Some Useful XP Hidden Programs

Code: Start Menu > Run > type "iexpress"

IExpress is a utility that lets you create standalone installation packages that can be used to extract files or temporarily extract installation source files and then run the setup command. IExpress creates an output file, and executable (.exe) that contains all the files you specified, and the instructions to carry out the extraction of these files. The files are stored compressed in Microsoft's cabinet format.

Start Menu > Run > type "gpedit.msc"

This feature allow you to modify virtually every feature in Windows XP PRO without having to resort to regedit. It pack with information on each policies run in your machine.

Disable Folder Options Menu

This tweak allows you to hide the Folder Options function from the folder Tools menu. Allowing you to restrict access to numerous advanced folder features.

Open your registry and find the key below

Create a new DWORD value, or modify the existing value named "NoFolderOptions" and set it to equal "1" to hide the options or "0" to show the options.

Log-off or restart Windows for the changes to take effect.

Registry Settings

User Key: [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
Explorer]
System Key: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
Explorer]
Value Name: NoFolderOptions
Data Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value)
Value Data: (0 = show options, 1 = hide options)

Speed up the Start Menu

You can use this tip to speed up the Start Menu in Windows XP release candidate 1. You can customize the speed of the Start Menu by editing a Registry Key.

1. Click Start, and then click Run.

2. Type Regedit in the box, and then click OK.

3. Expand the menu in the left panel and select the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop folder.

4. Scroll down in the right panel and double click on the MenuShowDelay file.

5. In the Value Data box, change to default value for the menu speed from 400 to a lesser number, such as 1

6. Click OK.

Caution: Incorrectly editing the registry may severely damage your system. Before making changes to the registry, you should back up any valued data on your computer.

Want to remove MSN Messenger?

A lot of people want to know how to remove the MSN Messenger service from XP... here's how:
Locate SYSOC.INF in the \Windows\INF folder (hidden file and folder), Open it in Notepad and locate the line: msmsgs=msgrocm.dll,OcEntry,msmsgs.inf,hide,7
Remove the word "hide" from the line and save the file. You will now have an entry in add/remove programs. Do what you will :)
OR (XP Pro Only) leave it installed, but tell Windows to never let it run. If you're running XP Professional, you can use GPEDIT.MSC to prevent Messenger from loading. Otherwise, even disabling it in startup won't cause it to "always" not run. NOTE: Outlook, Outlook Express and some Microsoft web pages can still make it load.

 Start, Run and enter GPEDIT.MSC

 Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Messenger

 You can now modify whether it starts initially and/or whether it's to run at all.

Update: I have recieved some email that say this fix slows down outlook when starting, that is because outlook wants to start messenger when it starts, the easiest and fastest way to disable messenger and still have a quickj starttime with outlook is to rename the exe file, located here c:\program files\messenger\msmsgs.exe, to something other than msmsgs.exe, such as msmsgsnew.exe.

Do Not Highlight Newly Installed Programs

Tired of that annoying little window that pops up to tell you that new software is installed? If it gets in the way when you’re logging off, turn it off completely.

• To do this Click Start, right-click at the top of the Start menu where your name is displayed, and then click Properties.
• In the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog box, on the Start Menu tab, click Customize.
• Click the Advanced tab, and then clear the Highlight newly installed programs check box.
• Click OK, and then click OK again.

Now that message won’t be popping up when you least want to see it.

HOW TO: Use Automatic Completion with a Command Prompt in Windows XP

To Activate Automatic Completion
For example, to change to the Program Files folder, you can type cd \pro control_character. Or, to display the contents of the Myfile.txt file, you can type type myf control_character. If there are multiple folders or files that match the characters you type, typing the control character again displays the next matching instance. When the correct folder or file is displayed, press ENTER to complete the command. If no folder of file matches the characters that you type, you hear a beep. You can activate or deactivate this feature for a computer, for a user, or for only the current command session.
Click here for the article from Microsoft.