Tips for Windows XP Users

Tips for Windows XP Users

Compatibility Mode

If you're having trouble running older programs originally developed for previous

versions of Windows, you're not out of luck. Luckily for consumers, Microsoft built

Compatibility Mode into XP. Compatibility Mode allows you to run a program using the

shell of the original program it was developed for.

Here's how to access a program's Compatibility Mode in XP: 

• Find the executable or program shortcut icon you'd like to run.

• Right-click the icon and select Properties.

• Click the Compatibility tab and place a checkmark next to the text labeled "Run

this program in compatibility mode."

• Select the operating system that the program was originally intended to run on.

• You may need to fine-tune the three fields under "Display Settings" if an older

program requires 640x480 resolution or 256 colors.

• Click Apply.

Try starting the program after making these changes. If it still gives you trouble, try a

different operating system. If the program was written for Win95 and worked fine in

Win98, there's nothing that says it still won't work fine with Win98.

Device Driver Rollback

One of XP's new features is the Device Driver Rollback. With this feature you finally

have the option to quickly go back to a previous version of a device driver if the updated

driver causes problems. When you update a driver, the old one will be saved to a special

directory in Windows.

You won't have the option to roll back a driver if you've never updated it. Since every

device has the ability to roll back its driver, you're going to need to access your Device

Manager to do this.

Here's how to access the Driver Rollback feature for a particular device inside the Device

Manager: 

• Left-click the Start menu and then select Control Panel.

• Double-click the Performance and Maintenance icon.

• Double-click the System icon.

• Click the Hardware tab.

• Click the Device Manager button to open the Device Manager.

• Expand the device menu you'd like to roll back.

• Locate the device you'd like to roll back and double-click it to bring up its

properties.

• When you launch the properties for a particular device, click on the Driver tab.

• Click the button labeled "Roll Back Driver" to complete the process.

Windows or MAC Automatic Updates

This is not a trivial feature in Windows or Mac OS X.  You should keep the automatic

updates on and install them ASAP for both security and compatibility with all the latest

software.   You fail to do this at the risk of programs not running and opening up your

computer to malicious invasion.  Besides these automatic updates, you should also visit

the Windows update site and check for other non-critical updates as well.  It allows

Windows XP to update itself via the internet and keep your system up to date with the

latest drivers and software for your system.

Windows System Backup Procedure

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:

• Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools,

and then click System Restore. 

• In the System Restore dialog box, click Create a restore point, and then click

Next. 

• 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.

Easy CD Burning Procedures

If you’re running Windows XP, then you don't have to go out and buy expensive CD–

recording software. The new operating system from Microsoft features built–in CD

burning. When you want to burn a CD using Windows XP:

• Insert a blank CD–R or CD–RW in your CD drive. You must have a CD–R

(writable) or CD–RW (rewritable) drive. A dialog box opens, asking if you want

to open a writable CD folder. Click OK. 

• On the Start menu, click My Computer, and navigate to the drive and folder

where the files you wish to copy are stored. 

• Select the files you wish to copy, and drag/drop or copy/paste them to the open

CD recording folder. 

• In the left pane of the CD folder window, click Write these files to CD.

• Now you’re all set. Just remember not to copy more files to the CD than it will

hold: a standard CD holds 650 MB.

Windows XP Error Reports

You can get rid of the Windows XP error report messages if you don't want to send

another one in. Start the System Configuration Utility:

• Click Start, and then click Run.

• Type msconfig to open the System Configuration Utility.

• Click the Services tab.

• Clear the Error Reporting Service check box, and then click OK.

• Hit Restart to reboot your system.

• Your computer will now start without loading the error reporting service.

Windows Backup

The Backup utility is not included in the default installation of Windows XP Home

Edition. The Backup icon is not present on the Start menu in Windows XP Home Edition,

nor is Backup listed in Add/Remove Programs for Windows XP Home Edition. The

backup program is found on the Windows XP Home Edition CD in the

Valueadd folder.

To manually install Backup

• Double-click the Ntbackup.msi file in the following location on the Windows XP

Home Edition CD to start a wizard that installs Backup:

CD-ROM Drive:\VALUEADD\MSFT\NTBACKUP 

• When the wizard is complete, click

Finish.

Locking Internet Explorer Toolbars

You can choose which features you want on the Internet Explorer 6 toolbar. If you want

to simplify the toolbar, you can remove icons, change to smaller icons, or remove the text

labels displayed next to the icons. To customize the toolbar:

• Right–click the Standard toolbar, and then click Customize.

• In the Text options list, click No text labels to remove them.

• In the Icon options list, click Small icons to change the default setting.

• In the Current toolbars list, click any icon that you want to remove, and then click

Remove.

• To keep your changes safe, right–click the toolbar again, and make sure to select

the Lock Toolbars check box.

• XP Repair Installation

How Do I Do a "Repair Installation"?

Configure your computer to start from the CD-ROM drive. For more information about

how to do this, please refer to your computer's documentation or contact your computer

manufacturer.

Insert your Windows XP compact disc (CD) into your CD-ROM drive or DVD-ROM

drive, and then restart your computer.

(You can also boot with a Windows 98/Me Startup disk with CD support and run

WINNT.EXE in the I386 folder on the CD)

When the "Press any key to boot from CD" message is displayed on your screen, press a

key to start your computer from the Windows XP CD.

When you see the following message displayed on the Welcome to Setup screen, press

ENTER:

To setup Windows XP now, press ENTER.

At this point an option to press R to enter the Recovery Console is displayed. Do not

select this option.

On the Windows XP Licensing Agreement screen, press F8 to agree to the license

agreement.

Make sure that your current installation of Windows XP is selected in the box, and then

press the R key to repair Windows XP.

Follow the instructions on the screen to complete Setup.

How to Repair Internet Explorer

The ability to Repair Internet Explorer does not exist in the version that ships with

Windows XP.  This feature only becomes available after you upgrade to a newer version.

This is normal and has been this way since Windows 98 and IE4.

However, you can reinstall IE in Windows XP by clicking Start, Run and entering the

following command:

rundll32.exe setupapi,InstallHinfSection DefaultInstall 132 %windir%\Inf\ie.inf

You will need to have your XP CD available.

Some people have problems with the command line above.  A small VB Script that will

execute the command for you can be downloaded here.  Save the file to your hard drive

and double click it to run IE Setup.