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\CurrentVersio
n\ 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.