Windows XP Tips

Windows XP Screen Saver Banner
The Flying Objects screen saver will let you turn any bitmapped (.bmp) picture into a flying banner. Right-click on your Desktop and select Properties, click the Screen Saver tab and select 3D Flying Objects from the menu. Click on the Settings button to the right. Click the down arrow to the right of the Style option and choose Textured Flag from the list. Then click the Texture button and locate and select any .bmp image. Click the Open button. Put a checkmark in the Smooth Shading box and set the Resolution and Size controls to Max. Click OK and then the Preview button to test it.

To change a .jpg image into a .bmp image, open it in Microsoft Photo Editor, go to File, Save As, and in the Save As Type: drop down box, choose Windows Bitmap. Click Save.

Change the Appearance of Windows XP
If you would like a different color for your Windows and Buttons, right-click anywhere on your Desktop (not on an icon), and choose Properties. Click on the Appearance tab. Under Windows and Buttons, it should say Windows XP Style. Under Color Scheme, you will have three choices of color. Blue is the default. Other choices are Olive Green and Silver. The preview Window will show you what each color will look like when you click on it. After choosing, Click OK.

Start Menu Properties
To change the look of your Start menu, right-click on the Start button, and choose Properties. You have two options: Start Menu and Classic Start Menu. For a different look, choose the one that isn't chosen. Then click OK. The Classic Start Menu looks like previous versions of Windows.

Manipulate the QuickLaunch Taskbar Area
The QuickLaunch area of the taskbar, directly to the right of the Start button, contains shortcuts for various programs. To add shortcuts to the QuickLaunch area, just drag and drop an icon from the Desktop to the QuickLaunch bar and it is added. If you need to delete a shortcut from the QuickLaunch bar, right-click an icon and choose Delete, and then confirm. You can click and drag the QuickLaunch slider between the QuickLaunch area and the currently running programs area of the Taskbar to increase/decrease the QuickLaunch area's size. If you are unable to do this, right-click on the Taskbar and remove the check next to Lock the Taskbar. When you have it the way you want it, right-click and recheck Lock the Taskbar.

Common Editing Shortcuts
These keyboard shortcuts work in most software programs and the Windows environment. Even if you are a "mouse" person, learning a few keyboard shortcuts will make your life easier!

Del: delete selected text
Ctrl-X: Cut the selected text, placing a copy in the Clipboard.
Ctrl-C: Copy the selected text to the Clipboard.
Ctrl-V: Paste the contents of the Clipboard at the current cursor position (the Clipboard contents remain, so you can paste several times).
Ctrl-Z: Undo the last keystroke (If you only use one keyboard shortcut, this should be the one!)
Ctrl-F: Find text
Ctrl-H: Find and replace text

Display Programs Menu in Alphabetical Order
By default, Windows XP's All Programs menu should display items in alphabetical order - first the folders in alphabetical order, then individual programs in alphabetical order. This naturally makes it easier to find software. However, after installing and uninstalling many applications, items tend to appear in a seemingly random order. If you'd like to re-sort the items in your Programs menu so they appear from A to Z, click Start, All Programs. Right-click on any entry in the All Programs menu. Choose Sort by Name.

Quickly Zoom In and Out of Your Document
If you have a mouse with a wheel, press and hold the Ctrl key and scroll the wheel up to zoom in on your document. Press and hold the Ctrl key and scroll the wheel down to zoom out.