Greg
:How to make XP into 2k?
How to make XP into 2k?
God I hate XP, how the hell do I make it Look, act, feel, and basicaly be 2k with out the bloat ware, gay ware, and fruite ware?
Greg :
Greg
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Absolut Talent
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FlyingPenguin
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I carry a copy of this in my laptop for customers who want the classic Windows look, although I can do most of this from memory now...
- CLASSIC WINDOWS START MENU
Right-click Taskbar->Properties->Start Menu tab->Classic Start menu
- CLASSIC WINDOWS DESKTOP
Control Panel->Display Properties->Appearance tab->Change "Windows and Buttons" to "Windows Classic style"
- HOW TO FORCE WINXP TO REMEMBER EXPLORER WINDOWS SIZES
This won't matter to you if you have Windows setup to use the same Explorer window for new explorer views, but freaks like me like to open a new window each tiem we open a folder. XP has a VERY annoying habit of not remembering the sizes of Explorer windows even if you have it configured to do so (which it's supposed to be by default in Folder Options, View, and then checking "Remember each folder's view settings".
This may not annoy you if you use the icon view in explorer but I use detailed view and I resize each explorer window a certain size to suit me.
This will fix it:
Go to My Computer, bring down the Tools menu, click Folder Options then View.
Check "Launch folder windows in a seperate process". Reboot is required to make it take effect.
- DISABLE TASKBAR GROUPING
One of Microsoft's dumber ideas.
Right-click taskbar, select properties, uncheck "Group similar taskbar buttons"
- WIN2K-STYLE FILE SEARCH
Say goodbye to the newbie file search and the stupid dog.
Run Regedit. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CabinetState and add a new string (REG_SZ) called "Use Search Asst" - set the value to "no" and you will have the classic win2000 search and none of that XP categorized nonsense, you dont even have to reboot!
- CLASSIC WIN2K LOGIN PROMPT (INSTEAD OF THE WELCOME SCREEN)
Go to control panel -> user accounts -> "Change the way users log on or off" -> uncheck the first box "Use the Welcome Screen". This gives you a regular Win2k/NT logon screen. This also allows you to easily logon as Administrator (the normal XP logon prevents you from logging on as Administrator).
- RESTORE THE CLASSIC WIN98/2K DETAILS VIEW IN MY COMPUTER
I don't like the way that XP groups items together in My Computer. I'm used to and prefer to see them listed alphabetically by drive letter.
Open My Computer -> View -> Arrange Icons By -> uncheck "Show in groups"
This also works in the Network Connections BTW.
- GET THE CLASSIC MEDIA PLAYER BACK
(Note: WMP 6.4 can't play WMP 9 codecs - bastards at MS want to force us to use WMP 8 or higher, so you may want to leave WMV files associated with WMP 8 or 9)
I DETEST Windows Media Player 7. Laggy code-bloated POS that it is. I much prefer Media Player 6.4 that came with Windows 2K. Windows XP still has Media Player 6.4 installed:
1. Click on the Start button and select Run.
2. Type "mplayer2" and click OK. Now you have the original Media Player loaded.
To make this the default media player follow the directions below:
1. When the classic Windows Media Player is running, click on the view menubar and select options.
2. Then click on the format tab and choose which formats you would like it to open by checking the box.
3. Click OK, now all of the formats you selected will open with the classic Windows Media Player.
If you need to make a shortcut for it do a file search for MPLAYER2.EXE and create a shortcut.
- WIN2K-STYLE SECURITY PERMISSION FOR SHARED RESOURCES (disabling "Simple Networking"):
(Note: Unless you're an IT geek or have a need to assign different permissions to different users on a network, you're better off using the default "Simple Networking")
Fire up Windows Explorer.
Go to Tools>Folder Options.
Hit the View tab. Scroll to the bottom.
Un-check "Use Simple File Sharing (Recommended)"
- REMOVE SHARED DOCUMENTS FROM MY COMPUTER
Removing the Shared Documents folders from My Computer can be done without editing the registry.
1. Go the the Start menu, and click on Run.
2. Type gpedit.msc
3. Now go to User Configuration, Administrative Templates, Windows Components, and click on Windows Explorer.
4. In here, you'll see the option Remove Shared Documents from My Computer. Double click on that, tick Enabled, and click OK. And that's all.
- HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM OF WINDOWS XP LOSING WINDOW POSITIONS AND VIEW SETTINGS
By default XP only stores Window positions and views for the last 400 folders (or
windows) which means that once this is exceeded, new folders will not store their
last positions or correct settings. To get round this, run Regedit and delete these
two keys :
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\BagMRU
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\Bags
Then add the following lines which will make the 400 limit
increase to 1000 - should be enough for normal use.
Run Regedit, find these two keys:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam
Add this new DWORD value under BOTH above keys:BagMRUSize (with size 1000 decimal)
Then reboot.
- FIX FOR SLOW PERFORMANCE WHEN RIGHT CLICKING ON A FILE OR FOLDER
Turn off the transition effects for menus and ToolTips. To do this, follow these steps:
- Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
- In Control Panel, double-click Display, and then click the Appearance tab.
- On the Appearance tab, click Effects.
- In the Effects dialog box, click to clear the Use the following transition effect for menus and tooltips check box, and then click OK two times.
- FIX FOR VERY SLOW BROWSING OF SHARED NETWORK RESOURCES
There's a bug in WinXP that causes a long delay when you browse a shared network resource on another Win2K or XP computer. This is because XP is try to search the "Scheduled Tasks" folder on the other computer.
Disable searching for scheduled tasks by deleting this registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Explorer\RemoteComputer\NameSpace\
{D6277990-4C6A-11CF-8D87-00AA0060F5BF}
- FIXING MOUSE LAG IN GAMES
(Note - this is becoming less of a problem as newer games and mouse drivers automatically compensate for it, but it helps in older games):
Microsoft, the kind people that they are, want you to use their own DirectX API and especially Direct Input. They know that everyone hates them, so they are going to force it on you. So, what the crafty :p:p:p:pers have done, is made your mouse more processor dependant, and took out the acceleration options from the mouse CPL. Within Direct Input, it gets CPU priority and it doesn't have the acceleration on by default. Since most older games use the older more standard method of tracing mouse movements, they get it from the default Windows mouse interrupt handler. Now, if too much of you processor is elsewhere, your mouse is gonna seem less responsive. So.... here is the fix.
Download the latest intellipoint drivers, install them, then, when the point32.exe (the main exe for your mouse I think), is running, we need to give this CPU priority over Half-Life. To do this, right click the task bar, click Task Manager, click the processes tab, look for point32.exe, right click that, click set priority, and click High. Do this for type32.exe if you have an M$ keyboard. I have both, and I discovered the fix whilst tinkering today
You will also have to add this to the command line of your HL.
-noforcemparms -noforcemaccel
This should clear up any of the issues.
For Quake 3:
+_windowed_mouse 1 -dinput
- CLASSIC WINDOWS START MENU
Right-click Taskbar->Properties->Start Menu tab->Classic Start menu
- CLASSIC WINDOWS DESKTOP
Control Panel->Display Properties->Appearance tab->Change "Windows and Buttons" to "Windows Classic style"
- HOW TO FORCE WINXP TO REMEMBER EXPLORER WINDOWS SIZES
This won't matter to you if you have Windows setup to use the same Explorer window for new explorer views, but freaks like me like to open a new window each tiem we open a folder. XP has a VERY annoying habit of not remembering the sizes of Explorer windows even if you have it configured to do so (which it's supposed to be by default in Folder Options, View, and then checking "Remember each folder's view settings".
This may not annoy you if you use the icon view in explorer but I use detailed view and I resize each explorer window a certain size to suit me.
This will fix it:
Go to My Computer, bring down the Tools menu, click Folder Options then View.
Check "Launch folder windows in a seperate process". Reboot is required to make it take effect.
- DISABLE TASKBAR GROUPING
One of Microsoft's dumber ideas.
Right-click taskbar, select properties, uncheck "Group similar taskbar buttons"
- WIN2K-STYLE FILE SEARCH
Say goodbye to the newbie file search and the stupid dog.
Run Regedit. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CabinetState and add a new string (REG_SZ) called "Use Search Asst" - set the value to "no" and you will have the classic win2000 search and none of that XP categorized nonsense, you dont even have to reboot!
- CLASSIC WIN2K LOGIN PROMPT (INSTEAD OF THE WELCOME SCREEN)
Go to control panel -> user accounts -> "Change the way users log on or off" -> uncheck the first box "Use the Welcome Screen". This gives you a regular Win2k/NT logon screen. This also allows you to easily logon as Administrator (the normal XP logon prevents you from logging on as Administrator).
- RESTORE THE CLASSIC WIN98/2K DETAILS VIEW IN MY COMPUTER
I don't like the way that XP groups items together in My Computer. I'm used to and prefer to see them listed alphabetically by drive letter.
Open My Computer -> View -> Arrange Icons By -> uncheck "Show in groups"
This also works in the Network Connections BTW.
- GET THE CLASSIC MEDIA PLAYER BACK
(Note: WMP 6.4 can't play WMP 9 codecs - bastards at MS want to force us to use WMP 8 or higher, so you may want to leave WMV files associated with WMP 8 or 9)
I DETEST Windows Media Player 7. Laggy code-bloated POS that it is. I much prefer Media Player 6.4 that came with Windows 2K. Windows XP still has Media Player 6.4 installed:
1. Click on the Start button and select Run.
2. Type "mplayer2" and click OK. Now you have the original Media Player loaded.
To make this the default media player follow the directions below:
1. When the classic Windows Media Player is running, click on the view menubar and select options.
2. Then click on the format tab and choose which formats you would like it to open by checking the box.
3. Click OK, now all of the formats you selected will open with the classic Windows Media Player.
If you need to make a shortcut for it do a file search for MPLAYER2.EXE and create a shortcut.
- WIN2K-STYLE SECURITY PERMISSION FOR SHARED RESOURCES (disabling "Simple Networking"):
(Note: Unless you're an IT geek or have a need to assign different permissions to different users on a network, you're better off using the default "Simple Networking")
Fire up Windows Explorer.
Go to Tools>Folder Options.
Hit the View tab. Scroll to the bottom.
Un-check "Use Simple File Sharing (Recommended)"
- REMOVE SHARED DOCUMENTS FROM MY COMPUTER
Removing the Shared Documents folders from My Computer can be done without editing the registry.
1. Go the the Start menu, and click on Run.
2. Type gpedit.msc
3. Now go to User Configuration, Administrative Templates, Windows Components, and click on Windows Explorer.
4. In here, you'll see the option Remove Shared Documents from My Computer. Double click on that, tick Enabled, and click OK. And that's all.
- HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM OF WINDOWS XP LOSING WINDOW POSITIONS AND VIEW SETTINGS
By default XP only stores Window positions and views for the last 400 folders (or
windows) which means that once this is exceeded, new folders will not store their
last positions or correct settings. To get round this, run Regedit and delete these
two keys :
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\BagMRU
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\Bags
Then add the following lines which will make the 400 limit
increase to 1000 - should be enough for normal use.
Run Regedit, find these two keys:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam
Add this new DWORD value under BOTH above keys:BagMRUSize (with size 1000 decimal)
Then reboot.
- FIX FOR SLOW PERFORMANCE WHEN RIGHT CLICKING ON A FILE OR FOLDER
Turn off the transition effects for menus and ToolTips. To do this, follow these steps:
- Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
- In Control Panel, double-click Display, and then click the Appearance tab.
- On the Appearance tab, click Effects.
- In the Effects dialog box, click to clear the Use the following transition effect for menus and tooltips check box, and then click OK two times.
- FIX FOR VERY SLOW BROWSING OF SHARED NETWORK RESOURCES
There's a bug in WinXP that causes a long delay when you browse a shared network resource on another Win2K or XP computer. This is because XP is try to search the "Scheduled Tasks" folder on the other computer.
Disable searching for scheduled tasks by deleting this registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Explorer\RemoteComputer\NameSpace\
{D6277990-4C6A-11CF-8D87-00AA0060F5BF}
- FIXING MOUSE LAG IN GAMES
(Note - this is becoming less of a problem as newer games and mouse drivers automatically compensate for it, but it helps in older games):
Microsoft, the kind people that they are, want you to use their own DirectX API and especially Direct Input. They know that everyone hates them, so they are going to force it on you. So, what the crafty :p:p:p:pers have done, is made your mouse more processor dependant, and took out the acceleration options from the mouse CPL. Within Direct Input, it gets CPU priority and it doesn't have the acceleration on by default. Since most older games use the older more standard method of tracing mouse movements, they get it from the default Windows mouse interrupt handler. Now, if too much of you processor is elsewhere, your mouse is gonna seem less responsive. So.... here is the fix.
Download the latest intellipoint drivers, install them, then, when the point32.exe (the main exe for your mouse I think), is running, we need to give this CPU priority over Half-Life. To do this, right click the task bar, click Task Manager, click the processes tab, look for point32.exe, right click that, click set priority, and click High. Do this for type32.exe if you have an M$ keyboard. I have both, and I discovered the fix whilst tinkering today
You will also have to add this to the command line of your HL.
-noforcemparms -noforcemaccel
This should clear up any of the issues.
For Quake 3:
+_windowed_mouse 1 -dinput
---
“The Government of Spain will not applaud those who set the world on fire just because they show up with a bucket.” - Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez
“The Government of Spain will not applaud those who set the world on fire just because they show up with a bucket.” - Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez
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EvilHorace
- Life Member
- Posts: 6611
- Joined: Wed Nov 22, 2000 7:14 am
- Location: Greenfield, WI
format C:\
install windows 2000 pro
problem solved
Yep, that's how I got rid of XP as well (on 2 PCs). BTW, after seeing XP I doubt that I'll be in any rush to try the next new MS OS either. I'll stick to Win2K until it becomes unusable and that's inevitable......someday.
<img src="http://www.pcabusers.org/images/evil2.gif">
i agree, but I needed it to save some stuff. and if I can trik it into thinking its a real OS with out pissing me off much I might keep it.
Thanks for the info, Ill try it after I get around to working on it after I attempt to save my stuff.
Greg
Thanks for the info, Ill try it after I get around to working on it after I attempt to save my stuff.
Greg
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FlyingPenguin
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Voodoo: Heh...
What a lot of people don't realize is that XP's desktop is nothing but a "Theme". Matter of fact if you disable the "Themes" service the desktop just reverts back to classic Windows.
I don't use the XP desktop either (uses too much real estate and slows me down), but I stay with XP because of it's more robust driver handling and System Restore.
What a lot of people don't realize is that XP's desktop is nothing but a "Theme". Matter of fact if you disable the "Themes" service the desktop just reverts back to classic Windows.
I don't use the XP desktop either (uses too much real estate and slows me down), but I stay with XP because of it's more robust driver handling and System Restore.
---
“The Government of Spain will not applaud those who set the world on fire just because they show up with a bucket.” - Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez
“The Government of Spain will not applaud those who set the world on fire just because they show up with a bucket.” - Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez
so how do I disable windows theams then? anythign to save soem resources. Lousy OS!
Greg
Greg
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FlyingPenguin
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No, it's Win2K. XP is nothing but Win2K with new features (and code-bloat) added on.yea but its 95 or 98
right?
GREG: You don't have to - if you switch to the "Classic Windows" desktop, WinXP usually turns of the Themes Service automatically.
You can check or go ahead and manually kill it if you want. Go to Control Panel->Admin Tools->Services. Look for a service called "Themes". If it's running, stop it. Then disable it on startup.
---
“The Government of Spain will not applaud those who set the world on fire just because they show up with a bucket.” - Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez
“The Government of Spain will not applaud those who set the world on fire just because they show up with a bucket.” - Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez
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eGoCeNTRoNiX
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PM before Email People!!
Heat Under eGoCeNTRoNiX
Who Farted? BEANIE!!!
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Heat Under eGoCeNTRoNiX
Who Farted? BEANIE!!!
!Welcome to the United States of the Offended!
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FlyingPenguin
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