After careful research done in the Windows XP online community, I’ve decided these command-line shortcuts are best for beginners:

To get more information about any command, type command name /?. Then press Enter.

Shut Down the System

Although shutting down the computer from the Start menu is faster and easier, the shutdown command can also be issued at a command prompt to shut down the computer. The shutdown command also offers parameters to log off a user, restart the computer, and abort a system shutdown. If you ever have to boot to the command-line to troubleshoot a problem, you’ll want to know how this command works. To shut down the computer and experiment with other options:

Other options include -r to restart the system, -m \\computername to shut down a remote computer, and -l to log off of the computer. To see all the options, type shutdown /? at the command prompt.

Convert a FAT File System to NTFS

If your file system is configured as FAT instead of NTFS, you’re missing out on quite a few extra perks. Using NTFS, you get increased security, file compression, disk quotas, and encryption—features you don’t get with FAT. For the pros and cons of both file systems, read Charlie Russel’s article, NTFS vs. FAT: Which is Right for You? If you do decide to convert, it’s quite simple: Read More…

We tend to think of Windows as a mousing environment, but it’s often easier to get from place to place, file to file, or app to app using keystroke combinations. Below you will find some useful keyboard shortcuts.

First, some quick definitions of two keys found on Windows keyboards: The Windows key is the one with the Windows logo. The Application key is the one with the illustration of a mouse pointer selecting from a menu. Note that many keyboards have two Alt keys and two Ctrl keys, and some key combinations work with one but not with the other.

Start faster: Instead of clicking the Start button, press either Ctrl-Esc or Windows to open the Start menu. To select an item from the menu, hit the underlined letter in the menu option’s name (or the first letter if none is underlined). For example, to get to the Run box in a jiff, type Windows-R. You can also navigate the menus via cursor keys (Home, Page Down, the arrow keys, and so on). Bonus tip: Hold down Windows while you repeatedly press Tab to cycle through the buttons on your taskbar. Read More…