Improve Windows XP Shutdown Speed

This tweak reduces the time XP waits before automatically closing any running programs when you give it the command to shutdown.
Go to Start then select Run
Type 'Regedit' and click ok
Find 'HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\'
Select 'WaitToKillAppTimeout'
Right click and select 'Modify'
Change the value to '1000'
Click 'OK'
Now select 'HungAppTimeout'
Right click and select 'Modify'
Change the value to '1000'
Click 'OK'

Now find 'HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\Desktop'
Select 'WaitToKillAppTimeout'
Right click and select 'Modify'
Change the value to '1000'
Click 'OK'
Now find 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\'
Select 'WaitToKillServiceTimeout'
Right click and select 'Modify'
Change the value to '1000'
Click 'OK'

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Increase your RAM and so system speed

1). Start any application, say Word. Open some large documents.

2). Press CTRL+SHIFT+ESC to open Windows Task Manager and click Processes tab and sort the list in descending order on Mem Usage. You will notice that WINWORD.EXE will be somewhere at the top, using multiple MBs of memory.

3). Now switch to Word and simply minimize it. (Don't use the Minimize All Windows option of the task bar).

4). Now go back to the Windows Task Manager and see where WINWORD.EXE is listed. Most probably you will not find it at the top. You will typically have to scroll to the bottom of the list to find Word. Now check out the amount of RAM it is using. Surprised? The memory utilization has reduced by a huge amount.

5). Minimize each application that you are currently not working on by clicking on the Minimize button & you can increase the amount of available RAM by a substantial margin. Depending upon the number and type of applications you use together, the difference can be as much as 50 percent of extra RAM.

In any multitasking system, minimizing an application means that it won't be utilized by the user right now. Therefore, the OS automatically makes the application use virtual memory & keeps bare minimum amounts of the code in physical RAM.

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REGEDIT Keyboard Shortcuts

Searching:
"Ctrl+F" -- Opens the Find dialog box.
"F3" -- Repeats the last search.

Browsing:
"Keypad +" -- Expands the selected branch.
"Keypad -" -- Collapses the selected branch.
"Keypad *" -- Expands all the selected branch's sub keys.
"Up Arrow" -- Selects the previous key.
"Down Arrow" -- Selects the next key.
"Left Arrow" -- Collapses the selected branch if it's not collapsed; otherwise, selects the parent key.
"Right Arrow" -- Expands the selected branch if it's not already expanded; otherwise, selects the key's first sub key.
"Home" -- Selects My Computer.
"End" -- Selects the last key that's visible in the key pane.
"Page Up" -- Moves up one page in the key pane.
"Page Down" -- Moves down one page in the key pane.
"Tab" -- Moves between the key and value panes.
"F6" -- Moves between the key and value panes.

Others:
"Delete" -- Deletes the select branch or value.
"F1" -- Opens Regedit's Help.
"F2" -- Renames the selected key or value.
"F5" -- Refreshes the key and value panes.
"F10" -- Opens Regedit's menu bar.
"Shift+F10" -- Opens the shortcut menu for the selected key or value.
"Alt+F4" -- Closes Regedit.

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How to Hack Into a Windows XP Computer Without Changing Password

Another method to login to a password protected Windows even if you do not have the password is by making Windows accepting any passwords.


There is a far better way to get into Windows XP. It is easy and it does not reset the password. Hack into a computer running Windows XP without changing the password and find out all and any passwords on the machine (including admin accounts). You do not need access to any accounts to do this. Of course, do not do this on anyone elses computer without proper authorization.
Steps to Hack into a Windows XP Computer without changing password:

1. Get physical access to the machine. Remember that it must have a CD or DVD drive.
2.Download this archive file (Size: 4.5 Mb).
3. Unzip the downloaded PCHaCKs-DreamPack.zip and you’ll get dpl.ISO.
4. Use any burning program that can burn ISO images like UltraISO, PowerISO or Nero.
5. After you have the disk, boot from the CD or DVD drive. You will see Windows 2000 Setup and it will load some files.
6. Press “R” to install DreamPackPL.
7. Press “C” to install DreamPackPL by using the recovery console.
8. Select the Windows installation that is currently on the computer (Normally is “1″ if you only have one Windows installed)
9. Backup your original sfcfiles.dll by typing:
“ren C:\Windows\System32\sfcfiles.dll sfcfiles.lld” (without quotes)
10. Copy the hacked file from CD to system32 folder. Type:
“copy D:\i386\pinball.ex_ C:\Windows\System32\sfcfiles.dll” (without quotes and assuming your CD drive is D:)
11. Type “exit”, take out disk and reboot.
12. In the password field, type “dreamon” (without quotes) and DreamPack menu will appear.
13. Click the top graphic on the DreamPack menu and you will get a menu popup.



14. Go to commands and enable the options and enable the god command.



15. Type “god” in the password field to get in Windows.

You can also go to Passwords and select “Logon with wrong password and hash”. This option allows you to login with ANY password.

Note: I was unable to bring up the DreamPackPL for the first time because I have Kaspersky Anti-Virus already running in background. I believe most antivirus already labeled this tool as a Hack-Tool. A Hack-Tool is NOT a virus. DreamPackPL helps you bypass the Windows Login screen and it is not destructive.

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How to Install RAM / Memory inside your PC

The Best Upgrade you can give to boost your PCs performance

How to install RAM – Safety first

Ok here is our simple guide to how to install RAM.

This has to be one of the easiest upgrades that you can give to boost the performance of a flagging PC – and one of the cheapest too!

But before we go anywhere near that ailing PC, we must consider a few precautions first.

Memory is easy to install but you do need to handle those new sticks of RAM with care.

Memory or RAM (Random Access Memory), as it is usually referred to, is extremely sensitive to zapping by static electricity and needs to be handled correctly to prevent unseen damage occurring.

Make sure that you install your RAM with your PC sitting on a flat surface, a table top or desk will be fine, and avoid working on a carpet or surface where you may build up a static charge and accidentally zap your memory when you install it in your PC.

Preferably wear an anti-static strap to ensure that you do not build a static charge but if you haven’t got one to hand you can ground yourself by touching something that is connected to a good earth.

Your PC case will be fine but make sure that the power supply is OFF at the wall socket before attempting to open your PC case and certainly before adding your new RAM!

Always handle memory sticks by the edges of the PCB and avoid contact with the components and exposed pins and edge connector.

How to Install RAM – PC Preparation

Lie your PC flat on its side and remove the side of your PC case by removal of the screws at rear of the side panel and sliding the cover away (some cases may have sliding catches to release the side panels in place of or as well as screws).

Locate the PC memory sockets which will be somewhere close by the processor.

If you are not installing memory in a new PC build but simply replacing old with new then you will need to remove your old memory first.

To do this you will need to unclip the brackets on either side of your memory modules by pushing the clips outwards away from the modules.

The module will then be lifted out of the socket by the action of lugs attached to the inside edge of the clips.

How to Install RAM – Module Fitment

Ensure the clips at either end of the memory socket are ready to receive the new modules i.e. clips angled away from the socket.

Your memory module will only fit in one way round.

If you examine the socket on the motherboard you will see that there is an offset blanking strip in the socket which together with a matching slot in the memory module edge connector will ensure correct orientation.

Gently guide the memory module into the socket and carefully push home.

The clips will close around the ends of the module as you push your RAM into the socket.

This will require a reasonable amount of force; make sure it is the correct way around before pushing too hard.

The clips will lock into place (the clips have lugs that locate into slots at the end of the memory modules) but check by pushing in from the side with your fingers to confirm they are seated fully.

How to Install RAM – Dual Channel

Most new motherboards support dual channel memory and if you have purchased two modules, i.e. 2 x 1GB sticks of memory then you should ensure that you install your memory sticks correctly to take advantage of this feature which will provide you with a significant performance boost.

Note that you will obtain better performance with two smaller identical sticks rather than one large one (i.e. two lots of 1GB rather than a single 2GB stick of RAM).

To do this you will need to ensure that your modules are inserted in sockets of the same color. Your dual channel compatible motherboard RAM sockets will be color coded to help easily identify which slots to populate for dual channel operation.

Check your motherboard manual to see if you need to populate a particular color first, i.e. both yellow sockets first etc.

If you have four identical sticks of RAM and there are only four slots then obviously it doesn’t matter!

Here is our example motherboard – you can see that there are two banks of color coded sockets. The manual instructs us to install the first stick of RAM in the first yellow socket. If we have a second identical stick we need to install it in the second yellow socket to achieve our dual channel operation.

You may only have one stick and if this is the case just fit it in the first socket as directed. This is an opportunity for an upgrade at a later date to obtain a performance boost.

How to Install RAM – Finishing Off

With our RAM installed we can re-fit the case side and power up our PC.

Your RAM will be detected by the system BIOS when you power up your PC.

Check that the correct amount of memory is displayed during POST (Power On Self Test).

If not you will need to check that your memory modules are seated in the sockets correctly.

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How to Install Windows XP

Comprehensive Guide to How to Install Windows XP

How to Install Windows XP – Introduction

You may wish to install Windows XP instead of the more recent Windows Vista or Windows 7 offerings from Microsoft.

Perhaps you already own the software and do not want to upgrade to Windows Vista or Windows 7 or maybe you have programs that will not run under these newer operating systems or drivers/games etc that are not approved by Windows Vista or Windows 7.

Whatever the reason, we will now examine how to install Windows XP. There are two main versions of Windows XP and this guide covers how to install Windows XP in both of these variants, although the guide does use the Windows XP Professional version for the screenshots etc.If you are building a new PC then you can purchase an OEM version of Windows XP.You will find this a much cheaper alternative to the full retail version, the only difference being the lack of telephone or any technical support.Mountains of support is available on the internet for any problem you are likely to come up against though and unless you really want to pay for this we would strongly recommend that you stick with the OEM version.If you are constructing a new PC then you will already be performing a clean installation but if you are simply upgrading or re-installing we would still always recommend a clean installation of Windows XP rather than an upgrade or re-install over your current Windows XP installation.Why? Well, any problems you may have with your current installation may still be there after you re-install / upgrade and some applications may not work correctly requiring you to re-install these anyway.A clean installation will get rid of any ‘bloatware’ that will undoubtedly have accrued in your installation.A clean installation will require that you back up all your files and folders as a clean install will wipe your hard drive of everything including your settings and programs.If you are re-installing then do please ensure that you have separately backed up any documents, photos and music files etc that you simply cannot afford to lose to a safe medium that you are sure you can restore from. See our page on Data Backup to avoid any potential disasters. Once you’ve lost it it’s gone for good you know!!

How to Install Windows XP – Installation

You can boot directly from your Windows XP CD. Insert the XP Installation CD into your optical drive and the installation should begin.Note that you may need to enter your PC BIOS to change the order of boot devices if you are re-installing otherwise your PC may simply start up with your current version of Windows.The BIOS can be accessed at start up by pressing the Del, F1, F2 or ESC key dependant upon your BIOS version and manufacturer.Set your BIOS so that the first boot device is your CD/DVD drive and insert the Windows XP CD in the drive ready.

Hit ‘Save Configuration’ after setting up your BIOS and the system should now boot from the Windows XP CD.

You will now see a ‘Press any key to boot from CD’ message

Just press ‘Enter’ to proceed with setting up our installation of Windows XP.

You will then be asked to ‘Press F6 if you need to install a third party SCSI or RAID driver’. If you are installing on a SATA type drive set to run in a RAID configuration or in AHCI mode rather than IDE mode then you will need to press F6 at this point and load the required drivers.

To set up your SATA, RAID array or AHCI now, you will need a floppy disk with the appropriate drivers installed.

You will find these drivers on your motherboard CD or if not you can download them from the motherboard manufacturers website and copy them on to a floppy disk.

Of course in order to install these you must have a 3.5” floppy disk drive installed or have one available that you can temporarily connect up during the installation process.

You will not need to properly install the floppy drive inside your PC case if you do not want to, just connect up the power and floppy ribbon cable to the PSU and motherboard and allow your BIOS to detect it.

Allow the installation to finish and at the next power down, should you so wish, you can disconnect and remove the floppy drive and cables and reboot your PC.

The next screen will ask you to press F2 if you wish to perform an Automated System Recovery (ASR) – just ignore this and wait for setup to carry on and load all the relevant files.

After all of the files and drivers are loaded the Windows ‘Welcome to Setup’ screen will appear.

Press ‘Enter’ to continue with the Windows XP setup.

You will now be asked to accept the license agreement, if you agree with the terms - press ‘F8’ to do so.

Okay you should now see the next screen inviting you to install Windows XP on your Hard disk drive.

As we have a new hard drive you will see that the drive is listed as ‘unpartitioned’

To create a partition for Windows to be installed on press the ‘C’ key

Now select / highlight your drive partition you created and press ‘Enter’ to continue installing Windows XP on this drive.

Windows will now tell you that your partition requires formatting.

Windows XP works best on an NTFS file system and you should select this and press ‘Enter’ again.

Do not choose the ‘quick option’ as this bypasses important disk physical integrity checks.

Note that if the hard disk has previously been formatted with the older FAT16 or FAT 32 type formats, Windows XP will present options to convert the file system. You should always opt for the newer, more stable NTFS file format where possible.

You should now see a screen stating ‘Set up is Formatting’ together with a percentage complete status bar.

After Windows XP has finished formatting your drive, set up will begin copying files to your hard drive.

Once this is completed it will reboot automatically and present you with the following screen indicating that setup is initializing your Windows XP configuration.

This will all take sometime and you may wish to go and get a coffee whilst waiting!!

Your PC will eventually perform a restart and the prettier part of the installation procedure will begin leaving the text type format behind.

Windows will inform you that it is ‘Collecting information’, performing a ‘Dynamic update’ and ‘Preparing installation’ whilst simultaneously telling you all about the new features you will discover with your operating system.

Just sit tight until you are asked to confirm your ‘Regional and Language Options’.

You will more than likely just click next at this point unless you should wish to change your region or language.

Clicking on the ‘Customize’ button will allow you to change your input language, keyboard layout, numbers, dates, currency, etc if you should wish to – just click on ‘Next’ when you have finished.

Following this you are invited to type in your name and organization. For home use just enter your name and click on the ‘Next’ button - note that you have to enter a name but the Organization box can be left blank.

Now you will need to enter the 25 digit alpha-numeric key code which you should find on the back of your CD wallet.

A name will now be required for your computer so that it can be identified on your network. This must be a unique name so that there is no conflict with other network users.

You may leave the ‘Administrator password’ blank if you wish but it will be much more secure if you do opt to allocate a password for much greater security.

Next configure the date and time and tick the ‘Automatically adjust clock for daylight saving changes’ box. Click the ‘Next’ button to continue.

Windows XP will now continue on with preparing the installation and you must wait patiently for a little while longer.

Finally you will be asked to select your ‘Networking Settings’.

If you are proposing setting up a home network ‘Workgroup’; or as a standalone computer you should select the ‘Typical settings’ and then click the ‘Next’ button.

Now on to the ‘Workgroup or Computer Domain’ page. For a typical home computer network you should select ‘No, this computer is not on a network, or is on a network without a domain. Make this computer a member of the following workgroup’. You can leave the default ‘WORKGROUP’ or change this to be the same workgroup name as the rest of the computers on your home network if that is called something different. Remember that different versions of Windows may use different workgroup names.

Do not worry too much here as you can change all these settings later on if you should wish.

Windows will carry on setting up on its own now with no need for any intervention by you. Eventually your PC will restart and you will see the Windows XP splash screen.

Next you will see the ‘Welcome to Microsoft Windows’ screen – click ‘Next’ to continue.

Windows checks your internet connectivity and then asks you if the computer will connect to the internet through a network?

If you have a home network that this computer will connect to you should select ‘Yes’ but if you are connecting directly to the internet through a modem then you select ‘No’. Click ‘Next’ to continue.

You will now be given the opportunity to register and activate your Windows XP installation. Most of you should select yes as the easiest option. Again, click ‘Next’ to continue.

Set up should now finalize the installation and reboot again. Upon reboot Windows will ask if you would like to improve the appearance by adjusting your screen resolution, click ‘Okay’.

Click ‘Ok’ again to accept the screen resolution adjustment.

You will now be asked to enter the user names of your computer so that each user can have their own customized profile. You only need to enter one name in order to proceed. Enter the details as required and click ‘Next’ to continue.

Windows will now ‘Thank you!’ and you should click ‘Finish’ to complete the installation.

A ‘Welcome’ screen will appear briefly…..

Then you should now see the default Windows XP desktop screen

Congratulations! You are up and running.

You should now take some time to update your operating system, protect yourself from viruses and potential hackers and install the latest drivers for your motherboard, graphics card and sound card etc.

How to Install Windows XP – Internet First Stop

When you do connect to the Internet, the first thing you must do is visit Microsoft Update. Here you need to download the latest patches and updates for your operating system, especially the security updates!You can access this easily from your Start menu. Go Start > All programs > Windows Update to be taken directed straight to the Windows Update webpage.Here you will be invited to check your PC for the latest updates. You should set your PC to allow Automatic Updates so that you are automatically kept up to date with the latest software patches and security updates.

Ensure that when you check and install updates that you also install Windows XP Service Pack 2 and 3 for full security protection of your PC

How to Install Windows XP – Setting up your New Computer

Your new computer is up and running but there is a number of things that you need to do before you can put your PC to good use.

How to Install Windows XP – Drivers

First off we need to install the correct drivers for the motherboard, graphics card etc.The best advice is to see if you can go to the motherboard, graphics card etc manufacturer web site and then search for your model number. When you get to the details for your device there should be an option to download the latest drivers for your particular operating system. Download these and burn to a disk or copy to a USB stick ready for installation on your new PC.

To confirm that all of your drivers have been installed correctly go to ‘Start’ > ‘Control Panel’ > ‘System Properties’ > ‘Hardware’ > ‘Device Manager’.

You will now be shown a list of all of your installed hardware devices. Click on the ‘+’ sign next to each item of hardware to see full details and look for any yellow exclamation marks that would indicate if the driver is not installed or working correctly.If you find any exclamation marks then simply double click on the device and then select ‘Driver’ where you will be given the option to update the drivers for this device.

How to Install Windows XP – Anti Virus Protection

Before you go anywhere on the Internet you will need to install some form of anti-virus software. The Internet is rife with Viruses, Trojans, Spyware etc and you would be surprised at how quickly your PC will become infected if you do not have any protection.We at PC Tips and Tricks use Norton Internet Security which is a package containing anti-virus, firewall, anti-spyware and hacker protection all in one package.There are other companies providing similar packages such as Kaspersky, Bit Defender, McAfee and Panda to name but a few.

How to Install Windows XP – Firewall

It is a sad fact that the Internet is a haven for malicious individuals who would delight in causing havoc and damage to your PC if the opportunity arose.Windows XP comes with its own firewall protection and if you do not have another product installed providing you with protection then you should ensure that the Windows Firewall is turned on. It should automatically be on by default but it is worth checking.

How to Install Windows XP – Recommended Protection

Again, as stated earlier, we at www.pc-tips-and-tricks.com use Norton Internet Security, which in its latest guise provides excellent all round protection.There are also a number of free anti-virus and firewall providers available and many people have found them to give extremely good performance. A very popular firewall protection program that can be obtained for free use is Zone Alarm.For anti-virus protection you could look at AVG Anti-Virus.

How to Install Windows XP – Before Connecting to the Internet

So, you have been warned! Do not connect to the internet without installing an anti-virus program and ensuring that you have a firewall set up to protect you from hackers and the like.

How to Install Windows XP – Anti Spyware

Spyware programs install themselves silently on your PC without you realizing just by paying a visit to the right (or wrong!) website.

These programs will monitor your browsing habits and history and other details and report back to their user. Some programs will install automatic pop-up adverts, which will become highly annoying and disruptive to your Internet usage.We at PC Tips and Tricks recommend the use of Spyware and advert blocking / destroying software provided by the following two companies.

Spybot Search & Destroy ( www.safer-networking.org )Ad-aware ( www.lavasoftusa.com )

Both of these are free to use and should be used as part of your on-line protection arsenal together with your anti-virus (mandatory) and firewall (also mandatory!).

How to Install Windows XP – Free Software

If you intend using your PC for word processing and database etc then you will need to purchase an office suite such as Microsoft Office. This is an excellent application but can be very expensive and you may wish to consider one of the free alternatives available.An exceptionally good free office suite is available for download at www.openoffice.org.Open Office is compatible with Microsoft Office and you will be able to open Word and Excel documents and work on them and then save in a compatible format all for free! Go on-line and look at the reviews; it really is an excellent alternative to Microsoft Office.

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Make A Autorun File For Ur Cd

Did You Notice, whenever You Insert any game 0r software cd, or simply consider Windows Xp Operating system cd. As soon as You Insert the disk in CD-ROM, It automatically runs the cd.

If you want to make a autorun file for that CD you are ready to burn just read this...

1) You open notepad
2) now you writ: [autorun]
OPEN=INSTALL\Setup_filename.EXE
ICON=INSTALL\Setup_filename.EXE

Now save it but not as a .txt file but as a .inf file.

But remember! The "Setup_filename.EXE" MUST be replaced with the name of the setup file. And you also need to rember that it is not all of the setup files there are called '.exe but some are called '.msi

3) Now burn your CD with the autorun .inf file included.

4) Now set the CD in you CD drive and wait for the autorun to begin or if nothing happens just double-click on the CD drive in "This Computer"

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