How to show your Network connection icon in the taskbar notification area

If you want to see the Network connections icon on your windows taskbar notification area, it is very easy to do. It can be quite handy having the Network connections icon there for you to see as it will let you know if there is a problem with your connection. If you have a wireless network connection you will see the same icon pictured left, but there will be wireless signals coming from it.

Why do you need a network connections icon in your taskbar notification area?

There are some great benefits to having a network connections icon in your notification area in your taskbar. The Network connections icon will let you know if you have low connectivity, an Ip address conflict, or even if you have no internet connection at all. For example a yellow triangle appears over your network connection icon in the task bar when there is an Ip Address conflict or a bad internet connection. If you have a low wireless signal a balloon message will stem form the network connection icon notifying you of the problem.

How to show your Network connection icon in the taskbar?

1. Go to the start menu and choose control panel. Then double click on the Network Connections icon.
2. Now choose your internet connection adapter. I am using LAN ( Local Area Connection) which is with a Ethernet cable. Yours may be a wireless adapter. Right Click on your connection and choose properties from the menu.
3. On the general tab of the Local Area connection properties there is a box that says Show icon in notification area when connected. Tick this box to show the network connections icon in the taskbar.

Watch this video tutorial on how to add a network connections icon to your taskbar

This video shows how to put a network connection icon in your notification area in Windows XP. It also shows you all the benefits to having a network connections icon available in the taskbar.

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How to put a network connections icon in the Notification area in Windows Vista?

If you go to your connection properties in Windows Vista there will not be a box to tick to enable the network connection icon. If you want to place a network connection icon in the taskbar in Windows Vista then follow these steps:

Go to the start icon in The left corner of the Windows Vista desktop.

1. Right click on it for a menu to appear.
2. Choose Properties from the menu
3. The taskbar and start menu properties will appear.
4. Go to the notification tab.
5. Tick the box next to network to show the network connections icon.
6. Press apply and Ok.

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Bitmap Disk Cache Failure when using remote desktop

How to disable Bitmap caching?

1. Re-open the remote desktop connection window to make a new connection.
2. Connect to the remote computer.
3. Open the remote desktop connection window on that  computer.
4. Press on the options button. (A text link for Windows Seven)
5. Go to the Experience tab, as shown in the screenshot below.
6. Untick the box next to Bitmap caching. Press the cross to close.
7. Now disconnect the remote desktop connection and then reconnect to see if the error message comes up.

I actually disable this on both computers as it can cause problems in the future.

Now the second way to fix this error is to clear out the actual cache folder that has the problem. See this article on path to clear terminal services cache folder.

Notes:

• On Windows Seven the box that you have to untick will say Persistent bitmap caching.

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Connect to a friends computer to help them by using Remote Access

If you have Windows XP it has built in remote access software that helps you connect to a friends computer, by invitation, to help them by taking remote access control of their computer system. This means you could be in the USA and be helping your friend in Australia to find a solution to his or her
computer problems. The technology to gain remote access to basically anyone’s computer is available on most computer users start menu. I regularly give my friends computer support from the comfort of my own
home.

What you need to use the Help and Support tool to gain remote access

1. An broadband or cable internet connection.
2. Windows Xp on both computers.
3. An email address or be signed into Windows Live messenger.

It is very easy to connect two computers over the internet. One computer can take control and fix problems on the other computer. Following these steps to use the Help and support software that is built in to Windows.

1. Sign in to Windows Live Messenger and have your friend do the same thing.
2. Go to the start menu and choose Help and Support (shown below) Just the computer user that wants to invite does this.
3. The Help and Support Center will appear. Click on Invite a Friend to connect to your computer with Remote Assistance. Located under the Ask For Assistance menu.
4. Then press Invite someone to help you. The window below will appear.
5. Choose your friends name from the Windows Messenger contact list.
6. Click on Invite this person.
7. This will allow your friend to see your desktop. If they want to control your they must press the Take control button and the other person must agree by pressing ok..
8. Check out the last Screenshot below…This is what I see when I am in control of my friends computer…I can go on the internet or read their emails etc..

The screenshots on the below are in order. Please click on to enlarge and see the picture. This will help yo understand what to press and what comes next. The first screen shot shows where to find help an support in Windows XP.

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How to Use Remote Desktop to connect to other computers on your Network

Your network may consist of simply two computers that run off a router that is connected to the same modem. Or maybe you have a more elaborate network, but either way Remote desktop can be handy sometimes. It enables you to access the others computers on your network by Using the computers information. For example you could use a laptop that is wirelessly connected to your network to work on another computer in your house. You can remote desktop to another computer, sign in, and check emails, delete files, and more.

What will I need to remote desktop to another computer?

To remote desktop to another computer on your network you will need to know the computers name or IP address, the username you want to sign in to, and the password.

First you have to enable your computer to allow users to connect to it remotely.

1. Go to the System Properties box 
2. Choose the Remote Tab
3. The Check the box that says Allow users to connect remotely to this computer
4. Do this on all of the computers you want to use Remote Desktop with.

What will I need to remote desktop to another computer?

To remote desktop to another computer on your network you will need to know the computers name or IP address, the username you want to sign in to, and the password.

How do you find the information for the computer you want to connect to?

1. Get the Ip Address Here’s how
2. Find the user name. Click on the start menu and the username will be there at the top next to the picture.
3. You must know the password for the username account you want to connect to. If there isn’t one you should make one.

Where is the remote desktop connection box?

1. Go to the start menu in the left corner and choose All Programs
2. Then choose accessories, then Communications, then Remote Desktop Connection

1. A Remote desktop box will appear.

How to connect two computers by remote desktop?

1. Choose options.
2. On the general tab where it says computer, type in the IP Address. Then type in the username of the computer you want to connect to, and then the password. Press connect.

Extra tips on how to use remote desktop:

• Your internet connection must be running on all computers involved for this to work.
• The computer you want to connect to must be running. If it is off there can be no connection.
• You must have your information totally correct to connect.
• If you leave your IP Address on automatic, it changes every time you connect to the network. This is not for using remote desktop as you have to find out the IP Address when you want to connect.
• Remote desktop allows you to take control of an entire computer. ( not share between computers)
• You can even burn cd’s by remote desktop as long as there is a blank cd in the computer you are connecting to.
• When using remote desktop you can do anything you normally would if you were actually on the computer, except bring up the task manager of the computer.

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Change Desktop Folder location.

Special folders such as My Documents, Desktop, and so on can be changed to any other location from that set by the default installation. Many users place the folder and file just in desktop for simplicity but when windows crashes and format the widows installation drive to regain widows. This resuts of lossing your important files on desktop and my document to. To prevent loss the important files and folder, you can change the default location of Desktop and My Documents location. There is other hacks to but this one is easier. First of all just move the required folders to the new locations say D:\Desktop

Then Navigate to

HCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders

You can see other important folder location too.

Open this Registry key and edit the full path for each special folder with the corresponding new path. 
For example, 
the default location of the Desktop folder is C:\Documentsand Settings\username\Desktop. 
Move the folder to say, D:\Desktop,

and update the value for the Personal setting with the new path, that is, D:\Desktop,

without the quotes.

The change should take effect immediately. If not, logoff or restart your computer. Now any file or folder you created at desktop will be created at your new location.

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To add copy and move to folder to context menu

You can easily copy or move your folder or files to desired location.

Following registry setting is to show "copy to" and "move to" in context menu, show that you can easily move you file and folders.

Open the Registry Editor click on the Start-button on your taskbar, then click on Run and type "regedit" and click on Ok to start the regedit utility.

Navigate the following key

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AllFilesystemObjects\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers

Right-click the "ContextMenuHandlers" entry, and from the menu select New -> Key.

Name the new key Copy To.

Repeat step 3, but this time for the name (step 4) choose Move To.

Change the (Default) string value found in the Copy To key to {C2FBB630-2971-11D1-A18C-00C04FD75D13}.

Change the (Default) string value found in the Move To key to {C2FBB631-2971-11D1-A18C-00C04FD75D13}.

The modifications you made will be in effect after you reboot your PC.

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Remove the Security Tab

This restriction removes the Security tab from Windows explorer which prevents users from accessing or changing the security permissions of folder and file objects.
Navigate the following key:
Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
and create Dword value NoSecurityTab and give the value 1.

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