Keyboard Shortcuts for Mozilla Firefox

CTRL + A Select all text on a webpage
CTRL + B Open the Bookmarks sidebar
CTRL + C Copy the selected text to the Windows clipboard
CTRL + D Bookmark the current webpage
CTRL + F Find text within the current webpage
CTRL + G Find more text within the same webpage
CTRL + H Opens the webpage History sidebar
CTRL + I Open the Bookmarks sidebar
CTRL + J Opens the Download Dialogue Box
CTRL + K Places the cursor in the Web Search box ready to type your search
CTRL + L Places the cursor into the URL box ready to type a website address
CTRL + M Opens your mail program (if you have one) to create a new email message
CTRL + N Opens a new Firefox window
CTRL + O Open a local file
CTRL + P Print the current webpage
CTRL + R Reloads the current webpage
CTRL + S Save the current webpage on your PC
CTRL + T Opens a new Firefox Tab
CTRL + U View the page source of the current webpage
CTRL + V Paste the contents of the Windows clipboard
CTRL + W Closes the current Firefox Tab or Window (if more than one tab is open)
CTRL + X Cut the selected text
CTRL + Z Undo the last action
F1 Opens Firefox help
F3 Find more text within the same webpage
F5 Reload the current webpage
F6 Toggles the cursor between the address/URL input box and the current webpage
F7 Toggles Caret Browsing on and off. Used to be able to select text on a webpage with the keyboard
F11 Switch to Full Screen mode

Completely Removing Old Software

Completely Removing Old Software

We all install programs, use them for a while, and then wish we were never introduced to them. Some programs that you install you will forget you even have. Some software that you remove will leave little bits and pieces behind that you may not even know about.

Add Or Remove Programs.....Not Enough
The easiest way to remove programs is from the Add Or Remove Programs applet. You simply select the program you wish to remove and click to remove it. This generally removes a majority of the application from your computer

However, a good portion of the time this method of removal does not remove every file that is related to the program. Often there will be scattered files, DLLs (dynamic link libraries), temporary files, and more that may be left on your computer. To ensure maximum optimization of your computer, as much of this clutter should be removed as possible.

Why are some files left behind?
When you install a program, the installer makes a log of all of the files it installs. when you remove the program, the uninstaller reads that log file and removes only the files listed. This sounds great, but if the uninstaller is flawed or the initial installation was inconsistent, the program can't be removed properly. If additional files have been added to the program's folders, those files and the folders they live in will not be removed either.

Where are files normally stored?
Many files are normally stored in you My Documents folder. Normally this folder is on the desktop of your computer or in your Start menu. Many of these files are created by programs for use by you. If you installed a trial of something and it creates a file or folder in you My Documents folder. That file or folder will not usually be removed when you uninstall the software.

Another place files are stored are in the temporary folders on your computer. In the old days of computing it was very easy to find and delete temporary files. However, today there are several different Temp folders:

C:Temp
C:WindowsTemp
C:Documents and SettingsYourNameLocal SettingsTemp
*Warning: It is not recommended to remove shared files. Deleting the wrong file while trying to free up some hard disk space could bring your system to a screeching halt.

Another place programs place data is in the Registry. The Registry is where most of the system information, preferences, and settings for your computer and software are stored. If software is removed improperly, information pertaining to the program will remain in the Registry. Removing these orphaned keys can make your system faster and more stable.

The registry is the favorite hiding place for spyware. Visit Secure Computer Networks for more information on spyware: http://www.securecomputernetworks.com/resources/security/spyware.htm

*Warning: Modifying the Registry could possibly crash your computer or software. Always remember to back your computer up before every changing anything Do not remove Registry entries for anything unless you are sure that they are not needed.

With a little detective work, you can find and remove unwanted files from your computer. You will end up with more free disk space and perhaps a more reliable and faster computer.

Of course, you must always be careful when removing files from your computer. If you mistakenly remove files that a program still uses, the program may not start again until you reinstall it. If you remove files that your operating system uses, you could potentially have a computer that will not start fully.

Secure Computer Networks has specialists on staff that can help you with this task. They have mobile techs located throughout Texas and also offer phone support provided by QUALIFIED technicians. A majority of the time after a Complete PC Clean-Up, your computer will run better, launch programs faster, crash less often, and receive fewer pop-ups while surfing the internet. Constant Pop-ups are a sign of a virus or spyware that has found it's way into your computer.

Article Source: http://www.kokkada.com

Secure Computer Networks has many valuable tips and tricks to help maintain and improve your computing experience. www.securecomputernetworks.com/resources/general-pc/clean-up-your-desktop.htm

Speed up CD-ROM data transfer

DMA mode

Windows XP sets DMA mode on IDE channels wrong. Most of CD-ROM devices support this, but Windows XP puts them in PIO ( slower ). DMA wont speed device, but it will use less RAM memory, and that way data transfer from CD-ROM to computer will be faster. 
Go to My Computer-Hardware-Device Manager.
Find "IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers" and click «+» (plus) near it. Double click on «Primary IDE channel». Look at «Advance settings» and look at Device 1 settings. It's probably set up to PIO transfer mode. Set to «DMA if available». 
Back to "IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers". Do same for «Secondary IDE channels» now. If it's in PIO mode. 
If this won't help, you can reinstall IDE channels that won't accept DMA mode. And that you can do in following way:
Right click on IDE channel, «uninstall» and OK.
Restart your computer and look if IDE channel excepted DMA mode. 
IN some cases, you can get only MultiWord, but that's better than PIO mode, too.

Conditional color formatting in Excel

Let's say you are making an Excel table where you shall input how many hours did you work for everyday. And you would like to make designation with colors. Red number for less than 8, blue for 8 and green color for more than 8. Did you know you can make that process automatic in MS Excel? Here's how.

Open MSExcel. Make two column table (one for dates and second for hours). Select right column , go to Format and «Conditional formatting» after. Set Condition 1 to «Cell value is». In next drop-down menu set «less than» and in next write 8. Click Format. You'll get «Format cells» pop-up window. In Font card, pick color (red for this case). Go OK. 
Now go to «Add». Format condition 2 now. Cell value is – Equal to – 8. Format – Font – Color – Blue.
And Add – Condition 3 - Cell value is – Greater than – 8. Format – Font – Color – Green – OK.

Now, when you type number in that column, it will become colored properly automatically.

You can also format cells color instead numbers if you like. Just, when you set conditions and go to Format, don’t change Font card but open Patterns card. On Cell shading – Pattern, pick color you like. 
Through this actions, you will notice other similar methods to make different cell values in Excel.

How to Uninstall Windows Messenger

Lots of PC users don't like Windows Messenger and find it dangerous and unuseful. But, it can be uninstaled in common way. Here is a tip how you can uninstall Windows Messenger.
Open Windows Explorer. Go to Windows directory (usually it's on C disk), and find folder named INF. In that directory, find sysoc.ini file. Right mouse click, open with, Notepad. Find row where 
msmsgs=msgrocm.dll,OcEntry,msmsgs.inf,hide,7
is written. Delete word HIDE from it, and after, that row should look like this:
msmsgs=msgrocm.dll,OcEntry,msmsgs.inf,7
Save file. 
Go to Control Panel - Add/Remove Programs, and Add/Remove Windows Components. Remove note near the «Windows Messenger», and click NEXT. After that, you will not have Windows Messenger on your computer. 

NOTICE: This can cause some problems if you use Outlook or Outlook Express.

How to unstuck CD from Macintosh

If you are MAC user you probably experienced this sometimes: CD stuck in computer and you can't remove it. So, what to do with your Macintosh in that case? 
Try one of the following solutions:
- Close program CD is using and click EJECT on your Macintosh keyboard after.
- Open FINDER, click on little EJECT icon on side palette. Or try to drag dick icon from Mac desktop into Trash.
- Unlog from your user account (U menu) and click EJECT on keyboard after.
- Restart computer holding mouse key.

MS Word thumbnails

Some of you have following problem with MS Word. Everytime you open some document in Word, on left side there are pages mini pics (pictograms). You manage to close that on View – Thumbnails, but next time when you open another document, thumbnails are there again. Default document in Microsoft Word is Normal.dot, so problem is probably there. So, try this:
- Open Word. You should see empty document on screen.
- Click on Menu – Thumbnails to close thumbnails part on left side. 
- Click on Tools – Options. Word will show you Options dialog.
- Click on View card.
- Change Startup Task Pane status.
- Go to OK. Options dialog box should close.
- Holding Shift on keyboard, click on File menu and chose Save All.
- When Windows ask you to save empty document – click Cancel.
- When Windows ask you if you want to save template Normal.dot, click Yes.
- Do again 3-6 steps to setup Startup Task Pane box like you like.

Fade callout in Word

In this tutorial you can learn how to make callout colored like this, in MS Word. 

Open MSWord and open new document. Go to Insert in menu, and than Picture – AutoShapes. AutoShapes window will pop-up. There you'll see callouts. Click on them and chose callout type (rectangular, rounded rectangular, oval, cloud, line callout, line accent bar, line no border, line border and accent bar). Chose callout you like and it will be added to your Word page. Move mouse pointer at the edge and when you see arrows you can drag them and make callout wider, taller, shorter, ... After you made dimensions you like, move pointer on edge till you see four arrows. Than, right click with your mouse and click on Format AutoShape. In «Colors and lines» in «Fill» «Color» you have drop down menu. Open it and chose «Fill Effects». Under Gradient, chose «Two colors». Pick both colors (I have chose red and black in this case). You can change transparency (I didn't change it for this image). At bottom you can chose Shading styles (horizontal, vertical, diagonal up, diagonal down, from corner, from center). For this callout I have chose horizontal shading style.

Uninstaling graphic card drivers

If you are changing graphic/video card, or have some problems with it, you have to uninstall old drivers in order to install new drivers.

Uninstaling ATI graphic/video card drivers (Windows XP):

- You have to prepare Driver Cleaner software. If you don't have it on your computer, you can download it from www.drivercleaner.net . 
- Open Control panel, open «add/remove programs» and delete all ATI software (display drivers, control panel…) . When Windows ask you for restart, refuse it. Don't restart computer at that moment.
- Go to Device Manager and delete all „display adaptors“.
- Now restart computer and turn it on in safe mode (clicking F8 while computer tuning on).
- Start DriverCleaner software.
- Chose „select multiple cleaning filters“.
- For ATI Select 
ATI
ATI CCC 
ATI MMC (if you have AIW card)
ATI REMOTE WONDER (if you have AIW card)
ATI UNINSTALL
ATI WDM (if you have AIW card)
ATI HYDRAVISION (dont chose it if you don't have HYDRAVISION)
- For Nvidia select:
NVIDIA VDM (if you have VIVO card)
- Wait for Drive Cleaner to do what is needed and restart computer after.
- Monitor can blink few times, to change resolution, or make some other weird act. Wait while Windows normalize. 
- If „found new hardware“message appears, just click «cancel».
- Go to Device Manager and find «DISPLAY ADAPTORS». There you'll see either „Standard VGA Controller“ (2 inputs if you have graphic card supporting 2 monitors), either Windows will recognize your card immediately. If it isn't neither one of two named options, than drivers won't be installed. In that case, click F5 to try force Windows recognize card. If that won't work, restart computer and than all should be all right. 
- If you use any software for graphic card (like ATI tools for example), you'll see error „no direct 3d device found“. That's OK.
- Now you can install new graphic card drivers.

Hibernate computer to save time

Hibernate for faster start

If you turn-down computer when you're not working on it, you will save the energy, but not the time. If you don't want to wait until computer turns on, log on, ... than you can use Hibernate function. However, you can't "sleep" all computer like that. Windows 9x with Fat32, for example, can't hibernate.

How you can tell if your system can hibernate?

In Windows 2000 or Windows XP, login like administrator. In Internet explorer, or in any directory, in Address field, type "control panelpower options" and click Enter. If you see Hibernate card, in dialog box, great. Open that card and see "Disk space for hibernation". See if your computer fits that condicions. Check "Enable hibernation" and be shore there is no error message. 
Next time when you chose "Start-Shutdown" (Windows 98, ME and 2000), chose Hibernate option and go OK. In WindowsXP, chose "Start-Turn Off Computer" and click Shift to turn "Stand By" button to "Hibernate" button.

Splitting files

In last post , I explained how to split archive into several archives, and later back them into one. 
Sometimes you have to split file into several files without archiving. There are many different software products you can use for that propose. Those kind of software usually creates little BAT file, and when you like to put splitted files together, you just run that BUT file. 
Gsplit is one of that software. You can download it from torry.net/apps/filedrv/utils/gsplits.exe . Program is easy to use, with nice graphics, very useful help. Gsplit creates one EXE file and several parts of original file. When you run that EXE file later and confirm option, in few moments, Gsplit will make original file again.

Splitting Zip files

When you want to send some file in attachment by mail, there are some limits. It's common case you have to split some file into 2 or more files. Or, you have zip file 850MB and you don't have DVD writer. So, you have to split that Zip file into 2 files, not bigger than 700MB. 
If you like to split it in WinZip, you have to make that while archiving file. Select files you want in that archive, and maximum for each file you will get. At the and of process you'll get several archives. When you want to Unzip them, do unzip first archive. All archives have to be placed in same directory (folder). 
WinRAR works the same way like WinZIP. Look for this option in «Split to volumes, bytes». Created files have RAR1, RAR2 and so on, extensions. All files have to be in same folder, just like in WinZIP. «Split Zip file» is option where you have to chose how big you want each archived file to be. 
You can create splitted archives in Total Commander, too. And it can be used for reading and unpacking those kind of files. 

Quick Case Conversion - MSWord

You are typing some text in Microsoft Word. If you need to convert the case of text, you can select character or word, delete it and replace with right case. But you can do that easier. Select caracter or word, and click Shift/F3. That will swap the case. If you forgot Caps lock , and have all caracters in Upper-case, now you have them all lower case. With another Shft/F3, you'll get TitleCase (capitals in sentences) and on third Shift/F3 text will get (UpperCase again. 

extra tip:
While selecting text, if you need select whole paragraph, that will be done with triple click.

Defragment disk drives

Every time you work something on your computer, it write some info on local disk. Fragmented files are spread all around the hard disk and that slows down computer. So, you need to defragment every few weeks. 

How to defragment?

Go to Start - Programs - Accessories - System tools - Disk defragmenter. On defragmenter, just click (and select) disk drive and click on Defragment. After you finish with one disk drive, do the same with another.

Uninstalling software - safe way

You have some software installed on your computer and you don't use it anymore. So, you want to delete it. Don't ever use "right click - delete" on software. That way, Windows can pull some other file you need for some other program, and you'll get in trouble. 
You have two ways to do that properly. 
First, you can go to Start - Programs, find software you want to delete and look if "Uninstall" link is there. If there is, than click it and follow the instructions.

If there is not "uninstall", that you need 2nd way. Go to Start - Settings - Control panel - Add or remove programs. Find your program there and click on "Change/Remove".

Change Internet Explorer logo

In the right top corner of Internet Explorer and Outlook Express you will see logo. When you're online logo is animated, and on offline it's static bitmap. This is the way you can change that logo to any pic you want. 
First, make logo (bitmap image). You will need two images, 22 and 38 pixels for IExplorer and 2nd for Outlook Express. 
Make first 22pixels image. Make it 22 pixels high and 5x22=110 pixels width. There you will make 5 22x22 pics like on film. When it's animated, those 5 images will show one after another, and on offline only first frame will be visible. 
Same way, you will make 38x190 bitmap. 
Than, open registry and go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\ Internet Explorer\Toolbar
Create 2 new strings, and name them "SmBrandBitmap" i "BrandBitmap". Values will be full paths to bitmap images you made. 
Restart IExplorer and Outlook Express and you shall see new images in top-right corner.

What is my IP address

You would like to know what is your IP address when you are connected on the Internet? You can get your answer on several different ways. You can go to whatismyipaddress.com and you'll see your IP and where are you on Google map. But if you need more information you can go to Start - Run, than type CMD and press ENTER. There, just type
"ipconfig/all" (without quotes) and press ENTER. You will get more than IP address, you'll see full profile of your connection like on image bellow:

Make shortcut for locking your desktop and keyboard

Sometimes you need to move away from computer quick without shutting it down. But there are people near you don't trust. How to keep them not to touch your computer? Lock it. OK, but how to do that quick? Well, you'll do that if you have a shortcut on desktop for looking your computer desktop and keyboard. Just double-click on shortcut. And here's how you'll make that shortcut.

Right-click on desktop.
Take "New > Shortcut".
"Create Shortcut Wizard" opened.
In text field, type: "rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation".
Next.
Name your shortcut as you like.
Finish.


Now, you have a shortcut for locking your desktop and keyboard. Here's how you'll change it's icon:

Right-click on shortcut.
Chose "Properties".
Click on "Shortcut" card.
Click "Change Icon".
In "Look for icons in this file" field, type "Shell32.dll".
OK
Chose icon from list.
OK.

How to hyperlink in Word

So, how to hyperlink in Word? Actual it's pritty easy to link to some webpage from some word or few words. Just select the word you want (or few words or even whole sentence) and right-click your mouse. There pick "Hyperlink". On new window, in field Address type full url where link should go. Do that including http:// prefix, like here on this image:

Then, just click OK and the word will be hyperlinked to particular URL.

Firefox bookmarks in Google Chrome

Google explained how you can import your Firefox bookmarks into Chrome:
In Chrome, click on wrench icon on top right corner. Then, go to Options - in new window Personal Stuff. Under Browsing Data click on "Import data from another browser" button. On new window, sellect the Firefox and click Import.

But that way, you will only get Firefox bookmarks folder in 
 the "Other bookmarks" folder at the end of the bookmarks bar. You need few clicks to open some site from it when you need. In order to speedup that process, just click on Other Bookmarks, and slide (drive) Firefox folder onto main bookmars tab, where the Other bookmarks folder is. You will get it quite handy for later use.

Windows start menu - adding new item

Here are some tips how you can change your Window start menu. Do right click on Start and than Open. You will see Programs folder. That is C:\Windows\StartMenu and there are shortcuts to programs you have in Windows Start menu. Right click there and New-Shortcut. Now you can browse and add some new document, shortcut to program, song, or whatever you want in Start menu. By New-folder, you can add new group, just like Programs group already exist. If you want to delete some shortcut you added, just delete it from that folder.

DLL files and slow computer

Imagine this. You are working in MSWord, close it, that work some in Dreamveawer and Photoshop, close both and than you turn on Winamp to listen some music and start surfing the Internet. All named programs have some DLL files loaded in your RAM until you turn of the computer. And working on computer will be slower and slower. To change that, and to make that DLL files unload after closing particular software, do next:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/ Windows/CurrentVersion/Explorer

Make new STRING Value, name it AlwaysUnloadDll and give value 1 to it. 

Than just restart your Windows.

Windows XP Keyboard Shortcuts

Here are some Windows XP Keyboard Shortcuts whitch can save some time in your work on computer.

Set focus on a notification. Windows  -  Key+B
View properties for the selected item  -   ALT+ENTER
Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu   -   LEFT ARROW
Collapse current selection if it's expanded, or select parent folder   -   LEFT ARROW
Display the items in the active list in a dialog box   -   F4
Refresh the active window   -   F5
Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop   -   F6
Display the top of the active window   -   HOME
Switch MouseKeys on and off   -   Left ALT +left SHIFT +NUM LOCK
Switch High Contrast on and off   -   Left ALT +left SHIFT +PRINT SCREEN
Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu   -   LEFT ARROW
Collapse current selection if it's expanded, or select parent folder   -   LEFT ARROW
Display the items in the active list in a dialog box   -   F4
Refresh the active window   -   F5
Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop   -   F6
Display the top of the active window   -   HOME
Switch MouseKeys on and off   -   Left ALT +left SHIFT +NUM LOCK
Switch High Contrast on and off   -   Left ALT +left SHIFT +PRINT SCREEN
Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu   -   LEFT ARROW