Tip-Of-The-Week

January 12, 2007

From the Free Computer Consultant

http://www.FreeComputerConsultant.com

Windows Shortcuts

• Reduce frustration
• Save time
• Prevent carpal tunnel syndrome

It's always frustrating for me to sit down at a PC that I didn't set up. The screen is so filled with icons that I can't see the forest for the trees. But not one icon there has any usefulness to me.

I'll spare you the rant about programs like QuickBooks that stuff 4 or 5 icons on the desktop, most of which are there just to get more money out of you. And if a computer manufacturer has a really cool wallpaper I can see why they may not want to cover it up with useful icons like "My Computer" (Renamed, of course. What could sound more infantile than "my" anything?) or Windows Explorer or the Command Prompt.

That frustration increases however, when I have a user on the phone and I'm trying to help them trouble shoot a problem. It goes something like this:

Me: "Start Windows Explorer"
User: "How do I do that?"

Why did Microsoft bury Explorer and the Command Prompt in Start | All Programs | Accessories? (They're not that buried if I set it up!)

Me: "Do you have a 'My Computer' icon on the desktop?"
User: No
Me: "Right click the Start button and select 'Explore'"
User: (He/she didn't hear the word "right", just click) "Explore isn't one of the choices"
Me: "Click Start | Run"
User: "Run isn't an option either" ('Run' is an option that can be on or off)

At this point, it starts becoming evident that if I had patience I'd be a doctor!

The point of all of this is that most keyboards on PC's today have a key with the Windows Logo on it stuck between the 'Ctrl' and 'Alt' keys. Turns out, it can be useful. On the right side there is probably another key that is designed to be application specific. Windows does use it, but I haven't seen any application really emphasize it too much. But try it out, you might be pleasantly surprised.

The Windows Logo key, or Windows key, by itself will bring up the Start Menu. But if you hold the Windows key and simultaneously press certain designated other keys, specific commands are triggered.

Here is the list:

Windows Logo: Start menu

• Windows Logo+R: Run dialog box
• Windows Logo+M: Minimize all
• SHIFT+Windows Logo+M: Undo minimize all
• Windows Logo+F1: Help
• Windows Logo+E: Windows Explorer
• Windows Logo+F: Find files or folders
• Windows Logo+D: Minimizes all open windows and displays the desktop
• CTRL+Windows Logo+F: Find computer
• CTRL+Windows Logo+TAB: Moves focus from Start, to the Quick Launch toolbar, to the system tray (use RIGHT ARROW or LEFT ARROW to move focus to items on the Quick Launch toolbar and the system tray)
• Windows Logo+TAB: Cycle through taskbar buttons
• Windows Logo+Break: System Properties dialog box

Give these keys a try if you haven't already. The nice thing is that no matter how the Start Menu or Desktop has been customized, these Windows Shortcuts can still get you quickly to the command you need.

Hope this information is of use to you, that's it for this week.

When was the last time you backed up YOUR PC?

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the FreeComputerConsultant

http://www.FreeComputerConsultant.com