Category: Windows XP

Sometimes you are told by a software (especially the development tools like Python, GCC etc) to add their folder’s path to the system PATH variable. The effect of adding a folder to the system PATH variable is that when you issue a command in the command line window, or in the Run box, Windows would search all the folders listed in the system PATH variable.

Sometimes you have to rename multiple files in such a away that they all follow same pattern in the file name. For example, files named like TRISH.JPG, TRISH(1).JPG, TRISH(2).JPG and so on. To do you have to follow the given procedure.

Windows XP Professional edition has a tool called Backup Utility using which you can make backups of files and later restore files from backups you made. You can even backup your entire system creating a recovery disk. You can follow the following general steps to use the Backup Utility

You can slipstream latest service pack for Windows XP x86 (32-bit), which is SP3, on the Windows CD itself. The benefit of slipstreaming is that you do not have to separately install it after installing Windows. When you install fresh copy of Windows XP, the SP3 would be installed by itself.

Whenever you are making changes to Windows’ registry, either manually or through some software, its a nice idea to make a backup of registry. This little step can save you from lots of trouble in future, including from having to re-install Windows all over again. If something wrong happens you can restore Windows’ registry from the backup.

The internet is full of eye pleasing beautiful pictures. While surfing the amazing world of internet, if you hit upon a picture you particularly like, such as the following image of the Britney Spears, you can make it your desktop background, so that you can see it whenever you use your computer.

You can add or change the OEM logo you see in System Properties window. You can open System Properties by right-clicking My computer icon and selecting Properties. The OEM logo shown in the System Properties window is a bitmap file (.BMP file) with dimensions 120 pixels x 180 pixels (120 pixels height and 180 pixels width).

Normal way of shutting down Windows (no matter if it is XP, Vista or 7) is clicking on Start Menu button (or orb in Vista and 7) and selecting to shutdown. This way of shutting down may take a considerable time because it waits for all programs to close. You can create a shortcut on your desktop for a faster shutdown.

If get to work with many computers with different passwords, which is true of you work at a computer related company, then you might forget login credentials of one or more computers. Don’t worry, Windows XP allows you to create a password reset disk, using which you can change the password of your account in case you forget it.

The Windows Disk Defragmenter does not defragment the system files which are being used by Windows. For example, the virtual memory file or the page file. Mark Russinovich of System Internals has made a free utility for defragmenting these files.