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WinMe Tips #3 March 05, 2001

Here's the third and final set of WinMe tips.

Cascading My Computer Folder

Drag the My Computer icon from the desktop to the Start Button.
Now you have a cascading menu for My Computer available when you press Ctrl-Esc. 
This gives you easy access to your disks, CD ROMS, mobile devices and network connections

Installing MS Backup

This program does not get installed as part of the WinMe setup but if you want it; it's on the original WinMe CD in the \Add-ons\MSBackup directory

Enabling System File Protection PopUp Windows

This tip lets you see a little more of the goings on of WinMe operations.
If System File Protection performs an action and you want to see a popup window notifying you:

  1. Start Regedit (Remember to backup the registry before tinkering with it)
  2. Go to HKey_Local_Machine\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ SystemFileProtection
  3. Change the value of ShowPopups from 0 to 1

Items you will be notified about are:

  1. Restoring a protected file
  2. Removing a security catalog
  3. Adding a security catalog

Force Explorer to default to any directory

by appending the path to the "target" line in Explorer's properties dialog.

1) Right-click the Explorer icon and choose Properties.
2) In Windows 98 or Windows Me, you will see Target: C:\WINDOWS\EXPLORER.EXE (in Windows 2000, it says %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe)
3) Add the path you want to the end of the line: e.g., "C:\WINDOWS\EXPLORER.EXE C:\" would explore the C:\ directory by default. The target box should read, "C:\Windows\Explorer.exe /n,/e,C:\" (sans quotes), unless you want a "My Computer" view.
4) Click OK and try it!
5) Another example would be a setting I use: "C:\WINDOWS\EXPLORER.EXE /n,/e,E:\DOWNLOAD" This setting opens windows explorer to a folder called download that I use for all my internet downloading. I have my drive partitioned, with windows on its own partition "C" and the rest of my programs on drive "E" thus the reference to E:\DOWNLOAD

If You Think Media Player is too darn slow and takes up to much disk space then:

You can choose the "classic" skin (which works only when you're not in full-screen mode, by the way) or, if you don't mind giving up the new player's features, you can run the old 6.4 player.

It's installed into the Program Files directory, usually found at "C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\MPLAYER2.EXE" Many people find movies play more smoothly with the old Media Player 6.4. To set it as your new default, right-click an AVI, ASF or MPG movie file and use the "Open With..." command to browse to the above-noted directory. Clicking the "Always open..." checkbox will make your selection persistent.

Hope you have found these tips of some use.