Xp clock tricks

If you are running Windows XP, you'll never have to worry about manually setting your computer's clock again!

Just double-click the little clock in the System Tray and it will bring up the Time and Date Properties screen. Click the Internet Time tab and you'll see a button that lets you instantly synchronize your clock with one on the internet. Of course, you have to be online for this little trick to work.

Also, you'll notice that there's a check box on that screen that says "Automatically synchronize with an internet time server." If you uncheck that box, you won't be able to do a manual synchronization as described above. However with this feature enabled, not only can you do our little trick, but your computer will automatically update its time once a week - all by itself.

Of course, you need to be online when it's time for the synchronization in order for this to work.

Anyhow, no matter how it gets updated (manually or automatically), it's still a handy way to keep your computer's clock right on time.

Create Restore Points in Windows XP

Create a restore point

To manually set system restore points, follow these directions.

1. Click Start, All Programs, Accessories, then System Tools.
2. Click System Restore to launch the System Restore wizard.
3. Select the box next the text labeled "Create a restore point" and click the Next button.
4. Type a description for your new restore point. Something like "Before I installed some program that may cause my system major grief" would do just fine, but you don't have to be that descriptive.
5. Click Create.
   

Access restore points

When you need to access a restore point, boot into safe mode by pressing F8 during the boot. Then select "Last known good configuration (your most recent settings that worked)" and press Enter.

If you want to pick your restore point by creation date, boot into safe mode and launch the System Restore wizard. Now you can restore your computer based on when restore points were created.

Password Recovery Disk

Here's how to launch the Forgotten Password Wizard to create your very own password recovery disk.

1. Click Start menu, Control Panel, and User Accounts.
2. Click your user account name.
3. Under Related Tasks on the left, click "Prevent forgotten password" to launch the wizard.

Now that you've launched the wizard, let it walk you through creating the recovery disk. Make sure the disk you use is formatted and in the drive. After it's finished creating the disk, label it and stash it away for an emergency.

If you happen to forget your password, all you need to do is click your user icon at the logon screen. Even though you don't have your password, go ahead and click the green arrow just like you would to finish logging on to your computer. This will launch a little yellow dialog box directing you to use your password recovery disk.