Windows XP Hacks, 2nd Edition

Windows XP Hacks, 2nd Edition

by Preston Gralla
Released February 2005
Publisher(s): O'Reilly Media, Inc.
ISBN: 9780596009182

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Book description

A smart collection of insider tips and tricks, Windows XP Hacks, Second Edition covers the XP operating system from start to finish. Among the multitude of topics addressed, this must-have resource includes extensive coverage of hot-button issues such as:

  • security
  • web browsing
  • controlling the control panel
  • removing uninstallable XP components
  • pop-up ads
You'll also find timesaving hacks for file distribution; digital media, such as iTunes; and high-visibility web software, services, and exploits that have emerged since the book's last edition. Each hack in the book can be read easily in just a few minutes, saving countless hours of searching for the right answer.Now completely revised and updated to cover Service Pack 2 (SP2), the second edition of this bestseller carefully breaks down the new features that come with SP2, including IE pop-up blocker, Windows Firewall, and the new wireless client.Written by Preston Gralla, the compact and affordable Windows XP Hacks, Second Edition provides direct, hands-on solutions that can be applied to the challenges facing XP beginners, as well as the more experienced power user. Each year, Windows XP is pre-installed on 90 million PCs worldwide, making it the world's most popular operating system.

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Table of contents

  1. Credits
    1. About the Author
    2. Contributors
    3. Acknowledgments
  2. Preface
    1. How to Use This Book
    2. How This Book Is Organized
    3. Conventions Used in This Book
    4. Using Code Examples
    5. Safari Enabled
    6. How to Contact Us
    7. Got a Hack?
  3. 1. Startup and Shutdown
    1. 1.1. Hacks 1-7
    2. 1. Customize Multiboot Startup Options
      1. 1.2.1. Editing Files
      2. 1.2.2. Create a Startup Menu Even If You Have Only One Operating System
      3. 1.2.3. See Also
    3. 2. Change the Picture That Appears on the XP Startup Screen
      1. 1.3.1. Choose from Multiple Splash Screens on Startup
      2. 1.3.2. Build a Startup Screen from Any Graphic
      3. 1.3.3. See Also
    4. 3. Speed Up Boot and Shutdown Times
      1. 1.4.1. Perform a Boot Defragment
      2. 1.4.2. Hack Your BIOS for Faster Startups
      3. 1.4.3. Fine-Tune Your Registry for Faster Startups
      4. 1.4.4. Speed Up Shutdown Times
    5. 4. Halt Startup Programs and Services
      1. 1.5.1. Eliminating Programs That Run at Startup
        1. 1.5.1.1. Cleaning out the Startup folder
        2. 1.5.1.2. Using the System Configuration Utility
        3. 1.5.1.3. Using the Registry to halt programs running on startup
      2. 1.5.2. Disabling Services That Run at Startup
    6. 6. Create Multiple Startup Profiles with Advanced Startup Manager
      1. 1.6.1. See Also
    7. 6. Miscellaneous Startup and Shutdown Hacks
      1. 1.7.1. Create One-Click Shutdown and Reboot Shortcuts
      2. 1.7.2. Automatically Turn On Num Lock, Scroll Lock, and Caps Lock
      3. 1.7.3. Stop Error Messages from Displaying on Startup
      4. 1.7.4. Give More Time for Processes to Close at Shutdown
    8. 7. Control User Logins by Hacking the Registry
  4. 2. The User Interface
    1. 2.1. Hacks 8-20
    2. 8. Customize the GUI with Tweak UI
      1. 2.2.1. Create a Speedy, Stripped-Down Interface with Tweak UI
    3. 9. Control the Control Panel
      1. 2.3.1. Hide Unused Applets with the Registry
      2. 2.3.2. Hide Unused Applets with XP Pro’s Group Policy Editor
      3. 2.3.3. Recategorize Control Panel Applets
      4. 2.3.4. Display Control Panel Applets in a Cascading Menu
      5. 2.3.5. Build Customized Control Panels
    4. 10. Hack the Start Menu and Taskbar
      1. 2.4.1. Hack the Taskbar with Tweak UI
    5. 11. Clean Up the Most Frequently Used Programs List
      1. 2.5.1. Banning Programs from the List
        1. 2.5.1.1. Another use for HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications
        2. 2.5.1.2. Ban programs from the Most Frequently Used Programs List with Tweak UI
      2. 2.5.2. Change the Number of Programs That Appear on the List
      3. 2.5.3. Make Room for the Pinned Programs List
    6. 12. Rename and Change “Unchangeable” Desktop Icons and System Objects
      1. 2.6.1. The Registry to the Rescue
      2. 2.6.2. Change the Desktop Icons of System Objects
    7. 13. Remove “Nonremovable” Desktop Icons
    8. 14. Hack Your Way Through the Interface
      1. 2.8.1. Hide All Icons in the Notification Area
      2. 2.8.2. Hide Only Certain Icons in the Notification Area
      3. 2.8.3. Add Specific Folders to the Open Dialog Box
      4. 2.8.4. Turn Off System Beeps
      5. 2.8.5. Use Your Own Graphic for Your User Account
    9. 15. Remove “Uninstallable” XP Utilities
      1. 2.9.1. Hide Components You Don’t Want to Be Uninstalled
    10. 16. Make Your PC Work Like a Mac
      1. 2.10.1. Get a Mac-Like Boot Screen
      2. 2.10.2. Changing the Logon Screen
      3. 2.10.3. Changing the Appearance of Windows and Menus
      4. 2.10.4. Give Your PC Mac-Like Features
        1. 2.10.4.1. Konfabulator
        2. 2.10.4.2. Switching between windows and applications
        3. 2.10.4.3. The Dock
      5. 2.10.5. The Results
      6. 2.10.6. See Also
    11. 17. Create Your Own XP Themes and Find Thousands Online
      1. 2.11.1. Roll Your Own Themes
      2. 2.11.2. Get XP Themes Online
        1. 2.11.2.1. These are a few of my favorite themes
      3. 2.11.3. See Also
    12. 18. Give XP a Makeover with WindowBlinds
      1. 2.12.1. Downloading Skins from the Internet
      2. 2.12.2. Creating Your Own WindowBlinds Skins
    13. 19. Make Your Own Cursors and Icons
      1. 2.13.1. See Also
    14. 20. Instant Linux
      1. 2.14.1. Download Knoppix
      2. 2.14.2. Boot Knoppix from a CD
      3. 2.14.3. Boot Knoppix from a Floppy
      4. 2.14.4. The Knoppix Boot Prompt
      5. 2.14.5. Explore the Desktop
        1. 2.14.5.1. The desktop
        2. 2.14.5.2. The K Menu
        3. 2.14.5.3. The panel
      6. 2.14.6. See Also
  5. 3. Windows Explorer
    1. 3.1. Hacks 21-31
    2. 21. Generate Folder and File Listings for Printing or Editing
      1. 3.2.1. Alternative Method for Users of Outlook XP
    3. 22. Control Windows Explorer with Command-Line Shortcuts
      1. 3.3.1. Create Desktop Shortcuts for Explorer
      2. 3.3.2. Using Globally Unique Identifiers with Command-Line Switches
    4. 23. Empower Windows Explorer with PowerDesk Pro
    5. 24. Better File Rename
    6. 25. Find Files Faster by Mastering the Indexing Service’s Query Language
      1. 3.6.1. Using the Indexing Service’s Query Language
      2. 3.6.2. Searching Using Properties
      3. 3.6.3. Searching Using Operators and Expressions
      4. 3.6.4. Ranking the Order of Search Results
      5. 3.6.5. Editing the Indexing Service’s “Noise” Filter
    7. 26. Force Windows Explorer into True Usefulness
      1. 3.7.1. Add Shortcut Menu Items to Specific File Types
      2. 3.7.2. Add Global Shortcut Menu Items to All File Types
      3. 3.7.3. Edit File Association Actions
      4. 3.7.4. Remove Context Menu Items from Explorer
      5. 3.7.5. Organize the All Programs Menu with Explorer
    8. 27. Customize Folder Icons and Balloon Text
    9. 28. A Power User’s Hidden Weapon: Improve the Context Menu
      1. 3.9.1. Add Copy To Folder and Move To Folder Context Menu Options
      2. 3.9.2. Add and Remove Destinations for the Send To Option
      3. 3.9.3. Open the Command Prompt from the Right-Click Menu
      4. 3.9.4. Clean Up the Open With Option
    10. 29. Take Your Work on the Go with Offline Files and the Briefcase
      1. 3.10.1. On-Demand and Scheduled Synchronizations
      2. 3.10.2. Use the Briefcase for Mobile File Transfers
      3. 3.10.3. A Closer Look at the Briefcase
      4. 3.10.4. See Also
    11. 30. Get More Hard-Disk Space by Using NTFS Compression
      1. 3.11.1. How Compressing Folders Affects Underlying Files
      2. 3.11.2. Checking How Much Disk Space NTFS Compression Saves
      3. 3.11.3. When to Use Zip Files and When to Use NTFS Compression
      4. 3.11.4. Convert Your Hard Disk to NTFS
      5. 3.11.5. Hacking the Hack
    12. 31. Put a Command-Line Prompt on Your Desktop
      1. 3.12.1. See Also
  6. 4. The Web
    1. 4.1. Hacks 32-48
    2. 32. Give Internet Explorer a Face-Lift
      1. 4.2.1. Change the Internet Explorer Logo
      2. 4.2.2. Add a Background to the Internet Explorer Toolbar
      3. 4.2.3. Change the Text of Internet Explorer’s Titlebar
    3. 33. Stop Pop Ups with SP2—and Without It
      1. 4.3.1. Use SP2’s Built-In Pop-Up Blocker
      2. 4.3.2. Download Software to Stop Pop Ups in IE
      3. 4.3.3. Ditch IE: Use a Different Browser to Stop Pop Ups
        1. 4.3.3.1. Opera
        2. 4.3.3.2. Mozilla
        3. 4.3.3.3. Firefox
      4. 4.3.4. Stop Messenger Service Pop Ups
      5. 4.3.5. See Also
    4. 34. Kill Spyware and Web Bugs
      1. 4.4.1. Watch Out for Web Bugs
      2. 4.4.2. Protect Yourself Against Spyware
      3. 4.4.3. See Also
    5. 35. Take a Bite Out of Cookies
      1. 4.5.1. Customizing IE Cookie-Handling
      2. 4.5.2. Export, Import, or Back Up Your Cookies
      3. 4.5.3. Examine and Delete Cookies Manually
      4. 4.5.4. Get a Third-Party Cookie Manager
      5. 4.5.5. Opt Out of Cookie-Based Ad Networks
      6. 4.5.6. See Also
    6. 36. Surf Anonymously Without a Trace
      1. 4.6.1. Web-Based Anonymizer
      2. 4.6.2. Use Internet Explorer for Anonymous Surfing
      3. 4.6.3. Get Software for Anonymous Surfing
      4. 4.6.4. See Also
    7. 37. Don’t Get Reeled In by Phishers
      1. 4.7.1. What You Can Do About It
      2. 4.7.2. Hacking the Hack
      3. 4.7.3. See Also
    8. 38. Read Web Pages Offline
      1. 4.8.1. Reading Web Pages Offline Using IE
      2. 4.8.2. Save Web Pages in an Offline Database with Add-Ins
    9. 39. Hack Internet Explorer with the Group Policy Editor
      1. 4.9.1. Browser User Interface
      2. 4.9.2. Connection
      3. 4.9.3. URLs
      4. 4.9.4. Security
      5. 4.9.5. Programs
    10. 40. Speed Up File Downloads
    11. 41. Secrets of Web Site Hosting with Internet Information Services (IIS)
      1. 4.11.1. Change the Directory and Do a Redirect
      2. 4.11.2. Redirect Incorrect Incoming URLs
      3. 4.11.3. Use Caching for Better Performance
      4. 4.11.4. See Also
    12. 42. Surf the Internet Ad-Free
      1. 4.12.1. Use a HOSTS File to Kill Ads
      2. 4.12.2. Use Ad-Blocking Software
      3. 4.12.3. Hacking the Hack
      4. 4.12.4. See Also
    13. 43. Hack Firefox
      1. 4.13.1. Using Firefox Extensions
      2. 4.13.2. Hacking the Firefox Interface
        1. 4.13.2.1. Put your own graphic on the Firefox toolbar
        2. 4.13.2.2. Make it easier to find the active tab
        3. 4.13.2.3. Change the width of the search bar
        4. 4.13.2.4. Move the sidebar to the right
      3. 4.13.3. See Also
    14. 44. Build Your Own Firefox Search Engine
      1. 4.14.1. Hacking the Hack
      2. 4.14.2. See Also
    15. 45. Google Your Desktop
      1. 4.15.1. Installing the Google Desktop
      2. 4.15.2. Searching Your Desktop
      3. 4.15.3. Google Desktop Search Syntax
      4. 4.15.4. Searching the Web
      5. 4.15.5. Behind the Scenes
      6. 4.15.6. Twiddling Knobs and Setting Preferences
      7. 4.15.7. See Also
    16. 46. Out-Google Google with MSN Desktop Search
      1. 4.16.1. Installing MSN Desktop Search
      2. 4.16.2. Searching Your PC
      3. 4.16.3. MSN Desktop Search Syntax
      4. 4.16.4. Turning Indexing On and Off
      5. 4.16.5. Hacking the Hack
      6. 4.16.6. See Also
    17. 47. Better Internet Searching from Your Desktop
      1. 4.17.1. Google Toolbar
      2. 4.17.2. Mastering the Search Companion
      3. 4.17.3. See Also
    18. 48. Run Java Applets Without Crashes or Problems
      1. 4.18.1. Make Sure You Have a Java Virtual Machine (JVM) Installed
      2. 4.18.2. Uninstall Older JVM Versions
        1. 4.18.2.1. Uninstalling an old Sun JVM
        2. 4.18.2.2. Uninstalling the Microsoft VM
      3. 4.18.3. Change Your Display Settings
  7. 5. Networking
    1. 5.1. Hacks 49-58
    2. 49. Tweak DNS Settings for Faster Internet Access
      1. 5.2.1. Speed Up Web Access with a HOSTS File
      2. 5.2.2. Adjust XP’s DNS Cache Settings
      3. 5.2.3. Fix DNS Problems
    3. 50. Optimize Your Home Router
      1. 5.3.1. Special Hub/Router Settings for DSL Access
      2. 5.3.2. Settings for Using a VPN
      3. 5.3.3. Enable Specific Internet Services: Port Forwarding
      4. 5.3.4. Cloning a MAC Address for Your Router
      5. 5.3.5. Manage Your Network’s Bandwidth
    4. 51. Troubleshoot Network Connections with ping, tracert, and pathping
      1. 5.4.1. Troubleshoot TCP/IP Problems with ping
      2. 5.4.2. Trace Your Network and Internet Data Path with tracert
      3. 5.4.3. Troubleshoot Network Problems with pathping
      4. 5.4.4. See Also
    5. 52. Troubleshoot Network Connections with netsh, netstat, and ipconfig
      1. 5.5.1. Use netsh to Troubleshoot Network and Internet Connections
      2. 5.5.2. Use netstat to Get Information About Open Network Connections
      3. 5.5.3. Use ipconfig to Troubleshoot TCP/IP
      4. 5.5.4. See Also
    6. 53. Speed Up Network Browsing
    7. 54. Control Another PC with Remote Access
      1. 5.7.1. Configuring the Windows XP Remote Server
      2. 5.7.2. Setting Up the Remote Client
    8. 55. Make Servers Always Available by Mapping a Hostname to a Dynamic IP Address
      1. 5.8.1. See Also
    9. 56. Renew Your DHCP-Assigned IP Address
    10. 57. Repair a Broken TCP/IP Connection
    11. 58. VoIP Hacks
      1. 5.11.1. Troubleshoot VoIP Phone/Home Router Problems
      2. 5.11.2. Get Your Vonage IP Phone to Work with DSL
      3. 5.11.3. Cut Your DSL Costs with VoIP
      4. 5.11.4. Make Skype Calls at Work
  8. 6. Email
    1. 6.1. Hacks 59-64
    2. 59. Slam That Spam
      1. 6.2.1. Peer-to-Peer Technology Fights Spam
      2. 6.2.2. Slam Spam Before It Starts
      3. 6.2.3. Viewing Mail Header Information in Outlook and Outlook Express
      4. 6.2.4. Handling Spam in Outlook Express
      5. 6.2.5. Handling Spam in Outlook
      6. 6.2.6. See Also
    3. 60. Open Blocked File Attachments in Outlook and Outlook Express
      1. 6.3.1. Force Outlook to Let You Open Blocked File Attachments
      2. 6.3.2. Force Outlook Express to Let You Open Blocked File Attachments
    4. 61. Back Up and Restore Outlook and Outlook Express Datafiles
      1. 6.4.1. Backing Up Outlook Manually
      2. 6.4.2. Backing Up Outlook Express Manually
      3. 6.4.3. Backing Up Outlook and Outlook Express Using Add-In Software
      4. 6.4.4. See Also
    5. 62. Retrieve Web-Based Email with Your Email Software
      1. 6.5.1. Getting Yahoo! Mail with YahooPOPs!
      2. 6.5.2. Getting Hotmail Mail with Hotmail Popper
    6. 63. Gmail Hacks
      1. 6.6.1. Import Your Contacts into Gmail
      2. 6.6.2. Use Gmail as a POP3 Account
      3. 6.6.3. Use Gmail as a Virtual Hard Drive
      4. 6.6.4. See Also
    7. 64. Fire Outlook and Outlook Express
      1. 6.7.1. Check Your Mood with Eudora
      2. 6.7.2. Move Forward to the Past with Pegasus
      3. 6.7.3. Use Open Source Thunderbird
      4. 6.7.4. See Also
  9. 7. Wireless
    1. 7.1. Hacks 65-74
    2. 65. Go War-Driving for WiFi Access
      1. 7.2.1. Mapping Wireless Networks
      2. 7.2.2. Building a Homemade Wireless Cantenna for War-Driving
      3. 7.2.3. See Also
    3. 66. Extend the Range of Your Wireless Network
      1. 7.3.1. See Also
    4. 67. Check WiFi Network Performance with Qcheck to Help Improve Throughput
      1. 7.4.1. See Also
    5. 68. Protect Your Home WiFi Network
      1. 7.5.1. Stop Broadcasting Your Network’s SSID
      2. 7.5.2. Limit the Number of IP Addresses on Your Network
      3. 7.5.3. Check and Filter MAC Addresses
      4. 7.5.4. Check Your Router Logs and Traffic
      5. 7.5.5. Get Back at the Attacker
      6. 7.5.6. Hacking the Hack
      7. 7.5.7. See Also
    6. 69. Enable WiFi Encryption
      1. 7.6.1. Setting Up WEP Encryption
      2. 7.6.2. Setting Up WPA Encryption
      3. 7.6.3. See Also
    7. 70. Stop Moochers from Stealing Your WiFi Bandwidth
      1. 7.7.1. Hacking the Hack
      2. 7.7.2. See Also
    8. 71. Solve Hotspot Woes
      1. 7.8.1. Sending Mail from Hotspots
      2. 7.8.2. Stop Hotspot Stuttering
      3. 7.8.3. Hacking the Hack
    9. 72. Set Up Bluetooth on XP
      1. 7.9.1. Installing Bluetooth
      2. 7.9.2. Securing Your Bluetooth Connection
      3. 7.9.3. Networking with Bluetooth
      4. 7.9.4. See Also
    10. 73. Connect to the Internet with a Bluetooth Phone
    11. 74. Set Up an Ad Hoc WiFi Network
      1. 7.11.1. Bluetooth File Transfers
      2. 7.11.2. Hacking the Hack
  10. 8. Security
    1. 8.1. Hacks 75-82
    2. 75. Hide Folders and Files with the Encrypting File System
      1. 8.2.1. Encrypting Files and Folders
      2. 8.2.2. Decrypting Files and Folders
      3. 8.2.3. Letting Others Use Your Encrypted Files
      4. 8.2.4. Encrypting and Decrypting from the Command Line
    3. 76. Test Your Security with Shields UP!
    4. 77. Protect Your Computer with the New Windows Firewall
      1. 8.4.1. Allow Programs to Bypass the Firewall
      2. 8.4.2. Track Firewall Activity with a Windows Firewall Log
      3. 8.4.3. Watch Out for Problems with Email and the Windows Firewall
      4. 8.4.4. Hacking the Hack
      5. 8.4.5. See Also
    5. 78. ZoneAlarm: The World’s Best Free Firewall
      1. 8.5.1. Configuring ZoneAlarm to Block Trojans
      2. 8.5.2. See Also
    6. 79. Use a Proxy Server to Protect Your PC
      1. 8.6.1. Hacking the Hack
      2. 8.6.2. See Also
    7. 80. Punch an Escape Hole Through Your Firewall
      1. 8.7.1. Fix the Windows Firewall’s Disabling of File Sharing
      2. 8.7.2. Allow Diagnostic Services to Bypass the Firewall
      3. 8.7.3. Punch a Hole Through ZoneAlarm
      4. 8.7.4. See Also
    8. 81. Close Down Open Ports and Block Protocols
    9. 82. Set Up a Virtual Private Network
  11. 9. The Registry
    1. 9.1. Hacks 83-87
    2. 83. Don’t Fear the Registry
      1. 9.2.1. The Five Logical Registry Hives
      2. 9.2.2. Using Keys and Values
      3. 9.2.3. Launching the Registry Editor
      4. 9.2.4. Adding and Deleting Keys and Values
      5. 9.2.5. See Also
    3. 84. Hack Away at the Registry
      1. 9.3.1. Automatically Close Programs at Shutdown
      2. 9.3.2. Disable XP Shutdown
      3. 9.3.3. Change the Names of the Registered User and Company
      4. 9.3.4. Change the Amount of Time Before Programs Time Out
      5. 9.3.5. Disable the Disk Cleanup Warning
      6. 9.3.6. Change the Default Location for Installing Programs
      7. 9.3.7. Allow Laptops to Enter Power-Saving State (Increase the USB Polling Interval)
      8. 9.3.8. Change the Size of Your Mouse and Keyboard Buffer
    4. 85. Safely Edit the Registry Using .reg Files
      1. 9.4.1. Delete Registry Keys and Values Using .reg Files
      2. 9.4.2. Protect the Registry by Changing the Default Action for Double-Clicking a .reg File
      3. 9.4.3. Change the Default Editor for .reg Files
    5. 86. Better Registry Backups
    6. 87. Track and Restore Registry Changes with RegSpy
      1. 9.6.1. See Also
  12. 10. Applications
    1. 10.1. Hacks 88-98
    2. 88. Remove Unruly Applications and Uninstall Entries
      1. 10.2.1. Remove Stubborn Uninstall Entries from Already Uninstalled Programs
      2. 10.2.2. Remove Access to Certain Microsoft Programs
      3. 10.2.3. See Also
    3. 89. Force XP-Incompatible Applications to Run
      1. 10.3.1. Use the Compatibility Wizard
      2. 10.3.2. Use the Application Compatibility Toolkit
      3. 10.3.3. See Also
    4. 90. Force Older Programs to Use XP Common Controls
      1. 10.4.1. See Also
    5. 91. Launch Applications with Command-Line Shortcuts
      1. 10.5.1. Create Keyboard Shortcuts for Running Applications
      2. 10.5.2. Customizing Shortcuts with Switches and Parameters
      3. 10.5.3. See Also
    6. 92. Open and Create Microsoft Documents Without Microsoft Office
      1. 10.6.1. See Also
    7. 93. Stop Hidden Fields in Word from Stealing Your Files and Information
    8. 94. Speed Up Your Hard Disk by Improving Defragging
      1. 10.8.1. Defragment Boot Files
      2. 10.8.2. Run the Disk Defragmenter from the Command Line
      3. 10.8.3. What to Do If the Disk Defragmenter Won’t Defragment Your Drive
      4. 10.8.4. Get a Better Disk Defragmenter
    9. 95. Extend Your Screen Real Estate with Virtual Desktops
      1. 10.9.1. See Also
    10. 96. Build a Better Backup Strategy
      1. 10.10.1. Map Out a Backup Plan
      2. 10.10.2. System Organization Aids the Backup Process
      3. 10.10.3. The Backup Utilities in Windows XP
        1. 10.10.3.1. I want my CDs!
        2. 10.10.3.2. Restoring a backup
        3. 10.10.3.3. XP Home, NTBackup, and ASR
      4. 10.10.4. Get a Better Backup Program
    11. 97. Go Beyond Messaging with Windows Messenger
      1. 10.11.1. Using .NET Alerts with Messenger
      2. 10.11.2. Collaborate Long-Distance with the Whiteboard
      3. 10.11.3. Share Applications with Messenger
    12. 98. Universal Messaging: Trillian Unites AIM, MSN, Yahoo!, and ICQ
      1. 10.12.1. See Also
  13. 11. Graphics and Multimedia
    1. 11.1. Hacks 99-107
    2. 99. Image Conversion in a Pinch
      1. 11.2.1. IrfanView
      2. 11.2.2. Image Converter .EXE
      3. 11.2.3. See Also
    3. 100. Problem-Free CD Burning
      1. 11.3.1. What to Do If Your Digital Music Files Skip and Pop
        1. 11.3.1.1. Cleaning up .wav files
        2. 11.3.1.2. Other advice for reducing skips and pops
      2. 11.3.2. What to Do If Your Burned Music CDs Skip
      3. 11.3.3. What to Do If Long Selections Are Interrupted by Skips
      4. 11.3.4. See Also
    4. 101. Save Streaming Music to Your PC
      1. 11.4.1. See Also
    5. 102. Import Lyrics into iTunes and iPod
      1. 11.5.1. Canto Pod
      2. 11.5.2. EvilLyrics
      3. 11.5.3. Hacking the Hack
    6. 103. Convert from Apple iTunes Format
      1. 11.6.1. See Also
    7. 104. Use Ogg Vorbis for Digital Music
      1. 11.7.1. Ripping CD Audio to Ogg Vorbis
      2. 11.7.2. Converting Existing Audio Files to Ogg Vorbis
      3. 11.7.3. Playback Choices for Ogg Vorbis
      4. 11.7.4. See Also
    8. 105. Hack Windows Media Player with TweakMP
      1. 11.8.1. General
      2. 11.8.2. CD
      3. 11.8.3. Full-Screen
      4. 11.8.4. See Also
    9. 106. Fix Windows Media Player’s Privacy Problems
      1. 11.9.1. See Also
    10. 107. Make Videos with Windows Movie Maker
      1. 11.10.1. Capture the Video Properly
      2. 11.10.2. Capturing Video with a Digital Video Camera
      3. 11.10.3. Best Settings for Recording Video
      4. 11.10.4. Tips for Making Your Own DVDs
      5. 11.10.5. See Also
  14. 12. System Performance
    1. 12.1. Hacks 108-114
    2. 108. Track System Performance with the Performance Console
      1. 12.2.1. Setting Up Your Logs
      2. 12.2.2. What to Watch
      3. 12.2.3. Viewing Performance Logs
      4. 12.2.4. Performance Alerts
    3. 109. Get the Most Out of Your RAM
      1. 12.3.1. Make Better Use of Your Memory with the Task Manager
      2. 12.3.2. General Advice for Making Better Use of RAM
      3. 12.3.3. See Also
    4. 110. More Power: Registry Hacks to Speed Up XP
      1. 12.4.1. Menu Speed
      2. 12.4.2. Place Windows Kernel into RAM
      3. 12.4.3. Alter Prefetch Parameters
      4. 12.4.4. Disable 8.3 Name Creation in NTFS
    5. 111. Repair and Recover with the Recovery Console
      1. 12.5.1. Starting the Recovery Console
      2. 12.5.2. Looking Around
      3. 12.5.3. Fixing the MBR, Boot Sector, or Boot Menu
      4. 12.5.4. Fixing Windows
      5. 12.5.5. Hacking the Hack
    6. 112. Speed Up System Performance with the Task Manager
      1. 12.6.1. Applications Tab
      2. 12.6.2. Processes Tab
      3. 12.6.3. Performance Tab
      4. 12.6.4. Monitor CPU Use
        1. 12.6.4.1. Finding out how much of the CPU individual programs and processes use
        2. 12.6.4.2. Tracking CPU usage in real time
      5. 12.6.5. Give Program and Processes More of Your CPU’s Attention
    7. 113. Hack Your Way to a Cleaner Hard Disk
      1. 12.7.1. Create Separate Hard-Disk Cleanup Profiles
      2. 12.7.2. Clean Your Hard Disk Without Disk Cleanup
      3. 12.7.3. Download a Better Disk-Cleanup Tool
    8. 114. Fix SP2 Upgrade Woes
      1. 12.8.1. Solve Windows Update Problems
      2. 12.8.2. Fix Problems with the Windows Firewall
        1. 12.8.2.1. Can’t configure the firewall
        2. 12.8.2.2. Windows Firewall blocks programs or services
      3. 12.8.3. Fix Antivirus Alert Problems
      4. 12.8.4. Uninstall SP2
      5. 12.8.5. See Also
  15. 13. Hardware
    1. 13.1. Hacks 115-120
    2. 115. Troubleshoot Hardware by Decoding Device Manager Error Messages
      1. 13.2.1. See Also
    3. 116. Uncover Hidden Hardware with the Device Manager
      1. 13.3.1. Hacking the Hack
    4. 117. Check Your PC’s Pulse and Tweak It for Better Performance
      1. 13.4.1. See Also
    5. 118. Remap Your Keyboard
    6. 119. Use ClearType for Better Laptop and LCD Resolution
      1. 13.6.1. Hacking the Hack
    7. 120. Networking on the Cheap: Set Up a Direct Cable Connection
      1. 13.7.1. Remember the Boy Scout Creed: “Be Prepared”
      2. 13.7.2. Cheap Networking with a Serial or Parallel Cable
      3. 13.7.3. Cheap Networking with an Ethernet Cable
  16. Index
  17. About the Author
  18. Colophon
  19. Copyright

Product information

  • Title: Windows XP Hacks, 2nd Edition
  • Author(s): Preston Gralla
  • Release date: February 2005
  • Publisher(s): O'Reilly Media, Inc.
  • ISBN: 9780596009182