Wayne's XP Tips for Administrators

I will use this site for XP admin tips. Please notify if you have corrections to the exising material or additional "hacks" to add to this compilation. Again, and finally use this data at your own risk. After all, they are administrator tips.

Hits: Failed to execute CGI : Win32 Error Code = 3

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--- A --- XP Admin Tips

• Accessibility :
  • Control Accessibility Features for Visually Impaired Users by Using Utility Manager in Windows ( Q307773 )
    
  • How To Install and Configure Speech Recognition in Windows XP ( Q306537 )
    
  • Set Accessibility Features for People Who Are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing in Windows XP ( Q308897 )
    
  • Set Accessibility Features for People with Motion Disabilities in Windows XP ( Q308949 )
    
  • Set Accessibility Features for People Who Are Blind or Who Have Low Vision in Windows XP ( Q308978 )
    
• ACPI :
  • ACPI Troubleshooting
    
• Activation :
  • Backup / Restore XP Activation
    
  • Windows Product Activation (WPA)on Windows XP
    
• Administrator:
  • AD admins should be running Windows XP Pro
    
  • Recover Lost Admin Passwords NT / W2K / XP
    
• Admin shares :
  • HOW TO: Create and Delete Hidden or Administrative Shares on Client Computers
    
  • Disable Windows NT/W2K/XP Hidden Administrative Shares
    
• Admin tools :
  • Admin Alerts in Windows XP ( Q310490 )
    
  • Put admin tools on Start Menu
    
  • Admin tools for W2K using XP workstation
    
• Applications:
  • Application compatibility mode for W2K and XP
    
  • AppVerifier, Testing applications under XP with AppVerifier
    
• AT :
  • Schtasks - create, delete, query, change, run and end scheduled tasks on a local or remote system.
    replaces AT.exe
• Audio :
  • Native Soundblaster XP Drivers
    

--- B --- XP Admin Tips

• Backdoors : Penetration Testing Tip #18: Backdoors - backorifice, subseven, netbus
  
• Batch files :
  • How to Run a Batch File Before Logging on to Your Computer
    
  • Rob van der Woude's Scripting Pages : Batch file magic
    
  • fpschultze's Batch Scripting Site
    
  • Gord's Batch world
    
• Methods to get Bios version
  
• Boot :
  • Creating a bootable Windows XP SP1 CD (Easy CD Creator)
    
  • Creating a bootable Windows XP SP1a CD (Nero)
    
  • Windows XP setup disks for floppy boot install
    
• Bart's PE Builder
  ...Run Windows XP from a bootable CD-Rom or DVD with GUI and network support...
  

--- C --- XP Admin Tips

• Cabinet Filea : Description and Explanation of a
  
• CD :
  • Disable CD autoply in Windows XP Pro
    
  • Disable CD autoplay in Windows XP Home
    
  • Easy CD Creator upgrade for XP available
    
• Change Detection: Penetration Testing Tip #20: Change Detection / Integrity Resource /Rootkits
  
• Characters: Use the Character Map application
  
• Cleanup Tool: How to Automate the Disk Cleanup Tool in Windows XP
  
• ClearTweak : change the contrast setting of the ClearType setting for Windows XP Great for LCD screens
• Command Prompt :
  • Open a command prompt in any folder using Windows Explorer
    
  • Use prompt unc command as visual key to server name
    
  • Use pushd to help you get back
    
• Control Panel :
  • How to Add a Control Panel Tool to a Category ( Q292463 )
    
• Crash:
  • Windows Online Crash Analysis
    

--- D --- XP Admin Tips

• Defrag :
  • XP Defrag is commandline capable and schedulable
    
• Denial of Service : Penetration Testing Tip #19: Denial of Service (DoS)
  
• Desktop:
  • How to use the Desktop Cleanup Wizard in Windows XP (Q306542)
    
  • HOW TO: Configure Desktop Themes in Windows XP
    
  • HOW TO: Distribute a Custom Desktop Theme to Users in Windows XP
    
  • Lock Desktop Icon
    
  • Put XP Start menu icons on the Desktop
    
• Disk :
  • XP DiskCleanup and Defrag Utilites
    
• Display :
  • Change Date, Time, Number, and Currency Value Displays in Windows XP ( Q307938 )
    
  • Control Windows 2000 / XP Transition Effects for Menus and Windows
    
• DLLs :
  • Download the most common DLLs that suddenly disappears from your computer : www.dll-files.com
  • Windows NT/2000/XP Uses KnownDLLs Registry Entry to Find DLLs : Q164501
    NT, W2K, and XP uses the KnownDLLs registry entries to search for either 32-bit or 16-bit DLLs when loading the DLL. For 32-bit DLLs the KnownDLLs registry entry only affects the search for implicitly loaded DLLs. For 16-bit DLLs the KnownDLLs registry entry affects the search for both implicitly and explicitly loaded DLLs. If you incorrectly include a DLL name in the KnownDLLs registry entry, the LoadLibrary in Windows NT/2000/XP WOW fails to load a DLL located in the application's current directory.

• DNS:
  • DNSLint can verify DNS records
    
  • Penetration Testing Tip #4: nslookup and DNS Zone Transfers
    
• Domains :
  • UserDNSDomain environment variable set if a computer is a logged on to a domain
    
• DOS :
  • DOS game sound support under NT / W2K / XP
    
  • DOS windows options
    
  • DOS Window Titles
    
• Drivers :
  • ASPI Drivers
    ASPI stands for Advanced SCSI Programming Interface. Originally developed by Adaptec. It is a software layer that enables programs to communicate with SCSI (and ATAPI) devices.
  • Device Driver Rollback in XP
    
  • Driver links
    
  • WindowsXP-Drivers.com
    
• Dual booting / multibooting>
  • Dynamic Disks :
    Q309044: Convert to Basic and Dynamic Disks in Windows XP Professional
    
    Q308424: Use Disk Management to Configure Dynamic Disks in Windows XP
    
    Q279252: New Volume Wizard for a Dynamic Disk States Incorrect Volume Types
    
    Q299598: Convert an IEEE 1394 Disk Drive to a Dynamic Disk Drive in Windows XP
    
    Q303584: My Computer and Disk Management Offer Inconsistent Options for Formatting a Volume on a Dynamic Disk
    
    Q320283: You Cannot Revert a Disk to a Basic Disk If the Disk Appears As "Dynamic Unreadable" in Disk Management
    

• EFS - Encrypting File System :
  • Encrypting File System in Windows XP and Windows Server 2003
    
  Environmental Variable :
  • How To Manage Environment Variables in Windows XP ( Q310519 )
    
• Explorer :
  • Configure Windows XP to automatically reopen folders in Explorer upon logon
    
  • Control Windows XP's 'Highlight newly installed programs' option
    
  • Explorer crashes and screen blank
    
  • Hide Security tab in Explorer object properties
    

• Fastfind :
  • Disable FindFast, the Indexing Service
    
• Firewalls:
  • Windows ICF: Can't Live With it, Can't Live Without it
    
  • Personal Firewalls
    
• Fonts:
  • HOW TO: Install or Remove a Font in Windows XP
    
• Forensics:
  • Penetration Testing Tip #8: Forensics, Incidents, Analysis, and Evidence
    

• Gotcha!s:
  • Windows XP Common Problems and Gotcha!s
    

• Hardening XP :
  • National Security Agency : Security Recommendation Guides
    
• Help :
  • XP Integrated Help and Support Links
    
• Hotfix :
  • HotFix & Security Bulletin Service
    Register to automatically receive security bulletins. Search by Product/Technology and Service Pack.
  • Qfecheck.exe Verifies the Installation of Windows 2000 and Windows XP Hotfixes
    

• Windows ICF: Can't Live With it, Can't Live Without it
  
• Icons :
  • Repair the Icon Cache in Windows XP
    
• Identity :
  • The Definitive Guide to Identity Management
    
• IDS :
  • Intrustion Detection System Tips and Resources
    
• IE :
  • Keyboard Shortcuts for Internet Explorer
    
  • Online Support Site for Internet Explorer
    
  • Repair XP's Internet Explorer using SFC
    
  • Internet Explorer Security Zones Registry Entries
    
• IIS :
• IIS FAQs, Resources and Tips