This thread will be dedicated to giving out computer hints and tips. You can give out ones that you know by heart, or that you've found on the net. I'll give out ones I found on the net. Because I'm not good at explaining things and the ones I know you'd have to mess with your windows registry. Which you really shouldn't do unless you know what the hell you're doing or you have it backed up.
The ones I'm giving out are the best and most useful tips I've found from the TechTVs Screensavers Windows Tips Library.


Windows Tip: Make Your DSL Work
I like to pass things I've recently learned on to the viewers. Anybody having some frustration with a slow DSL connection? After you've checked the MTU settings, look for this registry key:


HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESystem
CurrentControlSetServices
VXDMSTCP


You should find: DefaultRcvWindow (or on some machines DefReceiveWindow) =


If your machine used to be configured for a dial-up, that number could be 2144, which is the optimization for modems. Change that number to 32768, which is your default connection speed for DSL. Worked for me!


If the string is not there, add it. Right click in the right pane, choose New, String. Then put in DefaultRcvWindow, and make the value 32768. Voila!

Faster PC Identity
Did you know that your computer can go faster if you tell it it's a different type of machine?


By default in Windows 95/98, memory for file access and memory of recently accessed files is defined by the "role" your computer plays. When your machine is defined as a desktop computer, it sets aside memory for the 32 most recently accessed folders, and 677 recently accessed files. This takes up about 10K of memory.


You can trick your machine into remembering more files and folders by telling your PC that it's a network server. When you're a network server, lucky you: Memory will retain 64 recently opened folders, and 2,729 recent files!


That's a pretty big difference. The only downside is that this setting eats an additional 30K of memory, but it only makes the total about 40K. In the big picture, that's not much.


To convince your desktop computer that it's a network server:

Right-click on "My Computer"
Choose "Properties"
Click the "Performance" tab
Choose the "File System" button
Choose "Network Server" in the dropdown menu under "Typical role of this computer"
Close and reboot!

If you're running Windows 95 or 95a, you won't be able to do this manually.

Windows Tip: Perform a System Inventory
Ever wonder what exactly is in your PC? You can find out by doing a system inventory. It's good practice to know what's installed in your computer.


There are two kinds of system inventory reports that you can create:

System Summary
This report lists the following information:
System summary (includes Windows version, BIOS information, and processor information.
IRQ summary.
IO port summary.
Upper memory usage summary.
DMA usage summary.
Memory summary.
Disk drive info.

All devices and system summary
A longer report that includes everything in the System Summary, plus a list of System devices (input devices, bus controllers, hard disk controllers, monitors, and more).


To get a system inventory:

Right click on My Computer and select Properties.
Click on the Device Manager tab.
Click Print.
You can select "System Summary," or you can select "All devices and system summary."

After the documents print, you'll have a list of everything installed in your computer. You should do a system inventory every time you install new hardware.

Windows Tip: Change the Windows Display
Windows has a built-in delay before selected windows are displayed. This delay can be adjusted to anywhere from zero to 999 milliseconds. All it takes is a little bit of editing in the Registry.


To change the delay:

Click on the Start menu and select Run. Type in "regedit" in the Open field.

Expand the HKEY_CURRENT_USER key.

Expand the Control Panel key.

Expand the Desktop key. Then do one of the two steps below.

Select MenuShowDelay. Right-click, select Properties, and enter a value from zero to 999 milliseconds.

If you don't have MenuShowDelay, you can create it. Here's how:

Right-click on Desktop key.

Select New > String Value and name it MenuShowDelay.

Right-click on MenuShowDelay, set its value from zero to 999 milliseconds (default is 400 milliseconds).


Restart Windows.

Windows Tip: Stop Programs That Run on Boot
In Windows, you can set an application to launch every time you start the computer. It's a feature that can be either a constant irritation or a timesaver. Here's how you make -- or unmake -- a program load automatically when you start Windows.


Any program with a shortcut in the Startup folder will automatically execute when you boot into Windows. To add a program:

Right-Click on Start and choose Open.
Double-click Programs.
Double-click Start-Up and add a shortcut for any program you want to load automatically.
To remove a program from Start-Up, just delete the Shortcut.


The registry location HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run contains the paths to programs that run when your computer boots. You can edit and remove (or add, for that matter) the path to any program you like. We highly recommend backing up your registry and exploring your other options before modifying the registry.

In Windows 98 and later, you can run the program called MSConfig, which provides a simple user interface with checkboxes for modifying files that contain programs and utilities that run on startup.


If you cannot find a specific program you want to remove with either of the steps above and you don't have Windows 98 or later, search your config.sys, autoexec.bat, win.ini, and system.ini files for the errant programs and drivers.

(Theres a better way to do this, "Go to run, then type in "msconfig". Then click the startup tab. Uncheck any programs you don't want to automatically start" - SSJ4 Supermonkey)


Windows Tip: Forget the Windows Password
Does your computer at home ask for your user identification every time you start it up? If you are the single user of a home computer, you probably don't need to see the logon screen every time you boot up.


To turn off the password protection:


Open the Network Control Panel.
Make sure the Windows logon is selected, not the Microsoft network logon.
Restart your computer.
When the logon window comes up, enter a name, (any name -- it doesn't matter), leave the password blank, and hit return.
When it asks you to confirm that blank password, hit return again.

After that, you should never see the logon screen again

Windows Tip: Change the Registered Name in Windows 98
You can change the 'Registered to:' information for Windows itself. Why would you want to do this?


To repair the embarrassing effects of too much sangria during the registration process.
You give your computer to your parents/friend/dog and want to transfer the name. Don't forget to send the Windows disk along with the computer (remember, one OS per disk -- lets be responsible here).

To change the registration information in Windows:


You need to open your registry (Be careful here people. The first thing you want to do is back up your registry. Find out how here. OK, now that you have done that, I just want to remind you that we warned you. Be careful, follow all instructions). Open the Registry:
Click on the Start menu, and select Run.
Type in "regedit" in the field, and click OK.
Find the key:
Windows 98: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
Windows NT: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion
Modify 'RegisteredOwner' and 'RegisteredOrganization' to become whatever you desire.


For a complete list of the Windows Tips from TechTVs Screensavers go to http://www.techtv.com/screensavers/...2319263,00.html


Anyone add anything you want..