This page is divided into several categories. All categories are filled with tips, tricks and tutorials.

Table of contents

1. Overview
2. Security
3. Boot
4. Start menu
5. Desktop
6. Taskbar
7. Windows explorer
8. Annoyances
9. Troubleshooting
10. Backup
11. Misc
12. Synchronize

1. Overview
Microsoft Windows xp has two editions. Home is targeted to home users and pro has som additional improvements and is targeted towards business and advanced users and Pro.

Windows xp recommended hardware

2. Security

Increase windows xp log in security by not revealing the previous account.
Hide previous logged on user name

Disable default welcome screen and use the classic logon prompt. Requires users to type a user account name
Increase log in security
Edit registry to use classic logon

How to hide a user account at login
Username hidden only at welcome screen

Increase security with limited accounts
How to use your computer on daily basis with user accounts

Execute software as another user to increase security
How to run a program as an other user

Increase windows xp security
Enable windows xp screensaver password

Make "My documents" private
Make My Documents only accessible to owner

Index.dat is a file that store information about cookies and all URL:s and pictures you have opened in your browser.
How to manually delete index.dat files

How to make folders like Desktop, Start menu, Cookies and favorites private. Making your user folders private is a good thing to do if you share the computer with other users.
Make your user subfolders private

How to change the file or folder permissions in windows xp home
How to disable simple filesharing in windows xp home

Easily lock your computer
How to create a shortcut to lock your computer

Disable task manager to increase security, for example on a computer shared with other users
How to avoid users from using task manager

Disable other users from customizing desktop
Do not save desktop settings on exit

File security
Download free antivirus software
Free antivirus software

Independent comparatives of antivirus software.
Comparison of antivirus scanners
2007 Antivirus software: Top ten review

To remove trojans, several good software are at your hands.
I recommend:
Windows defender | Spy-Bot | Ad-Aware 2007 Free

Increase security on network
Disable file and printer sharing for network

Increase file security in windows xp
How to automatically clear pagefile.sys when shutting down your computer

Secure your zip files
How to password protect a zip file

Remove potential security threat
How to turn off CD autorun

3. Boot

Customize welcome screen in windows xp
Remove email notification at welcome screen in windows xp
How to disable screensaver at welcome screen

Customize windows xp boot
Remove windows xp boot screen

Save time, free computer resources and optimize your computer
Configure Windows xp startup

Optimize windows xp boot time
Clearing prefetch cache shortens windows xp boot time

No need reaching for the power button to start computer
How to start your computer with mouse or keyboard

How to defragment prefetch file
How to start windows xp faster

4. Start menu

Navigate and open your files faster with enabling "My recent documents"
Quick access to recently used files
How to disable My recent documents on start menu

Pause or click on a submenu to open?
Open submenus when i pause on them with my mouse

Use start menu from earlier versions of windows
How to get the classic start menu in windows xp

Enable or disable shortcuts to often used programs
How to configure start menu links

Scroll or show all program folders in start menu?
One program column in start menu

Navigate faster with easy start menu customization
How to add programs to start menu

Read all about customization of the taskbar and start menu
Customize taskbar and startmenu

Customize windows xp start menu
Remove username from windows xp start-menu

Customize and optimize start menu
Speed up Windows XP start menu

Find programs faster in startmenu
How to sort program list alphabetically in start menu

Automatically sort program list with this registry hack
Win xp: Start menu in alphabetical order

Shortcut to music playlist in start menu
Create a playlist in start menu

Customize most used programs in start menu
Remove most used software in start menu

Customize "Programs" on start menu
Remove highlight of newly installed programs

5. Desktop

How to find the background image and delete it
How to remove an unwanted background

Get a clean desktop in a second
Hide desktop icons

Increase readability
How to increase icon font size on desktop

Start Internet explorer from desktop
How to show Internet Explorer icon on desktop

Disable other users from customizing desktop
Do not save desktop settings on exit

Increase filename readability on desktop
Long icon filenames on windows xp desktop

Increase icon text readability on desktop
Remove grey labels from desktop icon text

Customize windows xp desktop
Configure windows xp security alerts

How to disable desktop cleanup wizard
Desktop Cleanup wizard

Show My Documents, My Computer, My Network places on desktop
Show desktop items

Remove arrow from shortcut icon
Customize shortcut icon with no arrow

6. Taskbar

Show or hide individual notification icons
How to customize notification area

Disable annoying tips
How to remove balloon tips in notification area

Customize "Start" button
Change word start in start button

No need for an notification icon when connected to the internet
How to remove notification icon when connected

Read all about customization of the taskbar and start menu
Customize taskbar and startmenu

Timesaving tip!
Create a email shortcut on your windows xp quick launch toolbar

Customize taskbar without changing any settings, press and drag with mouse
How to scale and move taskbar

7. Windows explorer

If Windows xp does not remember folder customizations:
Folder customizations are incorrect

Smart feature in windows explorer
How to burn a data cd/dvd in windows explorer

Customize har drive icons in windows explorer
Change hard disk icons, visible in windows explorer

Powerful way to faster file copy
Copy and move files faster in windows explorer

Navigate faster to important folders
Create shortcut to open a folder with windows explorer

Easier navigation in windows explorer
My Computer with folder list

Powerful search in windows explorer
How to search for hidden files in windows xp

Customize thumbnail size optimized for your screen resolution
Change thumbnail size in windows xp explorer

Enhance windows explorer
Sort windows explorer files and folders in groups

Enhance windows explorer
Customize windows explorer details view

Customize file deletion
Delete files without moving them to recycle bin

Customize windows explorer
Disable thumbnail file �thumbs.db� being created

Advanced search in windows explorer
Smart search

Increase visibility in windows explorer
Automatically adjust column width in windows explorer

Timesaving tip!
Rename files with one command in windows explorer

How to remove files
Deleting a file or folder: Access denied error

Status bar shows the number of objects and disk free space in windows explorer
How to show status bar in windows explorer and internet explorer

Disable warning message when entering system folder
Show content in system folder

Customize display settings
Change the way windows explorer displays uppercase files

How to avoid files being locked in windows explorer
Disable windows from reading media info in windows explorer

Adding another column header makes it easier to browse within windows explorer.
What camera?

Prevents files from being locked
Disable preview image of avi file

8. Annoyances

After a software failure, windows xp will ask you if you want to send a report to microsoft
Remove windows xp error reporting

Remove "Access denied error" trying to delete a file or folder
Win xp: Deleting a file or folder:Access denied error

9. Troubleshooting

Applications will sometimes ask if you want to save the file you have been working on. Force applications to exit without user intervention at shutdown

To exactly find out what a problem is caused by, you need to know the windows update history. What updates, hotfixes and patches are installed on your computer

Identify faulty software
How to find out what process makes your computer slow

Restart or freeze occurs while booting windows xp
Windows xp restarts, hangs or freezes while starting

Troubleshoot windows xp
How to analyze dump file

If system failure occurs, choose between a blue screen or a system restart
Configure system to show �blue screen of death� or a system restart

Find faulty software or drivers
Troubleshoot with event viewer

Remove annoying error in windows explorer
Search window opens when doubleclicking on folder in windows explorer

Use command prompt as a task manager
Identify processes in command prompt

10. Backup

Make a backup of windows xp registry before editing the registry
How to backup windows xp registry

11. Misc

Increase speed in windows xp
How to turn off windows animation

Remove a cd/dvd from the operating system
How to disable a cd/dvd in windows xp

Increase navigation speed
Force mouse pointer to jump to default button of any window that opens

Make your windows xp operating system silent from system sounds
How to turn off system sounds

Customize windows xp
How to change owner and organization

Find useful information (default values) in registry template
Restore values by looking at registry template

Increase computer efficiency
Adjust process priority in Windows task manager

No need for windows messenger?
How to remove Windows xp messenger

Avoid errors while typing
Windows xp:How to enable an alarm sound when Caps Lock is activiated

Automatically play a mp3 dvd or play a dvd in you favourite video player
Customize and automate CD and DVD usage

Customize USB flash removal
How to: Optimize USB flash drive for quick removal

Increase windows xp speed
How to turn off Windows xp indexing service

How to adjust windows xp performance settings
Increase Windows xp performance

Optimize task execution
How to schedule a task to run only when computer is idle

Save time and electricity
When and how to use hibernate and standby mode

Minimize mouse usage to save time
Shortcuts in windows xp

Timesaving tip!
Shortcut to create a folder in windows xp

Increase your knowledge about windows xp calculator
Windows xp calculator explained

Timesaving tip!
How to copy command prompt text

Increase your Windows xp knowledge
How to find out your windows xp�s total uptime

Papersaving tip!
Windows xp: How to print on both sides of a paper

Increase your knowledge about command prompt
5 useful commands within the command prompt

Make "Send to:" more powerful and useful
Windows xp: Customize �Send to�

If you use a third-party zip software, you might want to disable windows xp built in zip support
How to remove windows xp built-in zip support

Powerful tip to fast software execution
Start your favourite programs fast

Customize program folders
Change default program installation folder

Disable annoying notifications
How to remove low diskspace notification

Customize task manager
How to change appearance of task manager

Lock your computer with "windows key + L". Hard to remember that? Create a shortcut.
How to create a shortcut to lock your computer

Remote assistance
How to enable remote assistance
Create shortcut to connect faster to remote computer
Remote assistance with several computers connected to a router

Identify computer hostname
How to find out your computer name

Stop computer from going into hibernation
How to abort going into hibernation

Remove potential security threat
How to turn off CD autorun

Move mouse pointer without mouse
How to use mouse pointer without mouse

Label your picture files in windows explorer
Categorize your pictures

Identify your computer internet protocol adress
Find out your ip address

Broken keyboard or just out of batteries? Use the onscreen keyboard!
On screen keyboard

Share files and folders on your home network
Enable filesharing on network

12. Synchronize

Use this feature when you want to get the latest files from a network you occasionally connect to.
Synchronize folders
How to select a network folder to synchronize
List all offline files and folders

First time users
Make sure you enable windows firewall before connecting to the internet for the first time. Also download and install all security patches, fixes, roll-ups and service packs at windows update.

Windows media center