Number 307 - December 2008
Broadsides
by Ron Broadhurst, Space Coast PC UG, Inc., Florida


This article has been obtained from APCUG with the author's permission for publication by APCUG member groups; all other uses require the permission of the author (see e-mail address)


   These ideas are compiled from years of accumulations from various magazines, books, on-line sites, and my own personal experience. I claim neither originality nor ownership to any of its contents. My only intent is to share the various "tips", "tricks", & "hints" in hopes of helping & maybe enhancing your computing experiences. They are all intended for anyone who uses a PC. It is for beginners as well as advanced users. Enjoy and use as you will.
Ron Broadhurst

How To Get Rid Of "Send Error Report To MicroSoft"
   
  • Right click My Computer on the desktop or in the Start menu.

    •    
  • Click Properties.

    •    
  • Click the Advanced tab.

    •    
  • Click the Error Reporting button at the bottom.

    •    
  • Click Disable error reporting. You can select the checkbox under it if you still want to be notified when errors occur.

    •    
  • Click OK.


    •    Note that you can disable error reporting for the operating system only, or for programs only, by unchecking the appropriate box under the Enable error reporting option. You can also configure error reporting only for specific programs by clicking the Choose Programs button.

    Alphabetize Start Menu Listings

      When you install a new program on your system, it will often appear at the end of your Start menu. Reorganizing files alphabetically in the All Programs menu does not affect how they appear in your start menu. In order to alphabetize your start menu, you'll want to click Start and select All Programs. On any file or folder right-click and then select Sort By Name. Now all of your Start menu programs are in alphabetical order. You can also sort subfolders in your Start menu the same way.


    Make Your Quick Launch Icons Bigger
       
  • Unlock the Toolbar

    •    
  • Right click the QL toolbar

    •    
  • Select the View tab

    •    
  • Select large icons


    • Pin An Application To Start Menu
       The Windows XP Start menu includes an area where two or more Microsoft applications, usually Internet Explorer and Outlook Express, are permanently positioned for easy access. You can add your favorite application to this same convenient location. Open Windows Explorer and locate the executable file for the application. Right-click the file and select Pin To Start Menu. The application will now appear in the Start menu. To remove an application, locate it, right-click it, and select Unpin From Start Menu. Alternatively, you can right-click the app in the Start menu and click Unpin From Start Menu.

    Change System Sounds
       Through the Control Panel you can change your system's program event sounds. Click Start and Control Panel. If you're using Category View, click Sounds, Speech, and Audio Devices; and Sounds and Audio Devices. If you are using the Classic View, click Sounds and Audio Devices. This loads the Sounds and Audio Devices Properties dialog box. Choose the Sounds tab. Select the sound you'd like to change in the Program events box, and then select a new sound from the Sounds drop-down menu. Or select a sound you've saved to the hard drive by using the Browse button to navigate to the sound file. Change as many sounds as you like. Save your changes as a sort of theme from the Sound Scheme drop-down menu above the Program events box. (Select the blank line and click Save As.) You can also choose to disable program event sounds. When you're finished click OK.

    Saving E-Mail Messages
       To save e-mail messages highlight the message you want to save, then click on File -Save As. Select where you want to save the message and then save it as a txt file.
      Number 307 - December 2008