Windows 95 is an amazing Operating System, mostly because it runs as well as it does considering all of the constituents that it had to satisfy. This column will give you some great little tips and tricks for getting the most out of Windows 95, as well as offering configuration suggestions to get more out of your system.

Two items this month to get started: the Microsoft Knowledge Base and Auto Insert Notification.

The Microsoft Knowledge Base

This is, bona fide, the best kept secret on the MS web site. The Knowledge Base is an SQL database of thousands of issues (read: bugs) and incompatibilities concerning ALL Microsoft products, especially Operating Systems. (Not that you can immediately blame MS for all the problems with Windows95: Microsoft has been trying to get hardware and software developers to write to a common standard for a decade. They'd have more luck trying to herd cats.)

Because the server is SQL based, you give it keywords. It looks for all articles that contain THOSE keywords. Its not smart, but it is fast. Why do I mention this? Because answers to 75% of the questions you would call MS tech support about are in here, and this repository is PUBLIC. It can be found at: http://www.microsoft.com/kb/

Auto Insert Notification

Autoplay is great if you want your computer to play music CDs right away, or if you can't read the instructions for how to get to your new application's setup program. Audio CDs play automatically and Win95 designed program CDs pop up with their install programs.

Most people love this, but if it starts to make you grate your teeth, there is an easy way to turn it off: Go to your Control Panel, choose System, and then switch to the Device Manager tab. Double click the CD-ROM entry and your CD-ROM player will appear. Double click that and uncheck Auto Insert Notification. The CD will still be identified to the system, but won't leap onto your desktop without being called for.

Next month, I'll discuss that mystical magic monolith, The Registry.

Peace,

Webwalker