Here are a couple of ways to lock your XP desktop:
Hold down the Windows key and the L key (WinKey+L)
simultaniously.
You can also create a shortcut icon on your desktop
using the command: rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation
Right-click somewhere on the desktop
Select New | Shortcut and type: rundll32.exe
user32.dll,LockWorkStation
NetMeeting on XP
NetMeeting is installed with Windows XP, it is just not
obvious that it is. There are, by default, no Desktop or
Start Menu shortcuts for it. To activate NetMeeting:
Click Start | Run and enter CONF.EXE
This will start the NetMeeting Setup wizard.
During setup, you will be prompted to create Desktop
and/or Quick Launch bar icons.
Disabling Windows Messenger
If you are running XP Pro, you can use GPEDIT.MSC
to prevent Messenger from loading. Otherwise, even disabling
it in startup will not cause it to "always" not run. Outlook,
Outlook Express and some Microsoft Web pages can still make
it load.
Click Start | Run and enter GPEDIT.MSC
For "per machine" restriction, go to Computer Configuration,
Administrative Templates, Windows Components, Windows
Messenger
For "per user" restriction, go to User Configuration,
Administrative Templates, Windows Components, Windows
Messenger
You can now modify whether it starts initially and/or
whether it is to run at all.
Note: Outlook and Outlook Express will take longer to
open, unless you turn off Messenger Support. In Outlook Express
it is in Tools | Options | General tab. In Outlook it is in Tools
| Options | Other.
Restricting a users Logon
hours
To restrict a users logon hours we will use the net
user command. These commands are used from the Command
Prompt.
Below are some examples:
net user brendon /time:M-F,08:00-17:00
net user brendon /time:M-F,8am-5pm
net user jane /time:M,4am-5pm;T,1pm-3pm;W-F,8:00-17:00
net user matt /time:all (this one means this user can
always log on)
Note:You can only restrict when a user can log on to the
system. On a stand alone computer, there is no way, currently,
to force a user to log off when their hours expire.
Disable the Splash Screen
Ever wonder what is going on behind that splash screen?
Well, now you can find out!
Right click My Computer
Select Properties then click on the Advanced tab.
Next click Settings under Startup and Recovery.
Click Edit
You will need to edit this file "BOOT.INI"
Add /SOS right after /fastdetect with
a space between them.
The line should look something like this:
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\Windows="Microsoft
Windows Whistler Professional" /fastdetect /SOS
After you restart, the splash screen should be gone! You
can set it back simply by removing the /SOS switch
Burning a CD in XP
Windows XP comes with software to make copying to a CD-RW
drive easy!
Be sure that you have a Recordable CD in your CD writer
Highlight the files that you want to burn to your CD
Right-click and select Send To | CD-RW Drive
(D:) (or whatever your Recordable CD Drive is called.
Note: It is always a good idea to view the CD contents
afterwards to verify that the data was copied correctly!
Note: Be sure that you have enough space to store the
temporary files that are created during the burning process.
Keeping XP up to date
It is a good idea to keep your system up to date with the
latest security updates!
Click Start | Help and Support. Under
“Pick a task,” click Keep your computer up–to–date
with Windows Update.
Click Click Scan for updates
Click Yes when prompted to install any required
software or device drivers.
This will keep your system automatically updated with the
latest security updates!
Note: You can also open Windows update by opening Windows
Internet Explorer and clicking on Tools | Windows Update
OR by clicking on Start | All Programs | Windows
Update
Using System Restore
System Restore is a great utility should anything go wrong
with your system. You can restore you system back to the
last restore point.
Creating a Restore Point:
Access the System Restore Wizard through Help and Support
Center. (Click Start | Help and Support.
Click Performance and Maintenance | Using System Restore
to undo changes | Run the System Restore Wizard.
Click Create a restore point, and then click Next.
In the Restore point description box, type a name to
identify this restore point. System Restore automatically
adds to this name the date and time that this Restore
Point is created.
Click Create
Now if something ever happens to your system, you can always
restore you system back to this restore point:
to return to this restore point, from the Welcome to
System Restore screen of the System Restore Wizard select
Restore my computer to an earlier time. Then select the
date when the restore point was created from the calendar
in the Select a Restore Point screen.
Disable Balloons
Annoyed by those silly balloons that keep popping up?
Right-Click on Start and select Properties
On the Start Menu tab click Customize
Select the Advanced tab
Uncheck the box labelled Highlight Newly Installed
Programs
Click OK.
Note: To change it back set the Value data: to 2
Changing the Owner of the
System
The settings can be located using REGEDIT
Click Start | Run and type REGEDIT
Select HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE | Software | Microsoft | Windows
NT | CurrentVersion
Right-click on RegisteredOwner and select Modify
Change the Value data: to your the new owner
name
Right-click on RegisteredOrganization and select
Modify
Change teh Value data: to the new organisation
name
Reboot!
Lock the Taskbar
Tired of accidentally resizing your taskbar?
Right-click somewhere on the taskbar where there
is empty space.
Select Lock the Taskbar
Clear up that type
ClearType is an effect that smooths the text fonts on the
screen. For some reason, it is disabled by default on XP.
Click Start | Control Panel
Click the Appearance And Themes tab
Click the Display icon | Appearance tab
| Effects button
Check the box labeled Use The Following Method To Smooth
Edges Of Screen Fonts and select ClearType
Click OK.
Disable Autoplay CD
Older OS's would autoplay a CD that has music or software
to install
XP goes a step further and display or find another way
to present the data. This can be rather annoying everytime
you want to insert a CD.
Double-Left-Click on My Computer
Right-Click on your CD-ROM icon and click Properties
Click AutoPlay to bring up the options for this
selection
Select the content-type from the drop-down list
Click the radio button for Select An Action To Perform
and choose your desired action.
NOTE: By selecting Take No Action with a
data CD, the CD will no longer open when you are installing
new software.
Compatibility Mode
Ever tried to run software that was designed for Win98
or WinME and had problems?
Perhaps running the software in Compatibility Mode
will enable this software to function properly.
Right-Click on the shortcut to the problematic
software and select Properties
Select the Compatibility tab and check the box
marked Run This Program In Compatibility Mode For
and select the OS from the dropdown list
Click OK.
Windows Logo Key
The Windows key does more than just open the start menu.
Tapping the Windows Logo Key Once Opens the start menu
Holding down the Windows Key and tapping:
D - minimizes the open windows. (Doing it
again re-opens all the windows)
E - opens Windows Explorer
F - opens the File Search window
R - opens the Run window.
U - opens the utility manager
Break - opens the System Properties
window.
F1 - opens the Help & Support Center
window.
Windows XP PowerToys
PowerTools are created by Microsoft to add to or enhance
your Windows XP system.
