keys in that
whole desktop order)

Restore a window so it's visible but Alt, Spacebar, R (press keys in that
doesn't take up your whole desktop order)

Close a window Alt F4 key combination (does Not work

with Parallels/Intel Mac)
Switch to the last window you had open Alt Tab key combination

Switch to any window Hold down the Alt key, and press Tab
until the window you want is active

Shortcuts will feel natural after you do it a few times, and you will feel much more
efficient while using your computer.
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Control menus using your keyboard
1. With your program open, press the Alt key. Notice that one letter on each menu
name is now underlined. To open the menu, press the underlined key. For
example, in Internet Explorer, the View menu name shows the V underlined
after you press the Alt key. To open the View menu, press the Alt key, and then
press V.

Menu bar with the V highlighted and underlined on View menu name

2. It some applications, each menu item will show one letter underlined. To access
or activate the menu item you want, simply press the underlined key. For
example, in My Computer, after you open the Favorites menu with the Alt key
and then pressing a, the Organize Favorites menu item shows the O
underlined. Instead of clicking Organize Favorites with your mouse, you can just
press the O key.

View menu with the O in Organize Favorites menu item highlighted and
underlined

3. You can also choose menu commands by pressing key sequences quickly, without
waiting for the menus to open. For example, to quickly organize your favorites in
My Computer, press Alt, A, O keys in that order.
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Missing Windows Taskbar
The windows taskbar can be missing or minimized for several reasons.

1. Taskbar can be minimized to a small line on one side of the screen. To check
this, move the mouse slowly to the very edge of each side of the screen
looking for the small double-sided arrow to appear. When this arrow appears,
click and drag the mouse away from the side of the screen so that the taskbar
appears.

2. The taskbar can also be auto hidden. To show taskbar, mouse over each side
of the screen and the taskbar should appear. To change this option, right click
the taskbar and select Properties. Uncheck auto-hide the taskbar.

3. If the taskbar is on the wrong side of the screen for the user, left click in the
system tray area and drag to move taskbar to desired position.

4. If the taskbar is locked in position, no movement is possible. If the user has

this option on, then no changes may be made to the taskbar. This may be
desirable if they want the taskbar to remain in its current position. To make
changes to the taskbar, right click on the taskbar and uncheck lock the
taskbar.

A quick way to see the Start menu is press the Windows key on the standard
keyboard (located between the Ctrl and Alt key on the bottom row of keys on most
PC keyboards).

Other Problems/Fixes
If the monitor’s image is upside down, pressing Ctrl Alt and the Up Arrow key
combination will correct the problem.

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