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Why Windows XP?

As discussed in the Windows Tweaks section, 92% of us run Windows and Microsoft is gradually ceasing the support (and updates) for earlier versions of Windows. Hence, we're forced to upgrade.

The newest system from Redding is WinXP, a leap I chose to take at the earliest opportunity. There's a lot to like as well as some downsides.

In the plus column, WinXP is stable. Restarts occur only when called for by software installation rather than as the system slows with use (as occurs with Win9.x/Me).

It's also visually stunning, the most esthetically exciting Windows ever,  with more options for customization and personalization than any previous system, and this right out of the box without additional software.

One strike against upgrading now to XP is that some legacy (particularly pre-Win2000) hardware may not work and drivers will never become available for older stuff. Tip: Occasionally, non-functioning or untested hardware will work with WinXP if installed in the Safe mode.

The major objection (and the first addressed in the tips below) is Windows Product Activation (WPA). After 30 days, Microsoft must be contacred for an activation code. Enter it incorrectly and your computer will lock you out making data inaccessible.

This system has been cracked and may yet be abandoned or modified due to public outcry in resistance to the system. The WPA system is still in its infancy and it remains to be seen where it goes from here.

Special WinXP Note: While allowing Windows (any flavor) to 'Auto-Update' is distasteful to most users who want control over their own systems, checks should be made with Microsoft regularly for Critical Updates, and such updates should be downloaded and installed. It is the consensus of experienced WinXP users, however, that the Drivers Updates offered for XP users are frequently determined in error and cause problems. Get 'em from a more reliable source like the manufacturers or chipmakers.

Win XP Tips

Activate Once Forever
Windows will require re-activation if several pieces of hardware are changed at one time. It makes sense to try to spread these installations out to avoid the hassle.

But what if the WinXP OS must be re-installed on the same system? To avoid having to re-activate, keep a copy of wpa.dbl from the System32 folder with your backups. Make sure to create a fresh copy with any hardware upgrade. Upon re-installing WinXP, just copy wpa.dbl back to the System32 folder to skip activation.

Deactivate WinXP 'Spyware'
Although mentioned on the Windows Tweaks page, it's worth repeating here if you missed it. Win XP users have a new set of security issues, including a plethora of default settings that cause 'phone home' activity, automatic updates and  downloads without user choice or intervention. The method for manually disabling these is here. Free software to change these settings easily is here.

WinXP Power Toys
This versatile (unsupported) collection of goodies from Microsoft includes:

Tweak UI: Provides access to system settings that are not exposed in the Windows XP default user interface, including mouse settings, Explorer settings, taskbar settings, and more.

Super-Fast User Switcher: Switch between users without having to go through the Logon screen (see Quick Tips, below, for another way).

Open Command Window Here: Adds an "Open Command Window Here" context menu option on file system folders.

Taskbar Magnifier: Magnify part of the screen from the taskbar.

Power Calculator: Graph and evaluate functions as well as perform many different types of conversions.

Image Resizer: Resize one or many image files with a right-click.

CD Slide Show Generator: View images burned to a CD as a slide show. 

Virtual Desktop Manager: Manage up to four desktops from the Windows taskbar. Multi-monitors is much better.

Webcam Timershot: Lets you take pictures at specified time intervals from a Webcam connected to your computer and save them to a location that you designate.

HTML Slide Show Wizard: Helps you create an HTML slide show of your digital pictures, ready to place on your Web site.

Microsoft pulled Power Toys for WinXP to de-bug them, and re-released them on April 23, 2002. This time, these proggies are available seperately which is a good thing. Click here to see 'em.

Don't forget IE Powertoys, a cool collection of enhancements designed for IE5.x but which work beautifully with IE6.x. Find it on the Internet  page. Useful, fun and the price is right.

Hide Recycle Bin
Yes, there's a registry or 'inf' file hack for this, but why? Download TweakUI, above, change the Recycle Bin to a folder (so you can move it off the Desktop, like into My Documents), eliminate the icon and revel in your pristine desktop, without an icon to be seen (if you choose). Hey, your wallpaper looks great!

Remove 'Shortcut to' prefix and arrow
See TweakUI, above. Don't hack the registry unnecessarily.

Dig into the system
While there is a code that can be entered at a command-line prompt (ipconfig) which will display or allow configuration of ip information, but a sweeter solution is the GUI goodness of the familiar winipcfg from Win 9.X/Me. Download it from Microsoft here, install it, then just hit, Start/Run, type winipcfg and hit 'Enter.' You're so clever.

To access information on your entire system, including hardware, installed software application info and more, hit Start/Run and type winmsd. To access more information as well as change default startup items (harmlessly), try Start/Run msconfig.

Task Manager in WinXP is a versatile tool which displays running applications and processes (ala Ctrl/Alt/Del in Win 9.x/Me) as well as graphical display of Performance items like CPU, Page File Usage and Networking information. Right-click on the Taskbar and select 'Task Manager (keyboard shortcut Ctrl/Shift/Esc), Try it & see.

To configure virtually any aspect of WinXP hardware, software and behavior, hit Start/Run, type gpedit.msc and hit 'Enter' to access the Group Policy Editor. This is where you can turn off 'Autoplay' for CD-ROMs if you wish. Have fun in there.

Those Nasty Balloon Tips
These things are like the neighbor's wind chimes; an annoyance foisted upon us against our will that only gets more irritating with time. The quick, easy method of disposal is with 'Group Policy Editor, above. No third-party software or registry hacking is necessary. Choose' Disable Balloon Tips' and breathe a sigh of relief. Too bad there's no 'Delete' button for annoying neighbors.

WinXP Quick Tips
There are several methods (some involve risky and unnecessary registry hacks) for removing the persistent and annoying MSN Messenger. Hit 'Start/Run' then copy and paste the following: 'RunDll32 advpack.dll,LaunchINFSection %windir%\INF\msmsgs.inf,BLC.Remove' (without the quotes). Hit enter and it's gone.

To enable sending items wherever you wish on your computer easily, enable hidden and systems folders in the 'View' folder settings, open 
C:\Documents and Settings\your_user_name\SendTo\ and add shortcuts to whatever locations you wish.

Instantly switch between users by depressing the Win key and 'Q' simultaneously. After a moment, all users appear. Keep hitting 'Q' to rotate between them.

You will use far less memory if you keep multiple applications minimized rather than in open windows.

To create a keyboard shortcut from a desktop shortcut,  right-click on the shortcut, choose properties and enter the combination in the Shortcut Key box, including two of the following: CTRL, ALT, and/or SHIFT. OK out and it's done.

To eliminate the annoying question "Are you sure?" when you delete an item, right-click on the Recycle Bin icon, choose 'Properties' and remove the (default) checkmark from 'Display delete confirmation dialog.'

Prefetch works great to speed up operations in WinXP, but the default folder needs a cleanout every few weeks or the clutter will actually slow the system. Open the 'Prefetch' folder in C:\WINDOWS, left-click 'Edit,' choose 'Select All,' right click on any item in the folder and choose 'Delete' to dump everything.

Unless you spend most computer time doing searches, this tweak will add a little speed to your system. Open my computer, right-click on C:\  and select 'Properties.' Uncheck 'Allow indexing service to index this disk for faster searches.' uncheck this OK out. Select 'Apply to all folders and subfolders' in the pop-up window.

To prevent the operating system from asking for the WinXP disk during installations, copy the I386 folder from the XP CD and paste in into the C:\ drive. That'll stop it.

What? You actually used the Briefcase in Win9.x/Me? OK, to get it back on the desktop in XP, go to C:\WINDOWS\system32\dllcache and double click on 'syncapp' to place it on your desktop.

If you've removed the Recycle Bin from the Desktop (see Registry Hacks, below), you can access it by either from a 'Desktop' Toolbar added by right-clicking on the Taskbar and choosing 'Toolbars' and putting a checkmark by that setting or by opening 'My Documents' & going up one level.

If you don't want XP to display the programs in the Start Menu that it determines are used most frequently, right-click in the empty space on the left side of the menu, choose 'Properties' then 'Start Menu' and Customize. Click on 'Clear List' and set number to zero.

Right–click My Computer, and then click 'Properties' then 'Advanced.' From here you can choose for what functions the greater portion of processing and power is used and set virtual memory if you're so inclined.

To place the programs you want permanently on the Start Menu, right-click on the program from the pop-up menu and choose 'Pin to Start Menu.'

For a quick desktop shortcut to any folder, file or application, find the target on your hard drive, right-click and choose 'Send to Desktop.'

New Tips for June, 2002
Shutting down WinXP is a three-click process, but it's easy to make it a single-click process, either from a desktop or Taskbar Icon. Right-click on the Desktop, choose 'New' then 'Shortcut. A window will pop up with a dialog box for the shortcut path. Type this exactly: C:\windows\system32\shutdown.exe -s -t 00 keeping in mind that the last character is a zero, not a capital O (to make a similar shortcut for restart, substitute /r for /s). Choose 'Next' and type in a name for your new shortcut. Right-click on your new shortcut, choose 'Properties' then 'Change Icon' to make it attractive. Leave it on your desktop or drag it to your taskbar.

If you haven't already found it, making the text background that appears beneath desktop icons transparent is a snap. Go to the Control Panel, choose 'System' then 'Advanced'. Click on the 'Performance' tab then 'Settings' and put a check in the 'Use Drop Shadows' box. Voila!

To keep those ugly lines from forming beneath the text on your desktop icons, go to the Control panel and choose 'Folder Options' to be certain that 'Underline icon titles consistent with my browser' is checked. Open 'Internet Options' then the 'Advanced' tab. Under 'Browsing' look for 'Underline Links' and choose 'Never.' Now, doesn't that look better?

Now that the 'official' release of WinXP has passed the six-month mark, some of you may be experiencing some performance degradation, the source of which can't be traced. Before resorting the the sure-fire re-format and re-install, try this simple procedure. Create a new user name (with Administrator rights). See if this 'New User' experiences better performance. If so, switch to your original user name, transfer settings and accounts to the 'New User' and enjoy the improved performance. Once you're satisfied that all settings and accounts have transferred properly, eliminate your old user name and run RegCleaner to eliminate outdated settings.

Boot Disk Returns
Unlike Win2000 or WinMe, WinXP can and will produce a boot disk. Stuff a floppy into the drive, open 'My Computer' then '3 1/2" Floppy Drive,' right click and choose 'Format'. From the drop-down menu, choose 'Create Startup Disk.'

Microsoft Sez:
"Customer research shows a frequently requested feature that users want from their PCs is fast system startup, whether from cold boot or when resuming from standby or hibernation." If you're not booting in less than 30 seconds, go here & get the MSoft tool that will speed up boot times with varying but (to my knowledge) never negative results

Save Streaming Media
It's cool to listen to MP3s (or watch movies) over the Internet. Often, saving this media, however, seems impossible. Hey, if it plays on your computer, it's on your hard drive. Once the file is fully loaded and with folder view set to show hidden and systems folders, search for the media (.mp3 or .mpg). There it is!

IE 6 Stuff
New security features in IE 6.x are cool, but if you'd rather not have the web pages you've viewed to be stored on your computer, you have to choose the option manually. From the 'Tools' menu, select 'Internet Options,' then 'Advanced.' Under 'Security,' check 'Empty Temporary internet files folder when browser is closed.'

If you prefer Google (as most do) as the search engine of choice, put the page on your hard drive ('File/Save As' from IE 6.x), then open the saved with the browser and from 'Tools/Internet Options/General,' choose 'Use Current' to have IE load instantly and already Googlized.

Appearance & Esthetics

"An ounce of appearance is worth a pound of production." OK, maybe not, but since I work for myself, I'm my own boss. What am I going to do, fire me? Not likely.

There are numerous options to dress up, customize and personalize WinXP that were not available in previous Windows versions. Here's a bunch of them. I'll add more as they're revealed to me.

Please note that appearance options are an antithesis to performance options. This is a personal choice, but if you've got the horsepower you can have both. A processor over over a gig with half a gig of RAM won't see much of a performance hit from dressing up the desktop, although you might want to drop some advanced graphic options for a fragfest.

One-Button Adjustment
To change the built-in functions for either speed or visual effects, right-click on the 'My Computer' icon, then 'Properties' and the 'Advanced' tab. Hit the 'Settings' button and choose either 'Adjust for best appearance' or 'Adjust for best performance' to flip the switch on all of the graphical enhancements.

Folder Icons
For all folders except Thumbnails, pictures may be added or different icons may be chose, either from those in SHELL32.dll (default) or from any icon collection on your hard drive. Just right-click on the folder, choose 'Properties' then the 'Customize' tab & browse away.

Clear Type Innovation
This little goody, originally developed for laptops, will enhance your experience, both on and off the Internet. Hey. don't take my word for it, go here, say 'Yes' for the little program install the tune and tweak to you heart's content. You will enjoy the results.

Change is Good and So Easy
The quickest way to change your user name and the picture that appears next to it on the Start Menu is to double-click on that picture. From the menu that appears, you can change lotsa stuff. Pick a new picture. The pictures are 48 X 48 by default, but Windows XP will resize whatever you choose. The closer to the default size (and square), the better your results will be. Scan your face. Have fun with it. You can also prevent the irritating highlighting of newly-installed programs. Leave the option 'Set up my account to use .NET Passport' alone 'cause it's a security nightmare.

Your Desktop - Your Choices
Right-click on the Desktop. select 'Properties' then the 'Desktop' tab. 
Hit the 'Customize Desktop' button and select which icons you want to appear.

In order to allow items (like custom shortcuts) to be added to the Taskbar, just right-click on it, choose 'Toolbars' then 'Quick Launch.' Delete any icons you don't want, drag shortcuts from the desktop to this new area.

Folder Options
Each folder can use its own display properties, set from the 'View' drop-down menu. Thumbnails makes sense for folders that contain images, of course. To speed the loading of this option go to the Control Panel and click 'Folder Options.' Under the 'View' tab, be certain that 'Do not cache thumbnails' is not checked.

The Ultimate Appearance Tweak
Microsoft Sez: "You can connect up to 10 monitors to your Windows XP-based computer and display numerous programs or windows at one time. You can use your mouse to move items from one monitor to 
another. You can open a different file on each monitor. Or several. Or you can stretch one item across several monitors; so for example, you can see more columns in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, or the entire layout of a Web page, without scrolling." Consider it. Monitors and PCI video cards are pretty cheap now. Windows recognizes the addition & allows easy adjustments on the 'Display Properties/Settings' menu.

Registry Hacks

Editing the Windows Registry, while much more common now than in years past, is still not to be entered into lightly. You can break Windows, cause boot failure, yada, yada. I know you're gonna do it anyway; why else would you be reading this. Just be careful, OK?

These are few because, for the most part WinXP can be customized through the interlace or with third-party freeware (as above).

All of the tips below require running regedit. To do so, hit 'Start/Run' then type 'regedit' and follow the instructions.

Naturally, I take no responsibility for any damage or loss of data  incurred in the remote possibility that something goes terribly wrong.

Outlook Explorer Splash
If it's important enough to you to edit the registry in order to get rid of the OE splash page, here's how. With regedit open, go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities\{long number here will vary}\Software\Microsoft\Outlook Express\5.0. left-click on 5.0 then right-click on a blank space in the pane on the right side. Choose 'New' DWORD and name it NSplash with a value of 1.

Unload DLLs
To prevent Windows from caching DLLs after the program using them has closed, follow this procedure: Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ then left-click on Explorer. Right-click (as above) and create the DWORD AlwaysUnloadDLL with a value of 1. This requires a reboot to take effect. This will allow memory to be used more efficiently.

Hack IE Title Bar
This can be an impressive bit of personalization. Use your name or moniker to brand Internet Explorer. Go to 
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\ and left-click on Main to change the string "Window Title" to whatever you wish.

Encode MP3s with WiMP
Install an MP3 codec (compression/decompression, required for this operation). You can download it here. Once installed, navigate to the following string in regedit: 
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Settings\ then to MP3Encoding and set the following:
"LowRate"=dword:0000dac0 
"MediumRate"=dword:0001f400 
"MediumHighRate"=dword:0003e800 
"HighRate"=dword:0004e200
After reboot, you'll be in the MP3 business without third-party software.

I'm always looking for more methods for customizing WinXP, especially those that avoid registry hacks. Please share your favorites with me. You'll get credit for it but let me know whether or not to use your real name.
I respect, protect and defend everyone's right to privacy.