NOKIA8810

*#06# - IMEI

*#0000# -Software version

*#92702689# (or *#war0anty#) Enter service mode.

*3370# -Turns on sound encoding system - Enhanced Full Rate.

#3370# -Turns off sound encoding system - Enhanced Full Rate.

*4720# -Turns on battery save mode - saves about 30 % of energy

#4720# -Turns off battery save mode - saves about 30 % of energy



NOKIA 99OO

*#06# -IMEI

*#682371158412125# -Software version

*#3283# -Displays week and year of manufacture, ie. 1497 means 14th week of 1997.



NOKIA 911O

*#06# IMEI


*#0000# SOFTWARE VERSION

*3370# Turns on sound encoding system - Enhanced Full Rate.

#3370# Turns off sound encoding system - Enhanced Full Rate.

*4720# Turns on battery save mode - saves about 30 % of energy.

#4720# Turns off battery save mode.



NOKIA 81XX

*#06# IMEI
*#8110# Software version
xx# Replace xx with desired phonebook entry - press # and you will see it on display

*#92702689# (or *#warOanty#)

"Warranty code:" - you have to enter one of the following codes:

9268 (OK) displays IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identification)

6232 (OK) displays date of manufacture in format MMYY (MM - month, RR - year)


7832 (OK) displays date of purchase

7332 (OK) displays date of repair or upgrade

37832 (OK) sets date of purchase in format MMYY (MM - month, RR - year) - attention: you can set it only once, so beware !!!

87267 (OK) transmits user data/move data do service PC

S25, M35, S35, C35

SP unlock *#0003*(secret code 8 digits)#

*#0606# shows you Secret Code, but only without SIM Card.

*#06# for checking the IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity)

Resets language to automatic selection : * # 0000 # then Green button


Secret Codes Of Nokia Mobiles:

      Below we present secret codes of nokia mobile phones which are very useful for people who unlock phones and for amateurs of this topic. These special key sequences entered fromkeyboard of phone allow you to get some important information like IMEI number, release date, software version and much more. You can also choose default language, activatenetmonitor ect.

1610/1630

*#170602112302# (software version)

1610/1611

IMEI number: -*# 0 6 #
Software version: -* # 1 7 0 6 0 2 1 1 2 3 9 2 #
Simlock status: - # 9 2 7 0 2 6 8 9 #


2110

*#9999# (software version)

2110i/2110e

*#170602112302# or (depends on model)*#682371158412125# (software version)


NOKIA3110

*#06# -IMEI

*#3110# -Software version

##002# - allows to turn off voice mail.

*#7780# - restore factory settings

*#746025625#(or *#sim0clock#) - to check if clock of sim (SIM-Clock) can be stopped (SIM-Clock-stop is akind of standby mode which saces battery)

*#92702689# (or *#war0anty#) -"warranty code:"- you have to enter one of the following codes:

6232 (OK)displays month and year of production date (ie "0198")

7332 (OK) - displays date of last repair - if there is (ie. "DATE NOT SAVED")

7832 (OK) - displays date of purchase - if there is (ie. "DATE NOT SAVED")

9268 (OK) -displays serial number

37832 (OK) -sets purchase date in format MMYY (MM - month, YY - year)- attention: you can set it only once, so beware !

87267 (OK)-displays message "Confirm Transfer?" - meaning is unknown (?)

* # 9 2 7 0 2 6 8 9 # -Simlock info

*#31# (call) -sets if your phone no. will be hidden or not (works only in some networks)

*#76# (call) -sets if target phone number when you call should be displayed (works only in some networks)

*#77# (call) -(work s only in some networks)

*#33/35# (call -displays message "Service not active".

**31# (call) -your no. will not be showed to others when you make a call



3210

*#06# -IMEI

*#0000# -software version

*#92702689# (or *#war0anty#)- enters service mode.

*3370# -Turns on sound encoding system - Enhanced Full Rate.


#3370# -Turns off sound encoding system Enhanced Full Rate .

*4720# -Turns on battery save mode - saves about 30 % of energy.

#4720# -Turns off battery save mode.

xx# -Replace xx with desired phonebook entry - press # and you will see it on display.


51XX

*#06# -IMEI

*#0000# - Software version

*#92702689#( or *#war0anty#) Enter service mode.

*3370# -Turns on sound encoding system - Enhanced Full Rate.

#3370# -Turns off sound encoding system - Enhanced Full Rate.

*4720# -Turns on battery save mode - saves about 30 % of energy.

#4720# -Turns off battery save mode.

#pw+1234567890+1 -provider lock status

#pw+1234567890+2 -Network lock status

#pw+1234567890+3 -Provider lock status

#pw+1234567890+4 - SimCard lock status


NOKIA 61XX

*#06# -IMEI

*#0000# ;-*#99 99# (Nokia 6130)


*#92702689# (or *#war0anty#) Software versionEnter service mode.

*3370# -Turns on sound encoding system - Enhanced Full Rate.

#3370# -Turns off sound encoding system - Enhanced Full Rate.

*4720# -Turns on battery save mode - saves about 30 % of energy.

#4720# -Turns off battery save mode.

C25:

SP unlock *#0003*(secret code 8 digits)#

*#0606# shows you Secret Code, but only without SIM Card.

*#06# for checking the IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity)

Resets language to automatic selection : * # 0000 # then Green button

Pin Out (electrical connections)

1- GND
2- SB
3- POWER
4- NC
5- TX
6- RX
7- CLOCK
8- DATA
9- GND MIC
10- HF MIC
11- AUDIO
12- GND AUDIO


Languages:

*#0000#+green phone - choose automaticaly
*#0001#+green phone - English
*#0030#+green phone - Greek
*#0031#+green phone - Netherlands
*#0032#+green phone - French
*#0034#+green phone - Spanish
*#0039#+green phone - Italian
*#0049#+green phone - German
*#0090#+green phone - Turkish

How to change PIN:

**04*old PIN*new PIN*new PIN#

How to check simlock status

*#0606# and then press left soft-key, you will see strange characters, then text ("brak blokad"). If you see for example 260-02, it means the phone is locked to Era GSM. In older models you can use *#06# and see the same information after clicking on left key (you will see IMEI and software version).


S4:

Monitor Mode - how to activate:

Press left soft-key, then 9 (SET UP) 8 (Phone Status). You will see IMEI number, then press left soft-key and in order 7684666 and red phone at the end (monitor mode has been activated). To read information from Monitor Mode - press left soft-key, then 5 (GSM SERVICE) and 6 (Monitor). Monitor mode turns off when you switch off the phone. You must activate it again if you want.

How to see date of software:

Press left soft-key, then 9 (SET UP) 8 (Phone status). You will see IMEI number, then press twice left soft-key, 98, left soft-key, 7684666, red phone (activates Monitor Mode), left soft-key, 56 (turns on Monitor Mode), left soft-key, 98, left soft-key, 7684666, hang up (red phone) >abck to "normal" and then left soft-key, 56.

S6, S8:

If you add to phonebook under 'own phone number' +12022243121 with namez (for example MMI), then you will see something smile.gif

S10, E10:

In phonebook enter +12022243121 as your own phone no. You will see a picture with sun, two palms and greetings.

S15e:

Monitor Mode:

Code: *#7436267*8378# (*#SIEMENS*TEST#)
Hold red phone button until it code disapears.
Menu 3.3.4 Choose frequency.
Menu 3.3.4.1 Automaticaly.
Menu 3.3.4.2 Choose GSM-900
Menu 3.3.4.3 Choose GSM-1800

Menu 10.1 MS info
Menu 10.2 Soft date
Menu 10.2.1 Software version.
Menu 10.2.2 EEProm version.
Menu 10.3 Tst and product info.
Menu 10.3.1 Handware data.
Menu 10.3.2 Date of manufacture
Menu 10.3.3 Service date
Menu 10.3.4 Date of repair.


S25:

Enhanced Full Rate
*#3370# turns on
#3370# turns off

Haft Rate Mode
*#4720# turns on
#4720# turns off.

Languages:

*#0000#+green phone - choose automaticaly
*#0001#+green phone - English
*#0030#+green phone - Greek
*#0031#+green phone - Netherlands
*#0032#+green phone - French
*#0034#+green phone - Spanish
*#0039#+green phone - Italian
*#0049#+green phone - German
*#0090#+green phone - Turkish

How to change PIN2?

**04*old PIN2*new PIN2*new PIN2#

What is my software version?

Menu 8-8-2 press left-softkey when you see IMEI number, or *#06# and then green phone button and then press left soft-key.

How to extend battery life:

IrDA - turn on only when you need.
Turn off automatic network search (6-3)Turn off Vibration alarm.

SP unlock *#0003*(secret code 8 digits)#

*#0606# shows you Secret Code, but only without SIM Card.

*#06# for checking the IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity)

Resets language to automatic selection : * # 0000 # then Green button

If you don't want to spend big bucks on a new PC, consider upgrading your old system's motherboard and CPU. This can boost the machine's performance and give you access to the latest technologies. It can also save you hundreds of dollars.

What you won't get is a new hard drive, optical drive, or operating system, though the new motherboard gives you the option of upgrading these components later. When you do it yourself, you choose the make, model, and cost that serve you best, rather than settling for what's preloaded in an off-the-shelf machine.

For as little as $200 to $350, you can purchase a motherboard with a new Pentium 4 or Athlon processor and 512MB of RAM. (Visit this link to check the latest motherboard prices.) That's hundreds of dollars less than the retail cost of a midrange PC that supports AGP 8X graphics cards, Serial ATA drives, and the other advanced features that your new motherboard is likely to offer.


Motherboard Buyers Guide

Size matters: Most desktop PCs sold in the last few years conform to the ATX form factor (as do most motherboards), but not all do. Many small or ultrabudget systems are based on other designs, and some PCs from HP/Compaq, IBM, and other big-name vendors aren't ATX-compatible. Refer to your computer's documentation to see if the new motherboard will fit inside its case.

Find the right CPU: The optimal combination of CPU price and performance may lead you to early versions of Athlon XP and Pentium 4 processors: Retail boxed versions of 1- to 2-GHz AMD Athlon XP processors cost less than $100, while Pentium 4 processors running at comparable speeds are less than $130. OEM versions of both (that's minus the fancy box, the cooling fan, and sometimes a warranty) may be priced considerably lower. Avoid older Pentium 4 processors with 256KB of L2 cache. CPUs with 512KB cache are faster and well worth the small added expense.

Be picky: Steer clear of no-name vendors and buy from established manufacturers only.

Pay for power: Your old PC's power supply may not have enough wattage or may lack the 12-volt amperage needed to run some Pentium 4 and Athlon motherboards. Check the new motherboard's requirements against the specs on your power supply. If in doubt, buy a power supply that generates 300 watts or more,

Faster is better: A motherboard's frontside bus speed is the rate at which data moves between the CPU and RAM. FSB speed can have a greater effect on overall system performance than listed CPU speed, which is a multiple of the FSB speed. The faster the FSB, the better.

Get it all: Your new motherboard needs PCI slots and USB ports, two UltraATA/100 connectors, parallel and serial ports (if you use these), and at least two DIMM slots for RAM (DDR RAM is best). For a little extra money, you can get Serial ATA, ethernet, RAID, FireWire, Wi-Fi, and other advanced features.

Sight and sound off: Some low-cost motherboards have sound and graphics functions built in. The quality of these integrated functions is often marginal. Make sure that any built-in sound and graphics can be disabled, and that separate audio and graphics boards can be added.

The Internet is a computer network made up of thousands of networks worldwide. No one knows exactly how many computers are connected to the Internet. It is certain, however, that these number in the millions.

No one is in charge of the Internet. There are organizations which develop technical aspects of this network and set standards for creating applications on it, but no governing body is in control. The Internet backbone, through which Internet traffic flows, is owned by private companies.

All computers on the Internet communicate with one another using the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol suite, abbreviated to TCP/IP. Computers on the Internet use a client/server architecture. This means that the remote server machine provides files and services to the user's local client machine. Software can be installed on a client computer to take advantage of the latest access technology.

An Internet user has access to a wide variety of services: electronic mail, file transfer, vast information resources, interest group membership, interactive collaboration, multimedia displays, real-time broadcasting, shopping opportunities, breaking news, and much more.

The Internet consists primarily of a variety of access protocols. Many of these protocols feature programs that allow users to search for and retrieve material made available by the protocol.


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COMPONENTS OF THE INTERNET

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WORLD WIDE WEB
The World Wide Web (abbreviated as the Web or WWW) is a system of Internet servers that supports hypertext to access several Internet protocols on a single interface. Almost every protocol type available on the Internet is accessible on the Web. This includes e-mail, FTP, Telnet, and Usenet News. In addition to these, the World Wide Web has its own protocol: HyperText Transfer Protocol, or HTTP. These protocols will be explained later in this document.

The World Wide Web provides a single interface for accessing all these protocols. This creates a convenient and user-friendly environment. It is no longer necessary to be conversant in these protocols within separate, command-level environments. The Web gathers together these protocols into a single system. Because of this feature, and because of the Web's ability to work with multimedia and advanced programming languages, the Web is the fastest-growing component of the Internet.

The operation of the Web relies primarily on hypertext as its means of information retrieval. HyperText is a document containing words that connect to other documents. These words are called links and are selectable by the user. A single hypertext document can contain links to many documents. In the context of the Web, words or graphics may serve as links to other documents, images, video, and sound. Links may or may not follow a logical path, as each connection is programmed by the creator of the source document. Overall, the Web contains a complex virtual web of connections among a vast number of documents, graphics, videos, and sounds.

Producing hypertext for the Web is accomplished by creating documents with a language called HyperText Markup Language, or HTML. With HTML, tags are placed within the text to accomplish document formatting, visual features such as font size, italics and bold, and the creation of hypertext links. Graphics and multimedia may also be incorporated into an HTML document. HTML is an evolving language, with new tags being added as each upgrade of the language is developed and released. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), led by Web founder Tim Berners-Lee, coordinates the efforts of standardizing HTML. The W3C now calls the language XHTML and considers it to be an application of the XML language standard.

The World Wide Web consists of files, called pages or home pages, containing links to documents and resources throughout the Internet.

The Web provides a vast array of experiences including multimedia presentations, real-time collaboration, interactive pages, radio and television broadcasts, and the automatic "push" of information to a client computer. Programming languages such as Java, JavaScript, Visual Basic, Cold Fusion and XML are extending the capabilities of the Web. A growing amount of information on the Web is served dynamically from content stored in databases. The Web is therefore not a fixed entity, but one that is in a constant state of development and flux.

For more complete information about the World Wide Web, see Understanding The World Wide Web.

E-MAIL
Electronic mail, or e-mail, allows computer users locally and worldwide to exchange messages. Each user of e-mail has a mailbox address to which messages are sent. Messages sent through e-mail can arrive within a matter of seconds.

A powerful aspect of e-mail is the option to send electronic files to a person's e-mail address. Non-ASCII files, known as binary files, may be attached to e-mail messages. These files are referred to as MIME attachments.MIME stands for Multimedia Internet Mail Extension, and was developed to help e-mail software handle a variety of file types. For example, a document created in Microsoft Word can be attached to an e-mail message and retrieved by the recipient with the appropriate e-mail program. Many e-mail programs, including Eudora, Netscape Messenger, and Microsoft Outlook, offer the ability to read files written in HTML, which is itself a MIME type.

TELNET
Telnet is a program that allows you to log into computers on the Internet and use online databases, library catalogs, chat services, and more. There are no graphics in Telnet sessions, just text. To Telnet to a computer, you must know its address. This can consist of words (locis.loc.gov) or numbers (140.147.254.3). Some services require you to connect to a specific port on the remote computer. In this case, type the port number after the Internet address. Example: telnet nri.reston.va.us 185.

Telnet is available on the World Wide Web. Probably the most common Web-based resources available through Telnet have been library catalogs, though most catalogs have since migrated to the Web. A link to a Telnet resource may look like any other link, but it will launch a Telnet session to make the connection. A Telnet program must be installed on your local computer and configured to your Web browser in order to work.

With the increasing popularity of the Web, Telnet has become less frequently used as a means of access to information on the Internet.

FTP
FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol. This is both a program and the method used to transfer files between computers. Anonymous FTP is an option that allows users to transfer files from thousands of host computers on the Internet to their personal computer account. FTP sites contain books, articles, software, games, images, sounds, multimedia, course work, data sets, and more.

If your computer is directly connected to the Internet via an Ethernet cable, you can use one of several PC software programs, such as WS_FTP for Windows, to conduct a file transfer.

FTP transfers can be performed on the World Wide Web without the need for special software. In this case, the Web browser will suffice. Whenever you download software from a Web site to your local machine, you are using FTP. You can also retrieve FTP files via search engines such as FtpFind, located at /http://www.ftpfind.com/. This option is easiest because you do not need to know FTP program commands.

E-MAIL DISCUSSION GROUPS
One of the benefits of the Internet is the opportunity it offers to people worldwide to communicate via e-mail. The Internet is home to a large community of individuals who carry out active discussions organized around topic-oriented forums distributed by e-mail. These are administered by software programs. Probably the most common program is the listserv.

A great variety of topics are covered by listservs, many of them academic in nature. When you subscribe to a listserv, messages from other subscribers are automatically sent to your electronic mailbox. You subscribe to a listserv by sending an e-mail message to a computer program called a listserver. Listservers are located on computer networks throughout the world. This program handles subscription information and distributes messages to and from subscribers. You must have a e-mail account to participate in a listserv discussion group. Visit Tile.net at /http://tile.net/ to see an example of a site that offers a searchablecollection of e-mail discussion groups.

Majordomo and Listproc are two other programs that administer e-mail discussion groups. The commands for subscribing to and managing your list memberships are similar to those of listserv.

USENET NEWS
Usenet News is a global electronic bulletin board system in which millions of computer users exchange information on a vast range of topics. The major difference between Usenet News and e-mail discussion groups is the fact that Usenet messages are stored on central computers, and users must connect to these computers to read or download the messages posted to these groups. This is distinct from e-mail distribution, in which messages arrive in the electronic mailboxes of each list member.

Usenet itself is a set of machines that exchanges messages, or articles, from Usenet discussion forums, called newsgroups. Usenet administrators control their own sites, and decide which (if any) newsgroups to sponsor and which remote newsgroups to allow into the system.

There are thousands of Usenet newsgroups in existence. While many are academic in nature, numerous newsgroups are organized around recreational topics. Much serious computer-related work takes place in Usenet discussions. A small number of e-mail discussion groups also exist as Usenet newsgroups.

The Usenet newsfeed can be read by a variety of newsreader software programs. For example, the Netscape suite comes with a newsreader program called Messenger. Newsreaders are also available as standalone products.

FAQ, RFC, FYI
FAQ stands for Frequently Asked Questions. These are periodic postings to Usenet newsgroups that contain a wealth of information related to the topic of the newsgroup. Many FAQs are quite extensive. FAQs are available by subscribing to individual Usenet newsgroups. A Web-based collection of FAQ resources has been collected by The Internet FAQ Consortium and is available at /http://www.faqs.org/.

RFC stands for Request for Comments. These are documents created by and distributed to the Internet community to help define the nuts and bolts of the Internet. They contain both technical specifications and general information.

FYI stands for For Your Information. These notes are a subset of RFCs and contain information of interest to new Internet users.

Links to indexes of all three of these information resources are available on the University Libraries Web site at /http://library.albany.edu/reference/faqs.html.

CHAT & INSTANT MESSENGING
Chat programs allow users on the Internet to communicate with each other by typing in real time. They are sometimes included as a feature of a Web site, where users can log into the "chat room" to exchange comments and information about the topics addressed on the site. Chat may take other, more wide-ranging forms. For example, America Online is well known for sponsoring a number of topical chat rooms.

Internet Relay Chat (IRC) is a service through which participants can communicate to each other on hundreds of channels. These channels are usually based on specific topics. While many topics are frivolous, substantive conversations are also taking place. To access IRC, you must use an IRC software program.

A variation of chat is the phenomenon of instant messenging. With instant messenging, a user on the Web can contact another user currently logged in and type a conversation. Most famous is America Online's Instant Messenger. ICQ, MSN and Yahoo are other commonly-used chat programs.

Other types of real-time communication are addressed in the tutorial Understanding the World Wide Web.

MUD/MUSH/MOO/MUCK/DUM/MUSE
MUD stands for Multi User Dimension. MUDs, and their variations listed above, are multi-user virtual reality games based on simulated worlds. Traditionally text based, graphical MUDs now exist. There are MUDs of all kinds on the Internet, and many can be joined free of charge. For more information, read one of the FAQs devoted to MUDs available at the FAQ site at

Getting used to using your keyboard exclusively and leaving your mouse behind will make you much more efficient at performing any task on any Windows system. I use the following keyboard shortcuts every day

Windows key + R = Run menu

This is usually followed by:
cmd = Command Prompt
iexplore + "web address" = Internet Explorer
compmgmt.msc = Computer Management
dhcpmgmt.msc = DHCP Management
dnsmgmt.msc = DNS Management
services.msc = Services
eventvwr = Event Viewer
dsa.msc = Active Directory Users and Computers
dssite.msc = Active Directory Sites and Services
Windows key + E = Explorer

ALT + Tab = Switch between windows

ALT, Space, X = Maximize window

CTRL + Shift + Esc = Task Manager

Windows key + Break = System properties

Windows key + F = Search

Windows key + D = Hide/Display all windows

CTRL + C = copy

CTRL + X = cut

CTRL + V = paste

Also don't forget about the "Right-click" key next to the right Windows key on your keyboard. Using the arrows and that key can get just about anything done once you've opened up any program.


Keyboard Shortcuts

[Alt] and [Esc] Switch between running applications

[Alt] and letter Select menu item by underlined letter

[Ctrl] and [Esc] Open Program Menu

[Ctrl] and [F4] Close active document or group windows (does not work with some applications)

[Alt] and [F4] Quit active application or close current window

[Alt] and [-] Open Control menu for active document

Ctrl] Lft., Rt. arrow Move cursor forward or back one word

Ctrl] Up, Down arrow Move cursor forward or back one paragraph

[F1] Open Help for active application

Windows+M Minimize all open windows

Shift+Windows+M Undo minimize all open windows

Windows+F1 Open Windows Help

Windows+Tab Cycle through the Taskbar buttons

Windows+Break Open the System Properties dialog box



Accessibility shortcuts

Right SHIFT for eight seconds........ Switch FilterKeys on and off.

Left ALT +left SHIFT +PRINT SCREEN....... Switch High Contrast on and off.

Left ALT +left SHIFT +NUM LOCK....... Switch MouseKeys on and off.

SHIFT....... five times Switch StickyKeys on and off.

NUM LOCK...... for five seconds Switch ToggleKeys on and off.

explorer shortcuts

END....... Display the bottom of the active window.

HOME....... Display the top of the active window.

NUM LOCK+ASTERISK....... on numeric keypad (*) Display all subfolders under the selected folder.

NUM LOCK+PLUS SIGN....... on numeric keypad (+) Display the contents of the selected folder.

NUM LOCK+MINUS SIGN....... on numeric keypad (-) Collapse the selected folder.

LEFT ARROW...... Collapse current selection if it's expanded, or select parent folder.

RIGHT ARROW....... Display current selection if it's collapsed, or select first subfolder.




Type the following commands in your Run Box (Windows Key + R) or Start Run

devmgmt.msc = Device Manager
msinfo32 = System Information
cleanmgr = Disk Cleanup
ntbackup = Backup or Restore Wizard (Windows Backup Utility)
mmc = Microsoft Management Console
excel = Microsoft Excel (If Installed)
msaccess = Microsoft Access (If Installed)
powerpnt = Microsoft PowerPoint (If Installed)
winword = Microsoft Word (If Installed)
frontpg = Microsoft FrontPage (If Installed)
notepad = Notepad
wordpad = WordPad
calc = Calculator
msmsgs = Windows Messenger
mspaint = Microsoft Paint
wmplayer = Windows Media Player
rstrui = System Restore
netscp6 = Netscape 6.x
netscp = Netscape 7.x
netscape = Netscape 4.x
waol = America Online
control = Opens the Control Panel
control printers = Opens the Printers Dialog


Internetbrowser

type in u're adress "google", then press [Right CTRL] and [Enter]
add www. and .com to word and go to it


For Windows XP:

Copy. CTRL+C
Cut. CTRL+X
Paste. CTRL+V
Undo. CTRL+Z
Delete. DELETE
Delete selected item permanently without placing the item in the Recycle Bin. SHIFT+DELETE
Copy selected item. CTRL while dragging an item
Create shortcut to selected item. CTRL+SHIFT while dragging an item
Rename selected item. F2
Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next word. CTRL+RIGHT ARROW
Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous word. CTRL+LEFT ARROW
Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next paragraph. CTRL+DOWN ARROW
Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous paragraph. CTRL+UP ARROW
Highlight a block of text. CTRL+SHIFT with any of the arrow keys
Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text within a document. SHIFT with any of the arrow keys
Select all. CTRL+A
Search for a file or folder. F3
View properties for the selected item. ALT+ENTER
Close the active item, or quit the active program. ALT+F4
Opens the shortcut menu for the active window. ALT+SPACEBAR
Close the active document in programs that allow you to have multiple documents open simultaneously. CTRL+F4
Switch between open items. ALT+TAB
Cycle through items in the order they were opened. ALT+ESC
Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop. F6
Display the Address bar list in My Computer or Windows Explorer. F4
Display the shortcut menu for the selected item. SHIFT+F10
Display the System menu for the active window. ALT+SPACEBAR
Display the Start menu. CTRL+ESC
Display the corresponding menu. ALT+Underlined letter in a menu name
Carry out the corresponding command. Underlined letter in a command name on an open menu
Activate the menu bar in the active program. F10
Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu. RIGHT ARROW
Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu. LEFT ARROW
Refresh the active window. F5
View the folder one level up in My Computer or Windows Explorer. BACKSPACE
Cancel the current task. ESC
SHIFT when you insert a CD into the CD-ROM drive Prevent the CD from automatically playing.

Use these keyboard shortcuts for dialog boxes:

To Press
Move forward through tabs. CTRL+TAB
Move backward through tabs. CTRL+SHIFT+TAB
Move forward through options. TAB
Move backward through options. SHIFT+TAB
Carry out the corresponding command or select the corresponding option. ALT+Underlined letter
Carry out the command for the active option or button. ENTER
Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box. SPACEBAR
Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons. Arrow keys
Display Help. F1
Display the items in the active list. F4
Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box. BACKSPACE

If you have a Microsoft Natural Keyboard, or any other compatible keyboard that includes the Windows logo key and the Application key , you can use these keyboard shortcuts:


Display or hide the Start menu. WIN Key
Display the System Properties dialog box. WIN Key+BREAK
Show the desktop. WIN Key+D
Minimize all windows. WIN Key+M
Restores minimized windows. WIN Key+Shift+M
Open My Computer. WIN Key+E
Search for a file or folder. WIN Key+F
Search for computers. CTRL+WIN Key+F
Display Windows Help. WIN Key+F1
Lock your computer if you are connected to a network domain, or switch users if you are not connected to a network domain. WIN Key+ L
Open the Run dialog box. WIN Key+R
Open Utility Manager. WIN Key+U

Accessibility keyboard shortcuts:

Switch FilterKeys on and off. Right SHIFT for eight seconds
Switch High Contrast on and off. Left ALT+left SHIFT+PRINT SCREEN
Switch MouseKeys on and off. Left ALT +left SHIFT +NUM LOCK
Switch StickyKeys on and off. SHIFT five times
Switch ToggleKeys on and off. NUM LOCK for five seconds
Open Utility Manager. WIN Key+U

Shortcuts you can use with Windows Explorer:


Display the bottom of the active window. END
Display the top of the active window. HOME
Display all subfolders under the selected folder. NUM LOCK+ASTERISK on numeric keypad (*)
Display the contents of the selected folder. NUM LOCK+PLUS SIGN on numeric keypad (+)
Collapse the selected folder. NUM LOCK+MINUS SIGN on numeric keypad (-)
Collapse current selection if it's expanded, or select parent folder. LEFT ARROW
Display current selection if it's collapsed, or select first subfolder. RIGHT ARROW

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 mcft windows will be familiar with this. What can you do? More importantly, how can you prevent it happening?

1 Hardware Conflict

the number one reason why windows crashes is hardware conflict. Each hardware device communicates to other devices through an interrupt request channel (irq). These are supposed to be unique for each device.

For example, a printer usually connects internally on irq 7. The keyboard usually uses irq 1 and the floppy disk drive irq 6. Each device will try to hog a single irq for itself.

If there are a lot of devices, or if they are not installed properly, two of them may end up sharing the same irq number. When the user tries to use both devices at the same time, a crash can happen. The way to check if your computer has a hardware conflict is through the following route:

* start-settings-control panel-system-device manager.

Often if a device has a problem a yellow '!' appears next to its description in the device manager. Highlight computer (in the device manager) and press properties to see the irq numbers used by your computer. If the irq number appears twice, two devices may be using it.

Sometimes a device might share an irq with something described as 'irq holder for pci steering'. This can be ignored. The best way to fix this problem is to remove the problem device and reinstall it.

Sometimes you may have to find more recent drivers on the internet to make the device function properly. A good resource is www.Driverguide.Com. If the device is a soundcard, or a modem, it can often be fixed by moving it to a different slot on the motherboard (be careful about opening your computer, as you may void the warranty).

When working inside a computer you should switch it off, unplug the mains lead and touch an unpainted metal surface to discharge any static electricity.

To be fair to mcft, the problem with irq numbers is not of its making. It is a legacy problem going back to the first pc designs using the ibm 8086 chip. Initially there were only eight irqs. Today there are 16 irqs in a pc. It is easy to run out of them. There are plans to increase the number of irqs in future designs.

2 Bad Ram

ram (random-access memory) problems might bring on the blue screen of death with a message saying fatal exception error. A fatal error indicates a serious hardware problem. Sometimes it may mean a part is damaged and will need replacing.

But a fatal error caused by ram might be caused by a mismatch of chips. For example, mixing 70-nanosecond (70ns) ram with 60ns ram will usually force the computer to run all the ram at the slower speed. This will often crash the machine if the ram is overworked.

One way around this problem is to enter the bios settings and increase the wait state of the ram. This can make it more stable. Another way to troubleshoot a suspected ram problem is to rearrange the ram chips on the motherboard, or take some of them out. Then try to repeat the circumstances that caused the crash. When handling ram try not to touch the gold connections, as they can be easily damaged.

Parity error messages also refer to ram. Modern ram chips are either parity (ecc) or non parity (non-ecc). It is best not to mix the two types, as this can be a cause of trouble.

Emm386 error messages refer to memory problems but may not be connected to bad ram. This may be due to free memory problems often linked to old dos-based programmes.

3 Bios Settings

every motherboard is supplied with a range of chipset settings that are decided in the factory. A common way to access these settings is to press the f2 or delete button during the first few seconds of a boot-up.

Once inside the bios, great care should be taken. It is a good idea to write down on a piece of paper all the settings that appear on the screen. That way, if you change something and the computer becomes more unstable, you will know what settings to revert to.

A common bios error concerns the cas latency. This refers to the ram. Older edo (extended data out) ram has a cas latency of 3. Newer sdram has a cas latency of 2. Setting the wrong figure can cause the ram to lock up and freeze the computer's display.

Mcft windows is better at allocating irq numbers than any bios. If possible set the irq numbers to auto in the bios. This will allow windows to allocate the irq numbers (make sure the bios setting for plug and play os is switched to 'yes' to allow windows to do this.).

4 Hard Disk Drives

after a few weeks, the information on a hard disk drive starts to become piecemeal or fragmented. It is a good idea to defragment the hard disk every week or so, to prevent the disk from causing a screen freeze. Go to

* start-programs-accessories-system tools-disk defragmenter

this will start the procedure. You will be unable to write data to the hard drive (to save it) while the disk is defragmenting, so it is a good idea to schedule the procedure for a period of inactivity using the task scheduler.

The task scheduler should be one of the small icons on the bottom right of the windows opening page (the desktop).

Some lockups and screen freezes caused by hard disk problems can be solved by reducing the read-ahead optimisation. This can be adjusted by going to

* start-settings-control panel-system icon-performance-file system-hard disk.

Hard disks will slow down and crash if they are too full. Do some housekeeping on your hard drive every few months and free some space on it. Open the windows folder on the c drive and find the temporary internet files folder. Deleting the contents (not the folder) can free a lot of space.

Empty the recycle bin every week to free more space. Hard disk drives should be scanned every week for errors or bad sectors. Go to

* start-programs-accessories-system tools-scandisk

otherwise assign the task scheduler to perform this operation at night when the computer is not in use.

5 Fatal Or Exceptions And Vxd Errors

fatal oe exception errors and vxd errors are often caused by video card problems.

These can often be resolved easily by reducing the resolution of the video display. Go to

* start-settings-control panel-display-settings

here you should slide the screen area bar to the left. Take a look at the colour settings on the left of that window. For most desktops, high colour 16-bit depth is adequate.

If the screen freezes or you experience system lockups it might be due to the video card. Make sure it does not have a hardware conflict. Go to

* start-settings-control panel-system-device manager

here, select the + beside display adapter. A line of text describing your video card should appear. Select it (make it blue) and press properties. Then select resources and select each line in the window. Look for a message that says no conflicts.

If you have video card hardware conflict, you will see it here. Be careful at this point and make a note of everything you do in case you make things worse.

The way to resolve a hardware conflict is to uncheck the use automatic settings box and hit the change settings button. You are searching for a setting that will display a no conflicts message.

Another useful way to resolve video problems is to go to

* start-settings-control panel-system-performance-graphics

here you should move the hardware acceleration slider to the left. As ever, the most common cause of problems relating to graphics cards is old or faulty drivers (a driver is a small piece of software used by a computer to communicate with a device).

Look up your video card's manufacturer on the internet and search for the most recent drivers for it.

6 Viruses

often the first sign of a virus infection is instability. Some viruses erase the boot sector of a hard drive, making it impossible to start. This is why it is a good idea to create a windows start-up disk. Go to

* start-settings-control panel-add/remove programs

here, look for the start up disk tab. Virus protection requires constant vigilance.

A virus scanner requires a list of virus signatures in order to be able to identify viruses. These signatures are stored in a dat file. Dat files should be updated weekly from the website of your antivirus software manufacturer.

An excellent antivirus programme is mcafee virusscan by network associates ( www.Nai.Com). Another is norton antivirus 2000, made by symantec ( www.Symantec.Com).

7 Printers

the action of sending a document to print creates a bigger file, often called a postscript file.

Printers have only a small amount of memory, called a buffer. This can be easily overloaded. Printing a document also uses a considerable amount of cpu power. This will also slow down the computer's performance.

If the printer is trying to print unusual characters, these might not be recognised, and can crash the computer. Sometimes printers will not recover from a crash because of confusion in the buffer. A good way to clear the buffer is to unplug the printer for ten seconds. Booting up from a powerless state, also called a cold boot, will restore the printer's default settings and you may be able to carry on.

8 Software

a common cause of computer crash is faulty or badly-installed software. Often the problem can be cured by uninstalling the software and then reinstalling it. Use norton uninstall or uninstall shield to remove an application from your system properly. This will also remove references to the programme in the system registry and leaves the way clear for a completely fresh copy.

The system registry can be corrupted by old references to obsolete software that you thought was uninstalled. Use reg cleaner by jouni vuorio to clean up the system registry and remove obsolete entries. It works on windows 95, windows 98, windows 98 se (second edition), windows millennium edition (me), nt4 and windows 2000.

Read the instructions and use it carefully so you don't do permanent damage to the registry. If the registry is damaged you will have to reinstall your operating system. Reg cleaner can be obtained from www.Jv16.Org

often a windows problem can be resolved by entering safe mode. This can be done during start-up. When you see the message "starting windows" press f4. This should take you into safe mode.

Safe mode loads a minimum of drivers. It allows you to find and fix problems that prevent windows from loading properly.

Sometimes installing windows is difficult because of unsuitable bios settings. If you keep getting suwin error messages (windows setup) during the windows installation, then try entering the bios and disabling the cpu internal cache. Try to disable the level 2 (l2) cache if that doesn't work.

Remember to restore all the bios settings back to their former settings following installation.

9 Overheating

central processing units (cpus) are usually equipped with fans to keep them cool. If the fan fails or if the cpu gets old it may start to overheat and generate a particular kind of error called a kernel error. This is a common problem in chips that have been overclocked to operate at higher speeds than they are supposed to.

One remedy is to get a bigger better fan and install it on top of the cpu. Specialist cooling fans/heatsinks are available from www.Computernerd.Com or www.Coolit.Com

cpu problems can often be fixed by disabling the cpu internal cache in the bios. This will make the machine run more slowly, but it should also be more stable.

10 Power Supply Problems

with all the new construction going on around the country the steady supply of electricity has become disrupted. A power surge or spike can crash a computer as easily as a power cut.

If this has become a nuisance for you then consider buying a uninterrupted power supply (ups). This will give you a clean power supply when there is electricity, and it will give you a few minutes to perform a controlled shutdown in case of a power cut.

It is a good investment if your data are critical, because a power cut will cause any unsaved data to be lost.