Windows Tips and Tricks

Friday, September 30, 2005

How To create more space for temporary Internet pages

On the Tools menu in Internet Explorer, click Internet Options.
On the General tab, click Settings.
To create more space to store pages temporarily, move the slider to the right.

Wednesday, September 28, 2005

Useful Shortcuts for Windows

Useful Shortcuts with the 'Start' button:
Start (windows logo Button) + M: Minimizes all open windows

Start + Shift + M: Maximizes All Windows

Start + E: Runs Windows Explorer

Start + R: Open the RUN Dialog Box

Start + F: Open the Search Results Dialog box

Start + CTRL + F: Opens the Search Results-Computer dialog Box (if thecomputer is connected to a network)

Start + Pause (Break): Opens the System Properties Dialog Box


Windows System Key Combinations:
F1: Help

CTRL + ESC: Open Start menu

ALT + TAB: Switch between open programs

ALT + F4: Quit program

SHIFT + DELETE: Delete item permanently


Windows Program Key Combinations :
CTRL + C: Copy

CTRL + X: Cut

CTRL + V: Paste

CTRL + Z: Undo

CTRL + B: Bold

CTRL + U: Underline

CTRL + I: Italic


Mouse Click/Keyboard Modifier Combinations for Shell Objects :
SHIFT + right click: Displays a shortcut menu containing alternativecommands

SHIFT + double click: Runs the alternate default command (the second item onthe menu)

ALT + double click: Displays properties

SHIFT + DELETE: Deletes an item immediately without placing it in the Recycle Bin


General Keyboard-Only Commands :
F1: Starts Windows Help

F10: Activates menu bar options

SHIFT + F10 : Opens a shortcut menu for the selected item (this is the sameas right-clicking an object

CTRL + ESC: Opens the Start menu (use the ARROW keys to select an item)

CTRL + ESC or ESC: Selects the Start button (press TAB to select thetaskbar, or press SHIFT+F10 for a context menu)

ALT + DOWN ARROW: Opens a drop-down list box

ALT + TAB: Switch to another running program (hold down the ALT key and thenpress the TAB key to view the task-switching window)

SHIFT: Press and hold down the SHIFT key while you insert a CD-ROM to bypassthe automatic-run feature

ALT + SPACE: Displays the main window's System menu (from the System menu,you can restore, move, resize, minimize, maximize, or close the window)

ALT +- (ALT + hyphen): Displays the Multiple Document Interface (MDI)childwindow's System menu (from the MDI child window's System menu, you canrestore, move, resize, minimize, maximize, or close the child window)

CTRL + TAB: Switch to the next child window of a Multiple Document Interface(MDI) program

ALT + underlined letter in menu: Opens the menu

ALT + F4: Closes the current window

CTRL + F4: Closes the current Multiple Document Interface (MDI) window

ALT + F6: Switch between multiple windows in the same program (for example,when the Notepad Find dialog box is displayed

ALT + F6 : switches between the Find dialog box and the main Notepad window)


Shell Objects and General Folder/Windows Explorer Shortcuts For a selectedobject:
F2: Rename object

F3: Find all files

CTRL + X: Cut

CTRL + C: Copy

CTRL + V: Paste

SHIFT + DELETE: Delete selection immediately, without moving the item to theRecycle Bin

ALT + ENTER: Open the properties for the selected object

To Copy a File: Press and hold down the CTRL key while you drag the file toanother folder.

To Create a Shortcut: Press and hold down CTRL+SHIFT while you drag a fileto the desktop or a folder.


General Folder/Shortcut Control:
F4: Selects the Go To A Different Folder box and moves down the entries inthe box (if the toolbar is active in Windows Explorer)

F5: Refreshes the current window.

F6: Moves among panes in Windows Explorer

CTRL + G: Opens the Go To Folder tool (in Windows 95 Windows Explorer only)

CTRL + Z: Undo the last command

CTRL + A: Select all the items in the current window

BACKSPACE: Switch to the parent folder

SHIFT + click + Close button: For folders, close the current folder plus allparent folders

Windows Explorer Tree Control:
Numeric Keypad *: Expands everything under the current selection

Numeric Keypad +: Expands the current selection

Numeric Keypad -: Collapses the current selection.

RIGHT ARROW: Expands the current selection if it is not expanded, otherwisegoes to the first child

LEFT ARROW: Collapses the current selection if it is expanded, otherwisegoes to the parent


Properties Control:
CTRL + TAB/CTRL + SHIFT + TAB: Move through the property tabs


Accessibility Shortcuts:
Press SHIFT five times: Toggles StickyKeys on and off

Press down and hold the right SHIFT key for eight seconds: Toggles FilterKeys on and off

Press down and hold the NUM LOCK key for five seconds: Toggles ToggleKeys on and off

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

Left ALT + left SHIFT+PRINT SCREEN: Toggles high contrast on and off


Microsoft Natural Keyboard Keys:
Windows Logo: Start menu

Windows Logo + R: Run dialog box

Windows Logo + M: Minimize all

SHIFT + Windows Logo+M: Undo minimize all

Windows Logo + F1: Help

Windows Logo + E: Windows Explorer

Windows Logo + F: Find files or folders

Windows Logo + D: Minimizes all open windows and displays the desktop

CTRL + Windows Logo + F: Find computer

CTRL + Windows Logo + TAB: Moves focus from Start, to the Quick Launchtoolbar, to the system tray (use RIGHT ARROW or LEFT ARROW to move focus toitems on the Quick Launch toolbar and the system tray)

Windows Logo + TAB: Cycle through taskbar buttons

Windows Logo + Break: System Properties dialog box

Application key: Displays a shortcut menu for the selected item


Microsoft Natural Keyboard with IntelliType Software Installed:
Windows Logo + L: Log off Windows

Windows Logo + P: Starts Print Manager

Windows Logo + C: Opens Control Panel

Windows Logo + V: Starts Clipboard

Windows Logo + K: Opens Keyboard Properties dialog box

Windows Logo + I: Opens Mouse Properties dialog box

Windows Logo + A: Starts Accessibility Options (if installed)

Windows Logo + SPACEBAR: Displays the list of Microsoft IntelliType shortcutkeys

Windows Logo + S: Toggles CAPS LOCK on and off


Dialog Box Keyboard Commands:
TAB: Move to the next control in the dialog box

SHIFT + TAB: Move to the previous control in the dialog box

SPACEBAR: If the current control is a button, this clicks the button. If thecurrent control is a check box, this toggles the check box. If the current control is an option, this selects the option.

ENTER: Equivalent to clicking the selected button (the button with theoutline)

ESC: Equivalent to clicking the Cancel button

ALT + underlined letter in dialog box item: Move to the corresponding item

Friday, September 23, 2005

Double click to Lock your Desktop

If it feels a pain to do CTRL+ALT+DEL every time you want to lock your desktop, then you can do the following to avoid using the above mentioned combination.

1. Right click an empty spot on the desktop, point to New and click Shortcut.
2. In the "Create Shortcut" dialog box, type the following into the "Type the location of the item text box": "rundll32 user32.dll,LockWorkStation" (remove quotes while typing).
3. Click Next.
4. In "Type a name for this shortcut", type "Lock the Desktop" and Click Finish.

Now the desktop will lock when you click your new "Lock the Desktop" iconin the desktop.

Note:This is applicable only for Win 2000 and Win XP users.

Another simple way of locking your desktop is to press "Windows + L". Most newer keyboards have the "Windows" button (a button with the Windows logo).

Thursday, September 22, 2005

Ctrl - Enter Tip For IE

Type the name of the web address in the address bar and then press Crtl-Enter. IE automatically enters ‘www.’ and ‘. com’ for you. Example: type ‘activewin’ in the address bar and press Crtl-Enter – IE will fill in www.activewin.com for you.

Wednesday, September 21, 2005

How to Run a Program as Another User

¨ Use the Start Menu to find the Shortcut to the program you want to run as a
different user. For example, Start, Programs, Administrative Tools, Computer
Management.
¨ Right-click this shortcut, and choose "Run As..."
¨ In the "Run As Other User" box that appears, fill in the username, password and
Domain of the user you want to run the program as.
¨ Click "OK" to run the program.

Tuesday, September 20, 2005

Removing Programs from Control Panel's Add/Remove Programs Section

If you uninstalled a program by deleting the files, it may still show up in the Add/Remove programs list in the Control Panel.

In order to remove it from the list:
- Open RegEdit
- Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersionUninstall
- Delete any programs here.

If you have a problem locating the desired program open each key and view the 'DisplayName' value.

Friday, September 16, 2005

Funny Page on a Windows Dialog

Thursday, September 15, 2005

URL-to-PDF converter

Converting contents of a website page is so easy with this URL-to-PDF converter.

http://html-pdf.bitcontent.com/

You can view the converted pdf, and download it.

Wednesday, September 14, 2005

Converting a document to PDF

Coverting any document to pdf format is very easy.
Visit http://pdfonline.com and follow the instructions.

How to uninstall Internet Explorer 6?

How to Uninstall Internet Explorer 6 link

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q293907

This is interesting piece of information; Updated versions of Internet Explorer are not listed in the Add/Remove Programs tool in Control Panel after you install a Microsoft Windows 2000 service pack. This behavior is by design.

Tuesday, September 13, 2005

My intro

I am a Software Tester, involved in QA practices of my organization as well.

As a tester of Windows products, I have learned a lot about windows, so sharing my 'Tips n Tricks' in this blog.