How to find a lost file on your Computer?

Today tip will help you to enjoy the quick and easy way to find lost files on your computer. Here I recommends you, try to search a file with its file extensions (for example for word file, type *.doc, Excel *.xls, Acrobat *.pdf, *.ppt and *.exe for executable files. If you don't know the name of file but know that it contains a string of text then try to search for files containing specific text, type the text you want to find from any file or folder. This is time taking process but creates very precise result. In Look in, click the drive, folder, or network you want to search. To save time, always select the specified drive or location instead of whole computer.

Click Start Button, point to Search, and then click For File or Folders, a Search Results dialog box will appear. In Search for files or folders named, type the file name or folder name you want to find in containing text.

To specify additional search criteria, click Search Options, and then click one or more of the following options to narrow your search:

• Select Date to look for files that were created or modified on or between specific dates.
• Select Type to look for files of a specific type, such as a text or WordPad document.
• Select Size to look for files of a specific size.
• Select Advanced Options to specify additional search criteria.
• Click Search now.

How to set specified folder view to all Folder Views in windows XP and Vista?

Today tip will help you to manage the specified view of all folders in windows XP and Vista. By default, you have options to choose the view of folders contents as thumbnails, titles, icons, list or display with details. But this change will apply on the folders that you are currently working in. On the other hand, with the just few more clicks, you can change the view of all the folders on your computer.

Follow the given steps to accomplish this task through the Folder Options dialog box.

First of all open any folder, click "View" and choose the view you would most like to use.

Now from the Tools menu, click on Folder Options" to open the Folder Options dialog box.

Here on Folder Options dialog box, select the View tab.

At the top of the dialog box, click Apply to all folders button.

Now a new confirmation message will appear as "Set all the folders on your computer to match the current folders view settings (except for toolbars and folder task)? Change will occur the next time you open them."

Click OK in the Folder Options window to save the changes.

Now all the folders on your computer should display contents in your chosen view. As before, you can still change the view in individual folders via the "View" button.

 

How to Manage Groups in the Address Book in Windows XP Professional?

You can manage groups in the address book in Windows XP Professional by creating groups of your contacts. It becomes very easy to find your contacts when they are organized well. A simple way to organize them is by creating groups and then placing the contacts in the appropriate groups or categories like family, friends, coworkers etc. The feature to manage groups in the address book in Windows XP Professional makes it very easy to look for all your stored information. If all the stored information is organized well, you can easily retrieve it from the different programs in your operating system. These include the Microsoft Phone System,  NetMeeting, Internet Explorer, Outlook Express and Microsoft Outlook. This is how we create as well as manage groups in the address book in Windows XP Professional:

How to Open the Address Book:

• Choose Programs and then Accessories.
• Click on Address Book.

• If you want to reach the Address Book in Outlook Express, click on Address Book in the Tools menu.

How to Create a Group:

You can create a single group and give it a name e.g. top friends or co-workers. This will make it very convenient to send a single message to numerous contacts together in an instant. When sending the message you just have to add that group name in the box.
Follow these steps to create a group in order to manage groups in the address book in Windows XP Professional:

• Go to the Address Book.
• Click on New in the toolbar, and next click on New Group.

The dialog box named Properties will appear. Type in the name of the group in the Group Name box.

How to Move a Group or a Contact:

• Select the name of the group or contact that you want to move in the Address Book contact list.
• Drag the selected contact or group from the list on the right to the desired group or folder on the left.

You can make as many groups as you want and can also keep a single contact in multiple groups at the same time. As you follow these tips, you can well manage the contacts in the address book in Windows XP Professional.

How to Make Disk Cleanup Compress Files in Windows XP?

We are always in need of more hard drive space on our computer. The feature of Disk Cleanup compress files in Windows XP is very useful for attaining this goal. Disk Cleanup cleans up the files in addition to restore some space in the operating system. It deletes the temporary files. The feature of Disk Cleanup Compress Files in Windows XP gives you the opportunity to compress old files. By default, the Disk Cleanup compress files in XP which are older than fifty days. Sometimes you don't want the Disk Cleanup compress files in XP that are older than fifty days. You would just like to compress very old files e.g. the files older than 120 days. In that case, you can alter the settings of the Disk Cleanup utility in Windows XP.

In order to use the Disk Cleanup utility you have to follow these simple steps:

•  Open My Computer.
•  Right click on any one of the hard drives.
• Select Properties.
•  

The following dialog box will appear. Click on Disk Cleanup.

The hard drive will be scanned to find out how much of space can be saved. Under the "Files to Delete" list, select Compress old files.
Click on the Options button.

The Compress Old Files dialog box will appear. Change the number of days to wait for older files to be compressed.
 Click on the OK button.

You can also change the number of days to wait for newer files to be compressed. In that case, you will have to change the amount of days to a lesser number e.g. 30 days.

 

How to hiding icons on the bottom of your screen?

By using this tip you can hide the useless icons on the bottom of your system screen (right end of the taskbar). Because some of the icons will useful for you on system tray area but may be others list of icons not useful for you so you can hide all extra icon very easily. Many programs that run in the background on your computer but you are not using regularly such as antivirus software, volume controller, backup applications. The system tray can get cluttered with useless icon, so you may not wants to display them on the tray.

To hide those icons that you do not use regularly, follow these steps. 

First of all right-click on the windows taskbar and choose Properties.

Here a new dialog box will appear with title "Taskbar and start Menu Properties" and then click on "Customize…"button that appears on lower right portion.

Now again a new dialog box will appear with title "Customize Notifications".

Under Current Items area, select the program that you want to change the behavior. On the right of the program name a drop-down menu appears for example "Always hide, Always show and Hide when inactive".

You choose to hide the program’s Icon, when it is inactive, to always hide the icon, or to always show it.

Select the option you want and click on OK button, then again click on OK button to finish the process.

Windows XP Shortcuts:

ALT+- (ALT+hyphen) Displays the Multiple Document Interface (MDI) child window's System menu
ALT+ENTER View properties for the selected item
ALT+ESC Cycle through items in the order they were opened
ALT+F4 Close the active item, or quit the active program
ALT+SPACEBAR Display the System menu for the active window
ALT+TAB Switch between open items
ALT+Underlined letter Display the corresponding menu
BACKSPACE View the folder one level up in My Computer or Windows Explorer
CTRL+A Select all
CTRL+B Bold
CTRL+C Copy
CTRL+I Italics
CTRL+O Open an item
CTRL+U Underline
CTRL+V Paste
CTRL+X Cut
CTRL+Z Undo
CTRL+F4 Close the active document
CTRL while dragging Copy selected item
CTRL+SHIFT while dragging Create shortcut to 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
SHIFT+DELETE Delete selected item permanently without placing the item in the Recycle Bin
ESC Cancel the current task
F1 Displays Help
F2 Rename selected item
F3 Search for a file or folder
F4 Display the Address bar list in My Computer or Windows Explorer
F5 Refresh the active window
F6 Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop
F10 Activate the menu bar in the active program
SHIFT+F10 Display the shortcut menu for the selected item
CTRL+ESC Display the Start menu
SHIFT+CTRL+ESC Launches Task Manager
SHIFT when you insert a CD Prevent the CD from automatically playing
WIN Display or hide the Start menu
WIN+BREAK Display the System Properties dialog box
WIN+D Minimizes all Windows and shows the Desktop
WIN+E Open Windows Explorer
WIN+F Search for a file or folder
WIN+F+CTRL Search for computers
WIN+L Locks the desktop
WIN+M Minimize or restore all windows
WIN+R Open the Run dialog box
WIN+TAB Switch between open items

Windows Xp Keyboard Commands

Run Commands:

compmgmt.msc - Computer management

devmgmt.msc - Device manager

diskmgmt.msc - Disk management

dfrg.msc - Disk defrag

eventvwr.msc - Event viewer

fsmgmt.msc - Shared folders

gpedit.msc - Group policies

lusrmgr.msc - Local users and groups

perfmon.msc - Performance monitor

rsop.msc - Resultant set of policies

secpol.msc - Local security settings

services.msc - Various Services

msconfig - System Configuration Utility

regedit - Registry Editor

msinfo32 _ System Information

sysedit _ System Edit

win.ini _ windows loading information(also system.ini)

winver _ Shows current version of windows

mailto: _ Opens default email client

command _ Opens command prompt