Wayne's Windows XP User Tips

This section has tips and other tidbits I uncover as I begin the process of seriously looking at XP Professional. Many if not most of the tips in Waynes NT4 Resources and Waynes Windows 2000 Resources will work under XP. The focus will be tips useful to XP users. For comments or questions send them to . Page last modified Tuesday June 08 2004.

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

--- A --- XP User TIps

Activation :
- Backup / Restore XP Activation
- Windows Product Activation (WPA)on Windows XP
Account :
- Customize your user account icon in XP
ACPI :
- ACPI Troubleshooting
Admin tools :
- Put admin tools on Start Menu
Address Bar :
- Using the XP address Bar
- Remove the Go button on the Address bar
- Snap to Address Bar
Ads:
- Block pop-ups ads
Album Cover Art
Ansi :
- Command Interpreter Ansi Support
Applications :
- Application compatibility mode for W2K and XP
- Cycle between applications
Attachments :
- Undo : Outlook blocked access to the following potentially unsafe attachments
Audio :
- Native Soundblaster XP Drivers
Available Bytes in Task Manager
Description of What the Available Bytes in Task Manager Represents

--- B --- XP User TIps

Boot :
Bart's PE Builder
...Run Windows XP from a bootable CD-Rom or DVD with GUI and network support...
Dual booting Linux and Windows
Dual booting Linux and Windows 2000
Multiple Boot Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows NT, Windows 95, Windows 98, and MS-DOS
Multibooting with Windows 2000 and Windows XP
multiboot with a DOS/WIN95, NT, Linux setup
Guidelines for configuring and managing a multi-OS environment
NT oriented but covers the fundamentals

--- C --- XP User TIps

Cable :
- security risks of cable modems
CD :
Clipboard :
- Display XP's clipboard contents
Command Prompt :
Compression :
- Compressed (Zipped) versus Compression Folders in XP
- Windows NT NTFS Directory Compression
Control Panel :
- Start Menu & Control Menu can be a menu or a window
- How to Add a Control Panel Tool to a Category ( Q292463 )
Save custom colors and patterns

--- D --- XP User TIps

Delete:
- Eraser : securely deletes files
  free advanced security tool for Windows which allows you to completely remove sensitive data from your hard drive by overwriting it several times with carefully selected patterns.
- SDelete securely deletes files
Desktop:
- How to use the Desktop Cleanup Wizard in Windows XP (Q306542)
- Lock Desktop Icon
- Shutdown, Restart, and Logoff Desktop Icons
- Put XP Start menu icons on the Desktop
- Set Up Your Computer for Remote Desktop
Disk :
- XP DiskCleanup and Defrag Utilites
Display :
- 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
DOS :
- DOS game sound support under NT / W2K / XP
- DOS windows options
- DOS Window Titles
Drag and Drop: Operations - copy, move, shortcuts, cancel, print
Drivers :
- Driver links
- WindowsXP-Drivers.com

--- E --- XP User TIps

Email:
- E-Mail Attachment Safety - How to avoid getting infected by E-Mail Worms, Viruses and Trojans
Excel: Download Support Republic's ultimate Excel compilation
Explorer :

--- F --- XP User TIps

F7 :
- F7 GUI for command shell "DOS" commands
Fastfind :
- Disable FindFast, the Indexing Service
Firewalls:
- Windows ICF: Can't Live With it, Can't Live Without it
- Personal Firewalls
Quick: format a: /q to quickly erase floppy
Folders:
- Hide Folders
  commercial product
- Managing Windows Explorer Folder Options
Fonts :
- Change font size of Internet Explorer content on the fly
- ClearTweak : change the contrast setting of the ClearType setting for Windows XP Great for LCD screens
- Enable ClearType font rendering
- HOW TO: Install or Remove a Font in Windows XP

--- G --- XP User TIps

Games :

--- H --- XP User TIps

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

--- I --- XP User TIps

Windows ICF: Can't Live With it, Can't Live Without it
Icons appear distorted or fuzzy
ICS :
- Internet Connection Sharing
- Internet Connection Firewall Feature Overview
  114 KB Microsoft Word file
IE :
- IE Booster
  freeware collection of tools that extend the context menu of Internet Explorer (version 5 and up)
- Change font size of Internet Explorer content on the fly
- Clean up after IE
- URL shortcut for .com sites
- Personalize Internet Explorer's Title
- Keyboard Shortcuts for Internet Explorer
- Repair XP's Internet Explorer using SFC
- Zip Files Downloaded with Internet Explorer Are Not Saved to Your Computer
Installation :
- Change folder where applications are installed
- Windows XP setup disks for floppy boot install
Internet :
- Control default internet programs
Installation :
- Simplify by unplugging extraneous devices
IP :
- IPconfig displays Windows NT/W2K/XP ip information
- Show IP address

--- J --- XP User TIps

Java :
- Download Java Virtual Machines for XP

--- K --- XP User TIps

Keyboard :
- Keyboard shortcuts to folders

--- L --- XP User TIps

Logon :
- Toggle XP logon to Windows 2000 logon screen
- Why does user logon screen come up after standby mode?

--- M --- XP User TIps

MDAC :
- Performance Issues Plague Windows XP MDAC 2.7
Media Player :
- Windows Media Player Tips
Memory :
- Virtual Memory in Windows XP
Menus :
- Speedup Cascading Windows
Modems :
- security risks of cable modems
Monitor :
- How to Change the Screen Refresh Rate of Your Monitor
MP3 :
- Enable MP3 encoding in Windows XP
MsConfig :
- Control Windows XP Startup with MSConfig

--- N --- XP User TIps

Netmeeting :
- Where is XP's Netmeeting?
Network :
- XP : speedup access to network shares
NIC :
- Use netsh to configure your laptop's nic for different networks
Notepad:
- Configure Notepad to automatically insert the date / time
- Configure Notepad to Open unknown file types
- Make Notepad Wordwrap
- Using Notepad and Wordpad
Notification :
Numlock :
- Enabling the NumLock Key

--- O --- XP User TIps

Office:
- Gideon removes hidden GUID privacy issue
- EasyRecovery FileRepair repairs and restores corrupted MicrosoftR Office files
- Recover corrupted office files
Outlook 2002 :
- Undo : Outlook blocked access to the following potentially unsafe attachments

--- P --- XP User TIps

Passwords :
- Create a Password Reset Disk
  if you forget your password
- Set passwords to not expire
Performance :
Personal Firewalls:
- Personal Firewalls resources
PowerToys :
- XP Powertoys - including TweakUI
Personal Firewalls resources
Prompt :
- Open a command prompt in any folder using Windows Explorer
- Use prompt unc command as visual key to server name
Popups:
- Block pop-ups ads
Product Key:
- Keyfinder retrieves your Product Key (cd key) from registry

--- Q --- XP User TIps

Quicktips/Tidbits:
- Printscreen
- Source for missing DLLs
- Show IP address
- Snap to Address Bar
- Remove the Go button on the Address bar
- Using the Address Bar
- Make Windows Explorer Open Where You Want It
- Quick: format a: /q to quickly erase floppy
- Quick: Use commandline to give XP version
- Change font size of Internet Explorer content on the fly
- Rename folders in Start Menu
- Explorer gives cumulative file size
- Synch PC time to Internet time server
- Start Menu, Control Panel,My Pictures & My Documents
  can be configured to display as a menu or a window with icons
- Customized the Notification Area
- Pin applications to Start Menu
- Recently-run applications
- Undo in Explorer

--- R --- XP User TIps

Rasdiag : Remote Access Service Diagnostics Tool
Readme:
- Release Notes for Windows XP Setup
  - Before You Begin Installation
  - Hardware Requirements
  - Checking Hardware and Software Compatibility
  - Obtaining Network Information
  - Backing Up Your Files
  - Upgrading vs. Installing a New Copy
  - If You're Installing a New Copy (Clean Install); if you're upgrading
  - Collecting User and Computer Information
  - Joining a Workgroup ; joining a domain
Recycle Bin :
- Do Not Send Deleted Files to Recycle Bin
- Recycle Bin Properties
  NT, W2K, XP tip see for several Recycle Bin tips
- Unhide Recycle Bin on desktop when dragging and dropping files
RegCleaners: automated clear inconsistent and obsolete sections from registry
Resource Kit:
- Windows XP Professional Resource Kit Documentation Online
Restore:
- Windows XP System Restore
Run dialog:
- Copy "Run" on desktop

--- S --- XP User TIps

Screen Lock Transparent for Windows 2000/NT/XP
Screen Saver : How to change the Windows Logon Screen Saver in Windows XP
Security :
- What's New in Security for Windows XP Professional and Windows XP Home Edition
Security tab missing in XP
Sendto :
- Use Sendto to edit files in XP/W2K
Services :
- Windows XP Home and Professional Service Configurations
Shortcuts :
- Creative Uses for Desktop Shortcuts
- Keyboard shortcuts to folders
- Winkey shortcuts
Shutdown :
- Windows XP shutdown troubleshooting
Sound :
- Enable Windows XP Sound Scheme
Standby Mode :
- Why does user logon screen come up after standby mode?
Startup :
- Control Windows XP Startup with MSConfig
Start Menu :
SystemInfo :
- XP utility generates system info includes uptime, hotfixes installed, nic card
System Tray

--- T --- XP User TIps

Themes :
- BelchFire.net : XP Themes
- DeskMod.com : XP Themes
- DeviantArt.com : XP Themes
- Style XP
Taskbar :
- Taskbar Toolbars
- Taskbar option recommendations
- Quick Launch toolbar
Task Manager:
- Enable / Disable Task Manager Registry Hack or Group Policy setting
- Launch Task Manager
Tasks:
- Tlist / tasklist / PUlist lists active tasks and processes
- Taskkill commandline utility to kill processes by process id or image name
Time :
- Synch XP PC time with Internet Time server
Tidbits:
- Quick Tips / Tidbits
TroubleShooting :
TweakUI :
- Toggle between XP start menu mode and Windows 2000 start menu mode
- XP Powertoys (part of)

--- U --- XP User TIps

Undo :
- Undo function for Explorer
Uninstall :
- Add/remove list does not list program I want to uninstall
  Some applications have an uninstall program in the folder where the application is installed rather than supporting the add/remove option in Control Panel.
- Uninstall generates warnings about shared files.
  Windows applications share dlls and other files. Safest approach if you get this message is pick option to not delete shared files.
Upgrade :
- Windows XP Upgrade Advisor
URL shortcut for .com sites

--- V --- XP User TIps

Use commandline to give XP version
Video :
Virtual Memory in Windows XP
Antivirus Concerns in XP and .NET Environments

--- W --- XP User TIps

Windows Explorer :
- Make Windows Explorer Open Where You Want It
Windows Product Activation (WPA)on Windows XP
Windows Update :
- Updates without my asking.
  You can turn off Windows Updates, ask to be Notified when updates are available, or have it done automatically: Start | Control Panel | System | Automatic Update tab
- Windows Update Troubleshooter
WSH :
- Disable Windows Scripting Host ( WSH )
  nt/w2k/xp tip

--- X --- XP User TIps

--- Y --- XP User TIps

--- Z --- XP User TIps

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