Windows 2000 Windows 98 Windows 95 Windows NT Linux Palm Macintosh Beos |
Windows 98 |
Program Management\Installation |
Easier
access to apps in the Start Menu
Here's a shortcut for your Start Menu. To get to a program fast, rename the program or folder and put a number in front of the Program(s) you want to get to quickly. EXAMPLE: 1
WinZip Then type the Start Menu shortcut (Ctrl + Esc), click on Programs, then type the number in front of the program you want. Example: Ctrl + Esc + click on Programs + 2 = Word Hope the trick helps! MATTHEW (I'm 11) Easier way to find your Win98 Product Key Start >> Run Type in Regedit GoTo Edit >> Find Type in ProductKey (no space between words) Hit Enter Be patient. Edit takes a few moments to work. You'll be taken to the key where you can see the 25-digit key Fixing the Programs listing Hate the way the Start Menu's Programs listing is now one big long column that you have to scroll up and down to find the stuff you want? You can put it back to the old multi-column style with a simple Registry edit. Start
>> Run >> Regedit Go to: Edit > New > String Value Then type StartMenuScrollPrograms
and hit Enter Voila! No more single column scrolling blues! Changing your identity Hello. I'm GORK, I live in Portugal, and this tip works with Win98SE Portuguese (never tried on older versions/languages--[Ed. Note: works with my English copy]). If you want to change the serial number, registered name, or organization in Win98SE, try this:
Next time you boot there will be a form asking you for the name/organization and serial number. Cool Closing Trick To close a number of open programs at the same time, hold down the CTRL key, click the programs on the taskbar you want to close, then right-click on any one of the selected ones and choose Close. Reinstalling a faster, slicker Win98 Need to format your drive and reinstall Windows from scratch? It just got easier.
You will notice that almost half of the junk files are not loaded this time--just the essentials. Also, whenever you add an accessory, Windows knows exactly where to look to get the files it needs. Nope, not the Windows 98 CD, but the c:\options\cabs\win98 directory from which you originally installed it. Finding your Product Key Lost your Windows 98 Product Key (used to install/re-install Windows)? If it's already installed on your system, you can find it using RegEdit and going to key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ProductKey There you'll find your 25-digit install code! Dealing with different OEM #s Want to install Windows 9x but you have another CD that contains another OEM# and you don't want to format the drive? Just renanme Win.COM to Win.CON so that Windows Setup can't recognize it. You have to do this in DOS mode in order for it to work Restoring Win98 after installing something new freezes your box Ever install an application, patch, update, or driver and then reboot your computer and it runs erratically or doesn't bootup at all? Well, Windows 98 has a Registry Restoration program built into it. To restore the Registry and system to a "pre-install" state, simply reboot and hold down the CTRL key or F8 key so that you get the Windows 98 boot menu. Then choose Safe Mode Command Prompt only and hit Enter. When you come up with the C:\> prompt change to the C:\windows\command directory. Once there type scanreg /restore, hit Enter, and the system will run the Windows Registry Checker and come up with a list of 5 backed-up Registries and their corresponding backup dates. Choose the date that is nearest to the pre-install date, press Enter, and that Registry will be restored to the system. By default, Windows 98 keeps copies of only the last 5 backed-up Registries and does this all with no user intervention. There is a way to increase the number of Registries that 98 will store and a way the user can make backup registries for use with Scanreg, but I'm saving those for future tips . . . Easy way to change Win98 settings Need an easy way to view or alter what is running in the background? Need to change your config.sys or autoexec.bat? Want to change what drivers are loaded when Windows starts? All this and more can be done by clicking on your Start button, clicking Run, and typing in msconfig or msconfig.exe. From here you can alter many settings on your Win98 computer. Win98 Easier Startup Control Seek and destroy those annoying start up programs that seem unstoppable. Try this well hidden utility present in Win 98. Under Start / Accessories / System Tools / System Information, and then the Tools Tab / System Configuration Utility, hit the Startup File button. There you will find a list of every TSR, start-up file, setup applet, etc. that is present in your system. Make sure you know which one your looking for, for some of them are vital for Win98. Also this System Information Utility has a bundle of goodies to review your startup files, with editors to review boot files, Registry review, cleanup, and editing. Under Tool files there are a many helpful utilities including the system check tool, Direct X Benchmark Utility, uninstall info and a genorous offering of delectable system diagnostic tools. I find it extremely helpful and actually fun to use these. Of course, maybe I should get a life while I am at it. (Rob note: The tip right below outlines the more "manual" way to control your startup apps.) Removing Startup programs You have searched for them in the StartUp folder. You have searched for them in your System.ini file. Yet still no instances of the pesky programs that load at startup. Simple: some of them are still stored in the Registry. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version. Under that, there are two keys, named Run and RunOnce. Another place is HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version. Under that branch, search for keys named Run, RunOnce, RunOnceEx, RunServices & RunServicesOnce. Once you find it, it is advisable not to delete the string. Instead, just clear away the value. Nicely done! Do Windows Update Privately Want access to Microsoft Windows Update but don't want to give up all your personal information to do it? Open your Registry Editor (REGEDIT.EXE) and
navigate to: On the right-hand side, you should see RegDone "". Edit that to make it RegDone "1". It won't show up on the Welcome to Windows app, but will give you total access to Windows Update. Program Files By Any Other Name The Problem: The Solution: In order to get the program to install properly, start by uninstalling it if it's currently installed. Then re-install it, instructing setup to install the program folder into this folder: C:\PROGRA~1. That's the DOS abbreviation of the long filename for the C:\Program Files folder. You can see it if you enter DOS and type the dir command. Note: Some programs may need the trailing backslash, like this: C:\PROGRA~1\
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