Archware Computer Solutions

Archware Computer Solutions Tip of the Month:

You may have the hottest hardware under the sun, but it's nothing if your system isn't running smoothly. After all, it's the little things that make life bearable, and given the undeniable nature of software to be annoying, you'll want to set it up exactly how you like.

To that end, we've taken a dive into the highly chlorinated pool of most commonly used software, and come out itching with some handy hints to make life a little easier. So come, wade with us, the water's fine...

Note that a number of these tips require administrator access to your machine, and you may not (and most likely should not) be able to do them at work!

 
Windows XP SP3
Note for the sake of this tip, the Classic View is used for Control Panel.
 
Turn off Personalized Menus

Microsoft's Personalized Menus was an interesting idea — hide the commands you don't use often to create a more streamlined interface. Unfortunately all it did was annoy users as they couldn't find the menu entry they wanted. To turn them off if you're using the Classic Start menu:
  1. Right-click on the Start button and click on Properties
  2. Click Customize
  3. Scroll to the bottom of the Advanced Start menu options box and un-tick Use Personalized Menus and click OK
You can also get rid of the evil things in Office 2003:
  1. Right-click on a toolbar and choose Customize
  2. Click the Options tab
  3. Check Always show full menus
  4. Click the Close button

Stop Security Center from whining

Security Center, which was introduced with Service Pack 2 and is still very much present in Service Pack 3, likes to tell you all the time that your system is insecure, especially if you've got Automatic Updates turned off, or a firewall or antivirus running that it doesn't recognise. To silence its complaints:

Go to Start > Settings > Control Panel > Security Center

On the left-hand side of the application click the link that says Change the way Security Center alerts me

Uncheck the item(s) causing you grief — either Firewall, Automatic Updates, Virus Protection — then click OK9439,240056061,00.htm


Customise your Start menu

There's a number of options you can choose to make the Start menu a bit friendlier. For example, for faster access to Control Panel applications and your network details, you can expand their entries in the Start menu.

Right-click on an empty space on the task bar, and then click on Properties
Click on the Start Menu tab. Click the active Customize button
If you're using the Classic Start Menu, select Expand Control Panel and Expand Network Connections
If you're using the standard Start Menu, in the Control Panel section select Display as a menu. Network Connections sadly doesn't obey the same behaviour here, but you can do the next best thing and set it to link to the right place — under the Network Connections section, select Link to Network Connections folder
Click OK, then OK again to effect the changes

There's plenty of other options here, so feel free to poke around.

Use proper search

By default, Windows XP hides a bunch of files from the search engine. It also uses a plasticine-looking dog called the "Search Companion" that you'll want to get rid of post haste.

Open Windows Explorer, and hit F3 to open the search panel
Click the Change preferences link, and then the Without an animated screen character link
Click Change preferences again, then click Change files and folders search behavior link and select the Advanced option, then click OK
Expand the newly seen More advanced options section by clicking on it, and make sure Search system folders, Search hidden files and folders and Search subfolders is selected to get the best possible search results


No to all

When moving files, Windows XP will give four options: Yes, Yes to All, No and Cancel. Sometimes though, you want a No to All — to enable this, just hold down SHIFT while clicking No.
 
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Copyright 2008. Archware Computer Solutions.