Windows XP Hacks
Windows XP Hacks, Second Edition Tips & Tools for Customizing and Optimizing Your OS By Preston Gralla
February 2005
Pages: 572

| 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 Tweak UI

    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 "Nonremovable" Desktop Icons

    8. Hack Your Way Through the Interface

    9. Remove "Uninstallable" XP Utilities

    10. Make Your PC Work Like a Mac

    11. Create Your Own XP Themes and Find Thousands Online

    12. Give XP a Makeover with WindowBlinds

    13. Make Your Own Cursors and Icons

    14. Instant Linux

  3. Chapter 3 Windows Explorer

    1. Hacks 21-31

    2. Generate Folder and File Listings for Printing or Editing

    3. Control Windows Explorer with Command-Line Shortcuts

    4. Empower Windows Explorer with PowerDesk Pro

    5. Better File Rename

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

    7. Force Windows Explorer into True Usefulness

    8. Customize Folder Icons and Balloon Text

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

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

    11. Get More Hard-Disk Space by Using NTFS Compression

    12. Put a Command-Line Prompt on Your Desktop

  4. Chapter 4 The Web

    1. Hacks 32-48

    2. Give Internet Explorer a Face-Lift

    3. Stop Pop Ups with SP2—and Without It

    4. Kill Spyware and Web Bugs

    5. Take a Bite Out of Cookies

    6. Surf Anonymously Without a Trace

    7. Don't Get Reeled In by Phishers

    8. Read Web Pages Offline

    9. Hack Internet Explorer with the Group Policy Editor

    10. Speed Up File Downloads

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

    12. Surf the Internet Ad-Free

    13. Hack Firefox

    14. Build Your Own Firefox Search Engine

    15. Google Your Desktop

    16. Out-Google Google with MSN Desktop Search

    17. Better Internet Searching from Your Desktop

    18. Run Java Applets Without Crashes or Problems

  5. Chapter 5 Networking

    1. Hacks 49-58

    2. Tweak DNS Settings for Faster Internet Access

    3. Optimize Your Home Router

    4. Troubleshoot Network Connections with ping, tracert, and pathping

    5. Troubleshoot Network Connections with netsh, netstat, and ipconfig

    6. Speed Up Network Browsing

    7. Control Another PC with Remote Access

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

    9. Renew Your DHCP-Assigned IP Address

    10. Repair a Broken TCP/IP Connection

    11. VoIP Hacks

  6. Chapter 6 Email

    1. Hacks 59-64

    2. Slam That Spam

    3. Open Blocked File Attachments in Outlook and Outlook Express

    4. Back Up and Restore Outlook and Outlook Express Datafiles

    5. Retrieve Web-Based Email with Your Email Software

    6. Gmail Hacks

    7. Fire Outlook and Outlook Express

  7. Chapter 7 Wireless

    1. Hacks 65-74

    2. Go War-Driving for WiFi Access

    3. Extend the Range of Your Wireless Network

    4. Check WiFi Network Performance with Qcheck to Help Improve Throughput

    5. Protect Your Home WiFi Network

    6. Enable WiFi Encryption

    7. Stop Moochers from Stealing Your WiFi Bandwidth

    8. Solve Hotspot Woes

    9. Set Up Bluetooth on XP

    10. Connect to the Internet with a Bluetooth Phone

    11. Set Up an Ad Hoc WiFi Network

  8. Chapter 8 Security

    1. Hacks 75-82

    2. Hide Folders and Files with the Encrypting File System

    3. Test Your Security with Shields UP!

    4. Protect Your Computer with the New Windows Firewall

    5. ZoneAlarm: The World's Best Free Firewall

    6. Use a Proxy Server to Protect Your PC

    7. Punch an Escape Hole Through Your Firewall

    8. Close Down Open Ports and Block Protocols

    9. Set Up a Virtual Private Network

  9. Chapter 9 The Registry

    1. Hacks 83-87

    2. Don't Fear the Registry

    3. Hack Away at the Registry

    4. Safely Edit the Registry Using .reg Files

    5. Better Registry Backups

    6. Track and Restore Registry Changes with RegSpy

  10. Chapter 10 Applications

    1. Hacks 88-98

    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

    8. Speed Up Your Hard Disk by Improving Defragging

    9. Extend Your Screen Real Estate with Virtual Desktops

    10. Build a Better Backup Strategy

    11. Go Beyond Messaging with Windows Messenger

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

  11. Chapter 11 Graphics and Multimedia

    1. Hacks 99-107

    2. Image Conversion in a Pinch

    3. Problem-Free CD Burning

    4. Save Streaming Music to Your PC

    5. Import Lyrics into iTunes and iPod

    6. Convert from Apple iTunes Format

    7. Use Ogg Vorbis for Digital Music

    8. Hack Windows Media Player with TweakMP

    9. Fix Windows Media Player's Privacy Problems

    10. Make Videos with Windows Movie Maker

  12. Chapter 12 System Performance

    1. Hacks 108-114

    2. Track System Performance with the Performance Console

    3. Get the Most Out of Your RAM

    4. More Power: Registry Hacks to Speed Up XP

    5. Repair and Recover with the Recovery Console

    6. Speed Up System Performance with the Task Manager

    7. Hack Your Way to a Cleaner Hard Disk

    8. Fix SP2 Upgrade Woes

  13. Chapter 13 Hardware

    1. Hacks 115-120

    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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