# My 2?



## Retired (Sep 27, 2009)

How do you type a ? sign..it's not on the keyboard?

ALT 0162 = ?

You can use the Alt codes to type special characters Turn on the Num Lock, hold down the ALT key and type in the number using the numerical keypad of your computer. 

There is also a character map on your computer. You can use it as well. Go to Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Character Map

Or...you can just copy and paste ? from this post

? ? ? ? ?


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## David Baxter PhD (Sep 27, 2009)

That makes ????? I guess...


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## NicNak (Sep 27, 2009)

?

cool, even works on a laptop, that has the right side of the keyboard that has the secondary function as a numeric key pad.

there is a Fn key on my laptop. (inbetween the left Ctrl and Alt key) I pushed that and hit number lock and was able to do this too.

Bonus! :2thumbs:


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## Daniel (Sep 27, 2009)

> there is a Fn key on my laptop.


You should get that fixed


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## Mari (Sep 27, 2009)

Dear Steve, :support: Mari


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## NicNak (Sep 27, 2009)

Daniel said:


> You should get that fixed



It means function


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## Daniel (Sep 27, 2009)

It's supposed to be "Fun," and, when pressed, it should take you to YouTube


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## David Baxter PhD (Sep 27, 2009)

Daniel's right. Your keyboard is broken.


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## NicNak (Sep 27, 2009)

David Baxter said:


> Daniel's right. Your keyboard is broken.




Actually, I think it is just a cheap brand :teehee:

It's an Acer :lol:


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## David Baxter PhD (Sep 27, 2009)

Fn Acers...


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## NicNak (Sep 27, 2009)

David Baxter said:


> Fn Acers...



:lol:

at least I could make the ? sign


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## David Baxter PhD (Sep 27, 2009)

I don't really have anything against Acer. I just wanted to be able to say "effin". 

Now if it had been Compaq or Hewlett-Packard....


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## NicNak (Sep 27, 2009)

I have an old Compaq, it has Windows 2000 at least, I don't use it often though.

This one has fn Vista


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## Mari (Sep 27, 2009)

rder:


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## David Baxter PhD (Sep 27, 2009)

IK have to say there's a lot I like about Vista, if you know enough to tweak it a little to get rid of the major annoyances. It looks like Windows 7 has kept the good Vista features and removed most of the annoying ones.


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## Banned (Sep 28, 2009)

I suppose the good thing about being techno-dumb is you don't know the good features from the bad features, so you don't need to worry.  As long as my computer turns on, I'm happy.


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## Retired (Sep 28, 2009)

David Baxter said:
			
		

> if you know enough to tweak it a little to get rid of the major annoyances...in Vista



My top complaints with Vista:


The reminders to confirm operations such as allowing executable files to run etc.

The removal of the _up arrow _in the Windows Explorer tool bar to move up the directory tree, rather than _back to the previous window _(which is not necessarily the same thing)

What are yours?


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## NicNak (Sep 28, 2009)

I find with every new update, my computer runs slower and slower.   When I got this computer, I was running just the minimum requirements to run Vista to start.  

I only have Vista basic as well.  

I found with previous windows operations I could tweek things a lot easier.   With Vista I am finding it is not as friendly to that, it could just be me though :blush:  I am not great at adjusting to changes.   I just recently discovered how to select the updates I want for Vista, it is a right click option to dismiss the updates I do not want.  Like Windows Explorer 7, I think it is.  I found it slowed my laptop right down, it was horrible, for me.

Although I have to say, I have not been bitten by a virus as of yet.  With ME and XP with still running anti-virus I got bitten.

So far Vista with the anti virus has been good that way, which is a big thing.  :fool: knock on wood.


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## Retired (Sep 28, 2009)

> my computer runs slower and slower



Do you perform regular clean up operations, check for programs and processes running in the background, and defragment your hard drive regularly?

Windows always reports that you never need to defragment..this is true in XP and the defrag utility is even less informative in Vista.


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## NicNak (Sep 28, 2009)

I have defraged a few times since getting this computer, but good point about what is running in the background and also what starts up with Windows.  

The computer was already installed with Vista when I got it, so you just reminded me, often times there is a lot of accessive "stuff" that comes with the brand of the computer that starts with windows that isn't necessary.

Thanks again Steve.  I will go through that to see.


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## David Baxter PhD (Sep 28, 2009)

To view (with the option of disabling) what loads automatically when Windows starts, you can download Autoruns 9.5 - this is freeware, part of the Sysinternals suite which was bought out by Microsoft. Alternatively, download the entire Sysinternals Suite which includes a number of other useful free utilities.

The nags about running programs (UAC or User Account Control) is a safety check in Vista which is part of what adds to its increased security. However, it is the single most annoying feature of Vista, so that many people simply turned it off. 

Symantec has released a free replacement for this (NUAC) which is able to "learn" (the first time you run a program that Vista would intercept, you're given an option to "always allow this program" so it doesn't nag you again about that executable). I use this on my Vista laptop.

A similar and also free program is available as Smart UAC from Security Stronghold. I haven't tried this simply because I became aware of the Symantec version first. However, it has some additional features missing in the Symantec version, so in all likelihood I will give it a try soon:



> The other great feature is that Smart UAC automatically scans each run program with large database of 400,000+ threats and blocks the program if it is considered to be malicious. When Smart UAC identifies malicious program, Red Prompt window appears and asks you weather you want to kill detected threat or allow it (you always have your free will). Of course, you will have an ability to make Smart UAC always kill detected threats of this kind automatically, without asking. Don't worry about your system's performance! Scanning takes only several milliseconds and you won't notice any delay in running programs. Actually, Smart UAC works much faster than the standard UAC. By installing Smart UAC you will free up system resources and make your system faster and more stable.


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## Retired (Sep 28, 2009)

Here's what I do every couple of weeks:

1) Start | Run| %temp%

Delete all those files, but skip any files Windows reports as being currenty in use

2) Search | Files and Folders|  *.tmp

delete all .tmp files as many of these are not picked up by disk clean up.

3) Start | Programs |Accessories | System Tools | Disk Cleanup

Delete all temporary files, temporary internet files, recycle bin and any other remaining unnecessary files.

4) Start | Programs |Accessories | System Tools | Disk Defragmenter

Don't even bother asking for a report, just go ahead and defragment.  Windows is much too liberal in demanding a defragmentation.

5) If you do not use Windows Messenger, you must disable it in the Windows section of Add / Remove Programs otherwise it runs in the background.

6) Use utilities such as Windows Defender or some firewall programs to locate programs or processes working in the background.

7) Disable unused add-ons in Internet Explorer

8) Disable unused or unnecessary programs running in Systray


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