Rodent-free Windows 95
Restoring lost Win95 Taskbar
IDE CD-ROM BIOS fix
Clear Win95 Recent Documents
More on just the fax
Just the fax revisited
Re: Desperately seeking keyboard tips
Saving files with a name in Word 6
Rename registered user in Win95
Speed up Internet access with proxy servers
Speed up modem with Winsock configuration settings
Win95 Fax Setup Wizard doesn't recognise spaces
A printing primer for Windows 95
View the queue
Boss those jobs around
Three ways to set it
Get your priorities straight
Drag and drop and print
Send it printing
We've had a lot of interest in Win95 keyboard shortcuts, so here are some special Start menu, Taskbar and Desktop shortcuts:
Press <Ctrl>+<Esc> to open the Start Menu focus.
Then press <Esc> or <Enter> to close the Start menu but leave focus on the Start button
Then press <Tab> to move to the Taskbar from the Start button.
Press <Tab> to move to the Desktop from the Taskbar. On the Desktop, use the arrow keys to move between items. When an item is highlighted, press <Enter> to launch it.
Press <Tab> to move back to the Start menu from the Desktop.
<Ctrl>+<Esc>, <Alt>+M closes all windows and moves the focus to the desktop.
- Neale Morison
This is a very common problem in Win95, as a simple mouse drag can minimise the Taskbar almost out of sight. We've mentioned it before, but we'll do it again: to get the Taskbar back, move the mouse over the thin grey line, usually at the bottom of the screen, until the mouse cursor changes to a resize arrow.[taskbar1.tif] If you lose the Win95 Taskbar, try resizing the thin grey line at the bottom of the screen
Click and drag upwards to restore the Taskbar to visibility. This may be a tricky mouse move. To achieve the same result with the keyboard, press <Ctrl>+<Esc>, <Alt>+<Space>, S to open the Start Menu control menu and enter keyboard resize mode. Press the <Up arrow> key a few times, then <Enter> to resize the Taskbar.
- Neale Morison
I contacted you regarding my PC which would not access the IDE CD-ROM drive. Since then I formatted my hard drive and loaded DOS 6.21. To my dismay I still had the problem.
Next I determined that the most likely place a problem would exist was in the BIOS. After about eight to 10 hair-pulling hours, I found that an option "Secondary IDE Channel Enable" had to be disabled. Everything is now working again. The CD is a slave, and my HD is set to 1drive. The HD also has master and slave options. Could the HD still be incorrectly configured? Perhaps you could give me some thoughts why this option would affect the CD drive.
I recall some weeks ago I was rebooting my machine and lost the hard drive. After installing the BIOS setting for it, I presumed nothing else had been affected. Obviously I was wrong. I don't understand too much about the BIOS. Perhaps it would make an interesting article to cover; say, Award BIOS.
Anyway thanks for your assistance I still have a few hours of reloading to do to get all my programs back in.
- Kevin Drever
Editor's note: Kevin, I'm delighted you solved your problem, and I've published your solution to help other readers who may be having similar difficulties. As to your HD being incorrectly configured, my benchmark of configuration success is when things work. There was a time when I'd search for a Platonic ideal beyond the pragmatic, but not any more, with PCs particularly. If any other readers have suggestions as to what may have been wrong, please let us know.
In Windoze 95 I not infrequently want to clear out the Documents list on the Start menu and find that Start-Settings-Taskbar-Start Menu-Programs-Clear-OK is a little frustrating.
Here's an alternative. Open a text editor and write the following two lines of code:
@echo off
deltree /Y c:\windows\recent\*.*
Save the file as EmptyDoc.bat to any directory (eg, c:\windows).
Right-click this file and click Properties in the pop-up dialogue box.
Click the Program tab. Make sure Close on exit is checked and Run is set to minimised. Then click OK.
Change the name of the shortcut file that has just been created from EmptyDoc to something more meaningful, like Empty Documents, and then drag it to the c:\windows\Start Menu directory.
Emptying documents now takes just two clicks. If you want to change the icon as well, the Recycle icon is in c:\windows\explorer.exe
- Angus Johnson
Editor's note: Thanks Angus for a very useful tip. In the latest version of Powertoys (the unsupported geek tools available from Microsoft and also from our Web site at www.idg.com.au/pc.world), you can click the Paranoia tab and check the Clear Document history at logon option. Yours is an on-demand approach.
It's worth mentioning this is the first time I've seen a Paranoia option in a software application, but not the first time it has seemed appropriate. The closest I've seen is the Panic button, with an icon drawn from Edvard Munch's The Scream, in the CakeWalk MIDI sequencer. Something tells me if a release version of Powertoys comes out, that tab will not be called Paranoia. It will be double-spoken into something like Audit security.
Kein Gan describes a problem (General Q&A, page 180, June 1996) that I have experienced on two Win95 systems with internal modems. BBS and Internet comms work fine, but the system gets the sulks when asked to send/receive a fax using WinFax Lite and WinFax Pro.
In both cases the problem was solved by moving the modem from COM port 4 to COM port 2. Once that was done, it happily chattered away in "faxese".
I have not had the time or inclination to chase down the root cause of the problem. It suffices to get the thing running. One system did experience the odd problem after the fix, and this was as suggested in the answer to Kein - the location has lossy lines.
- Bob Bellini
I just had a look at the init string Kein Gan used. I am aware that the init string needs to be changed for some modems to function with a fax connection. I suggest Kein tries something simple like AT&K6 and leave it at that. Some other strings cause some modems to hang. Hopes this helps.
- Paul Richardson
I read with interest your reply to Chris Perdue in PC World June 1996. You have probably been inundated with replies, but, on the off-chance nobody has
bothered . . .
"Shortcut keys", as shown as a subject in Discover Windows 95, is NOT a subject in the file windows.hlp, as - like Chris and all others who have not added to the original release - I do not have this subject in my copy.
Although you may have the same file (eg, windows.hlp 519,340 11-07-95 9:50a),
this is hardly the help system for Win95, but rather a part of it. If you look at windows.cnt, you will see all the other indices that go to build up the help system. When I read your reply, I had only half of the Help Topics you show, but after installing Accessibility Options I have all but one, namely Shortcut keys. Adding options like this does not change windows.hlp, but alters windows.cnt instead (eg, a pointer to the index for access.hlp will be added).
This topic was left out of the original release and if Plus! or the Service Pack 1 doesn't have them, then shortcuts will only be found in \windows\tips.txt or in the Resource Kit Help (on the CD version) under Keys:Shortcuts (on the CD in \Admin\Reskit\Helpfile\Win95rk.hlp)
While I do not have either Plus! or the Service Pack, I assume that you do. If you do a file search on \windows\help\*.hlp for a phrase like "General Windows keys" (as shown on page 23 of your booklet), I am sure you can verify which help file it is in. I suspect it may be in msplus.hlp, as a few things missed in the original release were included in the Plus! Pack.
Editor's note: My first reply to Alan was:
Thanks very much for your help, Alan. I guess the failure to communicate is my fault. Thanks for sorting this out. I published the shortcut keys in print on the basis that there might be a further problem. I searched for the strings as you suggested and found them in overview.hlp.
Alan replies:
I missed overview.hlp! This is loaded and indexed into the Help system if you have the On-Line User Guide (OLUG) installed. (It is on the CD-ROM version.) As it takes up 7.7Mb, I took it off. If one wants the overview help (including the shortcut key help), then there is a way of doing it without having the 7.7Mb on your hard disk.
One way is to extract overview.hlp and w_over.cnt from the CD in \win95\win95_16.cab (using the Extract command from DOS, or, if you have Powertoys installed, double-click on win95_16.cab and right-click overview.hlp to extract - the same with w_over.cnt). Extract to windows\help\, then edit windows.cnt and insert the line:
Index Windows Overview Help =overview.hlp
(this goes after the other :Index lines and before the line starting with :Link)
At the end of the file, insert the line :include w_over.cnt if it is not already in the file somewhere. It may be if the OLUG has been installed before.
Another approach is to install the OLUG via Control Panel-Add/Remove Programs-Accessories-OnLineUserGuide. Then save a copy of overview.hlp and w_over.cnt in another directory, and remove OLUG by unchecking the installation option. Then put the two files back in \windows\help and ensure that windows.cnt has the lines left in it.
Anyone who has the Win95 installation on CD will have win95rk.hlp and win95rk.cnt (the on-line Windows 95 Resource Kit). It's a 2,929K file in \Admin\Reskit\helpfile\ If not, it is available from Microsoft on the Web or in MSN.
- Alan Edwards
In regard to Wayne Camp's letter in PC World, May 96 for stamping file names in Word 6.0, here's a short macro:
InsertField .Field = "UserInitials \*Lower"
Insert " "
InsertField .Field = "filename \*Lower \p"
StartOfLine 1
FontSize 8
CharRight 1
End Sub
The UserInitials field is handy for machines in the office, so you know which PC created the document. It uses the Tools-Options-User Info: Initials dialogue.
To create the macro, select Tools-Macro and type in a name in the macro name field. I called mine SaveName. Click on create, and type in the macro. Save it and close the macro screen. Select Tools-Customise.
Scroll down the categories list until you see Macros. Click on it and it should list your SaveName macro. Click and drag the name to the toolbar and drop it. A Custom Button dialogue will come up, and you can assign either an icon or name to the new button. I used Stamp File Name so other users wouldn't be confused. That's it.
Just make sure you save your file with a meaningful name before using this, then place the cursor wherever you want the reference and click the button.
There is a quick way to rename the registered user of Win95 - use the Registry. To rename the registered user or organisation, first run regedit.exe (see first tip in General Q&A), then choose Edit-Find or press <Ctrl>+F, and in the Find dialogue enter the keyword RegisteredOwner or Registered.
When found, double-click on the keyword. A new menu will appear. Key in the correct name then quit.
- Ee-Loong Tan
There is an easy way to speed up your access to the Internet. Some access providers provide something known as a proxy server. It allows you to transfer information off the Net via a local server, rather than overseas. Since I've started using my service provider's proxy server, it is uncommon to receive anything at under 1Kbit/sec. Most of the time my 28.8K modem is going as fast as it can (I bet it would go faster if it could).
- Melvyn Myers
Editor's note: Thanks Melvyn. The advantage of proxy servers is that commonly accessed information ends up cached locally, instead of having to be retrieved on every request across an overseas link. Readers should ask their ISP if they provide a proxy server. Sometimes there's an additional charge for this service.
G'day Neale - just a quick line to mention Winsock settings, though you may have already told your readers the following. I was amazed at the change in speed when downloading or loading Web pages after changing the settings in Trumpet Winsock from the default to the following:
MTU=1006
TCPWIN=3840
MSS=960
I live in the outskirts of Perth, and thought that a download speed of 0.2 to 0.7Kbit/sec was normal - but now my browser downloads at 1.0 to 2.4Kbit/sec with no problems (ie, no data corruption). If you have told your readers before it may be a good idea to let the newbies know. All the best and a great mag - keep up the good work.
- Brian Diggett
I think I've got a good one for you. After reading your article on setting up Win95 Fax (Feb 1996), I tried to follow your instructions - no luck! It took me quite a few hours to figure out what was wrong. The problem was simple. Setup Wizard seems to be the only (?) facility in Win95 that does not recognise embedded spaces in computer name. My fax services provider was named "The Big One". Wizard was not able to locate server with such name (even though printer and hard/floppy/CD disks sharing was working perfectly - Network Neighborhood folder was also unmistakenly listing contents of "The Big One"). Removing spaces from the name was the last resort and I did not really think it would help - but it did! "TheBigOne" turned out to be perfectly acceptable for SetUp Wizard and I can now happily use fax across the network.
I think it would be worthwhile to warn readers about this trap.
Regards,
- Leszek Romanowski
Here are six tips for quick and efficient printing in Windows 95.
Wondering why your file is taking so long to print? Open up the Printers window by choosing Start-Settings-Printers. Then double-click on the appropriate printer icon.
If you enjoy the proper network privileges, you can change the print order of each item in the print queue by selecting it and dragging it up or down. To cancel all print jobs, choose Printer-Purge Print Jobs. To pause all print jobs, choose Printer-Pause Printing. To cancel or pause one print job, select it and choose either Document-Cancel Printing or Document-Pause Printing, as appropriate.
You adjust a printer's settings through its Properties sheet. In the Printers window, select a printer and choose File-Properties, or right-click the printer and choose Properties. If you're in the queue window (see the tip above), you can also choose Printer-Properties.
What do you want - faster output or a faster return to your application? You decide: in the Properties sheet, click Details and then Spool Settings. The first and second options get you back to work fastest but sacrifice hard disk space; the first and third options save a little on disk space. The fourth option (not available for shared printers) uses no disk space and offers faster output - but makes you wait the longest to return to work.
You don't have to open a document to print it. Put a Shortcut to a printer in a convenient place (like the Windows desktop) by selecting a printer in the Printers windows, and using right mouse button drag and drop to place the shortcut where you want it. Choose Create Shortcut(s) Here when the popup menu appears on releasing the right mouse button. Now to print a file, you can drag it from the Explorer or My Computer browser onto the shortcut.
If your desktop is already too messy or too covered by windows to use the above method, you can use the Send to feature. Create a shortcut to the printer in the \Windows\Send to\ folder (your path may differ). Now when you right-click on a file in the Explorer or My Computer browser, and choose the Send To option, the printer appears as one of the Send To options.