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◄█Ultimate Microsoft Windows XP Tips and Tricks█►

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Formatting a Partition Greater than 32 GIGs with FAT32
Added 4/27/02
WindowsXP will only format a partition greater than 32 GIGs as NTFS.
If you want to format it with FAT32:
You can use a regular Win98 Boot disk and use that version of FDISK to create the partition (with Large Hard Drive Support)
Reboot with the same boot disk and format
WindowsXP will then be able to use the partition with no problems

Adding SafeBoot to the Boot Menu
Added 4/23/02
You can add Safeboot as an option to the normal XP boot screen
Open a command prompt
Copy the current c:\boot.ini to another name (just in case)
With your favorite text editor, edit c:\boot.ini
Copy then edit the current boot line to another line. For example:
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Micro soft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
might copy and then change to:
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Micro soft Windows XP Professional Safeboot" /fastdetect
Start MSCONFIG
Click on the BOOT.INI tab
Highlight the second line with the additional name of Safeboot
Check the /SAFEBOOT box with option you want
Minimal - Minimal set of drivers
Network - With Network Support
Dsrepair - Directory Services Repair
Minimal (Alternate Shell) - Standard Explorer Desktop
You will now have this option every time you start XP

No GUI Boot
Added 4/23/02
If you don't need to see the XP boot logo,
Run MSCONFIG
Click on the BOOT.INI tab
Check the box for /NOGUIBOOT

Speeding the Startup of Some CD Burner Programs
Added 4/23/02
If you use program other than the native WindowsXP CD Burner software,
you might be able to increase the speed that it loads.
Go to Control Panel / Administrative Tools / Services
Double-click on IMAPI CD-Burning COM Service
For the Startup Type, select Disabled
Click on the OK button and then close the Services window
If you dontYou should notice

[b Getting Rid of Unread Email Messages
Updated 4/20/02]

To remove the Unread Email message by user's login names:
Start Regedit
For a single user: Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\UnreadMail
For all users: Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\UnreadMail
Create a DWORD key called MessageExpiryDays
Give it a value of 0

Using the Internet Explorer Classic Search
Added 4/20/02
If you want to use the classic search engine in the Internet Explorer
Start Regedit
Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main
If it is not there, create a String Value of Use Search Asst
Give it a value of no

Logging in as Administrator
Added 4/11/02
If you want to log in as Administrator, but it is not show on the Welcome screen,
Hold the Ctrl-Alt key and press Del twice.
This will bring up the normal login and you can log on as Administrator
To unhide the Administrator account show it does show up:
Start Regedit
Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows NT \ CurrentVersion \ Winlogon \ SpecialAccounts \ UserList
Unhide the Administrator key by giving it a value of 1

Correcting Fast User Switching Error
Added 4/11/02
If you are getting an error that:
A recently installed program has disabled the Welcome screen and Fast User Switching
with a reference to CSGina.DLL
Start Regedit
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
Delete the key GinaDLL

Using the Classic Search in Explorer
Added 4/11/02
If you prefer to use the classic search style in Explorer,
Start Regedit
Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Explorer\CabinetState
Add a String Key called Use Search Asst
Give it a value of no

No To All When Overwriting Files
Added 4/5/02
When overwriting files in the Windows Explorer, there is an option for Yes To All.
This would overwrite any files you would normally be prompted for.
To have No To All, simply hold down the Shift key while you click on the No option.

Re-Installing User Login Pictures
Added 4/5/02
Normally WindowsXP shows assigned pictures for each user on the system.
If you have deleted your user pictures, want to know the location, or need to reinstall them,
they are stored in the C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Microsoft\User Account Pictures\Default Pictures
directory.
If you need to reinstall them, they can be expanded from the source CD. The actual files are:
airplane.bmp
astronaut.bmp
ball.bmp
butterfly.bmp
cat.bmp
fish.bmp
pink flower.bmp
guitar.bmp
snowflake.bmp
beach.bmp
car.bmp
chess.bmp
dirt bike.bmp
dog.bmp
drip.bmp
duck.bmp
frog.bmp
horses.bmp
kick.bmp
lift-off.bmp
palm tree.bmp
red flower.bmp
skater.bmp

WINIPCFG for XP
Added 4/1/02
If you like the graphic IP configuration program that comes with Windows98,
you can download a similar one for WindowsXP or Windows2000 from Microsoft at:
<http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/reskit/tools/existing/wntipcfg-o.asp>
The actual file is at:
WntIpcfg_setup.exe <http://download.microsoft.com/download/win2000platform/wntipcfg/1.00.0.1/nt5/en-us/WntIpcfg_setup.exe>

Search Companion Error
Added 4/1/02
When doing a file search, if you get the error A File That Is Required to Run Search Companion Cannot Be Found
Log on as an Administrator
Click Start
Select Run
Enter in the command - %systemroot%\inf
Right-click the Srchasst.inf file
Click Install

Installing the Backup Program on the Home Version
Added 4/1/02
By default, the NTBACKUP program is not installed on the home version.
You can find it on the CD in the \VALUEADD\MSFT\NTBACKUP directory

Changing Drive Letters
Added 3/30/02
If you want to change the letters assigned to your fixed or removable drives:
Right Click on My Computer
Select Manage
Select Disk Management
For a Fixed Disk:
Select it
Right click
Select Change Drive Letter and Path
Click on the Edit button
Enter in the letter you want to use
For a Removable Disk:
In the lower, right hand panel, right click on the Disk or CD ROM #
Select Change Drive Letter and Path
Click on the Edit button
Enter in the letter you want to use

Turn off the Windows Picture and Fax Viewer as the Default Image Viewer
Updated 3/29/02
You can also change the file associations for the specific file types you want.
Open the Windows Explorer
Go to Tools / Folder Options / File Types
Scroll down to the extension you want to change
Click on the Change button
Select the program you want to associate with that extension
Click on the OK button
Added 3/4/02
If the Windows Picture and Fax Viewer is set as the default for many of your graphic file types,
you can remove it so other graphics programs can be used.
Run Regedit
Go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT / SystemFileAssociations / image / ShellEx / ContextMenuHandlers
Delete the key ShellImagePreview

Allowing Network Access with Blank Passwords
Added 3/23/02
Although you can log in locally without a password, by default, WindowsXP Pro does not allow network users to access the computer without a password. Typically you will receive an Unknown error 31 if this is the case.
To change this setting:
Run gpedit.msc
Go to Computer Configuration / Windows Settings / Security Settings / Local Policies / Security Options
Double click on Accounts: Limit local account use of blank passwords to console login only
Disable this option

Changing the Default DOS Window Properties
Added 3/22/02
If you want to change the default DOS windows properties like:
• Size
• Color
• Font
• Buffer Size
• Window / Full Screen
Open up a DOS window
Right click on the Title Bar
Select Defaults
Make any of the changes you like
All subsequent DOS windows will assume these defaults

Changing the Registered Owner
Added 3/20/02
Start Regedit
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion
From there you can edit the name in the Registered Owner key

Stop Password Expiration
Added 3/18/02
If you are getting an error message that your password is about to expire:
Right click on the My Computer icon
Select Manage
Go to Local Users and Groups / Users
Right-click on the user you want to change
Select Properties
On the General tab, check Password never expires
Click OK

Opening a Command Prompt to a Particular Directory from Explorer
Added 3/18/02
If you want to open a command prompt to a directory that is selected in the Explorer:
Start Regedit
Go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT \ Directory \ shell
Create a new key called Command
Give it the value of the name you want to appear in the Explorer. Something like Open DOS Box
Under this create a new key called command
Give it a value of " cmd.exe cd %1 " (no quotes)
Now when you are in the Explorer, right click on a folder, select Open DOS Box, and a command prompt will open to the selected directory.

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