MarxSoccer
BSOD
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- 2,999
-Performance Increase Through My Computer
Easy enough tweak to usually find out about it on your own, but still, some of us still don't find it right away. So here it is:
Start > right-click on My Computer and select Properties.
Click on the "Advanced" tab.
See the "Performance" section? Click "Settings".
Disable the following:
Fade or slide menus into view
Fade or slide ToolTips into view
Fade out menu items after clicking
Show Shadows under menus
Slide open combo boxes
Slide taskbar buttons
Use a background image for each folder type
Use common tasks in folders
There, now Windows will still look nice and perform faster.
-Remove Windows Messenger
Go to Start/Run, and type: "rundll32 setupapi,InstallHinfSection BLC.Remove 128 %SystemRoot%INFmsmsgs.inf"
-Do Not Highlight Newly Installed Programs
Tired of that annoying little window that pops up to tell you that new software is installed? If it gets in the way when you?re logging off, turn it off completely. To do this:
Click Start, right-click at the top of the Start menu where your name is displayed, and then click Properties.
In the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog box, on the Start Menu tab, click Customize.
Click the Advanced tab, and then clear the Highlight newly installed programs check box.
Click OK, and then click OK again.
-Customize the Start menu
The Start menu gets more real estate in XP than in previous versions, and it's more customizable. To make the Start menu display only the applications you want, rather than the default determined by Microsoft:
Right-click in an empty section of the Start menu's left column.
Select Properties > Start Menu > Customize. Here you'll find a list of your most frequently used programs. (XP keeps track of what you use and what you don't, then updates this list dynamically).
Don't want your boss to know that Pinball, Solitaire, and Quake all make your list?
Go to the General tab, click Clear List, and set the counter to zero.
-Search Companion Error
When doing a file search, if you get the error A File That Is Required to Run Search Companion Cannot Be Found
Log on as an Administrator
Click Start
Select Run
Enter in the command - %systemroot%\inf
Right-click the Srchasst.inf file
Click Install
-Installing the Backup Program on the Home Version
By default, the NTBACKUP program is not installed on the home version.
You can find it on the CD in the \VALUEADD\MSFT\NTBACKUP directory
Since not all vendors include the actual source code for XP,
you can download a copy
-Changing Drive Letters
If you want to change the letters assigned to your fixed or removable drives:
Right Click on My Computer
Select Manage
Select Disk Management
For a Fixed Disk:
Select it
Right click
Select Change Drive Letter and Path
Click on the Edit button
Enter in the letter you want to use
For a Removable Disk:
In the lower, right hand panel, right click on the Disk or CD ROM #
Select Change Drive Letter and Path
Click on the Edit button
Enter in the letter you want to use
-Turn off the Windows Picture and Fax Viewer as the Default Image Viewer
You can also change the file associations for the specific file types you want.
Open the Windows Explorer
Go to Tools / Folder Options / File Types
Scroll down to the extension you want to change
Click on the Change button
Select the program you want to associate with that extension
Click on the OK button
If the Windows Picture and Fax Viewer is set as the default for many of your graphic file types,
you can remove it so other graphics programs can be used.
Run Regedit
Go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT / SystemFileAssociations / image / ShellEx / ContextMenuHandlers
Delete the key ShellImagePreview
Download reg file
-Allowing Network Access with Blank Passwords
Although you can log in locally without a password, by default, WindowsXP Pro does not allow network users to access the computer without a password. Typically you will receive an Unknown error 31 if this is the case.
To change this setting:
Run gpedit.msc
Go to Computer Configuration / Windows Settings / Security Settings / Local Policies / Security Options
Double click on Accounts: Limit local account use of blank passwords to console login only
Disable this option
-Changing the Default DOS Window Properties
If you want to change the default DOS windows properties like:
Size
Color
Font
Buffer Size
Window / Full Screen
Open up a DOS window
Right click on the Title Bar
Select Defaults
Make any of the changes you like
All subsequent DOS windows will assume these defaults
-Changing the Registered Owner
Start Regedit
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion
From there you can edit the name in the Registered Owner key
-Opening a Command Prompt to a Particular Directory from Explorer
If you want to open a command prompt to a directory that is selected in the Explorer:
Start Regedit
Go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT \ Directory \ shell
Create a new key called Command
Give it the value of the name you want to appear in the Explorer. Something like Open DOS Box
Under this create a new key called command
Give it a value of cmd.exe /k "cd %L"
Now when you are in the Explorer, right click on a folder, select Open DOS Box, and a command prompt will open to the selected directory.
Download reg file
-Adding Time Servers
With WindowsXP, you can double-click on the time in the System Tray and connect to Time Servers on the Internet to synchronize with.
To add to the list of available servers:
Start Regedit
Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\DateTime\Servers
Add new string keys named 2, 3, etc. with a value of the time server you want to use.
-Creating a Boot Floppy
To create a bootable floppy from within WindowsXP:
Insert a floppy into the A: drive
Open the Explorer
Right click on the A: Drive
Select Format
Check Create an MS-DOS startup disk
Click on the Start button
This will create a Millennium boot disk
-Changing the Login Screen Saver
If you want to change the screen saver that runs at the login prompt:
Start Regedit
Go to HK_USERS / .DEFAULT / Control Panel / Desktop
Double click on SCRNSAVE.EXE
Enter in the screen saver you want to use
-Running NetMeeting
To run NetMeeting:
Do a Start / Run
Enter conf
Answer the prompts along the way for name, e-mail etc.
-Set the Online Registration as Being Completed
You can set WindowsXP to assume the online registration has been completed.
Run Regedit
Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows NT \ CurrentVersion
Create a String Value called RegDone
Give it a value of 1
Download reg file
-Decreasing Boot Time
Microsoft has made available a program to analyze and decrease the time it takes to boot to WindowsXP
The program is called BootVis
Uncompress the file.
Run BOOTVIS.EXE
For a starting point, run Trace / Next Boot + Driver Delays
This will reboot your computer and provide a benchmark
After the reboot, BootVis will take a minute or two to show graphs of your system startup.
Note how much time it takes for your system to load (click on the red vertical line)
Then run Trace / Optimize System
Re-Run the Next Boot + Drive Delays
Note how much the time has decreased
Mine went from approximately 39 to 30 seconds.
-Re-Enabling System Restore
If you previously disabled system restore through the Group Policy Editor,
the option to start it again does not show in the System Properties.
You can re-enable it again by:
Run the Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc)
Go to Computer Configuration / Administrative Templates / System / System Restore
Set Turn off System Restore and Turn off Configuration to Disable
Right click on My Computer
Select Manage
Go to Services and Applications / Services
Scroll down to System Restore Service
Set it for Automatic
Click on the Start button to start the service
Close down this window
Go back to the Group Policy Editor and configure both to Not configured
Now when you right click on My Computer, there should be a tab for System Restore and you can configure how much space will be used.
-Hide/Unhide Logon Names
If you want to hide or unhide the names of users that are displayed on the initial logon screen:
Start Regedit
Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows NT \ CurrentVersion \ Winlogon \ SpecialAccounts \ UserList
Add a DWORD with the name of the user account you want to hide
Make sure it has a value of 0
If there is an existing account, you can unhide it by giving it a value of 1
-Speed up start menu
Start -> Run -> regedit
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop and then right click on ""MenuShowDelay" and click on "Modify", the figure you have here is in milliseconds. The standard is 400, I have mine set to 50, 0 is instant.
Take your pick
Easy enough tweak to usually find out about it on your own, but still, some of us still don't find it right away. So here it is:
Start > right-click on My Computer and select Properties.
Click on the "Advanced" tab.
See the "Performance" section? Click "Settings".
Disable the following:
Fade or slide menus into view
Fade or slide ToolTips into view
Fade out menu items after clicking
Show Shadows under menus
Slide open combo boxes
Slide taskbar buttons
Use a background image for each folder type
Use common tasks in folders
There, now Windows will still look nice and perform faster.
-Remove Windows Messenger
Go to Start/Run, and type: "rundll32 setupapi,InstallHinfSection BLC.Remove 128 %SystemRoot%INFmsmsgs.inf"
-Do Not Highlight Newly Installed Programs
Tired of that annoying little window that pops up to tell you that new software is installed? If it gets in the way when you?re logging off, turn it off completely. To do this:
Click Start, right-click at the top of the Start menu where your name is displayed, and then click Properties.
In the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog box, on the Start Menu tab, click Customize.
Click the Advanced tab, and then clear the Highlight newly installed programs check box.
Click OK, and then click OK again.
-Customize the Start menu
The Start menu gets more real estate in XP than in previous versions, and it's more customizable. To make the Start menu display only the applications you want, rather than the default determined by Microsoft:
Right-click in an empty section of the Start menu's left column.
Select Properties > Start Menu > Customize. Here you'll find a list of your most frequently used programs. (XP keeps track of what you use and what you don't, then updates this list dynamically).
Don't want your boss to know that Pinball, Solitaire, and Quake all make your list?
Go to the General tab, click Clear List, and set the counter to zero.
-Search Companion Error
When doing a file search, if you get the error A File That Is Required to Run Search Companion Cannot Be Found
Log on as an Administrator
Click Start
Select Run
Enter in the command - %systemroot%\inf
Right-click the Srchasst.inf file
Click Install
-Installing the Backup Program on the Home Version
By default, the NTBACKUP program is not installed on the home version.
You can find it on the CD in the \VALUEADD\MSFT\NTBACKUP directory
Since not all vendors include the actual source code for XP,
you can download a copy
-Changing Drive Letters
If you want to change the letters assigned to your fixed or removable drives:
Right Click on My Computer
Select Manage
Select Disk Management
For a Fixed Disk:
Select it
Right click
Select Change Drive Letter and Path
Click on the Edit button
Enter in the letter you want to use
For a Removable Disk:
In the lower, right hand panel, right click on the Disk or CD ROM #
Select Change Drive Letter and Path
Click on the Edit button
Enter in the letter you want to use
-Turn off the Windows Picture and Fax Viewer as the Default Image Viewer
You can also change the file associations for the specific file types you want.
Open the Windows Explorer
Go to Tools / Folder Options / File Types
Scroll down to the extension you want to change
Click on the Change button
Select the program you want to associate with that extension
Click on the OK button
If the Windows Picture and Fax Viewer is set as the default for many of your graphic file types,
you can remove it so other graphics programs can be used.
Run Regedit
Go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT / SystemFileAssociations / image / ShellEx / ContextMenuHandlers
Delete the key ShellImagePreview
Download reg file
-Allowing Network Access with Blank Passwords
Although you can log in locally without a password, by default, WindowsXP Pro does not allow network users to access the computer without a password. Typically you will receive an Unknown error 31 if this is the case.
To change this setting:
Run gpedit.msc
Go to Computer Configuration / Windows Settings / Security Settings / Local Policies / Security Options
Double click on Accounts: Limit local account use of blank passwords to console login only
Disable this option
-Changing the Default DOS Window Properties
If you want to change the default DOS windows properties like:
Size
Color
Font
Buffer Size
Window / Full Screen
Open up a DOS window
Right click on the Title Bar
Select Defaults
Make any of the changes you like
All subsequent DOS windows will assume these defaults
-Changing the Registered Owner
Start Regedit
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion
From there you can edit the name in the Registered Owner key
-Opening a Command Prompt to a Particular Directory from Explorer
If you want to open a command prompt to a directory that is selected in the Explorer:
Start Regedit
Go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT \ Directory \ shell
Create a new key called Command
Give it the value of the name you want to appear in the Explorer. Something like Open DOS Box
Under this create a new key called command
Give it a value of cmd.exe /k "cd %L"
Now when you are in the Explorer, right click on a folder, select Open DOS Box, and a command prompt will open to the selected directory.
Download reg file
-Adding Time Servers
With WindowsXP, you can double-click on the time in the System Tray and connect to Time Servers on the Internet to synchronize with.
To add to the list of available servers:
Start Regedit
Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\DateTime\Servers
Add new string keys named 2, 3, etc. with a value of the time server you want to use.
-Creating a Boot Floppy
To create a bootable floppy from within WindowsXP:
Insert a floppy into the A: drive
Open the Explorer
Right click on the A: Drive
Select Format
Check Create an MS-DOS startup disk
Click on the Start button
This will create a Millennium boot disk
-Changing the Login Screen Saver
If you want to change the screen saver that runs at the login prompt:
Start Regedit
Go to HK_USERS / .DEFAULT / Control Panel / Desktop
Double click on SCRNSAVE.EXE
Enter in the screen saver you want to use
-Running NetMeeting
To run NetMeeting:
Do a Start / Run
Enter conf
Answer the prompts along the way for name, e-mail etc.
-Set the Online Registration as Being Completed
You can set WindowsXP to assume the online registration has been completed.
Run Regedit
Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows NT \ CurrentVersion
Create a String Value called RegDone
Give it a value of 1
Download reg file
-Decreasing Boot Time
Microsoft has made available a program to analyze and decrease the time it takes to boot to WindowsXP
The program is called BootVis
Uncompress the file.
Run BOOTVIS.EXE
For a starting point, run Trace / Next Boot + Driver Delays
This will reboot your computer and provide a benchmark
After the reboot, BootVis will take a minute or two to show graphs of your system startup.
Note how much time it takes for your system to load (click on the red vertical line)
Then run Trace / Optimize System
Re-Run the Next Boot + Drive Delays
Note how much the time has decreased
Mine went from approximately 39 to 30 seconds.
-Re-Enabling System Restore
If you previously disabled system restore through the Group Policy Editor,
the option to start it again does not show in the System Properties.
You can re-enable it again by:
Run the Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc)
Go to Computer Configuration / Administrative Templates / System / System Restore
Set Turn off System Restore and Turn off Configuration to Disable
Right click on My Computer
Select Manage
Go to Services and Applications / Services
Scroll down to System Restore Service
Set it for Automatic
Click on the Start button to start the service
Close down this window
Go back to the Group Policy Editor and configure both to Not configured
Now when you right click on My Computer, there should be a tab for System Restore and you can configure how much space will be used.
-Hide/Unhide Logon Names
If you want to hide or unhide the names of users that are displayed on the initial logon screen:
Start Regedit
Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows NT \ CurrentVersion \ Winlogon \ SpecialAccounts \ UserList
Add a DWORD with the name of the user account you want to hide
Make sure it has a value of 0
If there is an existing account, you can unhide it by giving it a value of 1
-Speed up start menu
Start -> Run -> regedit
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop and then right click on ""MenuShowDelay" and click on "Modify", the figure you have here is in milliseconds. The standard is 400, I have mine set to 50, 0 is instant.
Take your pick
