Windows Watcher

Longhorn stampede ... by Tom Bair

A recent beta version of the next Windows operating system, code-named Longhorn, found its way onto the World Wide Web. A glance at Longhorn shows some new operating system services and even a new searching technology.

Two new features are Windows Future Storage Services (WFSS) and Windows Storage Full-Text Index (WSFTI) that will allow more accurate Google-like searching. The new file system called Windows Future Storage (WinFS) was not in this early beta version.

A new feature parents will love is a service called Logon Hours that restricts times when people are able to log on to the PC. I enjoyed the new security enhancements, and the extra flexibility in being able to further customize Windows. Other features are the integrated Download Manager and a fully graphical install process.

Don't get too excited, though. Longhorn won't be released until the year 2005-2006. Until then, we will have to be happy with the betas that slip into circulation.

ThemeXP Website

[95/98/SE/ME/XP/2K] The award for best website of the month has to go to ThemeXP. Here you can download thousands of free Visual Styles, Login Screens, Wallpapers, and Boot Screens for Windows. You will also find a forum where you can ask questions, along with tutorials on such topics as 'Making Your Own' and 'How to Install.' Find it all at http://www.themexp.org.

Restrict User Logon Times

[XP] I was asked by parents if it was possible to restrict their son's hours on the family computer. On a stand-alone computer you can only restrict when a user may log on to the system. Currently there is no way to force a user to log off when their hours expire.

Below I have refined a technique which MS-MVP Doug Knox has developed:

1. Click on the 'Start' button.
2. Click on 'Help and Support.'
3. In the Search box, type logon hours.
4. Go to Full text matches and click on "Net user."
5. Study the examples for setting a user's logon hours.

   Some examples from Doug Knox are:
   Net user johnsw /time:M-F,08:00-17:00
   Net user johnsw /time:M-F,8am-5pm
   Net user marysl /time:M,4am-5pm;T,1pm- 3pm;W-F,8:00-17:00
   Net user johnsw /time:all (this setting allows user to always be able to log on)

    

6. Close and exit 'Help and Support' Window.
7. Click on the 'Start' button.
8. Highlight 'Programs', then 'Accessories;' and click on 'Command Prompt.'
9. Type the appropriate "net user" command for the user(s) you wish to restrict access for. Use the format shown in the examples above.
10. Reboot your computer.

View Entire Icon Name

[95/98/SE/ME/2K/XP] Windows sets a default amount of space on the desktop for icons, but some icons have names that are too long to be displayed in full. If you want to see the full names of the icons, you can do so by changing the amount of space the icons take up on the Desktop. However, be aware that when you do this, you're also changing the amount of space that's occupied by the icons in folder windows when the icons are displayed in Large Icons view.

1. Right-click on an empty area of your desktop.
2. Click on 'Properties' in the resulting pop-up menu.
3. Click on the 'Appearance' tab.
4. For Windows XP users only, click on the 'Advanced' button.
5. Click on the down-arrow chevron to the right of the "Item:" list box.
6. Highlight and click on "Icon Spacing (Horizontal)."
7. In the "Size:" box on the same line, enter a large number such as 150.
8. Click the 'OK' button.
9. Right-click on an empty area of your desktop.
10. Highlight "Arrange Icons By" and click on 'Name.'
11. If the icon names are still not fully displayed, repeat steps 1 through 10 above, and experiment with the number value in step 7 until you are successful.

Disable LMHosts Lookup

[XP/2K] Do you have a problem with certain applications taking forever to open, and for no obvious reason? This could be caused by "LMHosts Lookup" being enabled on your TCP/IP connections.

If there is no LAN Manager Host on your network (there won't be on most small networks), XP and Windows 2000 may spin their wheels each time you launch an application as they look in vain for the Host that isn't there. Simply disabling the LMHosts Lookup solves the problem completely and allows applications to open at normal speed. Here's how to disable this function:

1. Click on the 'Start' button.
2. Right-click on 'My Network Places.'
3. Click on "Local Area Connection" in the LAN or High-Speed Internet section.
4. Click on the 'Properties' button in the "Local Area Connection Status" window.
5. In the box under "This connection uses the following items:" click on the words 'Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).' Do not uncheck the checkbox to the left of this listing.
6. Click on the 'Properties' button.
7. In the "General" tab page, click on the 'Advanced' button.
8. Click on the "WINS" tab.
9. Uncheck the box next to "Enable LMHOSTS lookup."
10. Click the 'OK' button twice to close two windows.
11. Click the 'Close' button twice to close the last two windows.
12. Exit the "Network Connections" window.

Thumbnail Without Names

[2K/XP] It's great looking at photos and pictures in Windows Explorer using Thumbnail view. However, if you have a folder with several hundred pictures in it, you end up scrolling up and down a lot if the files have long names. Here's how to remove the filenames from the display:

1. Click on 'View' in the Command menu at the top of the window.
2. If you already have 'Thumbnail' view selected, change to another view such as 'Details.'
3. Hold down the Shift Key and click on 'Thumbnail' view.

Now you can view more of your pictures in the Explorer window. To get the filenames back, just repeat the above three steps.

Locate Dead Links in Favorites

[XP/2K] Here's an easy way to mass check for any dead links in your Favorites folder.

1. While connected to the Internet, click on the 'Start' button.
2. Highlight 'Programs', 'Accessories', and click on 'Windows Explorer.'
3. In the left-pane, click on your C drive.
4. Click on 'Documents and Settings.'
5. Click on the user name whose links you wish to check.
6. Click on the 'Favorites' folder.
7. Click on 'View' in the Command menu at the top of the window.
8. Select 'Thumbnails' view.
9. Explorer will display a thumbnail preview of each link. If you see a tine 404 error page, the link may be dead.

Speed Up the Start Menu

[XP] ComSec of Security Forums Dot Com brought this useful tip to my attention. If you notice a slight delay after you click the 'Start' button, you can edit the Registry value to adjust the delay time of the pop-up menu.

1. Click on the 'Start' button.
2. Click on 'Run.'
3. Type in regedit and press 'Enter.'.=
4. Navigate to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER|Control Panel|Desktop.
5. Scroll down to and right-click on MenuShowDelay.
6. Select 'Modify.'
7. The default value is set at 400. Reduce the value to 200 or less and you will notice a speed improvement.

Saving Update Patches - Update

[95/98/SE/ME/XP/2K] This e-mail from Lyty Lim explains an easier way of doing this tip.

"I wanted to let you know there is an easier way than saving each patch individually. Windows Update catalog allows you to select all the patches you want and then it will batch download the patches for you. It is accessed through the 'See Also' section within Windows Update. If it is not there, you can enable it by following these steps:

1. Go to Windows Update Site.
2. Click 'Personalize Windows Update.'
3. Enable access to Windows Update Catalog."

Correction

Reader Steven Moore reports that the tip Locked Admin Account that appeared in the March 2003 issue does not work on Windows 2000 if you have Service Pack 2 (SP2) installed. Many thanks to Steven for reporting this. I would not have been aware of it as I tested the tip on a fresh install of Win 2K.

About the Author

Please feel free to email the author with your comments about this article: Tom Bair