Computer Tips

1.Using the Explorer's SEND TO Feature

When you right click on a file, SEND TO is one of the options.
To add other directories or programs, simply drag them to the SEND TO folder that is directly under the directory where you installed Win95.
This will allow you to quickly move files to commonly used areas.
For example, you can SEND TO applications like WinZip.

2.Starting the Explorer from the Current DOS Directory

To start Explorer from whatever subdirectory you are in when shelled out in DOS: Type "Start .\"
The Explorer will start in that very same directory
"Start ..\" will start the Explorer one directory above the current one.
"Start \" will start the Explorer at the root of the drive.

3.Explorer Shortcut Keys

F4 - Displays the Combo Box
F5 - Refresh the display
Ctrl+G - Go to a specific directory
Ctrl+Z - Undo last action
Backspace - Go up one directory

4.Starting Explorer when opening a Folder

To have an Explorer window be the default when you open up a Folder: Open up any folder.
Select View / Options
Select File Types
Go down to Folder
Click on Edit
Highlight Explore
Click on Set Default
Click on Close
Click on Close again
Now when you open a folder, you will get an Explorer window with the programs or shortcuts in the right panel
and the regular explorer window in the left panel. 

5.Expanding All Subfolders in Explorer

To quickly have Explorer expand all subfolders for a selected drive or folder,
simply press the asterisk (*) key on the numeric keypad

6.Easier File Copying with Explorer

One difference between Explorer and File Manager is that with File Manager
you could open up two windows to more easily copy files between drives.
To do the same thing with Explorer: Close all running applications
Start two copies of Explorer
Press Ctrl-Esc to bring up the task bar
Right click on an open space
Select Tile Horizontally or Vertically depending on your preference
Your two Explorer sessions will now split the screen and you can copy between them by
dragging files like before.

7.Starting Explorer with No Drives Expanded

Normally when you start the Explorer, it expands the folders on the root of the C: Drive.
For those computers with multiple hard drives plus CD ROM Drives, this might not always be what you want.
If you want it to start without expanding any drives, use the following switches: EXPLORER /n, /e, /select, c:\

This will work with NT 4.0 as well 

8.Opening a DOS Prompt in the Directory You Want

You can use the Explorer to easily open up a DOS window to a specific directory. From Explorer Option Menu select File Types
Highlight the object for Folder - NOT File Folder
Click the Edit button
From the 'Edit File Type' panel click the 'New' button
Action is '&Goto DOS Prompt'
Application used is C:\windows\command.com /k cd %1
Select OK, then Close and Close.
Now from Explorer secondary (right) click the folder you want to go to in DOS
From the menu select 'GotDOS Prompt' (or hit G) and you are in that directory with a DOS windows
For Win NT 4.0 same tip, but substitute cmd.exe for command.com)

9.Added Non-Expanded Explorer when Right Clicking on a Folder

Adding a second Explorer to the menu that pops up when right clicking on any folder or the Start Button.
This is handy to be able to open Explorer non-expanded and also for being able to open a second Explorer (non-expanded) while already in Explorer. Open My Computer
Choose View-Options-File Types
Select the File Folder file type
Click Edit
For ACTION, type EXPLORER2
For APPLICATION USED, type C:\WINDOWS\EXPLORER.EXE /n,/e,/select,C:\
Click OK and close all windows
Run REGEDIT
Expand HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
Locate and expand DIRECTORY
Locate and expand SHELL
Locate and expand EXPLORER2
Select COMMAND
On the right window RIGHT CLICK on DEFAULT
Select MODIFY
Remove the space and %1 at the end of the line
Click OK and close REGEDIT
EXPLORER2 will show up and launch a non-expanded view of Explorer whenever you right-click on the START BUTTON or any folder, even if you are already in Explorer.

The whole procedure can be done in REGEDIT, but this may be safer for users not experienced with REGEDIT 

10.Automatically Adjusting Right-Panel Column Widths

The column widths in the right hand panel of the Explorer might not be the correct sizes to display all the file information.
To automatically adjust all the columns at once to show all the information, Click somewhere on the right-hand panel
Simply press the Ctrl-+ key.
The Name, Size, Type and Modified columns will automatically adjust themselves to display all their information.
Note: The + is the one on the numeric keyboard 

11.Hiding the File Menu in the Explorer

To hide the File Menu in Explorer: Start Regedit
Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
Create a new Binary Value
Name it NoFileMenu
Give it a value of 01 00 00 00
Reboot the computer

12.Changing the Explorer's Web View Background

If you use Web View for your Explorer, you can change the background that appears. Edit or recreate the file >C:\Windows\Web\Wvleft.bmp

Make sure you keep the file dimensions the same 182x237 pixels

13.Keeping Filenames in the Case You Want

To stop Windows from changing the case of your filenames to upper or lower case: Start Regedit
Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Explorer \ Advanced
Double-click DontPrettyPath (or create this key with a type of REG_DWORD if it doesn't exist)
Set the value to 1 to keep the case as you type it or 0 to adjust the case as Explorer requires
Click OK
Close Regedit 

14.Resetting Graphics PreView in Explorer

For Windows98, ME or Windows 2000, if you have View as Web Page enabled but do not see a picture preview in Explorer: Start Regedit

Go to Registry key: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT \ file type \ ShellEx \ {BB2E617C-0920-11d1-9A0B-00C04FC2D6C1}
Make sure the Default Value "{7376D660-C583-11d0-A3A5-00C04FD706EC}"

15.Changing Drive Labels in Explorer (Windows2000 and XP)

Normally the Explorer shows drive labels as "Compact Disk", "Removable Disk" ect. To change the name of this label for specific drives:

Start Regedit
Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE / SOFTWARE / Microsoft / Windows / CurrentVersion / Explorer
Create a key called DriveIcons
Within DriveIcons, create another key with the drive letter you want to change (..\DriveIcons\K)
Create another within the drive letter key called DefaultLabel
Give the Default Value for this key the label you want to appear for that drive letter. (Jazz Drive etc.)
Restart the computer

16.Changing Drive Icons in Explorer

To change the icon used for specific drives in Explorer Start Regedit
Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE / SOFTWARE / Microsoft / Windows / CurrentVersion / Explorer
Create a key called DriveIcons
Within DriveIcons, create another key with the drive letter you want to change (..\DriveIcons\K)
Create another key within the drive letter key called DefaultIcon
Set the default value equal to the icon you want to use.
If you have a file that has more than one icon in it, such as a DLL file, use the standard C:\full_path\icon_file.dll,x
where x is the number of the icon within the file icon_file.dll.

17.Changing the Default Sound in Explorer

You can change the default sound heard when navigating to folders in the Explorer. Start Regedit
Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ AppEvents \ Schemes \ Apps\ Explorer \ Navigating\ .current
Change the default value to the wav file you want to use.
Leaving it blank will turn off the sound.
This also changes the default sound when opening a page in the Internet Explorer.

18.Removing Right-Click Items

When you right click on a folder or file with the Explorer, a list of options is available.
As more applications get installed, this list may get too large for you. To remove items from the list:

Note the text of the item you want to remove

Start Regedit

Go to the following sections in the Registry and delete the subkey with the string you noted in Step 1.

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\file
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell