WinXP Tips and Tricks

[GORDON]

Been meaning to make this thread for a long time, so here it is.

Disabling Autoplay in the CD Drives

This will save you from those new music CD's that sneak spyware onto your system.

It's pretty well hidden in Windows XP. You have to use the group policies manager to disable

it. Goto start --> run --> "gpedit.msc" (thanks to the other replier, I forget what it was

called) --> Local Computer Policy --> Administrative Templates --> System (click it) --> on

the right pane find "Turn off Autoplay" in the list --> right-click --> properties -->

select the "enable" radio button.

Note that you can hold down shift while putting in a CD to disable autoplay for just that

time.

[Paul]

Increase your broadband speed in XP.

Other XP tweaks available on this site as well.

Oh... and no, I haven't tried it.

[TheCatt]

So I've got 2 monitors on one PC, but I switch one monitor between that PC and my laptop for dual-screen goodness.

Today I was was in 1 screen mode and trying to start an app. Well, it started, but was nowhere on my screen. I could click it in the task-bar, but it had no maximize option.

The following webpage was most helpful

This is what you do:
1. click on the application's entry on the task bar to ensure the application
is selected. Another way of choosing an application is to:
-- i) hold down the 'Alt' key and then
-- ii) press the 'Tab' key repeatedly.
2. hold down 'Alt' key then press the 'Spacebar'.
3. (release 'Alt' key) press 'x' key - see the application full screen.

You can now work in full screen mode but if you happen to make the window
'Restored' again, the application will disappear off screen again.

Maximise the screen and restore it again - notice the direction of the animation.

To bring the 'Restored' screen back on screen, do the following:
1. click on the application's entry on the task bar.
2. hold down 'Alt' key then press the 'Spacebar'.
3. (release 'Alt' key) press 'r' key - see the application 'gone'.
4. hold down 'Alt' key then press the 'Spacebar' (yes again).
5. (release 'Alt' key) press 'm' key.
6. use the cursor control arrow keys to bring the window back onto the desk top.
e.g.
-- press the 'Up' arrow key to move it into view from below.
-- press the 'Left' arrow key to move the window in from the right.
7. when the window is where you want it, press Enter

[Cakedaddy]

Or you can right click on the app on the task bar and select move. Then hit either the up or left arrow key. As soon as you do, the window will snap to your mouse pointer and you can use the mouse to place the window and click to drop it.

[TheCatt]

Or you can right click on the app on the task bar and select move. Then hit either the up or left arrow key. As soon as you do, the window will snap to your mouse pointer and you can use the mouse to place the window and click to drop it.

That's similar to what he said,except not every window provides a Move option if you right-lick on the taskbar (as was the case with my app), but the Alt-Space gets you the context menu, which does have move.

[GORDON]

XP registry tweaks

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

[GORDON]

To make a listing of all/certain files in a windows folder:

On the command line, drill down to the folder you want, and type:

dir /b *.jpg > list.txt
<enter>

*.jpg = all jpg files
list.txt = the file that gets created. This is a variable.

list.txt gets created in that folder.

[Paul]

To make a listing of all/certain files in a windows folder:

On the command line, drill down to the folder you want, and type:

dir /b *.jpg > list.txt
<enter>

*.jpg = all jpg files
list.txt = the file that gets created. This is a variable.

list.txt gets created in that folder.

I used to dir > lpt1 to print lists of the files in directories as well. (Doesn't work much nowdays, as people use USB)

I didn't know about the middle bit to only get certain data.
Coolness

[GORDON]

Disabling goddam windows messenger.

http://www.pchell.com/support/removemessenger.shtml

How do I disable Windows Messenger from running?

The procedures for disabling Windows Messenger will depend on the version of Windows Messenger installed on your computer.

Windows Messenger 4.0 or Later on a Windows XP Professional

1) Click Start, click Run, type gpedit.msc, and then press ENTER
2) Double-click the following items to expand them:

* Local Computer Policy
* Computer Configuration
* Administrative Templates
* Windows Components
* Windows Messenger

3) Double-click on the option "Do not allow Windows Messenger to run", and then click Enabled.
4) Click OK, and then close the window

Windows Messenger 4.0 on a Windows XP Home Edition

1) Start Windows Messenger.
2) Click Options on the Tools menu.
3) Click the Preferences tab, click to clear the "Run this program when Windows starts" check box, and then click OK.

Windows Messenger 4.5 or Later on Either Windows XP Home or Windows XP Professional

1) Click on Start, Run
2) Type REGEDIT and Press Enter
3) Click on the Pluses (+) next to the following items

* HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
* Software
* Policies
* Microsoft

4) If the folder Messenger is not listed, click on the Edit menu, point to New, click Key, and then type Messenger for the name of the new registry key
5) If the folder Client is not listed under Messenger, click on the Edit menu, point to New, click Key, and then type Client for the name of the new registry key
6) On the Edit Menu, point to New, click DWORD Value, and then type PreventRun for the name of the new DWORD value. Remember all of this is case sensitive.
7) Right-click the PreventRun value that you created, click Modify, type 1 in the Value data box, and then click OK.
Quit Registry Editor.

How to Stop Outlook or Outlook Express
from Running Windows Messenger When They Are Opened

Outlook
1) Open Outlook
2) Click on Tools, Options
3) Click "Other" tab
4) Uncheck the box for Enable Instant Messaging in Microsoft Outlook
5) Click OK

Outlook Express
1) Open Outlook Express
2) Click Tools, Options
3) Click General tab
4) Uncheck the box for Automatically log on to Windows Messenger
5) Click OK

What about Removing Messenger or Uninstalling Windows Messenger from Windows XP

The procedure for removing Windows Messenger depends on whether your system has Windows XP Service Pack 1 installed. To determine whether Service Pack 1 is installed follow these directions:

1) Click on Start
2) Right click on My Computer
3) Click on Properties
4) On the General tab, under System if the words "Service Pack 1" are listed you have the service pack.

Removing Messenger from computers WITHOUT Service Pack 1 installed

Make sure your Internet Explorer, Outlook Express, Windows Messenger and other programs are closed before doing this.

1) Click on Start, Run
2) Type the following (or cut and paste it) into the Run line

RunDll32 advpack.dll,LaunchINFSection %windir%\INF\msmsgs.inf,BLC.Remove

3) Click on OK

Removing Messenger from computers WITH Service Pack 1 installed

1) Click on Start, Control Panel
2) Double click on Add or Remove Programs
3) Select Add/Remove Windows Components
4) Uncheck Windows Messenger
5) Click Next
6) Click Finish
7) Restart your computer

How to Remove Windows Messenger from Outlook Express

1) Click on Start, Run
2) Type REGEDIT and Press Enter
3) Click on the Pluses (+) next to the following items

* HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
* Software
* Microsoft
* Outlook Express

4) Right click on the Outlook Express folder, click on New, click on DWORD value, and then type Hide Messenger for the name of the new registry key
5) Right-click the Hide Messenger value that you created, click Modify, type 2 in the Value data box, and then click OK.
Quit Registry Editor.

Because recently during my machine reload I had to log onto the wife's PC, and I logged into Windows Messenger in order to chat to peeps.

But now my account gets logged in to every time my wife opens her email. I never told it to save password, it just did.

So I uninstalled Windows Messenger from her machine. If you look at Windows setup, it says MinMessenger IS NOT installed. Yet every time the wife opens email, WinMessenger pops open under my ID.

Hopefully not any more after I run the above stuff.

God damn, Microsoft.



Edited By GORDON on 1168895738

[TheCatt]

Disable error reporting to keep durmprep.exe from runnning

Control Panel->System->Advanced tab->Error Reporting->Disable error reporting.

[GORDON]

Don't go to SP3!

Since everyone hates Vista since XP is already good enough, Microsoft decided to break XP to make Vista look relatively better.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/pcworld/146059

[TPRJones]

Feh. I remember how bad SP2 was upon release, so I already skipped SP3 as a matter of policy.

[TheCatt]

I'm never patching another machine ever. Win XP SP2 forever.

[GORDON]

Don't go to SP3!

Since everyone hates Vista since XP is already good enough, Microsoft decided to break XP to make Vista look relatively better.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/pcworld/146059

SP3 is crashing some routers.

And will soon be an automatic update.

Microsoft is deliberately breaking XP.
http://apcmag.com/router_crashes_blamed_on_windows_xp_sp3.htm

[Malcolm]

Microsoft is deliberately breaking XP.

I'd really like to dismiss that as paranoid accusations.

But there's probably some truth to it. Fucking MacroShaft.

[Leisher]

FYI: I just found out that Dell will continue to allow its customers to get XP Pro until December 2010. I believe the program is called the "Vista Bonus Program" and it applies only to business machines, like the Optiplex and Latitude.

Article.

Smart move.

P.S. Dell does not, and has no plans to, run Vista.



Edited By Leisher on 1213190447

[Malcolm]

MS needs a kick in the ass before it OSs stop sucking. When's Google coming out w\ its online, Borg-style, "resistance is futile" OS?

[GORDON]

MS needs a kick in the ass before it OSs stop sucking. When's Google coming out w\ its online, Borg-style, "resistance is futile" OS?

An online-OS.... they'd need to change the entire idea of what a PC is before that would work. For the most part.

[Malcolm]

MS needs a kick in the ass before it OSs stop sucking. When's Google coming out w\ its online, Borg-style, "resistance is futile" OS?

An online-OS.... they'd need to change the entire idea of what a PC is before that would work. For the most part.

They got way too much cash, nerds, & incentive not to develop some type of Google OS.

[GORDON]

Unless they made an extremely small app that goes on your pc.... 640k, and all it does it set up the shell and NIC driver with the sole purpose of linking to os.google.com, and loading up memory with the OS.... then you could use a current-generation PC.

Hmmm.