24. Use VGA Mode to Troubleshoot Monitor Refresh Rate Problems

Have you ever accidentally set Window's resolution or refresh rate to a level that was not supported by your monitor, only to find that you could not change it back since the screen had become an unreadable mess? This annoyance remains one of Window's biggest hidden booby traps, especially for users with older monitor hardware.

Setting the refresh rate or resolution higher than your monitor can display will result in a garbled or blank screen, and a huge headache if you accidentally keep the settings. Fortunately Windows XP includes an easy way to reverse monitor resolution problems in the form of 'VGA mode.'

The VGA mode option on the Windows advanced options screen (accessed by pressing F8 repeatedly as your computer is just starting up) will start Windows normally but with a basic VGA video driver at 640x480 resolution and 60Hz refresh rate. Any VGA monitor can handle this, so you will be free to go back into display settings and change them to something your monitor can display properly.

To recap, if you can't see the screen in Windows XP due to refresh rate settings, reboot your system, pressing 'F8' repeatedly as the computer restarts. From the boot menu, choose 'enable VGA mode.' Once Windows starts up, go to the display settings and try a different resolution and refresh rate setting.

25. Make Your Files Available Offline

Windows XP contains an easy to use application called the 'briefcase' which can vastly simplify the process of bringing work home from the office. Obviously, when you are working on the same file in different locations, you have the issue of manually synchronizing the versions of the file so you do not end up with different copies in different places.

The briefcase can eliminate this problem by automatically synchronizing older copies of your files with the newer ones you have edited at home. To use it, create a new briefcase on the desktop by right clicking on an empty area and selecting 'new\briefcase.'

Now locate any files you wish to add to the briefcase and drag them onto the briefcase icon. This will create copies of these files in your briefcase. Drag and drop the briefcase to some kind of removable media like a floppy disk or USB memory key. You can also open a network share on another system and copy the briefcase over the network. Transport the briefcase to your home system and double click the icon to open it and work on files inside it.

Note that you should not move the files out of the briefcase onto your computer, as this will remove the link to the original file. Instead, open the files within the briefcase folder in order to edit them. If you are working on a floppy drive, you can drag and drop the briefcase onto the new computer's desktop to get better performance.

When you return to work, return the briefcase to the original computer and open it. Note that the 'status' of any files that you edited has been changed to 'needs updating.' Select 'update all items' from the 'briefcase tasks' section on the left.

A window will open illustrating the changes that will be made. Confirm the changes and click 'update' to carry out the operation. All the original files will be updated with the changes you made on your other system. Very simple, very useful. For more information on the briefcase and other offline files options in Windows XP, see PCstats article on file synchronization.