Tips to Customize Windows XPby Joe Issac, Central KY Computer Society Change the Picture on the Welcome Screen If your computer is a member of a workgroup or is a stand-alone computer, you can replace the picture on the Welcome screen with another picture. First, store a head shot that you've scanned or taken with a digital camera in the My Pictures folder. The picture will be automatically resized to fit the picture box, so don't worry too much about getting an exact size, and then follow these steps: 1. Click Start, click Control Panel, and then click User Accounts. 2. Click your account name, and then click Change My Picture. 3. Click the picture you like, and then click Change Picture. 4. To find the user's picture, click Browse for more pictures, click the picture you want to use, and then click Open. Now, when you open the Welcome screen, you will see the new picture. Create a Keyboard Shortcut to Open a Folder or Program Do you have a folder to which you want instant access from anywhere on your computer? For example, if you want the My Music folder to pop up while Internet Explorer or Word is maximized, do this: Select the folder in Windows Explorer. Create a shortcut, and place it on the desktop. (You create a shortcut by opening the folder, pointing to New on the File menu, then clicking Shortcut. Drag the shortcut to your desktop.) Right-click the new shortcut, and then click Properties. In the Properties dialog box, click the Shortcut tab, and in the Shortcut key box, enter a Control key combination or a Control-Shift key combination, (that is, CTRL+ALT+M or CTRL+SHIFT+M when M is for music), and then click OK. Anytime you hit the key combination you specified, your folder will open, even when other programs are maximized! This tip can be applied to folders, programs, and text file shortcuts that are placed on the desktop. Change the Start Menu Style Does the new Windows XP Start menu take up too much space on your desktop? You can easily change the look back to the Windows Classic Start menu by following these steps: Right-click the Start button, and then click Properties. Click Classic Start menu. Click the Customize button to select items to display on the Start menu. By default, selecting the Classic Start menu also adds the My Documents, My Computer, My Network Places, and Internet Explorer icons to your desktop. Add Familiar Icons Back to Your Desktop It's the case of the missing icons. Many of you may be wondering where all the icons from your desktop are in Windows XP? Well if you're like me, you like to have at least My Computer, My Network Places, and My Documents on the desktop. do this: Right-click on the desktop, and then click Properties. Click the Desktop tab and then click on Customize Desktop. Put a check mark in the box next to My Document, My Computer, My Network Places, or Internet Explorer, to add those familiar icons to your desktop. Keep Your Favorite Programs Near the Top of the Start Menu Do you have a favorite program that you frequently use? Elevate its priority on the Start menu by putting it at the top of the list. This ensures that the program will remain on the Start menu and cannot be bumped by other programs, even if you use the others more frequently. -click the link to your favorite program on the Start menu and select Pin to Start Menu. Your program will be moved permanently to the top part of the list, just below your browser and e-mail programs. Change the Default Opening Folder in Windows Explorer By default, Windows Explorer opens showing the My Documents folder. To change the default setting so that all top–level drives and folders are shown, follow these steps: 1. Click Start, point to Programs, then Accessories, then right–click Windows Explorer, and click Properties. 2. Under Target field, which reads %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe, add text to make the line read %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /n, /e, /select, C:\ 3. Click OK. I love that little trick. Now when you open Windows Explorer you get to choose from all the folders and drives, not just My Documents |