One, cleverly crack any computer's boot password. A simple trick to cleverly crack any computer's boot password without using any tools or discharging electricity. For any computer that requires a password upon startup, simply open the case and unplug the sound card or any other component inside. Then power on and start the computer, allowing the motherboard to perform a self-check. Afterward, force shutdown the computer and reinsert the unplugged component. Upon restarting, the password will be automatically cleared.
Two, make your keyboard talk. Facing a silent computer for long periods can be tiring. If the content you're typing is read aloud by the system letter by letter (or character), could you still input incorrect content silently? Using an obscure feature in Windows 2000/XP called "Narrator," here's how to DIY a completely free voice keyboard. In "Run," input "narrator" and click "OK." Click "OK" again to bring up our main character – "Narrator." If your speakers are already on, what do you hear? To stop it, press the Ctrl key. Try pressing any other key; the letters you type will be read out in standard American English, creating a free voice keyboard right at your fingertips.
Three, quickly close non-responsive programs. In "Start → Run," input "Regedit" to open the "Registry Editor." Under HKEY_CURRENT_USER, create a new string value called WaitToKillAppTimeout and set its value to 1000 (ms) or less. To allow forced shutdowns, go to HKEY_USERS.DEFAULTControl Paneldesktop, create a string called "AutoEndTask," and set its value to "1." For real crashes, usually only pressing "Ctrl+Alt+Del" twice or pressing the "Reset" button on the case (the former is preferred due to lower resource consumption) will restart the system. To automatically restart upon system crash, go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESystemCurrentControlSetControlCrashControl, modify "AutoReboot" on the right window, and set its value to "1."
Four, lesser-known uses of the ESC key. For general users, the ESC key located at the top left of the keyboard isn't often used, but did you know it can enable several quick operations?
1. When browsing online, if you mistakenly click a wrong URL, directly pressing ESC stops loading the current webpage.
2. When filling out usernames online, if you make a mistake, pressing ESC clears all contents within the box. Similarly, while typing, if you make an error, pressing ESC clears the incorrect selection box.
3. Besides the "Ctrl+Alt+Del" combination to bring up the Windows Task Manager, pressing "Ctrl+Shift+Esc" also starts the Task Manager.
4. When a program is not active and you want to restore it to an active state, press "Alt+Esc" to activate the application without needing to click the program's title bar with the mouse.
5. For pop-up windows with a "Cancel" option, directly pressing ESC selects "Cancel."
Five, speeding up boot and shutdown times. In Windows XP, during shutdown, the system sends messages to running programs and remote servers notifying them of the impending shutdown and waits for their responses before beginning the shutdown process. To speed up the boot process, first set automatic task termination. Find HKEY_CURRENT_USER Control PanelDesktop, set AutoEndTasks' value to 1. Then under the same branch, find "HungAppTimeout" and set its value to "4000" (or less; default is 50000). Finally, find HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESystemCurrentControlSetControl and similarly set WaitToKillServiceTimeout to "4000." This setting noticeably speeds up the shutdown process.
Six, improving broadband speed. By default, Windows XP Professional reserves 20% of bandwidth, which has little use for individual users. Rather than letting it sit idle, it’s better to fully utilize it. In "Start → Run," input gpedit.msc to open the Group Policy Editor. Navigate to "Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → Network → QoS Packet Scheduler," select "Limit reservable bandwidth" on the right, choose "Properties" to open the Limit Reservable Bandwidth Properties dialog, select "Enable," and change the original "20" to "0" to release the reserved bandwidth.
Seven, optimizing My Network Places. When using Windows XP's My Network Places, the system searches for shared directories, network-shared printers, and network-related scheduled tasks before displaying them, which significantly slows down the process. If these features aren’t very useful, they can be removed. In the Registry Editor, find HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINEsofewareMicrosoftWindowsCurrent VersionExploreRemoteComputerNameSpace and delete "(Printers)" and {D6277990-4C6A-11CF8D87-00AA0060F5BF} (Scheduled Tasks). Restart the computer, and accessing My Network Places will be much faster.
Eight, speeding up boot time. To accelerate the boot speed of Windows XP, modifying the registry can achieve this goal. In the Registry Editor, find HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE---SYSTEM-----Current----ControlSet---Control----Session Manager----Memory Management-----PrefetchParameters, find EnablePrefetcher on the right, and change its default value from 3 to 1 to reduce the time the scroll bar scrolls.
Nine, automatically closing non-responsive programs. Sometimes, XP may notify you that a certain program has stopped responding, which can be annoying. By modifying the registry, we can let it automatically close such programs. In HKEY_CURRENT_USER-----Control Panel----Desktop, change the numerical data of the character key AutoEndTasks to 1, then log off or restart.
Ten, speeding up menu display. To speed up menu display, set the following: In HKEY_CURRENT_USERControl PanelDesktop, find the "MenuShowDelay" key and set its value to "0" to speed up menu display.
Eleven, clearing unused DLL files in memory. In the registry at HKKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersion, add an item AlwaysUnloadDLL under Explorer and set its default value to 1. Note: Setting the default value to 0 disables this function.
Twelve, enhancing pre-read capabilities to improve boot speed. The Windows XP pre-read settings can increase system speed and accelerate boot time. Modify as follows: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlSessionManagerMemoryManagement], in the right window, change the numerical data of EnablePrefetcher. For CPUs above PIII 800MHz, suggest changing the numerical data to 4 or 5; otherwise, keep the default value of 3.
Thirteen, reducing startup load items. Many applications add themselves to the system startup group without asking, automatically running every time the system starts. This not only extends startup time but also consumes system resources after startup! Launch the "System Configuration Utility," where the "Startup" tab lists items loaded at system startup along with their sources. Carefully review whether you need them to auto-load; if not, uncheck the checkbox before the item. The fewer items loaded, the faster the startup speed. This setting requires a reboot to take effect.
Fourteen, uninstalling stubborn programs. With the proliferation of networks, more software is available online, greatly benefiting everyone. However, some software installs forcibly as IE plugins and cannot be uninstalled, persistently residing on user computers. Other software doesn’t provide an uninstall program, and even deleting through the control panel leaves residual threads sending information outward. Users typically have to manually delete these, which is troublesome and risks accidentally deleting system files. Below are some unconventional methods for uninstalling stubborn programs:
1. Use QQ to uninstall stubborn programs. Copy the unins000.exe file from the QQ installation directory to the installation directory of the program to be uninstalled, then execute the program!
2. Winamp's uninstall program can safely uninstall most applications. Find UninstWp.exe in the Winamp installation directory under "My Computer," copy and paste it into the folder of the stubborn program, double-click to run, and the stubborn program will be cleanly uninstalled.
3. Use WinRAR to uninstall stubborn programs. Through its address bar, locate the folder of the stubborn program, click the "Add" button on the toolbar, a "Archive File Name and Parameters" dialog will appear. In the "Archiving Options," check "Delete Original Files After Archiving," click "OK." After compression completes, WinRAR will automatically delete the stubborn software folder. Manually delete the newly generated compressed package, and everything is done.
4. Microsoft AntiSpyware perfectly uninstalls 3721 programs. First download MicrosoftAntiSpywareInstall.exe. The interface is in English, roughly equivalent to high school English level, understandable with careful reading. Install and follow prompts to upgrade to the latest database. After executing SCAN, discover over 100 3721, CNS* items, select REMOVE. Gradually, Microsoft AntiSpyware removes 3721, CNS* items, prompting for a machine restart. After the first restart, if 3721 isn't fully removed (still present in /PROGRAM FILES/), first uninstall Network Real Name, right-click clear the Start—Programs menu's 3721 entries, then run Microsoft AntiSpyware again. After scanning, find multiple 3721, CNS* items, but fewer than the first time. Select REMOVE to remove 3721, CNS* items, then restart the machine to thoroughly remove 3721.
5. Use Windows XP's built-in Msicuu.exe and Msizap.exe to completely uninstall stubborn programs. First, open the Windows XP installation disc, click "Support Tools," enter the hard drive Support Tools installation directory (X:Program FilesSupport Tools), find Msicuu.exe and double-click. A "Windows Installer Clean Up" window will appear, showing a list of all installed programs. Select the stubborn program and click the "Remove" button to uninstall. If the above method fails, use Msizap.exe to uninstall: Open the Registry Editor, locate HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionUninstall, find the identifier of the stubborn program on the left (e.g., {268723B7-A994-4286-9F85-B974D5CAFC7B}). Then sequentially click "Start → Programs → Windows Support Tools → Command Prompt" command. At the command prompt, input the following command: msizap T {Stubborn Program Identifier}, press Enter to uninstall the stubborn program.
6. Super Rabbit Optimizer's professional uninstall function uninstalls common stubborn software and IE plugins. First select the "Uninstall Software" function under Optimizer, then switch to the "Professional Uninstall" tab, which provides uninstall functions for 18 types of software. Super Rabbit Optimizer automatically detects the system; if the program is installed, it will show "Installed." Select the software to uninstall, click "Next" to clean up these programs and completely remove them from the system.
Fifteen, making wallpaper settings unique. Since Windows95, operating systems have provided three wallpaper placement options: "Center," "Tile," "Stretch." Users can choose the placement based on personal preference and image size. In fact, Windows offers another way to precisely place wallpapers using X, Y coordinates, placing the wallpaper in a designated position to coordinate with desktop icons.
Open the registry:
1. HKEY_CURRENT_USERCoutrol PanelDesktop subkey
2. Create two new string values on the right window: "WallPaperoriginX" (X-coordinate of the image location) and "WallpaperoriginY" (Y-coordinate of the image location)
3. Double-click each to input coordinates. Note that the range of X and Y coordinates is limited by the screen resolution set by the user. If the resolution is 1024*768, the maximum X-coordinate value cannot exceed 1024, and the maximum Y-coordinate value cannot exceed 768. They cannot be negative either. Users with other resolutions can infer accordingly.
4. Restart the computer, and the fourth method of setting the wallpaper will be visible.
Sixteen, commonly used shortcut keys:
WinKey + D: This is the most commonly used first shortcut combination by experts. This key combination instantly minimizes all windows on the desktop, whether chat or game windows... Just press this combination again, and all previous windows return, activating exactly the window you were using before minimizing!
WinKey + F: No need to move the mouse to "Start → Search → Files and Folders." In any state, just press WinKey + F, and the search window will pop up.
WinKey + R: In our articles, you often see instructions like "Click 'Start → Run,' open the 'Run' dialog box..." There's actually a simpler way - press WinKey + R!
Alt + Tab: If too many windows are open, this key combination is very useful. It displays the names and icons of all currently open windows in one window ●. Select the desired window, and release the combination key.
Alt + Tab + Shift: Displays currently open windows in reverse order.
WinKey + E: When you need to open the Explorer to find files, this shortcut key makes it feel very "smooth!" No need to take a hand off the keyboard to grab the mouse!
Note: WinKey refers to the key marked with the Windows logo on the keyboard ●. WinKey mainly appears on 104-key and 107-key keyboards. The 104-keyboard is also known as the Win95 keyboard. This keyboard adds two Windows keys and one property association key between the left and right sides, Ctrl and Alt keys. The 107-keyboard is also called the Win98 keyboard, which has three more power management keys than the 104-keyboard: sleep, wake, and power-on. These three keys are mostly located at the upper right of the keyboard.
F1: Shows help content for the current program or Windows.
F2: Renames a selected file.
F3: Opens "Find: All Files" dialog box when on the desktop.
F10 or ALT: Activates the menu bar of the current program.
Windows key or CTRL+ESC: Opens the Start menu.
CTRL+ALT+DELETE: Opens the Close Program dialog box in Win9x.
DELETE: Deletes the selected item. If it's a file, it goes to the Recycle Bin.
SHIFT+DELETE: Permanently deletes the selected item. If it's a file, it bypasses the Recycle Bin.
CTRL+N: Creates a new file.
CTRL+O: Opens the "Open File" dialog box.
CTRL+P: Opens the "Print" dialog box.
CTRL+S: Saves the current file being operated on.
CTRL+X: Cuts the selected item to the clipboard.
CTRL+INSERT or CTRL+C: Copies the selected item to the clipboard.
SHIFT+INSERT or CTRL+V: Pastes the clipboard content to the current position.
ALT+BACKSPACE or CTRL+Z: Undoes the last operation.
ALT+SHIFT+BACKSPACE: Redoes the last undone operation.
Windows key + D: Minimizes or restores Windows windows.
Windows key + U: Opens "Accessibility Tools Manager."
Windows key + CTRL+M: Restores the size and position of windows before the last operation.
Windows key + E: Opens the Explorer.
Windows key + F: Opens "Find: All Files" dialog box.
Windows key + R: Opens the "Run" dialog box.
Windows key + BREAK: Opens the "System Properties" dialog box.
Windows key + CTRL+F: Opens "Find: Computers" dialog box.
SHIFT+F10 or Right Mouse Click: Opens the shortcut menu for the current active item.
SHIFT: Holding down while inserting a CD skips autoplay. Holding down while opening Word skips auto-start macros.
ALT+F4: Closes the current application.
ALT+SPACEBAR: Opens the menu at the top left corner of the program.
ALT+TAB: Switches between current programs.
ALT+ESC: Switches between current programs.
ALT+ENTER: Switches between windowed and full-screen modes for MSDOS windows running under Windows.
PRINT SCREEN: Copies the current screen as an image to the clipboard.
ALT+PRINT SCREEN: Copies the current active program window as an image to the clipboard.
CTRL+F4: Closes the current text in the current application (e.g., in Word).
CTRL+F6: Switches to the next text in the current application (adding SHIFT switches to the previous window).
In Internet Explorer:
ALT+RIGHT ARROW: Displays the next page (forward key).
ALT+LEFT ARROW: Displays the previous page (back key).
CTRL+TAB: Switches between frames on the page (adding SHIFT reverses direction).
F5: Refreshes the page.
CTRL+F5: Forces refresh.