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4.1 Customization and Performance

Tweak UI (for NT and Win2000) and Power Toys for XP are very popular utilities from Microsoft that allows easy modifications to the registry through a simple point and click interface. Links to both of these applications can be found here.

X-Setup is another very popular tweaking utility. It is much more powerful than TweakUI and offers a lot of the same functionality, but also expands on the options quite a bit.

by slash See Profile edited by MSeng See Profile
last modified: 2003-02-11 20:41:17

This is an old tweak, it has been around since Windows 95, and is still alive today! If you think your Start menu could respond a little quicker try this:

1. Start the Registry Editor
2. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Control Panel \ Desktop \
3. Right-click the String Value MenuShowDelay, and select Modify
4. Change the Value data (0 is fast, 400 is default. These are all in miliseconds)
5. When ready, press OK and close the registry editor
6. Log off, or restart Windows for the changes to take effect

by Skipdawg See Profile edited by MSeng See Profile
last modified: 2002-09-02 12:19:30


Windows 2000 does not come with MSCONFIG installed like Win9x and WinXP does.

Instead, a program called StartUp Control Panel is able to perform most of the same tasks MSCONFIG does. The only feature it does not have is the ability to manage system services. For this, you can access Administrative Tools within the Control Panel of Windows 2000.

by brandn8 See Profile edited by MSeng See Profile
last modified: 2002-09-02 12:21:44

Originally posted by net123 in a post dated 6/21/03:
Changing resources in W2k is not for the impatient.

You must reinstall W2k. You can do a repair install, but there are a few more reboots than the standard repair type install. I am pasting below, the contents of a post of mine from some weeks ago. Please excuse any verbiage that does not apply to your specific situation. BTW: I had problems with my AHA-2940U2W and Adaptec is in complete denial about this issue, or at least was in denial.

/*Begin copy -- to end of post. Regards, Mike

Welcome to the world of ACPI. Windows 2000 will install full blown IRQ sharing if your BIOS is dated newer than 01/01/2000 automatically and by default.

The only way to change your IRQ is to remove ACPI. The only way to remove ACPI will take an afternoon.

First, have your Windows 2000 CD and all the information about your peripheral card that you can gather. The more info you get, the less experimenting you will have to do.

Here is the process:
    •Insert your Windows 2000 CD into your CD drive and reboot.•Make certain that your BIOS is set to boot to the CD. (Read the manual for this info)•When Windows 2000 first turns the screen blue and writes in the status area, "Press F6 if you have....". Press F5 now! **Yeah thats odd, but thats the way it is.**•you will be presented a screen that contains a list of PC configurations - choose Standard PC.•Continue through the installation, doing a repair install. DO NOT ABORT THIS INSTALLATION! your system will not boot if you don't.•Reinstall your service pack level.•Right click on my computer and select Properties, choose Hardware, then choose the Device Manager. Click the plus sign next to Computer and right click on Standard PC - click Properties.•Click on IRQ Steering. You will see three boxes checked. FROM THE BOTTOM UP, uncheck these boxes. •You will be prompted to reboot. Do so...
Now the hard or easy part, I can't say.

PCI devices today are loaded with IRQ presets. Manufacturers have agreed to use certain IRQs for their devices. For instance sound card traditionally used IRQ 5. Unfortunately, Sound Blaster decided to break this habit, my current SB uses IRQ 12.

Your problem now is the very real possibility of IRQ conflicts - depending on your setup.

The most extreme manner of sorting out IRQ issues is this:

Remove all peripheral cards except for the video card. Boot Windows 2000, open Device Manager and set this card to use the desired IRQ. Shut down and readd your cards one by one, rebooting between each and setting the IRQ for each - or just accept where Windows 2000 slots them. You only care about the video card it seems.

by MSeng See Profile
last modified: 2003-02-11 20:42:31

Getting tried of those 'access, permission denied' pop-ups? Here are a series of MSKB articles that are relevant and may help you resolve the problem:

139592 - Prompted for Password When Connecting to Windows NT

222473 - Registry Settings for Windows File Protection

236621 - Cannot Move or Rename the Documents and Settings Folder

242795 - Granting Change Password Permissions to the Everyone Group

256614 - Unable to Remove Read-Only Flag from Folder

285395 - How to Turn Off Password Expiration on Windows 2000 Professional in a Workgroup Environment

291559 - HOW TO Change the Logon Window and the Shutdown Preferences in Windows XP

295017 - How to Change a Computer Name or Join a Domain in Windows XP

305709 - HOW TO Create a Custom Default User Profile

308402 - 'The Password Is Not Valid' Error Message Appears When You Log On to Recovery Console in Windows XP

308419 - HOW TO Set, View, Change, or Remove Special Permissions for Files and Folders in Windows XP

315231 - How to Enable Automatic Logon in Windows

316524 - Administrators Only Error Message When You Attempt to Use the Windows Update Site

318030 - You Cannot Access Shared Files and Folders or Browse Computers in the Workgroup

320081 - You Cannot Delete a File or a Folder

by DSmithLady See Profile edited by MSeng See Profile
last modified: 2002-11-28 12:31:31

A: Individual requirements of services are different, so no one will have or need the same list of services set to Disabled or changed to Manual. Therefore, you will have to do this via trial and error based on your requirements.

WARNING!
Event Log and Remote Procedure Call (RPC) should never be changed regardless of what guides say. Most of the services are dependent on either Event Log and/or RPC so disabling these will cause almost every service to fail.


However, there are a couple good sites that can help you through this:
Tweaking NT Services
Windows 2000 Professional and Server Services Confiqurations

If you have any problems after applying these tweaks you may want to go back to the defaults, you can use these links that will tell you what the defaults are:
NT Services
Windows 2000 Services

For information and links specifically for Windows XP, please see the sister FAQ -- What Services can I change to speed up my system? (#2892)

by DSmithLady See Profile edited by MSeng See Profile
last modified: 2003-02-20 16:47:44

Windows gives the security option to display the Welcome Screen, which will require username and password (if the login requires a password). This extra bit of security can be useful if you want to keep unauthorized individuals off of your machine. On the other hand, it can be an irritation if there is no possibility of anyone messing with your machine.

The toggle for this behavior is in Display Properties.

Right Click on your Desktop > Click Properties > Pick Screen Saver Tab

On this panel there is a checkbox On resume, display Welcome screen. Check this box to select the desired behavior.

by cprgolds See Profile edited by MSeng See Profile
last modified: 2004-12-18 14:38:17