Can You Really Do That?! The Most Amazing Trick You Have Never Seen!

I get a lot of questions about error messages, what I call “whiny Windows”: little blue/grey boxes with some very serious sounding issue – or sometimes not even in English – “Detected an address error at x001100c, C++ runtime …

But you can’t remember it exactly, and it is such a nuisance to try and write it all down.

Ever wonder how they have real Windows print in your Windows for Dummies book? (Hint: they do not use a camera ...)

So here’s the trick:

For any active window (that is, the window which has a blue title bar), you can hit Ctrl-PrtScr and, snap! You have taken a picture of your desktop! Ok, the PrtScr button is usually waaaay up in the right-hand corner on your keyboard, near the scroll, pause, or insert buttons. My HP laptop requires me to hit Ctrl-fn-insert to get the PrtScr. Oh, and it is not too fussy: you may be able to use Alt-PrtScr as well.

Now, to “develop” that picture that you just took on digital film, open a [new] Word document and then just hit Ctrl-V or Edit>Paste.

Amazing isn’t it! No more having to write down anything. Prove your solitaire score!

If you need the WHOLE desktop, a mere PrtScr will copy everything you are looking at – so you can prove your solitaire score on a particular day! Wow, this is so incredible!

(The picture at the top was done using BOTH ways: Alt-PrtScr & PrtScr – one after/on top of the other.)

Hey, who else is going to tell you? OS Buster!

Archie specializes in tutoring and training of seniors in PC security, Windows, Internet, and Microsoft Office. He holds the CompTIA A+ certification and is often featured speaker at Goodwin House in Alexandria; he can be emailed at ama3@tfci-us.com