Q. I accidentally hit the Caps Lock key constantly, but I know there is a way to make it beep to let me know that I hit it. Can you explain how that’s done, Mr. M? I’ve been a subscriber of your weekly newsletter for five years and I hope you publish it for at least another five.

A. Thanks very much. I plan to continue writing my computer-help newsletter until Windows users have no more problems or questions. In other words, I have no plans to quit.

Turning to your question, I'm occasionally all thumbs on the keyboard myself and manage to hit the Caps Lock key without even knowing it. The next time I look at what appears on my monitor, I see SOMETHING LIKE THIS, so I feel your pain. One of my favorite Accessibility Options is ToggleKeys which makes an audible beep every time the Caps Lock, Num Lock or Scroll Lock keys are pressed.

To enable ToggleKeys, go to your Control Panel > Accessibility Options > General or Keyboard tab. Place a check mark beside "Use Toggle Keys" to enable it, followed by Apply > OK. Vista users, go to the Control Panel > Ease of Access Center > Change How Your Keyboard Works and place a check mark beside "Turn on Toggle Keys," followed by Apply > OK.

Q. I know it’s supposed to be a “safety net,” but when I want to delete items, I want to delete them without putting them into the Recycle Bin and then having to empty the Recycle Bin. Is there a way to short-circuit that process?

A. When it's time to delete a file that you absolutely, positively know you're not going to need again, you can, indeed, bypass the Recycle Bin. To do that, select (highlight) the file you want to remove, then press Shift + DELete. That will cause the file to vaporize without the need to subsequently delete it from the Recycle Bin. You will be prompted to confirm that you really and truly want to delete the file.

Q. The My Computer icon disappeared and I can’t find it anywhere. Do you have any idea what happened to it? I’m using Windows XP.

A. Right-click any empty area of the Desktop, select Properties > Desktop tab, then click the Customize Desktop button. You'll see four boxes you can check to add the My Computer, My Documents, Network Places, and/or Internet Explorer icons to the Desktop, as well as options to change the look of each icon.

Mr. Modem's Sites of the Week:

CAUCE
The Coalition Against Unlawful Commercial Email is an all-volunteer organization created to encourage a legislative solution to the problem of spam. Here you can find information about the problems of junk email, proposed solutions, and resources to help Internet users make informed decisions about the issue of chronically annoying spam.
www.cauce.org

Road Construction Database
Enter the state(s) in which you plan to travel and the name or number of the highway (if you know it), and a table will be displayed that lists road construction projects, with project start and stop dates. A Premier Membership is available for $19.95 a year, but the free basic membership should be more than adequate to help avoid construction delays when traveling.
http://tinyurl.com/38ln3w

World Clock
This is an interesting site that's much more than a clock. Click through the various categories of information such as World Time, Population, Death, Illness, Environment, Energy, U.S. Crimes, Food, and More. Under the "More" category you can watch the U.S. National Debt spin out of control, and as an added bonus, learn how much your share of the national debt is. Visa and MasterCard are cheerfully accepted, should you wish to settle up.
www.poodwaddle.com/worldclock.swf

For plain-English answers to your questions by email, plus useful PC tips, subscribe to Mr. Modem’s Weekly Newsletter. For information, visit www.MrModem.com.