Windows - the last simple thing you found out

BubbySoup · 3 Jul 2006 at 23:01

What was the last, simple thing someone showed you in Windows that you didn't know about? Can be anything you like, from some kind of feature, to simply a different, quicker way of doing something.

For me, it was being shown that holding down the shift key whilst opening a folder, toggles between filenames being on or off in thumbnail view.

Found that out today

iain.turner · 3 Jul 2006 at 23:28

You just taught me the latest thing

P_A_N_I_C · 3 Jul 2006 at 23:31

windows key + pause/break

and one not so simple

dos prompt:
netsh int ip reset resetlog.txt

resest TCP/IP for windows XP, aparently you cannot reinstall TCP/IP for XP, but this resets it to how it was when xp was first installed. it helped get a PC back on the domain after some problems due to spyware removal.

Mujja · 3 Jul 2006 at 23:35

P_A_N_I_C said:
windows key + pause/break

What does that do?
I'd try it myself but this Thinkpad doesn't have a Windows key.

Carlos_S · 3 Jul 2006 at 23:37

iain.turner said:
You just taught me the latest thing

Same for me

Should be a good thread, hopefully I'll learn loads

BubbySoup · 3 Jul 2006 at 23:38

P_A_N_I_C said:
windows key + pause/break

That's a cute one - brings up the System Properties window.

killer_uk · 3 Jul 2006 at 23:40

Mujja said:
What does that do?
I'd try it myself but this Thinkpad doesn't have a Windows key.

Opens system properties

EDIT: Beaten to it!

Mujja · 3 Jul 2006 at 23:42

killer_uk said:
Opens system properties

Nice one, I'll be using that a lot now

JayMax · 3 Jul 2006 at 23:49

P_A_N_I_C said:
windows key + pause/break

and one not so simple

dos prompt:
netsh int ip reset resetlog.txt

resest TCP/IP for windows XP, aparently you cannot reinstall TCP/IP for XP, but this resets it to how it was when xp was first installed. it helped get a PC back on the domain after some problems due to spyware removal.

Nice one mate, both new tricks to me. I was using the winsockxpfix.exe before.
[subscribes to thread]

killer_uk · 3 Jul 2006 at 23:55

The simple thing I learnt is renaming a file, click it once then hit F2.

Raymond Lin · 3 Jul 2006 at 23:56

BubbySoup said:
For me, it was being shown that holding down the shift key whilst opening a folder, toggles between filenames being on or off in thumbnail view.

Found that out today

all that does it open a crap load of folders ! lol

BubbySoup · 4 Jul 2006 at 00:04

Raymond Lin said:
all that does it open a crap load of folders ! lol

Heh, sorry. That happened to me first time too

Maybe I should have said to make sure you have the folder highlighted first, then hold shift down, then open the folder.

Raymond Lin · 4 Jul 2006 at 00:16

ok, done that, i go into the folder, only difference is that i have the folder tree on the left. I am still seeing thumbnails

PARUK · 4 Jul 2006 at 00:23

Recommended way to terminate Explorer in XP (useful when installing/de-installing taskbar addons):

1) Select Turn Off Computer from Start Menu
2) Hold down SHIFT, CTRL and ALT together as you press the Cancel button in the resulting dialog

Prior to this I always used to kill it via task manager, which has its risks...

Note: to get it back:
CTRL-ALT-DEL to get task manager, File->New Task, type in Explorer.exe

Raymond Lin · 4 Jul 2006 at 00:27

dammit, just done that.........how do i get it back ???

killer_uk · 4 Jul 2006 at 00:29

File -> New Task -> explorer.exe

Is that what you mean?

PARUK · 4 Jul 2006 at 00:29

CTRL-ALT-DEL to get task manager, File->Run, type in Explorer.exe

Raymond Lin · 4 Jul 2006 at 00:30

killer_uk said:
File -> New Task -> explorer.exe

Is that what you mean?

LOL, File in what exactly? lol, using Firefox lol. Need to do a hard rest it seems. Press the windows key does nothing,

Raymond Lin · 4 Jul 2006 at 00:31

PARUK said:
CTRL-ALT-DEL to get task manager, File->Run, type in Explorer.exe

Thanks lol ! that was funny actually, all the desktop icons went and everything.

killer_uk · 4 Jul 2006 at 00:33

Raymond Lin said:
LOL, File in what exactly? lol, using Firefox lol. Need to do a hard rest it seems. Press the windows key does nothing,

I thought you would have guessed as you were just in task manager !