Windows Tips & Tricks

Saturday, September 19, 2009

What do system beeps Mean?


One Beep :DRAM refresh failure
This may be due to
- Bad memory chips
- A bad DMA Chip
- Bad memory addressing chips on the motherboard
Two Beeps :Parity error or Parity Circuit failure
-Your memory may not be seated properly on the mother board.-Unplug and plug it properly
Three Beeps :Bad memory or bad mother board
Four Beeps :Timer failure in the RAM.
Five Beeps :CPU chip may be dead
Six Beeps :Keyboard controller may have failed
Seven Beeps :CPU is dead. Retry the connections and test.
-Replace the whole motherboard.
Eight Beeps :Video card is missing or Bad.
Nine Beeps :Damaged ROM BIOS.
-BIOS chip has to be replaced if it persists.
Ten Beeps :CMOS shutdown.
-Replace CMOS memory and associated chips.
Eleven Beeps :Cache memory test has failed.
-To enable cache memory try CTRL+ALT+SHIFT++.
One long Beep and Three short Beeps:Memory failure
One long Beep and Eight short Beeps :Video card failure.
-Try to install video card in another slot.
No Beeps :Check Power supply
-Check mother board connections
-Remove all cards except video card and check for system power up
-Insert all cards one at a time and check their operation.
-If system hangs on the installation of a particular card, then it is the cause for the problem and replace it with another of that type and
check

General keyboard shortcuts


Shortcut
Command
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)

Making Internet Explorer As Fast As Firefox


I heard from my friends that their loading speed of Internet Explorer is very slow compared to that of Internet Explorer(IE), but trust me guys we can make Internet Explorer load the sites as fast as Firefox. This is a simple trick to be followed to do the task of faster loading of the sites on you IE. After trying this trick you will say your friends that your IE is loading the sites faster than that of Firefox. Check it out. All the Best!!!
1.Open registry editor by going to Start -> Run -> type ”regedit”(without double quotes).
2. Once in registry, navigate to key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\microsoft\Windows\ Current
Version \InternetSettings
.
3.Right click on the right windows -> New -> DWORD. Type MaxConnectionsPerServer ->You can set value (the more higher the no, the more good speed eg:100).
4.Create another DWORD ->type MaxConnectionsPer1_0Server. Then set a high value as mentioned above.
5.Restart I.E and you are done.

Fasten your BroadBand Speed up to 20%


If you are using a BroadBand connection at your home and using Windows Xp as your Operating System, and you feel that your BB speed is a bit less, then in that case you have the option to increase your Broadband speed upto 20%.
1. First of all make sure you are logged in as Administrator.
2. Go to Start -> Run -> gpedit.msc, press OK.
3. Then go to Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Network -> QOS packet Scheduler.
4. On the right it will give you the option of Limit Reservable bandwidthopen and and select Enabled, and change the value to 0.

Simple Run Commands to make life easier


These are just some of the commands i have which work on OS starting Win2k & above, sorry dont have any idea if they work on the OS before Win2k
Accessibility Controls - access.cpl
Add Hardware Wizard - hdwwiz.cpl
Add/Remove Programs - appwiz.cpl
Administrative Tools - control admintools
Automatic Updates - wuaucpl.cpl
Bluetooth Transfer Wizard - fsquirt
Calculator - calc
Certificate Manager - certmgr.msc
Character Map - charmap
Check Disk Utility - chkdsk
Clipboard Viewer - clipbrd
Command Prompt - cmd
Component Services - dcomcnfg
Computer Management - compmgmt.msc
Date and Time Properties - timedate.cpl
DDE Shares - ddeshare
Device Manager - devmgmt.msc
Direct X Control Panel (If Installed)* - directx.cpl
Direct X Troubleshooter - dxdiag
Disk Cleanup Utility - cleanmgr
Disk Defragment - dfrg.msc
Disk Management - diskmgmt.msc
Disk Partition Manager - diskpart
Display Properties - control desktop
Display Properties - desk.cpl
Display Properties (w/Appearance Tab Preselected) - control color
Dr. Watson System Troubleshooting Utility - drwtsn32
Driver Verifier Utility - verifier
Event Viewer - eventvwr.msc
File Signature Verification Tool - sigverif
Findfast - findfast.cpl
Folders Properties - control folders
Fonts - control fonts
Fonts Folder - fonts
Free Cell Card Game - freecell
Game Controllers - joy.cpl
Group Policy Editor (XP Prof) - gpedit.msc
Hearts Card Game - mshearts
Iexpress Wizard - iexpress
Indexing Service - ciadv.msc
Internet Properties - inetcpl.cpl
IP Configuration (Display Connection Configuration) - ipconfig /all
IP Configuration (Display DNS Cache Contents) - ipconfig /displaydns
IP Configuration (Delete DNS Cache Contents) - ipconfig /flushdns
IP Configuration (Release All Connections) - ipconfig /release
IP Configuration (Renew All Connections) - ipconfig /renew
IP Configuration (Refreshes DHCP & Re-Registers DNS) - ipconfig /registerdns
IP Configuration (Display DHCP Class ID) - ipconfig /showclassid
IP Configuration (Modifies DHCP Class ID) - ipconfig /setclassid
Java Control Panel (If Installed) - jpicpl32.cpl
Java Control Panel (If Installed) - javaws
Keyboard Properties - control keyboard
Local Security Settings - secpol.msc
Local Users and Groups - lusrmgr.msc
Logs You Out Of Windows - logoff
Microsoft Chat - winchat
Minesweeper Game - winmine
Mouse Properties - control mouse
Mouse Properties - main.cpl
Network Connections - control netconnections
Network Connections - ncpa.cpl
Network Setup Wizard - netsetup.cpl
Notepad - notepad
Nview Desktop Manager (If Installed) - nvtuicpl.cpl
Object Packager - packager
ODBC Data Source Administrator - odbccp32.cpl
On Screen Keyboard - osk
Opens AC3 Filter (If Installed) - ac3filter.cpl
Password Properties - password.cpl
Performance Monitor - perfmon.msc
Performance Monitor - perfmon
Phone and Modem Options - telephon.cpl
Power Configuration - powercfg.cpl
Printers and Faxes - control printers
Printers Folder - printers
Private Character Editor - eudcedit
Quicktime (If Installed) - QuickTime.cpl
Regional Settings - intl.cpl
Registry Editor - regedit
Registry Editor - regedit32
Remote Desktop - mstsc
Removable Storage - ntmsmgr.msc
Removable Storage Operator Requests - ntmsoprq.msc
Resultant Set of Policy (XP Prof) - rsop.msc
Scanners and Cameras - sticpl.cpl
Scheduled Tasks - control schedtasks
Security Center - wscui.cpl
Services - services.msc
Shared Folders - fsmgmt.msc
Shuts Down Windows - shutdown
Sounds and Audio - mmsys.cpl
Spider Solitare Card Game - spider
SQL Client Configuration - cliconfg
System Configuration Editor - sysedit
System Configuration Utility - msconfig
System File Checker Utility (Scan Immediately) - sfc /scannow
System File Checker Utility (Scan Once At Next Boot) - sfc /scanonce
System File Checker Utility (Scan On Every Boot) - sfc /scanboot
System File Checker Utility (Return to Default Setting) - sfc /revert
System File Checker Utility (Purge File Cache) - sfc /purgecache
System File Checker Utility (Set Cache Size to size x) - sfc /cachesize=x
System Properties - sysdm.cpl
Task Manager - taskmgr
Telnet Client - telnet
User Account Management - nusrmgr.cpl
Utility Manager - utilman
Windows Firewall - firewall.cpl
Windows Magnifier - magnify
Windows Management Infrastructure - wmimgmt.msc
Windows System Security Tool - syskey
Windows Update Launches - wupdmgr
Windows XP Tour Wizard - tourstart
Wordpad - write

Converting File systems


Guys, I tried this interesting and would like to share this with you.
Click Start > Run > OK
The command prompt opens.
Now type “convert d: /fs:ntfs
This command would convert your d: drive to ntfs.
If the system cannot lock the drive, you will be prompted to convert it during next reboot.
Normally you should select yes.
Conversion from fat/fat32 to ntfs is non-destructive, your data on the drive will NOT be lost.
Be aware that converting to ntfs will make that partition of your drive unreadable under dos unless you have ntfs utilites to do so.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

How to delete recycle bin from the desktop?

Guys! here I show you a small trick you find interesting, how to delete the recycle bin from the desktop.
start>run>gpedit.msc>user configuration>Administrative Templates>Desktop
then change the value of “Remove Recycle Bin icon from desktop” to enable.
Hope you find this interesting and funny. Try it out and have fun.

Free up RAM to make windows run faster without any Software

Here is a method you might like to use to free up RAM to make Windows run faster.
When programs run in Windows XP, they frequently use what are called DLLs (Dynamic-Link Libraries).
These contain shared programming instructions and other files like icons, graphics, sounds, etc. that different applications use in order to run. DLLs are stored in RAM whenever the applications load them; when you quit a program, XP is supposed to release the DLL from memory. But some DLLs can get stuck.
Here is the method to mend this up.
Step 1: You can force Windows XP to release DLLs by adding a Registry key.
Step 2: Select Start > Run >Enter regedit >Hit Ok
Step 3: This will open the Registry Editor and navigate to
My Computer -> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE -> SOFTWARE -> Microsoft -> Windows -> CurrentVersion -> Explorer.
Step 4: Right click on EXPLORER in the Left Pane, Select New > Key.
Step 5: Name it as AlwaysUnloadDLL and set the default value to 1.
Step 6: Restart Windows to activate the change.

Mergin Video files with simple DOS command

Click start > run
type cmd > OK.
This will open the command prompt.
In the command prompt, type
(Suppose that, you have videos to be merged in drive D: )
copy /b “D:\video1.flv” + “D:\video2.flv” “D:\FullMovie.flv”
where the video1.flv and video2.flv are the video files to join and fullmove.flv is the resultant combined file.
You can specify any number of files to join.
Also notice I have typed the entire file path in the above command.
Press enter and the files will be joined.