Windows XP Hacks
Windows XP Hacks 100 Industrial-Strength Tips & Tools By Preston Gralla
August 2003
Pages: 412

| Table of Contents | Index | Sample Hacks | Colophon

Table of Contents

  1. Chapter 1 Startup and Shutdown

    1. Hacks #1-7

    2. Customize Multiboot Startup Options

    3. Change the Picture that Appears on the XP Startup Screen

    4. Speed Up Boot and Shutdown Times

    5. Halt Startup Programs and Services

    6. Create Multiple Startup Profiles with Advanced Startup Manager

    7. Miscellaneous Startup and Shutdown Hacks

    8. Control User Logins by Hacking the Registry

  2. Chapter 2 The User Interface

    1. Hacks #8-20

    2. Customize the GUI with TweakUI

    3. Control the Control Panel

    4. Hack the Start Menu and Taskbar

    5. Clean Up the Most Frequently Used Programs List

    6. Rename and Change "Unchangeable" Desktop Icons and System Objects

    7. Remove "Unremovable" Desktop Icons

    8. Create Your Own XP Themes and Find Thousands Online

    9. Give XP a Makeover with WindowBlinds

    10. Hacking Your Way Through the Interface

    11. Remove "Uninstallable" XP Utilities

    12. Create Transparent Windows

    13. Make Your Own Cursors and Icons

    14. Windows XP to Windows 2000: Retro is Cool

  3. Chapter 3 Windows Explorer

    1. Hacks #21-32

    2. Generating Folder and File Listingsfor Printing or Editing

    3. Control Windows Explorer with Command-Line Shortcuts

    4. Empower Windows Explorer with PowerDesk

    5. Better File Rename

    6. Find Files Faster by Mastering the Indexing Service's Query Language

    7. Hiding Folders and Files with the Encrypting File System

    8. Forcing Windows Explorer Into True Usefulness

    9. Customize Folder Icons and Balloon Text

    10. A Power User's Hidden Weapon: Improve the Context Menu

    11. Take Your Work on the Go with Offline Files and the Briefcase

    12. Get More Hard Disk Space by Using NTFS Compression

    13. Put a Command-Line Prompt on Your Desktop

  4. Chapter 4 The Web

    1. Hacks #33-41

    2. Stop Pop Ups, Spyware, and Web Bugs

    3. Take a Bite Out of Cookies

    4. Read Web Pages Offline

    5. Better Internet Searching from Your Desktop

    6. Hack Internet Explorer with the Group Policy Editor

    7. Speed Up File Downloads

    8. Surf Anonymously Without a Trace

    9. Secrets of Web Site Hosting with Internet Information Services (IIS)

    10. Run Java Applets Without Crashes or Problems

  5. Chapter 5 Networking

    1. Hacks #42-62

    2. War Driving for WiFi Access

    3. Test Your Security with Shields Up!

    4. Tweak DNS Settings for Faster Internet Access

    5. Fix Windows Media Player's Privacy Problems

    6. Protect Your Computer with the Internet Connection Firewall

    7. Use a Proxy Server to Protect Your PC

    8. ZoneAlarm: The World's Best Free Firewall

    9. Optimize Your Residential Gateway

    10. Punch an Escape Hole Through Your Firewall

    11. Close Down Open Ports and Block Protocols

    12. Troubleshooting Network Connections with ping, tracert, and pathping

    13. Troubleshooting Network Connections with netsh, netstat, and ipconfig

    14. Speed Up Network Browsing

    15. Extend the Range of Your Wireless Network

    16. Install NetBEUI for Better Peer-to-Peer Networking

    17. Check WiFi Network Performance with QCheck to Help Improve Throughput

    18. Control Another PC with Remote Access

    19. Make Servers Always Available by Mapping a Hostname to a Dynamic IP Address

    20. Renewing Your DHCP-Assigned IP Address

    21. Repair a Broken TCP/IP Connection

    22. Set Up a Virtual Private Network

  6. Chapter 6 Email

    1. Hacks #63-67

    2. Slam That Spam

    3. Open Blocked File Attachments in Outlook and Outlook Express

    4. Back Up and Restore Outlook and Outlook Express Data Files

    5. Fire Outlook and Outlook Express

    6. Retrieve Web-Based Email with Your Email Software

  7. Chapter 7 The Registry

    1. Hacks #68-72

    2. Don't Fear the Registry

    3. Hacking Away at the Registry

    4. Safely Edit the Registry Using .reg Files

    5. Better Registry Backups

    6. Track and Restore Registry Changes with RegSpy

  8. Chapter 8 Basic Utilities

    1. Hacks #73-79

    2. Store Multiple Clips and Boilerplate Text with a Better Clipboard

    3. Speed Up Your Hard Disk by Improving Defragging

    4. Build a Better Backup Strategy

    5. Extending Your Screen Real Estate with Virtual Desktops

    6. Top Screenshot Tips

    7. Going Beyond Messaging with Windows Messenger

    8. Universal Messaging: Trillian Unites AIM, MSN, Yahoo!, and ICQ

  9. Chapter 9 Applications

    1. Hacks #80-85

    2. Remove Unruly Applications and Uninstall Entries

    3. Force XP-Incompatible Applications to Run

    4. Force Older Programs to Use XP Common Controls

    5. Launch Applications with Command-Line Shortcuts

    6. Open and Create Microsoft Documents without Microsoft Office

    7. Stop Hidden Fields in Word from Stealing Your Files and Information

  10. Chapter 10 Graphics and Multimedia

    1. Hacks #86-90

    2. Image Conversion in a Pinch

    3. Problem-Free CD Burning

    4. Save Streaming Music to Your PC

    5. File Sharing without the Spyware

    6. Tips for Making Videos with Windows Movie Maker

  11. Chapter 11 System Performance

    1. Hacks #91-94

    2. Track System Performance with the Performance Console

    3. Getting the Most Out of Your RAM

    4. More Power: Registry Hacks to Speed Up XP

    5. Repair and Recovery with the Recovery Console

  12. Chapter 12 Hardware

    1. Hacks #95-100

    2. Troubleshoot Hardware by Decoding Device Manager Error Messages

    3. Uncover Hidden Hardware with the Device Manager

    4. Check Your PC's Pulse and Tweak It for Better Performance

    5. Remap Your Keyboard

    6. Use ClearType for Better Laptop and LCD Resolution

    7. Networking on the Cheap: Set Up a Direct Cable Connection

  1. Colophon

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