1) don't know if it's been said before, but i always turn off any services i don't need running. just go to start>>run>>services.msc and disable anything from running you don't need. if you need any help just go to blackviper.com, look for windows service configurations on the left hand menu and follow that as a guideline.

for instance, i have one for everday use, and one for gaming. the one for gaming is a real hardcore config, you can hear your cpu snoring inside your case lol. ....but not mine, mine's still struggling because it's so old and fragile.



turning off certain services isn't just for performance sake either, some services left on by default in xp can pose a security risk, thing such as ' DCOM', are big security risks, and the worst thing is that almost everyone doesn't need it. but as usual, microsoft make it run by default, on every xp machine.


2) if you have a rather slow computer and find your os runs sluggish, as well as following steps 1, you can revert back to the old 'classic' look and feel in xp. just right click 'my computer' 'advanced' tab, performance settings, 'adjust for best performance'.


3) also, make sure you run spyware and virus scans regularly, cleanup once every day or couple of days, and defrag once a month or less. disable any startup items you think are not needed too.

Start Xp faster without bootvis..

Please Backup Registry before atempting
Start Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) Locate the following key in the registry

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SessionManager\MemoryManagement\PrefetchParameters

Make sure you backup the keys by exporting them to a .reg file.
On the EnablePrefetcher value, change the setting from 3 to 5(decimal).
Close the registry editor. Restart your computer.

I don't know if this has already been posted before, but I just read on an article that whenever you get a error message, e.g. "cannot delete file" the ctrl+c (copy) will copy the error message in the box if it is the active window.

---------------------------
Error Deleting File or Folder
---------------------------
Cannot delete AUTORUN: Files on this CD are read-only. You can still copy new files to this writable CD, which will replace files already on the disc.
---------------------------
OK
---------------------------

Maybe everyone else knew about this and we're telling me but I think it's pretty neat. Doesn't take much to keep me occupied.

Alt + <- arrow key or ---> arrow key moves you to previous or next page in web browser

oh god, so many i could probably write a book. but ill just post my fav.

automatically close programs that stop responding:
open regedit and navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop. in the right hand pane, change the value of AutoEndTasks from 0 to 1. there is also another value with the same name in HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\Desktop that forces them to close at shutdown. change that from 0 to 1 also.

stop error-reporting after a program crash:
navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\PCHealth\ErrorReporting. in the right hand pane, change the value of DoReport from 1 to 0.

terminate the shared documents folder: (this deletes the shared documents folder from view from my computer)
navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\DelegateFolders. delete the key (so helpfully named) {59031a47-3f72-44a7-89c5-5595fe6b30ee}.

Here's another one very handy

If you like to make use of the image preview thumbnails which Windows XP and Vista make available in the Explorer folder, but think the size is too big or small, change it. You can make the size of the thumbnails anywhere between 32 x 32 (the size of an icon) to 256 x 256 (quite a bit larger) by making a change in the registry:[/font]

1. Open the Registry Editor (Start > Run > regedit).[/font]
2. Navigate to the follow folder/key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Microsoft > Windows > CurrentVersion > Explorer
3. Add a new DWORD entry called “ThumbnailSize”.
4. Set the value to be any number from 32 to 256.

Once you make this change, your image previews will still be proportional, but no larger than the value you specified in the ThumbnailSize entry.

This is a great tool for a "hosed" boot file in Wix XP

Langa Letter: XP's Little-Known 'Rebuild' Command -- XP Management -- InformationWeek

In IE7 press ALT to view the File, Edit, View, etc. tabs. For other IE hotkeys look here.

ALT to view file, edit, view, etc works in EVERYTHING under windows.

To immediately show desktop, Windows+D

Hold down the ctrl key to select more than 1 files which are at different placeses

I use a method which i think is pretty simple to rename icons, files , folders, etc.. Click on the name to highlight it ; Wait about a second and click again to bring up the cursor . Hit the delete key to delete the name , or click a third time to position the cursor in front of the part to be changed or corrected, then use the backspace key to delete the unwanted part ; Type in any change or correction , then Click anywhere away from the name to make the cursor disappear.

here is a list of letters not found on a normal keypad,hope this is useful
alt+128=Ç
alt+129=ü
alt+130=é
alt+131=â
alt+132=ä
alt+133=à
alt+134=å
alt+135=ç
alt+136=ê
alt+137=ë
alt+138=è
alt+139=ï
alt+140=î
alt+141=ì
alt+142=Ä
alt+143=Å
alt+144=É
alt+145=æ
alt+146=Æ
alt+147=ô
alt+148=ö
alt+149=ò
alt+150=û
alt+151=ù
alt+152=ÿ
alt+153=Ö
alt+154=Ü
alt+160=á
alt+161=í
alt+162=ó
alt+163=ú
alt+164=ñ
alt+165=Ñ
alt+168=¿

fed up with going into msconfig to remove programs from startup and then having to reboot..then go to Mike Lin's Home Page and download startup control panel (free download).this allows you to remove programs fromt start without the fuss,i know this needs a download but i still class this as a xp trick.

RE: Tweak Your Processor.

I already have a DWORD under this branch called 'SecondLevelDataCache' but the value is Hex 0 should the new value be 512 hex or 512 dec ??? What would happen if the wrong Base was used??