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Keyboard Tips

Opening Up the Task Manager in NT 4
MS-Natural Keyboard Shortcuts
Getting to My Computer from the Control Panel
Undo
Minimizing all windows
Shortcut to System Properties
Duplicating the Right Mouse Click
Accessing Programs from the Start Button
Quickly Starting Explorer
Remapping the Keyboard
Internet Explorer Shortcuts
Bringing up the Properties Window
Resizing or Moving a Window
Keystroking is faster the using the mouse
Explorer Shortcut Keys
Searching for files
Copy files with a Mouse/Keyboard combo

Opening Up the Task Manager in NT 4

In Windows NT 4, to quickly bring up the task manager, press Ctrl-Shift-Esc

Submitted by Trevor Heppler

MS-Natural Keyboard Shortcuts

Getting to My Computer from the Control Panel

If you're in Control Panel, hitting the Backspace key will switch you into the My Computer folder.

 

Undo

Press CTRL + Z to undo things like renaming a file in Explorer

 

Minimizing All Windows

To minimize all windows:

  1. Press Ctrl-ESC to bring up the Task Bar
  2. Press Alt-M

This makes it a lot easier to minimize windows when all your open applications are full screen.

Note from Steve: With the Microsoft Keyboard, you can accomplish the same thing by pressing the Window-M key.

Shortcut to System Properties

To access the System Properties screen quickly, simply hold down the ALT key while double clicking on the My Computer icon.

While holding the windows key, press the Pause / Break key.
This will open up the System Properties box.
From here you can easily get to the Device Manager

Duplicating the Right Mouse Click

Pressing the Shift-F10 key will be the same as clicking the right-mouse button.

Accessing Programs from the Start Button


To access your programs more quickly from your start button, with out aid of a mouse, hit ctrl+esc to open your start menu.
Then, type the letter for the directory you are looking for.
For example, to access the ever popular game of solitaire, CTRL+ESC, then "P" for programs, "A" for accessories, "G" for games, then "S" for Solitaire.
If there is more than one entry for the letter, keep hitting the letter until you reach your desired location. Then, hit enter.

 

Quickly Starting Explorer

You can quickly start an explorer session by holding down the Windows key on a Microsoft Keyboard and pressing the E.key

Remapping the Keyboard

You can download Keyboard Remap (20 K) from Microsoft to reassign you keystrokes. With this you can also assign a key to function like the Windows key on the Microsoft keyboards.

Internet Explorer Shortcuts

Here are a few IE keyboard shortcuts:

Bringing up the Properties Window

While holding the ALT key double click on an icon to bring up the properties.

 

Resizing and Moving a Window

To Resize or Move a window:

  1. Press Alt-Space
  2. Press the S key - To Resize
  3. Press the M key - To Move

You can now use the arrow keys to resize or move the window

Key stroking is faster than mouse moving

  1. In desktop you can press "m", "My Briefcase is highlighted, press "enter" will open this applet.
  2. If you do not press "enter",
  3. The next "m" key stroke will highlight "My Computer".
  4. "Ctrl"-"Esc", press "P" for Programs, "enter","M""enter", you get to the first program or folder that starts with "M"
  5. Other applets will also be opened the same way.


Explorer Shortcut Keys

Quickly Search for Files

To quickly open up the Find all Files window

  1. Press Ctrl+ESC ESC
  2. Press F3

To copy a file with a Mouse/Keyboard combo

Drag the file while holding down the CTRL key - A + will appear on the icon

To move a file with a Mouse/Keyboard combo

Drag file while holding down SHIFT key - Nothing appears on the icon

If moving a icon with the mouse and an arrow appears, it will create a shortcut.
You can press shift or ctrl at anytime during the drag
and it will change this little part of the icon.