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The Run command shortcut in Windows XP Start Menu enables you to run any command or program by entering the program path name in the Run dialog. But you can also access the Run dialog using the Windows hotkey Windows logo key + R. This makes the shortcut in the Start Menu almost useless. If you prefer to use the hotkey, then you may want to remove the Run shortcut from the Start Menu.

Windows XP highlights newly installed programs in the Start Menu using pale yellow color. This can be useful feature to instantly know where your newly installed program’s shortcuts are. But you can disable it if you want to.

Windows XP shows the shortcuts to recently used programs in the modern style of the Start Menu. The default number of recently used programs shown is six. But you can change how many recently used programs, if you want to.

Windows XP shows the shortcuts of programs with large icons in the modern style of the Start Menu. If you want to change the icon size of the shortcuts on the Start Menu, you can easily do that.

Windows XP has many eye pleasing visual effects. But you have to choose from some of them depending on the capability of your hardware. If your system is sluggish and you do not have enough RAM, then you should cut down on the visual effects to boost your system performance.

Windows XP themes can be shown in three basic color schemes

In Windows XP you can use your collection of pictures as a screen saver. You have to select a folder containing your pictures only. You can select various options on how those pictures will be displayed.

In the Windows versions prior to Windows XP, the Control Panel shortcut was shown inside the My Computer. This has changed since Windows XP. But if you want to access the Control Panel right from the My Computer, you can do that.

Windows XP Control Panel has two views – category and classic. The category view lists items grouped according to their behavior or functionality. The classic view lists all the items in the same window. You can toggle between the two views easily.

The Control Panel in the modern Start Menu of Windows XP is shown as a link. But if you want to show it as an expandable menu, then you can do so very easily. This way you can select a Control Panel item right from the Start Menu.