Windows 98 Tips and Tricks

Create a new shortcut. Type in the path as: X:\windows\rundll.exe user.exe,exitwindows. X is your local hard drive replace it with the correct letter. Place this on the desktop(than you can drag it on to the quick launch bar). Now, whenever you want to exit, click on this shortcut and you are off. No menus and no 'black curtain' screen with it. Also to make life even easier you can add a shortcut key(s) by right-clicking on the shortcut and going to properties and type the key(s) in the Shortcut Key box.

One-click Restart

Create a shortcut on the desktop with the path: X:\windows\rundll.exe user.exe,exitwindowsexec. X is your local hard drive replace it with the correct letter. Also to make life even easier you can add a shortcut key(s) by right-clicking on the shortcut and going to properties and type the key(s) in the Shortcut Key box.

Add Sounds to Application Events
Windows comes with a bunch of sound events where a wav file will play when an action is done. If you want to add sound events to program actions, you have to crank up the registry editor (Start/Run.../regedit) and go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\AppEvents\Schemes\Apps There are two folders, .Default and Explorer. Right-click on Apps and Choose New/Key. The name of the key must be the name of the .EXE file you want sounds for(Example: Iexplore for Internet Explorer). For better reading change the key Default from "none" to the name of the application. Right-click on the key you created and choose New/Key named Open . Create another new key name called Close Go to Control Panel/ Sounds. There is a new item and two subitems, Open Program and Close Program, for the program you just added to the registry. Add sound files to them. The next time you start/close the EXE file the sound will play.

Registry Backups

By default, Windows 98 keeps five most recent backups of your Registry. You can increase this number to a number of your choice. Look for the SCANREG.INI file, open it and change the value of "MaxBackupCopies=" from 5 to the number of your choice.
You can even add files of your choice to the backup. To specify the files open SCANREG.INI and add the line "Files=" followed by the folder code and filename, separated by a comma. ( 30 for the root directory, 20 for the Windows directory, 11 for the System directory).

Enable Thumbnail View

By default, thumbnail view is disabled in Windows 98, To enable it for a certain folder, right-click on that folder and select Properties, click on the "Enable Thumbnail View" box. Now, select View/Thumbnails within the folder to view files as thumbnails.

Close without Restart

If you need to close all your programs and start them again quickly, the easiest and fastest way is to select Start/Log Off. This will close and relauch Windows without rebooting your PC.

Customize your desktop

Customize the Channel bar on the Active Desktop by dragging your own links onto it or by deleting unwanted items.
You can view any folder contents from the Active Desktop. For example, to view your root directory on your desktop, right-click on the desktop and select Active Desktop/Customize my Desktop. Click on New and select No when it prompts you to visit the Active Gallery. Under location, type c:\ and press Enter. Now your root drive appears on your desktop.
You can add toolbars for any folder to your taskbar or desktop. Right-Click on the Taskbar and select Toolbars/New Toolbar. Choose the folder you want and press OK. To move the toolbar to any part of your screen drag its title to the place you like.

WinKey keyboard shortcuts

Open an Explorer windows : Winkey + E
Open the Run dialog : Winkey + R
Open the System Properties : Winkey + Pause
Find Files or Folders : Winkey + F
Find Computer : Winkey + Ctrl + F
Minimize all open windows : Winkey + M
Undo minimize all open windows : Winkey + Shift + M
Show/Hide Desktop : Winkey + D
Cycle through taskbar program buttons : Winkey + Tab
Open Windows Help : Winkey + F1

Cool Icons

For some real Kickass icons go to Display Properties/Effects/Change Icon and in the address bar type (your local hard drive may be different but is represented by a C) C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\COOL.DLL, C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\SHELL32.DLL, C:\Windows\explorer.exe, C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\Iexplore.exe, or C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\PIFMGR.DLL.

How do I find out what's been downloaded on my computer from Windows Update?

The update manager and the Windows Update Web site keep a log of each update and automatically detect which ones you haven’t yet installed. If you want to see (or uninstall) your installed options:

From the Windows Update home page, click Product Updates.
Click Show All. You’ll see Already Installed to the right of installed options and, for those options that have it, an Uninstall button.
Click Download History to see the log of downloads for your computer.

Save power with Windows 98 Power Schemes.

Many newer computers support power schemes, which allow you to turn off your monitor and hard disk, and put your computer on standby. For laptops, power schemes allow you to select different settings for when you’re plugged in and when you’re running on batteries. To set power schemes:

From the Start menu, point to Settings and click Control Panel.
Open Power Management.
Click the Power Schemes tab.
Select a power scheme and make adjustments to the preset options.
Click Apply and then OK.

Free up to 1 MB of disk space by removing Online Services.

To give you freedom of choice, Windows 98 installs a desktop shortcut and files for you to set up several popular national online services. But once you’ve chosen and installed the one (or more) that you want, free up disk space by removing the rest (every little bit of extra disk space helps). To remove online services, first drag the Online Services desktop shortcut to the Recycle Bin and then:

From the Control Panel, open Add/Remove Programs.
Click the Windows Setup tab.
Select Online Services and click Details.
Clear the services you don’t want and click OK.
Click Apply and then OK.

Maximize your browser window by putting all toolbars on one line.

The Menu bar, Links bar, and Address bar added to your toolbar in Microsoft Internet Explorer can take up too much screen real estate. For more space, close any bar (right-click any free space in the bar and clear the one you want to remove). If you want to use a bar but not have it take up so much space, move it to the toolbar line:

Point to the vertical line on the left side of the bar you want to move.
When the cursor changes to a double-headed arrow, click and drag the toolbar up to the top line.

When you want to use one of the bars, double-click the same vertical line and that bar will expand. Double-click it again to collapse it.

Explore more from the desktop with Explorer Bar window panes.

When you use Web View for your Explorer windows (for example, Windows Explorer, My Computer, and My Documents) in Windows 98, you can add Microsoft Internet Explorer capabilities. For example, you can use your favorite search engine, view your Internet History, or search your Favorites. From the View menu in an open window, point to Explorer Bars, and click to select Search, Favorites, History, or Channels. To return the window to its former state, click View, point to Explorer Bars, and click All Folders or None.

Give open windows more pizzazz with folder backgrounds.

In Windows 98, you can give nearly any folder a different background using the Customize This Folder wizard. When you open the window, your icons will be set against a picture or graphic background of your choice. To add a special folder background, such as a corporate logo or personal picture:

Open the folder you want to customize.
From the View menu, click Customize this Folder.
Select Choose a background picture and click Next.
Select one of the backgrounds available in the list, or click Browse to find one of your own pictures, and click Next.
Click Finish.

NOTE: Keep in mind that if the background is too fancy or dark, you may have trouble viewing your icons!