Windows tricks

Printable View

April 29th, 2001, 07:21 AM
LagerLagerLager

Windows tricks

After reading one of the posts below, I thought I`d see how many little tricks Windows has.

Such as holding shift to disable autoplay, shift to restart Windows etc.

How many more are there?
April 29th, 2001, 09:28 AM
Darren Wilson

Handiest one for me is Windows key + Pause/Break for Device Manager.
April 29th, 2001, 10:28 AM
FooL

Windows Key + E brings up explorer.

A lot of people don't realize that "Print Screen" button can be used to take a picture of what's happening on screen. (Simply paste image into a Paint Program using Ctrl-v)

I like to know a whole slew of keyboard shortcuts for programs and for windows. I don't know what I'd do without the standards: Ctrl-c (copy) Ctrl-v(Paste) Ctrl-A (Select All)

The "Delete" key actually deletes stuff when it's highlighted. (No right click required)

Alt+F4 closes anything.

For those without a scroll mouse, turn off Num Lock and the numbers 8,4,6,and 2 can be used to scroll web pages and the like.

Windows button + D minimizes everything. (Great for when the boss is coming!)

Windows button + R opens the Run Command. (Great for UNC's)
April 29th, 2001, 10:53 AM
LagerLagerLager

Went searching and found this handy little list..
http://support.microsoft.com/support.../q126/4/49.asp
April 29th, 2001, 12:47 PM
Rellik

Heres the windows keys shortcuts:

Standard Wiindows Key Shortcuts:
Windows Key + D: Show Desktop*
Windows Key + E: Windows Explorer
Windows Key + F: Find Files or Folders...
Windows Key + M: Minimize All Windows
Windows Key + Shift+M: Undo Minimize All
Windows Key + R: Run...
Windows Key + Tab: Select Task
Windows Key + Break: System Properties
Windows Key + F1: Windows Help

* Requires Internet Explorer 4.0 Desktop Update.

you can make more Windows Key shortcuts with Winkey by Copernic.
April 29th, 2001, 03:03 PM
DANIMAL

CRTL + wheel mouse changes the font size of your browser.
April 29th, 2001, 03:10 PM
DANIMAL

CTRL p = print
CTRL r = Refresh
ctrl h = history
crtl f = find
crtl a = select all
crtl o or l = Open
ctrl b = favarites

these are with my IE 6.0 i don't know if they work in 4.0 or others
April 29th, 2001, 03:16 PM
Rellik

Quote:

Originally posted by DANIMAL:
CRTL + wheel mouse changes the font size of your browser.

also in IE:
Shift+wheel up/down: moves forward/backward pages
April 30th, 2001, 07:18 PM
shamus

alt+enter after you've tabbed your way to where you want to open up properties has saved me when no mouse was available.
May 1st, 2001, 05:10 PM
http://forums.windrivers.com/cgi-bin/forum1/noncgi

If you think Windows is still running, but you no longer have video, you can press:

Win, U, R, Enter

That opens the Start menu, selects shUtdown, then Reboot.

(Unfortunately, if any dialog boxes pop up, you're screwed, but it'll work 95% of the time.)

This should work for any version of Windows, including NT. And it does a proper shutdown, not a CTRL-ALT-DEL reboot.
May 1st, 2001, 10:46 PM
MasterEvilAce

Win, U, then once i hit R.. it brings up RUN prompt.
lol
May 2nd, 2001, 10:54 AM
Milenko

Ctrl+Alt+Del, then Alt+S will give you a clean shutdown if you have no video. Works 99% of the time too. :)
May 2nd, 2001, 01:06 PM
http://forums.windrivers.com/cgi-bin/forum1/noncgi

Quote:

Originally posted by Master Evil Ace:
Win, U, then once i hit R.. it brings up RUN prompt.
lol

It's 4 seperate keystrokes. Press and release each key before hitting the next.

Win (opens Start menu)
U (selects shUt down)
R (selects Reboot)
Enter (selects OK or Yes depending on OS)

Win, U, S, Enter works with some versions of Windows to Shut down, but others it activates Standby.
May 2nd, 2001, 02:00 PM
MasterEvilAce

yes, i did press and release each key.

win2k all updates

and it just selects SHUT DOWN, then opens up run prompt

could it be because i have another item with a U filename? looks that way =P
May 2nd, 2001, 02:39 PM
joelen

For a quick restart....

Win 95/98 (not sure if this works in ME or NT/2000 as i have never tried it)

1. Click Start
2. Click Shutdown
3. Select Restart
4. HOLD SHIFT KEY while clicking OK.

This SOMETIMES works... other times it goes to the "Windows is restarting screen" and locks up.... :rolleyes:

Dont actually use this too much, but it's nice when windows starts getting sluggish due to memory leaks.....
May 2nd, 2001, 05:44 PM
Rellik
Quote:

Originally posted by Master Evil Ace:
yes, i did press and release each key.

win2k all updates

and it just selects SHUT DOWN, then opens up run prompt

could it be because i have another item with a U filename? looks that way =P

not likely, in your case, if it highlites it then just push enter on it and continue the sequence.

look for the Underlined letter, that should work for your sequence
Usualy it is Start>>Shutdown>>Restart

it may be different however

here are some more explicit steps:

[list=1][*]tap the win key once[*]tap the "u" key[*]tap one of the following:
- r=Restart
- u=shutdown
- m=MS-DOS mode
[/list=a]
May 2nd, 2001, 09:10 PM
JungleMan1

Quote:

Originally posted by Master Evil Ace:
Win, U, then once i hit R.. it brings up RUN prompt.
lol

Win + R can do the same thing, in the same keystroke or in separate ones. The U brings up the narrator.
May 3rd, 2001, 08:06 AM
Joker1

When booting hold shift to go strait to a dosprompt or ctrl to go strait to safemode.
May 3rd, 2001, 08:07 AM
Joker1

also in ie if you hold down alt you can use the arrow keys to move forward and back.
May 3rd, 2001, 09:25 AM
King Grover

ctrl+esc, up, enter, enter. reboots/ shutdown PC. ctrl+esc brings up start menu
May 3rd, 2001, 09:59 AM
LagMonster

Quote:

Originally posted by Grover:
ctrl+esc, up, enter, enter. reboots/ shutdown PC. ctrl+esc brings up start menu

Not always true...I lost my video once tried that...about 5 minutes later I figured I put my computer on suspend last. So I had to add a down to the sequence. :)
May 3rd, 2001, 10:28 AM
PuterGeekGirl

Lagerx3....thanks for the link!! I am always looking to learn more key shortcuts...I really don't know many... :cool:
May 3rd, 2001, 12:35 PM
Skatman

Two of my fav key tricks are Windows key+Pause/Break key to get to DM

and

Alt+F4 to close out the windows that are on the screen and eventually close down windows
May 5th, 2001, 03:45 AM
thirdq

Hi There,
I have not seen it here so it might be lame but ...

If you open multiple windows, hold the shift key and click the close window icon and all previous windows will also close. This also works if you hold the shift key and Alt F4.

Cheers
May 5th, 2001, 08:22 PM
mxpsux

F5 = Refresh; works just about anywhere in Windows.
May 6th, 2001, 01:54 AM
kannibul

most commonly used by me...

ctrl esc; startmenu then first letter of what I want to do.
alt-f4, closes those annoying porno pop up windows, when your really viewing a good porn site.
ctrl/alt tab, switch screen or area.
alt esc. - switch window (also works in Novell)
May 6th, 2001, 11:15 PM
Rellik

Another fav of mine is just as you are about to boot into windows (98 and above) hold down the ctrl key to get the boot-up menu, works better than F8 does.
May 9th, 2001, 09:29 AM
antonye

CTRL+SHIFT+ESC = WinNT Task Manager

Quite a tricky one to do (thumb over CTRL+SHIFT is easiest I find) but looks pretty cool if you can do it fast enough to get that "WTF...?" look from fellow techies :)
May 9th, 2001, 09:31 AM
LagMonster

Quote:

Originally posted by antonye:
CTRL+SHIFT+ESC = WinNT Task Manager

Quite a tricky one to do (thumb over CTRL+SHIFT is easiest I find) but looks pretty cool if you can do it fast enough to get that "WTF...?" look from fellow techies :)

Cool....I DID NOT KNOW THAT.

Thanks.
May 9th, 2001, 11:32 AM
Pogi

CTRL + W instantly closes your web browser. Handy if your spouse, significant other, or boss sneaks up you! :cool:
May 9th, 2001, 01:17 PM
CampbellD

Hi There,

CRTL+Shift+Esc bring up task manager

Really good as opposed to ctrl+alt+del and click task manager
May 10th, 2001, 08:23 AM
Quiet Thunder

Here's one I just learned recently.
One of the most heavely touted new "features" of Windows ME was the system restore option. I found a similar tool with Windows 98se. I believe it also works in origional 98. First, reboot and hold ctl to get to the boot menu. Choose dos command prompt. Then type in the command Scanreg /restore

This will bring up a list of files named rb00*.cab. Usually ranging from 0 to 5 for the last number. It also has a date next to the file. Simply choose the file and restore. I know the files in the cab are user.dat, system.dat, win.ini, and system.ini

This is very handy when you are facing a corrupt regestry or the cpu is infected by a virus. This will not remove the virus, but will remove it from regestry (assuming you go back to a file before the virus infected the cpu) and will allow you to remove the virus file from the cpu.

Has anyone else come across this work around?
May 10th, 2001, 09:22 AM
Wayward Clam

The shift key works when booting W95 as well, it puts you into Safe Mode.
May 21st, 2002, 12:05 PM
Laacke

Print Screen button is nice for getting screenshots... and if you hold down the Alt key it will only get you a screenshot of the window in focus. (ie. Error Prompts)

I also use the Shift & CTRL key alot when using the keyboard Arrows to jump and highlight text. CTRL key & arrow will jump entire words... holding the Shift-Ctrl-Arrow at the same time will highlight entire words.

Can't tell you how much I use the Alt-Tab to switch between screens.

Alt-Enter to shrink DOS screens down into a viewable window.
May 21st, 2002, 12:39 PM
Matridom

under XP.... win-L

Under 2k or NT, ctrl-alt-del, Enter

Both lock the computer, a necessity at school or work.
May 22nd, 2002, 03:33 PM
geeksRus

If you are using Winamp and you have a wheel mouse the wheel can be used to increase or decrease the volume.

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:11 AM.