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Helpful Hints
Click on the links below to find some
helpful hints
General Maintenance
Deleting Cookies Downloading Logging
on to Your Computer
Organizing Files
Word Processing
Excel
Customize a Toolbar
Customize a Quick Access Toolbar
Photos
Scanners & Copiers
Printers
Setting Your Internet Home Page
General Maintenance
Computer running slowly?
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Whether you go on the Internet or not,
simply using your computer places temporary files on your hard
drive.
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When running an operating system as
complex as Windows, you may not always know the significance of all
the files on your computer. Sometimes Windows uses files for a
specific purpose and then retains them in a folder designated for
temporary files. Alternatively, you may have previously installed
Windows components that you are no longer using.
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When you go on the Internet, temporary
files are placed on your hard drive by the server. These files do
not contain viruses. However, they do take up space on your hard
drive and can eventually slow it down.
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For a variety of reasons, including
running out of space on your hard drive, you may want to reduce the
number of files on your disk, or create more free space. This can be
done without harming any of your programs.
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To help Internet Explorer run faster
Open the Control Panel > Double Click on Internet Options icon
On the General Tab > Under Browsing History > Click on Settings >
Set the days to keep the History to 1 day
Don't save encrypted pages > Click on Advanced Tab > Scroll down
until you see the phrase 'do not save encrypted pages to disk' >
Click on box in front of the phrase to insert a checkmark
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Disk Cleanup
helps free up space on your hard drive. Disk Cleanup searches your
drive, and then shows you temporary files, Internet cache files, and
unnecessary program files that you can safely delete. You can direct
Disk Cleanup to delete some or all of those files. For the
average user, do this once or twice a month.
Windows XP and Vista
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Click on Start > Click on Computer
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Right Click on OS (C:) icon > Left Click
on Properties
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Left click on Disk Cleanup
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The system will calculate how much space
you will be able to free
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Files that can be deleted to free up
space will be listed
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Click in the box before each item that
has amounts listed to their right
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Click on OK > Click on Yes
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Note: We personally delete all the files
that are listed in the window. We figured if the Windows says it no
longer need the files, then why keep them.
Clean up Disk Errors - This will
help fix file system errors (files your computer uses). For the
average user, do this once or twice a month.
Windows XP and Vista
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Click on Start > Click on Computer
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Right Click on OS (C:) icon > Left Click
on Properties
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Left Click on the Tools tab
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Under Error-Checking area > Left Click
on Check Now
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Follow prompts (this process may take up
to 1 hour)
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Deleting
Cookies
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Every time you go on the Internet a very
small text file is placed on your hard disk by a Web server. This
file is called a ‘Cookie’. It is essentially your identification
card and cannot be run as code or deliver viruses. It is uniquely
yours and can be read only by the server that gave it to you.
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To Delete Cookies
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Open up
Internet Explorer > Click on Tools > Internet Options
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Under
Browsing History > Click on Delete
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Click on the button ‘Delete Cookies’
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You can also
delete the Temporary Internet Files by clicking on Delete Files
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Downloading
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Downloading
is simply copying something from the Web to your computer. It can be
a program, a photo, a game, etc. Technically when you save a photo
you received through email, you are downloading it to your computer.
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If you are
on dial-up, this process can take quite a bit of time, especially if
it is a program you are downloading. If you are on high speed
Internet, this process usually goes quite quickly.
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Only
download from legitimate sites. If you are unsure of the site, error
on the side of caution and don't download.
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Logging on to Your Computer
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When you turn your
computer on, you may or may not have to log on
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Logging on is an option
and is not connected to the log in process when you go on the
Internet
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Having different User Accounts allows
you to:
Customize the way the desktop looks, Have your own list of Web
Favorites, Have your own Document folder, etc. for the different
people who may use the computer
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If you DO NOT want to have to log on
Windows XP
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Go to Start > Control Panel > User
Accounts
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Click on your icon
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Click on Change an account
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Click on Create a password
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Delete the password currently being used
(type in current password - leave new password area blank)
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Click on Create Password
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Close all windows > Restart your
computer
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Windows Vista
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Go to Start > Control Panel > Under User
Accounts and Family Safety > Click on Add or Remove User Accounts
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Click on your icon
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Delete the password currently being used
leaving the area blank
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Click on Create Password
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Close all windows > Restart your
computer
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If you WANT to have to log on
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Follow the above directions but type in
a password rather than delete one
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Organizing Files
| Just like in a 'real' filing cabinet, it helps to create
folders on your computer to organize the files you create |
| Open Documents (or My Documents) |
| Right Click on a blank part of the Document window |
| Hover over the word New until a drop down menu appears |
| Left Click on Folder |
| A folder will appear with the words 'New Folder' in the
identification box |
| Type in the desired name for the Folder |
| You can make as many folders as you need |
| Be sure to back up your files (documents and photos) on a
flash or thumb drive |
| To move already existing files into the new folders
Click the mouse once on the file (do not open it)
Hold down the mouse and drag the file until the folder is
highlighted
Release the mouse and the file will now be in the folder |
| To save a new file to a folder
When you save a file for the first time, the program will want to
save it into Documents (or My Documents)
Locate and Double Click on the folder you want the file saved in
Give the file a name
Click on Save |
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Word
Processing Hints
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To highlight or select all the text in a
document quickly, hold down the Ctrl button as you press the letter
A.
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To quickly get to the end of a long
document, hold down the Ctrl button and press the End key. This will
take the cursor to the very end of the document.
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To quickly get to the beginning of a long
document, hold down the Ctrl button and press the Home key. This
will take the cursor to the very beginning of the document.
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To resize Clip
Art in Word, hover the mouse over one of the corners of the graphic
until a 2 sided arrow appears. Click and hold down the mouse
as you drag it at a diagonal to desired size. This
changes the size and keeps the graphics proportions.
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To resize Clip
Art and change the proportions, hover the mouse over one of
the inside boxes of the graphic until a 2 sided arrow appears.
Click and hold down the mouse as you drag it to desired size.
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If you are
typing and the new text is actually taking the place of existing
text instead of adding to the document, you are in overtype mode.
Click on the Insert key on the keyboard to deactivate the function.
The letters OVR on the bottom of your Word screen will no longer be
dark.
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to Top of Page
Excel Hints
Linking cells between
worksheets
If you have 2 or more
different worksheets for 2 or more separate bank accounts you can
see the balances of all of them on every worksheet by linking the
cells between the worksheets
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Click in cell
containing formula (or total) in 1st worksheet |
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Click on
Edit, Copy |
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Click in
desired cell of 2nd worksheet |
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Click on
Edit, Paste Special |
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Leave
defaults as is |
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Click on
Paste Link |
When the total changes in 1st worksheet,
it will also change in 2nd worksheet (which does not have to be open
at the time)
When closing 2nd worksheet, you will be
prompted to save changes
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Customize a Toolbar in a 2003
Office Product
To Add a Command
with an Established Icon
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Click on the
Commands tab |
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Locate command
icon you want on toolbar |
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Click and hold
down the mouse |
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Drag icon to
toolbar and release |
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Close |
To
Change Commands With Established Icons
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Go to View > Toolbars
> Customize |
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Click on the
Commands tab |
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Locate command
icon you want on toolbar |
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Click mouse
and hold down |
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Drag icon to
toolbar |
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Click on
Modify Selection |
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Click on Text
Only (in Menus) |
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Click on
Modify Selection again |
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Click on
Change Button Image |
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Choose Button
and Click on it |
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Click on Close |
If you want to
change the look of the button (e.g., color it)
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Do not click
on close yet |
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Click on
Modify selection again |
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Click Edit
Button Image |
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Choose
color/colors by clicking once on the color and then click on
section in picture you want to change |
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Click on Close |
To
Add a Command without Established Icon
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Go to View > Toolbars > Customize > Commands Tab
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Click and Drag
to Toolbar |
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Click on Text
Only (in Menus) |
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Modify
Selection |
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Change Button
Image |
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Choose Button
and Click on it |
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Modify
selection |
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Edit Button
Image only if you want to change colors |
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Choose color
by clicking once on the color, then click on section you want to
change |
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Close |
Removing
a command icon
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Go to View > Toolbars
> Customize |
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With this
window open, simply click and drag the unwanted icon down to
screen and release mouse |
Return to Top of Page
Customize a Quick Access Toolbar in a
2007 Office Product
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Click on the
down arrow at the right end of the existing Quick Access Toolbar |
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A list of
possible icons will be listed |
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To quickly add the
functions listed, click on them |
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To add more icons
> Click on More Commands |
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Click on the down
arrow in the Choose commands from field > Select All Commands |
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Locate desired
command icon |
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Click on Add |
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Use up and down
arrows to relocate them in the order you desire |
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Click before 'Show
Quick Access Toolbar below the Ribbon' |
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Click on OK |
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Photos
To run a simple slide show off your computer
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Organize your photos in My Pictures
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Click on 1st photo
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Click on View as Slide Show
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To end the show, click on the Esc key on
keyboard
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Return to Top of Page
Scanners and Copiers
What's
the difference?
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Scanners are copiers with options to print,
save and/or edit a file or photo |
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Read factory installation directions that
come with the scanner thoroughly before making any connections,
some scanners MUST have software installed before scanner is
connected to work properly |
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You can set your scanner to scan and print in
color or black and white |
Copy
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To print a photo or text document (and not save it to your
computer) |
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Select the copy button |
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The item copied will be sent directly to your printer |
Scanning Photos
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Select the scan button |
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The photo will be sent to your computer |
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In most cases, the program Paint will be used
by the scanner. Paint is part of Windows Operating System so is
on all computers |
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Save in My Pictures as .jpeg |
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Photos can be edited using any photo editing
program on your computer. |
Scanning text files that will not be edited
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Same directions as for photos except save
them in My Documents |
Scanning text documents that will be edited
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Select the OCR button (may look like a stack
of books) |
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After scanning is complete, the program will
open your word processing program (Word, Word Perfect,
etc.) |
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Save text documents in My Documents |
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You can then edit it the same way as any
other document |
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Note: Some scanned text documents are
difficult to edit because of the way they were originally designed
(using text boxes, graphics, etc.) |
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Printers
If your printer begins to print gobbledygook at the top of multiple
pages, follow these steps
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Remove all paper from the paper tray - EXCEPT
the page currently printing |
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After the page finishes printing, turn off the
printer |
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Go to Start > Control Panel > Printer
and Faxes (Windows XP) |
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Go to Start > Control Panel > Printer
under Hardware and Sound (Windows Vista) |
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Double click on your printer's icon |
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The printer queue window will open |
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Right Click on the name of the document that
was trying to print |
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Left Click on Cancel all Documents |
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Click on Yes when prompted |
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When the document you were trying to print
disappears, close the window |
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Close all remaining windows |
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Put paper back in printer tray |
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Turn on printer |
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If problem continues, delete the printer and
reinstall it |
Reinstalling a printer
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Shut off the printer |
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Go to Start > Control Panel > Printer
and Faxes (Windows XP) |
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Go to Start > Control Panel > Printer
under Hardware and Sound (Windows Vista) |
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Right Click once on your printer's icon |
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Left Click on Delete |
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Click on Yes when prompted |
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Click on Add Printer |
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The Add Printer Wizard will open |
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Follow all prompts |
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You will not need to reinstall the software |
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Close all windows |
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Turn printer back on |
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Setting Your Internet Home Page
| To have a specific page appear when you start
up on the Internet, you need to set your Home Page |
| If you are using Internet Explorer |
| Go to the the site you want as your Home Page |
| Go to Tools on the menu bar |
| Click on Internet Options |
| On the General Tab under Home Page, Click on
Use Current |
| Click on OK |
| If you are using Mozilla Firefox |
| Go to the site you want as your Home Page |
| Go to Tools on the menu bar |
| Click on Options |
| On the Main Tab > Click on Use Current Page |
| Click on OK |
Return to Top of Page |
