Windows Xp Hacks

by Gralla, Preston

• ISBN13: 9780596009182
• ISBN10: 0596009186
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-02-01
• Publisher: Oreilly & Associates Inc

Summary

More and more computer owners are looking to get the most out of Windows XP. But it's never been easy to get under the hood of a Windows system, and XP is complex enough to make even seasoned Windows users anxious for help. Our new edition of Windows XP Hacks lets users tweak new features that come with SP2, including the IE pop-up blocker, Windows Firewall, and the new wireless client. And there are hacks for solving SP2 upgrade problems. Readers also will find more hacks for digital media-most notably music, including iTunes-file distribution with BitTorrent, and hacks on high- visibility web software, services and exploits that have emerged since the last edition, such as Gmail, phishing exploits, and the Firefox browser.

Author Biography

Preston Gralla, the author of more than 20 books, is also a freelance journalist and columnist. He has written for major national newspapers and magazines, including PC Magazine, Computerworld, the Los Angeles Times, the Dallas Morning News (where he was the technology columnist), USA Today and several others. A well-known technology expert, Preston has also appeared on many TV and radio programs and networks, including CNN, MSNBC and NPR. In addition, he's won a number of awards for his writing, including for "Best Feature in a Computer Magazine" from the Computer Press Association. He lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts

Table of Contents

Credits	xi
Preface	xv
Chapter 1. Startup and Shutdown	1	(24)
1. Customize Multiboot Startup Options	1	(5)
2. Change the Picture That Appears on the XP Startup Screen	6	(4)
3. Speed Up Boot and Shutdown Times	10	(3)
4. Halt Startup Programs and Services	13	(5)
5. Create Multiple Startup Profiles with Advanced Startup Manager	18	(3)
6. Miscellaneous Startup and Shutdown Hacks	21	(2)
7. Control User Logins by Hacking the Registry	23	(2)
Chapter 2. The User Interface	25	(60)
8. Customize the GUI with Tweak UI	25	(5)
9. Control the Control Panel	30	(6)
10. Hack the Start Menu and Taskbar	36	(2)
11. Clean Up the Most Frequently Used Programs List	38	(4)
12. Rename and Change "Unchangeable" Desktop Icons and System Objects	42	(2)
13. Remove "Nonremovable" Desktop Icons	44	(2)
14. Hack Your Way Through the Interface	46	(4)
15. Remove "Uninstallable" XP Utilities	50	(3)
16. Make Your PC Work Like a Mac	53	(9)
17. Create Your Own XP Themes and Find Thousands Online	62	(4)
18. Give XP a Makeover with Window Blinds	66	(5)
19. Make Your Own Cursors and Icons	71	(5)
20. Instant Linux	76	(9)
Chapter 3. Windows Explorer	85	(40)
21. Generate Folder and File Listings for Printing or Editing	85	(4)
22. Control Windows Explorer with Command-Line Shortcuts	89	(4)
23. Empower Windows Explorer with PowerDesk Pro	93	(3)
24. Better File Rename	96	(2)
25. Find Files Faster by Mastering the Indexing Service's Query Language	98	(5)
26. Force Windows Explorer into True Usefulness	103	(4)
27. Customize Folder Icons and Balloon Text	107	(2)
28. A Power User's Hidden Weapon: Improve the Context Menu	109	(3)
29. Take Your Work on the Go with Offline Files and the Briefcase	112	(6)
30. Get More Hard-Disk Space by Using NTFS Compression	118	(5)
31. Put a Command-Line Prompt on Your Desktop	123	(2)
Chapter 4. The Web	125	(93)
32. Give Internet Explorer a Face-Lift	125	(3)
33. Stop Pop Ups with SP2-and Without It	128	(6)
34. Kill Spyware and Web Bugs	134	(5)
35. Take a Bite Out of Cookies	139	(7)
36. Surf Anonymously Without a Trace	146	(4)
37. Don't Get Reeled In by Phishers	150	(7)
38. Read Web Pages Offline	157	(3)
39. Hack Internet Explorer with the Group Policy Editor	160	(4)
40. Speed Up File Downloads	164	(1)
41. Secrets of Web Site Hosting with Internet Information Services (IIS)	165	(5)
42. Surf the Internet Ad-Free	170	(6)
43. Hack Firefox	176	(7)
44. Build Your Own Firefox Search Engine	183	(5)
45. Google Your Desktop	188	(10)
46. Out-Google Google with MSN Desktop Search	198	(11)
47. Better Internet Searching from Your Desktop	209	(3)
48. Run Java Applets Without Crashes or Problems	212	(6)
Chapter 5. Networking	218	(33)
49. Tweak DNS Settings for Faster Internet Access	218	(4)
50. Optimize Your Home Router	222	(7)
51. Troubleshoot Network Connections with ping, tracert, and pathping	229	(4)
52. Troubleshoot Network Connections with netsh, netstat, and ipconfig	233	(4)
53. Speed Up Network Browsing	237	(2)
54. Control Another PC with Remote Access	239	(2)
55. Make Servers Always Available by Mapping a Hostname to a Dynamic IP Address	241	(2)
56. Renew Your DHCP-Assigned IP Address	243	(1)
57. Repair a Broken TCP/IP Connection	244	(1)
58. VoIP Hacks	245	(6)
Chapter 6. Email	251	(36)
59. Slam That Spam	251	(12)
60. Open Blocked File Attachments in Outlook and Outlook Express	263	(4)
61. Back Up and Restore Outlook and Outlook Express Datafiles	267	(4)
62. Retrieve Web-Based Email with Your Email Software	271	(3)
63. Gmail Hacks	274	(7)
64. Fire Outlook and Outlook Express	281	(6)
Chapter 7. Wireless	287	(52)
65. Go War-Driving for WiFi Access	287	(6)
66. Extend the Range of Your Wireless Network	293	(3)
67. Check WiFi Network Performance with Qcheck to Help Improve Throughput	296	(4)
68. Protect Your Home WiFi Network	300	(10)
69. Enable WiFi Encryption	310	(7)
70. Stop Moochers from Stealing Your WiFi Bandwidth	317	(4)
71. Solve Hotspot Woes	321	(5)
72. Set Up Bluetooth on XP	326	(6)
73. Connect to the Internet with a Bluetooth Phone	332	(3)
74. Set Up an Ad Hoc WiFi Network	335	(4)
Chapter 8. Security	339	(35)
75. Hide Folders and Files with the Encrypting File System	339	(6)
76. Test Your Security with Shields UP!	345	(1)
77. Protect Your Computer with the New Windows Firewall	346	(10)
78. ZoneAlarm: The World's Best Free Firewall	356	(4)
79. Use a Proxy Server to Protect Your PC	360	(4)
80. Punch an Escape Hole Through Your Firewall	364	(6)
81. Close Down Open Ports and Block Protocols	370	(2)
82. Set Up a Virtual Private Network	372	(2)
Chapter 9. The Registry	374	(18)
83. Don't Fear the Registry	374	(8)
84. Hack Away at the Registry	382	(3)
85. Safely Edit the Registry Using .reg Files	385	(3)
86. Better Registry Backups	388	(3)
87. Track and Restore Registry Changes with RegSpy	391	(1)
Chapter 10. Applications	392	(38)
88. Remove Unruly Applications and Uninstall Entries	392	(3)
89. Force XP-Incompatible Applications to Run	395	(4)
90. Force Older Programs to Use XP Common Controls	399	(1)
91. Launch Applications with Command-Line Shortcuts	400	(4)
92. Open and Create Microsoft Documents Without Microsoft Office	404	(1)
93. Stop Hidden Fields in Word from Stealing Your Files and Information	405	(1)
94. Speed Up Your Hard Disk by Improving Defragging	406	(3)
95. Extend Your Screen Real Estate with Virtual Desktops	409	(6)
96. Build a Better Backup Strategy	415	(5)
97. Go Beyond Messaging with Windows Messenger	420	(5)
98. Universal Messaging: Trillian Unites AIM, MSN, Yahoo!, and ICQ	425	(5)
Chapter 11. Graphics and Multimedia	430	(36)
99. Image Conversion in a Pinch	430	(3)
100. Problem-Free CD Burning	433	(4)
101. Save Streaming Music to Your PC	437	(3)
102. Import Lyrics into iTunes and iPod	440	(4)
103. Convert from Apple iTunes Format	444	(3)
104. Use Ogg Vorbis for Digital Music	447	(7)
105. Hack Windows Media Player with TweakMP	454	(4)
106. Fix Windows Media Player's Privacy Problems	458	(2)
107. Make Videos with Windows Movie Maker	460	(6)
Chapter 12. System Performance	466	(31)
108. Track System Performance with the Performance Console	466	(4)
109. Get the Most Out of Your RAM	470	(4)
110. More Power: Registry Hacks to Speed Up XP	474	(2)
111. Repair and Recover with the Recovery Console	476	(4)
112. Speed Up System Performance with the Task Manager	480	(7)
113. Hack Your Way to a Cleaner Hard Disk	487	(3)
114. Fix SP2 Upgrade Woes	490	(7)
Chapter 13. Hardware	497	(24)
115. Troubleshoot Hardware by Decoding Device Manager Error Messages	497	(8)
116. Uncover Hidden Hardware with the Device Manager	505	(3)
117. Check Your PC's Pulse and Tweak It for Better Performance	508	(2)
118. Remap Your Keyboard	510	(2)
119. Use ClearType for Better Laptop and LCD Resolution	512	(1)
120. Networking on the Cheap: Set Up a Direct Cable Connection	513	(8)
Index	521