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  • Windows keyboard short-cuts everyone should know!

    There are hundreds of short-cut keyboard combinations and when you start to learn them , they can really help you save a lot of time!

    Many of them are also transferable meaning, for example, some that work with MS Word may also work with Photoshop.

    CTRL+C and CTRL+V are very common and widely supported short-cuts for copy and paste, but most people know these already. below, however, are a lot short-cuts you probably didn’t know!

    • CTRL+TAB – Move forward through tabs.
    • CTRL+SHIFT+TAB – Move backward through tabs.
    • TAB – Move forward through options.
    • SHIFT+TAB – Move backward through options.
    • ALT+Underlined letter – Carry out the corresponding command or select
      the corresponding option.
    • ENTER – Carry out the command for the active option or button.
    • SPACEBAR – Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check
      box.
    • Arrow keys – Select a button if the active option is a group of option
      buttons.
    • F1 – Display Help.
    • F4 – Display the items in the active list.
    • BACKSPACE – Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the
      Save As or Open dialog box.
    • CTRL+C – Copy.
    • CTRL+X – Cut.
    • CTRL+V – Paste.
    • CTRL+Z – Undo.
    • CTRL+Y – Redo
    • DELETE – Delete.
    • SHIFT+DELETE – Delete selected item permanently without placing the item
      in the Recycle Bin.
    • CTRL while dragging an item – Copy selected item.
    • CTRL+SHIFT while dragging an item – Create shortcut to selected item.
    • F2 – Rename selected item.
    • CTRL+RIGHT ARROW – Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next
      word.
    • CTRL+LEFT ARROW – Move the insertion point to the beginning of the
      previous word.
    • CTRL+DOWN ARROW – Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next
      paragraph.
    • CTRL+UP ARROW – Move the insertion point to the beginning of the
      previous paragraph.
    • CTRL+SHIFT with any of the arrow keys – Highlight a block of text.
    • SHIFT with any of the arrow keys – Select more than one item in a window
      or on the desktop, or select text within a document.
    • CTRL+A – Select all.
    • F3 – Search for a file or folder.
    • ALT+ENTER – View properties for the selected item.
    • ALT+F4 – Close the active item, or quit the active program.
    • ALT+Enter – Displays the properties of the selected object.
    • ALT+SPACEBAR – Opens the shortcut menu for the active window.
    • CTRL+F4 – Close the active document in programs that allow you to have
      multiple documents open simultaneously.
    • ALT+TAB – Switch between open items.
    • ALT+ESC – Cycle through items in the order they were opened.
    • F6 – Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop.
    • F4 – Display the Address bar list in My Computer or Windows Explorer.
    • SHIFT+F10 – Display the shortcut menu for the selected item.
    • ALT+SPACEBAR – Display the System menu for the active window.
    • CTRL+ESC – Display the Start menu.
    • ALT+Underlined letter in a menu name – Display the corresponding menu.
    • Underlined letter in a command name on an open menu – Carry out the
      corresponding command.
    • F10 – Activate the menu bar in the active program.
    • RIGHT ARROW – Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu.
    • LEFT ARROW – Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu.
    • F5 – Refresh the active window.
    • BACKSPACE – View the folder one level up in My Computer or Windows
      Explorer.
    • ESC – Cancel the current task.
    • SHIFT when you insert a CD into the CD-ROM drive – Prevent the CD from
      automatically playing.
    • Windows Key – Display or hide the Start menu. Windows Key +BREAK –
      Display the System Properties dialog box.
    • Windows Key +D – Show the desktop.
    • Windows Key +M – Minimize all windows.
    • Windows Key +Shift+M – Restores minimized windows.
    • Windows Key +E – Open My Computer.
    • Windows Key +F – Search for a file or folder.
    • CTRL+ Windows Key +F – Search for computers.
    • Windows Key +F1 – Display Windows Help.
    • Windows Key + L – Lock your computer if you are connected to a network
      domain, or switch users if you are not connected to a network domain.
    • Windows Key +R – Open the Run dialog box.
    • Windows Key +U – Open Utility Manager.
  • Microsoft SQL Server update problem

    Q. I am unable to install the Microsoft SQL Server 2005 update KB970892 on windows Vista. What should I do?

    A. You’ll need to edit your registry for this one so, as ever, back everything up first. If you’re not sure what you’re doing, seek professional technical help first!

    1. In the ‘Run’ box, type in ‘regedit’ (or navigate to C:\Windows\regedit.exe)
    2. Navigate to ‘HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft
      SQL Server\MSSQL.1\Setup\’
    3. Right-click on ‘Resume’ in the right-hand column and select ‘Modify’
    4. Change the ‘value data’ from 1 to 0 then click ‘OK’
    5. Re-boot and then re-install the update