Getting  Along With Your Computer Column Archive

Still More Windows XP Tips

By Cate Eales

Appeared November 23, 2006 on castanet.net

More Windows XP Tips this week! Thank you to everyone who wrote with questions and comments. I try to pass along information that's useful, and your email keeps me on track!


More on .pps attachments
One of the XP tips last week was how to deal with PowerPoint (.pps) email attachments. Terrence wrote to remind me that since XP Service Pack 2 the file association for .pps files was broken. He also provided this link to a file that will repair that link automagically. Thanks, Terrence!


How to find out if you have Service Pack 2
A service pack is just a collection of fixes, updates, and/or additional features in one installation package. In the case of Windows XP, updates are released at least monthly to address certain issues. Microsoft releases these individual files, and when there are enough of them (Microsoft decides what "enough" means!), they bundle them and release the whole big whack of them. Sometimes they include additional features with the fixes. The thinking is that it's easier and less risky to install one big thing than a bunch of little things.

Windows XP Service Pack 1 ("XP SP1") was released late in 2002. In August, 2004, Microsoft released XP SP2, chiefly to deal with security issues. If you have Windows XP you should be running SP2 unless you have a compelling reason not to be.

To find out what version of Windows you are running:

You'll see a window that will tell you what version of Windows your are running. At the end of that line you will see the Service Pack level of your machine.


Get rid of unwanted entries in the AutoPlay menu
This is a minor irritant, but an irritant all the same. When you plug in a USB stick, or insert a CD or DVD, a menu pops up asking you what you want to do, and offering several choices. Sometimes those choices involve programs that you don't use at all, or even programs that you've uninstalled. I found a little tool that will allow you to delete the unwanted programs from that list. CleanHandlers will repair invalid entries and allow you to delete entries you simply don't want. Get it here. Consider backing up your registry first, in case you change your mind. ERUNT is a good tool, available here.


Turn off the highlight on new programs
The Desktop Cleanup Wizard is configured, by default, to nag you every 60 days. It's meant to remind you that it would like to get rid of "unwanted shortcuts." That's nice, if you actually have unwanted shortcuts on your desktop. However, the Wizard can get a little overzealous. For instance, I have a desktop icon which is not a shortcut, to install Palm programs on my PalmPilot. For some reason, the Wizard just keeps trying to get rid of it, and THAT is annoying and a hassle to get back.

If you're tired of looking at the little icon reminding you "There are unused shortcuts on your desktop" you can disable the Wizard like this:

You can run the Wizard whenever you want like this:

Happy Thanksgiving to the American readers of this column. (Yes, there are some!) I will think of you enjoying your turkey dinners while I am curling today!
 

Links
More XP Tips http://rlis.com/columns/column69.htm
Repair file association for PowerPoint files http://windowsxp.mvps.org/ppsopen.htm
CleanHandlers AutoPlay menu fixer http://windowsxp.mvps.org/autoplayhandlers.htm
ERUNT Registry backup/recovery tool http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/
Getting Along With Your Computer Column Archives http://rlis.com/column.htm
Get Cate's column by email http://www.feedblitz.com/f/?Sub=20618
RSS Feed: http://rlis.com/rlis.xml


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Cate Eales has been helping people make online computing safe, accessible and fun for over 20 years. She lives in Kelowna with her husband, Eric, and her dog, Sandy. Cate is a partner in Real Life Internet Solutions, helping individuals and small businesses with virus, spyware and malware eradication; personal computer training and management; digital image management; music transfer; and website design, hosting and management. Email Cate at cate@rlis.com with your comments, suggestions, or questions. To browse the column archives, visit the Real Life Internet Solutions website at www.rlis.com.