PC Doctor December 24, 2009

            I just got some new games (okay I begged until my wife let me open the gift early) and I wish I had an icon on the desktop to choose from instead of having to go through the whole Start menu thing. How can I create a shortcut?

                                                                        Early Santa

 

Dear Early Santa:

            So what will you open on Christmas Day! Anyways, creating shortcuts are pretty easy. You do have to go to the Start button to do it, but soon you’ll have all the icons you want loaded right onto your desktop. Just go to the Start button/All programs and navigate to the program or game you want to create a short cut for. Make sure it is highlighted and then right click. Off the dropdown menu, select ‘Send to’ and then ‘Desktop’. It should be there and ready to be double-clicked on. 

            Alternatively you could select Create Shortcut, but then you would have to drag it to the desktop. But either way will work!

                        PC Doctor

 

 

            Call me a last minute shopper but I have to pick up some new games / software for my kids. The packages always ask of Windows I have? How can I find out, I feel like a dummy.

                                                            Last minute Linda

 

Dear LM Linda:

            Don’t worry – lots of people don’t know this but it is easy to find out and I’m going to tell you how!

            Look on your desktop and find the My Computer icon. Once you’ve located it, right click on it (use the right mouse button and click one time). You should see a drop down menu and way at the bottom, you will want to select (highlight) ‘Properties’.   Another window will open up and under the word System; you should see your version of Windows listed. Choices that you can expect are: Windows XP, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT, Windows 2000, or Windows ME. This window also lists other specifications of your computer, should you be curious.

                                                            PC Doctor

 

 

            Wit the holiday rush, I was plowing through my email and I accidentally deleted an email message before I had a chance to read it. Where do deleted email messages go to and is there any way to retrieve it?

                                                            Rushed Rhonda

 

Dear Rhonda:

            It all depends on your email program. Some will zap them for good while others will save them in a ‘Deleted Items’ Folder for a time. So if you mistakenly get rid of a message, click on that deleted folder to see if you can find it and read it. If you really truly wanted to keep it, you can then print it or click on it, pick it up and move it to another folder or forward it back to yourself again depending on the program.    Now slow down and enjoy the season!

                                    PC Doctor