Before we begin...
Step 1 Backing up the Registry
Windows 95 Users:
     Copy system.dat & user.dat from c:\Windows to c:\Windows\Registry
Windows 98 Users:
     Go to the Run Menu (Win+R) and type Scanregw
Step 2 Installing Important Software
Windows 95 Users:
     Download TweakUI for Win95
     Double-click w95tweakui.exe to install
Windows 98 Users:
     Download TweakUI for Win98
     Unzip w98tweakui.zip--
       - Right-click on tweakui.inf and choose Install to install
     Note: If you do not have an unzipping utility, download Winzip 7.0
Step 3 A Quick Intro to the Windows OS
Shortcuts, Programs, and Icons?
The Start Menu and Windows Explorer
The Left Mouse Button vs. the Right Mouse Button
Windows 95 vs. Windows 98



Windows 95 & 98
The Start Menu
  • Hold down the Left Mouse Button on an icon and then move between menus
  • Right Click on an icon and choose Delete to remove from the Start Menu
  • Right Click on the Start button and choose Explore to edit the menus
        Note: This opens Windows Explorer to the direcory c:\Windows\Start Menu
  • Create folders for similar programs, ex: Microsoft, Graphics, Music, Utilities
  • Put most commonly used shortcuts above Programs, ex: Word, Netscape
  • Create a Misc. folder under Accessories in which to put unused shortcuts
    		• The Desktop
  • Clear the Desktop of useless icons, ex MSN, Connect to the Internet, etc.
  • Right Click on the Desktop, choose Properties, then the Appearance tab
        to Change the Desktop Scheme
  • Type themes in the Run Menu (Win+R) to change the Desktop Theme
  • Add Desktop Icons to the Start Menu by dragging them over the Start button
    		• The Taskbar
    The Quick Launch Toolbar (Windows 98 Only)
  • Good for frequently used programs, ex Netscape, Word, Email, Winamp, etc.
  • Can be used as an independent taskbar on any edge of the desktop!
    		• TweakUI goto: Start®Settings®Control Panel®TweakUI
  • Explorer Tab - adjust shortcut options (remove the arrow overlay)
  • Network Tab - eliminate the Win95/98 network password screen
  • Paranoia Tab - have your history automatically cleared
    Windows 98 Only:
  • IE4 Tab - Uncheck "Allow Logoff," "Show Documents," and "Show Favorites"



    • Web Browsers
    		Netscape Communicator 4.7 goto: View®Show®Personal Toolbar
  • Use the Personal Toolbar for Bookmarks:
          goto: Communicator®Bookmarks®Edit Bookmarks (Ctrl-B)
          Create New Folders for Similar Links, ex: UNC Links, Music, Sports
          Drag the Bookmark (next to the word "Location:") on top of a Folder to place Bookmarks within a Folder
          Add Separators (from the Edit Bookmarks window - Ctrl+B) for further division within folders
  • Here are some commonly used bookmarks
    		• Internet Explorer 5
  • Make Internet Explorer your default browser
          goto: Tools®Internet Options®Programs and check the "IE should check to see..." checkbox.
          Then restart Internet Explorer and choose "Yes"
  • Customize the Standard Buttons
          goto: View®Toolbars®Customize
  • Import Netscape Bookmarks to Internet Explorer's Favorites
          goto: File®Import and Export®Next®Import Favorites
  • Customize the Links Toolbar
          goto: View®Explorer Bar®Favorites
          Right Click on the Links folder to Create New Folder
          Note: If IE is not your default browser, the Links bar will open up webpages in Netscape Navigator



    • Word 97 / 2000



    &
    		 Suggested Buttons to Remove - goto: Tools®Customize®Commands
      Style Drop Down Box

      Style Painter / Decrease & Increase Indents / Document Map

      Web Buttons / Insert Excel Spreadsheet / Borders Toolbar
    Other Buttons to Remove: Justify, Numbering, Bulleting, Tables, Columns
    Suggested Buttons to Add - goto: Tools®Customize®Commands
      Page Setup / Thesaurus / Word Count

      Find / Find and Replace / Page Layout / Normal View

      Good Fonts / Single / 1.5 / Double Spacing
    Other Buttons to Add: Page Break, Column Break, Word Art
    Tools®AutoCorrect & Tools®Options Solutions
    goto: Auto Format As You Type
       - Turn off automatic bulleted and numbered lists
       - Turn off automatic hyperlinks
    Note: There are innumerable options to play with in these two menus--go through them to see if would like to make any changes.




    About this Presentation
    As an RCC, I've worked on dozens of people's computers, so I've seen a lot of "clutter." Many residents suffer from a burgeoning Start Menu that expands out with two or there columns worth of shortcuts--most of which they never use. I can only imagine how difficult it is for them to find and reach the programs they do use on a regular basis and how much time they waste scouring the Start Menu. So I decided to put together all of these suggestions in the form of a course with the hope that I could teach more people about how to eliminate annoyances and how to customize their operating system--long after I've presented the material.

    Research
    Inside the Windows 98 Registry
      by Günter Born
      Microsoft Press, 1998
    		 Using the Windows 98 Registry
      by Jerry Honeycutt
      QUE, 1998
     
    HTML Sourcebook, 3rd Edition
      by Ian S. Graham
      Wiley Computer Publishing, 1997
    		 HTML: The Definitive Guide, 3rd Edition
      by Chuck Musciano and Bill Kennedy
      O'Reilly, 1998


    Project Creation
  • Presentation written using Notepad and Netscape Composer
  • Desktop snapshots taken with HyperSnap-DX and edited using Microsoft Photo Editor and Paintbrush
  • Images scanned using a UMAX Astra 610P scanner
  • HTML viewed using Netscape Communicator 4.7 and tested on Microsoft Internet Explorer 5
  • Presentation created on an IBM Thinkpad 380D, owned by the ResNet program (which they graciously allowed me to borrow over winter break after my computer's power supply failed in the line of duty).

    About the Author
    As of Jan 2000, Justin Watt is in the second semester of his sophomore year at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
    His webpage is here.

    Copyright © 2000 Justin Watt, UNC ResNet