Windows XP tips and tricks

By JOHN TORRO
© St. Petersburg Times
published December 31, 2001

The trouble with XP Microsoft's best Windows ever? Sure, the Blue Screen of Death has mostly vanished, but software, hardware and network headaches linger.

You may think you know Windows. But Windows XP is a bigger leap from previous versions of the operating system than any of its predecessors.

There are many new features and tips to be learned. Here are 10 of my favorites:

ClearType setting

The Microsoft ClearType technology setting -- a new way to display text on a computer monitor -- is buried in the screen properties and is mostly intended for laptops and LCD screens. But it also does wonders for regular cathode ray tube (CRT) monitors in improving the clarity and sharpness of your text display. To turn this setting on:

1. Click Start, Control Panel, then Appearance and Themes.

2. Click the Display icon, the Appearance tab, then Effects.

3. Click the "Use the following method to smooth edges of screen fonts" check box to select it, and select ClearType from the list.

4. Click OK, then click OK again.

Password disk

Windows XP has much better support for users sharing one computer. You can have your own settings, desktop and documents folder. Although a password isn't required, you may still want to use one. If you do, you should create a password reset disk to safeguard against forgetting your password. To create the disk:

1. Click Start, Control Panel, then User Accounts.

2. Click your account name.

3. Under Related Tasks, click Prevent a Forgotten Password.

4. Follow the directions in the Forgotten Password Wizard to create a password reset disk.

Restore desktop settings

The default desktop in XP uses the clean look, with only the Recycle Bin showing. This didn't work for me. I missed my "old friends" such as the My Documents and My Computer icons. If you too are lonely for these icons, here's how to return them to the desktop:

1. Right-click on the desktop, then click Properties.

2. Click the Desktop tab, then click on Customize Desktop.

3. Put a check mark in the box next to My Document, My Computer, My Network Places or Internet Explorer, to add those familiar icons to your desktop.

Windows Update

Windows Update is part of Microsoft's Web site where the company posts patches and fixes for users to download. It's much more useful than previous versions. Aside from the Internet Explorer and Outlook Express security updates (which you need to check often), the Windows Update site for XP includes many device drivers from third-party vendors. Many vendors were not ready Oct. 25 with versions of device drivers for XP, and many XP users are still having trouble finding what they need.

To check out what is available, click the Windows Update icon or navigate to windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ in your browser. Make this a regular part of your computing schedule (at least once a week).

Compatibility mode settings

Some older applications may be "Windows version sensitive" and may not run correctly (or at all) under Windows XP. You can get around this by running the program in compatibility mode and making the program think it is running in Windows 95, 98 or whichever version it requires. You can also set the display resolution specifically for a program (some programs require a specific setting such as 800 pixels by 600 pixels). Now you will be able to accommodate it without changing your entire display. To set the compatibility properties for a program:

1. Right-click the executable (a file that ends in .exe and starts a program) or the icon that leads to the executable, then click Properties.

2. Click the Compatibility tab.

3. Select the "Run this program in compatibility mode" check box.

4. Select the proper operating system from the list under the compatibility tab.

5. If necessary, also change the display settings or resolution.

Custom folder icons

Here's one of my favorite features. Folders within My Pictures or My Music will automatically select images they contain to decorate and identify the folder. In the case of music, if XP can figure out which artist is represented within the folder and can find the appropriate album art on the Internet, it will do this automatically. You can also do this yourself for any folder. It makes it much easier to organize when you can see what is within the folder rather than depending upon the folder name alone. You'll need to switch to Thumbnails view, (on the View menu of the open folder, click Thumbnails). To put an image on a folder:

1. Right-click a folder, then click Properties.

2. Click the Customize tab, then Choose Picture.

3. Select any image on your computer, click Open, then click OK.

Driver rollback

Using Windows Update, I installed a new driver for my Soundblaster Live sound card. Everything appeared to be fine until I sent the computer into hibernation. Then the infamous Blue Screen of Death made an appearance (a rare one in XP). Normally this would have been the start of a long process of debugging and reinstalling older drivers. However, I decided to try out the Device Driver Rollback. This process allows you to automatically reinstall the last driver before your change. I did this and things were once again copacetic. I'm always surprised when things work as advertised. To roll back a driver on your system:

1. Click Start, then Control Panel.

2. Click Performance and Maintenance, then Administrative Tools.

3. Double-click Computer Management, then click Device Manager in the left pane.

4. Right-click the device for which you'd like to roll back the drivers, then click Properties.

5. On the Driver tab of the Properties dialog box, click Roll Back Driver, and follow the wizard's instructions.

Windows XP PowerToys

I'm not usually a fan of the free PowerToys downloads that have been available for various versions of Windows in the past. However, there were a few things that I found useful in the Windows XP version. You can find these by going to www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/downloads/powertoys.asp. Here are my favorites:

Super-Fast User Switcher. If you are using the multiple-user feature of XP, this PowerToy will allow you to switch between users without having to go through the Logon screen.

Image Resizer. This PowerToy enables you to resize one or many image files with a right-click.

CD Slide Show Generator. With this PowerToy, you can view images burned to a CD as a slide show. The generated output works for versions of Windows starting with 95.

HTML Slide Show Wizard. This wizard helps you create an HTML slide show of your digital pictures, ready to upload to your Web site. Even if you don't have a Web site, the converted pictures will be small enough to e-mail.

Webcam Timershot. This lets you take pictures at specified time intervals from a Webcam connected to your computer. Haven't you always wondered what your dog is doing while you're at work all day?

Pin a program to the Start Menu

Windows XP automatically places the most recently used programs on your Start Menu. You can keep them there permanently by right-clicking while on the Start menu and selecting Pin to Menu. This option is also available by right-clicking on any item you see in Windows Explorer.

Internet Time Server

Want to make sure your PC has the most accurate time? XP makes it easy to synchronize your computer clock with an Internet time server, a Web site that sends out the precise time. To do so:

1. Double-click the time on your task bar.

2. Click the Internet Time tab.

3. Select the time server you want to use and make sure to select the Automatically Synchronize with an Internet Time Server check box. If you have a personal or network firewall, you may have to change some of the settings to permit time synchronization (check the documentation that came with your firewall).

- John Torro writes the Solutions columns, which answers hardware and software questions from readers in Tech Times.

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