Tips Links

Backing up your computer. This discussion subject from May 5, 2001 will give you some tips for backing up your important data and files.

Additional Backup Information.  From the May 11, 2002 discussion on more backup information.

Computer hard drive maintenance.  The April 18, 2001 discussion on how to maintain the health of your hard drive.

Hard Drive Check In Windows XP.  How to check your hard drive (used to be scandisk in previous Windows versions) from the September 15, 2006 discussion.

Windows XP hard drive maintenance.  How to perform a disk check in Windows XP.

Keyboard shortcuts.  This discussion focuses on how to use the keyboard to navigate and function within Windows and application programs instead of chasing everything with the mouse, from May 15, 2001.

Windows active desktop.  What is the active desktop, from August 23, 2001. Windows XP. Shortly after XP was delivered, I wrote this discussion on November 16, 2001.

File Names. Have you ever wondered what the extensions ( the three letters after the name of a file) mean?  The original DOS naming convention used an eight dot three format (maximum of eight letters before the period and up to three after).  Each type of file uses a different extension to tell you what the file is.  This July 3, 2001 discussion gives a list of the extensions.

What's a DLL file?  Ever wondered what a DLL file is and what it does?  The December 13, 2001 discussion will explain it.

Online Buying.  This September 23, 2004 discussion covers purchasing computer equipment buying online.

Clean Up your Hard Drive.  Using Disk Cleanup, from April 4, 2005.

Drive Imaging.  A May 2, 2005 discussion on using drive imaging to backup your data and programs.

Customizing the Taskbar.  August 10, 2005 discussion on how to customize the Windows taskbar.

Consolidating Important Information  Put all your important information in a password protected Excel or Word file as this October 17, 2006 discussion explains.

Spam revisited.  Since spam is getting more prolific, this January 15, 2007 discussion gives more information on how to decrease spam.

Security Suites.  My December 1, 2007 discussion on whether or not to purchase a security suite for your system.

Backups revisited - My January 1, 2009 discussion on backups and drive imaging.

Creating a Windows Vista Password Reset Disk -  My July 1, 2009 discussion on creating a password reset disk.

Be careful out there - September 1, 2009 discussing clicking on email and Internet links.

A New Year 2010 - January 1, 2010 discussion of what the new year might bring.

Email Folder Size - My February 1, 2010 discussion on the importance of keeping email folder sizes in check.

Internet & Email Scams - April 1, 2010 discussion of scams.

Importing and Exporting from Outlook and Outlook Express - From the May 1, 2010 discussion.

Windows Update Settings - My September 1, 2010 discussion on configuring Windows update service.