Short key for XP

General keyboard shortcuts
CTRL+C (Copy)
CTRL+X (Cut)
CTRL+V (Paste)
CTRL+Z (Undo)
DELETE (Delete)
SHIFT+DELETE (Delete the selected item permanently without placing the item in the Recycle Bin)
CTRL while dragging an item (Copy the selected item)
CTRL+SHIFT while dragging an item (Create a shortcut to the selected item)
F2 key (Rename the selected item)
CTRL+RIGHT ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next word)
CTRL+LEFT ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous word)
CTRL+DOWN ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next paragraph)
CTRL+UP ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous paragraph)
CTRL+SHIFT with any of the arrow keys (Highlight a block of text)
SHIFT with any of the arrow keys (Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text in a document)
CTRL+A (Select all)
F3 key (Search for a file or a folder)
ALT+ENTER (View the properties for the selected item)
ALT+F4 (Close the active item, or quit the active program)
ALT+ENTER (Display the properties of the selected object)
ALT+SPACEBAR (Open the shortcut menu for the active window)
CTRL+F4 (Close the active document in programs that enable you to have multiple documents open simultaneously)
ALT+TAB (Switch between the open items)
ALT+ESC (Cycle through items in the order that they had been opened)
F6 key (Cycle through the screen elements in a window or on the desktop)
F4 key (Display the Address bar list in My Computer or Windows Explorer)
SHIFT+F10 (Display the shortcut menu for the selected item)
ALT+SPACEBAR (Display the System menu for the active window)
CTRL+ESC (Display the Start menu)
ALT+Underlined letter in a menu name (Display the corresponding menu)
Underlined letter in a command name on an open menu (Perform the corresponding command)
F10 key (Activate the menu bar in the active program)
RIGHT ARROW (Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu)
LEFT ARROW (Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu)
F5 key (Update the active window)
BACKSPACE (View the folder one level up in My Computer or Windows Explorer)
ESC (Cancel the current task)
SHIFT when you insert a CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive (Prevent the CD-ROM from automatically playing)
CTRL+SHIFT+ESC (Open Task Manager)
Back to the top
Dialog box keyboard shortcuts
If you press SHIFT+F8 in extended selection list boxes, you enable extended selection mode. In this mode, you can use an arrow key to move a cursor without changing the selection. You can press CTRL+SPACEBAR or SHIFT+SPACEBAR to adjust the selection. To cancel extended selection mode, press SHIFT+F8 again.

Extremely Useful Computer Tricks

Best key combo ever!

Extremely Useful Computer Tricks

• Quick UndoI use this very very liberally and find it to be one of the most useful key presses ever. This works for almost everything and I should have really put this in the top section but it seems to have snuck down here for some reason! Hold down the Ctrl key and press Z to undo anything you just did. This works for an absolute ton of programs which includes every single office program.
• Quick Redo
  The sibling of the above key press. This one is useful if you undid something by accident. Ctrl and Y is the key press for this one!

Microsoft Office Tricks

All documents can be saved or closed at once.

Resize any selected text in a simple key combo press.

Computer Tricks - Microsoft Office Tricks

Microsoft Office, being the most common office suite, has some really useful and computer tricks that can be used. Here are a few good ones:

• Mousewheel Zooming in WordSick of clicking manually on the zoom drop down all the time? No problem! Hold down the Ctrl key and scroll with your mouse wheel... pretty neat huh? The page zooms in and out based on the direction you move the mousewheel. This also works in most modern web browsers which is incredibly useful if you have short sight problems etc. Computer tricks don't get much better than this!
• Save All and Close All in WordSometimes when you have a ton of documents open that you wish to save, or perhaps they are becoming overwhelming and you wish to close them all, you can hold down the shift key then click on the file menu. Two new options appear which are 'Save All' and 'Close All'. Click as appropriate.
• Increase font size in Word with a keypressHolding down ctrl and shift while press the '<' or '>' keys (they operate as a comma and period normally) the font size of the selected text will grow and shrink as specified. This can be handy if you aren't sure what specific font size you want and wish to 'see' what looks good without having to enter or select any numeric size values. I find myself using computer tricks a lot but this one is used rather frequently now that I am used to it.
• Instant new worksheet in excelBy holding shift and pressing F11 a new worksheet is instantly added to your excel file. This saves a ton of clicks! After the key combo is pressed the new workbook instantly becomes the active one making it double handy.
• Create a new document in any office applicationI should mention that this key press also works for a large range of software packages including the browser you are using right now (don't quote me on that though!). Holding Ctrl and pressing N results in a new window opening for the currently active software application. Give it a try!

Computer Tricks - Computer Optimization

The disk cleanup tool will suprise you with how much space you can free up!

Make sure you keep on top of what you have installed and remove unused software.

Are you keeping on top of the general maintenance of your computer? Here are some computer tips to optimize your computer's performance:

• Temp folder cleanupThe temp folder found in C:\Windows\Temp often contains files that have no reason to exist any longer. The folder is used by a large number of programs to store temporary files but unfortunately due to lazy coding the files often remain afterwards leading to a massive amount of data filling up the temp folder over time.
  You can use the 'Disk Cleanup Wizard' that comes with windows to sort out your temp folder by clicking on the Start menu then clicking on Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Cleanup. Select the drive you wish to clean (usually C:) and then after a while of loading a dialog box will appear with recommendations. One of my favorite computer tricks when my computer starts to get a bit sluggish.
• Remove old programsMake sure you keep on top of your installed software. The Add/Remove Programs tool allows you to do this. Click on the start menu then settings then control panel. In the window that appears double click on 'Add or Remove Programs' and a dialog will appear after a short time. Any software you do not actively use be sure to get rid of it. This will save disk space, prevent any future software conflicts and hide the fact you installed a naughty program from friends or family!
• DefragmentOver time a hard disk gets a bit sluggish due to being fragmented. It occurs every time the system struggles to store a whole file (generally big files) so it slots bits of the data in between other files. To make the files whole again you have to perform a defragment. Click on the start menu then programs then accessories then system tools then 'Disk Defragmenter'. Depending on disk size it can take several hours to complete so perhaps go and watch a film while it works, something like the Matrix is good! Another one of my favorite computer tricks because it feels like my hard disk is 'purified' afterwards.

Computer Tricks and Computer Tips that you Need to Know!

Looking for a nice set of computer tricks and computer 
tips? Look no further!

Computer Tricks - Shortcut Keys

A few great shortcut keys that are great computer tricks are:

• Hold the windows key and press M
  This will minimise all windows in one key press! This is the same as pressing the 'Show Desktop' icon but without having to click on it. It should be noted that Windows key + D also works for this!
• Hold the windows key and press L
  This will lock your workstation instantly. This means that if you are in a public place or a shared machine and go for a toilet break but do not wish for anyone to sneak a peak at what you are doing, or at worst steal your files, then this will take you back to the login screen instantly. Very handy indeed!
• Hold alt then press F4
  This is quite a common one but should be mentioned here anyway. This key press will close your current window. If your screen is getting cluttered you can go on a 'close rampage' by holding down the F4 key as well! Good times!
• Hold ctrl then press F4
  The junior brother of alt F4. Instead of closing the whole window this will close internal windows within the current program. For example if you have multiple windows open in one instance of Microsoft Word this will close them one at a time. The best part is this works for the tab browsing that has come in to play in recent browsers. The key press closes the active tab you are viewing! This is one of the best computer tricks I find when browsing as it is really effective for FireFox for closing tabs.
• Hold alt and press tab
  This will cycle between programs on your computer. This feature isn't that useful until you install this nice little Microsoft tool which will show a thumbnail of the program your about the switch to. If you don't wish to activate the selected program keep holding down alt and press tab again to cycle to the next one!

Holding the windows key and pressing break is one of the lesser known but more useful keypresses!

You can set up custom shortcut keys via this field in the properties of any shortcut!

• Hold the windows key and press break
  A lesser known shortcut but still useful! This one will open the System Properties dialog window which displays your RAM etc.
• Hold the windows key and press EThis will open 'My Computer' in explorer style mode. This is very handy if you want to access your files and disk drives from anywhere without having to find the icon on the desktop or start menu.
• Custom Shortcut Keys!
  Another lesser known trick is setting up your own custom key presses. This works for a per-program basis. To setup a shortcut key to your favorite program first you need to right click on the shortcut icon you commonly use and then press on properties. Click on the Shortcut' tab and there will be a text field called 'Shortcut key'. Simply click in that and enter the key press you wish to use. Press OK and that key press is permanently associated with that program. This is very handy for many things such as opening word or opening your favorite game!

Hi-Speed USB - FAQ

As an aside, USB mice and keyboards need only 1.5Mbits/s to function. That performance level is also named 'USB' by the USB Promoter Group.
To sum it up, USB 2.0 specification incorporates three speeds: Hi-Speed, Full-Speed and Low-Speed. You as a consumer don't need to figure out all the jargons. Just keep in mind that only 'Hi-Speed USB' and 'USB' host and devices exist.

How do I know if my PC has USB 2.0?
You can identify whether your PC has Hi-Speed or not relatively easy. Open Device Manager and expand the Universal Serial Bus section. There should be an "Enhanced" USB host controller present.

Windows 98 systems may use a different name, because Hi-Speed USB drivers in these operating systems are not provided directly from Microsoft (Windows ME, 2000 and XP get their drivers through Windows Update).

These drivers are provided by the manufacturer, and may carry the maker's name (i.e. ADS, Belkin, IOGear, Siig, etc.). There should also be two standard version USB host controllers present as well. They are embedded in the USB chip which routes the differing USB speeds accordingly without user intervention.

There are currently 6 manufacturers of the Hi-Speed USB host silicon themselves:

ALi (Acer Labs)

Intel

NEC

SiS

VIA

nVidia (shows as "Standard" controller

Any other brand name that appears in Device Manager would likely be an add-in Hi-Speed USB PCI card. The makers above do not make add-in cards, but they do make the chips that are used in them.

How do troubleshoot "unknown device" error listed in Device Manager?

The USB device or the USB adapter requires its own power source. If your USB device or adapter came with an AC power "brick", try connecting it.

Here's a likely one - the front USB ports on your PC case may be misconnected. I've seen them that way from the factory. It's a good idea to check the connections against specifications. The standard order of connection is Red, White, Green, and Black. No more than 4 wires per USB bank are needed.

Defective device. Do not assume that all PC components work correctly out of the box. I've seen many new USB devices that do not work. If you can, try the device on another PC.

All drivers are not installed. Some devices will require installing the driver package before plugging in the device. Some devices will also require basic USB files from the Windows CD before the unit will function. The general rule is to always follow installation directions precisely and to have the Windows CD ready.

How fast is USB 2.0?
USB 2.0 has a raw data rate at 480Mbps, and it is rated 40 times faster than its predecessor interface, USB 1.1, which tops at 12Mbps. Originally, USB 2.0 was intended to go only as fast as 240Mbps.

How will consumers benefit from USB 2.0?
With speed 40 times more than that of USB 1.1, USB 2.0 broaden the range of external peripherals that can be used on a computer. Even with multiple high-speed peripherals connected to a USB 2.0 bus, the system will less likely to hit the bandwidth bottleneck. The new specification also inherits the current USB's Plug and Play and hot-swapping capability as well as providing backward compatibility for USB 1.1 hardware, allowing existing user base to upgrade seamlessly.

Do USB 2.0 & USB 1.1 hardware work interchangeably?
You may have heard that USB 2.0 is "backward-compatible" with USB 1.0/1.1 (Full-Speed USB). While that's true, USB 1.1 is also forward-compatible with USB 2.0. Whenever a system has USB 2.0 ports, you'll find the "Enhanced" USB controller in Device Manager, but you will also find two other USB controllers. These two to maintain backward compatibility to USB 1.1 devices. Each USB 2.0 host actually has 3 chips onboard. The USB controller routes signals to the correct controller chip depending on how a device is recognized. Where a device is physically plugged in has no bearing on how it is routed. All ports on a USB 2.0 motherboard can host any USB devices at all as long as the system and devices are healthy.

The vast majority of USB 2.0 devices will work on older PCs and Macs. None should flat-out fail unless there are other issues with the system. Hi-Speed USB devices will revert to Full-Speed operation when connected this way. Understand that Hi-Speed is at least ten times faster than Full-Speed in actual operation, so the speed difference is quite noticeable - unless you have never experienced Hi-Speed, of course.

When it comes to USB hub compatibility between USB 2.0 and USB 1.1, here some facts:

A powered hub is always preferable to unpowered.

USB hub ports are not as capable or flexible as real PC ports so it's best not to expect the world of them.

USB 1.1 (obsolete) hubs will work fine on USB 2.0 ports, but they cannot utilize USB 2.0 capabilities. They will default to slower speeds.

Hi-Speed and Full/Low-Speed USB devices can coexist nicely on USB 2.0 hubs. Connecting such a hub to a USB 2.0 port is recommended.

USB 2.0 hubs can be used on older USB 1.1 computers.

Although it is said that you can "cascade" up to 4 hubs, problems may start to arise after two hubs, it's best to minimize hub usage if possible.

Many USB devices don't work well on hubs. Cameras, scanners and especially USB drives are known to have problems with hub connectivity.

Remember that "active USB extensions" are really just one-port hubs.

Will USB 2.0 replace USB 1.1?
Not entirely, because many products such as generic keyboards, mice, joysticks and audio speakers do not require the faster speed of the new USB 2.0 technologies. Only bandwidth-hungry devices, such as web cams and high-capacity storage systems, will need all the speed. However, next-generation systems will come with USB 2 ports rather than USB 1.1.

How do I distinguish between a USB 2.0 and a USB 1.1 devices? New logos designed by the USB Promoter Group allow consumers to easily identify the new USB 2.0 products. The new colorful logo for USB 2.0 is labeled USB Hi-Speed, and the new logo for USB 1.1 is labeled with USB Basic Speed. However, most people won't miss it as manufacturers often label USB 2.0 READY Or 40 times faster than USB 1.1, on the boxes.

Will USB 1.1 devices run any faster on a USB 2.0 bus?
No. However, the new USB 2.0 archiclecture allows more high-speed USB 1.1 devices, such as web cams, audio devices, to share the bandwidth. Developers need to follow USB 2.0 spec in order to design higher speed peripherals that can take advantage of the extra bandwidth. USB 1.1 devices still operate at 12Mbps at full-speed and 1.5Mbps at low-speed on a USB 2.0 bus. Even though USB 1.1 devices won't run any faster, they can work alongside of USB 2.0 devices on the same bus.

What are USB Hi-Speed and USB Basic Speed logos?
These logos are part of USB Promoter Group's branding program that ensures the quality of USB products. The USB 2.0 certified products would display a blue, white and red logo, bearing the words Certified and Hi-Speed. The classic USB 1.1 certified products would display a black and white logo with the words USB and Certified.

Under a license from USB-IF, products must pass the compliance tests before manufacturers can use one of the two trademarked logos. The Promoter Group will take legal actions on manufacturers that label either logo on their products, which have not passed the tests.

What happen if a USB 2.0 devices are plugged into a USB 1.1 systems?
The entire bus under the USB 1.1 root hub will slow to 12Mbps. The operating system will probably notify the user about the sub-optimal configuration and recommend for a better course of action.

If several USB 1.1 hubs are connected to a USB 2.0 bus, then each of the USB 1.1 hubs will get a full 12Mbps bandwidth.

What is the max? Length of a USB 2.0 cable?
5m. however, if you cascade 5 hubs with 5m USB cables, this will allow you to connect a device 30m away.

What do I need to use a USB 2.0 device?
The requirement is similar to that of USB 1.1, but all components will have to be USB 2.0 compliant. A successful USB 2.0 connection requires a USB 2.0 host controller card, a USB 2.0 driver and a USB 2.0 peripheral.

How much will it cost to upgrade to USB 2.0?
Around $80 to $150. Currently, Orange Micro., Adaptec and IO Gear are shipping USB 2.0 PCI cards, some of which even have FireWire ports. Interestingly, almost all USB 2.0 PCI cards include an internal port, which is probably for connecting internal USB 2.0 IDE enclosure or USB 2.0 front panel.

Will USB 2.0 arrive on mobile computers?
Yes, but not in integrated solution on laptops. You will need a USB 2.0 Card Bus card. Orange Micro. is shipping USB 2.0 compliant 4-port Card Bus card. Eventually, notebook vendors will adapt to USB 2.0 technology, and we will see USB 2.0 ports on laptops. This transition won't happen until 2002 at the earliest.

Which operating systems support USB 2.0?
Microsoft has released the official USB 2.0 driver for Windows XP and Windows 2000. The version is 5.1.2600. The software is available on-line at Windows Update website. (If you don't have a USB 2.0 card installed in your system, Windows Update won't list the USB 2.0 driver as an update.)

The software company is still considering USB 2.0 support for Windows ME, but it already has decided not to bring USB 2.0 to Windows 98 and Windows 98 SE. If you have Windows 98, you will have to rely on 3rd party USB 2.0 support from USB card manufacturer.

Do USB 1.1 cables work with USB 2.0 devices?
Ideally, yes. USB 2.0 architecture uses the same cables and connectors as USB 1.1 compliant products. Unfortunately, only 3 out of 11 cables on the market are certified as USB 1.1 compliant. You may run into the cables that cause problems connecting high-speed peripherals. To avoid negative user experience, most vendors include USB 2.0 compliant cables with their USB 2 PCI cards and peripherals.

Tips and Tricks for Windows 7 End Users

Innovative multi-touch technology. Unprecedented desktop control. Intuitive access to media and applications. These are just some of the new features available to Windows® 7 end users. Get a sneak peek at them here.

Boost Your Productivity with Windows Touch

Using a keyboard and mouse is fine for many everyday tasks, but it’s not always the easiest way to do things. With Windows 7, if you have a touch-screen monitor, you can simply touch the screen to perform tasks such as scrolling, resizing windows, playing media, and panning and zooming on images or pages.

The Start menu, Windows Taskbar, and Windows Explorer in Windows 7 are touch-friendly, with large icons that are easy to select with your finger. Browsing the Web with Internet Explorer® 8 is easy, too — just use your finger to scroll down a Web page or browse your favorite links. You can even use your finger to arrange the pictures in a photo album.

Windows 7 also introduces support for new multi-touch technology, so you can control what happens on the screen with more than one finger. For example, you can zoom out on an image by moving two fingers closer together as if you're pinching something, or zoom in by moving two fingers apart. You can rotate an image on the screen by rotating one finger around another, and can right-click by holding one finger on your target and tapping the screen with a second finger.

The following chart shows just some of the gestures you’ll be able to employ when using Windows Touch in Windows 7. Note: Some product features of Windows Touch, such as touch navigation, require specific hardware. Selected Dell business systems, such as the Latitude™ XT2 XFR, are ready to support Windows 7 Touch right out of the box. To use Windows Touch functionality, a touch-screen monitor or laptop with a touch screen is required. 

Additional Windows 7 Tips and Tricks

Project Your Display With Ease

Plugging in a projector and projecting your display is a snap with the Windows 7 driver display utility, displayswitch.exe. Simply press +P to display the following easy-to-navigate pop-up window.

By hitting your arrow keys (or  +P) you can switch through multiple display settings, such as “clone,” “extend” or “external only.”

Multi-Monitor Window Management Windows 7 makes using multiple monitors as convenient as it should be. When you’re working in multi-monitors, use the keyboard shortcuts  +Shift+Left Arrow and  +Shift+Right Arrow to toggle between monitors. The new window will keep its relative position to the top-left origin of the original.

Pin Up the Folders You Use Most

Windows 7 allows you to “pin up” the folders you use most on your taskbar. Simply hold your mouse over the favorite folder, right click, and drag the folder onto the taskbar. Windows 7 automatically pins itself to the Explorer Jump List. To open the folder, right click on the Explorer icon and select the folder you want.

Double-Up Your Windows

Sometimes, when you’re working within an application, you just want more of a good thing. To open another window of the same application (assuming the application can run more than one instance), simply hold Shift and click the taskbar icon. You can also middle-click your third mouse button for the same result.

Smart Printing Windows 7 allows for several default printers in several locations. Your computer will choose the correct printer for where you are. No need to reset your default or remember what the printer name is; Windows 7 will figure out whether you’re at home or at work with Location Aware Printing.

Shake It Up Windows 7 Aero® Shake allows you to clear the inactive windows from your desktop by shaking over the window where you’re working. Hover your mouse over the title bar of your active window, left-click and shake from side to side, and all your inactive windows will disappear. To bring back the windows, repeat the procedure and shake everything back into view.

Adaptive Display Brightness The display on a typical mobile PC consumes more battery power than any other part of the computer. Windows 7 automatically reduces display brightness after a period of inactivity, much as many cell phones do today. However, Windows 7 intelligently adapts to your activity. For example, if the screen dims after 30 seconds and you immediately move the mouse to brighten the display, Windows 7 will wait 60 seconds before dimming the display again.

Increase your RAM and so system speed

1). Start any application, say Word. Open some large documents.


2). Press CTRL+SHIFT+ESC to open Windows Task Manager and click Processes tab and sort the list in descending order on Mem Usage. You will notice that WINWORD.EXE will be somewhere at the top, using multiple MBs of memory.



3). Now switch to Word and simply minimize it. (Don't use the Minimize All Windows option of the task bar).



4). Now go back to the Windows Task Manager and see where WINWORD.EXE is listed. Most probably you will not find it at the top. You will typically have to scroll to the bottom of the list to find Word. Now check out the amount of RAM it is using. Surprised? The memory utilization has reduced by a huge amount.



5). Minimize each application that you are currently not working on by clicking on the Minimize button & you can increase the amount of available RAM by a substantial margin. Depending upon the number and type of applications you use together, the difference can be as much as 50 percent of extra RAM.

In any multitasking system, minimizing an application means that it won't be utilized by the user right now. Therefore, the OS automatically makes the application use virtual memory & keeps bare minimum amounts of the code in physical RAM.