GeekTech
Monday, April 6, 2009
RUN Prompt: Launch any application FAST!
If you are like me and are becoming more and more obsessed by doing every single task on your computer with your keyboard instead of your mouse, then I just thought up and tested the best thing for you.
Ever noticed those little underlines under certain letters in menus? If you didn't know, those are the keyboard commands to navigate an entire program with out using the mouse. In each program, no two menu options use the same letter, or at least they try not to. In case it does, the highlighter will flip back and forth between the options as you press that letter. If you've never experienced this awesome thing before, go ahead and hit ALT + F, or ALT and then F to open your browser's File menu. Don't hit X or else that will close down the program (that's usually standard).
Ok, enough of the basics. How do you get flying fast with launching applications. Well you know that in command prompt it's natural directory defaults to the system32 folder where some common programs are stored - like mspaint, sol, and notepad. When you go to Start --> Run, and you simply type "notepad" (even without the ".exe") it launches that program.
Well I prefer to quickly launch something via the keyboard rather than picking up my stylus (since I don't have a mouse) clicking to activate it's control, finding the mouse on one of my dual monitors, dragging it over the the secondary monitor to click start, etc, etc, etc, etc. So it is much faster to just type something real fast and go.
In windows, you can launch ANYTHING from the RUN prompt. But to formally do it, you have to type the complete path with colons, backslashes, and the .exe extension. So why can't you do it just like - "notepad" and have it launch? Well you can!
Go to the folder - C:\windows\system32 - and create a new text file from the file menu
Or if you're like me, press the following while doing the hokey pokey...
Windows Key + E;
TAB;
L; (if you have one hard drive)
L; (only if you have two hard drives)
Enter;
W;
Enter;
S (8 times);
Enter;
ALT + F;
ALT + W;
ALT + T;
...it really is faster to do it with key strokes.
Anywho, rename that new text file to the name of the program that you want to launch and end it with a [dot]bat extension. My example here would be Firefox.
firefox.bat
It will most likely warn you about changing the file extension and becoming unusable. It's ok, just say yes. If you want, shorten the name of that file to "ff.bat" so you can reduce the amount of keys you have to type to launch your program. It's your file, you do whatever you want.
Now right click that file (or hit the context menu key on the keyboard and then hit "E") which will open a blank notepad.
HERE'S THE IMPORTANT PART!!!!
Inside of notepad typ the following:
start "" [path]
That is "s-t-a-r-t SPACE doublequote-doublequote SPACE [path]
Now [path] should be replaced with the complete path to wherever your program is installed including the drive letter and file extension AND the whole path must be in double quotes! Obviously, the batch file should not contain the brackets.
Example: (still for firefox)
start "" "C:\program files\mozilla firefox 3 beta 2\firefox.exe"
(s-t-a-r-t SPACE doublequote-doublequote SPACE doublequote-c-COLON...........)
Save the file once you've added this one line and then close notepad. Type the following (in no program)...
Windows Key (the flag) + R (hit them at the same time);
type "firefox";
hit Enter;
Voila! A new instance of Firefox should open. I even have these set to Thunderbird, Audacity, Photoshop, Premiere, and VMware. It works!
Ever noticed those little underlines under certain letters in menus? If you didn't know, those are the keyboard commands to navigate an entire program with out using the mouse. In each program, no two menu options use the same letter, or at least they try not to. In case it does, the highlighter will flip back and forth between the options as you press that letter. If you've never experienced this awesome thing before, go ahead and hit ALT + F, or ALT and then F to open your browser's File menu. Don't hit X or else that will close down the program (that's usually standard).
Ok, enough of the basics. How do you get flying fast with launching applications. Well you know that in command prompt it's natural directory defaults to the system32 folder where some common programs are stored - like mspaint, sol, and notepad. When you go to Start --> Run, and you simply type "notepad" (even without the ".exe") it launches that program.
Well I prefer to quickly launch something via the keyboard rather than picking up my stylus (since I don't have a mouse) clicking to activate it's control, finding the mouse on one of my dual monitors, dragging it over the the secondary monitor to click start, etc, etc, etc, etc. So it is much faster to just type something real fast and go.
In windows, you can launch ANYTHING from the RUN prompt. But to formally do it, you have to type the complete path with colons, backslashes, and the .exe extension. So why can't you do it just like - "notepad" and have it launch? Well you can!
Go to the folder - C:\windows\system32 - and create a new text file from the file menu
Or if you're like me, press the following while doing the hokey pokey...
Windows Key + E;
TAB;
L; (if you have one hard drive)
L; (only if you have two hard drives)
Enter;
W;
Enter;
S (8 times);
Enter;
ALT + F;
ALT + W;
ALT + T;
...it really is faster to do it with key strokes.
Anywho, rename that new text file to the name of the program that you want to launch and end it with a [dot]bat extension. My example here would be Firefox.
firefox.bat
It will most likely warn you about changing the file extension and becoming unusable. It's ok, just say yes. If you want, shorten the name of that file to "ff.bat" so you can reduce the amount of keys you have to type to launch your program. It's your file, you do whatever you want.
Now right click that file (or hit the context menu key on the keyboard and then hit "E") which will open a blank notepad.
HERE'S THE IMPORTANT PART!!!!
Inside of notepad typ the following:
start "" [path]
That is "s-t-a-r-t SPACE doublequote-doublequote SPACE [path]
Now [path] should be replaced with the complete path to wherever your program is installed including the drive letter and file extension AND the whole path must be in double quotes! Obviously, the batch file should not contain the brackets.
Example: (still for firefox)
start "" "C:\program files\mozilla firefox 3 beta 2\firefox.exe"
(s-t-a-r-t SPACE doublequote-doublequote SPACE doublequote-c-COLON...........)
Save the file once you've added this one line and then close notepad. Type the following (in no program)...
Windows Key (the flag) + R (hit them at the same time);
type "firefox";
hit Enter;
Voila! A new instance of Firefox should open. I even have these set to Thunderbird, Audacity, Photoshop, Premiere, and VMware. It works!
Labels: FYI, Modifications, OS, Programming, secrets, Software, tips
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Windows: Access Command Prompt Easily
Sometimes when doing large batch conversions between file types, the old ones are left over. You want to delete them but they are interlaced with their counter parts and you don't want to individually select them all. What do you do?
I use command prompt to do this. Go to the directory containing the files that you want deleted and use the command DEL *.[old file extension]. So say I converted a bunch of WAV files to MP3. I would just type DEL *.wav and leave the MP3's alone.
Ok, that's not that hard to do right? Of course any geek knows how to delete files of a certain type in command prompt. But say your music folder is 5,000 folders deep on your harddrive and using the CD command to change to the directory is a huge pain in the butt. Well here's an easy way to make command prompt go straight to the directory you want.
How it works
Go to any folder (in explorer) that you would want to work with in command prompt. Right click on a subfolder and then you select "Command Prompt from Here". This will open Command prompt pointing to the directory you want.
OK, that's the desired effect and it is a feature that comes built into XP but it is rarely ever enabled. So if you want this ease of access to prompt, follow these steps
How to activate the feature
Again, in explorer, go to any folder (it really does not matter where) and click Tools menu>Folder Options.
Click the File Types tab
In the giant list, find "Folder" and select it (Make sure it isn't "File Folder")
Click the Advanced button on the bottom of the window
***FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING!! - do NOT set anything as default or else you will end up launching VLC media LAN every time you double click a folder. It just happened to me and I couldn't fix it (had to use system restore)
Click on New...
Under the Action box, type "Command Prompt from Here"
Under the "Application used to perform the action" type cmd.exe "%1" (with quotes and everything)
Click ok a few times and there you have it.
In case you screw anything up, visit the link below to get a free context menu editor.
http://www.freedownloadmanager.org/downloads/Fast_Explorer_47727_p/free.htm
I use command prompt to do this. Go to the directory containing the files that you want deleted and use the command DEL *.[old file extension]. So say I converted a bunch of WAV files to MP3. I would just type DEL *.wav and leave the MP3's alone.
Ok, that's not that hard to do right? Of course any geek knows how to delete files of a certain type in command prompt. But say your music folder is 5,000 folders deep on your harddrive and using the CD command to change to the directory is a huge pain in the butt. Well here's an easy way to make command prompt go straight to the directory you want.
How it works
Go to any folder (in explorer) that you would want to work with in command prompt. Right click on a subfolder and then you select "Command Prompt from Here". This will open Command prompt pointing to the directory you want.
OK, that's the desired effect and it is a feature that comes built into XP but it is rarely ever enabled. So if you want this ease of access to prompt, follow these steps
How to activate the feature
Again, in explorer, go to any folder (it really does not matter where) and click Tools menu>Folder Options.
Click the File Types tab
In the giant list, find "Folder" and select it (Make sure it isn't "File Folder")
Click the Advanced button on the bottom of the window
***FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING!! - do NOT set anything as default or else you will end up launching VLC media LAN every time you double click a folder. It just happened to me and I couldn't fix it (had to use system restore)
Click on New...
Under the Action box, type "Command Prompt from Here"
Under the "Application used to perform the action" type cmd.exe "%1" (with quotes and everything)
Click ok a few times and there you have it.
In case you screw anything up, visit the link below to get a free context menu editor.
http://www.freedownloadmanager.org/downloads/Fast_Explorer_47727_p/free.htm
Labels: Modifications, OS, secrets, tips
Saturday, July 19, 2008
MS-DOS: Getting back to the root of it all
Lately I have taken a deep interest in command prompting and especially batch files. Since we use batch files at work to run scripts for installing files and installing network printers and other miscellaneous tasks, I wanted to learn more about the cool things that are possible with building batch files. After reading through an online ebook I found that you can script batch files a way that is even more fun than doing it in notepad. To get here, start a command prompt. I'll make the following instructions in command prompt style: ('REM' means that it is just a remark. Do not actually type these.)
REM (In command prompt)
edit test.bat
REM This will actually create a batch file in your current folder (wherever command prompt is pointing)
REM Guess what? You are now in a true MS-DOS window. This goes back before command prompt. WOW.
@echo off
echo Hello. This is a test batch file.
pause
echo This batch file will now terminate.
pause
Okay, did you follow all of that? Now use your mouse to click file, and then save. And then go File > Exit. This will bring you back to command prompt. Now type 'test'. This should run your batch file. There are alot of advance commands that you can do like deleting files, moving files, and even some light programming like using the choice command.
The best thing you can do to find out more about commands is to actually use command prompt. If you type a command followed by /? it will display all the parameters and usages of that command and will usually give you an example. Seriously. Go try it out. You're not going to hurt anything.
REM (In command prompt)
edit test.bat
REM This will actually create a batch file in your current folder (wherever command prompt is pointing)
REM Guess what? You are now in a true MS-DOS window. This goes back before command prompt. WOW.
@echo off
echo Hello. This is a test batch file.
pause
echo This batch file will now terminate.
pause
Okay, did you follow all of that? Now use your mouse to click file, and then save. And then go File > Exit. This will bring you back to command prompt. Now type 'test'. This should run your batch file. There are alot of advance commands that you can do like deleting files, moving files, and even some light programming like using the choice command.
The best thing you can do to find out more about commands is to actually use command prompt. If you type a command followed by /? it will display all the parameters and usages of that command and will usually give you an example. Seriously. Go try it out. You're not going to hurt anything.
Labels: Programming, Software, tips
Thursday, July 3, 2008
LCD's: Ever wonder what those screen resolution acronyms really refer to?
You know those freaking acronyms concerning screen resolution for LCD moniors on laptops and usually most common in projectors like XGA and SVGA? Have you ever thought, "What the crap are they talking about?" Well here's a list of what they really mean according to their screen resolution which is much easier to comprehend than just a jumble of letters.
128x96 - SQCIF
176x144 - QCIF
352x288 - CIF
704x576 - 4CIF
160x120 - QQVGA
320x240 - QVGA
640x480 - VGA (The most common resolution as far as standard video transmission is concerned)
800x600 - SVGA
1024x768 - XGA (This is the new 'normal' as far as quality goes with VGA cables and video signals. I believe, though I am unsure, that this is the resolution where DVI cables begin)
1600x1200 - UXGA (If I were to guess this acronym I think it would be "Uber Xtreme Graphics Acceleration". By the way, this resolution is so high that it is probably the max for DVI cables)
320x200 - CGA (Probably some sort of PAL format)
640x350 - EGA
852x480 - HD480 (I'm sorry here, but if you have an HD TV set to this resolution, you have one wimpy electronic device. That's not a monitor, that's a cereal box.)
1280x720 - HD720 (Probably the 'normal' resolution for most HD TV's/Monitors
1920x1080 - HD1080 (aka, 1080i/p - Currently the HIGHEST quality video signal possible.)
There are definitely more possibilites as far as resolutions go, but these acronyms have these distinct resolution sizes. For example, XGA can have 1024x768, 1152x960, or even 1280x1024. There are also multiple NTSC video sizes when it comes to editing AVI movies like 720x480, and 360x240 but those do not have a 'Standard' name.
128x96 - SQCIF
176x144 - QCIF
352x288 - CIF
704x576 - 4CIF
160x120 - QQVGA
320x240 - QVGA
640x480 - VGA (The most common resolution as far as standard video transmission is concerned)
800x600 - SVGA
1024x768 - XGA (This is the new 'normal' as far as quality goes with VGA cables and video signals. I believe, though I am unsure, that this is the resolution where DVI cables begin)
1600x1200 - UXGA (If I were to guess this acronym I think it would be "Uber Xtreme Graphics Acceleration". By the way, this resolution is so high that it is probably the max for DVI cables)
320x200 - CGA (Probably some sort of PAL format)
640x350 - EGA
852x480 - HD480 (I'm sorry here, but if you have an HD TV set to this resolution, you have one wimpy electronic device. That's not a monitor, that's a cereal box.)
1280x720 - HD720 (Probably the 'normal' resolution for most HD TV's/Monitors
1920x1080 - HD1080 (aka, 1080i/p - Currently the HIGHEST quality video signal possible.)
There are definitely more possibilites as far as resolutions go, but these acronyms have these distinct resolution sizes. For example, XGA can have 1024x768, 1152x960, or even 1280x1024. There are also multiple NTSC video sizes when it comes to editing AVI movies like 720x480, and 360x240 but those do not have a 'Standard' name.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Firefox: Good to know keyboard shortcuts
I guess today is the day for a Firefox special considering this is the third post in one day. I found some keyboard shortcuts that just may help your internet experience.
CTRL + T - opens a new tab
CTRL + W - Closes the current tab (or will close the window if only one tab is open)
CTRL + Tab - switches between tabs
ALT + Left arrow - goes back one page
ALT + Right arrow - goes forward one page
ALT + Home - Loads homepage
End - goes to bottom of page
Home - goes to top of page
Page down - scrolls down one screen at a time
Page up - scrolls up " " " " "
These are just the commonly used ones that I use.
CTRL + T - opens a new tab
CTRL + W - Closes the current tab (or will close the window if only one tab is open)
CTRL + Tab - switches between tabs
ALT + Left arrow - goes back one page
ALT + Right arrow - goes forward one page
ALT + Home - Loads homepage
End - goes to bottom of page
Home - goes to top of page
Page down - scrolls down one screen at a time
Page up - scrolls up " " " " "
These are just the commonly used ones that I use.
Labels: tips
Firefox 3: Kill AOL Search
Do you all remember that lovely little thing that firefox 2 did whenever it couldn't find what you entered in the URL address line? It would always bring up the google search page with your query. Well Firefox 3 had to be dumb and make it search gay-o-l instead. The results were always horrible and you had to physically type google.com just to find what you were looking for. Well I finally cracked the secret on how to change firefox 3 to use google instead of AOL. :o)
Step 1: Start a new tab (or window) CRT + T
Step 2: type "about:config" in the URL line and accept the warning message. (don't worry, this is safe)
Step 3: In the search bar at the top of the page, type "search"
Step 4: Look for an entry titled "browser.search.selectedEngine" and change this value to "Google Search" (Right click on the line and select Modify)
Step 5: At the bottom of the listed entries, right click on the last entry titled "keyword.url". If you look at the right of the line, it will give a URL of the aol search. Right click the entry and select "Modify".
Step 6: Change the URL to the following: "http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q="
***Note: It is important that you use the exact phrases above, especially the one for the google url. If you simply type google.com it will end up looking for "google.com+(Your+Search+Phrase)"
Changes take effect immediately and it works marvelously. In case you didn't know, you can enter anything you want in Firefox's URL address line. If it cannot find a website for it, it will bring back the google search results. This saves time because you do not have to go to google.com or firefox's homepage.
Step 1: Start a new tab (or window) CRT + T
Step 2: type "about:config" in the URL line and accept the warning message. (don't worry, this is safe)
Step 3: In the search bar at the top of the page, type "search"
Step 4: Look for an entry titled "browser.search.selectedEngine" and change this value to "Google Search" (Right click on the line and select Modify)
Step 5: At the bottom of the listed entries, right click on the last entry titled "keyword.url". If you look at the right of the line, it will give a URL of the aol search. Right click the entry and select "Modify".
Step 6: Change the URL to the following: "http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q="
***Note: It is important that you use the exact phrases above, especially the one for the google url. If you simply type google.com it will end up looking for "google.com+(Your+Search+Phrase)"
Changes take effect immediately and it works marvelously. In case you didn't know, you can enter anything you want in Firefox's URL address line. If it cannot find a website for it, it will bring back the google search results. This saves time because you do not have to go to google.com or firefox's homepage.
Labels: FYI, Modifications, secrets, tips
Monday, June 9, 2008
Shell Commands
I was reading this article about helpful commands in Vista, however, these commands also work with XP - well I know a couple do because I just tired them. I find these really helpful. Just type this in your "Run Prompt" and it will perform its action. Really cool.
Most useful Shell commands
- shell:ChangeRemoveProgramsFolder - opens the Programs and Features (Add/Remove Programs) window.
- shell:Sendto - opens the SendTo folder so that you can easily add more locations to the Send To list.
- shell:Common Administrative Tools - opens the Administrative Tools menu as a folder
- shell:Desktop - opens the Desktop as a folder.
- shell:Downloads - opens your Downloads folder. (Vista Only)
- shell:Quick Launch - opens the Quick Launch folder. (Vista Only)
- shell:Searches - opens the Search folder showing all your saved searches. (Vista Only)
The other useful Shell commands
- shell:AppUpdatesFolder - opens the Installed Windows Updates location in Program and Files. (Vista Only)
- shell:Cache - opens Internet Explorer’s temporary Internet files folder.
- shell:CD Burning - opens the folder where Windows Vista temporarily stores files to be burned to a CD.
- shell:Common Desktop - opens the Public/Shared User’s Desktop folder.
- shell:Common Documents - opens the Public/Shared User’s Documents folder.
- shell:Common Programs - opens the Start menu shortcuts folder.
- shell:Common Start Menu - opens the Start Menu as a folder.
- shell:Common Startup - opens the Startup folder.
- shell:Common Templates - opens the Templates folder.
- shell:CommonDownloads - opens the Public User’s Downloads folder.
- shell:CommonMusic - opens the Public User’s Music folder.
- shell:CommonPictures - opens the Public User’s Pictures folder.
- shell:CommonVideo - opens the Public User’s Video folder.
- ***you can also open up separate folders of the like above by removing the term "Common"
- shell:ConflictFolder - opens the Sync Center Conflicts folder. (Vista Only)
- shell:ConnectionsFolder - opens the Network Connections folder. Very handy to know if you do a lot of networking
- shell:Contacts - opens your Contacts folder. (Vista Only)
- shell:ControlPanelFolder - opens the Control Panel.
- shell:Cookies - opens the cookies folder
- shell:Favorites - opens your Favorites folder.
- shell:Fonts - opens Vista’s/XP's Fonts folder.
- shell:Gadgets - opens your Windows Sidebar Gadgets folder. (Vista Only)
- shell:History - opens the Internet Explorer history folder.
- shell:InternetFolder - opens Internet Explorer to the "Welcome back"/"Change Your Settings" page - not the home page
- shell:Links - opens your Links folder location. (Vista Only)
- shell:MyMusic - opens your Music folder. (Vista Only)
- shell:MyPictures - opens your Pictures folder. (VistaOnly)
- shell:MyVideo - opens your Video folder.(Vista Only)
- shell:MyComputerFolder - opens Computer window.(Vista Only)
- shell:NetHood - opens Network Shortcuts folder or all the shared folders found on your network.
- shell:NetworkPlacesFolder - opens the Network Places location. (Vista Only)
- shell:Original Images - opens Windows Photo Gallery Original Images folder. (Vista Only)
- shell:Personal - opens your Documents folder. Works with XP
- shell:PhotoAlbums - opens your Slide Show folder. (Vista Only)
- shell:Playlists - opens your Playlists folder. (Vista Only)
- shell:PrintersFolder - opens Printers in the Control Panel.
- shell:Profile - opens your main folder, you know that place that stores all that crap like "my documents", "Favorites","start menu", "desktop","local settings".
- shell:ProgramFiles - opens the Program Files folder. Hallelujah this one works with XP and is now my new best friend.
- shell:Public - opens the Public User folder.(Vista Only)
- shell:Recent - opens the Recent Items(Recent Documents for XP) folder.
- shell:RecycleBinFolder - opens the Recycle Bin folder.
- shell:Start Menu - opens the Start Menu folder.
- shell:Startup - opens the Startup folder
- shell:System - opens the System32 folder location.
- shell:Templates - opens the Templates folder location.
- shell:UserProfiles - opens the Users folder. (Vista Only)
- shell:UsersFilesFolder - opens your main folder. (Vista Only)
- shell:Windows - opens the Windows folder. Works with XP
Labels: Articles, FYI, OS, Programming, secrets, Software, tips
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Youtube video quality booster
I found this on a website...
Supposedly, if you add "&fmt=18" (minus the "" marks) at the end of the URL for a youtube video, it will display the video at it's highest quality resolution. I'm not sure if that's true or not. I tried finding some crappy quality videos and then seeing the difference and it sort of helped. One thing that I noticed that did make a remarkable change was how fast the video loaded. The standard video was loading really slowly but after I added this little phrase, the buffered bar shot across the bottom. Try it out!
Stay tuned right here on GeekTech becuase coming up next I'm going to show you how you can turn your computer into a portable program for your jump drive with all the goodies and gadgets!
Supposedly, if you add "&fmt=18" (minus the "" marks) at the end of the URL for a youtube video, it will display the video at it's highest quality resolution. I'm not sure if that's true or not. I tried finding some crappy quality videos and then seeing the difference and it sort of helped. One thing that I noticed that did make a remarkable change was how fast the video loaded. The standard video was loading really slowly but after I added this little phrase, the buffered bar shot across the bottom. Try it out!
Stay tuned right here on GeekTech becuase coming up next I'm going to show you how you can turn your computer into a portable program for your jump drive with all the goodies and gadgets!
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Xpi
Word of the Day...
I just learned from Mozilla learning about creating your own add-on that there is a word..
xpi
Pronunciation - "Zippy"
I just learned from Mozilla learning about creating your own add-on that there is a word..
xpi
Pronunciation - "Zippy"
Labels: FYI, Programming, tips
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Remote Support
I started using something new on my computer. It's called Logmein.com. This is a website that provides free remote control to your PC from anywhere in the world. All you need is your PC on and another PC to connect via the internet. I've been looking for help solutions to provide remote support to anyone in need. I just had someone call me the other day with a problem that only I could fix in person or through remote support. Unfortunately, I cannot find a fully free program that will let me provide remote support. All I can find is this free TRIAL crap! I want this permanently, not for 30 days. Most people will just think about Remote Assistance from XP but it is so complicated that most people can't even mess with that. Currently, there are about 7 different remote applications installed on this PC that I am testing to see which one I like the best. The only problem is that the client computer must have the software installed for it to connect. I do not want this because that is more of a hassle.
I will probably post on "how to make a Remote Assistance Invitation and send it to someone".
I will probably post on "how to make a Remote Assistance Invitation and send it to someone".
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Windows XP is out to get it's users.
You'd be surprised to know that Windows XP wants your machine to suffer. Really, I'm not lying. Just ask my computer. Of course I always have to use system restore atleast once a day for as much modifying as I do, but here's a couple tips that will REALLY help DEFEAT your evil operating system.
Step one - XP is stupid. So let's give it some brains - I mean memory.
(only perform these actions if you have 256 MB of RAM or more)
(be sure to create a system restore point and back up your registry before continuing - don't worry though, these tweaks are absolutely safe. You will not lose any files whatsoever.)
1. Go to Start > Run then type " regedit ". (you may need to be the computer's administrator in order to make changes to the Registry.
2. Find the following key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\ SessionManager\Memory Management
3. Find " DisablePagingExecutive " and double click on it. Change the value to 1.
- This instructs the OS to keep program data in RAM for as long as possible enabling faster program responses
4. Find " LargeSystemCache " and double click on it. Set the value to 1.
- This makes the OS "Shadow ROM" or load the OS into RAM for faster load times and system responses.
5. Now right click in the white space under the list of keys and follow Create new > DWORD called "IOPageLockLimit" (without quotes), and set it to a value of "40000" if you have 512 MB or more. In case if you have 256 MB, set it as "10000". Remember that these should be HEX numbers. This particular tweak will speed up your disk cache.
6. Under the Memory management folder on the left, you will find a folder called PrefetchParameters. Click on this folder. On the right pane, you will find a key called "EnablePrefetcher". Set this value to "3".
All these tweaks put together should extract a significant amount of performance from your installation of Windows XP. I didn't perform all of these but I did post them in case you wanted to. The first time I read this I thought that using more RAM would actually slow the system but it is really helping my speeds.
***All information found in this tweak was taken from www.santa-reviews.blogspot.com***
Step two: XP is ugly so let's give it a make over - or new themes rather
(Be sure to create another system restore point just in case - again, this is safe!)
(if you do not have System Restore, you can download GoBack for free which does the exact same thing. Take care of that now!)
1. Go to www.wincustomize.com and look through some pretty cool themes, wallpapers, and screen savers.
1. Also you may want to check out www.Deviantart.com for free themes (this is where I get all my really sweet ones).
2. In order to use them however, you must replace one system file.
Here is a download link for a free utility to do all the work for you. Just run once and reboot. You will see no difference whatsoever after boot but the file is still changed. This does not harm your OS nor cause system instability/crashing/hooking.
3. Got a theme? Download it and unzip it if necessary. ***IMPORTANT*** When you apply this theme it becomes a system file. The theme file and containing folders should and cannot be modified at all. Save the theme somewhere on your computer (it actually does not matter where just don't forget because you need to know the path).
4. Double click on the .THEME file and your Window's Appearance Panel should open with the theme applied in the preview box. Some themes have multiple color profiles so be sure to check that drop down box. When the preview box is displaying a theme that you find satisfactory click Apply and then OK. XP will now display a message saying "Please Wait".
***You computer screen will then fade to black and white. This is NORMAL. This may also take sometime depending upon the speed of your processor and how good your specs are. This is also NORMAL. (mine usually takes a good thirty seconds or so.)
Your theme should now be applied. ***You may notice a slightly lower standard in system performance. Adding different visual effects causes delays in graphical rendering and thus uses more CPU processing.
Here's a screen shot of the theme that I am currently using. It is called Vistab2 and I download from deviantart.com:
***Click to enlarge***
5. Want different icons? You can find different shell32.dll files and installers to change your icons to new Vista, Mac, or any themed styles. Just search on google for icon installers. (wincustomize.com should have theme)
***That not working for you? Create your own! Simply open Paint and click on Image > Attributes. Set the Height and Width to 32 PIXELS (not inches) Then PAINT! When you are finished, click File > Save As. The file type must be a BMP (bitmap) but the filename can be whatever you want AS LONG AS it ends in " .ico " Again, this will be a system file if it is used, so save it in a place where it will not be modified, nor it's containing folders. To use that icon, click on the existing icon that you want to change. Go to Properties. Then click the Customize tab. Click "Change Icon" near the bottom and change the path to that of where your icon is saved. If you saved it correctly, it will be recognized and you may use it.
Step Three: XP is fat so lets get rid of some weight that's slowing it down - I mean the "Garbage"
There are two programs that I just adore: "Advanced Disk Cleaner" and "CCleaner"
1. Download Advanced Disk Cleaner. Simply install and run. In order to get your serial number, you must register. It is absolutely FREE. I mean it. I ordered my own serial number and I didn't pay one cent for it! You'd be surprised how much junk is on your computer. This will really help. Unfortunately, this will only scan for temporary files. ***NOT TEMPORARY INTERNET FILES*** The files it removes are from the temp directory. These are application files that are no longer necessary to have and are safe to remove. See #2...
2. Download CCleaner. Again, install and run. This requires no registration and of course it is still Freeware. I think I love this program better! The first time I used this, it removed so many useless files it wasn't even funny. The total scan time lasted only 106 seconds. It removed 1,716 MB of cookies, temp files, web browsing history, you name it!
Step Four: XP is a poor secretary - Let's fix the filing cabinet and it's list of operations.
The registry is probably the most important thing in your OS. Here, a list of instructions of every piece of code it kept. This instructs how the system should run and behave. When it gets jam packed with useless files, your computer slows down because it takes up room in the filing cabinet. Here's a piece of Freeware to help the system along.
***Products that require purchase do a better job than anything but this is the highest rated freeware registry cleaner according to CNET.***
1. Download Registry Defrag. Install and run. This will really speed your performance.
I don't recommend themeing XP but it can be done and is very cool to do so. The only reason why I don't recommend it is because it usually slows down your system just a little. But if you are only using a computer to check email and the news then it will not hurt your machine at all. I hope you find these tips helpful. Leave comments including your email address if you have any questions. I have comment moderation enabled so no one will see your comments or email addresses. I will not post them if they contain your contact info.
Step one - XP is stupid. So let's give it some brains - I mean memory.
(only perform these actions if you have 256 MB of RAM or more)
(be sure to create a system restore point and back up your registry before continuing - don't worry though, these tweaks are absolutely safe. You will not lose any files whatsoever.)
1. Go to Start > Run then type " regedit ". (you may need to be the computer's administrator in order to make changes to the Registry.
2. Find the following key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\ SessionManager\Memory Management
3. Find " DisablePagingExecutive " and double click on it. Change the value to 1.
- This instructs the OS to keep program data in RAM for as long as possible enabling faster program responses
4. Find " LargeSystemCache " and double click on it. Set the value to 1.
- This makes the OS "Shadow ROM" or load the OS into RAM for faster load times and system responses.
5. Now right click in the white space under the list of keys and follow Create new > DWORD called "IOPageLockLimit" (without quotes), and set it to a value of "40000" if you have 512 MB or more. In case if you have 256 MB, set it as "10000". Remember that these should be HEX numbers. This particular tweak will speed up your disk cache.
6. Under the Memory management folder on the left, you will find a folder called PrefetchParameters. Click on this folder. On the right pane, you will find a key called "EnablePrefetcher". Set this value to "3".
All these tweaks put together should extract a significant amount of performance from your installation of Windows XP. I didn't perform all of these but I did post them in case you wanted to. The first time I read this I thought that using more RAM would actually slow the system but it is really helping my speeds.
***All information found in this tweak was taken from www.santa-reviews.blogspot.com***
Step two: XP is ugly so let's give it a make over - or new themes rather
(Be sure to create another system restore point just in case - again, this is safe!)
(if you do not have System Restore, you can download GoBack for free which does the exact same thing. Take care of that now!)
1. Go to www.wincustomize.com and look through some pretty cool themes, wallpapers, and screen savers.
1. Also you may want to check out www.Deviantart.com for free themes (this is where I get all my really sweet ones).
2. In order to use them however, you must replace one system file.
Here is a download link for a free utility to do all the work for you. Just run once and reboot. You will see no difference whatsoever after boot but the file is still changed. This does not harm your OS nor cause system instability/crashing/hooking.
UXTheme_Multi_Patcher_4.0.zip(Just download and unzip and run) To return the file back to normal just run this again. You will not be able to use your themes again after that.
3. Got a theme? Download it and unzip it if necessary. ***IMPORTANT*** When you apply this theme it becomes a system file. The theme file and containing folders should and cannot be modified at all. Save the theme somewhere on your computer (it actually does not matter where just don't forget because you need to know the path).
4. Double click on the .THEME file and your Window's Appearance Panel should open with the theme applied in the preview box. Some themes have multiple color profiles so be sure to check that drop down box. When the preview box is displaying a theme that you find satisfactory click Apply and then OK. XP will now display a message saying "Please Wait".
***You computer screen will then fade to black and white. This is NORMAL. This may also take sometime depending upon the speed of your processor and how good your specs are. This is also NORMAL. (mine usually takes a good thirty seconds or so.)
Your theme should now be applied. ***You may notice a slightly lower standard in system performance. Adding different visual effects causes delays in graphical rendering and thus uses more CPU processing.
Here's a screen shot of the theme that I am currently using. It is called Vistab2 and I download from deviantart.com:
***Click to enlarge***5. Want different icons? You can find different shell32.dll files and installers to change your icons to new Vista, Mac, or any themed styles. Just search on google for icon installers. (wincustomize.com should have theme)
***That not working for you? Create your own! Simply open Paint and click on Image > Attributes. Set the Height and Width to 32 PIXELS (not inches) Then PAINT! When you are finished, click File > Save As. The file type must be a BMP (bitmap) but the filename can be whatever you want AS LONG AS it ends in " .ico " Again, this will be a system file if it is used, so save it in a place where it will not be modified, nor it's containing folders. To use that icon, click on the existing icon that you want to change. Go to Properties. Then click the Customize tab. Click "Change Icon" near the bottom and change the path to that of where your icon is saved. If you saved it correctly, it will be recognized and you may use it.
Step Three: XP is fat so lets get rid of some weight that's slowing it down - I mean the "Garbage"
There are two programs that I just adore: "Advanced Disk Cleaner" and "CCleaner"
1. Download Advanced Disk Cleaner. Simply install and run. In order to get your serial number, you must register. It is absolutely FREE. I mean it. I ordered my own serial number and I didn't pay one cent for it! You'd be surprised how much junk is on your computer. This will really help. Unfortunately, this will only scan for temporary files. ***NOT TEMPORARY INTERNET FILES*** The files it removes are from the temp directory. These are application files that are no longer necessary to have and are safe to remove. See #2...
2. Download CCleaner. Again, install and run. This requires no registration and of course it is still Freeware. I think I love this program better! The first time I used this, it removed so many useless files it wasn't even funny. The total scan time lasted only 106 seconds. It removed 1,716 MB of cookies, temp files, web browsing history, you name it!
Step Four: XP is a poor secretary - Let's fix the filing cabinet and it's list of operations.
The registry is probably the most important thing in your OS. Here, a list of instructions of every piece of code it kept. This instructs how the system should run and behave. When it gets jam packed with useless files, your computer slows down because it takes up room in the filing cabinet. Here's a piece of Freeware to help the system along.
***Products that require purchase do a better job than anything but this is the highest rated freeware registry cleaner according to CNET.***
1. Download Registry Defrag. Install and run. This will really speed your performance.
I don't recommend themeing XP but it can be done and is very cool to do so. The only reason why I don't recommend it is because it usually slows down your system just a little. But if you are only using a computer to check email and the news then it will not hurt your machine at all. I hope you find these tips helpful. Leave comments including your email address if you have any questions. I have comment moderation enabled so no one will see your comments or email addresses. I will not post them if they contain your contact info.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
I FIXED IT!
Now I see why everything was messed up...
There was a problem with Tweaking Toolbox XP. Whenever I would run it, it would still say that I had 30 days left. Well since I've been trying so many times to restore the system to an earlier point, it wasn't working. I tried one last restore point - one that TTXP and made. IT WORKED! So I was able to go back into TTXP and change all the settings back to "normal" - or as close as normal as I could get it. So now the floating windows don't activate themselves and I don't get annoyed as easily. My computer seems to be running better too!
I tried uninstalling TTXP as well as another program and it said that the uninstallation files could not be found. UHOH. So what do you do? You go into your program files folder and delete all the files TAHT'S WHAT YOU DO!. So I did. Well now there's still fragments everywhere in your registry. Registry Mechanic to the RESCUE!!! It found 156 errors. I love this piece of software. It fixed them all and now I hope that my computer will not blow up the next time I boot.
I still have no idea how my computer became a Beta tester. Which reminds me...
I found a free decompiler! This actually allows you to import any sort of system file and change the script to whatever you want and then recompile and save it! I originally downloaded it because I had insturctions of how to change the "start" button. It allowed you to make it say whatever you want by modifying the 1033 file string in folder 38 of explorer.exe. I ended up getting an error message when I tried to save. Poo...
I'd put the link on here but i'm busy with some other things. I will leave you with this however...
http://santa-reviews.blogspot.com/
Here's a blog with tons of stuff that I even used! Check out the "Labels" section at right in order to filter by subject. I modified my registry to help windows run better. So far it is really helping. And for all the computer trouble I've been having... don't worry, I created a system restore point and made a new copy of my registry. All should be good. Prepare for a crash landing.....
There was a problem with Tweaking Toolbox XP. Whenever I would run it, it would still say that I had 30 days left. Well since I've been trying so many times to restore the system to an earlier point, it wasn't working. I tried one last restore point - one that TTXP and made. IT WORKED! So I was able to go back into TTXP and change all the settings back to "normal" - or as close as normal as I could get it. So now the floating windows don't activate themselves and I don't get annoyed as easily. My computer seems to be running better too!
I tried uninstalling TTXP as well as another program and it said that the uninstallation files could not be found. UHOH. So what do you do? You go into your program files folder and delete all the files TAHT'S WHAT YOU DO!. So I did. Well now there's still fragments everywhere in your registry. Registry Mechanic to the RESCUE!!! It found 156 errors. I love this piece of software. It fixed them all and now I hope that my computer will not blow up the next time I boot.
I still have no idea how my computer became a Beta tester. Which reminds me...
I found a free decompiler! This actually allows you to import any sort of system file and change the script to whatever you want and then recompile and save it! I originally downloaded it because I had insturctions of how to change the "start" button. It allowed you to make it say whatever you want by modifying the 1033 file string in folder 38 of explorer.exe. I ended up getting an error message when I tried to save. Poo...
I'd put the link on here but i'm busy with some other things. I will leave you with this however...
http://santa-reviews.blogspot.com/
Here's a blog with tons of stuff that I even used! Check out the "Labels" section at right in order to filter by subject. I modified my registry to help windows run better. So far it is really helping. And for all the computer trouble I've been having... don't worry, I created a system restore point and made a new copy of my registry. All should be good. Prepare for a crash landing.....
Labels: Modifications, Software, tips
I'm back now...
I realize it has been awhile but my life does not revolve around geeky things all the time. I got back from a trip not too long ago so that explains why I've been out for some time. I added something cool on the side ------->
This is kind of my message board/forum or shout out board. I would ask that you atleast put your blogger name, nick name, or other sort of ID instead of posting anonymous. Thanks.
Now anyway, I found this really cool thing on wincustomize.com. It is called Tweak Toolbox XP. This program lets you modify every aspect of your computer. One thing that I have set up is if I mouse over an inactive window, it will activate by itself and rise to focus. I also put a delay on it so it waits 350 milliseconds before activating. The bad part is it's kind of annoying after awhile. I was going to disable it when Tweak Toolbox would not start up. It's says that the trail is over (by the way it is shareware so you only get a 30 day trial) when I only installed it on Tuesday. I tried rolling back to a previous restore point and it my computer said it couldn't. I wouldn't be surprised if I end up reformatting my computer again.
At least if I do reformat, I thought ahead this time... When you reformat, it only touches the operating system drive which is C:. So I used Partition Magic to split C: into C: and Z:. All my documents are saved on Z: (sized at 118 GB) and all system files and programs files are on C: (sized at 25 GB). I also have a factory created drive called D:. This is my recovery drive so when I reformat I don't have to use the discs, it is automatic from this part of the hard drive. Good thinking eMachines! Downside to this is that when I do reformat all my programs are erased. Upside is all the installation executables are in a folder on Z: where I have them backed up.
I really should have left more space on C:, however, because 25 GB is still not enough. Currently, I only have 5.32 GB left. It is partly because some programs, like RCT3 and Microsoft Works 2003 take up a lot of room. I should be fine thought because I can also start installing programs onto Z: if necessary.
I don't really want to mess around with all of this right now so I think I'll just deal with it for awhile. My older brother keeps telling me not to mess around with my computer so much. He says it is all sucking my system resources which it is. But what fun is a computer if you can't modify it to your tastes? EXACTLY!
This is kind of my message board/forum or shout out board. I would ask that you atleast put your blogger name, nick name, or other sort of ID instead of posting anonymous. Thanks.
Now anyway, I found this really cool thing on wincustomize.com. It is called Tweak Toolbox XP. This program lets you modify every aspect of your computer. One thing that I have set up is if I mouse over an inactive window, it will activate by itself and rise to focus. I also put a delay on it so it waits 350 milliseconds before activating. The bad part is it's kind of annoying after awhile. I was going to disable it when Tweak Toolbox would not start up. It's says that the trail is over (by the way it is shareware so you only get a 30 day trial) when I only installed it on Tuesday. I tried rolling back to a previous restore point and it my computer said it couldn't. I wouldn't be surprised if I end up reformatting my computer again.
At least if I do reformat, I thought ahead this time... When you reformat, it only touches the operating system drive which is C:. So I used Partition Magic to split C: into C: and Z:. All my documents are saved on Z: (sized at 118 GB) and all system files and programs files are on C: (sized at 25 GB). I also have a factory created drive called D:. This is my recovery drive so when I reformat I don't have to use the discs, it is automatic from this part of the hard drive. Good thinking eMachines! Downside to this is that when I do reformat all my programs are erased. Upside is all the installation executables are in a folder on Z: where I have them backed up.
I really should have left more space on C:, however, because 25 GB is still not enough. Currently, I only have 5.32 GB left. It is partly because some programs, like RCT3 and Microsoft Works 2003 take up a lot of room. I should be fine thought because I can also start installing programs onto Z: if necessary.
I don't really want to mess around with all of this right now so I think I'll just deal with it for awhile. My older brother keeps telling me not to mess around with my computer so much. He says it is all sucking my system resources which it is. But what fun is a computer if you can't modify it to your tastes? EXACTLY!
