If you're looking for new tricks or tips, we can help you. Look here often for the latest ideas so you can get the most out of your computer system.

Speed it up!

Run Disk Cleanup (Start/Programs/Accessories/System Tools/ Disk Cleanup) to free up space on your drive, then Disk Defragmenter ( Start/Programs/Accessories/System Tools/ Disk Defragmenter) to reorganize your files so they open faster.

Be Prepared!

Be prepared for when the worst should strike. If you keep all your important papers for your computer ( tech support numbers, serial numbers, set-up information, product ID's, email and ISP account settings) in a small notebook or binder then they are available in an emergency.

Do your favourite searches more quickly.

If you do the same Web Search repeatedly, you can bookmark the search results page or add it to your favourites. selecting the bookmark will run the search again.

Have Microsoft Word correct your spelling errors for you.

You can have Word catch and correct your frequently misspelled words automatically for you. Select Tools/AutoCorrect, type the typo, and press F7; then select the correct spelling and AutoCorrect/Close. This will save you a lot of time in your proofreading.

Those nasty viruses!

Computer viruses can waste a lot of your time. To avoid this you need to check your antivirus software vendor's Web site often to get the most recent downloads. If new viruses are around you need to go to that Web site immediately and update your software.

Open a Web page quickly!

You can open a Web page when your browser isn't loaded by selecting Start/Run, type the URL, and press Enter. If the address includes www, drop the http:// prefix. Your browser will open at the requested page.

To many Fonts!

Have you checked the number of fonts you have on your system? If you have over 700 fonts on your system that can cause Registry problems. To check on this go to Start/Settings/Control Panel, and then Fonts-the font count is on the Status bar. You can view a font by double-clicking its name; remove it by selecting File/Delete.

Just a little longer!

You're printing that big job and your toner is going out in your laser printer. You don't have time to change it right now, so all you have to do is remove the cartridge from the printer , shake it from side to side several times, then reinsert. This should help you get a few more pages out of the cartridge!

Lightning Strikes & Modems.

There are two things that you can use to protect yourself from this. Surge protectors can protect your computer from power surges and depending on the surge strip it may take the lightning strike and still protect your system.
Battery backup (uninterrupted power supply) would be the only way to totally protect your system from a lightning strike, and it also will keep your system running in a power outage so you have time to shut it down properly.

Is your system sluggish?

If your system is running a little slower than usual, you may need to delete TMP files. These are files your computer creates to do its work, but are no longer needed. To delete these files in Win 95 or 98, follow these instructions.
1. Click the "Start" button on your desktop
2. From the "Find" menu, select "Files or Folders"
3. In the "Named " text box, type *.tmp
4. The list below should show the names of files with a "tmp" extension (for example, wpe201.tmp)
5. From the "Edit" menu on the tool bar above, select "Select All"
6. From the "File" menu on the tool bar, select "Delete"

Deleting Cache Files

What is a cache file? A cache file is a file that the Internet makes when you open a web page. The cache file stores the information from the sites you go to so that the next time you go there it can open the file a little bit faster. These files are stored on your hard drive so therefore you need to delete them once in a while because they can cause your system to run slower if they get too full. If you need to delete these files, here is an easy way to do that.

If you are using Internet Explorer:

• Click the "Start" button on your desktop
• From the "Settings" menu, select "Control Panel"
• In the control panel window click on "Internet Options" or "Internet"
• Go to the section marked "Temporary Internet Files"
• In this section you click on "Delete Files"
• It will then ask you if you want to delete these files, you click on "Yes"

If you are using Netscape Communicator:

• Go into "Netscape Communicator"
• When you are in Netscape Communicator click on "Edit" at the top of your screen
• In the Edit Menu click on "Preferences"
• In the Preferences window double click on "Advanced"
• Then click on "Cache"
• In the Cache window click on "Clear Disk Cache"
• It will ask if you want to remove these files, click on "Delete Files"

Getting Rid of the Prompt For Password at Start-up.

Do you have a prompt coming up when you start your computer and it asks for your password? If you want to get rid of that prompt just follow these steps.

Click the "Start" button on your desktop

• From the "Settings" menu, select "Control Panel"
• In the control panel window click on "Passwords"
• On the "Change Password Tab" Click the "Change Windows Password" button

You may now be prompted to change other passwords in addition to your Windows password. Deselect any check boxes and click "OK." In the "Change Windows Password"dialog box, type your password in the old Password field. Leave the "New Password" and "Confirm New Password " fields empty and click "OK." Open Windows Explorer. Click the "Start" button on your desktop. From the "Programs" menu, select "Windows Explorer." In "Windows Explorer" click on "Tools." In the "Tools" menu, click on "Find" then click on "Files or Folders." In the "Files or Folders" dialog box enter *.pwl in the Named box and click "Find Now." Delete the .pwl file, right click on the file name and click on "Delete." Close Windows Explorer. Empty your Recycle Bin. On your desktop double click on "Recycle Bin" icon and choose "File." In the "File" menu click on "Empty Recycle Bin." Restart your machine--it should no longer prompt you for your password.