Windows XP 100 tips tricks (17)

Obtain Remote Assistance Using Windows Messenger in Windows XP
This step-by-step article describes how to use Windows Messenger to obtain help using the Remote Assistance feature in Windows XP. Remote Assistance enables you to allow another user to make a remote connection to your computer, which they can use to view your computer screen, participate in real-time chat and, with your permission, remotely control your computer.

Requirements
Both the local and the remote computer must be using either Windows Messenger or a Messaging Application Programming Interface (MAPI)-compliant e-mail program such as Microsoft Outlook or Outlook Express. Both computers must be connected to the internet while using Remote Assistance.
Note: If your computer is behind a firewall, you may need to reconfigure the firewall to allow Remote Assistance. Contact your network administrator before using Remote Assistance.

To obtain help using Remote Assistance:
· Connect to the Internet, and then sign in to Windows Messenger.
· Click Start, and then click Help and Support.
· Under Ask for assistance, click Invite a friend to connect to your computer with Remote Assistance.
· Under Remote Assistance, click Invite someone to help you.
· Under Use Windows Messenger, click the contact that you want to invite, and then click Invite this person.
Note: The contact that you want to invite must be online.
You receive the following message, where Assistant is the name of the assistant that you invited:
Inviting Assistant to connect to your computer. Please wait for a response...
Invitation is accepted...
· After the remote assistant accepts your invitation, click Yes when you receive the following message:
Assistant has accepted your Remote Assistance invitation and is ready to connect to your computer.

Do you want to let this person view your screen and chat with you?
· If the remote assistant wants to remotely control the computer, click Yes to accept the request when you receive the following message, where Assistant is the name of the remote assistant:
Assistant would like to share control of your computer to help solve the problem.
Do you wish to let Assistant share control of your computer? The remote assistant can now control your computer remotely. This includes the ability to shut down the computer.
Note: Do not use the mouse while the remote assistant controls the computer.
Cannot Use MSN EXPLORER or AOL To Send a Remote Assistance Invitation via Email Option When you use Remote Assistance to invite someone to help you and try to choose the option to use e-mail, you might see the following message when you get to the available options page:

Outlook Express is not set up.
Remote Assistance is either incompatible with the default e-mail program on this computer, or could not detect a default e-mail account.
You will also see an option to set up Outlook Express.
Cause
You have MSN Explorer or America Online (AOL) installed and configured as you default e-mail client. Remote Assistance on Windows XP will not allow to send the activation mail message through the MSN Explorer or AOL messaging system, as they use their own e-mail clients and they are not MAPI-compliant. Remote Assistance Invitation e-mail escalation will only work with MAPI-compliant e-mail programs and e-mail accounts.

Resolution
As a workaround, you could use one of the following options based on how you access your e-mail.
MSN Explorer
Use Windows Messenger to invite someone to Start Remote Assistance. In order to do that, follow the instructions on the Help and Support Center, Remote Assistance page, under the Use Windows Messenger field.
-or-
Choose the option to Save invitation as a file, then use MSN Explorer to compose the e-mail to the person you are requesting assistance from, and attach the file to it.
America Online
Choose the option to Save invitation as a file, then use AOL to compose the email to the person you are requesting assistance from, and attach the file to it.
MAPI-compliant E-mail application
If you have a MAPI-compliant e-mail application installed on your computer, and your Internet Service Provider (ISP) uses POP3, IMAP, HTTP or SMTP mail servers, then configure the software based on the manufacturer's and/or your ISP's instructions.
Note: You can also click on the button Set Up Outlook Express on the Remote
Assistance available options page and configure it to send and receive email with your mail servers settings, if available.

Restore the Operating System to a Previous State in Windows XP
This article describes how to use the System Restore tool to return your computer to a previous working state. System Restore takes a "snapshot" of critical system files and some program files and stores this information as restore points. You can use these restore points to return Windows XP to a previous state.

If Windows XP Does Not Start
If Windows does not start, restart Windows by using the Last Known Good Configuration feature:
· Start the computer and then press the F8 key when Windows begins to start. The Windows Advanced Options menu appears.
· Use the ARROW keys to select Last Known Good Configuration (your most recent settings that worked), and then press ENTER.
If a boot menu appears, use the ARROW keys to select Microsoft Windows XP, and then press ENTER. Windows XP restores the computer to the most recent restore point.
If Windows XP Does Start
· Log on to Windows as Administrator.
· Click Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore. System Restore starts.
· On the Welcome to System Restore page, click Restore my computer to an earlier time (if it is not already selected), and then click Next.
· On the Select a Restore Point page, click the most recent system checkpoint in the On this list, click a restore point list, and then click Next. A System Restore message may appear that lists configuration changes that System Restore will make.
· Click OK.
· On the Confirm Restore Point Selection page, click Next. System Restore restores the previous Windows XP configuration, and then restarts the computer.
· Log on to the computer as Administrator. The System Restore Restoration Complete page appears.
· Click OK.

Troubleshooting
You may inadvertently restore Windows XP to a previous configuration that you do not want.
To undo the restoration:
· Log on to Windows as Administrator.
· Click Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore. System Restore starts.
· On the Welcome to System Restore page, click Undo my last restoration, and then click Next. A System Restore message may appear that lists configuration changes that System Restore will make.
· Click OK.
· On the Confirm Restoration Undo page, click Next. System Restore restores the original Windows XP configuration, and then restarts the computer.
· Log on to the computer as Administrator. The System Restore Undo Complete page appears.
· Click OK.

Long Pause During Windows Startup Process
Symptoms
After you choose to start Windows from the Boot menu, you may experience a long delay (or pause) before your computer finishes starting. Note that this delay may range from 10 seconds to a minute. Also, this delay occurs before the Starting Windows progress bar appears, and your computer may appear to stop responding (hang) during this time.
Cause
This behavior can occur if Windows is installed on a drive or a partition to which Windows cannot gain access with normal Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) INT-13 or INT-13 extension calls. When Windows Setup determines it cannot use BIOS calls to start, it uses scsi() or signature() syntax in the Boot.ini file instead of multi() syntax.
When booting a system that requires scsi() or signature() syntax, Ntldr loads an additional device driver (Ntbootdd.sys) to initialize and interrogate the boot controllers in your computer. Ntldr then seeks the associated boot drive attached to the controller to finish loading the kernel. These additional operations take more time in Windows because of the Plug and Play nature of the operating system.
This behavior is expected, however, Windows Setup may use scsi() or signature() syntax, even if your computer can boot using the normal BIOS calls. This may occur on Integrated Drive Electronics-based computers when using a large capacity boot drive. In this case, you can try adding an additional entry in the Boot.ini file and use multi() syntax on the new entry to boot from. Note that if this works, your computer starts without pausing.

How to Rename Multiple Files with Windows Explorer
· Click Start > All Programs > Accessories > Windows Explorer.
· Press and hold down the Ctrl-key while you are clicking files.
· After you select the files, press F2.
· Type the new name, and then press ENTER.
Note: When you complete the preceding steps, the highlighted state of all files except one disappears, so it may appear as if you are only renaming one file. However, after you press ENTER, all of the files are renamed. When you rename multiple files, all of the renamed files have the same name with a number in parentheses appended to the name to make the new file name unique. For example, if you type BUDGET as the new name, the first file is named BUDGET. All of the remaining selected files are named BUDGET(x), where x is a unique number, starting with (1).

Notes
If you make a mistake when you try to rename multiple files, you can press Ctrl+Z, or click Undo Rename on the Edit menu to undo file rename action you just completed, and you can repeat this process as needed.
The Rename function in Windows Explorer does not match the behavior of the REN command you may use at a command prompt. For example, if you had files that are named smitha.doc, smithb.doc, and smithc.doc, you could use the ren smoth*.doc smythe*.doc command. All file names automatically show the new spelling, and are renamed smythea.doc, smytheb.doc, and smythec.doc.
If you use the Windows XP Rename function in Windows Explorer, after you select the three "smith" files, and rename smitha.doc to smythea.doc, all the other files you selected are named smythea(x).doc. To return to the original file name structure (the use of a, b, c, etc), you must rename each file individually.

Restore Icons That Have Been Removed from the Desktop in Windows XP
This article describes how to restore the My Computer, My Documents, and My Network Places icons after they have been removed from the desktop.
In Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition and Professional, the new Start menu is enabled by default. When the new Start menu is enabled, the My Computer, My Documents, and My Network Places icons are removed from the desktop.
· Right-click the Desktop and click Properties.
· Click the Desktop tab.
· Click Customize Desktop.
· Click the General tab, and then click the icons that you want to place on the desktop.
· Click OK.

Automatically Log On a User Account in Windows XP
This article describes how to automatically log on a user account during the Windows startup process.
Note: This process only works if the computer is not joined to a domain.
Requirements
· The Welcome screen must be available.
· Guest account access must be turned off.
· There must be only one user account on the computer.
· The user account must not have a password.

Make the Welcome Screen Available
To make the Welcome screen available:
· Click Start > Control Panel > User Accounts.
· Click Change the way users log on or off.
· Click to select the Use the Welcome screen for fast and easy logon check box.
· Click OK.

Turn Off Guest Account Access
To turn off Guest account access:
· Click Start > Control Panel > User Accounts.
· Click the Guest account.
· Click Turn off Guest access.

Remove the Password from a User Account
To remove the password from a user account:
· Click Start > Control Panel > User Accounts.
· Click the user account.
· Click Remove my password.
· Type the password in the Type your current password box, and then click Remove
Password.

View the Storage Devices That Are Displayed As "USB SCSI Storage Device" in Windows
XP
USB devices that are using an SCSI-to-USB adapter are displayed as "USB SCSI Storage
Device" in the Safely Remove Hardware icon in the taskbar. Finding which device you want
to remove may be confusing if your computer has more than one of these devices.
· Open the Safely Remove Hardware dialog box, and then click to select the Display
Device Components box.

source:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/191328/Windows-Xp-100-Tips-Tricks