In windows environment, the Send To command is used to transfer files from one location to different locations. By using this command, a user can quickly send his file between default destinations (default lists in Send To menu, for example Desktop, CD/DVD Drive, My Documents, Mail Recipient and Floppy Drive). These are the default Send To menu lists in windows XP. To increase the data transfer speed between different locations, you can add more new destination in Send To lists.

Follow the given steps to add new destinations to Send To lists:

First click on Start button and type sendto in Run option then press Ok button.

A window will appear with default Send To lists (Compressed (zipped) Folder, Desktop (create shortcut), Mail Recipient, My Documents).

Now using drag-and-drop technique (or using copy and paste method), you can move any program, folders and drives shortcuts to this folder.

Now you can verify, your new shortcut is created in Send To menu.

But next times, if you want to delete any destination, then open the Sent To folder and remove the destination shortcut.

View previously open Folders after Shutdown or Logoff:

If you need to access lot of folders on your home computer or on the network regularly then you can set them re-open automatically, when you will login, shutdown or restart your computer next time. There is no need to open regularly used folders manually, just configure the simple sitting, your computer will automatically reload all the previously opened windows.

By default windows XP disables this option to reload automatically all the previously opened windows, when you login on, shutdown or restart your computer.

Follow the given steps to configure your computer to reload previously opened folders automatically after shutdown.

To edit this feature, you will need to be logged into your computer with administrative rights.

First click on Start button then go to Control Panel.

Open the “Appearance and Themes” option in control panel then click on Folder Options.

A small windows dialog box will appear with the title “Folder options”, click on View tab.

Under the Advanced setting section, scroll down to bottom and click the “Restore previous folder windows at logon” option and then click Ok button to save sitting.

Now when you log off, restart or shutdown, your computer will automatically open the previously opened folders from the same location as before.

Boot in Time

You can set the boot time in windows XP as your wish if you are install two operating systems on same computer, for example window 2000 with windows XP or more than two. Yow can do this with editing Boot.ini file. Here you can also set the sequence for operating system which operating system boot first.

First Right Click on My Computer option and then select its Properties. In next dialog box open Advanced tab button. Under Startup and Recovery, click on the Settings button. Use the spin box "Time to display list of operating systems" to set the number of seconds you want the system to wait before automatically starting the default operating system. Here you will set time in seconds and its range start from 0 and ends with 999 seconds.

After set the time, then click OK option to close the dialog box to save your change. The next time you restart, the new time will take effect.

How to download the windows latest updates automatically? NEW !

I hope you are enjoying the all my tips to play with your computer secrets. My today tips will help you to download the latest windows features. All Microsoft Windows versions support to run window updates automatically but today we will discuss this feature in windows XP only.

You can enable this option to run windows update automatically when your computer will be connected to the internet. Through this service you can check the Microsoft website for downloadable improvements to the operating system and security patches also. These latest updates will protect your computer from the attacks of latest viruses and potential hackers. Windows Update is free of cost and important service that is why always makes sure its running on your computer.

Follow the given steps to enable this important feature on your computer:

To use this feature, you will need to be logged into your computer with administrative rights.

Click Start button and go to Settings then click on Control Panel option. Now system will open the Control Panel windows with different categories.

Just click on System option, a small System Properties dialog box will appear with many options like System Restore, Remote and Automatic Updates and others.

Click on Automatic Updates tab, if it is not selected already then click on “Automatic (recommended)” box. Then this will display the different setting to continually check Microsoft’s website for updates.

Here you can pick a download and installation schedule or select the option “Download the updates automatically and notify me when they are ready to be installed” in the section of settings. Through this option you can download updates automatically and it will install the updates immediately.

If you wait a day or two before installing an updates to make sure there are not any serious bugs reported about the latest patch you can check it through Microsoft website. Now click on Ok button to finish the process.

How to increase your Laptop Battery's Life? (That's for you Alex!)

Dear friends you have read many interesting tips and I think you have gained more knowledge from them. Now I have a more interesting tip to increase your Laptop's battery life. There is no matter, laptop manufactures gives you the guarantee about the battery that how long it works. The battery of laptop always stops working very early at some stage in essential research, just like when you are watching a DVD movie.

Follow the few steps to increase the laptop battery's life:

Lower the backlighting on your screen.

The screen of your Laptop takes up significant amount of power and you do not require its maximum brightness. You should have to check your system and decrease the screen brightness it to a comfortable point.

Stop your wireless signal when you are not using.

After turning off your Laptop can save max. 20 minutes of your laptop's battery time because WiFi can use a considerable quantity of power. By right clicking you can stop your WiFi signal when you are not using.

Manage the correct power scheme in XP

Windows XP contain a number of predetermined power plans, which control settings like how rapidly your laptop turns off and when your screen saver boots in. You can change your laptop power scheme by choosing Control Panel > Power Options. For max. Battery life from the "Power scheme" chooses the option "Max. Battery" and decline the list. There are good choices for you just like "Low Power Mode" and Portable /Laptop. They don't conserve as much power as Max Battery. After selecting a power scheme you click Ok button to finish the process.

How to Save a Search for future reference in windows XP?

Before reading this tip you have read many tips in means of word "Search" but you will be surprised to read this tip. If you regularly execute the same search, for example you are searching for Word documents that include the phrase "command for disaster recovery" ------ you don't need to retype these words again and again when ever you are searching. Here you can save your searching words for future search. If you do advanced searches just like size of file name or date, and execute the same search over and over.

Follow the given steps to save search phrase for future search:

First click on Start button> go to Search then click on "For File and Folders..." option.

Now select the search criteria and perform the search to find any phrase, because you have to run a search before you can save it.

Go to File menu and click on "Save Search" to save search phrase, then choose where you want to save the file.

Normally, Window XP saves the search in your "My Documents" folder, But you can save it in any folder. Actually, if you plan to save a lot of searches; you might want to create a separate folder for them.

When you want to run the search again, find the file and double click on it. When you save a search, Windows XP creates a file named after named after the main criteria of your search. For example, if you search for all .doc files that contain the phrase "command for disaster recovery" and which have been modified in the past month, windows names the file "Files including text command for disaster recovery.find." You can rename the file, but make sure, always ends in the .find extension, for example, "Command for disaster recovery.find".

How to restore windows XP to a previous working state?

This tip is very useful to recover the windows XP problems and then restore it in previous working state. You can recover the windows critical components and return your computer to earlier state without loss of personal data using windows XP built-in system restore feature. With new programs being installed, viruses infecting and spyware creates problem in your browsers it is not unusual for your computer to suddenly stop behaving correctly. So you can perform the windows recovery process and return your computer to earlier state within a minute.

Follow the given steps to run System Restore wizard:

To use this feature, you will need to be logged into your computer with administrative rights.

First click on Start button> All programs> Accessories> System Tools then click on System Restore.

Now a "Welcome to System Restore" wizard will start, first read the detail instruction on left side of the page.

On right side of the page, click on "Restore my computer to an earlier time" check box under "To begin, select the task that you want to perform" area and then click on Next button.

On the "Select a Restore Point" page, click on bold date option, but try to use a restore

date as close as possible to a time just before the problem started then click on Next

button.

Now a next page will appear with title "Confirm Restore Point Selection", to restore your

computer to this date and time then click on Next button to start the restore process.

Now system restore process recover the previous windows settings and your computer

will restart with "Restoration Complete" message, click Ok button to finish the process.

How to add or remove new font in Windows XP?

The font represents the physical characteristics of the letters typed into the document. By default Microsoft windows XP has different types of font, for example:

Verdana (TrueType)

MS Serif

MS Sans Serif

Arial (TrueType)

Times New Roman (TrueType)

Symbol (TrueType)

Wingdings (TrueType)

If you want to add new fonts in windows XP, then first make sure, these new fonts must be TrueType fonts (Font Standard) or particularly designed for windows.

To install new fonts in your computer

Follow the given steps to add new fonts in windows default font folder:

To use this feature, you will need to be logged into your computer with administrative rights.

First click on Start button and type %windir%\fonts in Run option then press Ok button.

Go to File menu and click on Install New Font option, in the drives box, select the drives (hard drive, CD-drive or Floppy drive) that contains the new fonts. Here you can also select the Network option to install the font from network location.

Select the new fonts and check the option "Copy fonts to Fonts folder" then press Ok button to finish the process.

To Removing Fonts in your computer

Follow the given steps to add new fonts in windows default font folder:

To use this feature, you will need to be logged into your computer with administrative rights.

First click on Start button and type %windir%\fonts in Run option then press Ok button.

First select the font that you want to remove, Press CTRL key to select more than one font. Now go to File menu and click on Delete option.

Here a prompt will appear "Are you sure you want to delete these fonts?", then press Ok button to finish the process.

How to Preview Windows before Switching using Alt+Tab keys?

Today tips will really impress you to provide the detail preview of application window icons using the Microsoft PowerToy. Sometimes you are confused about all that files which you have opened different time and you want to preview all windows before switching to them.

Here I will tell you how you can preview windows applications before switching to them.

First press the Alt+ Tab keys to preview the icons of running windows applications. When you have done this step then window will display a box which contain all that programs and windows you have opened. You have to hold down the Alt keys to switch them. You keep tabbing when you are doing this until you have highlighted one of them.

You are flying blind when you are using Alt+Tab keys. You can’t see a window before switching to it. This will create problem for you when you have opened many windows in a program and you don’t know about that file which you will be switching to.

Here I have solution for this problem. Here is an Alt+ Tab Replacement tweak which is named as Microsoft PowerToy. Jest visit the following link to download it from http://www.microsoft.com/windows....ys.mspx

After you have downloaded this tweak then first run the setup to install it. After installing, when you will use the Alt+ Tab keys you will get a preview of that window which you are going to switching.

How to restore the System State data backup in XP?

Today tip help you to restore the System State data backup to recover the windows critical components and return to your computer to earlier state. With restoring the system state back up, you are going to recover the systems Active Directory, System volume (SYSVOL), COM+ class registration database, Windows registry and Windows boot files.

Follow the given steps to run System State data restore wizard:

To use this feature, you will need to be logged into your computer with administrative rights.

First must make sure, you have the system state backup on your disk.

Click on Start button> All programs> Accessories> System Tools then click on Backup.

Now by default backup wizard will start, click on advanced mode option to change the restore settings.

Here a dialog box will appear with title "Backup Utility", select "Welcome" tab and click on Restore Wizard [Advanced] button to restore the backup of important windows components.

Click on Next button to continue restore wizard.

Here click on Browse button to specify the source of backup file and then select item to restore.

Now verify your selected settings and click on Finish button.

At the end, system will display a warning message "Restoring System State will always overwrite current system state unless restoring to an alternate location" press Ok button to start restore process.

Browsing Your Computer via the Address Toolbar :

Here is a very cool tip to open your system drive and web page quickly. You can open any web page without opening browser, windows will automatically open your windows browser and open your web page. you can do this if you put an Address Bar on your Taskbar.

Right click on your system taskbar > go to Toolbars and then click no Address option, here you will see a mark on Address option. After this a Address Bar will appear on your system Taskbar, you can open any web page by typing URL name here and press Enter, Windows will automatically open your web page in be default set browser.

You can also browse files and folders on your computer by using the Address Bar. simply type drive letter like C:\ , D:\ in Address Bar and Press Enter.

How to use your own picture for User Account?

I have brought many surprising and useful tips for you but my tip is very interesting. By using this tip you can use your own picture for your account. Windows XP gives you full control to manage your account information, but one of the most interesting thing is that the method you can modify it to reproduce your personality. There are many windows default pictures such as plastic frogs and rubber duckies provided by Microsoft for user accounts. All pictures are fine and good but sometimes you might desire some more private and nice-looking picture with your name.

In addition, you want to see your picture every time when you log on your computer and also every time you click on the start menu.
Follow the given steps to add any specific picture on welcome screen:

To use this feature, you will need to be logged into your computer with administrative rights.

First of all, scan your picture and save it with .bmp, .gif and .jpg format.

Click Start button, go to Settings > Control Panel and click on User Accounts option.

Under User Accounts page, click on your account name and then click on "Change my picture" option.

After that click on "Browse for more pictures" and go to the folder that contains the picture that you have chosen.

Select the picture and then click on OK button, and your picture will come into view in place of existing Picture area of User Account screen. It also can be visible on your logon screen and on the start menu.

Change The Recycle Bin's Name

You can change the name of Recycle Bin of your system if you wish. It is very easy and interesting but it require some changes in windows registry,

First click on Start button > click on Run option.
Type here regedit.exe and press enter then you will find there regedit editor.
In regedit editor you will open HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT folder, In this folder open the CLSID folder then open the {645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E} folder >ShellFolder folder at last.
Here simply change the data value from "40 01 00 20" to "70 01 00 20".

After performing all above steps restart your computer then you will find option to rename Recycle name after right clicking on Recycle Bin Icon. Now you can change new name as you wish.

How to enable the Hibernation feature in windows XP?

In windows environment, the hibernation is a built-in feature used to increases your work performance and also minimizes the windows startup time. For example, if you have to keep open a lot of files and windows applications then you can leave you system in hibernate mode without closing the open programs. When you restart computer after hibernation, all the running files and applications will be restore as you have left them. Windows store the all hibernated information in the Hiberfil.sys file using system root folder. The size of this file is roughly equal to the RAM of your system.

Follow the given steps to activate the hibernation in windows XP:

To use this feature, you will need to be logged into your computer with administrative rights.

First click on Start button> Control Panel, click on Performance and Maintenance then click on Power Options.

A new "Power Options Properties" dialog box will appear, select Hibernate tab and then select the "Enable hibernation" check box to enable the hibernate feature.
If you system does not support the hibernation feature then the hibernation tab will not available there.

Now click on Apply button to implement the changes then click on Ok button to end the configuration process.

After enabling the hibernation feature click on Start button then click on "Turn off Computer". In the "Turn off Computer" dialog box, press the "Shift" for some time and click on Hibernate button. Your system will take some time to complete the hibernation process.

How to uninstall the windows XP using command prompt?

This tip will help you uninstall the upgraded version of windows XP using the command prompt options. If you have upgraded your operating system from the previous versions of windows 98 Second Edition, or Windows Millennium Edition (Me) and now you wants to revert to the operating system that was previously installed on your computer. Windows XP can be removed by uninstalling from a Command Prompt option in Safe mode because XP includes the Uninstall Windows XP option.

Follow the given steps to revert to the operating system that was previously installed on your computer:

To manage windows XP, first you should log onto your computer with administrative rights.

First boot your system in Safe mode by pressing F8 button at the same time before the windows logo appears.

First click on Start button and type cmd in Run option then press Ok button to display the Command Prompt.

At the command prompt type cd/ command and press enter.

Now again type the command cd\windows\system32 and press enter button. After execution of this command, system will change the previous directory mode.

Now type the command at command prompt osuninst.exe to start the process.

Now on the computer screen, follow the instructions on the screen to begin uninstalling Windows XP from your computer to restore the previous operating system.

How to start programs quickly with Run Command?

The run option of Start menu is used to run a program or to open a document directly. If you do not know the exact location of the program or document then click on Start button to open Run and type the programs shortcut name to open it directly.

Run Commands

appwiz.cpl -- Used to run Add/Remove wizard

Calc --Calculator

Cfgwiz32 --ISDN Configuration Wizard

Charmap --Character Map

Chkdisk --Repair damaged files

Cleanmgr --Cleans up hard drives

Clipbrd --Windows Clipboard viewer

Control --Displays Control Panel

Cmd --Opens a new Command Window

Control mouse --Used to control mouse properties

Dcomcnfg --DCOM user security

Debug --Assembly language programming tool

Defrag --Defragmentation tool

Drwatson --Records programs crash & snapshots

Dxdiag --DirectX Diagnostic Utility

Explorer --Windows Explorer

Fontview --Graphical font viewer

Fsmgmt.msc -- Used to open shared folders

Firewall.cpl -- Used to configure windows firewall

Ftp -ftp.exe program

Hostname --Returns Computer's name

Hdwwiz.cpl -- Used to run Add Hardware wizard

Ipconfig --Displays IP configuration for all network adapters

Logoff -- Used to logoff the computer

MMC --Microsoft Management Console

Msconfig --Configuration to edit startup files

Mstsc -- Used to access remote desktop

Mrc -- Malicious Software Removal Tool

Msinfo32 --Microsoft System Information Utility

Nbtstat --Displays stats and current connections using NetBIOS over TCP/IP

Netstat --Displays all active network connections

Nslookup--Returns your local DNS server

Osk ---Used to access on screen keyboard

Perfmon.msc -- Used to configure the performance of Monitor.

Ping --Sends data to a specified host/IP

Powercfg.cpl -- Used to configure power option

Regedit --Registry Editor

Regwiz -- Registration wizard

Sfc /scannow -- System File Checker

Sndrec32 --Sound Recorder

Shutdown -- Used to shutdown the windows

Spider -- Used to open spider solitaire card game

Sfc / scannow -- Used to run system file checker utility.

Sndvol32 --Volume control for soundcard

Sysedit -- Edit system startup files

Taskmgr --Task manager

Telephon.cpl -- Used to configure modem options.

Telnet --Telnet program

Tracert --Traces and displays all paths required to reach an internet host

Winchat -- Used to chat with Microsoft

Wmplayer -- Used to run Windows Media player

Wab -- Used to open Windows address Book.

WinWord -- Used to open Microsoft word

Winipcfg --Displays IP configuration

Winver -- Used to check Windows Version

Wupdmgr --Takes you to Microsoft Windows Update

Write -- Used to open WordPad

How to disable auto-start applications on windows startup?

Using this tip, you can minimize the startup time of windows XP and Vista also. You can disable some optional windows applications like windows messenger, Yahoo messenger, QuickTime and many others auto startup programs that run automatically when you start your computer.

Follow the given steps to disable the windows auto run applications:

To use this feature, you will need to be logged into your computer with administrative rights.

Click Start button and type msconfig in Run option then press Enter for next.

A small System Configuration Utility dialog box will appear with many options like General, System.ini Win.ini, Boot.ini, Services, Startup and Tools.

Now select Startup tab and uncheck the applications that you want to disable from windows startup.

Now click on Apply button to implement the changes then click on Ok button to end the configuration process.

Again close the all program and restart your computer after any changes to go into effect.

How to logoff your computer automatically after a period of inactivity?

This tip will help you to log off your computer automatically after some specific period of inactivity. Because most of the users left logged on their computer may represent a security threat for the company. For this purpose, first install the Winexit.scr tools that includes in Windows 2003 Resource Kit (rktools.exe) and you can free download it from Microsoft site.

To use this feature, you will need to be logged into your computer with administrative rights.

After installing the rktools.exe setup, locate the Winexit.scr file in the following location.

C:\Program Files\Windows Resource Kits\Tools

Here right click no Winexit.scr file and select the Install option.

A Display Properties dialog box will appear, select Screen Saver tab and choose "Logoff Screen Saver" entry under the Screen saver area.

Now click on Setting button, again a small dialog box will appear with the title "WinExit Setup Dialog".

Here select the "Force application termination" check box under the "Force logoff" area

and type the number of seconds in "Countdown for n seconds" box under Time to logoff area.

Now type the message that appears during the logoff countdown timer in the "Logoff Message" box and click on Ok button.

Click on "Preview" button to verify the settings.

Here a small dialog box will appear with the title "Auto logoff in progress", it displays the countdown

timer and logoff message.

Click on Cancel then Ok button to finish the process.

How to recover lost bookmarks on Firefox?

This cool tip will help you to recover the lost bookmarks on Firefox. You can export the bookmarks folder to a specific folder or location using import and export option in Firefox. If you are new computer user, first you should learn about the importance and need of backup, because without backup yon can lose your favorite websites list any time due to any virus, power failure and hard disk problem.

So, what happen if your Firfox's bookmarks suddenly disappear? It is very frustrating and disappointing but don't worry, Firefox actually do this job for you to create automatic backup.

Follow the given steps to retrieve the lost bookmarks list:

Now go to your system C drive and navigate the following path "C:\Documents and Settings\your account name\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\".

Under profiles folder, you will see a folder with random name, in our case this folder name is awrvfkuo.default.

Double click on awrvfkuo.default folder and you will see another folder with name "bookmarkbackups". Here is actual place where firefox store your bookmarks backup.

Now copy the all latest bookmarks detail and go up one level then past it.

Here rename the file to "bookmarks.html" and now your bookmarks should be restored.

How to login with multiple ID's at the same time in Yahoo messenger?

If you have multiple yahoo ID's and wants to login with more than one yahoo ID at the same time then don't worry, you can login with more than one yahoo ID at the same time using this tip. There is no need to install any other yahoo multi messenger version, you can easily covert your normal yahoo messenger into multi messenger and enjoy your many ID's at the same time.

Follow the given steps to change the yahoo messenger registry value:

Click Start button and type regedit in Run option then press Enter for next.

Here locate the location to:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Yahoo/Pager/Test

Here in right side panel, right click to create a new Dword value with name Plural and give it value 1.

Now close the registry editor and restart your computer after any changes to go into effect.

For signing in with new YAHOO ID open another messenger open as many messengers you need.
If you want to disable the multiple messenger option then again open registry editor and change Plural value 1 to 0

Changing the Icon Spacing:

You can manage your desktop icons in windows XP horizontally as well as vertically spacing. You can change the location, size of icons and spacing between icons manually but you can arrange these setting using windows methods.

First Right click on your windows XP desktop then click on Properties option. Here click the Appearance tab then go to Advance button and under Item you will find many options to change the desktop icons, for example choose icon spacing in both ways and then here you can change the size putting number (minimum or maximum) under size. When you finished all setting then click ok button.

Choose The Sounds For Each Windows Event :

Here is a cool tip to choose the sounds for each windows event, you can get these sounds files using windows special sound folders but you can add sounds from any third source.

First Click on Start button, Control Panel and then Click the Sounds and audio devices icon.

Click on sounds option , select it and then click Browse button.

After clicking browse option you will go c:\WINNT > Media or Sounds folder (windows default sounds folder), but you can add sounds here from any third source.

Simply locate here the sound file you want to associate with the selected event and double-click it.

Now you can play this sound file in preview to observe if your like the sound file or not.

Click OK, and then Click OK again to close the dialog box.

Clarifying Using Run:

Here is a cool tip to choose the sounds for each windows event, you can get these sounds files using windows special sound folders but you can add sounds from any third source.

First Click on Start button, Control Panel and then Click the Sounds and audio devices icon.

Click on sounds option , select it and then click Browse button.

After clicking browse option you will go c:\WINNT > Media or Sounds folder (windows default sounds folder), but you can add sounds here from any third source.

Simply locate here the sound file you want to associate with the selected event and double-click it.

Now you can play this sound file in preview to observe if your like the sound file or not.

Click OK, and then Click OK again to close the dialog box.

This was part 2, there will be a part 3, because it was too big, like "Message text is too long", so part 3 will follow !