Uninstall a device
To uninstall a device in Windows 2000, open Add/Remove Hardware in the Control Panel. click Next, click Uninstall/Unplug a device, and click Next again. Then click Uninstall a device, click Next, click the device you want to uninstall, click Next, and follow the instructions that appear on your screen. When you are done uninstalling, go ahead and remove the device from the computer.
Specify your default printer
To select your default printer in Windows 2000, open Printers, right-click the printer you want to use as default printer, and then click Set as Default Printer. A check mark should appear next to the printer icon in the Printers folder. You can have only one default printer; it should be the printer you use most often.
Diagnose Hardware Problems
If you're having problems with one of your peripherals, Windows 2000 has a handy utility that can help you find out what's wrong. Open Add/Remove Hardware in Control Panel, click Next, click "Add/Troubleshoot a device", and then click Next. Once Windows 2000 finishes searching for new Plug and Play devices, choose the device you want to diagnose and fix, click Next, and follow the instructions on the screen.
Detecting and Repairing Disk Errors
You can use Windows 2000's Error-checking tool to find file system errors and bad sectors on your hard disk. Open My Computer and select the local disk you want to check. On the File menu, click Properties, then click the Tools tab. Under Error-checking, click Check Now, and under "Check disk options" select the "Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors" check box.
Send a Quick Email
If you want to send a quick e-mail, perform one of the following steps:
* Type mailto: in the Run box (found in the Start menu)
* Type mailto: in the Address box of Internet Explorer
* Create a shortcut
You'll save yourself a few steps by not going into your default email application and starting a new mail message.
Check your connection status
Place your mouse cursor over the "Network Monitor" icon to display pop up information about the current status of your connection, speed, and packets send and received. To display a full status window or to disconnect the network connection, double-click the icon.
Setting DMA and Display Settings
Direct Memory Access (DMA) is frequently used for data transfer directly between memory and a peripheral device such as a disk drive. If you encounter difficulty with your DVD-ROM setup, the DMA might not be turned on. Check the DMA and confirm that it's turned on.
To turn on DMA in Windows 2000:
1. In Control Panel, click the System icon and click the Hardware tab.
2. Select "IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers".
3. Right-click the Primary IDE Channel icon and select Properties.
4. Click the Advanced Settings tab and select the DMA check box (if it’s not selected already).
5. Click OK.
If you get an error about unavailable overlay surface, reduce the display resolution or number of colors. You may also get the following error: "Unable to create video window. Please try altering your display settings."
To modify your display settings:
1. Right-click your desktop.
2. Click Properties.
3. Select the Settings tab and make the appropriate changes.
Make a File or Folder Available Offline
To make a file or folder available offline:
1. In My Computer or My Network Places, click the shared network file or folder that you want to make available offline.
2. On the File menu, click Make Available Offline.
Using Folder Shortcuts
Folder shortcuts are a new feature of the Windows 2000 shell, allowing you to make any folder on the user's machine act as if it were another folder. Unlike traditional shortcuts, Folder shortcuts integrate the target into the shell namespace, allowing you to present a direct hierarchy. For example, if you drag and drop an icon for a folder or disk drive to your Start menu, Windows 2000 creates a shortcut that cascades to expose the contents of the target of the shortcut.
To create a folder shortcut:
1. Drag and drop a folder or disk drive icon onto your Start menu.
2. Click the Start menu, then point to the folder or drive that you just moved.
The target of the folder or drive shortcut has been grafted into the shell namespace. This reduces any confusion, because the Up button actually goes back up to the folder that contained the folder shortcut.
Note: If you open an Explorer window on the Start menu, you will see that the tree view expands through the folder shortcut.