Questions about WinXP

My new computer came with this monstrosity. I’m really missing a couple features. Can anyone tell me how to get these back:

1 - the little button next to the start menu that minimizes all windows and shows the desktop. I can do this by right clicking on the task bar and choosing ‘Show the Desktop’, but this is not nearly as convenient as the button was.

2 - the Documents menu. I want to be able to see a list of documents I’ve been working on and click on one o’ them to start up Word, Excel, etc. Where’d it go?

The Documents menu should be there – if not right-click on the start menu and click ‘Customise’ (or it may be ‘Properties’; I’m not at a WinXP PC right now). Within that should be the option to display the Documents menu.

You can create a program to show the desktop as follows:

Quick Launch is off by default in Win XP, once it is turned on drag the show desktop button to the quick launch bar, although I think mine was already on there, once I turned the Quick Launch bar on.
Recent Documents - Right click on the start button, choose ‘properties’. It should be on the Start Menu tab, choose ‘customize’. Click on the ‘advanced’ tab and on the bottom is a ‘Recent Documents’ listing. There is a check box that when checked adds the ‘Recent Documents’ to the start menu.

The stupid thing about the Quick Launch bar in XP is you can’t adjust its size. Can’t make it bigger if there are more than 3 icons in it.

At least I haven’t figure out how.

Mine has seven icons. Is yours locked down? (right-click on the taskbar and click Lock the taskbar - if it’s locked it’ll unlock and allow you to resize the bar).

Yay! I knew you guys would help! I now have my documents menu and my Quick Launch bar!

Crusoe,

Thanks, will try it.

(Windows button)+D will also show you the desktop.

I’ve always used Win+M to Minimize all windows… I guess it’s the same as Win+D.

Also, Win+L will Lock your session and take you back to the welcome screen (same as Start | Log off | Switch user).

OOoooOOOohh, Windows button+D… very nice! Any other nifty tricks I need to know?

The difference between Win+M and Win+D is that Win+D is togglable… if you hit it again, all the windows come back.

Other handies: Win+E = explorer, Win+R = Run…