Cheers.

How to Check with DirectX

- Start->Run
- Type in DxDiag

There you! You’ve got everything you need at your disposal. If you’d like to save the info out, just hit “Save All Information”, and dump it into a nice, clean, and easy to read text file.

How to Check with the Manufacturer

Most computers display the Model of your Motherboard when your computer boots up. It will usually consist of a few numbers and letters, depending on the brand. For example: DEF933 A, or something like that. Once you have that information, provided that your computer was distributed by one of the bigger companies like Dell or Gateway, just visit their website and look up your information under the product listings (sometimes also found under support). You should be able to get detailed information about any on-board or pre-installed hardware, that your model ships with (like RAM and Processor Speed/Make/etc).

- Simply push and hold the  power button down until your computer turns off.

Most computers will power down after about 5 seconds, but some will take as long as 10. While this method isn’t recommended, because it may result in unforseeably problems (like corrupt files), a slightly safer alternative is to simply tap the off button once. If windows hasn’t completely frozen up at this point, it will start to close out all of your programs before shutting down.

Windows Media Player

1. From the menu, go to Tools -> Options
2. Click the Performance tab
3. Slide the Video Acceleration setting as far as it goes to the left (None)
4. Hit OK to apply the settings
5. Take the screen shot you intended to take as you normally would
6. Slide the Video Acceleration option back to where it was

Winamp Media Player

1. From the menu, go to Options -> Preferences
2. Click on the Video menu
3. Un-check the box labeled “Allow hardware video overlay“
4. Hit OK to apply the settings
5. Restart Winamp
6. Take the screen shot you intended to take as you normally would
7. Check the “Allow hardware video overlay” box again to return it to normal

Windows Key + D – Takes you directly to your desktop and minimizes any open applications.

Windows Key + L - Logs you out of your current Windows user account.

Windows Key + R - Brings up the Run menu, allowing you to easily start applications, such as those listed in the Start-Run Shortcuts list.

Windows Key + F - Opens up the Windows search where you can look for files.

Ctrl + Shift + Esc - Opens up the task manager, usefull when applications crash or stop working and you need to end them.

Prt Scr/Sys Rq - Most people have no idea what this button by their number pad actually does, when pressed it will copy a snapshot of your screen to your clipboard which you can then paste into any editing program such as MSPaint and save as a screenshot.

Alt + Prt Sc - Same as above, only it will capture just the window currently in focus.

Windows Key + Pause/Break - Brings up your system properties dialogue, same as right clicking ‘My Computer’ and selecting Properties.

Ctrl + T and Ctrl + W - Most browsers that support multiple tabs such as firefox will use these shortcuts to open a new tab or close the current tab respectively.

Shift + Enter - Will insert a line break in most applications that would otherwise use Enter as a ‘send’ command, such as messenger programs.

Most of these tips will work on Windows XP or Windows Vista, and some work on other operating systems as well.