Windows

All

• F11 will change your screen from a Window to Full Screen. While in this mode the Task Bar will disappear from the screen.
  
  
• How to setup a IP Network Printer so it can be used by DOS.
  
  
  1. Click on New Printer
  2. Local Printer - /* This is important that you select this option */
  3. Create Port
  4. Standard TCP/IP Port
  5. Enter IP Address and Port Name
  
  Once the printer is working go into the printer Properties and turn on Print Pooling and select LPT1.
  
  
• You can also determine what version of the Windows by typing in WINVER.
  
  
• To see hidden files/folders.
  
  
  1. Goto Folder Options
  2. Click on the View (Tab)
  3. Clear the Hide Protected Operating Systems Files
  4. Click OK on the warning
  5. Click Apply and OK
  
  Remember to change it back once you are done with what you want to do.
  
  
• Invalid File Extension (ie: D220.MDBT) - Not sure what causes this to happen. But the easy way to get rid of the file is to rename it an remove it, or rename it and use it.
  
  Right Click on file -> Rename -> [Backspace] -> Type in new name
  
  
• MSVCRT40.DLL - This is the MicroSoft Visual C RunTime library version 4.0. It is used by many programs, as it contains many common functions.
  
  
• To change a Telnet setting:
  
  
  1. telent
  2. set ? /* Help */
  3. set {variable}
  4. quit
  
  
• You can copy the entire contains of a CD-ROM to the hard drive by using the XCOPY command.
  
  Xcopy D:\*.* /S
  
  The "/S" means to copy the subdirectories.
  
  
• Numbers/dates etc are not being displayed properly.
  
  Check the Regional Settings to make sure the system is setup properly. Some examples are listed below. I have run into a couple of machines where the settings were crazy.
  
  
  • Decimal Symbol set to a comma (,) instead of a period (.)
  • Date Separator set to a black slash (\) instead of a forward slash (/)
  
  

Network Problems

• "CPA" is not accessible. You might not have permission to access this network resource. Contact the administrator of this server to find out if you have access permissions.
  
  Where "CPA" is the name of another computer.
  
  If you get this message when clicking on a Network Drive or Network Location and the other computer can see the one having the problem but not vise versa then check the following. I has one instance where it was set wrong and once I set it back everything worked like it should.
  
  
  1. Control Panel
  2. Administrative Tools (Category View: Performance & Maintenance or System & Maintenance)
  3. Local Security Policy
  4. Local Policies
  5. Security Options
  6. Network Access: Sharing and Security for local Accounts
  7. Should be set to:
     
     Classic - Local users authenticate as themselves
     
     Not:
     
     Guest only - Local users authenticate as guest
     
  
  Note: I could also not find the other computer with a Search and it didn't show under Net View. But the other computer could see the one having the problem and connect to it.
  

Windows XP

• If you have a problem finding something on the Control Panel. Click on Switch to Classic View option located on the left hand side of the screen.
  
  
• To make a Network Drive.
  
  
  1. Start -> Network Places
  2. Click on Tools along the top of the screen
  3. Click on Map Network Drive
  4. Enter a Drive Letter and Path
     
     Note: If the folder is already listed on the My Network Places Screen you can right click on the item. Go to Properties and swipe the path listed next to Target or at the vary least write it down.
     
     
  5. Click OK and the contents of the folder will be displayed.
  
  
• To search for files.
  
  
  1. Click on Start
  2. Click on Seach
  3. Select All Files and Folders on the Lefthand side on the screen.
  4. Type in File Name and verify the Look In Box is pointing to the right place.
  
  
• Simple File Sharing: If Simple File Sharing is turned on then you will need to make sure the following checkboxes on enabled on the Sharing Tab.
  
  
  1. Share this folder with Network
  2. Allow network users to change my files
  
  If both are not checked then you get messages saying the workstation doesn't have permissions to access the "MDB" files. (ie: CdirList.mdb, system.mdb, etc)
  
  
• To turn on the Security Tab.
  
  
  1. Start -> Control Panel
  2. Appearance & Themes -> Folder Options or just Folder Options if in Classic View.
  3. Click on View Tab
  4. Go to the end of the list and uncheck Use Simple File Sharing
  
  
• Manually changing the permissions on the "PCSW" folder using the cacls command.
  
  
  1. Start -> Run -> Command
  2. CD\PCSW
  3. cacls C:\pcsw /t /g everyone:f
  
  This is change the permissions on the folder to full control for everyone.
  
  Note: See printouts for further deals if need be.
  
  
• To check the Fonts installed on the system.
  
  
  1. Start -> Control Panel
  2. Appearance & Themes -> Fonts (left hand side of the screen) or just Fonts if in Classic View.
  
  
• To change the Dekstop from XP to Classic View.
  
  
  1. Right Click on the Start Button.
  2. Click on Properties.
  3. Select the view you want to use and click OK
  
  
• To change the appearance of the windows to Classic View.
  
  
  1. Right click the Desktop
  2. Left click Properties
  3. Click on the Apperance Tab
  4. Click on the Advanced Button
  5. Select Windows Classic Style from the Windows and Buttons pull-down
  
  
• To see what devices the system sees.
  
  
  1. Right Click on the My Computer Icon.
  2. Click on Properties.
  3. Click on the Hardware Tab .
  4. Click on the Device Manager Button .
  
  
• To check the settings on the NIC card
  
  
  1. Start -> Control Panel -> Network & Internet Connections -> Network Connections
  2. You should now see an Icon showing the NIC card
  3. Right Click on the Icon and go to Properties
  
  
• To add a printer to the system.
  
  Start -> Control Panel -> Printers & Other Hardware -> Add Printer
  
  
• To look at the System Information.
  
  Start -> Control Panel -> Performance & Maintenance -> System
  Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> System Information
  
  
• To check the name of the computer
  
  Start -> My Computer -> View System Information -> Full Computer Name
  
  
• To change the Computer's Name or Workgroup.
  
  Start -> My Computer -> View System Information (Left hand side of the screen) -> Change Button
  
  From this screen you can change both the computer's name and the workgroup this computer is a member of.
  
  
• What you need to do to make a DOS Program Full Screen
  
  
  1. Right Click on the Icon
     
     Note: The Title Bar should have a label similar to this: CCB
     
     
     1. Click on Properties
     2. Click on the Options Tab
     3. Set the Display Option to Window
     4. Click Apply and then OK
     
     
  2. Click on the Icon to activate the program
     
     Note: The Title Bar should have a label similar to this: "CCB". Note the appearance of the Quote Marks
     
     
     1. Right Click on the Title Bar
     2. Click on Properties
     3. Set the Display Option to Full Screen
     4. Click OK and another small window will appear with (2) options.
     5. Select Modify shortcut that starts this Window
     6. Click OK
  
  At this point the screen should be Full Screen and Alt-Enter should now toggle between Full Screen and Window.
  
  Note: On the Properties -> Layout Tab make sure both Window Size and Screen Buffer Size are set as follows:
  
  Width = 80
  Height = 25
  
  
• DOS version of the program will not print on Windows XP computers.
  
  I have done the following to get a Lexmark printer to print.
  
  
  1. Click on Start -> Printers & Faxes
     
     or
     
     Start -> Control Panel -> Printers & Other Hardware -> View Installed Printers
     
     
  2. Highlight the printer you want to print and Right Click
  3. Click on Properties
  4. Click on Ports (Tab)
     
     Check Enable Bi-directional Support
     
     
  5. Click on Advanced (Tab)
     
     Check Spool Print Documents so Programs Finishes Printing Faster
     Check Start Printing Immediately
     
     Check Print Spooled Documents First
     Check Enable Advanced Printing Features
     
     
  6. Click on the Print Processor Button at the top of the screen.
     
     Select Print Processor, which is the printer name or Winprint
     Select TEXT as the Default Data Type
     
     
  7. Apply changes and trying to print something.
  
  
• To get a local USB Printer or Network Printer to work under DOS on a Windows XP computer.
  
  First of all the only way for this to work is if you are on a network, as you need to use the Net commmand.
  
  
  1. Go to Start -> Run -> Command
  2. Type in Net View to see if sees the computer. If it doesn't find any computers then Net Use will not work. If it does see the computer proceed to the next step.
  3. Go to Start -> Printers and Faxes
  4. Point to the printer and right click.
  5. Click on Properties and then Sharing
  6. Enable the Sharing option and give the printer a short shared name.
  7. Click on Start -> Run -> Command
  8. Type in net use lpt1: \\{computer name}\{printer shared name} /persistent:yes
     
     Note: You will not be able to use LPT1 if you are not the Administrator. You will have to use LPT2.
     The /persistent:yes means this connection will stay active even after rebooting the computer.
     
     To drop the connection use the following command.
     
     net use lpt1: /delete
     
  
  If you are not on a network, try this.
  
  
  1. Go to Start -> Printers and Faxes
  2. Point to the printer and right click.
  3. Click on Properties and then Ports
  4. Enable the Printer Pooling option and then select LPT1. At this point both USB and LPT1 should be checked.
  5. Click Apply and OK
  
  
• On laptop computers they may not even have a parallel port installed. If not then check to see if LPT1 shows up under Ports in the Device Manager.
  
  If not then you can try the following steps to install it.
  
  
  1. Close everything, as you will have to reboot the computer.
  2. Start -> Control Panel -> Printers & Other Hardware
  3. Click on Add Hardware located on the right hand side of the screen.
  4. This will bring you the Add Hardware Wizard. Click Next.
  5. Select Yes, I have already connected the hardware. Click Next.
  6. Scroll to the end of the list & click on Add a new hardware device. Click Next.
  7. Select Install the hardware that I manually select from a list. Click Next.
  8. Scroll down and click on Ports (COM & LPT). Click Next.
  9. Select Standard Port Types and Printer Port. Its important to select just Printer Port not ECP Printer Port. Click Next.
  10. Click Next and Finish.
  11. Right click on My Computer and left click on Properties.
  12. Click on the Hardware Tab.
  13. Click on Device Manager
  14. Scroll down and find Ports (COM & LPT). Click on the (+) sign to display the ports. Don't worry if the name is wrong (ie: LPT3 instead of LPT1) you can change it to the correct name later on.
  15. Right click the port and left click on Properties.
  16. Click on the Port Settings Tab.
  17. Select the correct port name from the LPT Port Number pull-down.
  18. Click Ok.
  19. Right click the port and left click on Properties.
  20. Click on the Resources Tab.
  21. Select Set Configuration Manually.
  22. Click I/O Range located under Resource Type.
  23. Select a Value that doesn't conflict with any other device by simply clicking on the up/down arrow. The box on the bottom will tell you if the value selected conflicts with anything else.
  24. Click OK, at this point the system will want to reboot the computer.
  25. Reboot and setup the printer again.
  
  
• Steps to stop and restart the Print Spooler.
  
  
  1. Start -> Control Panel
  2. Performance and Maintenance
  3. Services
     
     This will bring up a list of services.
     
     
  4. Find Print Spooler on the list Right Click on it.
  5. Click on Stop
  6. Right Click on Print Spooler
  7. Click on Restart
  
  
• The Windows XP built in Firewall and the Nortons Internet Security Firewall will prevent you from see Network Places. Once you turn it off the items will appear in the list.
  
  
• To install or check a Font.
  
  
  1. Start -> Control Panel
  2. Click on Appreance & Themes location on the left hand side of the screen.
     
     or
     
     Switch to Classic View and click on the Font Icon.
  
  
• To change the type of Monitor
  
  
  1. Click the right mouse button on a blank area of the Windows Desktop and select PROPERTIES from the popup menu.
  2. Click on the SETTINGS tab at the top of the Display Properties window.
  3. Click on the ADVANCED button
  4. Click on the MONITOR tab
  5. Click on the PROPERTIES tab
  6. Click on the DRIVER tab
  7. Click on the UPDATE DRIVER tab
  8. Click NEXT
  9. Select Don't search, I will choose the driver to install.
  10. Click NEXT
  11. Uncheck Show compatible hardware
  12. Scroll down the list to find your model and double-click on it.
  13. Verify your model has been selected and click NEXT
  14. When the Windows Logo testing warning window comes up, click Continue Anyway.
  15. Click FINISH
  16. The new setting may result in a different image size. This is because the monitor switched to a different preset mode. You should use the controls in the front of the monitor to resize the image, and the monitor will automatically save the new settings.
  
  
• To get the Product ID
  
  
  1. Start -> Help and Support
  2. Click either
     
     
     • Use Tools to view your computer information and diagnose problems
     • Additional Resources -> Tools
     
     
  3. Click on My Computer Information (Left hand side of screen)
  4. Click on View a list of Microsoft Software installed on this computer (on the list on the right side of screen)
  
  This system will list all Microsoft Products that installed on the computer along with their Product ID's.
  

Windows NT

• To disable the notification of print jobs to remote workstations.
  
  Start -> Settings -> Control Panel -> Printers -> File (menu option) -> Server Properties -> Advanced (tab)
  
  Disable the remote notification checkbox
  
  
• To add a login user or change a login users password:
  
  Start -> Programs -> Administration Tools -> User Manager for Domains
  
  

Windows 98

• If for some strange reason you want to map a folder on the hard drive to a driver letter. You will need to run Sysedit and add a line similar to the one shown below and reboot.
  
  SUBST Z: "C:\PCSW"
  
  
• SysTray does not show up under Task Manager.
  
  
  1. Start -> Run -> Msconfig
  2. Startup (tab)
  3. Make sure the checkbox in front of SysTray is checked.
  4. Click OK and Yes to reboot the computer.
  
  

Windows 2000

• Programs installed as a Power User.
  
  1. Program is not listed under Administrator Login in Add/Remove Programs. Thus the administrator cannot uninstall the program.
     
     
  2. Program only shows up on desktop of the user who installed it.
     
     
  3. When installing the system will not ask:
     
     Install this application for:
     Anyone who uses this computer
     Only for me
     
  
  
• To change the type of Monitor:
  
  
  1. Click the right mouse blank area of the Windows Desktop display and on select PROPERTIES from the popup menu.
  2. Click the SETTINGS tab at the top of the Display Properties window.
  3. Click on the ADVANCED button.
  4. Click on the MONITOR tab.
  5. Click on the PROPERTIES tab.
  6. Click on the DRIVER tab.
  7. Click on the UPDATE DRIVER tab.
  8. Click NEXT.
  9. Select Display a list of the known drivers for this device so that I can choose a specific driver.
  10. Click NEXT.
  11. Select Show all hardware of this device class.
  12. Scroll down the list to find your model and double-click on it.
  13. Verify your model has been selected and click NEXT.
  14. Then the Digital Signature window comes up, click YES.
  15. Click FINISH.
  16. Click CLOSE.
  17. The new setting may result in a different image size. This is because the monitor switched to a different preset mode. You should use the controls on the front of the monitor to resize the image, and the monitor will automatically save the new settings.