Choose Properties from the context menu. On the Appearance
tab look in the Item list box. Once you find Icon
you can choose the size from the Size box
To pre-view, hit the Apply button, once you are satisfied
hit OK
Prevent a CD-ROM from automatically
launching
Inserting a CD-ROM into the drive will in many cases launche
the program contained on
the CD (this is called Autorun, and the launch is controlled
by a file on the CD called Autorun.inf). To disable this feature:
Open Control Panel (Start > Settings
> Control Panel), and double click System Properties
Select the Device Manager tab
Double-click the CD-ROM icon, and right-click your CD-ROM
drive
Select Properties, and click the Settings
tab
Uncheck the Auto insert notification check box
Click OK, and then Close. You'll have
to restart Windows for this change to
take effect
Using TweakUI, one of Microsoft's PowerToys, this can now
be disabled by turning
off the Play audio CDs automatically and Play data CDs automatically
options in the
Paranoia tab.
Adding a File Type to the
'NEW' Menu
In the program that creates the file type you wish to
add, create a blank document with any preferences you
wish to use. Save it immediately
Copy this file to \windows\ShellNew -- it is
a hidden folder. to see how to show hidden files/folders
in explorer)
Start the Registry Editor
Open HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT and find the extension
for that file type. Add a new key called ShellNew
Under the new key, add a string value called FileName
Double-click on the string, and modify it to be the
filename of the blank template file you created, including
the extension
Exit the Registration Editor and restart Windows 95
Disabling Windows Messenger
If you're running 95, you can use GPEDIT.MSC to
prevent Messenger from loading. Otherwise, even disabling
it in startup won't cause it to "always" not run. Outlook,
Outlook Express and some Microsoft Web pages can still make
it load.
Click Start | Run and enter GPEDIT.MSC
For "per machine" restriction, go to Computer Configuration,
Administrative Templates, Windows Components, Windows
Messenger
For "per user" restriction, go to User Configuration,
Administrative Templates, Windows Components, Windows
Messenger
You can now modify whether it starts initially and/or
whether its to run at all.
Note: Outlook and Outlook Express will take longer to
open, unless you turn off Messenger Support. In Outlook Express
its in Tools | Options | General tab. In Outlook its in Tools
| Options | Other.
Turning off Password at start-up
If you have a network installed, each time you log on you
will be asked for a password. To disable this:
Right-click on the Network Neighborhood icon
and select Properties
On the Configuration tab, click Windows Logon
in the Primary Network Logon box
When Windows prompts you to restart your computer, click
No
Click the Start button, point to Settings, then
click Control Panel
Double-click the Passwords icon
On the Change Passwords tab, click the Change Windows
Password button, click OK, then set a blank password
To have Windows 95 Log on automatically every time you
start Windows 95:
Click on the Network tab, and give it your User name and
Password.
Note:You can only restrict when a user can log on to the
system. On a stand alone computer, there is no way, currently,
to force a user to log off when their hours expire.
Disable the Splash Screen
Ever wonder what's going on behind that splash screen?
Well, now you can find out!
Right click My Computer
Select Properties then click on the Advanced tab.
Next click Settings under Startup and Recovery.
Click Edit
You'll need to edit this file "BOOT.INI"
Add /SOS right after /fastdetect with
a space between them.
The line should look something like this:
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\Windows="Microsoft
Windows Whistler Professional" /fastdetect /SOS
After you restart, the splash screen should be gone! You
can set it back simple by removing the /SOS switch
Change Screen Resolution
without Re-booting
When changing the resolution or color depth of your display,
Windows 95 usually wants to restart the computer. However,
you can install a small utility (QuickRes) that allows you
to change resolution on the fly. This utility is part of
the Microsoft PowerToys.
Note: If you have the OSR2 installed, you can change
the screen resolution without rebooting:
Right-click the Desktop, and from the context menu choose
Properties, select the Settings tab
Change the resolution (and/or color properties)
Hit the Apply button
A dialogue box tells you Windows will now adjust your
display settings, etc..., hit OK
A dialogue box prompts with Do you want to keep
this setting with the choice of yes/no. If you say
no, you original settings automatically revert, if yes
then close Display Properties.... Done
Keeping 95up to date
It is a good idea to keep your system up to date with the
latest security updates!
Click Start | Help and Support. Under
“Pick a task,” click Keep your computer up–to–date
with Windows Update.
Click Click Scan for updates
Click Yes when prompted to install any required
software or device drivers.
This will keep your system automatically updated with the
latest security updates!
Note: You can also open Windows update by opening Windows
Internet Explorer and clicking on Tools | Windows Update
OR by clicking on Start | All Programs | Windows
Update
Change the Start-up and Log
off screens
There are two files in the /Windows directory, both
are 320 x 400 bitmaps
LOGOW.SYS is the "Wait while Shutting down...." screen
LOGOS.SYS is the "You may now shut...." screen
You can edit these files or create your own, they just
have to be 320 x 400 bitmaps
If you have 640x480 images, here's how to make them 320x400
and keep their normal appearance when they are displayed
at start up or shutdown:
Open the desired image in Paint
Choose Stretch/Skew under Image
Select Horizontal and change the percentage to 50
Choose OK
Choose Stretch/Skew again
Select Vertical and set it to 104
Choose OK
Choose Stretch/Skew again
Select Vertical again and set it to 80
Choose OK
Choose Attributes under Image and there
it is - a 320x400 bitmap
Remember to save it with the .SYS extension.
To create your custom Start-up Screen
Create a file as described above, and name it Logo.sys.
Place this file in the Root directory (C:\)
Disable Balloons
Annoyed by those silly balloons that keep popping up?
Right-Click on Start and select Properties
On the Start Menu tab click Customize
Select the Advanced tab
Uncheck the box labeled Highlight Newly Installed
Programs
Click OK.
Note: To change it back set the Value data: to 2
Saving Memory by adjusting
your CD-ROM Cache
If you don't use your CD player that often, your system
might be assigning memory for it's cache which you could
reclaim. Here is how:
Right click on My Computer
Select Properties
Select the Performance tab and click the File
System button
Select the CD-ROM tab
Note how much memory you are assigning to the CD-ROM
cache and adjust as you would like
The Minimum is 64KB (No read-ahead selected and
the slider to Small) and the maximum is 1238KB (Quad-speed
or higher and the slider to Large).
Lock the Taskbar
Tired of accidentally resizing your taskbar?
Right-click somewhere on the taskbar where there
is empty space.
Select Lock the Taskbar
Clear up that type
ClearType is an effect that smooths the text fonts on the
screen. For some reason, it is disabled by default on 95.
Click Start | Control Panel
Click the Appearance And Themes tab
Click the Display icon | Appearance tab
| Effects button
Check the box labeled Use The Following Method To Smooth
Edges Of Screen Fonts and select ClearType
Click OK.
Disable Autoplay CD
Older OS's would autoplay a CD that has music or software
to install
XP goes a step further and display or find another way
to present the data. This can be rather annoying everytime
you want to insert a CD.
Double-Left-Click on My Computer
Right-Click on your CD-ROM icon and click Properties
Click AutoPlay to bring up the options for this
selection
Select the content-type from the drop-down list
Click the radio button for Select An Action To Perform
and choose your desired action.
NOTE: By selecting Take No Action with a data CD,
the CD will no longer open when you are installing new software.
Compatibility Mode
Ever tried to run software that was design for Win98 or
WinME and had problems?
Perhaps running the software in Compatibility Mode
will enable this software to function properly.
Right-Click on the shortcut to the problematic
software and select Properties
Select the Compatibility tab and check the box
marked Run This Program In Compatibility Mode For
and select the OS from the dropdown list
Click OK.
Windows Logo Key
The Windows key does more than just open the start menu.
Tapping the Windows Logo Key Once Opens the start menu
Holding down the Windows Key and tapping:
D - minimizes the open windows. (Doing it
again re-opens all the windows)
E - opens Windows Explorer
F - opens the File Search window
R - opens the Run window.
U - opens the utility manager
Break - opens the System Properties
window.
F1 - opens the Help & Support Center
window.
Windows 95 PowerToys
PowerTools are created by Microsoft to add to or enhance
your Windows 95 system.
