how to link files and programs

During our radio show, Vincent called asking how to associate files with programs...

How to change which program starts when you double-click a file in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307859

1. Open My Computer or Windows Explorer, right-click a file for which you want to change the program that opens that file type, and then use either of the following methods to change which program starts:
• Click Open With to choose the program that you want.
• Point to Open With, and then click Choose Program to choose the program that you want.
2. Notice that theOpen With dialog box appears. Use one of the following methods to select the program that you want to use to open this kind of file:
• In the Programs list, click the program that you want.
• Click Browse, locate and then click the program that you want to use, and then click OK.
• Click Look for the appropriate program on the Web to browse the Internet for the program that you want.
3. Click to select the Always use the selected program to open this kind of file check box if it is not already selected.
4. Click OK.

From now on, Windows XP will open all files that have this file name extension in the associated program. (To change this, follow these steps again and associate a different program with this file name extension.)

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This article contains more information about how to create file associations for a file types that are not associated with a program...

enable scrolling of All Programs

Tom called during our radio show and asked how to scroll the list of programs in his All Programs menu...

You Cannot See the Full All Programs List Because the List Extends Off the Screen
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/812445

1. On the taskbar, right-click Start, and then select Properties.
2. Click the Start Menu tab, and then click Customize.
3. In the Customize Start Menu dialog box, click the Advanced tab. 
4. Under Start menu items, click to select the Scroll Programs check box.

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sending (error) information to Microsoft

We've had some discussion about the Microsoft Online Crash Analysis (MOCA): feeling uncomfortable about submitting information, some do not want to send the report. I ask all to reconsider, and DO send it...

"Microsoft actively analyzes all error reports and prioritizes them based on the number of customers affected by the Stop error covered in the error report. We will try to determine the cause of the Stop error you submit, categorize it according to the type of issue encountered, and send you relevant information when such information is identified...we might need to collect a number of similar error reports from other customers before a pattern is discovered...

"...No personal information is written to your hard drive or shared outside of our service."

Some of the information I have seen informed me: what was causing a conflict or problem, who the manufacturer is, which device is involved, etcetera.

"sticky keys"

George called asking for help with a "locked keyboard": he had held down some keys, and now is having problems using the keyboard.

(We did not have a lot of time left in the show so we took his telephone number, and I called him at a later time.)

After talking with George and his wife, I thought "Sticky Keys" may have been enabled. I was correct.

Look for an icon in the system tray...