+- The Lurker Lounge Forums (https://www.lurkerlounge.com/forums)
+-- Forum: The Lurker Lounge (https://www.lurkerlounge.com/forums/forum-4.html)
+--- Forum: The Lounge (https://www.lurkerlounge.com/forums/forum-12.html)
+--- Thread: Fighting Windows XP (/thread-10638.html)
Fighting Windows XP - Jarulf - 07-23-2003
Hi,
Having recently got myself a new computer were I had Windows XP already installed for me, I have spent a good time trying to customize it in a way I like, shutting of and on various things and so on. However, there are still a few things that has simply stomped me and that I canât figure out how to handle, get rid of or change. So I thought someone here might be able to help some.
First, regarding the hard drives and CD (although it is probably too late since I have already installed from the CD (it is a DVD player really). It labels the main hard disk C, the DVD drive D. Then I had my second old hard disk that I put in, it has three partitions. Obviously I wanted them to be D; E and F. However, the DVD player stayed D and they ended up E; F and G. IS there a simple way to change that?
Second. Regarding the CD player (DVD player but also a second CD burner I have). Were do I turn of the feature that autorun the discs I insert? I hate that. Even worse, it tries to analyze the content and at times pop up all sort of windows asking what to do with mixed content and such. I hate it, I donât want Windows to do anything with new CDs I insert. I recall tweakui usable for such things in older versions. Does something similar exist for Windows XP?
Third, there seem to exist some auto feature that pops up in the sys tray. It apparently checks if I am getting low on free space on hard disks. That is obviously handy WHILE saving/copying files to a drive. However, it does it all the time. Thus, every 30 second up pops a small window telling me I am out of space on the F drive (not that I want to but it canât even identify space to free). Now, I *know* that. I use it to store various files as a sort of archive. I have no intention of freeing anything, nor changing anything. I wonât free up space to get rid of it. So the question is, how do I turn of this highly annoying thing. It even gets in the way of some programs.
How can I make the explorer (not internet explorer), not customize the content it show for a directory depending on what files it find. I do for example NOT want info such as author, length and bitrate to show up for mp3 files. ON the other hand I most definitely want to see the file creation date that it does not show. Sure, I can go in and change the format, I can tell it to use it for all files/folders of the same sort. I can tell it to use the same for all folders and so on. Nothing helps, it never turn out well and it always go on doing it its own way anyway. At times one can do it for the folder and all subfolders. However, that does not work on the root of a hard drive (so I need to make it on all folders on each hard drive for example). IN addition, even if it seems to remember some settings for showing folders, it NEVER remembers the width I set for those fields, meaning every time I open it up, I have to resize the name filed so I see the whole names and not just the first part of the names. And finally, how does one make it remember the folders I was last in, now, every time I start it, it starts with all folders collapsed and in My documents folder (that I really hate using and try to avoid). I then have to open my computer, the hard disc I want to go to and so on. Much better if it remembered the layout when I exited. Can one do that?
Since Windows came already installed (it is a sort of work computer although my own), they of course also set up an account for me (well it is just an admin account and no, I donât run various sort of accounts and so on and yes, it is Home edition of Windows). Anyway, they used my real name here, which I donât like. It has a few consequences. I can change the user account name, BUT the files for settings and such remain as a folder named âpedroâ. Can one change that? Or do I need to make a completely new account named something else and then remove this account? How do I make sure all settings and everything else that seems to exist in the âpedroâ folder is made the same on the new account?
In addition, they seem to have used my full name âPedro Fariaâ as the name when Windows ask for it upon installation. IN addition, the company name was entered in the âorganizationâ filed. Hence most programs that I install, fetches that as default and pre-enters it for name and organization and I have to change it. No big deal but I would like to remove/change the name and organization for something more anonymous (I tend to use âEgoâ or something else). Can it be done? And while at it, why the heck do some programs require you to fill in an organization? What should a person do (except making up something) when it is required to fill in that field? Stupid designers.
I probably forgot a few questions. Will post them as I recall them :)
Any other tips for things to look out for or change? Or small programs to use to tweaking Windows and its environment?
Ohh, by the way, those that remember that old thread, I have finally finished Planescape: Torment. It was a very good game!!!
Fighting Windows XP - pakman - 07-23-2003
http://www.blackviper.com/WinXP/servicecfg.htm.
This turns off many of the "features" that comes with XP. One of the most notable is the ET phone home feature of WMP, and the auto-updates.
It may not answer many of your questions, but it will make your comptuer run faster because XP is a RAM hog.
Fighting Windows XP - DatAsian - 07-23-2003
I'm on a Windows 95 computer right now so I'll try to remember...hehe. Silly university.
Quote:First, regarding the hard drives and CD (although it is probably too late since I have already installed from the CD (it is a DVD player really). It labels the main hard disk C, the DVD drive D. Then I had my second old hard disk that I put in, it has three partitions. Obviously I wanted them to be D; E and F. However, the DVD player stayed D and they ended up E; F and G. IS there a simple way to change that?There's a thing under Windows XP called Administrative Tools. You can get to it by right-clicking on the taskbar, properties, then go to the Start Menu options. One of those should have a check box that says "Show Administrative Tool in the Start Menu". Check that and hit okay. Go to it then go to Computer Management or something similar. Under one of those is the drive management. There, you can right-click on your CD drives and hard drive partitions to change drive letters.
Quote:Second. Regarding the CD player (DVD player but also a second CD burner I have). Were do I turn of the feature that autorun the discs I insert? I hate that. Even worse, it tries to analyze the content and at times pop up all sort of windows asking what to do with mixed content and such. I hate it, I donât want Windows to do anything with new CDs I insert. I recall tweakui usable for such things in older versions. Does something similar exist for Windows XP?TweakUI doesn't work too well under Windows XP. There's a tool from Microsoft...it's like TweakUI version 2. It's at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/dow...s/powertoys.asp
That has a spot where it shows the drives and if it should autoplay or not. You can use that to disable (uncheck) your CD drives, zip drives, etc.
Quote:Third, there seem to exist some auto feature that pops up in the sys tray. It apparently checks if I am getting low on free space on hard disks. That is obviously handy WHILE saving/copying files to a drive. However, it does it all the time. Thus, every 30 second up pops a small window telling me I am out of space on the F drive (not that I want to but it canât even identify space to free). Now, I *know* that. I use it to store various files as a sort of archive. I have no intention of freeing anything, nor changing anything. I wonât free up space to get rid of it. So the question is, how do I turn of this highly annoying thing. It even gets in the way of some programs.I'm sure there's a checkbox somewhere. Maybe it's the right-click HD->Properties ...darn WIndows 95 machines. I wanna go home now and get on my WinXP box! =P
Quote:How can I make the explorer (not internet explorer), not customize the content it show for a directory depending on what files it find. I do for example NOT want info such as author, length and bitrate to show up for mp3 files. ON the other hand I most definitely want to see the file creation date that it does not show. Sure, I can go in and change the format, I can tell it to use it for all files/folders of the same sort. I can tell it to use the same for all folders and so on. Nothing helps, it never turn out well and it always go on doing it its own way anyway. At times one can do it for the folder and all subfolders. However, that does not work on the root of a hard drive (so I need to make it on all folders on each hard drive for example). IN addition, even if it seems to remember some settings for showing folders, it NEVER remembers the width I set for those fields, meaning every time I open it up, I have to resize the name filed so I see the whole names and not just the first part of the names. And finally, how does one make it remember the folders I was last in, now, every time I start it, it starts with all folders collapsed and in My documents folder (that I really hate using and try to avoid). I then have to open my computer, the hard disc I want to go to and so on. Much better if it remembered the layout when I exited. Can one do that?I think if you right-click on the top bar that has the Author/Title/stuff, you can uncheck the boxes you don't want to see and check the boxes that you want ot see. Creation date should be one of the options. Set it up to the way you want it, then go to Tools->Folder Options. Then just go to the 2nd tab and use the All Folders button to make that folder apply to all folders.
Quote:Since Windows came already installed (it is a sort of work computer although my own), they of course also set up an account for me (well it is just an admin account and no, I donât run various sort of accounts and so on and yes, it is Home edition of Windows). Anyway, they used my real name here, which I donât like. It has a few consequences. I can change the user account name, BUT the files for settings and such remain as a folder named âpedroâ. Can one change that? Or do I need to make a completely new account named something else and then remove this account? How do I make sure all settings and everything else that seems to exist in the âpedroâ folder is made the same on the new account?
Go to the Control Panel and then go to User Accounts. There's an option to change your name there.
Quote:In addition, they seem to have used my full name âPedro Fariaâ as the name when Windows ask for it upon installation. IN addition, the company name was entered in the âorganizationâ filed. Hence most programs that I install, fetches that as default and pre-enters it for name and organization and I have to change it. No big deal but I would like to remove/change the name and organization for something more anonymous (I tend to use âEgoâ or something else). Can it be done? And while at it, why the heck do some programs require you to fill in an organization? What should a person do (except making up something) when it is required to fill in that field? Stupid designers.Probably not unles you uninstall/reinstall =P
Quote:Any other tips for things to look out for or change? Or small programs to use to tweaking Windows and its environment?
Umm...the only one I do is to browse on my home network. Windows 2k/XP are annoying in that it checks the computer it tries to connect to to see if there's a print job or scheduled task going on and takes up to 30 seconds before it finally decides to connect. It's a registry key...tryin to memorize..heheh....
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/Current Version/Explorer/Remote Something/ {a bunch of numbers}
The other bunch of numbers (there's 2 of 'em under Remote Something or other...)
Once you click on that bunch of numbers it should say Printers or Scheduled Tasks. You can delete those bunch of numbers and the computer won't chekc those anymore =P
I suck at memorization =P
Fighting Windows XP - Erigion - 07-23-2003
Jarulf,Jul 23 2003, 07:28 AM Wrote:Second. Regarding the CD player (DVD player but also a second CD burner I have). Were do I turn of the feature that autorun the discs I insert? I hate that. Even worse, it tries to analyze the content and at times pop up all sort of windows asking what to do with mixed content and such. I hate it, I donât want Windows to do anything with new CDs I insert. I recall tweakui usable for such things in older versions. Does something similar exist for Windows XP?You don't even need TweakUI to stop autoplay in XP. Open up my computer and right click on the optical drive and hit properties. There should be a tab that says "Autoplay" with options for what to do when certain types of CDs or DVDs are first put in.
Fighting Windows XP - Jarulf - 07-24-2003
Erigion,Jul 24 2003, 12:44 AM Wrote:You don't even need TweakUI to stop autoplay in XP. Open up my computer and right click on the optical drive and hit properties. There should be a tab that says "Autoplay" with options for what to do when certain types of CDs or DVDs are first put in.Well, only for things like if it finds pictures, music and such on the CD. You can't turn off the autostart program from running as far as I could see.
To you others, thanks, great stuff. Will look at it as soon as I get time!