From chip@mhonline.net Mon Nov 24 09:50:30 1997 Date: Sun, 23 Nov 1997 18:50:49 -0500 From:To: cheshire@2600.com Subject: Secrets Question Really useful information. Thank you. But, there is a "pre-newbie" category that could use even more basic information. When I bought my computer, they delivered it, set it up, showed me how to properly shut down Win95 and left. Of course, I had prepared myself with a series of the "Dummies" books, but could not relate the manuals to the physical thing, especially the urgent things a newbie runs into. I would propose a "pre-newbie" list, such as: 1. Always shutdown Win95 properly, using the START BUTTON and then the SHUT DOWN BUTTON before turning off the power. 2. Use a power strip (like an extension cord with many outlets) with a MAIN SWITCH to turn off the power (after Windows has been properly shut down) for, among other reasons, you will then not inadvertently leave the printer or speakers on. 3. If your screen "freezes" and neither the pointer or the keyboard will work, press the CTRL-ALT-DELETE key combination on the keyboard. If you are successful, a dialog box will popup and you then choose END TASK to get out of your fix. 4. If that doesn't work, press the CTRL-ALT-DELETE keys (all at the same time) again, and then twice again, quickly in succession. 5. If that doesn't work, press the RESET button on your console or tower. By using the above, I have never had to turn the power off before shutting down Windows. AND no manual or instructor ever told me the above. Had I known I would have been saved several evenings of dispair and worry. 6. Windows 95 will not start if you have a floppy disc or a CD-ROM inserted. You must remove them first before starting or restarting Windows. (This goes for the RESET procedure in Item 5 above when you go to restart WINDOWS). 7. Besides the games, Wordpad, Notepad, and Microsoft Word are good places to begin learning on your computer. Look in the manuals for those. --After playing and testing those, you will want to DELETE what you have put in there. All the manuals talk about SAVING stuff; newbies will want to DELETE junk they created in Wordpad, Notepad and Word. My way is simply to get from the File menue the SAVE AS choice, and then select the A: floppy disc drive (the default is Drive C: so you must change it to A: floppy disc) and then name the file as "Junk". Once in the A: drive, you can select from the File menue "Delete" and get rid of the Junk. (I always figured that once the Junk was on the floppy disc and out of the C: hard drive, if nothing worked, I could always throw out the floppy.) I could list more, but I don't know if this is boring to you. But your page for Newbies is great. Problem is, most Newbies will not know how to find it. I used Alta Vista and the search combination "Windows 95 and Newbies". Thank you for your most useful information.
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