PC Hints and Tips

Before you make any major changes in Windows, you should always set a System Restore point that you can roll back to in the event of any problems arising. Points are often created automatically for you but it never hurts to create another, just to make sure. To use System Restore in Vista, click Start and type ‘restore’ (without the quotes) into the search box. In XP, go to Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools and click System Restore. From here, you can manually create a System Restore point or return your computer to a previous set-up.

Check the monitor cable is plugged into the back of your PC and has’t come loose. Try wiggling it to see if that solves the problem. If the colour changes while you’re doing this, you know you’re on the right path. Also, check where the cable connects to the back of the monitor. You can adjust the colour by right-clicking the Desktop and choosing Properties, then clicking the Settings tag. Select a different option from the ‘Color quality’ drop-down menu and click Apply. If the problem persists, it’s likely to be a fault with the monitor itself. You’ll need to get it repaired by a professional or buy a new one.

Not everybody finds the Windows key useful. If you keep hitting it by accident and getting pop-up menus, boxes and actions when you don’t want them, you can disable it. It’s a Registry hack but it’s not difficult to carry out.

Click Start in Vista or Start, Run in XP and enter ‘regedit’ (without the quotes) to start the Registry Editor. Find the following folder on the left: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrenctVersion\Policies\Explorer. Right-click the empty space on the right and select New, ‘DWORD value’. Enter NoWinKeys, double-click it and enter 1 for the value. Quit the Registry Editor and restart Windows for it to take effect. If you ever want your Windows key back again, return to the value you created in the Registry, right-click it and select Delete.

If you want to change the colours of windows, borders, buttons, text and so in XP, you can right-click the Desktop and select Properties. Click the Advanced button on the Appearance tab and then you can select window and button objects and select new colours. While I was exploring the Registry, I found these values are stored at HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Colors. There are actually more items listed in the Registry, so you have more control over the colour schemes. To change something, like the menu text, you just double-click the MenuText value and enter three numbers between zero and 255 (for example, 128 87 214). These are the RGB – red, green and blue – values that, when mixed together, make up the colour.

I have two computers at home, one for me and another for the children to use. Each computer can access the other’s Shared Documents folder, but a useful tip is to let others (for example, your kids) access files, but not delete or edit them in any way. This keeps them safe and secure, and prevents them from  being tampered with or accidentally deleted. To secure them, click Start, My Computer and then right-click Shared Documents. Click Properties and then the Sharing tab. Clear the tick next to ‘Allow network users to change my files’.

Over time, temporary files, cookies, cached internet data and other junk can clog up your hard disk. You can remove this detritus manually, or make use of the built-in WIndows Disk Cleanup tool located at STart, Programs, Accessories, System Tools. Alternatively, give CCleaner (www.ccleaner.com) a try. This excellent free tool targets all the usual temporary files left by WIndows and Internet Explorer, but also tackles junk from popular third-party applications such as Firefox and Google Earth. It even comes with its own uninstaller and Registry cleaner.

Want to try Linux but don’t fancy the risk of turning your brand new computer over to dual boot? Then use your old computer as a Linux workstation. Linux will run on older computers that modern versions of Windows turn their nose up at. So stop ditching your old computers into landfill sites and get into the World of Linux. Ubuntu (www.ubuntu.com) is a good one to start with.

When you have lots of software installed there can be too many items to fit on the Start menu. When this happens you will either see buttons to scroll the menu up and down, or two or more columns of menu items will be displayed. You can choose which option to use by right-clicking the Start button and choosing Properties. Click the Customize button and then select the Advanced tab. Tick or clear the Scroll Programs tick box, whichever you prefer.

It’s irritating when computer suppliers put programs you don’t want on new PCs. One of the things they can do is to add a link to the Start menu, like an advert for themselves or some third-party they have done a deal with. If you have a link that hasn’t been used before. You cannot get rid of this Start menu item by right-clicking it and selecting delete. Instead you need to right-click the Start menu and Properties from the context menu that is displayed. Choose the Start menu tab, select the ‘Start menu’ option and click the Customize button. Select the Advanced tab and find Manufacturer Link on the list of Start Menu items. Clear the tick box and click OK twice.