Windows

TECHNOLOGY ADVICE YOU CAN TRUST



TM



◆



WWW.PCWORLD.COM



>>SPECIAL BONUS COLLECTION VOL. 4 to access the Local Users and Groups utility.) After you log on, right-click My Computer on your desktop or in Windows Explorer, and choose Properties. Click Remote; and under Remote Desktop, check Allow users to connect remotely to this computer. Click OK at the explanatory prompt. Make a note of the full computer name listed there. By default, all administrator accounts are set up to permit remote access. If the account you want to access isn’t an administrator, click Select Remote Users. If you don’t see the desired name listed in this dialog box, click Add, type the user account name or multiple account names separated by a semicolon (;), and click OK. (You’ll receive a prompt to try again if you type the name of an account not set up on that system.) Click OK to close the System Properties dialog box. If any of the accounts you’ve specified are not password-protected, you’ll need to change that: Choose Start•Run, type nusrmgr.cpl, and press . Click an account name and select Create a password. Follow



ILLUSTRATION: JONATHAN CARLSON



HERE’S HOW



dor’s Web site) to learn how to get through ings to collapse the ones you don’t want the firewall and connect to the remote PC. and to reveal the Details contents. If your Network Connections folder still doesn’t Log in remotely: Once you’ve established have a Task bar, choose Tools•Folder Opa connection via your modem, network, tions, make sure Show common tasks in or VPN, choose Start•Programs (or All Profolder is selected under the General tab, grams)•Accessories•Communications•Reand click OK. Once you see the Details mote Desktop Connection. Type the name data, note the IP address. It consists of of the remote computer, and click Connect four groups of numbers sep(see FIGURE 2). You’ll see the log-in dialog arated by periods, like 123. box of the remote XP computer. After you 123.123.123 (see FIGURE 1). log in, the remote computer will lock, preventing anyone at that location from Set up the client: Keep the using the machine without the account remote system on while you name and password. If you log into an set up the client computer (you can turn account on the remote machine other the remote PC’s monitor off, of course). than the one currently running, you’ll If the client computer is running a verreceive a warning that a different account sion of Windows other than XP ProfesFIGURE 1: YOUR IP ADDRESS is on the sional or Home, you have to install Network Connections window’s Task bar. some files onto the client from your Windows XP CD, so bring the disc the on-screen prompts and then click Crewith you. Insert the disc, and when ate Password. Close the User Accounts the Welcome screen appears, click control panel when you’re done. Perform additional tasks. In the next Various network and connection setscreen, click Set up Remote Desktop tings may make it difficult for the system Connection. Follow the prompts on or network you’re accessing to find the screen to complete the installation. computer’s name. To be on the safe side, note its IP (Internet Protocol) address, too Climb the firewall: In many cases, (if applicable): Launch Explorer if needed, establishing remote connections inright-click My Network Places, and choose volves using a virtual private network FIGURE 3: TROUBLESHOOT A faulty remote Properties. Select Local Area Connection, to access a computer that sits behind connection via XP’s Help and Support Center. and look in the Details box in the Task bar a corporate firewall. If you’re conon the left side of the window. You may is already logged in. If you click ‘Yes’ to necting to a company computer, contact need to scroll the Task bar or click headproceed, a message will appear on the your IS department or network adminisremote PC asking whether the connectrator to find the approved means tion should be allowed. If the remote of making this connection. (Visit machine user clicks ‘No’, you won’t be find.pcworld.com/41720 for an able to continue. If no one is at the remote overview of virtual private netmachine, the prompt will disappear after working.) If you’re connecting two several seconds, and you can log in. privately owned, firewall-protected computers that are on the same If at first you don’t succeed... If the client network, you may need to consult computer couldn’t find the remote comthe documentation for your router, puter by using the name you typed in, FIGURE 2: TO SEE A REMOTE desktop on your own, gateway, or firewall (or the venenter the remote PC’s IP address (the just type its name in the text field and click Connect.

POWER GUIDE W W W. P C W O R L D.C O M



3



HERE’S HOW



other computers you’ll be working with. Now go to the remote (server) computer and choose Start•Programs•RealVNC•Run VNC Server. The first time you run this tool, you’ll see a properties dialog box. Normally, you can accept the defaults, but be sure to enter a password in the box on the upper left (see FIGURE 4). Then click OK. To reopen this dialog box, doubleclick the VNC icon in your system tray (at the end of the taskbar near the clock). Finally, write down the server computer’s GO VIRTUAL IP address. VNC makes it simple to find: Hold the pointer over the VNC icon in the if the machine you want to access tray for a moment until a tool tip appears from a distance doesn’t have Windows over the icon. The number in the tool tip XP Pro, don’t sweat it. Start your browsis the one you want. er, head over to www.realvnc.com, and Like Remote Desktop, VNC is not likely click the download it now link on the left to see computers that hide behind a fireto get the free VNC software. Enter your wall. Make sure that you can establish a name, e-mail address, and other required network connection first. See information. Check the OS version you “Climb the firewall” on page 3. want (Windows, Linux, or Solaris), and And jump to find.pcworld.com/ click Proceed to download. Choose the link 41722 to read RealVNC’s helpful for the .exe version. (The .zip version isn’t FAQ page on firewalls. much smaller, and it has to be uncompressed before you can install it.) Make the connection: Choose Start•Programs (or All Programs)• Set up server and client: With VNC, one RealVNC•Run VNC Viewer on installer sets up both the VNC Server (the the client (or “viewer”) comput“remote” computer in XP-speak) and the er. Enter the IP address that you VNC Viewer (which runs on the machine noted in the tool tip and click that XP calls the “client”). Double-click OK. A window will appear disthe file you downloaded, and follow the playing the desktop of the server maprompts to install VNC. If the current machine. Ta-da! Now you can click, drag, and chine will be exclusively a server computgenerally perform tasks on the computer er (one that others connect to but that as if it were the one in front of you. Well, doesn’t make any connections itself), unalmost. A number of system keystrokes check the VNC Viewer option to install (such as -) will go to the local the VNC Server only. If you think you’ll computer, not to the server (the remote ever want to use that system to access one). You may have to use the mouse to another machine remotely, install both get to the application you want; but once programs. Repeat these steps on all the it’s active, you can use the keyboard to run it from the viewer machine. Maximize performance: Even with a relatively fast connection, virtual computing can be sluggish. To limit the amount of data that needs to be transmitted, doubleclick the VNC icon in the system tray of the server computer to open the properties dialog box shown in Figure 4. Under Connection Settings, make certain FIGURE 4: TO GET STARTED with VNC, just install that Remove Desktop Wallpaper is and launch the program, and then enter a password.

4

W W W. P C W O R L D.C O M POWER GUIDE



one you wrote down when you set up the remote system). If that doesn’t work, consult your IS department or check other resources mentioned previously. Also, the next time you are at a machine running XP Pro, you can get additional information by choosing Start•Help and Support, typing Troubleshooting Remote Desktop in the Search box, and pressing to see a list of topics based on the type of error message you receive (see FIGURE 3).



W I N D OWS TO O L B OX



Redesign Your Keyboard for Free With KeyTweak

Windows A FEW YEARS BACK, I told 2K XP you how to edit your Win98 ME dows Registry to remap the

keys on your keyboard (find.pcworld. com/41726). Key remapping is especially useful to IBM ThinkPad users, whose keyboards lack a key and who are willing to give up another one (such as ) to get it. Fortunately, Travis Krumsick has automated the process. His brainchild, KeyTweak, lets you change keys by clicking the one you want to remap on an onscreen keyboard, choosing its new function from a handy drop-down list, and selecting Remap Key. When you’ve got all your remappings set, just



double-check them and click Apply. If you make a boo-boo, it’s easy to restore the default mapping for one change or for all of them. Browse to find.pcworld.com/ 41728 to download your free copy.



checked, and under Update Handling, verify that ‘Poll Full Screen’ and ‘Poll Window Under Cursor’ are unchecked (but leave the ‘Poll Foreground Window’ option checked). To boost performance further, check Poll on Event Received Only to update the viewer only when it receives clicks and keystrokes from you. Click OK. Go to find.pcworld.com/41724 to read the full user manual for VNC.

Send Windows-related questions and tips to scott_dunn@pcworld.com. We pay $50 for published items. Visit find.pcworld.com/ 31607 for more Windows Tips. Scott Dunn is a contributing editor for PC World.



Expert advice on hardware, software, and the Web



HERE’S HOW

E D I T E D B Y M I C H A E L S . L A S K Y, D E N N I S O ’ R E I L LY, A N D E R I C D A H L



WINDOWS TIPS

SCOTT DUNN



Make Windows Start and Stop the Way You Want

Windows want to run an applica2K XP tion each time Windows 98 ME starts? Easy. Just right-drag its .exe file, or a shortcut to that file, to the Startup folder and choose Create Shortcut(s) Here. The next time you start Windows, the program will load automatically. But what about scanning for viruses, making backups, defragmenting your hard drive, and doing other regular maintenance tasks? You don’t want to wait for them to finish every time you start up.

5

W W W. P C W O R L D.C O M POWER GUIDE



The Scheduled Tasks feature in Windows can run those activities while you’re away from your system—but only if you leave your computer on all the time. If you prefer to save power by shutting down your PC every day, tell Windows to do its chores just before it shuts down. Or even better, create a shutdown folder whose contents you can change at will, knowing that Windows will run the items in the folder when it shuts down. This allows you to put the whammy on



applications that run uninvited at startup by constantly reinserting themselves into the Registry. First I’ll show you how to add a shutdown folder to Windows without buying any additional software. Then I’ll describe how to create a Registry file that wipes out unwanted entries every time you turn off your system. A batch file sent in by John F. Vogele of Santa Fe, New Mexico, inspired this tip. First, create your shutdown folder. Note that launching items from a folder at shutdown works only with Windows 2000 and XP, so Windows 9x and Me users can skip this step and follow the instructions below for running programs at shutdown. To keep your shutdown folder with your Startup folder, right-click the Start button and click Open. Double-click Programs and then select File•New•Folder. Type Shutdown and press to give the folder a name. Press again to open the folder, and then fill it with shortcuts to any programs you want to run at shutdown: Use the right-mouse button to drag an item from any menu or folder window to your Shutdown folder and choose Create Shortcut(s) Here (in XP) or Copy Here (in 2000). The programs start just before your computer powers down, so add only utilities and batch files that automatically shut down or stop their tasks when they finish (see FIGURE 1). To do this with disk maintenance utilities, you may need to set some special command-line switches; go to find.pcworld.com/41270 for details. Visit find.pcworld.com/41273 for tips on automating Disk Cleanup, too. You can also add a batch file that backs up your work or a shortcut that performs a virus scan. Consult your antivirus software for any necessary command-line options. The names of the shortcuts in your



ILLUSTRATION: EDWIN FOTHERINGHAM



HERE’S HOW



FIGURE 1: SAVE TIME at startup by creating a shutdown folder that runs utility programs of your choice whenever you exit Windows.



Shutdown folder cannot contain any spaces. If you see a shortcut name that does have a space, select it, press , type a space-free name, and press . Repeat as needed for all such shortcuts.



SHUTDOWN MAINTENANCE now create a batch file to launch these applications and shut down your computer. Select Start•Programs (All Programs in XP)•Accessories•Notepad. The first three lines of the batch file, which will launch the applications in your Shutdown folder, apply only to Windows 2000 and XP. On the first line, type dir /b followed by the path to your Shutdown folder (in quotation marks if it contains any spaces or long folder names). On the same line, type a space and > (the “greater than” symbol) followed by the path to the folder that will store the batch file, and finally a name for the batch file that lists your shutdown applications. To find the file path, simply open the folder in Explorer and look in the Address field. (If you don’t see it there, click Tools•Folder Options• View•Display the full path in the address bar.) The /b switch in the command causes it to list only file names, without extra information. For example, your first line might look like this: dir /b “C:\Documents and Settings\Scott\Start Menu\Programs\ Shutdown” > “c:\batch\run_it.bat” (your paths may differ, of course).



On the second line, type cd /d and enter Save, navigate to the folder where you the path to the directory containing your store batch files, and give your file a name Shutdown folder again. (The /d switch with the .bat extension—for example, simply ensures that the prompt points to Shutdwn.bat. Next, open the folder in the correct drive.) For example, the secExplorer and drag the icon for the file you ond line of your batch file might look like just saved onto the Start menu button. this: cd /d “C:\Documents and Settings\ Click the Start button, right-click your Scott\Start Menu\Programs\Shutdown” (your new command, and select Rename (if you path may differ, of course). want to change its name) or Properties (if The next line will launch the batch file. you want to customize its look via the Type a command like this: call c:\batch\ Change Icon button on the Program or run_it.bat (again, your path may differ). Shortcut tab). The next time you want to In all Windows versions, add a line for exit Windows and automatically run your each utility you want to launch that does shutdown applications, choose this icon not have a corresponding shortcut in your on the Start menu instead of selecting the Shutdown folder. In Windows 9x and Me, usual command. this is the only way to get programs to STOP AUTOSTART APPS launch just prior to Windows shutting down. For example, you might have a line Windows one handy use for a shut2K XP down folder is to clear perlike c:\windows\scandskw.exe c: d: /n (your 98 ME sistent folderol from your application and command-line options may differ, naturally). If you add WinRegistry. Many apps try to keep themdows utilities that automatically exit upon selves or one of their modules running in completion, add start /w to the beginning your system tray (the area near the clock) of their lines, particularly if the tasks take even when you’re not using them. Most a while. The /w switch causes the batch of these Startup items are placed here file to pause until the application has shut when you first install the program. If you down before going to the next line. use them only occasionally, you can preAdd a line to the batch file to shut down vent them from starting by using a handy Windows. Browse to find.pcworld.com/ freeware tool such as Mike Lin’s Startup 41282 and scroll to “One-Click Exits and Control Panel. Visit find.pcworld.com/ Reboots” for the full scoop. If you’d like 41285 to download the program. to use Windows XP or 2000 to launch apUnfortunately, some applications (such plications by putting them in your Shutas QuickTime for Windows) restore their down folder, adjust the ‘-t’ (timeout) opstartup commands every time you uption to give these tasks enough time to grade or even just run the application. Befinish before Windows shuts down. Type fore you can clean them out automatically, you need to edit the Registry key in ques-t, followed by a space, and then enter the tion. Choose Start•Run, type regedit, and number of seconds you want the shutpress . Navigate to the folder (called down process to wait. For example, the a “key” in Registry lingo) containing command -t 9999 will cause Windows to wait nearly 3 hours before shutting down. When you’re done, your Notepad window may look like the one in FIGURE 2. FIGURE 2: A SIMPLE BATCH FILE is the key to running utility Now choose File• programs and then shutting down Windows in a single step.

POWER GUIDE W W W. P C W O R L D.C O M



6



HERE’S HOW



FIGURE 3: BACK UP REGISTRY segments that you’ll edit, in case something goes awry.



the command to start the application. Startup Control Panel can show you where to look, but the most likely places are HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\ Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Run and HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run. The QuickTime Task module, for example, uses the latter. With the key selected in the tree pane on the left, choose Registry•Export or File• Export (depending on your version of Windows). Navigate to your backup folder, make sure that Selected branch is highlighted, give the export file a name, and click Save (see FIGURE 3). Back in the Registry, choose the Export command again, but this time specify a folder for storing a modified version that you can use to delete unwanted Startup items. If you plan to make this correction via a batch file (like the one described in the previous tip), you may store this version in the same folder as your batch files. Again, confirm that Selected branch is highlighted, type a name, and click Save. Open Explorer and locate the icon for the export file you just saved. Right-click the icon and choose Edit. Don’t make any



changes to the top line, the blank line below that, or the next heading line that shows the Registry path in brackets. Underneath that heading, one or more applications will be listed in quotation marks. Find the line that corresponds to the application whose startup command you would like to remove. Leave the line intact up to the equal sign (=), but delete everything on the line after that. Type a hyphen immediately after the equal sign. For example, if you’re eliminating the QuickTime Task item, the line should now read “QuickTime Task”=-. Repeat these steps for all the applications you want to prevent from starting with Windows. Finally, delete all of the other lines beneath the bracketed heading. When you are finished, you should be left with only the two headings at the top (showing the Registry version and the bracketed Registry path) and one line for each application whose behavior you want to modify (see FIGURE 4). Choose File•Save to preserve your custom .reg file. Double-click the Registry export icon and follow the prompts to keep unwanted applications from starting with Windows. To create a shortcut that responds automatically, right-click inside the desired folder (such as the Shutdown folder you created in the previous tip) and choose New•Shortcut. In the first box in the Create Shortcut wizard, type regedit /s followed by a space and the path to your modified .reg file. So if you stored your file in C:\Windows\Batch, your line might read regedit /s “C:\Windows\Batch\ Startup Stopper.reg” (your path and file name may differ). Use quotation marks if your path contains a space or uses long names. Click Next, type a name for your shortcut, and click Finish.

S e n d W i n d ows- re l a te d questions and tips to scott_dunn@pcworld.com. We pay $50 for published items. Visit find.pcworld. com/31607 for more Windows Tips. Scott Dunn is



FIGURE 4: TO KEEP APPLICATIONS from starting, use a hyphen to delete entries when the Registry file is merged.



a contributing editor for PC World.



7



W W W. P C W O R L D.C O M



POWER GUIDE



WINDOWS TIPS

SCOTT DUNN



LIVE WEB UPDATES ON YOUR DESKTOP



IDENTIFY MYSTERY SYS-TRAY ICONS



A FREEBIE GRAPHS YOUR FILE SIZES



Have the World Delivered to Your PC’s Desktop

Windows whether it’s cluttered 2K XP with icons or adorned with 98 ME tasteful wallpaper, your Windows desktop just sits there. Why not put it to work showing you the information you really need? What’s the weather going to be like on Saturday? How’s my Martha Stewart Living stock doing? What does the commute traffic look like? In only a few minutes, you can add these and similarly useful items to your desktop. Once they’re in place, Windows does all the work, automatically updating the information at the interval you choose. Microsoft has some special Web toys designed specifically for the Windows desktop, but you can add any Web page or graphic that gets updated with useful information regularly. Check your favorite news, weather, traffic, sports, financial,

and other sites that refresh frequently. To add a whole Web page to your desktop, go to the site; click the URL in the Address bar at the top of the Internet Explorer browser (to highlight the URL); and press -C, or right-click the URL and choose Copy. To add a single Web graphic, rightclick the picture, choose Properties, and select the text to the right of ‘Address:’ (the graphic’s URL). Press -C to copy the address to the clipboard (see FIGURE 1). The address or URL you copy must refer to an actual file, such as one ending in .html, .gif, or .jpg. Once you’ve copied the URL to the clipboard, right-click the desktop and choose Properties. In Windows 9x, 2000, and Me, click the Web tab. (To get to this tab directly, right-click the desktop and choose Active Desktop•Customize my Desktop.) If the option isn’t checked, click View my Active Desktop as a web page (Windows 9x) or Show Web Content on my Active Desktop (Windows 2000 and Me). In Windows XP, select the Desktop tab, click the Customize Desktop button, and then click the Web tab. In all Windows versions, click the New button. If you want to check out Microsoft’s Desktop Gallery of goodies (such as a customizable stock ticker, a weather map, and sports scores), click Yes when prompted in Windows 9x or click Visit Gallery in other versions of Windows. If you want an item you see in the gallery, click Add to Active Desktop and follow the prompts on screen. Windows may later prompt you to install and configure some software.



To add a link to a Web page or graphic, click the Location field in the New Active Desktop Item dialog box (New Desktop Item in Windows XP). Press -V (or right-click inside the field and choose Paste) and click OK. In the Add Item to Active Desktop dialog, click Customize to start the Offline Favorite Wizard. This sets a time for automatic updating. Click Next. When asked how to synchronize, decide how you’d like to keep the info up to date. If you’re on dial-up and want to update items manually, select Only when I choose Synchronize from the Tools menu. If you’d like the items to update automatically, select I would like to create a new schedule and click Next. Specify the update frequency and time. (We’ll set the options for updating several times a day on the



FIGURE 2: SCHEDULE YOUR desktop updates with the Offline Favorite Wizard.



next page.) If you’re adding other items to your desktop that you’ll update at the same time, type a name for your custom schedule. If you’re on a dial-up connection and want the synchronization to



WHAT’S ON MY TRAY?

IF YOU’RE NOT SURE what all the little icons collecting in your system tray (the area at the end of the taskbar) are for, hold your mouse pointer over each one. A tool tip should pop-up with the name of the running application that the icon represents. If you need more information about the program associated with an icon, check the list of some common taskbar icons, along with information and links about each one, provided by the good folks at Computer Hope (www. computerhope.com). Visit find.pcworld. com/42160 to have a look at the list.



FIGURE 1: ADD A WEB PAGE, graphic, or animation to the desktop by copying its URL.



8



W W W. P C W O R L D.C O M



POWER GUIDE



HERE’S HOW



FIGURE 3: UPDATE DESKTOP items as often as you wish via Advanced Schedule Options.



access the Web automatically at the specified time, check the appropriate box. Click Next (see FIGURE 2). If the site needs a password, select Yes, my user name and password are and enter the information to keep from having to enter it manually for each update. Otherwise, click No and then Finish. Finally, click OK in the Add Item to Active Desktop dialog box. Windows synchronizes the item and then adds it to the list of Active Desktop items in the Web tab. Traffic reports and other items that need frequent updates require some further scheduling. Select the item in the list on the Web tab, and then click Properties. Choose the Schedule tab and make sure Using the following schedule(s) has been highlighted. Select the item you’re going to schedule and click



FIGURE 4: ARRANGE DESKTOP items to get the best view of the information you need.



Edit. Choose the Schedule tab and then the Advanced button. Check Repeat task and specify the update interval. Use the options under ‘Until’ to stop the updating at the end of the day or when you leave or



turn off your PC (see FIGURE 3). Click OK. The controls under the Settings tab let you update only when you’re away from your computer (the Idle Time options) or stop updates when your system is running on batteries. Make your choices, click OK until you close the dialog boxes and return to your desktop. Now that you have created a schedule for updating, you can skip these steps when adding future items to your desktop, if you don’t mind them updating at the same time. When prompted to synchronize an item using the Offline Favorite Wizard, choose Using this existing schedule, select the schedule you named earlier, and follow the remaining prompts in the wizard. To reposition or resize a desktop item, click it (but not a Web link) to make a border appear. Move the pointer to the top of the image to see a kind of titleless title bar that you drag to reposition your item. Drag any edge to resize it. As a general rule, graphics will look better if you don’t resize them. Web pages have scroll bars, so you can position the information you want to see within the desktop item. Place the items on your desktop where they look best and are easy to read. Use Windows’ Paint or another image-editing program to create desktop wallpaper to organize your desktop items. The wallpaper is visible in the areas between your automatically updating items (see FIGURE 4). If you don’t see a border or top bar around your item, the resize option may be locked: Right-click the desktop, choose Active Desktop (in Windows 2000 and Me) or Arrange Icons By (in XP), and uncheck Lock Desktop Items or Lock Web Items on Desktop, depending on your version. When the desktop items are positioned as you like, recheck the command to freeze them in place. (None of these commands appear on the Active Desktop submenu unless Show Web Content is checked.) In XP, return to the Web tab of the Desktop Items dialog box and check Lock desktop items to keep the items where they are on the desktop. To update items manually, right-click the desktop and choose Active Desktop•



W I N D OWS TO O L B OX



Track Disk Space Hogs With the Free TreeSize

NO MATTER WHAT you do, Windows’ annoying low-disk-space warnings won’t stop. How do you determine which of your bazillion folders hold the real space wasters? One easy—and free—solution is TreeSize from Joachim Marder of JAM Software. The program uses Explorer’s familiar folder-tree diagram to show the contents of a selected folder or drive, but it adds a bar chart for each branch so you can see which folder or group of nested folders takes up the most space. You can



configure the display to see the size of each folder, the bytes allocated to each, the percentage of space each consumes, or the bytes wasted due to empty space in clusters used by the FAT32 disk format. For a more sophisticated analysis of your files and folders, try JAM Software’s $40 TreeSize Professional shareware. Browse to find.pcworld.com/42166 to download the free version of this utility.



Update Now (in Windows 9x) or Active Desktop•Synchronize (in Windows 2000 and Me). Or choose Tools•Synchronize in any folder window. Check the boxes for the items to update, and click Synchronize. Ta-da! Now press -D or -M to minimize all other windows and see your items on the desktop. (Our thanks to Oscar Guerra of Seattle, Washington, for suggesting this tip.)

Send Windows-related questions and tips to scott_dunn@pcworld.com. We pay $50 for published items. Visit find.pcworld.com/ 31607 for more Windows Tips. Scott Dunn is a contributing editor for PC World.

POWER GUIDE W W W. P C W O R L D.C O M



9



ANSWER LINE

LINCOLN SPECTOR



wait for them to close. For additional Windows shutdown tricks, head over to page 5 and save even more time and aggravation.



FAILED SHUTDOWNS



DELETE FILES THAT WINDOWS WON’T



MAKE A DUAL-BOOT SYSTEM SINGULAR



SIMPLE OUTLOOK DATA SHARING



Why All the Problems Shutting Down My PC?

remote desktop, fast user switching, remote assistance, the terminal server, or other Terminal Services, you don’t need problem, and how can I fix it? this. To shut it off, select Start•Run, type Linnett Williamson, Felt, Oklahoma services.msc /s, and press . Find remember when turning off an elecand double-click the Terminal Services listtronic gadget meant flipping a switch? ing. (Of course, if you don’t have TermiShutting down a PC is much more comnal Services installed, your slow shutplicated. Sometimes Windows takes an downs have another cause.) Change extremely long time to close, and too ‘Startup type’ to Disabled or Manual and click OK. If you use Windows 2000 or XP, you can speed up your shutdowns by verifying that you’re not clearing your virtual memory whenever you exit out of Windows. This is not the default setting, but it’s still good to check. Select Start•Run, type gpedit.msc, and press . Navigate the FIGURE 1: WHEN WINDOWS WON’T shut down, turn to left pane as if you’re in Winthe Startup and Shutdown Troubleshooter first. dows Explorer to Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Setoften the operating system doesn’t shut tings\Local Policies\Security Options. In the down at all. I’ll discuss the major causes right pane, scroll to Shutdown: Clear virand describe fixes for both problems. tual memory pagefile. If the option is First, here’s some general advice: Bugs enabled, double-click it, select Disabled, in hardware drivers cause most shutdown and click OK. (You may not have this difficulties. Before you do anything else, option on your system.) go to the Web sites of your hardware venFinally, the more programs you have dors and look for the latest updates. running on your system, the longer it SLOW SHUTDOWNS takes Windows to close each one before shutting itself down. You could simply one common cause of recalcitrant close your programs manually before exitshutdowns in Windows 2000 and XP is ing Windows, but you still would have to Terminal Services. If you never use

MY PC TAKES ABOUT 5 minutes to shut down. What’s causing the



if windows won’t shut down at all, run the Startup and Shutdown Troubleshooter (unless you have Windows 2000, which lacks this wizard). To launch the troubleshooter, select Start•Help (Help and Support in XP). In Windows 98, click Search. Type shutdown troubleshooter, press , and select Startup and Shutdown Troubleshooter (see FIGURE 1). If the troubleshooter wizard doesn’t help, or if you have Windows 2000, here are some other suggestions: If you have Windows XP and haven’t upgraded to Service Pack 1, visit find. pcworld.com/41864 to download the update. It fixes a shutdown bug. If Windows closes but the PC stays on with a message that you can now safely turn off your computer, there’s a problem with Advanced Power Management. But is the problem in Windows or in your hardware configuration? Check Windows first: Right-click the desktop and select Properties. Click the Screen Saver tab and then the Power button. (In 98 and Me, this button is the ‘Settings’ button under ‘Energy saving....’) Click the APM tab (if there is no APM tab, the problem resides in your hardware configuration). Check the Enable Advanced Power Management Support box, and then click OK.



BE A CHOOSY DOWNLOADER

A READER WHO asked to remain anonymous requests that I remind readers not to download and install every program they read about in PC World. We recommend only programs that we find useful, of course, but that doesn’t mean they’re useful to everyone. You may not need a tool for the chore it’s designed to do, or you may already have a program that handles it. Remember that every program you download and install clutters your hard drive, and every program that runs in the background slows Windows and increases the likelihood of conflicts.



10



W W W. P C W O R L D.C O M



POWER GUIDE



HERE’S HOW



To check your hardware configuration, reboot and then enter your computer’s Setup program by pressing a certain key early in the boot-up process (an on-screen message should identify the key). Search



FIGURE 2: REMOVE WINDOWS’ dual boot by erasing one line from your boot.ini file.



the menus for options that will allow you to turn on APM or ACPI (another powerconserving standard). If you run Windows 2000 or XP and your PC reboots when it’s supposed to shut down, the culprit is probably a system failure. These versions of Windows respond to system failures by rebooting, making it look like Windows can’t distinguish between Turn Off and Restart. To get to the root of the problem, right-click My Computer and choose Properties. Select the Advanced tab. In Windows XP, click Settings under ‘Startup and Recovery’, uncheck Automatically restart, and click OK twice. In Windows 2000, click Startup and Recovery, uncheck Automatically reboot, and click OK twice. Now you’ll be able to see what’s making Windows blow up in your face, and maybe you’ll be able to fix it or find a workaround.



You have to boot from your startup floppy disk to accomplish the same thing in Windows Me. If you don’t have a startup disk, select Start•Settings•Control Panel, double-click Add/Remove Programs•Startup Disk, and then follow the prompts (be sure to have a blank, formatted floppy disk ready beforehand). If you reboot your computer with the startup disk in the drive, you’ll get to a DOS prompt from which you can delete the file. Unfortunately, you can’t exit to DOS in Windows 2000 and XP, so try deleting the file in Safe Mode: Select Start•Turn Off Computer•Restart. During the reboot— and just before Windows loads—press (it may take you a few attempts to get the timing right). Select Safe Mode, and then try to delete the file. If that doesn’t work, go to find.pcworld. com/40568 to download Gibin Software House’s GiPo@MoveOnBoot. This free program lets you define files to be copied, moved, or deleted the next time you boot—before Windows loads.



OFFICE TIP



Share Your Outlook Data

HOW CAN TWO people use Microsoft Outlook to share data across a network? Andrew Mace, Birmingham, Alabama THIS TECHNIQUE doesn’t keep one person’s data separate from the other’s, and it doesn’t work between Outlook 2003 and older versions of the program, but it’s free: Open Outlook on the first machine and select File•Import and Export to launch the Import and Export Wizard. Select Export to a file, and then Personal Folder File (.pst). Choose the folder you want to export (you can’t select more than one folder, so you’ll have to run the wizard separately for each folder you want to move). To export everything, select Personal Folders and check Include subfolders. Save the export in a shared folder that the other computer can access. Once the wizard is finished, exit and reopen Outlook. Now open Outlook on the second PC, and select File•Import and Export to launch the Import and Export Wizard on that system. Select Import from another program or file; for the file type, click Personal Folder File (.pst). Choose the file you just created on the first PC, and click Replace duplicates with items imported. Click Finish, and the data from the first system merges with that on the second. If you’re willing to spend money for a more elegant solution, you might try Vaita’s OsaSync ($37.50), which shares only contacts, or its bigger sibling, OsaSync Pro ($62.50), which shares everything. Go to find.pcworld.com/40565 to download either of these programs.



REMOVE DUAL BOOT

I’M RUNNING A dual-boot system with Windows XP and Windows 98. I no longer want to use 98. What steps do I take to remove the dual boot? George Nowotny, Port Moody, British Columbia



WHEN YOU CAN’T DELETE A FILE

HOW DO I DELETE a file when Windows insists that it’s “being used by another person or program”? Rob Oldenburg, Wellington, Florida



this is easy to do in Windows 98: Select Start•Shut Down•Restart in MS-DOS mode, and then use the del filename command to delete the file from the DOS prompt. To do this, you’ll have to know the path to the file on your hard drive. And remember that a file called “Photo of Mary.jpg” in Windows is probably something like photoo~1.jpg in DOS.

11

W W W. P C W O R L D.C O M



to kill the “Please select the operating system…” menu that comes up every time you boot, load Windows XP, click the Start button, right-click My Computer, and select Properties•Advanced. Choose the Settings button under ‘Startup and Recovery’. If your XP installation isn’t listed as the ‘Default operating system’, select it from the drop-down menu, click OK twice, and reboot. Return to ‘Startup and Recovery’, and click the Edit button to bring up boot.ini in Notepad. Delete the last line of the file (see FIGURE 2), which should be the unwanted boot option. Save the file, exit Notepad, click OK twice, and reboot. XP should load with no menu. If there’s a problem, use System Restore to return to the status quo, and try again. If you have partitioning software such as Symantec’s PartitionMagic, you may want to delete the Windows 98 partition



and resize the Windows XP one. But otherwise, don’t worry about it. Simply use the Win 98 partition to store backups or for some other purpose.

Send your questions to answer@pcworld. com. Answer Line pays $50 for published items. See find.pcworld.com/31577 for more Answer Line columns. You’ll find Contributing Editor Lincoln Spector’s humorous writing at www.thelinkinspector.com.



POWER GUIDE