Cool windows xp tips, tricks & hacks

We all know how famous is windows xp, There are so many tricks to explore like adding some buttons to right click etc.., To do these tricks you do not require any external softwares. So lets explore some of the tricks and hacks.

 Note: Some of the tricks may require administrative privileges and may also require to modify your windows registry, So please make a back up of your registry.

1) Add "Open New Window" to right click:
The trick to do is pretty clear and simple. Just navigate to Registry by Start > Run > type regedit.
- From the opened registry window navigate to "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell".
- Now right click on "shell" and select "key" and create a new key named "Open in New Window". 
- Now right click on "Open in New Window" and create a sub key named "Command".
- Now in the right window double click on "default" and set the value data as "explorer %1"

That's it you're done. In any case if you wish to undo the changes just delete the created values.
2) Add item to "SendTo" menu:
This more simple trick which don't require any registry editing
- Simply navigate to My Computer > double-click the drive where Windows is installed, which is usually drive C. 
- Double-click Documents and Settings" and again Double-click "particular user(in my case it is "vamsi")".
- Now open "SendTo" folder and create a new shortcut by Right click on blank space > New > Shortcut.
- Click "Browse" and select a "Drive/Folder/File" to add to "SendTo" menu.
- Click "Finish" and you're done.

Note: Generally the "SendTo" folders is kept hidden by default, To unhide the folder just go to "Documents and Settings" and navigate to Tools > Folder Options and check the radio button "Show hidden files and folders". Now you can see all the hidden files and folders.(Click here to see How to image)

3) Clear "Open With" menu:
When you right click on a file or program and select "Open With" you will see a bunch of programs to open a program, One time or other you may see unwanted recommended programs list in open with. Fortunately their is a way to to clean.
In windows xp the "open with" listing of a file type is stored in

"HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Explorer \ FileExts \\ OpenWithList

"HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Explorer \ FileExts \ \ OpenWithProgIDs

"HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.\ OpenWithList

"HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.\ OpenWithProgIDs

"HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\\OpenWithList

 So, Now you know the registry locations, If you want to remove any unwanted listing select the progid in right pan and right click on it and click delete.

4) View Thumbnails bigger in XP:
This is small registry hack by which you can make your thumbnails bigger in windows xp.
- Open Registry by Start > Run > type regedit.
- Navigate to "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer"
- Now look for the DWORD value "ThumbnailSize".
- If you find the DWORD value skip this step aand if you din't find the value follow this step. Right click on the right-pan "New > DWORD value > name it as "ThumbnailSize"(No spaces between the name).
- Now double click on "ThumbnailSize" now enter the "value data" of your own.

Note: If you choose the base as Decimal then the min value is 32 and max is 256, If you use Hexadecimal the min is 20 and max is 100.
That's it it your are good to change the default thumbnail size in XP.

5) Manage windows XP start-up:
If you many programs at windows start-up it may slow down you system performance so remove some unwanted start-up programs which in return gives you faster booting time an good system performance.
- Open System Configuration Utility" by Start > Run > type msconfig.
- Now click in "Start up" tab and deselect unwanted programs and click ok.
That's it your done with removing unwanted programs at start-up.

Note: To modify these setting you may require administrative privileges.

6) Remove shortcut arrow:
You may be wondered about how to remove shortcut arrow from desktop icons, please follow the steps ;-)
- Open Registry by Start > Run > type regedit.
- Navigate to "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile" (l = L and not i) 
- just delete the DWORD value "IsShortcut"

You're done.

7) End Unresponsive tasks automatically:
It is very frustrating when the system freezes due to unresponsive programs and you have to wait until the system is online or until you end the unresponsive task. As for me it is good to end the unresponsive task automatically after some milliseconds, So to do that follow this steps.
- Open Registry by Start > Run > type regedit.
- Navigate to "HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Control Panel/Desktop" 
- Double-click on "AutoEndTasks" and change the "value data" to "1".

- Now Double-click on "WaitToKillAppTimeout" and change the "value data" to number of milliseconds you want XP to wait before terminating the unresponsive application. Then, click OK.

That's it your done.

8)Limit the system usage time of a particular user:
If you wish to set a time-limit to a particular user use this,
- Open Command prompt by Start > Run > type cmd.
- Now use this command "net user /time:
Example: net user vamsi /time:M-F, 08:00-20:00
By this you can let a user called "vamsi" to login from Monday to Friday on 8AM - 8PM or you can also specify single days like this
"net user vamsi /times:M-F,5am-8pm;Sa,11am-12pm;Su,6am-12am" 
If you wish to disable this time limit just follow this command
"net user accountname/times:all" 
That's it you'r done.
Note: Specify the days as "M,T,W,Th,F,Sa,Su"

9)Disable "Send Error Report":
To disable "send error report to microsoft" every time a program crashes do this,
- Open control panel > Performance and Maintenance > System.
- Now click on advanced tab > Error Reporting.
- Now check the radio button "Disable Error Reporting" and click ok. 

10) Create your own logon massege:
To create your own logon meassege folloe these steps,
- Open Registry by Start > Run > type regedit.
- Navigate to "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon"
- Now Right-click LegalNoticeCaption > click Modify > type your caption and then click OK.
- Now Right-click LegalNoticeText > click Modify > type your message and then click OK.

That's it you done.