These instructions are geared toward the single-click method of using your mouse. If you use double-clicking, you should compensate accordingly. Additionally, if any terms used in these instructions are unfamiliar to you, refer to the Glossary for their definitions. Menus and items you click on are shown in yellow.
Click on any of the questions below for the answers. To retract an answer for easier viewing of the questions, click on the question again, not the answer.
Q: How can I change the Windows system Icons like My Computer and Recycle Bin?
A: Click Start, choose Settings, then Control Panel. In the Control Panel window, click on Display. In the Effects tab, highlight the icon you want to change and click Change Icon. Highlight a new icon, then click OK.
Q: Is there a way to disable Task Scheduler from startup?
A: Yes. First, open the Task Scheduler by right-clicking on its icon on your Systray, then choosing open. Click Advanced on the Menu Bar, then choose Stop Using Task Scheduler.
Q: My computer hangs when Shutting down. How can I fix this?
A: There are a lot of possibilities, but there are two things that seem to help more often than not. First, if you have a shutdown sound, disable if to insure it's not the culprit. Click Start, choose Settings, then Control Panel. In the Control Panel Window, click Sounds. In the Events box, highlight Exit Windows, then in the Name box under Sounds, select None. Click Apply, then OK. Second, disable Fast Shutdown. Many computers can't keep up with Windows fast shutdown sequence, which sometimes causes the hang. Click Start, then choose Run. In the Run text box, type msconfig and click OK. On the General tab, click Advanced to get to the Advanced Troubleshooting Settings dialog box. Place a check next to Disable Fast Shutdown by clicking on its box, then click OK.
Q: How do I get into Windows 98 Safe Mode?
A: To get into the Windows 98 Startup Menu, hold down the left Ctrl key as the computer boots up. Generally right after you hear the beep is a good time to begin. When it reaches the Startup Menu, you'll be given the choice to go into Safe Mode.
Helpful Hint: At the Startup Menu, you are given approximately 15 seconds to make your choice so watch carefully.
Q: My Power Saving/Standby mode doesn't work, Any idea why?
A: This is a known issue with Windows98 and can occur if you're using one of the following screensavers: 3D Flower Box 3D Flying Objects 3D Maze 3D Text Channel Screen saver Try switching to a different screensaver and see if that helps.
Q: Is there a Tweak UI for Windows98?
A: Yes there is and you can install it from your Windows98 CD. Go to Tools, then Reskit, then Powertoys. In the Powertoys folder, right-click on the TweakUI.inf file (it looks like a notepad with a gear on it) and choose Install.
Q: I'm trying to do something that wants my Certificate of Authenticity number and I can't find it. Where would I get a new one?
A: If your computer came with Windows98, you will have to contact the manufactuer of the computer to purchase a new Certificate. If you purchased the Windows98 CD from a store, you should contact Microsoft to purchase a new one.
Q: How do you get those cool letters like the copyright symbol or the English pound sign?
A: Those symbols plus many more can be found in the Character Map. Click Start, choose Programs, then Accessories, System Tools, and finally, Character Map. Click the down arrow to the right of the font box and choose the font you want to type in. Left-click and hold the mouse button down over a symbol to see it enlarged. When you release the mouse, the keystrokes for that symbol appear in the lower right corner of the window. Most require you hold down the Alt key while pressing a series of numbers. Alternatively, if you prefer to copy and past a symbol instead of typing its keystrokes, double-click on the symbol, then click Copy. Once in your document, click Edit on the Menu Bar, then choose Paste.
Q: Can I change a shortcut icon of a program, or am I stuck with it?
A: Right-click on the shortcut and choose Properties. Click Change Icon. In the Change Icon dialog box, you will see a list of icons associated with that shortcut's program with the current icon highlighted. Click on a new one to highlight it, then click OK. Once back at the Shortcut dialog box, click Apply, then OK to change the icon to your new selection.
Q: Is there anyway to find out my IP address?
A: Windows has a utility called called IP Configuration that will show you your IP address and other stats of your Internet setup. To open the utility, click Start, then choose Run. Type winipcfg, then click OK. If you want more info than is showing, click More Details.
Q: I didn't register my copy of Windows98 when I installed it. Can I register it now?
A: To register at any time, click Start, choose Programs, then Accessories, then System Tools, and finally, Welcome to Windows. Follow the instructions on the screen.
Q: How do I make it so that Windows98 does not prompt me for a password every time it boots up?
A: Click Start, choose Settings, then Control Panel. In the Control Panel window, click Passwords. In the User Profiles tab of the Password Properties dialog box, make sure that All Users of this computer use the same preferences and desktop settings is selected. In the Change Passwords tab, click the Change Windows Password button and enter your Old password; then, instead of entering a New password and confirming it, leave both boxes blank, then click OK.
Q: Can I change the order around on the Start Menu?
A: You can move an item to a new position on the Start Menu by placing your mouse curser over an item, then holding down the left button while you drag the item to its new position.
Helpful Hint: You can right-click on any item in the start menu to perform a number of different actions, including copying, deleting, creating a shortcut, and even changing its properties. If you are running Internet Explorer 5.0 or higher, you can rename the item as well.
Q: I don't have an option to "rename" an item when I right-click on my Start Menu. Is there a way to rename them?
A: You must be running Internet Explorer 4 or below.
4.01 or earlier. But there is a way for you to do this. Place your mouse curser over an item, then hold down the left button while you drag the item to your Desktop. Right-click and rename the new item on the desktop, then right-click and drag the newly-renamed item back to its previous location. When you release the mouse button, choose Move Here from the resulting menu.
Q: I get a lot of documents written in Word. I don't have Word on my computer and when the open up in Wordpad, parts of the documents seem garbled or missing altogether. Is there anyway to open them up so I can view them correctly?
A: Microsoft has a program called Wordview which enables you to view Word files without having Word or MS Office installed on your computer. To get Wordview, you can either check your Windows CD or download it here.
Q: I used to have a mouse icon in my Control Panel and it's gone. Where did it go?
A: I'm not sure where it went, but we can help you get it back. All Control Panel applications contain the extension .cpl. Do a search for mouse.cpl, and when you locate it, move the file into C:\Windows\System. The mouse icon should return to your Control Panel. If you don't know the exact name of the file or if you want to see if there are other Control Panel applications floating around on your system, change your search to include wildcards by searching for *.cpl. Any files not in C:\Windows\System can be moved there.
Q: Can I change some of the sounds my computer makes for different events?
A: You can change, add or remove system sounds from your computer. Click Start, then choose Settings, then Control Panel. In the Control Panel window, select Sounds. In the Sounds Properties dialog box, select the event for whose sound you wish to change. (A speaker next to the event means it already has a sound assigned to it.) Click Browse and choose the sound you want for that event. Click OK once, then click OK again back at the Sounds Properties dialog box.
