Freeware discussion

It's easy to hit the Caps Lock key by mistake and find yourself typing in capital letters. Worse, if you don't know Caps Lock is on, your password may be rejected for no apparent (to you) reason. You can use the built-in ToggleKeys feature to sound an audible warning when you hit Caps Lock, Num Lock or Scroll Lock. Here's how:
  1. In Control Panel, click Accessibility Options.
  2. Click the Keyboard tab.
  3. Check the Use ToggleKeys checkbox.
  4. Click OK.
Few people are aware of Windows XP's cloaked administrator account (called, appropriately enough, "Administrator").
This account is invisible unless either your system has no other accounts or you are booting in Safe Mode.
To remove Administrator's camouflage and add it to XP's Welcome screen, navigate to and then select HKEY_LOCAL_ MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\SpecialAccounts\UserList in the Registry Editor and double-click the Administrator icon in the right pane. (If you don't see this icon, right-click in the pane, choose New DWORD Value, name it Administrator and press <Enter>.)
 
Type 1 in the "Value data" box and press <Enter>. From now on, when you open the User Accounts window via the Control Panel (choose Start-Run, type Control userpasswords and press <Enter>), you'll see the Administrator account.
 
You can easily change its picture or give it a password. In addition, the next time you see the welcome screen your Administrator account will be visible, along with all of the computer's other user accounts.

Baillie McK
Or.....more simply and no messing with the Registry, download and install TweakUIXP from the Microsoft web site and pick the option "Show Administrator on Welcome screen" from the Logon tab.

TweakUIXP also has a number of other "useful" features - depending on your point of view!!! - and far too many to detail here.....   (Download from the Snapfiles link here for the latest 563K 2006 version. The M$ download site still has a 2002 version at 147K. Ed.)
Charlie K 
I am amazed so few people do this. Yes there are other ways.
 
Why is this the best? - Because it is in front of you and you can do it now!
 
Copy Mail Files to a Backup Folder

To make a backup copy of your Outlook Express e-mail message files:
  1. On the Tools menu, click Options.
  2. On the Maintenance tab, click Store Folder.
  3. Select the folder location, and then press CTRL+C to copy the location.
  4. Click Cancel, and then click Cancel again to close the dialog box.
  5. Click Start, and then click Run.
  6. In the Open box, press CTRL+V, and then click OK.
  7. On the Edit menu, click Select All.
  8. On the Edit menu, click Copy, and then close the window.
  9. Right-click any empty space on your desktop, click New, and then click Folder.
  10. Type Mail Backup for the folder name, and then press ENTER.
  11. Double-click the Mail Backup folder to open it.
  12. On the Edit menu, click Paste.
  13. Close the Mail Backup window.
Importing Outlook Express data

To restore data, you may need to re-create the Identities for each user, prior to using the following steps. Repeat each step, as needed, for each Identity.

Import Messages from the Backup Folder

To import your Outlook Express e-mail messages from the Backup folder:
  1. On the File menu, point to Import, and then click Messages.
  2. In the Select an e-mail program to import from box, click Microsoft Outlook Express 5 or Microsoft Outlook Express 6, and then click Next.
  3. Click Import mail from an OE5 store directory or Import mail from an OE6 store directory, and then click OK.
  4. Click Browse, and then click on the Mail Backup folder on your desktop.
  5. Click OK, and then click Next.
  6. Click All folders, click Next, and then click Finish.
Baillie McK

Well if you use Outlook (as opposed to Outlook Express) then Microsoft have looked after you  :-) and you can install a full backup add-in which works well.

I've been using it for years and it has proven very handy when reinstalling or rebuilding a system.

I have mine set to run daily, mind you, as belt and braces  - cos I regard e-mail as one of my most critical sets of data - I do also run a backup (using the freebie EZbackitup) of the pst file which, by default, is buried way down in the Documents and Settings folder at C:\Documents and Settings\User name\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\Outlook.pst (substitute your username for "User name")

http://www.snapfiles.com/get/ezbackitup.html

Charlie K
At the C&C meeting on Tuesday 9th May Roger L. mentioned a tweakguides site that offered excellent material on Windows XP among its items. I was sufficiently interested to follow up on this and now have a Deluxe version PDF file that belongs in every XP owner's library.

The author is Koroush Ghazi, and I can do no better than let him speak for himself:

"The totally revised TweakGuides Tweaking Companion Version 3.0 is the complete system optimization guide for Windows XP users. It contains an enormous amount of detailed descriptions and resources together in one free 175 page downloadable PDF file. Everything from the correct installation of Windows and critical software and drivers, through to recommendations for every significant setting in XP, all the major performance, visual and convenience tweaks, and descriptions of XP's functionality. The guide contains dozens of links to major free applications for optimizing and maintaining your system, as well as to a vast range of resources for finding out more about your PC and troubleshooting PC problems. Basically the TweakGuides Tweaking Companion is the mother of all Windows XP tweak guides and system optimization guides.

The TweakGuides Tweaking Companion Deluxe Edition is a 215 page guide which can either be sent to you in PDF format, or purchased as a professionally printed and bound book.

The TweakGuides Tweaking Companion Deluxe Edition is a more comprehensive version of the TweakGuides Tweaking Companion [Regular Edition]. Among its new features, the Deluxe Edition contains full URL addresses next to each hyperlink - this makes the document easier to use in hard copy form. The Deluxe Edition contains full screenshots and graphics throughout the guide, and all text is higher resolution than the Regular Edition. The Deluxe Edition can either be ordered as a PDF file, or as a professionally printed perfect-bound hard copy book with a full-color cover. The Regular and Deluxe Editions of the guide do not differ in terms of content or advice - the Deluxe Edition is a way of both showing your support for TweakGuides.com and at the same time gaining a unique, elegant and comprehensive system optimization guide in return for your support."

I bought the Deluxe Edition PDF file for US$10 and count it as one of my best investments yet in Windows XP.

Terry Bibo

INDEX       NEXT