Changing your STARTUP Screen

Zipping files across multiple disks

Backups

Direct cable connection

Word Macros

Word hyperlinks

Adding Memory to your PC

Installing a Soundcard

Installing a Graphics Card

Add an extra hard disk

Add an extra hard disk part 2

Changing your STARTUP Screen

Step 1

You can design your new startup screen from scratch, but it's easier to use an existing image.  Start PaintShop Pro, open your image, and select Resize form the Image menu.  In the following dialog box, under the Custom Size, enter 320 in the left-hand box and 400 in the right-hand box.  Remove the tick from the Maintain Aspect Ratio box, and hit the OK button.

Step 2

The file must be saved in the right format.  If your image has more than 256 colours, it must be converted to a 256 Colour bitmap format.  Click on the Colours menu, scroll down to Decrease Colour Depth and select 256 colours… [eight bit].  Check the radio dials and boxes next to optimized, Error Diffusion and Include Windows colours.  Then click on the OK button.

Step 3

Before installing your new startup image, make a copy of your old one so you can revert back if anything goes wrong.  Right click on your Start button and select Find.  If it isn't already to the front, click on the Name and Location tab.  In the Named box enter logo.sys.  Click on the downwards pointing arrow at the end of the Look in box, and select your hard disk.  Then hit the Find Now button.  Highlight logo.sys and hit F2 to rename it.  Try to stick to something similar so that it'll be easy to find again, such as xlogo.sys.  If logo.sys isn't found, then use your version of Windows may use a built-in startup logo.  To restore, delete the logo.sys you created.

Step 4

The image you've been working on should still be open in PaintShop.  Click on the File menu and select Save As.  Click on the downwards arrow at the end of the Save In box to select your hard disk.  Type in logo.sys in the File Name box, and make sure you enclose it in quotes.  It may vary, but the Save as Type box needs to show something like Bitmap or BMP.  Click save and restart.  Your image will now appear instead of the old Windows splash screen.

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Zipping files across multiple disks

Step 1

First, make sure you have several floppy disks to hand, and have one in the floppy drive, ready to begin.  Start up WinZip and click on the New button.

Step 2

Now to create a New Archive.  First, say where you want to create it - if the floppy drive isn't already showing, click on the down-pointing arrow by the drive currently selected, and choose the floppy drive from the drop-down list.  You then need to give your archive (the zip file) a name.  Finally, click on OK.

Step 3

Having specified where the files are going, we now need to say which files are going.  Find the folder that houses the files you want to zip up.  At present, WinZip assumes you want to zip all files in the folder - it's offering the filename to be zipped as *.*.  If you only want to zip up selected files in the folder, click to highlight the first one, then hold down the control key (often labeled Ctrl on the keyboard) and click to highlight the others.  At the bottom-left of the dialog box, note that Multiple Disk Spanning is set at Automatic - it should say this normally - otherwise, select Automatic from the drop-down list.  Click on Add.

Step 4

Now WinZip will trundle through the process of zipping the files and adding them to the collection on your floppy disk.  When the first disk is full, you'll be asked to put in another.  Take out the first, put in the second, and click on OK to continue.  This procedure carries on as long as necessary until the zip file is complete, when the usual index will be created.  If you use several disks, it's a good idea to number them - write lightly in felt pen on the disk label - to avoid confusion.     

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Backups

Step 1

Load Microsoft Backup by going to the Start menu, choosing Programs, then Accessories, System Tools then Backup.  When the main screen appears, go to the Settings menu and choose Options. Click on the Backup tab and then have a look at the 'Type of backup' options.  Make sure you have the 'Full' box checked.  Underneath that check the Use Data Compression box as well - this will squeeze your files so that you'll get more onto each floppy disk.

Step 2

Click OK to close the box.  Next, find the files you want to back up.  Remember, we're only going to make backups of our data files - in other words, the work that you've created - not any of your programs.  Find the files you want to back up by double clicking first on the disk where they are, and then on the folders inside the disk until you get to them. When you've found them, simply click in the empty box next to each one.

Step 3

Click on the Next Step button and then choose the destination for the backup. Example, the floppy disk drive.  Make sure you've got an empty floppy disk in the drive and then select drive 'A' by clicking on its icon.  Then click on the Start Backup button.  You'll be asked to type in a name for the backup. (You can also password protect it.)  Then click OK.  The backup begins. Backup squeezes the files so that you can fit more on a floppy.

There's much more to Backup than this.  Look at the Options command on the Settings menu for more details.  And if you've got backups you do regularly you can save them as special 'sets' so that you don't have to define them from scratch each time.

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Direct cable connection

Step 1

You'll need Windows 95 running on both computers, and a parallel interlink cable - a parallel printer cable or any kind of LapLink cable will NOT work. Unplug your printer cable and plug in one end of the interlink cable.  Then plug the other end into the second computer.  On the first PC, go to the Start menu and choose Programs, Accessories and then Direct Cable Connection.

Step 2

We want to get at some information on the notebook, so we'll leave this machine as the guest, so just click Next.  Then, at the next dialog box choose 'Parallel cable on LPT1', and then click on the Next button.

Step 3

You'll see a dialog box saying you've successfully set up one half of the connection, but don't click on the Finish button yet.  Now you have to go and do it again on the second PC.  Do exactly the same, except this time make sure you select the Host option at the first dialog.  Then the program asks which folders you want to share between the two computers.

Step 4

Find a folder you want to let the other PC have access to and right mouse click on it. Then choose Sharing.  At the dialog, click on the Sharing tab, and then the radio button next to Shared As.  In the Access Type section, click Full and don't bother with a password - though you can later.  Then click OK.  You'll notice that a little hand appears underneath your chosen folder, indicating that it's now a shared folder.

Step 5

Go back to the Direct Cable Connection dialog and click the Next button, then click the Next button, then click Finish in the next box.  The second PC is now waiting for the first PC to make contact.  Go back to the first PC and at the Direct Cable Connection dialog box, click Finish.  The two PCs will then communicate.  You may be asked for the name of the host computer - if you don't know it, go to that machine, and from the Start menu choose Settings, Control Panel and then double click the Network icon.  At the dialog, click the Identification tab and you'll see the computer name there.  If you don't, make a new name up, type it in, and click OK to close.  Here's the shared folder on the host computer, as it displays on the guest PC.

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Word Macros

Step 1

To get started, click on the Tools menu, then on Macro.  Next, select Record New Macro.  Macros are not confined to just Word, or indeed Microsoft products though.  Both Excel and Access allow you to create macros using the same techniques explained here and you can do the same in SmartSuite 97 applications as well, though Lotus prefers to call them 'scripts' rather than macros.  In Word Pro 97, for example, you'll find the macro feature masquerading as Scripts and Macros under the Edit menu.

Step 2

In the Record Macro dialog box, you need to fill in some details.  First of all, you need to give your macro a name - if you create a lot of macros, it's a good idea to use something easily recognizable.  The macro name can only be a single word.  In the Description window, you have the opportunity to put a somewhat lengthier description of the macros function.  We're going to create a macro that starts a new document and puts in a letter heading.  Finally, you can assign your macro to a Toolbar or to the keyboard, so that you call it up with a set of keystrokes.  In this example, we'll assign it to a Toolbar, so click that icon.

Step 3

The next stage is to put your macro's button onto the Toolbar.  In the Customize dialog box, click the Commands tab if it's not already on top.  You'll see the name of your macro in the Commands section on the right-hand side.  Click on the macro name, hold down the mouse button and drag it up to the Toolbar.  As you move the mouse cursor over the Toolbar, you'll see the insertion bar appear - this shows where your button will go. Release the mouse button where you want the button to go.

Step 4

Right-click on the button and then select Change Button Image from the drop-down menu.  Now you can click on an icon to liven up your button.

Step 5

Right-click again on your new button this time, in the drop-down menu, double-click on the macro name next to the Name window.  Now you can just over-type a more helpful name for your macro. Now click on the Close button in the Customize dialog box and you're ready to get started on the macro itself.   

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Word hyperlinks

Step 1

First you need to create at least one bookmark.  A bookmark marks where in your document you wish to jump to… probably a subject heading.  Highlight a word or phrase by double-clicking or dragging the mouse its letters.

Step 2

Now to create your first hyperlink.  Say, for example you want a hyperlink that jumps from a contents list to a section further down your document.  Highlight the word or phrase in the contents list by double-clicking or dragging the mouse pointer across it.  Next, click the Insert menu and choose Hyperlink.  (You can also click the Insert Hyperlink button on the toolbar.)

Step 3

The Insert Hyperlink dialog box appears.  You will see the two boxes for inputting text. If you're linking within the same document, you can ignore the first box.  Click the button marked Browse, next to the lower text box.  A list of any assigned bookmarks in the current document will appear.  Select the bookmark you want this hyperlink to jump to, then click OK.  The bookmark name is now displayed in the lower text box… click OK.

Step 4

Back in your document, the hyperlink word or phrase will be displayed underlined (in blue, by default).  Click on the hyperlink and you will jump straight to the bookmark.  It's worth noting that a hyperlinked word can also be a bookmark.  So, you could, for example, jump from one part of your document to another, then back again.

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Adding Memory to your PC

Step 1

First, you need to know how much memory is in your PC already.  You can either look carefully at the Startup screen before Windows loads (that usually tells you) or from the desktop, right mouse click on the My Computer icon and select Properties.  At the dialog box, click on the Performance tab.

Step 2

Close down Windows and switch everything off.  Ground yourself by touching something metal, such as a radiator or the back of the case.  Then unplug the system unit from everything - mains, mouse, keyboard, monitor, speakers everything.  Get your PC's manual and find the section on opening the system unit which typically involves undoing a few screws round the back.

Step 3

Roughly in the middle, there's a line of three connectors - one of which has a mini-circuit board already plugged into it.  That's your existing  memory all packed onto a single card.

Step 4

To install more memory in the slot next to it, you first need to open out the small white clips at either end.  These are hinged to open out so you can slot the memory card in easily.  The clips will then close to grip the card when it's in position.

Step 5

Before you touch the memory card you should really be wearing something called a grounding wrist strap.  This is necessary as your body builds up static electricity that can harm the delicate insides of your PC.  In practice, touching a metal object will do the trick.  However, touching the metal back of your PC will only work if the PC's power plug is still connected to the mains (wall plug).  Be very careful here, and make sure that you have switched off the power at the wall plug.  Immediately remove the mains plug from the PC once you are static free.  Then, carefully pick up the memory (don't touch the 'teeth' at the bottom) and gently slot into the connector.  It will only fit one way, so you can't mess it up.

Step 6

Give the card a little wiggle to make sure it's going to slot into place and then push slowly and firmly down at both ends.  As you do, the card will press on the bottom of the two clips, pushing them down and causing them to pivot and snap back in, so they hold the card securely.

Step 7

Then, close up.  Put everything back where you found it, but don't put all the screws back in yet, in case you have to do some more fiddling (you really shouldn't, by the way).  Modern PCs will detect the extra memory immediately, without any interference from you.

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Installing a Soundcard

Step 1

While you should feel confident about opening up your computer, you should always treat it with the utmost respect as it is powered from the mains.  Whenever you remove the cover, make sure that the power is off.  Then unplug everything from the back of the system, especially the power lead.  Ground yourself by touching something metal, like the back of the case.  Never, but never, fiddle with the inside of your machine when the power is connected.  Now you have made your machine safe, you can remove the cover.  This will typically involve the removal of four or five screws.  The cover will probably slide off backwards - you may need to use some firm persuasion to free it.

Step 2

It is likely you already have a soundcard.  However, if you don't skip to Step 3.  Locate your old card - it will be screwed to the back of your machine.  You can tell which one is the soundcard as it is connected to your speakers and to your CD-ROM drive.  To remove the card, disconnect the cables, remove the screw fixing it to the chassis and gently pull.  You might find that rocking the card front-to-back helps.

Step 3

Replace the PC's cover and power up your machine.  When you do so.  Windows should detect your card has been removed (if you had one).  To make sure there's no longer a card installed, take a look in the Device Manager - click on Start, Settings and Control Panel.  Now double-click on the System icon.  In the System window, click on Device Manager.  In Devices, you'll see an entry for Sound, Video and Game controllers - if there's a '+' sign by this click on to it.  In the list that opens up, there should be no mention of soundcards.

Step 4

The next stage is to install the software that comes with your soundcard - what you get will depend on what you buy, but all cards will have their own drivers - these simply tell Windows how to 'talk' to the soundcard.  Put the driver disk into the computer - a CD-ROM may run automatically, but floppies may require you to type in a command.  Follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Step 5

Now it's time to switch off the machine and take off the cover again.  Line up your card in a vacant slot, making sure you've matched the card with the right length slot.  Firm, but gentle pressure and a rocking action should see the card is fixed home.  Secure the card by screwing it down.

Step 6

Connect the soundcard to the CD-ROM drive with the cable supplied, and then connect the speakers.  .

Step 7

Put your machine back together and switch it on again.  Windows will detect the new hardware and use the drivers that you installed in Step 4.  Depending on the card you have, several messages may appear, indicating that the new hardware has been found.

Step 8

If all has gone according to plan, your new soundcard will be listed in Device Manager - check this out in the System section of the Control Panel as you did before. Depending on what card you have installed, you may notice that although you've only added one new soundcard, there maybe three new entries in the device list - this is because some sound cards do several jobs, so it is treated by Windows as a number of 'logical' devices, even though there's really only one.

Step 9

You should now be able to try out the features of your card.  Most cards will produce sounds in three different ways: MIDI, Wave and CD-ROM.  MIDI is used for music and can be used to program external musical keyboards.  Wave sounds can be recorded via a microphone, or sampled from audio CDs and played back using the Media Player or the Sound Recorder.  They are used, for example, for the Windows sound effects - you can replace the standard ones with your own recordings.  You can also use wave files in applications like web pages.  Finally, CD music can be played from the CD player in the Multimedia section of Program Accessories. 

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Installing a Graphics Card

Step 1

Before you start, make sure that you've saved any important data - even if it's just onto floppy disks - and have an up-to-date Windows Startup disk.  You can create one by going to the Start menu and choosing Settings, Control Panel and then double-clicking on the Add/Remove Programs icon.  At the next dialog box, click the Startup Disk tab and do what it says.  Unplug everything from your system unit and, following the instructions in your PC's manual, take off the outer casing.

Step 2

Find a free slot and if necessary, press out the backing plate blank - or unscrew it, depending on type - so the backplate of the card fits snugly and your can screw it in.  Before you touch the 3D card itself, touch the metal back of the PC, or keep in contact with something handy, like a radiator, to discharge static.  Now you can pick it up safely.  Position the card over the connector and line it up - it can only fit one way.

Step 3

You'll need to push the card down very firmly to lock it in place.  Sometimes a thumb at either end works well, but really because the layouts of PC's are so different, you'll have to judge for yourself.  What's most important is that you can provide equal pressure at either end of the card so it goes in straight.

Step 4

Slip the case back onto the PC (don't put the screws back yet, just in case) plug everything back in exactly as before and switch on.  Windows should recognize the card and start the Driver Update Wizard which asks you to insert the CD-ROM that came with your card.  You may find, however, that the manufacturer of your 3D card recommends you bypass Windows own setup and use the one that comes on its own CD-ROM. Either way, follow the on-screen instructions until the software utilities are installed and you're asked to restart Windows.

Step 5

Once the software's installed you'll probably be asked to test it.  Just follow the instructions on the screen and let it run through the various testing and diagnostic routines.

Step 6

At this stage, all should be well.  The card will test out OK, and you'll be ready to take advantage of its new features.  As a final check though, many installations offer you the opportunity to go to the supplier's website to see if there are any more up-to-date drivers that may squeeze a few more pixels worth of performance out of your card.  If you have an Internet account, it's always worth a look.

Step 7

When the card is installed and working, you'll find a new page in the Display Properties box.  Go to Windows desktop and right-click.  From the menu choose Properties and you'll see an extra tab along the top. You can fine tune your graphics card from here.

Step 8

It's not exactly a matter of trial and error, but getting the best out of a specific game and new 3D card is a matter of experimentation. 

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Add an extra hard disk

Step 1

Before you begin, you need a quiet, tidy workspace free of clutter and distractions.  You will need an appropriately sized cross-head screw-driver and a pair of fine-nosed pliers or large tweezers. The first thing you'll have to check that you can actually fit a second hard disk in your PC.  Turn off the power, unplug the power lead from the back of the machine, and open the case, usually by removing one or more of the screws to release either a side panel or the whole of the case cover of your computer.

Step 2

Don't touch anything, just look inside and identify an empty drive bay.  These bays are where you'll find devices such as the CD-ROM drive, and the floppy disk drive.  Bays come in two sizes: 3.5in wide and 5.25in wide.  It is possible to mount a 3.5in hard disk in a 5.25in bay using a set of brackets.  If you decide to do this, make sure these brackets are supplied with the drive.

Step 3

Now check for a spare power lead to run the disk once it's installed.  There are a couple of different types of cables in your PC.  The power leads are easily recognizable due to, among other things, the bright, easy-to-follow colour coding.  They come out of the PC's power supply, which is a big metal box at the back of the case, and terminate in white plastic plugs with a D-shaped cross-section.  There will usually be two or three of these spare, often tied up and tucked out of the way.

Step 4

Finally, you need to locate the signal cable which connects the disk to the rest of the PC.  This is called the IDE cable, and usually plugs in to the computer's motherboard.  It is a flat, wide, gray ribbon cable, and you can trace it from the back of the existing hard disk down to where it connects to the motherboard.  You will probably find that somewhere along it's length there will be a spare connector - a rectangle of black plastic - which you will use to hook up your second hard disk.  If there isn't one you will need a new cable with the two connectors, which you buy when you obtain the disk.  They don't cost much so don't worry if you need one.

Step 5

Buy a hard disk.  You now know if you have a choice of sizes or whether you must opt for a 3.5in disk - which is the commonest.  It's a good idea to ask for the full installation kit rather than just the bare disk, as this costs only slightly more and includes mounting rails for 5.25in bays, usually an IDE cable, an installation manual and generally disk management software.  This is sometimes needed to improve compatibility with older PCs, and its use will be described in the installation manual supplied with the kit.  You should explain to the salesperson what you are planning to do, and they ought to be able to advise you which are the more user-friendly drive kits available and possibly suggest an appropriate capacity for the new drive, taking your needs, your budget and the age of your PC in to account.  

Step 6

To be on the safe side, back up your important files and documents either by copying them on to floppy disks or to an existing backup device like a ZIP drive.  Next you must make a Windows Startup disk - you will use this to prepare the new hard disk for use once it is installed.  We're covered this before, but it is worth a recap.  Press the Start button in Windows, select Settings, Control Panel, and double-click Add/Remove Programs.  Now click on the Startup Disk tab and then on the Create Disk button, and follow the instructions.  You will need one floppy disk to hand.

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Add an extra hard disk part 2

Step 1

Switch off your PC and touch the metal casing - or the back panel, if the casing is plastic - dissipate any static charge that has built up on your body.  This step is not to be missed, as static can damage the delicate circuitry on hard disks and elsewhere inside your PC - it's also good practice to take care not to touch exposed electronics, if you can help it.  Now unplug the PC form the mains and remove the cover.

Step 2

Hard disks that are connected to the same cable on a single IDE channel have a pecking order in which there is one 'master' and one 'slave'.  The existing disk - with your Windows setup, applications and data - is and will remain the master.  If the new disk is going on the second connector on the same IDE cable as another device, it will be the slave.  In order to establish this order so that the computer can detect it, it is necessary to position a little piece of plastic, which is called a jumper, at the back of each disk.  The information on how to position the jumper is often marked on the drive itself, and will certainly be indicated in the manual accompanying the new disk.  Be careful to check whether it is necessary to move the jumper on your original disk to change its status form 'single' to 'master'.  You may find it easier to work on the existing disk if you remove it from the PC first, although this isn't always necessary.  Tweezers or fine-nosed pliers are best for this job.  Be sure to keep screws, jumpers and documentation for each disk separate!

Step 3

At this point, you might need to attach brackets for your new disk if it is a 3.5in wide unit and you are going to mount it in a 5.25in wide bay.  So long as you bought the full installation kit, as we advised, you will have the rails, the necessary screws and the instructions on how to do this.  As always, tighten the screws just enough to give a secure hold, but don't overdo it.

Step 4

The simplest approach to wiring everything up is to change as little as possible, and to plan before you start to do anything.  Don't actually connect anything at this stage - wait until Step 5 for that.  You should now be faced with one of the following scenarios:

(A)       Your existing hard disk has an IDE cable with two connectors, one of which is free.

(B)       Your existing hard disk has an IDE cable with two connectors, one of which it uses, while the other is plugged to the CD-ROM drive.

(C)       Your existing hard disk has an IDE cable with one connector only, which it is using.  In the first case, you are in luck, all you have to do is set the jumpers on the disks to master and slave respectively, and use the spare second connector for the new disk.  In the second scenario, you have the choice of approach.  You can set the jumper on the new disk to slave position and connect it to the cable originally going in to the CD-ROM drive.  Then, you change the jumper on the CD-ROM drive to single or master position, if that is the only option.  Next, using the spare cable supplied with the installation kit, connect the CD-ROM  drive to the second IDE connector on the motherboard.  All IDE connectors look the same.  To identify one, try tracing an IDE cable from a device that's already installed, to the motherboard.  These connectors are usually grouped together in the same location.  Alternatively, you can simply leave things as they stand and set the jumper on the new disk to the single or master position and install it, rather than the CD-ROM, on the second IDE channel.  In the third case, you will need to replace the IDE cable with the new, double-headed one - which should have been included with your installation kit - and then proceed as in the first case scenario

Step 5

If you removed the original hard disk, put it back and then install the new disk in the bay you have selected, ensuring that the connector(s) on the IDE cable can reach the disk(s).  Now, connect up the IDE cable(s), starting with the primary IDE channel on the motherboard and the original hard disk.  It really doesn't matter which way round you use the plugs on a double-headed cable - just use the two closest together for the drives and the third for the motherboard end of the connection.  Now, examine the socket on the hard disk, and make sure that the coloured stripe down one side of the IDE cable is at the Pin 1 end of the socket.  New hard drives should have the Pin 1 on the side closest to the power socket on the drive.

Step 6

Now you can plug the power cables in to all drives.  The white plastic connectors have a D-shaped cross-section which can only go in one way, so there's no chance of getting it wrong.

Step 7

Check everything.  Are the jumpers set correctly?  Is your original disk the master or only disk on the primary IDE channel?  Are all the IDE and power cables plugged in?  Are all these connections tight?  When you are finally satisfied that all is as it should be, put the cover back on your PC, reconnect the mains lead, take a good, deep breath and switch on.

Step 8

At this point the emphasis shifts from hardware to software.  The first thing to do is check that your PC has recognized the new disk.  This means going into its basic setup area, which is called the BIOS.  You should consult the manual that came with your PC for guidance on how to do this.  Now is where buying the full installation kit pays, dividends, as your new hard disk will need to be set up and ready for use.  In the kit there will be some disk manager software, which will do everything necessary, including partitioning your hard disk.  If you are using Windows 95, and the hard disk is over 2Gb in size, you'll have to partition it.  Windows 95 won't recognize partitions larger than this.  But, if you're using Windows 98, there's no need to partition.  Again, read the manual, and, whenever possible, select the automatic install option and let the software do the work.  When finished, restart your PC and double click on My Computer.  There will be all the extra hard drives, as Windows treats each partition as a separate device.    

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