Last week I goofed up and deleted the Recycle bin icon from my customer's Vista Desktop.  Fortunately, getting the icon back is easy.  Here's what you need to do.

In Vista

1. Right Click anywhere on the Desktop
2. Select 'Personalize' from the short-cut menu
   
   
    
3. Click the 'Change Desktop Icons' link in the upper left hand margin
   
    
4. Check 'Recycle Bin'
   

While you re there, you can even add the icons for My Computer, the Control Panel, and more

That's it!

If you have made the transition or maybe just have a computer with Vista, you are probably getting accustomed to the changes.  One of these changes is the missing 'up one level' that was available in Windows XP when navigating through your folders.

'up one level' button in Windows XP

Missing 'up one Level' button in Vista

If you are like me and still long for this simple feature there is hope.  There is a key combination that you can use in its place.

All you need to do to go up one level in Vista is press the ALT + Up Arrow keys at the same time.

That's it!

 Happy Thanksgiving!

June 10 2007
Like all new versions of Windows, Vista includes helpful software programs that you had to previously purchase separately.  One of these software programs is the Snipping Tool. 

The Snipping Tool helps us capture screen images of our computer which are especially helpful when we want to show someone exactly what we see on our computer - like technical support.

To use it all you need to do is:
1. All Programs > Accessories > Snipping Tool
-The mini Snipping Tool window appears
2. Use your mouse to outline the portion of the screen you want to capture
-The regular Snipping Tool window appears
3. File > Save As
4. Enter a name for the file that is your captured image
5. Click Save
OR
4. File > Send to > Email Recipient (as attachment)
-A blank email opens, with the captured image as an attachment ready to be addressed

That's it!

Feb 6 2006
Q: I have Icons & Short-cuts scattered all over my Desktop.  Is there a way I can just quickly arrange them neatly so I don’t have to drag them or re-organize them:

A: The quickest way to re-organize your Desktop Icons and keep them arranged automatically is this:
1. Select a blank area on your desktop
2. Right click once
-This reveals the Mouse Menu
3. Select ‘Arrange Icons By’
4. Select ‘Auto Arrange’
All of your Icons will neatly arrange themselves, lining up in columns on the left-hand side of your Desktop!

January 9 2006
Q: I noticed that Windows remembers the last few programs that I opened and places it just above the START button on the Start menu.  Is there a way that I can  add specific programs to menu?

A: Yes and the answer is simpler than you may think.  Here's how:
1. Press the 'Start' button
2. Click '(All) Programs'
3. Find the program you want to add to the Start menu
4. Right Click on the program
5. Select 'Pin to Start Menu' from the list
That's it!

Now when you need to start your favorite program, it will be waiting for you on the Start menu!

If you need to take it off the Start menu, just Right click on it and select 'Unpin from Start menu'

Maybe you have been in this situation:  You are trying to describe what you see on your computer to a co-worker or even someone from technical support.  What you describe is not clicking for the other person.  Harder yet, you spend several minutes trying to figure out what to use as the same terminology to describe what you see.  Well, if you are ever in again just use the Print Screen feature.

The Print Screen feature is on all computers and just like it says, it will take a snap-shot of your computer screen as you currently see it.

Here’s how you use it:
-While your computer is on
1. Press and hold down the FN key or if your computer does not have this key, press the ALT or CTRL key and Press the PRNT SCRN key
2. Open Microsoft Word (or another word processing program)
3. Edit > Paste
-The image of your screen is inserted in the document
You can then save the document and then email it to the person you want to share it with.
That’s it!

Hint:
-On my Dell Laptop the FN key is in blue lettering at right of the Space Bar and my PRNT SCRN is at the left of the Space Bar, also in blue lettering
-On my Desktop with a Logitech keyboard it is the F Mode button & Print Screen buttons at the upper right hand side of the computer
-On other keyboards the FN it is in white lettering at the left hand side of the space bar and the PRNT SCRN button is somewhere at the upper right hand side.