When you buy some new fonts or download them off the internet you may need to manually install them. Sounds difficult, but it really isn’t.
If you downloaded the font it may be in your downloads folder in a zipped format, so first you need to unzip the folder. If they are on a disk, then just have the disk in your drive.
Now, open the Fonts folder. You can… Continue reading
Q:
What do those version numbers, like 1.0.1 mean?
A:
To find the version number of a program, just click Help, then find “About…”
Now, let’s say we have program with a version number of 6.1.2
The first number (6) represents the “major” version number. Normally these are only updated if there has been lots of major changes to a program.
The next number (1) represents… Continue reading
Window States
Ever have a program that always starts in a “normal” state but you really want it maximized?
Well, here’s a little trick to help you do just that (and more) with a quick little bit of shortcut editing. Note: although this seems to work on most programs, sometimes you’ll run across a program that just won’t cooperate.
1. First, right-click the shortcut to the program and select Properties… Continue reading
Q:
Every time I have a problem with this one program, a little window pops up and asks me to report the error to Microsoft. How do I stop this?
A:
To get rid of that pesky request Windows XP likes to pop up, right-click the My Computer icon on your desktop and choose “Properties“.
In the System Properties window that… Continue reading
Favorite Web Pages At Startup
If you’re like me, you probably have several internet related tasks you do each time you start your computer.
Wouldn’t it be great to have all the web pages you frequent, and maybe your e-mail program, run when you start the computer? You guessed it – you can.
All you need to do is drop some shortcuts into your Startup Folder
Q:
My new computer doesn’t have a floppy drive and my old one doesn’t have a CD burner. Is there any other way to transfer files?
A:
If both computers have network cards, you could create a simple network , allowing you to use your old computer as an extra hard drive. You can bring up files as needed with your new system and leave them… Continue reading
Q:
Every time I turn on my computer I have to re-activate the NumLock key so I can use the keypad. Isn’t there a way to make it be on automatically.
A:
Well, *most* computers have a setting that allows you to have it turn on automatically. Since this tip requires you to play around with your computer’s system settings (NOT Windows settings), I need to tell you… Continue reading
Don’t Lose the Program Serial Number Again
Maybe you’re reformatting your hard drive or you just bought a new computer and need to reinstall a program from the CD, but can’t find the little card with the serial number on it. I hate that!
Before you reformat or erase the drive on your old system. Just go to Help/About… in each program and the serial number should be there. If… Continue reading
Q:
What are those three little buttons on the upper right-hand corner of an open window for?
A:
Those are the Minimize, Maximize, and Close buttons.
The “X” closes the window.
The “Box” maximizes the program, making it full screen. If it’s already maximized, it looks like a box on top of another box. If you click it in that state, it will make your window smaller.
Finally… Continue reading
We often tell you ways to configure Internet Explorer or Outlook Express for maximum efficiency or how to stop annoying default features. Many times you end up in the “Options” menu where you are faced with a long list of features. What does each one do?
Guess what, there is a very easy way to find out what different features do
Say you’re looking for something on a long web page with Internet Explorer or Firefox. You think it’s there, but you’re faced with seemingly insurmountable number of paragraphs, sentences, and words to hunt though.
Well, next time this happens to you, hit the Edit menu, Find (or CTRL-F for you shortcut lovers). You’ll get a handy little “find” box that lets you type in a… Continue reading
Q:
In Windows XP and I can’t find “Hibernate” listed under the shut down options. What can I do?
A:
It’s still there—so close that if it were a racoon, it’d bite ya!
When you go to Start / Turn Off Computer (or from the desktop just hit Alt+F4) you will see three choices: Standby, Turn Off, and Restart.… Continue reading
Q:
What is the difference between Downloading, Uploading and Installing?
A:
Here’s a blow by blow:
Downloading – This is moving a file that’s on the Internet (or over a network) onto your computer. For most of us, downloading is just a matter of clicking a download link on a web site and saving the file to disk.… Continue reading
Q:
What are sound cards, graphic cards, network cards, and all those other cards all about?
A:
You might hear of different kinds of “cards” in a PC. Some are usually included as basic hardware, while others offer optional features. Most basic PC’s will include a Sound Card, Video Card, and maybe a Network Card. Also, in some modern PCs, these can also be integrated… Continue reading
Q:
What is the difference between a Taskbar and a Toolbar?
A:
Your taskbar is the long gray bar that sits at the bottom of your screen (you can move it to the top or either side of your screen though). It has the Start button, system tray, and possibly more on it. In addition, it’s where your programs buttons sit. Here’s a… Continue reading
Q:
Why does my monitor go black after about 15 minutes of not using the computer?
A:
Windows has a Power Management setting that will shut your monitor off after a specified amount of time. If you don’t like when it’s shutting the monitor off, you can change it by doing the following:
In Windows XP:
1. Hit the Start>Control Panel , then go to Performance and Maintenance
Have you ever needed a symbol or some other special character like the degree symbol, the small square checkbox, the copyright symbol, etc.? Well, they’re tucked away in a folder that, once you know where to look, is easy to get to and use.
Here’s How:
Hold the Windows key and hit the R key (Win+R). In the Run box that pops up, type charmap
This will work in all… Continue reading
Did you ever get a disk stuck in your drive? Nothing seems to work—you’ve pressed the button a million times, tried to open by right-clicking the drive and choosing “eject”, maybe even contemplated using a screw driver to pry the thing open.
Before you take out the drive and try to surgically remove the disk, or worse, buy a new drive, try this simple little trick to manually open your… Continue reading
You probably know that if you hover over a program in your Toolbar or on your Desktop, it gives you the program name. Some programs like Google Chrome and Word also give you a description.
Wouldn’t it be nice to have this for all your Programs? Great news… if you have Windows XP, Vista
Q:
How do I know if my USB port is USB 1.0 or 2.0?
A:
USB is a way for your computer to connect to external devices. It’s fast, easy to use, and allows you to use tons of devices all strung together. Most newer computers have one or more USB ports. Older computers have USB 1.0 or 1.1, while newer PCs have the faster… Continue reading
How to Download
So, you’ve found a piece of software you want to download but aren’t sure how to go about the whole process. Well, here’s a step by step guide:
#1 – Click the download link.
# 2 – Choose to save to disk and hit the OK button.
# 3 – Choose where you would like the file downloaded… Continue reading
Q:
I got an attachment but I can’t seem to open it. How do I know which program to use? What if I don’t have the program needed?
A:
First off—before you open any attachment, make sure you know who sent it. Even if you do know the sender, if you aren’t expecting it, you might want to send a quick note to… Continue reading
Let Your Computer Do the Dialing
Have you ever used Phone Dialer? Maybe you didn’t even know that Windows had it. It can be used to dial common numbers or just to avoid the hassle of holding the phone while you dial and wait for someone to answer. If your computer has a phone line hooked up to it you can have your computer dial the number for you, then… Continue reading
Q:
What are .pdf files?
A:
If you’ve been using the internet for any amount of time, you’ve probably run across these little buggers. They’re Adobe Acrobat files. Normally, you download them and use Adobe Acrobat Reader to read them. You can get Adobe Acrobat Reader for free at Adobe’s web site:
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html (Make sure you… Continue reading
I’ve read about the FDA testing the effect of caffeine on laboratory mice, but that won’t help us here. Adjusting the speed of your mouse pointer and buttons can help liven up your mouse.
If you’re using XP, open Mouse in the Control Panel (click Start>Control Panel>Printers and Other Hardware>Mouse) If you’re using Vista or Windows 7, just type mouse into
Q:
Is there a way for a left-hander like me to make my mouse easier to use?
A:
Since Windows 98, a feature was included for changing the buttons on your mouse, allowing you to replicate the feel of the right-handed mouse (like having the primary mouse click be your pointer finger).
To switch buttons on your mouse to a left-handed configuration… Continue reading
Keep It Clean
When it comes to our computers, all we tend to think about is the stuff we see on the screen — the software. Most of us tend to neglect the computer itself.
What can you do with your computer to make it run longer? As I just mentioned above, keep it clean.
I can’t tell you the number of computers I’ve opened that have… Continue reading
