Remove shortcut arrow from desktop icons

Remove shortcut arrow from desktop icons

Here's how you can remove those shortcut arrows from your desktop icons in Windows XP. 

Start regedit. 

Navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTlnkfile 

Delete the IsShortcut registry value.

You may need to restart Windows XP.

Internet Connection Sharing

Internet Connection Sharing 

To enable Internet Connection Sharing on a network connection: 

Open Network Connections. 

Click the dial-up, local area network, PPPoE, or VPN connection you want to share, and then, under Network Tasks, click Change settings of this connection. 

On the Advanced tab, select the Allow other network users to connect through this computer's Internet connection check box. 

If you want this connection to dial automatically when another computer on your home or small office network attempts to access external resources, select the Establish a dial-up connection whenever a computer on my network attempts to access the Internet check box. 

If you want other network users to enable or disable the shared Internet connection, select the Allow other network users to control or disable the shared Internet connection check box. 

Under Internet Connection Sharing, in Home networking connection, select any adapter that connects the computer sharing its Internet connection to the other computers on your network.

Taking Ownership Of a Folder

Taking Ownership Of a Folder

Sometimes when you reinstall WindowsXP, you can receive an Access Denied error when trying to open a previous user's directory.

To take ownership of that folder again:

Log on with an account that has administrator rights

Right click on the folder

Select Properties

Click on the Security tab

Click on the Advanced button

Click on the Owner tab

In the list of Names, click on your name

To take ownership, click on Replace owner on subcontainers and objects

Click OK and Yes

Hiding Manage My Computer

Hiding Manage My Computer

If you want to remove Manage My Computer from My Computer

Start Regedit

Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER / Software / Microsoft / Windows / CurrentVersion / Policies / Explorer

Create a DWORD value called NoManageMyComputerVerb

Set the value to 1

Reboot

Disable Windows Tour

Disable Windows Tour

If you want to disable the Take Tour of Windows XP that comes up after you install WindowsXP:

Start Regedit

Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Tour

Create a new DWORD key called RunCount

Give it a value of 0

Editing the Boot.ini file

Editing the Boot.ini file

The boot.ini file is a simple text file that is on the root of the boot drive. 

You can edit this with any plain text editor like Notepad (may need to unhide the file first)

Right click on My Computer

Select Properties

Click on the Advanced tab

Under Startup and Recovery, click on the Settings button

Click on the Edit button

Running CHKDSK

Running CHKDSK

One way to run a chkdsk (this is like Scandisk that was with Win9X), is to
Double click on My Computer

Right click on the drive you want to check

Select Properties

Click on the Tools tab

Click on the Check Now button

Check to Automatically fix file system errors - This is the same as running chkdsk /f

If you want to Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors, check that box - This is the same as running chkdsk /R. It can also add a lot of time to the scan

Reboot if necessary

You can also run chkdsk from the command line with will give you more options.
The following switches are available:

/F - fix any errors
/R - identifies bad sectors
/V - with FAT32, displays a verbose output
With NTFS Volumes:
/I - Performs simpler check (stage 2)
/C - Skips the checking of cycles within folder structures
/X - Forces the volume to dismount if necessary. Intended for server administrators and should be avoided for normal use

Identify Faulty Device Drivers

 Identify Faulty Device Drivers

If you are having problems with lockups, blue screens, or can only get to safe mode,
often the problem is due to a faulty device driver.

One way to help identify them is through the use of the Verfier program

Start / Run / Verifier

Keep the default of Create Standard Settings

Select the type of drivers you want to confirm

A list of drivers to be verified on the next boot will be shown.

Reboot

If your computer stops with a blue screen, you should get an error message with the problem driver

To turn off the Verifier, run verifier /reset

Setting Capslock, Numlock, Scroll Lock

Setting Capslock, Numlock, Scroll Lock 

If you want to set the startup state for any or all of these keys, 
you just need to edit the registry. 

Start Regedit 

Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Control Panel \ Keyboard

Open InitialKeyboardIndicators 

Change the value to one of the following numbers

0 - All Keys off

1 - Caps Lock on

2 - Num Lock on

4 - Scroll Lock on

For multiple keys, add their values: 

3 - Caps Lock and Num Lock on

5 - Caps Lock and Scroll Lock on

6 - Num Lock and Scroll Lock on

7 - Caps Lock, Num Lock, and Scroll Lock on

Log off and back on again

DOS Tips in XP

 DOS Tips in XP

Windows XP cmd tip (DOS isn’t dead... it just smells funny) Some command-line folder creation examples: 

To create multiple folders at once, add them directly to the "md" command: 

C:\> md this is a test 

To create a folder several folders deep, use: 

C:\> md this\is\a\test 

Creating a folder with a long name requires the double-quote at the beginning: 

C:\> md "this is a test 

Bonus tip: Windows XP supports the forward slash "/" as a folder divider. Unix/Linux users: don't let the DOS environment get you down. Use a Unix-style CD command to change your present working directory: 

C:\> cd Windows/system32/drivers/etc

Configure for Auto-Logon

Configure for Auto-Logon


If you are the only person using the computer and what to have it automatically log you on,

Start / Run / "control userpasswords2" - no quotes

Uncheck User must enter a user name and password to use this computer

Stopping the Messenger Service

Stopping the Messenger Service

To remove the ability for anyone in the world to pop up messages on your computer, 
you can disable the Messenger service. 

Click Start->Settings ->Control Panel

Click Performance and Maintenance 

Click Administrative Tools 

Double click Services 

Scroll down and highlight "Messenger" 

Right-click the highlighted line and choose Properties

Click the STOP button

Select Disable or Manual in the Startup Type scroll bar Click OK

Not Displaying Logon, Logoff, Startup and Shutdown Status Messages

Not Displaying Logon, Logoff, Startup and Shutdown Status Messages

To turn these off:

Start Regedit

Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\system

If it is not already there, create a DWORD value named DisableStatusMessages

Give it a value of 1

Repair Install

Repair Install

If XP is corrupted to the point where none of the previous solutions get it to boot,
you can do a Repair Install that might work as well as keep the current settings. 
Make sure you have your valid WindowsXP key.
The whole process takes about half an hour depending on your computer
If you are being prompted for the administrator's password, you need to choose the 2nd repair option, not the first.

Insert and boot from your WindowsXP CD

At the second R=Repair option, press the R key

This will start the repair

Press F8 for I Agree at the Licensing Agreement

Press R when the directory where WindowsXP is installed is shown. Typically this is C:\WINDOWS

It will then check the C: drive and start copying files

It will automatically reboot when needed. Keep the CD in the drive.

You will then see the graphic part of the repair that is like during a normal install of XP (Collecting Information, Dynamic Update, Preparing Installation, Installing Windows, Finalizing Installation)

When prompted, click on the Next button

When prompted, enter your XP key

Normally you will want to keep the same Workgroup or Domain name

The computer will reboot

Then you will have the same screens as a normal XP Install

Activate if you want (usually a good idea)

Register if you want (but not necessary)

Finish

At this point you should be able to log in with any existing accounts.

NTOSKRNL Missing or Corrupt

NTOSKRNL Missing or Corrupt

If you get an error that NTOSKRNL not found:

Insert and boot from your WindowsXP CD.

At the first R=Repair option, press the R key

Press the number that corresponds to the correct location for the installation of Windows you want to repair.

Typically this will be #1

Change to the drive that has the CD ROM.

CD i386
expand ntkrnlmp.ex_ C:\Windows\System32\ntoskrnl.exe 

If WindowsXP is installed in a different location, just make the necessary change to C:\Windows

Take out the CD ROM and type exit