Compatibility Mode - Make older programs run in Windows XP 
If you're having trouble running older programs originally developed for previous versions of Windows, you're not out of luck. Luckily for consumers, Microsoft built Compatibility Mode into XP. Compatibility Mode allows you to run a program using the shell of the original program it was developed for. 

Here's how to access a program's Compatibility Mode in XP: 

Find the executable or program shortcut icon you'd like to run. 
Right-click the icon and select Properties. 
Click the Compatibility tab and place a checkmark next to the text labeled "Run this program in compatibility mode." 
Select the operating system that the program was originally intended to run on. 
You may need to fine-tune the three fields under "Display Settings" if an older program requires 640x480 resolution or 256 colors. 
Click Apply.
Try starting the program after making these changes. If it still gives you trouble, try a different operating system. If the program was written for Win95 and worked fine in Win98, there's nothing that says it still won't work fine with Win98. 

My Computer Won't Shut Down Itself After Installing XP

There are a number of users who are noticing that their PC will no longer automatically power down/shut off without pressing the power off button on the computers unlike in Windows Me/95/2000. There could be a number of reasons for this - but the main one seems to be that ACPI is not enabled on the computer or in Windows XP. Here is how to try that out:
Click - Start - Control Panel - Performance and Maintenance - Power Options Tab 
Then click APM - Enable Advanced Power Management Support

You must first enable the Remote Desktop feature on your office computer so that you can control it remotely from another computer. You must be logged on as an administrator or a member of the Administrators group to enable Remote Desktop on your Windows XP Professional-based computer. 
To setup your office computer to use Remote Desktop: 
·	Open the System folder in Control Panel. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click the System icon. 
·	On the Remote tab, select the Allow users to connect remotely to this computer check box, as shown below. 
·	Ensure that you have the proper permissions to connect to your computer remotely, and click OK. 
·	Leave your computer running and connected to the company network with Internet access. Lock your computer, and leave your office. 

The Remote Desktop Connection client software allows a computer running Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, Windows Me, Windows NT 4.0 or Windows 2000 to control your Windows XP Professional computer remotely. The client software is available on the installation CD for Windows XP Professional and Windows XP Home Edition. The client software is installed by default on computers running Windows XP Professional and Windows XP Home Edition. 
 
To install Remote Desktop Connection software on a client computer 
·	Insert the Windows XP compact disc into your CD-ROM drive. 
·	When the Welcome page appears, click Perform additional tasks, and then click Setup Remote Desktop Connection as shown below. 
·	When the installation wizard starts, follow the directions that appear on your screen. 

Once you have enabled your Windows XP Professional computer to allow remote connections, and installed client software on a Windows-based client computer, you are ready to start a Remote Desktop session. 
 

To create a new Remote Desktop Connection 
·	Open Remote Desktop Connection. (Click Start, point to Programs or All Programs, point to Accessories, point to Communications, and then click Remote Desktop Connection.) 
·	In Computer, type the computer name for your computer running Windows XP Professional that has Remote Desktop enabled and for which you have Remote Desktop permissions 
·	Click Connect. 
·	The Log On to Windows dialog box appears. 
·	In the Log On to Windows dialog box, type your user name, password, and domain (if required), and then click OK. The Remote Desktop window will open and you will see the desktop settings, files, and programs that are on your office computer. Your office computer will remain locked. 
·	Nobody will be able to work at your office computer without a password, nor will anyone see the work you are doing on your office computer remotely. Note: To change your connection settings, (such as screen size, automatic logon information, and performance options), click Options before you connect. 
 
 
To open a saved connection 
·	In Windows Explorer, open the My DocumentsRemote Desktops folder. 
·	Click the .Rdp file for the connection you want to open. Note: A Remote Desktop file (.rdp) file contains all of the information for a connection to a remote computer, including the Options settings that were configured when the file was saved. You can customize any number of .rdp files, including files for connecting to the same computer with different settings. For example, you can save a file that connects to MyComputer in full screen mode and another file that connects to the same computer in 800×600 screen size. By default, .rdp files are saved in the My DocumentsRemote Desktops folder. To edit an .rdp file and change the connections settings it contains, right-click the file and then click Edit. 
 

To log off and end the session 
·	In the Remote Desktop Connection window, click Start, and then click Shut Down. 
·	The Shut Down Windows dialog box appears. 
·	In the drop-down menu, select Log Off , and then click OK. 

Right click on any .exe file in Explorer, My Computer, Desktop and select 'Pin to Start Menu', the program is then 
displayed on the start menu, above the separator line. To remove it, click the file on the start menu and select 
'Unpin from Start Menu'. Below you can check the before and after shots.

Open Regedit(Start- Run- Regedit) and navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SOFTWARE Microsoft Windows CurrentVersion Explorer My Computer NameSpace DelegateFolders
There will see a sub-key named {59031a47-3f72-44a7-89c5-5595fe6b30ee}. By Deleting this you can remove the 'Other Files stored on This Computer' group.

Enter the following in the registry :
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftMediaPlayerSettingsMP3Encoding]
"LowRate"=dword:0000dac0
"MediumRate"=dword:0000fa00
"MediumHighRate"=dword:0001f400
"HighRate"=dword:0002ee00

This corresponds to 56, 64, 128 and 192 Kbps.
You can change this to your liking using the following dword hex values :

320 Kbps = dword:0004e200
256 Kbps = dword:0003e800
224 Kbps = dword:00036b00
192 Kbps = dword:0002ee00
160 Kbps = dword:00027100
128 Kbps = dword:0001f400
112 Kbps = dword:0001b580
64 Kbps = dword:0000fa00
56 Kbps = dword:0000dac0

this ones simple:
this is for broad band connections. I didn’t try it on dial up but might work for dial up.
1.make sure your logged on as actually "Administrator". do not log on with any account that just has administrator privileges.
2. start - run - type gpedit.msc
3. expand the "local computer policy" branch
4. expand the "administrative templates" branch
5. expand the "network branch"
6. Highlight the "QoS Packet Scheduler" in left window
7. in right window double click the "limit reservable bandwidth" setting
8. on setting tab check the "enabled" item
9. where it says "Bandwidth limit %" change it to read 0
reboot if you want to but not necessary on some systems your all done. Effect is immediate on some systems. some need re-boot. I have one machine that needs to reboot first, the others didn't. Don't know why this is.

This is more of a "counter what XP does" thing. In other words, XP seems to want to reserve 20% of the bandwidth for its self. Even with QoS disabled, even when this item is disabled. So why not use it to your advantage. To demonstrate the problem with this on stand alone machines start up a big download from a server with an FTP client. Try to find a server that doesn't max out your bandwidth. In this case you want a slow to medium speed server to demonstrate this. Let it run for a couple of minutes to get stable. The start up another download from the same server with another instance of your FTP client. You will notice that the available bandwidth is now being fought over and one of the clients download will be very slow or both will slow down when they should both be using the available bandwidth. Using this "tweak" both clients will have a fair share of the bandwidth and will not fight over the bandwidth. 

The ICS host computer needs two network connections. The local area network connection, automatically created by installing a network adapter, connects to the computers on your home or small office network. The other connection, using a 56k modem, ISDN, DSL, or cable modem, connects the home or small office network to the Internet. You need to ensure that ICS is enabled on the connection that has the Internet connection. By doing this, the shared connection can connect your home or small office network to the Internet, and users outside your network are not at risk of receiving inappropriate addresses from your network. 
When you enable ICS, the local area network connection to the home or small office network is given a new static IP address and configuration. Consequently, TCP/IP connections established between any home or small office computer and the ICS host computer at the time of enabling ICS are lost and need to be reestablished. For example, if Internet Explorer is connecting to a Web site when Internet Connection Sharing is enabled, refresh the browser to reestablish the connection. You must configure client machines on your home or small office network so TCP/IP on the local area connection obtains an IP address automatically. Home or small office network users must also configure Internet options for Internet Connection Sharing. To enable Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) Discovery and Control on Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, and Windows Millennium Edition computers, run the Network Setup Wizard from the CD or floppy disk on these computers. For ICS Discovery and Control to work on Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, and Windows Millennium Edition computers, Internet Explorer version 5.0 or later must be installed.

You must be logged on to your computer with an owner account in order to complete this procedure. 
Open Network Connections. (Click Start, click Control Panel, and then double–click Network Connections.) 

Click the dial–up, local area network, PPPoE, or VPN connection you want to share, and then, under Network Tasks, click Change settings of this connection. 

On the Advanced tab, select the Allow other network users to connect through this computer's Internet connection check box. 
If you want this connection to dial automatically when another computer on your home or small office network attempts to access external resources, select the Establish a dial–up connection whenever a computer on my network attempts to access the Internet check box. 

If you want other network users to enable or disable the shared Internet connection, select the Allow other network users to control or disable the shared Internet connection check box. 

Under Internet Connection Sharing, in Home networking connection, select any adapter that connects the computer sharing its Internet connection to the other computers on your network. The Home networking connection is only present when two or more network adapters are installed on the computer. 

Open Internet Explorer. Click Start, point to All Programs, and then click Internet Explorer.) 

On the Tools menu, click Internet Options.

On the Connections tab, click Never dial a connection, and then click LAN Settings. 
In Automatic configuration, clear the Automatically detect settings and Use automatic configuration script check boxes. 
In Proxy Server, clear the Use a proxy server check box. 

Here's how you can remove those shortcut arrows from your desktop icons in Windows XP.
1. Start regedit.
2. Navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTlnkfile
3. Delete the IsShortcut registry value.
You may need to restart Windows XP.

Windows 2000 & XP machines delay as long as 30 seconds when you try to view shared files across a network because Windows is using the extra time to search the remote computer for any Scheduled Tasks. Here's how to prevent this remote search for Scheduled Tasks: 
Open up the Registry and go to : 
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Explorer/RemoteComputer/NameSpace 
Under that branch, select the key : 
{D6277990-4C6A-11CF-8D87-00AA0060F5BF} 
and delete it. 
If you like you may want to export the exact branch so that you can restore the key if necessary. This fix is so effective that it doesn't require a reboot and you can almost immediately determine yourself how much it speeds up your browsing processes.

You use three switches. If D: is the target, and G: is the net drive. 
G:i386winnt32 /tempdrive:D /makelocalsource /s:G:i386

1. Open Control Panel 
2. Click on Performance and Maintenance. 
3. Click on System. 
4. Then click on the Advanced tab 
5. Click on the error-reporting button on the bottom of the windows. 
6. Select Disable error reporting. 
7. Click OK 
8. Click OK

Open User Accounts in Control Panel. 
Click Change the way users log on or off

You can improve performance of your Windows 2000/XP and reclaim memory by simply disabling the services that is also known as "System Services" you don't need which Windows 2000 or XP automatically provide by default.

System services are actually small helper programs that provide support for other larger programs in Windows 2000. Many of the services are set up to run automatically each time you start Windows 2000. However, if you're not using the larger programs that these services are designed to support, these services are simply wasting RAM that could be put to better use by your applications. While the word "Disable" is used here to describe the idea that you'll remove these services from memory, what you'll really be doing is changing the startup setting from Automatic to Manual. When you do, the services won't automatically start each time you launch Windows 2000 Professional. However, Windows 2000 will be able to manually start the services if they're needed. That way you won't be unnecessarily wasting RAM, but you won't be crippling your system either. Note: If you're running Windows 2000 Professional on a corporate network, you may not be able to adjust system services. Regardless of whether you can or not, you should check with your system administrator before attempting the make these changes. 
Changing the startup type of a service from Automatic to Manual is a relatively simple operation. To begin, open the Control Panel, open the Administrative Tools folder, and then double click the Services tool. When you see the Services window, set the View to Detail if it isn't already. Then click the Startup Type column header to sort the services by Startup Type. When you do, all the Services that start automatically will appear at the top of the list. 
As you scan through the list of services on your system whose Startup Type setting is set to Automatic, look for the services in listed in the Table below. These are some of the services are good candidates to be set to a Manual Startup Type. 
Examples of services that can be safely changed to Manual :- 
DHCP Client -- You're not connecting to a specific DHCP server on your local network
Distributed Link Tracking Client -- You're not connected to a Windows 2000 domain
DNS Client -- You're not connecting to a specific DNS server on your local network
FTP Publishing Service -- You don't need your system to act as an FTP server
IIS Admin Service -- You don't need your system to act as an WWW server
IPSEC Policy Agent -- You're not connected to a Windows 2000 domain
Messenger -- You're not connected to a Windows 2000 domain 
Remote Registry Service -- You don't remotely access the Registry of other systems on your local network
RIP Service -- You don't need your system to act as a router
Run As Service -- You don't use any applications that run as an alias 

You don't need your system to act as an WWW server 
If you find a match and think that your system doesn't need that particular service, right-click on the service and choose the Properties command from the shortcut menu. When you see the Properties dialog box for that service, click the Startup Type drop down list and select Manual. Then click OK. As you change the Startup Type for any service, take note of the service's name. That way you'll have a record of which services you changed and can change them back if you need to, as I'll explain in a moment.

Trick : To determine the amount of RAM you'll regain by disabling unnecessary system services, use the Windows Task Manager. Here's how: Before you disable any system services, reboot your system and don't launch any applications. If you have applications that automatically load when you start Windows, hold down the [Shift] key to bypass the Startup folder. Then, right click on the task bar and select Task Manager from the shortcut menu. When you see the Windows Task Manager dialog box, select the Performance tab. Now take note of the Available value in the Physical Memory panel. After you disable those system services you deem unnecessary, reboot your system in the same manner and compare the Available value in the Physical Memory panel to the one that you noted earlier.

Keep in mind that you may not find all the services listed in the Table set to Automatic on your system. In fact, you might not even see some of the services listed present on your system. If that's the case, don't worry about it. Each Windows 2000/XP installation is unique depending on the system and installed software, and different sets of services may be installed and set to start automatically.
On the other hand, you may find services other than those listed in Table set to Automatic that you may think are unnecessary. If so, you can find out what each service does by hovering your mouse pointer over the service's description. When you do, a tool tip window will pop up and display the entire description of the service. You can then better determine if the service is unnecessary. Remember, by changing the Startup Type to Manual, Windows 2000 can still start the service if it's needed. If you decide to experiment with changing the Startup Types of certain services, you can monitor the services over time by launching the Services utility and checking the list of running services. If you consistently find one of the services you set to Manual running, you may decide to change the Startup Type back to Automatic.

WinXP's setupp.ini controls how the CD acts. IE is it an OEM version or retail? First, find your setupp.ini file in the i386 directory on your WinXP CD. Open it up, it'll look something like this:
ExtraData=707A667567736F696F697911AE7E05
Pid=55034000
The Pid value is what we're interested in. What's there now looks like a standard default. There are special numbers that determine if it's a retail, oem, or volume license edition. First, we break down that number into two parts. The first five digits determines how the CD will behave, ie is it a retail cd that lets you clean install or upgrade, or an oem cd that only lets you perform a clean install? The last three digits determines what CD key it will accept. You are able to mix and match these values. For example you could make a WinXP cd that acted like a retail cd, yet accepted OEM keys.
Now, for the actual values. Remember the first and last values are interchangable, but usually you'd keep them as a pair:
Retail = 51882335
Volume License = 51883 270
OEM = 82503 OEM
So if you wanted a retail CD that took retail keys, the last line of your setupp.ini file would read:
Pid=51882335
And if you wanted a retail CD that took OEM keys, you'd use:
Pid=51882OEM
Note that this does NOT get rid of WinXP's activation. Changing the Pid to a Volume License will not bypass activation. You must have a volume license (corporate) key to do so.

Windows XP Professional makes it easier to resolve problems if they occur in your system. You can use System Restore to remove any system changes that were made since the last time you remember your computer working correctly. System Restore does not affect your personal data files (such as Microsoft Word documents, browsing history, drawings, favorites, or e–mail) so you won’t lose changes made to these files. Windows XP creates “restore points” every day, as well as at the time of significant system events (such as when an application or driver is installed). You can also create and name your own restore points at any time. Creating a restore point can be useful any time you anticipate making changes to your computer that are risky or might make your computer unstable. If something goes wrong, you select a restore point and Windows XP undoes any system changes made since that time.
When you run System Restore, a calendar is displayed to help you find restore points. If you don't use your computer every day, some days might not have any restore points. If you use your computer frequently, you might have restore points almost every day, and some days might have several restore points.

1. Access the System Restore Wizard through Help and Support Center. (Click Start, and then click Help and Support. Click Performance and Maintenance, click Using System Restore to undo changes, and then click Run the System Restore Wizard. 
 2. Click Create a restore point, and then click Next. 
 3. In the Restore point description box, type a name to identify this restore point. System Restore automatically adds to this name the date and time that this Restore Point is created.
·	To finish creating this restore point, click Create. 
  
·	To cancel restore point creation and return to the Welcome to System Restore screen, click Back. 
  
To cancel restore point creation and exit the System Restore Wizard, click Cancel.

To view or to return to this restore point, from the Welcome to System Restore screen of the System Restore Wizard select Restore my computer to an earlier time. Then select the date when the restore point was created from the calendar in the Select a Restore Point screen. All of the restore points that were created on the selected date are listed by name in the list box to the right of the calendar.


To set advanced restore options
1. Open Backup. (Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Backup.) The Backup Utility Wizard starts by default, unless it is disabled. 

2. Click the Advanced Mode button in the Backup Utility Wizard. 
 
3. Click the Restore and Manage Media menu and select the files to restore. 
 
4. Click the Start Restore button. 

5. On the Confirm Restore dialog box, click Advanced. 
 
6. Set the advanced restore options you want, and then click OK. See the Notes section for a description of each option.

You can connect your computer to other nearby computers and devices without wires, using infrared light to transfer data, the same way your TV remote control sends signals. Most new portable computers have built–in infrared transceivers, and Windows XP supports the Infared Data Association (IrDA) standards and protocols, allowing you to connect with such devices as printers, modems, digital pagers, personal digital assistants, electronic cameras, organizers, cellular phones, and hand–held computers.

1. Verify that the devices you want to connect with have infrared functionality enabled and work correctly. 

For information about verifying infrared functionality on your computer, see below. For information about verifying infrared functionality on other devices, see the device manufacturer's documentation. 
 
2. Align your devices so that the infrared transceivers are within one meter of each other, and the transceivers are pointing at each other.

When the devices are correctly aligned, the  icon appears on the taskbar. 

·	The infrared transceiver is the small, dark red window on your portable computer, printer, digital camera, adapter, or other device. 
·	You can choose whether to hide or display the Wireless Link taskbar icon when two infrared devices are aligned. By default, the Wireless Link taskbar icon is displayed. 
To verify infrared support on your computer
1. Verify that your computer has an infrared transceiver (the transceiver will appear as a small, dark red window). 

If your computer does not have an infrared transceiver, see your manufacturer's documentation to verify whether IrDA functionality is supported. You could also consider adding a IrDA card which can found at most good computer supply shops.

 2. Open Device Manager. Click Start, and then click Control Panel. Click Printers and Other Hardware, and then click System in the left panel. On the Hardware tab, click Device Manager. 
 
3. Double–click Infrared Devices

If you have an infrared transceiver, but Infrared Devices does not appear in Device Manager, you do not have an infrared device installed. 

If no infrared devices are listed, do one or both of the following:
·	Enter BIOS setup to verify whether the infrared device is enabled in BIOS, in IrDA, or Fast IrDA (FIR) mode. For information about how to enter BIOS setup, see your computer manufacturer's documentation. If the infrared device is disabled in BIOS, you might be able to use your computer's BIOS setup to enable it. 

Warning:  Using a BIOS setup utility incorrectly can cause your computer to operate incorrectly. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of the BIOS setup can be solved. Use this utility at your own risk. Before you make any changes, make a note of the original settings so that you can reinstate them if necessary. 
  
See your computer manufacturer's documentation to determine whether the BIOS needs to be updated. 
1. Verify that at least one infrared device is listed and that it is enabled. 

If infrared devices are listed but they are not enabled, verify that the infrared devices are installed correctly on your computer. Infrared transceivers are now installed in nearly all new portable computers. If your computer does not have an infrared transceiver, but it supports IrDA, and IrDA is enabled in BIOS, you can install an external infrared transceiver.

To enable file and printer sharing on networks not using Internet Connection 
Sharing, you must run the Network Setup Wizard and select the following option: 
This computer connects to the Internet through another computer on my network or through a residential gateway. 
If your computer is directly connected to the Internet, re-run the Network Setup Wizard and select the following option: 
This computer connects to the Internet directly or through a network hub. 
Other computers on my network also connect to the Internet directly or through a hub.

For those who are getting this error when you try to install WinXP on a motherboard that has UDMA 100 Promise Controllers you need to do the following in order to get XP to install correctly if your hard drives are connected to the UDMA 100 controller.
Now there are two ways to get XP installed, the first one I am going to mention is the easiest way and the second is a bit more complicated but will work never the less. 
#1 - Easiest Way
I have an Asus A7V motherboard and I have run into this more than once. What you need to do (this is the easiest way to do it that I have found) is to move your hard drives cable off the UDMA 100 controller (normally color coded blue) over to the UDMA 66 master controller on the motherboard. Once you have done that make sure your PC still boots into your current OS correctly. If it does then start your XP install or upgrade. Everything should be fine. Now, once XP is up on My Computer and choose Manage. Look under Device manager and you will see an error with a yellow exclamation point on it. Right click on it and install the Promise Drivers. You can download them directly from here - ftp://ftp.promise.com/Controllers/IDE/Ultra66/UltraFamily/U100d160b32.zip
Once you have the drivers installed re-boot the system and make sure the yellow exclamation points are gone and the promise drivers are listed under SCSI devices, if they are then turn off your system, move the HD's back to the UDMA 100 controller and boot it up. That should fix it.

#2 - Fresh Install
If you plan on installing XP to a freshly formatted hard drive the easiest way I have found to do this is to use the above method but for those with only one UDMA 66 controller on there motherboard you may need to do the following:
- First use the URL above and download the Promise drivers from the Promise website.
- Second you need to extract the drivers to a floppy or to the partition on your hard drive that XP can see (FAT32 works great for this) but there is a trick to this in order to make XP see the drivers. Once you extract the drivers the promise drivers automatically make folders for each individual OS (see screen shot), what you need to do is move the files from under the Win2K directory to the of the Promise Folder. So you take the three files under the Win2K folder and copy them, don't move them but copy them to the root of the main folder where you extracted the Promise drivers to (if you don't see three files go to Tools/Folder Options/View and check "show hidden files"). The three files you need to copy to the area are:
- Ultra.cat
- Ultra.inf
- Ultra.sys

Now that you have all the files in the copy them to a floppy, reboot (if needed) and start your install of XP. 
Now pay attention here - at the bottom of the very first blue setup screen you will see a prompt to hit F6 to install third party SCSI or RAID drivers. HIT F6 A FEW TIMES NOW!!! Now it might take a couple of seconds but you should be prompted to insert your drivers into your floppy drive. Do so and choose the Promise ATA100 controller. Keep this disk handy as you will be prompted for it one more time during the install.
Once XP has the drivers and loads them successfully XP should install just fine, well at least as far as the controller goes.

Thus far, Windows XP shutdown issues most resemble those of Windows Millennium Edition. That is, most of them center around 
a very few issues, especially driver version and other legacy hardware and software compatibility issues. These are detailed below. 
The driver and software issues are expected to resolve substantially as hardware and software manufacturers release updated 
versions, now that Win XP has been officially launched.

The majority of shutdown problems reported with Windows XP thus far have been that it reboots when shutdown is attempted. This 
may be a global symptom emerging from several distinct causes, because XP executes an automatic restart in the event of a system 
failure. I'm guessing that this means that more or less anything compromising the operating system during the shutdown process 
could force this reboot. If this is true, then our job will be to prepare a series of steps suitable to isolate the most likely cause. Disabling 
the "restart on system failure" feature may permit the exact cause to be isolated:

Right-click on My Computer and select Properties. Click the Advanced tab. Under 'Startup & Recovery,' click Settings. Under 'System Failure,' 
uncheck the box in front of 'System reboot.'
Some things that have produced this reboot-instead-of-shutdown symptom are:
" By now, Roxio's Easy CD / Direct CD software is well documented as being a major cause - possibly the major cause - of this undesirable 
shutdown behavior. On November 1, Roxio released new drivers to solve this problem in Easy CD Creator 5 Platinum in its Windows XP 
updater for the Platinum product. A fix for Easy CD Creator 5 Basic is in the works. In the first few hours of its release, several peple have 
written me saying that this fix has resolved their Windows XP shutdown problem. I suspect that < least>of the Windows XP shutdown problems 
will go away with Roxio's release of this patch for Platinum and the pending patch for Basic. This has been the single most common cause of 
Win XP shutdown problems thus far. One person after another has written to me with the simple message that this reboot behavior went away 
as soon as they uninstalled Easy CD. HINT No. 1: PCBUILD subscribers, by trial and error, identified the file CDRALW2K.SYS (version 1.0.0.1048) 
as the Roxio file that was causing his shutdown problems and error conditions. When he deleted this one file, his problems went away. HINT No.2: 
The Mystic Overclocker and others have reported that installing Easy CD 5.0 does not cause the shutdown problem, provided they do not install the
 Direct CD component. Though this isn't universally true, enough people have mentioned it by now for me to suggest it as a work-around.

PCBUILD subscribers have found that Windows XP won't shutdown properly if unsigned device drivers are used. Since all necessary device 
drivers have not yet been created for Win XP, this will be a problem for the next few months. It resembles the pattern for Win ME shutdown 
problems, because even today, many hardware manufacturers have not prepared suitable drivers for use with ME.

In the early days of Win ME, one of the biggest culprits for shutdown issue was the Creative Labs SoundBlaster Live. History repeated 
itself in the early stages of Win XP. This now has been fixed for some users (but not for all) by the release of new drivers.
Here's the commonly reported scenario: On attempting shutdown, nothing at all appears to happen for a prolonged period of time. Eventually, 
an "End Task" window appears wanting to terminate DEVLDR32.EXE. No matter what one does, one ultimately is locked out of shutting down 
other than by a power switch shutoff. (This problem exists with the SBLive in Windows 2000 also.)
In mid-July, Microsoft posted new Win XP drivers for the SBLive on the Windows Update site. According to PCBUILD subscribers, these drivers 
solve the shutdown problem the SBLive was causing. I recommend you go to Windows Update and download the new driver if you have an 
SBLive card. However, some users are reporting that the DEVLDR problem continues to plague them even with the new drivers:

" In the event installing the new drivers does not solve your shutdown problem, try some of the solutions people have been using prior to 
the release of these new drivers. PCBUILD subscribers have written that they solved the well-documented SBLive/DEVLDR32 problem by 
downloading and installing the LiveService software. (We caution that one should disable all antivirus software while executing this program.  
I do recommend that you at least virus-check anything you download first!)
" PCBUILD subscribers" gave another solution to this problem: Uninstall the LiveWare software pack (of which DEVLDR is part). Uninstall the 
SBLive card. Restart Windows, let it detect the new hardware, and use the Windows XP driver. However, other users have reported that this 
isn't satisfactory because the XP native driver gives very poor sound quality. If the new drivers work for you, they are definitely the preferred 
option.

Other video cards that have created problems are those based on the Kyro II video chip, such as the Hercules Prophet 4500. PCBUILD 
subscribers have reported that until they removed the Kyro II / Prophet 4500, they could shutdown, hibernate, or go to stand by just 
fine, but Restart wouldn't work - it would shutdown Windows instead. Others with this video card have reported this strange behavior 
on both restart and shutdown.

Apparently, this problem is now solved. Microsoft reports that new drivers for this card, specific to Windows XP, are now available from 
Hercules. At present, they remain uncertified (PowerVR, who makes the Kyro II chip, is working on that), but they reportedly work just 
fine. Download the Kyro II drivers here.

During shutdown or reboot, Win XP may hang (stop responding) at the "saving your settings" screen. During such a hang, there is no 
response to Ctrl+Alt+Del; the mouse may or may not work. (The problem may be intermittent.)

This is a known bug in Windows XP, for which Microsoft has a supported fix. Because this patch is scheduled for further quality 
assurance testing in the future, Microsoft only recommends that you install it if you have a serious problem; otherwise, they 
recommend waiting for Service Pack 1, which will include the more permanent version of the fix. To learn how to get this patch, 
see Windows XP Stops Responding (Hangs) During Windows Shutdown.

As a workaround, we resolved this problem by dismantling the Windows XP logon Welcome screen. In the Control Panel, click User 
Accounts, then click "Change the way users log on or off." Uncheck the box that says "Use the Welcome screen." This removes the 
initial logon screen with individual icons for each user and, instead, pops up the classic logon prompt that requires each user to 
type a user name and password.

Download the "ShutMeDown" Registry patch. Please follow sensible Registry editing protocol. Backup your Registry before the change 
(or run System Restore to create a restore point). This is not the appropriate fix for most machines, but does help a significant 
number. After installing, test Windows shutdown. If the fix does not work for you, remove it by restoring the Registry to its prior state.
For those who want a little more background information, the fix provided by this patch is based on a Microsoft Knowledge Base article 
Q155117 for Windows NT 4.0. It apparently still works in NT 5.1; that is, in Windows XP.

Some users have gotten an error message similar to the following when attempting either to shutdown or restart Win XP:

STOP 0000009F, DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE
STOP 0x0000001E: KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED
STOP 0x000000D1: DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

TechNet and the Microsoft Knowledge Base have numerous articles discussing this type of error condition; for example, these. 
As a review of these articles will show, these are commonly device driver problems, but may also be caused by troublesome 
software (such as the notorious CrashGuard), or a problem in a system service. MSKB article Q262575 discusses a shutdown 
problem of this type, known to exist in Windows 2000 due to a resource (IRQ) conflict, if you have PACE Interlok anti-piracy 
software installed. This problem may occur in Windows XP as well.

Try the following as one approach to these problems: Restart the computer. Press F8 during the restart and select "Last Known 
Good Configuration." If you catch the problem when it first occurs (meaning you likely have installed only one or two drivers or 
new service), this will return you to a previous working condition.

It has been reported by a PCBUILD Subscriber that these STOP code error message occur when Windows XP is trying to shut 
down devices. He says that he has seen this twice: once with Logitech Quickcam installed (with an unsupported driver), and 
once with a USB DSL modem that would hang if it wasn't disconnected before shutdown.

If it appears that Win XP is not shutting down, give it some time. Some users have reported a minute or longer for shutdown 
to visibly start. Thus far, it appears that this is a consequence of software that is running when shutdown is attempted, and it 
also may have something to do with particular hardware. If you are experiencing this problem, be sure to close all running 
programs before attempting shutdown and see if this solves your problem. If so, then you can determine, by trial and error, 
which program(s) are involved.

One specific solution for this can be found: In Control Panel | Administrative Tools | Services. (You can also get this by launching 
SERVICES.MSC from a Run box. This utility is also built into the Computer Management console.) Stop the Nvidia Driver Helper 
service. Many other newsgroup participants quickly confirmed that this solved this "extremely slow shutdown" problem for them.

"Powerdown issues" are quite distinctive from "shutdown issues." I define a shutdown problem as one wherein Windows doesn't 
make it at least to the "OK to shut off your computer" screen. If Windows gets that far, or farther, then it has shut down correctly. 
However, the computer may not powerdown correctly after that. This is a different problem, and I encourage people reporting 
these issues to make a clear distinction in their labeling.

When Windows XP won't powerdown automatically, the APM/NT Legacy Power Node may not be enabled. To enable this, right-click 
on the My Computer icon, click Properties | Hardware | Device Manager | View. Check the box labeled "Show Hidden Devices." 
If it's available on your computer, there will be a red X on the APM/NT Legacy Node. Try enabling it and see if this resolves the 
powerdown problem. (Tip from Terri Stratton.)

This should resolve the powerdown issue in most cases. However, other factors can sometimes interfere with correct powerdown 
functioning. In that case, consider the following tips:
" If you changing the default power settings in the BIOS, it can lead to a powerdown problem. Restoring all BIOS power settings 
to default will likely fix it.  
PCBUILD subscribers reported that, when the above didn't work , they restored powerdown functioning by disabling his CD-ROM's 
AutoRun feature. The fastest way to do this is with the "Disable AutoRun" Registry patch which you can download here.

" BIOS UPGRADE. As with every new operating system that comes along - especially one that is as much of a "step up" as Windows 
XP is from Windows 9x - the recommendation is made to be sure your BIOS is updated. Many people have reported that this has 
solved their shutdown problems (and had other advantages) with Win XP, just as it has in earlier versions of Windows.

One reported quirk affecting shutdown is the three-account shuffle. Windows XP gives the ability to rapidly bounce between user 
accounts, with Win+L. If at least three user accounts exist, and you quick-switch through all three, and then log off all three in 
reverse order - "backing out" in an orderly way - then the machine may hang on shutdown. There may be other variations of 
account shuffling that cause this, but this one, clear example was provided by newsgroup correspondent John Ward. So far, I 
have no concrete clue on what may be occurring here.

By default taskbar grouping will happen when you have three or more of the same program windows open. 
We have found the registry key to change the settings so that, if you prefer, Windows XP will wait till you 
open even more of the same program windows before they start to group. Here is an overview of Taskbar 
Grouping first:

The taskbar can become crowded with buttons when you are working with multiple programs at the same 
time. For this reason, Windows provides a feature to help you manage a large number of open documents 
and program items. The taskbar button grouping feature works in two ways. First, taskbar buttons for 
documents opened by the same program are always displayed in the same area of the taskbar so you 
can find your documents easily.
Second, if you have many documents open in the same program, Windows combines all the documents 
into one taskbar button that is labeled with the name of the program. A triangle on the right side of the 
button indicates that many documents are open in this program. The single button provides access to all 
the open documents. To access one of the open documents, click the triangle on the taskbar button, and 
then click a document name in the list. To act on all the open documents at the same time, use the 
right-click menu. For example, right-clicking the triangle gives you a menu that lets you close all the open 
documents.

Click here to download the registry key to enable user defined grouping. It's currently set at 3, if you want 
to change this number open the .reg file in notepad and edit the line:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced]
"TaskbarGroupSize"=dword:00000003

Change this to whatever number you wish explorer to group at. i.e. change it to dword:00000008 if you 
wanted explorer to group on 8, or dword:00000005 if you want explorer to group on 5. Save the file after 
editing to the number and then click on the file you have edited. It will ask you if you want to enter this 
entry into the registry, click yes. You will then be notified if the key has been added to your registry 
correctly.

In its ever-expanding push toward computer domination, Microsoft launched a concept called the 
.NET Passport. (Soon after installation, Windows XP urgently asks you to sign up for one.) In 
theory, the Passport sounds great: Give Microsoft a user name and password, and you have a 
Passport. When you visit any Passport-aware Internet sites, you type in your same Passport name 
and password. You no longer have to remember different user names and passwords for every place 
that you visit or shop on the Internet.
In fact, when you move from one Passport-enabled site to another, you don't even need to log on 
again. With the Passport, your personal data travels with you: name, address, and, if you 
purchased anything, your credit card number. Microsoft says its .NET Passport enables software, 
Internet services, and computer gadgetry to work together and share information, making the 
Internet easier for everyone to use.
Think about it, though. No entity should govern your Internet use — except you. The Microsoft 
Passport contains your Internet identity. With Passport, Microsoft creates a consumer database 
that's just too powerful. Microsoft can collect information from any Passport-enabled site you 
visit, so Microsoft knows the stocks you track in Investor.com, the Web pages you view in 
MSN.com, and where you travel through Expedia.com. When you move from one Passport-enabled 
site to another, that information could be shared, too.

In concept, Passport sounds great. When computers are working well, they do great things. But 
everybody knows how terrible computers can be if something goes wrong. Passport offers too 
much opportunity for things to go wrong. Sure, it's okay to occasionally use a Passport account 
when there's no alternative. But avoid Passport-enabled sites whenever possible.

Microsoft raves about how Media Player plays DVDs. But that's a lie. Windows XP can't play DVDs 
right out of the box. See, even though you've bought a Windows XP computer, a DVD drive, and a 
DVD, you need something else: special software called a decoder. This bit of software, called a 
codec because it converts one format to another, enables your computer to translate numbers on 
a disc into videos of galloping horses on the screen.
Unfortunately, Windows XP doesn't come with a DVD codec, so you must pick up one somewhere else. 
Where? Well, most computers with DVD drives come with DVD-playing software — a little box with 
its own little controls. That software installs its own DVD codec in Windows, and Media Player 
simply borrows that. But if you don't have DVD-playing software, there's nothing to borrow, and 
Media Player ignores your DVDs.

If you choose Windows Media Player instead of your third-party DVD player to watch DVDs, the 
controls are pretty much the same as they are for playing CDs.

You probably need to update your DVD software so that it will work under Windows XP. Otherwise, 
your DVD software won't work under Media Player, either. Head for the Web site of your DVD 
player's manufacturer and look for a Windows XP patch or upgrade. If you're lucky, the manufacturer 
won't charge you for the upgrade. Some companies, however, make you buy a new version.

DVD stands for Digital Video Disc & Digital Versatile Disc.

Bending to pressure, Microsoft made a last-minute deal with three companies to provide software for 
Windows Media Player to create MP3s and play DVDs. The catch? The complete package costs between 
$20 and $30, with separate components (the DVD decoder on its own, for instance) costing less.

The three companies, CyberLink, InterVideo, and RAVISENT, each offers a DVD Decoder Pack for 
Windows XP. After October 25, 2001, Windows XP users may order and download the add-on packs 
from each company's Web site through links inside Windows Media Player.
If you've upgraded to Windows XP from an earlier version of Windows, and your old DVD software 
no longer works, using the links to get the add-ons might be your best option.

Some programs designed for earlier versions of Windows won't run under Windows XP. Until you can 
get your hands on a program upgrade for Windows XP, you can try running the program in one of 
Windows XP Compatibility Modes by following these steps:
1. Double-click the desktop shortcut called Run in Compatibility Mode that's automatically installed 
there when you install Windows XP to open a full-size Help and Support window with instructions and 
controls for starting an application in Compatibility Mode. 
You can also open this window by clicking Start on the Windows taskbar and then clicking Help and 
Support on the Start menu. Next, click the Find Compatible Hardware and Software for Windows XP 
link and then click the Program Compatibility Wizard link at the bottom of the window navigation 
pane.
2. Read the instructions on the Welcome to Programs Compatibility Wizard screen, paying particular 
attention to the warning about not using Compatibility Mode on programs, such as anti-virus software 
and backup tools, that specifically prohibit their use on future editions of the operating system 
before you click the Next button.
3. In the next screen, click the radio button indicating how you want to locate the program you 
want to run: I Want to Choose from a List of Programs, I Want to Use the Program in the CD-ROM 
Drive, or I Want to Locate the Program Manually.
4. If you selected the I Want to Choose from a List of Programs radio button, click the name of 
the program you want to run in the list that appears before you click Next. 
If you selected the I Want to Locate the Program Manually radio button, type the path to the 
program in the text box that appears or click the Browse button and locate it in the Please 
Select Application dialog box and select the Open button before you click Next.
5. In the next screen, called Select a Compatibility Mode for the Program, click the radio 
button for the version of Windows under which your program used to run or was designed to 
run: Microsoft Windows 95, Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 (Service Pack 5), Microsoft Windows 98/Windows 
Me, or Microsoft Windows 2000.
6. In the next screen called Select Display Settings for the Program, click the check box or boxes 
for the display settings that are recommended for running the program. 
These check box options include: 256 Colors, 640 x 480 Screen Resolution, and Disable Visual Themes.
7. Click the Next button to advance to the Test Your Compatibility Settings screen where you can 
verify your selections for the program.
8. If your settings are correct, click the Next button to run the program in compatibility mode.
If Windows XP can run the program in the selected Compatibility Mode, the program then launches 
in a separate window. If Windows can't run the application, you receive an alert box indicating 
that there's a problem. In such a case, you have to contact the software manufacturer and get an 
upgrade for the application that's specifically designed for the Windows XP operating system. 
Note that when you exit the program that you're running in compatibility mode, Windows automatically 
returns you to the Program Compatibility Wizard in the Help and Support window.

This article describes the Quick Fix utility (Qfixapp.exe) that is included with the Application 
Compatibility Toolkit for Windows XP and Windows .NET. Qfixapp.exe is a tool that includes pre-
packaged fixes that provide an easy way to fix a program.

You can use Qfixapp.exe to quickly apply various program fixes (AppFixes, also known as "shims") 
to a program to determine their effectiveness. Qfixapp.exe reads the %SystemRoot%\windows\apppatch\
sysmain.sdb database to produce a list of available fixes. When you select an AppFix, you can start 
the program executable (.exe) file, and the AppFix will be applied. If a suitable AppFix is found, 
the tool eventually helps you to generate and test matching file information. When you run 
Qfixapp.exe, you see the following items: 
·	The The application for which to apply the fix(es) check box. This setting disables existing 
fixes in the database.
·	The Layer tab with the Choose one of the existing layers to apply to your app box that 
contains the following entries:
256 Color
640X480
Disable Themes
Internaltional
LUA(Limited User Account)
LUACleanUp
NT4SP5
ProfilesSetup
Win2000
Win95
Win98
·	The Fixes tab. On this tab you can select the individual fixes that you want to apply.

1. Start Notepad, and then click About Notepad on the Help menu. Note that the version is 5.1.

2. Start Qfixapp.exe, click Win95, click Browse, and then open the Windows folder. Note that the 
Windows\System32 folder is protected by Windows File Protection, so it is not able to use the layers.

3. Click Notepad.exe, click Open, and then click Run.

4. Start Notepad, and then click About Notepad on the Help menu. Note that the version is now 4.0.

If you click ViewLog, you could see what AppFix(es) are being used. If you click Advanced, you 
could see information about the .exe file. You can click Add Matching Info, and then select files 
that are related to the .exe file to identify that particular program. After you finish that step, 
you could click Create Fix Support to add the layers with the Matching Information (GRABMI) and 
create an XML-based database that is named YourAppName.sdb. Note that in the preceding example 
it is named Notepad.sdb, and is in the AppPatch folder.

For some reason, Microsoft has removed the ability to specify which Windows components you want 
to install during interactive Setup, and when you go into Add/Remove Windows Components in the 
Control Panel, you still don't have the full list of applications and applets you can add and 
remove. Thankfully, this is easy to fix. 
To dramatically expand the list of applications you can remove from Windows XP after installation, 
navigate to C:\WINDOWS\inf (substituting the correct drive letter for your version of Windows) 
and open the sysoc.inf file. Under Windows XP Professional Edition RC1, this file will resemble 
the following by default:
[Version] Signature = "$Windows NT$"
DriverVer=06/26/2001,5.1.2505.0
[Components]
NtComponents=ntoc.dll,NtOcSetupProc,,4
WBEM=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,wbemoc.inf,hide,7
Display=desk.cpl,DisplayOcSetupProc,,7
Fax=fxsocm.dll,FaxOcmSetupProc,fxsocm.inf,,7
NetOC=netoc.dll,NetOcSetupProc,netoc.inf,,7
iis=iis.dll,OcEntry,iis.inf,,7
com=comsetup.dll,OcEntry,comnt5.inf,hide,7
dtc=msdtcstp.dll,OcEntry,dtcnt5.inf,hide,7
IndexSrv_System = setupqry.dll,IndexSrv,setupqry.inf,,7
TerminalServer=TsOc.dll, HydraOc, TsOc.inf,hide,2
msmq=msmqocm.dll,MsmqOcm,msmqocm.inf,,6
ims=imsinsnt.dll,OcEntry,ims.inf,,7
fp_extensions=fp40ext.dll,FrontPage4Extensions,fp40ext.inf,,7
AutoUpdate=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,au.inf,hide,7
msmsgs=msgrocm.dll,OcEntry,msmsgs.inf,hide,7
msnexplr=ocmsn.dll,OcEntry,msnmsn.inf,,7
smarttgs=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,msnsl.inf,,7
RootAutoUpdate=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,rootau.inf,,7
Games=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,games.inf,,7
AccessUtil=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,accessor.inf,,7
CommApps=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,communic.inf,HIDE,7
MultiM=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,multimed.inf,HIDE,7
AccessOpt=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,optional.inf,HIDE,7
Pinball=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,pinball.inf,HIDE,7
MSWordPad=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,wordpad.inf,HIDE,7
ZoneGames=zoneoc.dll,ZoneSetupProc,igames.inf,,7
[Global]
WindowTitle=%WindowTitle%
WindowTitle.StandAlone="*"
The entries that include the text hide or HIDE will not show up in Add/Remove Windows Components by default. 
To fix this, do a global search and replace for ,hide and change each instance of this to , (a comma). Then, save 
the file, relaunch Add/Remove Windows Components, and tweak the installed applications to your heart's content.

In Windows 2000, Microsoft added the ability to right-click the My Documents folder and choose a new location for that 
folder in the shell. With Windows XP, Microsoft has elevated the My Music and My Pictures folders to the same "special 
shell folder" status of My Documents, but they never added a similar (and simple) method for changing those folder's 
locations. However, it is actually pretty easy to change the location of these folders, using the following method.
Open a My Computer window and navigate to the location where you'd like My Music (or My Pictures) to reside. Then, 
open the My Documents folder in a different window. Drag the My Music (or My Pictures) folder to the other window, and 
Windows XP will update all of the references to that folder to the new location, including the Start menu.

Does the Home or Pro version include IIS?
Only the Pro version has it.

I installed the Pro version but I can't find IIS.
The Pro installation doesn't install IIS by default. Go to Start->Control Panels->Add/Remove 
Programs, and click on "Add 
Windows Components". IIS will be listed in there. 
How many computers can I install XP on?
Microsoft allows you to install XP on only one computer. Technically, it's been like this all 
along except there's been no way 
to enforce it. Microsoft's new Authentication System forces XP installations to link the PC, 
the CD Key, and an ID number 
that identifies your computer's components together, which means that you can't install XP 
from the same CD on another 
PC. You can read more about Windows XP Activation if you click here.
Will my programs work under Windows XP?
That's a complicated issue. Most modern programs have been written to work on Windows 95 and 
above, all the way to 
Windows XP using an API called Win32. By using this API, it guarantees that the application 
will work on any Win32 supported 
platform, so long as the application was properly written to Microsoft's guidelines. If an 
application wasn't written properly, it 
has the potential to break under not only XP, but any future OS. Now, programs that ran under 
DOS might not work at all 
due to a whole slew of reasons. Any popular DOS applications and games are sure to have a 
support forum, so check them 
out if you can.
Just in case your application doesn't work properly under Windows XP, there's a "Compatability 
Mode" in which your application 
will run in an environment similar to a previous operating system. Currently, the operating 
system choices are:
Windows 95
Windows 98/ME
Windows NT (Service Pack 5)
Windows 2000
So if you're having trouble with a particular application or game under XP, right click on the 
application's icon and click on the 
"Compatability" tab. You can also set a forced resolution of 640x480, force 256 (8-bit) color, 
and force the system to disable themes.
If I upgrade from Windows 98 or ME to Windows XP, can I revert back?
Yes, but I haven't done it myself so I don't know what the consequences are from upgrading, and 
then downgrading again. 
If you upgraded, there should be an item in "Add/Remove Programs" that allows you to uninstall 
XP. Note: if you upgraded 
to XP, and then changed your file system to NTFS, you cannot go back to 98 or ME since those 
operating systems don't 
understand how NTFS works.
Will my games work under Windows XP?
This is even more complicated than the application issue. Games are supposed to be written to 
not only the Win32 API, 
but any one of many different graphics APIs such as Direct 3D or OpenGL. Sometimes games take 
a "short cut" to gain 
better performance. Since Windows XP is built on a different core than Windows 95, 98, and ME, 
it's possible that some 
games won't work. You can read more about games under XP by clicking here.
Can I watch DVDs on Windows XP?
Not "out of the box", unfortunately. Microsoft is forcing consumers to buy a "DVD Decoder Pack" 
to allow playback of 
DVDs. You can read more about that by clicking here.
Can I listen to MP3s with Windows XP?
Yes. Windows Media Player will playback MP3s. If you're Yes. Windows Media Player will playback 
MP3s. If you're having 
trouble playing MP3s with Windows Media Player, make sure you have the latest update.
Can I rip MP3s with Windows XP?
Just like the DVD issue, you cannot rip MP3s with XP "out of the box". You'll have to buy the 
"MP3 Pack" which allows 
you to add MP3 ripping capabilities to Windows Media Player. However, you can use Music Match 
Jukebox and other 
third-party rippers as you have before, so long as they work under XP (chances are they do, 
but check the web pages 
of the applications to be sure). You can read more about music under XP by clicking here.
Can I have multiple operating systems installed on the same computer alongside Windows XP?
Yes. There's a procedure that's involved in order to do it properly. If you're installing 
Windows XP on a machine that 
already has another Windows OS, you have to make sure that you can install XP on a seperate 
partition, or a seperate 
hard drive. You cannot install XP on the same hard drive or partition that already has another 
operating system on it, 
meaning two OS's can't share the same space at the same time. The key is to install Windows XP 
last, this way the 
NT boot loader, which allows you to choose which OS to load at boot time, is installed by the 
XP installer. Microsoft 
has an article about multibooting.
What are the requirements for running Windows XP?
The minimum requirements can be found by clicking here.
If I'm buying the XP upgrade version, do I have to install over my old OS, or can I install 
fresh?
You can most certainly install fresh. When installing XP, you'll be prompted for your previous 
OS's CD. Once XP sees that it's a valid CD, you switch CDs again and the XP installer continues 
on its merry way. 
What are the upgrade paths for Windows XP? Do I need to buy the full version?
All the valid upgrade paths for the Home and Pro versions can be found by clicking here.
I got a PC from with a restore CD instead of an actual Windows installer CD, is it considered valid for an upgrade?
This is tricky. Some PC manufacturers give the user a "Restore CD" which, although has a version of Windows on it, 
is nothing more than a "snapshot" of the hard drive when the user opened the box for the first time. Chances are, 
when the XP upgrade asks for the previous Windows OS CD, it will reject the Restore CD since it wasn't made by 
Microsoft. Your best bet would be to check with the manufacturer of your PC and see if you have an upgrade 
option. I'm still looking on Microsoft's site for a definitive answer on this.
Will Windows 2000 drivers run under XP? I heard that XP is just Windows 2000 with a new face.
There's no guarantee that Win2k drivers will work under XP. I wouldn't suggest even trying since it might make 
your system unstable. The best you can do is to check with your device's manufacturer first and see if they already 
have XP drivers ready for you to download from their web site.
I see there are two versions of XP - Home and Professional. Which one should I get?
Microsoft did a very good job of splitting the two versions, and making sure that one group doesn't need the features 
of the other flavor of XP. The only issue I can see i Microsoft did a very good job of splitting the two versions, and 
making sure that one group doesn't need the features of the other flavor of XP. The only issue I can see is the 
multi-processor support you get from the Pro version, and if it will affect gaming. Click here to read Microsoft's 
comparison of the two.

Like many other audio players, Windows Media Player rushes out to the Internet to find information 
for you when you play a CD. Some of this information, such as song titles and album art, is useful, but Media 
Player also identifies your copy of Media Player to the site where it's getting data. Why? According to the help 
file, "The server uses this unique identifier to monitor your connection. By monitoring your connection, the 
server can make adjustments to increase the playback quality and to alert you about events that occur when 
receiving streams over the Internet." 
If you're disturbed by this exchange of information, here's how to stop it. In Windows Media Player, click 
Tools > Options and go to the Player tab. Notice the option that says "Allow Internet sites to uniquely 
identify your player?" Turn it off.

Take preventive measures against losing user-level passwords.

It doesn't matter if you never again remember a Windows user password. Thanks to XP's Forgotten Password Wizard, 
your conscience will be free and clear -- should your mind happen to accidentally misplace your user password.

I highly suggest you create a password recovery disk the minute you create your user account. Why? In order to create 
a password recovery disk you're going to need your password. Write it down the minute you create your user account 
and then proceed to creating your very own password recovery disk.

Here's how to launch the Forgotten Password Wizard: 
Single-click Start menu, Control Panel, and User Accounts. 
Click your user account name. 
Under Related Tasks on the left, click "Prevent forgotten password" to launch the wizard.
Now that you've launched the wizard, let it walk you through creating the recovery disk. Make sure the disk you use is 
formatted and in the drive. After it's finished creating the disk, label it and stash it away for an emergency. 

If you happen to forget your password, all you need to do is click your user icon at the logon screen. Even though you 
don't have your password, go ahead and click the green arrow just like you would to finish logging on to your computer. 
This will launch a little yellow dialog box directing you to use your password recovery disk.

If you plan on getting a copy of XP, one of the first things you're going to do is set up a user account. Why not 
give your user account its very own picture? It's OK if you don't want to use a picture of your own because Windows 
comes with at least 20 beautiful pictures to choose from.

Here's how you can customize your user account icon. 
Single-click the start menu and choose Control Panel. 
Single-click the User Accounts icon. 
Find the user account you'd like to change the icon for and click on it. 
Click the text that says "Change My Picture." 
You'll have the option to either pick one of the predefined icons or choose your own. 
If you like one of the predefined icons, just highlight the one you like and click the button labeled "Change Picture." 
If you'd like to use your own picture, just click the magnifying glass or the text labeled "Browse for more pictures." 
This will launch a dialog box directing you to navigate to where your new picture is stored. After you find it, just click 
Open to save your new changes.

Go to Control Panel > System, > Advanced > Performance area > Settings button Visual Effects tab
 "Use drop shadows for icon labels on the Desktop"