Gadget's Tips

Gadget has noticed that Vista's Start menu can be used to search for files - which is fine, but tends to produce dozens of results (certainly too many for a busy Collie).

As a dog who likes to be in charge, Gadget has found he can get more control over exactly what he's searching for by right-clicking the Start button and selecting 'Properties'.

On the Start Menu tab, he clicks the 'Customize' button and unticks any options that can safely be ignored.

(For example, he unticks 'Search favourites and history', as he doesn't often use these.)

There's only one thing worse than a frustrated Border Collie, and that's two frustrated Border Collies! So what's the problem this time?

Well, unless you routinely use the Find tool to look for files on your computer the indexing feature in XP isn't much use. In fact it slows down the computer - and frustrates Gadget's quick pawed efficiency when he's trying to respond to all your emails.

So here's how to disable it.

Gadget was getting pretty fed-up with looking for shared files on other computers connected to his network - until he discovered this handy little XP trick...

On each computer, right-click the My Computer icon in the Start menu and select Map Network Drive.

Choose a drive letter from the dop-down menu.

Click Browse, then navigate to the shared folder.

Click Finish - and that's it! Anywhere on the system, you'll be able to find that shared folder simply by opening My Computer. And Gadget is now woofingly happy...

Gadget knows that Vista makes it possible to divide a hard disk into two or more partitions, which Windows sees as separate disks.

And that means top-secret information (including his biscuit stash database) can be safely hidden in his own, personal volume.

Click Start, right-click Computer and select the Manage option. Select disk Management from the left-hand pane, right-click the disk that is to be split and select Shrink Volume. Enter a new size for the partition and click Shrink.

Sometimes Gadget wants to select or open a number of files or folders. That's easy if they're all grouped together - just shift and drag. But suppose they aren't...?

No problem for Gadget, because in Vista you can add a tick-box to all your icons!

Open a folder, and go to Organize, then 'Folder and Search Options'. Move to the View tab and tick the box labelled 'Use check boxes to select them'. Click OK.

And now when Gadget wants to open his top ten choices for dog treat recipes he can select all of them together! (Paws up whoever wants one...)