Everywhere I look I see thumbs.db!

What the hell is it I hear you say? Well …. the short answer …. it’s a Bill Gates invention.

In short the Windows operating system produces this file when items in a folder are displayed as thumbnails (as opposed to tile, icon, list, or detail view). I wouldn’t be so put out by thumbs.db only for the fact that each and every thumbs.db file takes up valuable space on my hard drive.

 The thumbs.db file is a database file. No harm is done by deleting thumbs.db files. There is no need to include them in your system backups. Whether you see these files or not is a function of your File Options settings. So get rid of them!!

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1. Lock XP Workstation

You can lock your XP workstation with two clicks of the mouse. Create a new shortcut on your desktop using a right mouse click, and enter ‘rundll32.exe user32.dll, LockWorkStation’ in the location field. Give the shortcut a name you like. That’s it — just double click on it and your computer will be locked. And if that’s not easy enough, Windows key + L will do the same.

2. Remove Windows XP system software

XP hides some system software you might want to remove, such as Windows Messenger, but you can tickle it and make it disgorge everything. Using Notepad or Edit, edit the text file /windows/inf/sysoc.inf, search for the word ‘hide’ and remove it. You can then go to the Add or Remove Programs in the Control Panel, select Add/Remove Windows Components and there will be your prey, exposed and vulnerable.

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“Fatal error: the system has become unstable or is busy,”

It says:

“Enter to return to Windows or press Control-Alt-Delete to restart your computer. If you do this you will lose any unsaved information in all open applications.”

You have just been struck by the Blue Screen of Death. Anyone who uses Microsoft Windows will be familiar with this.

What can you do?

More importantly, how can you prevent it happening?

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CTRL+C (Copy)
CTRL+X (Cut)
CTRL+V (Paste)
CTRL+Z (Undo)
DELETE (Delete)
SHIFT+DELETE (Delete the selected item permanently without placing the item in the Recycle Bin)
CTRL while dragging an item (Copy the selected item)
CTRL+SHIFT while dragging an item (Create a shortcut to the selected item)
F2 key (Rename the selected item)

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.EXE - Executable File
A program has another name which is called executable file. In Windows or DOS, all types of programs are made to run in the format .EXE. All files generally function with ASCII MZ even as those, which are produced by different compilers, will obtain further identification. If you require the information on the type of compiler used on the .EXE you have, the TrID program has a number of these in its database.

.BAT - Batch Processing
DOS batch file: A batch file is a text file containing a series of commands intended to be executed by the command interpreter. When a batch file is run, the shell program (usually COMMAND.COM or cmd.exe) reads the file and executes its commands, normally line-by-line.

.DLL - Dynamic Link Library
A support file is generally a .DLL file and one or more programs use them.

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Shutting down Windows can take time:

• You have to move your mouse to the Start Button
• Click on it
• Move it again over Shut Down
• Click, then move it over the necessary option and click
• Then move the cursor over the OK button and once again (you guessed it) click.

This whole process can be shortened by creating shortcuts on the Desktop which will shut down Windows at the click of a button.

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