Windows XP TechTip #6 >> Search

The default search module in Windows XP (launched by pressing [Windows]+F or F3 in some cases) can load up faster without the animated dog.



Kick out the dog by starting Search. Click on the "Change Preferences", and click "Without an animated screen character". Out, doggie!

I would presume that you use this program to search for files and folders most of the time. If this is true, then I think it would be convenient if you change the search behavior this way:

Click on "Change Preferences", select "Change files and folders search behavior" and finally, select the "Advanced" option.



That's it. ^__^

Windows XP TechTip #5 >> Security Alert

The Security Center is a great feature that was added to Windows XP with the second service pack a.k.a. SP2.

However, some people as myself want the OS to mind its own business especially when it comes to monitoring the firewall, anti-virus and automatic updates.



To get rid of this annoying alert, launch the Windows Security Center by:

• Running "wscui.cpl"; or
• Opening the Control Panel -> Security Center

Click the "Change the way Security Center alerts me" then uncheck everything.



That's it. ^__^

Windows XP TechTip #4 >> Folders

Imagine this scenario:

You are a multitasking type of person and have these 5-or-so folders opened for easy access. Suddenly, Windows Explorer crashes and gone are the 5-or-so folders with it.

Frustrating?

Windows XP actually has an option for you to preserve these folders on explorer crash.

Open the Folder Options (either from Control Panel or from the Tools menu of explorer).



Check the "Launch folders windows in a separate process."

And while you're at it you could also disable caching of thumbnails by ticking "Do not cache thumbnails". Remember the "thumbs.db" file appearing everywhere if you have the "Show hidden files and folders" enabled? Disabling this option gets rid of it.

That's it.

Windows XP TechTip #3 >> Startup

It's time you decide which applications should load when XP boots up.

Run "msconfig", click the Startup tab and uncheck applications that you don't need. This would help your machine boot up a lot faster.



I'd leave my antivirus program alone and some applications that I need on startup. That's roughly 3-5 items.

Believe me, the 20+ items you've disabled will greatly speed up your PC.

That's it.

Bootvis v1.3.36.0

Speed up and trace your PC's boot up performance with this tool, Bootvis, previously hosted by Microsoft.

Bootvis 1.3.36.0



Just click on the Optimize System and reboot your computer. The tool will load on your next startup and automatically optimize system files for faster boot up.

That's it. ^__^

Windows XP TechTip #2 >> Services

On start-up of Windows XP, even before you login on any account, the OS loads processes that support your computing experience in a way a.k.a. services.

However, some of these services are rarely if used at all. They eat up memory and processing power which could have helped your OS load faster and run programs more efficiently.

You can disable these services in two ways:

1. Run "msconfig"-> Services (Tab).
2. Run "services.msc" or load the Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Services

For Option 1, simply uncheck the box opposite the service you want disabled.


For Option 2, right click on the service in the list, click properties then select "Disabled" as the "Startup Type".



Here's a list of services you can disable without affecting your daily computing experience:

• Indexing Service
  
• Wired AutoConfig - if you don't use wireless connection
  
• Error Reporting Service - see TechTip #1
  
• Help and Support - honestly, do you use this?
  
• IMAPI CD-Burning COM Service
• Remote Access Auto Connection Manager
• Remote Access Connection Manager
• Task Scheduler - for those who don't use it
• System Restore Service - see TechTip #1
• Uninterruptible Power Supply - if you don't have UPS
• Security Center
• Automatic Updates - see TechTip #1
• Wireless Zero Configuration

That's it.

Windows XP TechTip #1 >> System Properties

Open the system properties by either:

• Right-clicking on My Computer then clicking Properties
• Pressing [Windows]+PauseBreak
• Running "sysdm.cpl"

Now, here's a few things you can do to rev up your PC's performance and save space.

1. Disable System Restore. Some virii abuse this feature by integrating themselves into it. It won't be a problem though if you have good antivirus program. Err.., so why have this if you have good protection? Well it's up to you.



2. Turn-off Automatic Updates. If you have pirated software, you won't have access to the updates anyway. Kidding aside, you can just visit Microsoft's website, and update from there.



3. Disallow Remote Assistance. Who uses this anyway?



4. Minimize the Visual Effects. From System Properties -> Advanced (Tab) -> Performance (Group) -> Click "Settings". Click "Adjust for Best Performance" to uncheck all options then select "Custom", scroll down to the bottom then tick the last two options and "Smoothen edges of screen fonts". If you are using Common Tasks, check it. That's it.



5. Disable Error Reporting. Remember the annoying dialog box that prompts you to "Send Error Report" every time a program or the OS crashes? From System Properties -> Advanced (Tab) -> Click "Error Reporting". Kill it!



Ugh! That's one long entry. ^__^

WordWeb v5.0

This is a highly-recommended tool for those who always look-up words, seek their meanings and synonyms, check how they are pronounced albeit in a not-so-English manner nevertheless helpful, etc.

Put simply, this is your portable talking dictionary.

Wordweb 5.0



How to Use:

1. Download it from the link above and install.
2. Once installed, you may launch it by pressing Ctrl+Alt+W. You may change this shortcut later on.
3. You can also highlight a word, then press the shortcut and you'd immediately be taken to the word's definition.

Have fun!

Image Resizer

Resizing image files is a boring if not frustrating task especially if you are using mspaint to resize hundreds of images downloaded from your digital camera.

More importantly, most images downloaded from digicams have high resolutions consequently eating up a significant chunk of your storage media.

Imagine having a thousands pictures at 1MB each. Do the math, that's 1GB of wasted space.

So here's a free tool I've found from Microsoft that could do batch resizing of pictures and ultimately help you save precious space:

Image Resizer



How to Use:

1. Download from this link and install.
   
2. Select the file or files you want resized.
3. Right-click and select "Resize Pictures".
   
4. Choose the resizing option you prefer.
5. Click OK.

I hope you found this tool helpful. ^__^

Black XP Theme

Getting tired of the default blue and silver XP themes?

I've found this theme a few months ago from I can't remember where.

It's pretty sleek, I highly recommend it.

Try it out and see for yourself.

Black XP Theme

How to Install

1. Download it from this link.
2. Extract the files to <Windows directory>\Resources\Themes
3. Open the Control Panel, then run Display. Alternatively, run "desk.cpl" or simply right-click on the desktop and click Properties.
4. 
5. Select "Zune' from the Themes tab.
6. Click OK.
   

Enjoy the Black XP Theme! ^__^

Taskbar Icons

Some people, myself included, want their taskbar icons arranged in a certain order.

For instance, I find it convenient having my email client program to the leftmost part of the taskbar.

So what happens when Explorer crashes and reloads the taskbar icons differently?

I throw a tantrum, spit on my boss' desk and break my keyboard... on his head.

I didn't want it to happen a second time; I would have to pay for the keyboard again, so I took pains to seek a program that would fix the messed up arrangement.

Here is the tool I found:

Taskbar Shuffle v2.5



How to use

1. Download from this link and install.
2. Launch the program.
3. Set it to start with windows (recommended).
4. Untick the "Show system tray icon" (recommended).
5. Click OK.
   
6. Drag and drop taskbar and system tray icons to your heart's desire.
   

Visit the homepage here.

InstanceRenamer v1.03

I've coded this tool about a few months so my friends and I could have multiple instances of this certain game. Enough of the introduction.

What this tool does is change the Application Title, the text description of windows that appears on the taskbar.

Here is the tool:

InstanceRenamer a.k.a. TaskRenamer v1.03 (Delphi)



How to use

1. Run program.
2. Select the Application Title you want to change.
   
3. Either double-click or click "Rename Instance".
   
4. Type in the new title.
5. Click on the "clock" icon to refresh the list.
   

Comments, suggestions, bug reports? Just notify me. ^___^

Chrome It Not... Yet!

Well, after three days of trial usage, I'd be sadly reverting back to good 'ol Firefox.

Honestly, I hate to let go of the very simple and stripped down UI of Chrome, but functionality comes first.

I've noticed a few of the web pages I use everyday can't load properly with Chrome (e.g. yahoo mail, clicking a video from a youtube channel, etc).

Well I'd just give the development team of Chrome a little more time to patch things up.

Be seein' ya Chrome 2.0... or 3.0... or 4.0!

The Browser OS...

I've been thinking about it for some time now.

Everything we've been doing in front of a computer can already be done in a browser: word processing, photo editing, spread sheets, blogging, mailing, voting, etc.

Maybe I'm writing this as a challenge to those computer geeks out there.

Could they create a NEW operating system that purely relies on one ultimately designed high-end browser?

Imagine booting up your PC and going straight to your favorite homepage. No more desktops, no more task bars, no more installations for new apps, heck they are decades-old ideas.

With the technology of web-browsers today, we can can just go straight to a website and do our stuff.

Undeniably, we are all social beings, hence the proliferation of social-network sites. I know a few people who only uses the computer to log on to their favorite social network or just play online games all day.

Of course, this idea assumes that EVERYONE is connected to the internet. I'd bet a hundred years later we'd all be wired, and the connecting media would be very fast and stable.

Then we could all say goodbye to microsoft, ubuntu, mac/os, etc, etc..

Step in: The Browser OS.

Google It! Chrome It!

I have been using Firefox for some time now until I stumbled upon this new browser by Google.

At first I was a bit hesitant to let go of my beloved Firefox. But I had nothing else to do so there went I, clicked the Download I did, and installed Google Chrome.

I've notice instantly the very fast loading time of this browser, seeming to load even faster than IE, and that's already saying a lot.

Once loaded, you'd feel that your browsing area has been doubled. The usual menu bar, title bar and status bar had all been rid off. The interface feels clean and cozy.

I'd leave the more technical features of this browser for you to read here.

I can only say one thing about this browser: It rules!

Have fun using Google Chrome!

There She Is...

It's about a rabbit that fell madly in love with a cat.



I've uploaded ALL five flash videos here:

Step 1. There She Is
Step 2. Cake Dance
Step 3. Doki and Nabi
Step 4. Paradise
Step 5. Imagine

Enjoy!