A collection of tips for Windows XP

Installation Tips:

*Before actually installing Windows XP, run the Upgrade Advisor which will generate a report of the possibly incompatible hardware and software  in your PC that you will need to take care of.  Allow plenty of time to run this (and to install Windows XP itself).  You may have to download new XP drivers for some hardware or, if drivers have not been written, replace the incompatible hardware in your system; you may even have to buy an upgraded version of some of your software programs.

 

*The Upgrade Advisor is thorough, but it’s not exhaustive. If you’ve installed a program or hardware device that is absolutely essential to your daily productivity, don’t assume that it passes muster just because the Upgrade Advisor doesn’t flag it as a problem device. Microsoft’s hardware compatibility list (http://www.microsoft.com/hcl) is regularly updated, and it often includes links to additional information and updated drivers. For software, check the manufacturer’s Web site for a definitive assurance of compatibility with Windows XP.

 

*You can install Windows XP using the UPGRADE option if all of the following are true:

 

1.      You're already using a previous version of Windows that supports upgrading:  either Windows 98 (including Second Edition) or Windows Millennium (Me).

2.      You want to replace your previous operating system with Windows XP Home Edition.

3.      You want to keep your existing files and personalized settings.

 

If none—or only some—of these are true for you, install XP using the NEW INSTALLATION option.

 

*When you upgrade over an existing Windows version, Setup offers to check for dynamic updates. If you have an active Internet connection, be sure to take advantage of this option. Dynamic updates can include service packs, updated drivers for hardware detected on your system, and upgrade packs for programs you’re currently running. Rolling these updates into Windows Setup saves you time and hassle and ensures that you don’t have to install a bunch of updates immediately after you boot Windows XP for the first time.

 

*If you want to perform a clean install but your PC won’t boot from the CD:  Start your computer from a Windows 98/Me emergency boot disk. This floppy disk includes generic CD drivers that allow you to access most IDE and SCSI drives. From the MS-DOS prompt, run the SmartDrive disk-caching utility (Smartdrv.exe), and then start Windows Setup using the Winnt.exe command.  (Because this program is running from MS-DOS, you can’t use the 32-bit Setup program, Winnt32.exe.)  To add Windows XP to a system where an existing version of Windows is already installed, first make sure that you have an available partition (or unformatted disk space) separate from the partition that contains the system files for your current Windows version.

 

*If the family computer is being upgraded, be sure to create separate accounts for each family member who will be using the computer.  That way, each user can have his own Start Menu, wallpaper and color schemes.  With Fast User Switching, you don't have to close the applications you're working on when someone else needs to use the computer. You simply switch out of your account and let the other person log on to his or her own account. For example, if you are working on a spreadsheet and someone else needs to check for an important e–mail, all you have to do is log off your account and let them log on to theirs. When they are finished, just log back on and your spreadsheet and the other applications you were using will still be open and waiting for you.

 

*The Start Menu of each user draws its items from two locations, one personal (C:\Documents and Settings\user_name\Start Menu) and one common to all users. (C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu).  After installation, trim the shortcuts & folders from the All Users Start Menu to each of the Users that would use those programs.  Leave in the All Users folder only those items that you want to show up on EVERYONE’s Start Menu.    

 

Tips for Configuring Your Screen, toolbars and folders:

*Get that extra text clarity you've always wanted. The incredible Microsoft ClearType® technology can be enabled in Windows XP to smooth all fonts at all sizes, making the whole system so much easier to read.  To turn on ClearType:

1.      Click Start, click Control Panel, and then click Appearance and Themes.

2.      Click the Display icon, click the Appearance tab, and then click Effects.

3.      Click the Use the following method to smooth edges of screen fonts check box to select it, and select ClearType from the list.

4.      Click OK, and then click OK again.

 

 

*For a great way to put your digital photos to work, try creating a slide show presentation for use as a screen saver.

1.      Right–click an empty spot on your desktop, and then click Properties.

2.      If you have installed XP PowerToys, Click the Slide Show tab, then click the Turn on Desktop Slide Show box.  Otherwise, on the Screen Saver tab, under Screen saver, click My Pictures Slideshow in the list. 

3.      Click the settings tab to make any adjustments, such as how often the pictures should change, if they’re displayed randomly, and whether they should be stretched to fill the screen then click OK.

Now your desktop is a display of the pictures taken from your chosen folder.

 

*By default, Windows Explorer opens showing the My Documents folder. To change the default setting so that all top–level drives and folders are shown, follow these steps:

1.      Click Start, point to Programs, then Accessories, then right–click Windows Explorer, and click Properties.

2.      Under Target field, which reads %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe, add to make the line read %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /n, /e, /select, C:\

3.      Click OK.

Now when you open Windows Explorer you get to choose from all the folders and drives, not just My Documents.  Note: This shortcut opens up to the My Computer root.  If you prefer to open up to the C:\ root, just delete the “/select, “ part of the shortcut (ie: “%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /n,/e,c:\” .  If you prefer to open up to the D:\ drive instead of C:\ drive, then replace the “C:\” part of the shortcut with “D:\”.  You can also put in any path you like where you see the "c:\" at the end of the line. You could set up Explorer shortcuts for any frequently used folders and or drives.

 

*Regardless of the view you use for a given folder, you can click the Folders button to toggle between Windows Explorer’s Folders pane (like the Classic view) and the menu pane (with the new XP context menus).  In the menu pane view, use the double arrows at the right of each menu to collapse or expand the choices shown in that box.

 

 

*Every Windows XP folder provides a list of hyperlinked tasks appropriate to that type of folder next to the folder contents. For example, the Pictures folder type contains task links for ordering prints online and for printing pictures. If you want to use a folder type as a template for a selected folder, follow these steps:

1.             Right–click a newly created folder, and then click Properties.

2.             Click the Customize tab.

3.             In the Use this folder type as a template list, click the template type you want to apply, and then click OK.

Now, when you open the new folder, it will contain a hyperlinked task list common to the type of folder you selected as the template.

 

 

*You can add other columns to the Details view of the files contained in Windows XP folders, such as Comments, Description, Category, and many others. To add new columns:

 

1.      Right–click the column header of the files list, and then click one of the fields listed, or click More.

2.      In the Choose Details dialog box, you can reorganize the order of column headers, specify column widths, and add columns to display details for the files in that folder.

 

When you click the new column header, the width of the selected column is displayed in pixels in the Choose Details dialog box.

 

*The Start Menu’s new layout puts the most recently used programs in the left pane.  The number of programs can be increased or decreased.

 

1.      Click Start.

2.      Right-click in a blank area of the Start menu.

3.      Click Properties.

4.      On the Start Menu tab, click Customize.

5.      On the General tab, in the Programs section, click the up/down arrows to change the number of programs in the programs you use most often.

 

*By default, XP has the Quick Launch Toolbar shut off.  In order to enable it under XP, follow these steps:

1.      Right-click the Taskbar and select Properties from the resulting menu.

2.      Click the Taskbar tab of the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties screen.

3.      Uncheck the "Lock the taskbar" checkbox and check the "Show Quick Launch" checkbox.

If you'd like to make the icons bigger, just right-click a blank area on the Quick Launch part of the Taskbar and select View, Large Icons.

 

 

*Use this tip to speed up the way menus display in Windows XP.

1.      Click Start, click Control Panel, click System, click Advanced, then click the Settings button under the Performance box.

2.      Click the Visual Effects tab.

3.      Clear the Fade or slide menus into view check box, and then click OK.

Now when you bring up a collapsed menu, it will expand without delay.

 

*More comfortable performing a task with the familiar Windows Classic user interface? You can quickly switch the user interface to the familiar Windows Classic appearance on your computer if it helps you remember a task in your operating system or program. You can go back to the original Windows look with a couple clicks.

1.      Right-click on your desktop, and then click Properties.

2.      Click the Appearance tab.

3.      On the Windows and Buttons menu, select Windows Classic. Click OK.

There you go, now you can feel right at home with the old look, and you'll still get the best out of Windows XP, new look or old.

 

 

*You can also change the Start Menu back to the Windows Classic style.

1.      Right-click on the Start button, and then click Properties.

2.      Click the Start Menu tab.

3.      Click on the Classic Start Menu menu button.

 

 

*Do you have a favorite program that you frequently use?  Elevate its priority on the Start menu by putting it at the top of the list. This ensures that the program will remain on the Start menu and cannot be bumped by other programs, even if you use the others more frequently.

Right-click the link to your favorite program on the Start menu and select Pin to Start Menu.

Your program will be moved permanently to the top part of the list, just below your browser and e-mail programs.

 

 

*Turn off the Windows Picture and Fax Viewer as my default image viewer:  The Windows Picture and Fax Viewer is set as the default image viewer for all sorts of file types in Windows XP. Unfortunately, choosing a new program as the default in the File Types window won't change this, and there's no option in the Windows interface that can disable this component. It takes a Registry change to fix it:

 

Solution #1:

1.      Run the Registry Editor (REGEDIT.EXE).

2.      Navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ SystemFileAssociations\ image\ ShellEx\ ContextMenuHandlers.

3.      Delete the ShellImagePreview key.

4.      Close the Registry Editor when you're done; the change will take effect immediately.

 

Solution #2:

1.      Run the Registry Editor (REGEDIT.EXE).

2.      Navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ CLSID\ {e84fda7c-1d6a-45f6-b725-cb260c236066}\ shellex.

3.      Delete the MayChangeDefaultMenu key.

4.      Close the Registry Editor when you're done; the change will take effect immediately.

 

 

*Turn off Windows XP's built-in support for ZIP files:  By default, Windows XP treats ZIP files like folders. If you're not familiar with ZIP files, this can be convenient.

However, if you've already got a utility in place to manage your ZIP files (such as WinZip), this new feature can just get in the way. For example, Windows will search inside ZIP files when using Search - For Files or Folders, a process that not only causes searches to take longer, but one that may cause incomplete information to be displayed in the In Folder column of the search results.

 

Here's how to to turn this feature off:

 

·          Select Run from the Start Menu.

·          Type regsvr32 /u %windir%\system32\zipfldr.dll at the prompt, and click Ok.

·          The change will take effect immediately, but you may have to restart Windows for all traces of the built-in ZIP support to disappear.

 

If, at any time, you wish to re-enable Windows XP's built-in ZIP support, just follow these steps:

 

·          Select Run from the Start Menu.

·          Type regsvr32 %windir%\system32\zipfldr.dll at the prompt, and click Ok.

·          The change will take effect immediately, but you may have to restart Windows for all features of the built-in ZIP support to be available.

 

 

*Disable the automatic display of thumbnails in certain folders:   If you view the My Pictures folder in Explorer or in a File Open/Save dialog, its contents will be shown using the thumbnail interface instead of the standard List or Details views. Here's how to turn it off:

 

Solution 1: Modify the assumptions made about a given folder

 

  • Right-click on any given folder, and select Properties.
  • Choose the Customize tab, and choose Documents (for any file type) from the list.

 

  • Note: this feature should be available for every folder on your system except your system folders. Since you can't "Customize" system folders (such as My Pictures), you'll have to settle for one of the remaining solutions.

 

 

Solution 2: Change the way thumbnails look

 

  • Obtain and install TweakUI for Windows XP.
  • Start TweakUI, expand the Explorer branch, and select Thumbnails.
  • Change the Size from 96 to 32.

 

  • Note: this won't disable the thumbnails, but it will make them the same size as standard icons. The result is a less clumsy and easier to use interface. See the following solution if this isn't suitable.

 

 

Solution 3: Relocate your system folders

 

  • Obtain and install TweakUI for Windows XP.
  • Start TweakUI, expand the My Computer branch, and select Special Folders.
  • Change the locations of any desired "special folders" (such as My Pictures) so that they point to different locations. This lifts the restriction noted in Solution 1, above.

 

  • Note: while this returns the display of your folders to the standard icon view, it does cause any applications that default to your My Pictures folder (when opening files, for instance) to look in a different location, which means that you'll have to manually navigate to the desired folder each time.

 

Maintenance and Recovery Tips:

*If your mouse is not functioning, you can use your keyboard to move around the Windows XP desktop. The keys to get used to are the Windows key, the arrow keys, and the Enter key.

For example, if you want to shut down the computer so that you can troubleshoot your mouse:

1.             Press the Windows key

2.             Press the up arrow key one time to highlight Turn Off Computer, and then press Enter.

3.             Press the up and down arrow key to select Turn Off from the menu, and then press Enter.

4.             Use your Esc key to cancel.

Note: if your keyboard does not have a Windows key, use the Control-Escape keys (simultaneously) instead.

*To display all your hard drives and CD drives and their properties click Start, click Control Panel, click Performance and Maintenance, click Administrative Tools.  Double-click Computer Management, and then click Disk Management.

*To defragnent your hard drives click Start, click Control Panel, click Performance and Maintenance, click Administrative Tools.  Double-click Computer Management, and then click Disk Defragmenter.

Both of the tips above use the Computer Management console which can also be displayed by right-clicking on My Computer and clicking on Manage.

 

*Where is Scandisk??  It’s not very intuitive in Windows XP.  Open My Computer, right-click on a drive letter, click Properties, then click on the Tools tab, then click on Check Now in the Error-Checking section.  You’ll also find the Disk Defragmenter and the Backup Utility in this window.

*Windows XP makes it easy for you to take a snapshot of critical system files before you make any major changes, such as installing new software, adding hardware devices, or changing the registry. (Windows XP automatically creates system restore points, called system checkpoints, but you can create your own to make it even easier to recover your system in case of a failure.) Note that using restore points doesn’t affect your personal files, such as the My Documents or Favorites folders. To create restore points:

1.      Click Start, and then click Help and Support.

2.      In the Pick a Task section, click Undo changes to your computer with System Restore

3.      Click Create a restore point, and then click Next.

4.      Type a description for your restore point, such as "Before Office XP", then click Create.

If your system fails, press F8 in the boot menu, and then click Last known good configuration. Windows XP restores your system to the most recent restore point.

 

*You may inadvertently restore Windows XP to a previous configuration that you do not want.

To undo the restoration:

1.      Log on to Windows as Administrator.

2.      Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click System Restore. System Restore starts.

3.      On the Welcome to System Restore page, click Undo my last restoration, and then click Next. A System Restore message may appear that lists configuration changes that System Restore will make. Click OK.

4.      On the Confirm Restoration Undo page, click Next. System Restore restores the original Windows XP configuration, and then restarts the computer.

5.      Log on to the computer as Administrator. The System Restore Undo Complete page appears.

6.      Click OK.

*System Restore keeps tabs on every drive on your system. If you’ve set aside one or more drives exclusively for data, you can safely turn off System Restore monitoring on those drives. This action has the effect of reclaiming the space used for restore points; it also prevents System Restore from inadvertently wiping out files on those drives. To exclude a drive from monitoring, open the System Properties dialog box and click the System Restore tab. Select the drive to exclude, click the Settings button, and select Turn Off System Restore On This Drive. Note that this option is not available on the drive that contains your system files.

*You can create a password reset disk to log onto your computer when you forget your password. To create the disk:

1.             Click Start, click Control Panel, and then click User Accounts.

2.             Click your account name.

3.             Under Related Tasks, click Prevent a forgotten password.

4.             Follow the directions in the Forgotten Password Wizard to create a password reset disk.

Store the disk in a secure location, because anyone using it can access your local user account.

 

 

*Have you ever installed a device driver that makes your system unstable? In Windows XP you can roll back such a change if it causes you problems! To go back to the previous driver for a device:

1.             Click Start, and then click Control Panel.

2.             Click System, and then click Hardware.

3.             Click on the Device Manager button and the Device Manager window appears.

4.             Right–click the device for which you'd like to roll back the drivers, and then click Properties.

5.             On Driver tab of the Properties dialog box, click Roll Back Driver, and follow the wizard's instructions.

It's that simple, although you need to be an administrator or a member of the Administrators group to complete this procedure.

*Don’t underestimate the negative consequences that can result from installing an unsigned, faulty driver. Because hardware drivers access low-level functions in the operating system, a badly written driver is much more likely to cause blue-screen errors than a buggy program. Even a seemingly innocuous driver can result in sudden crashes that result in loss of data and can prevent you from restarting your computer.  (Windows automatically sets a System Restore point when you install an unsigned driver.)

*You can easily create a bootable floppy disk by following these steps:

1.             Place a blank disk in the floppy disk drive.

2.             Click Start, and then click My Computer.

3.             Right–click the floppy disk drive, and then click Format on the shortcut menu.

4.             Click Create an MS–DOS startup disk, and then click Start.

Now you’re on your way to a bootable startup disk.

 

*Programs normally don't crash on Windows XP, but when they do, a message displays asking to send an error report to Microsoft. If you prefer to disable it, follow these steps:

 

Click the Start button, then right-click My Computer, Properties. Your System Properties screen should pop up. Next, click the Advanced tab, then the Error Reporting button.

Click the little "Disable error reporting" radio button and hit OK. Your computer shouldn't beg you to send error reports to Microsoft anymore.

Note that if you still want error reporting, there are a few check box options under the Enable error reporting radio button. In fact, you can even tell Windows what programs you want error reporting enabled on.

 

 

*Windows XP includes an enhanced version of the powerful Backup Utility originally included with Windows 2000.  The utility is installed by default in XP Professional but must be installed manually in the Home Edition.  The utility can be installed from the VALUEADD\MSFT\NTBACKUP folder on the Windows CD by double clicking on the NTBACKUP.MSI file.  Using this utility, you can backup data on your computer and on shared network drives.

 

*Although the systeminfo.exe command is not available in XP Home Edition, the msinfo32.exe program is still alive and well in both versions.  To start it, type msinfo32 in the Run dialog box.  You can save the information and can subsequently open the file to view your saved information. To save information in this format, choose File, Save. Saving this way always saves the entire collection of information. 

Saving system configuration information when your computer is working properly provides a useful tool when you have problems. Comparing the computer’s current configuration with a known, good baseline configuration can help you spot possible problem areas. You can open multiple instances of System Information, so that you could have the current configuration displayed in one window and a baseline configuration in another.

 

*The Tools menu in System Information has commands that open other tools for displaying system information that can be helpful in diagnosing problems, including the following:

 

·          Net Diagnostics. Network Diagnostics displays detailed information about your network connections. In addition to displaying configuration information, it performs a number of tests for network connectivity (such as pinging other computers on your network and your DNS server).

·          DirectX Diagnostic Tool. DirectX Diagnostic Tool displays information about DirectX components, which use hardware acceleration to enhance video and audio performance. In addition, DirectX Diagnostic Tool performs several compatibility tests. You can open DirectX Diagnostic Tool directly by typing dxdiag at a command prompt.

 

*When installing a new device, run the setup software first.  In many cases, new hardware devices include a Setup CD that includes driver files and utility software. The best time to run this CD is before plugging in the device. If the drivers are signed, the Setup program copies the driver files and Setup Information file to your hard disk so that installation can proceed automatically when you plug in the device.

 

·          You must be logged on as a member of the Administrators group to install hardware drivers. If you're logged on using an account without administrative permissions, you'll be prompted to supply an administrator's user name and password during hardware setup.

 

Compatibility Tips:

 

*If an older application gives you trouble when running Windows XP, you can set the compatibility properties manually so that the program runs in a different mode, such as Windows 95, or in a different display or resolution setting. To set the compatibility properties for a program:

 

1.      Right–click the executable or the program shortcut to the executable, and then click Properties.

2.      Select the Run this program in compatibility mode check box.

3.      From the list, select an operating system that the program runs in comfortably.

4.      If necessary, also change the display settings and/or resolution, or disable the Windows XP visual themes.

 

Run the program again when you’re finished changing the settings. Adjust the compatibility settings again if the program is still not running smoothly: a program that’s unhappy on Windows 2000 may flourish on Windows 98.

You can also use the Compatibility Wizard and attempt to get the application working. The Program Compatibility Wizard lets you apply the most common solutions to the most common problems those older applications have.  Find it in the A