Tech Tips

Windows XP : Desktop and GUI

Create your own special characters in Windows XP

Have you ever wanted to create your own font or maybe just a special character -- for example, a character showing your initials for approving documents with your "signature"? You can easily create your own characters using a hidden Windows XP tool called the Private Character Editor. Here's how:...

Change the font Windows XP displays in Windows Explorer

Note: This tip is for both Windows XP Home and Professional. Windows Explorer and My Computer display the same font that Windows XP uses for icon titles on your desktop - 8-point Tahoma. If you want to change the font or font size used in Windows Explorer, follow these steps:...

How to disable the AutoComplete feature?

Microsoft built a lot of smart technologies into Windows XP. One of these technologies is the AutoComplete feature, which remembers and automatically completes entries - such as passwords and user names—that you make in certain forms and applications, including Windows Explorer and Internet Explorer. While this feature is a time-saver,...

Disable Notification balloon tips

You have undoubtedly seen the yellow balloons that appear at certain times in the notification area. For instance, when you connect or disconnect the network cable, you'll see a message notifying you of the network's state. Most of the time, these balloons are quite useful, because they replace dialog boxes...

Unlock Windows XP's hidden features

Most users will notice the obvious enhancements in Windows XP, such as the new user interface, which is more colorful and user-friendly than the gray interface in previous versions. But some of the best new features are often those you never notice. Locking is one such feature....

Setting folder options in Windows XP

Although Windows XP Professional is geared for advanced users, Microsoft enabled several options intended to simplify the user interface. However, many advanced users may find the default settings distracting....

What is ClearType?

ClearType, one of the new technologies included in Windows XP, uses the design of liquid crystal displays (LCDs) found in notebooks and other portable devices, including desktop computers. LCDs consist of thousands of pixels too small to be discernible by the human eye alone. In traditional font rendering, each pixel...

Fast User Switching

Fast User Switching is one of the best new features in Windows XP. It is built on top of the Terminal Services technology and allows several users to be logged on to an XP computer at the same time. Under Windows NT/2000, if a second user needed system access, you...

Default Administrator account and the Windows XP Welcome Screen

The Windows XP Welcome Screen is useful and looks very nice, but it is not perfect. There are several hidden side effects to this feature that you need to be aware of. First among these quirks is that the default Administrator account will not be displayed on the screen if...

The Windows XP Welcome Screen

Windows XP is built on Windows NT/2000 kernel, which means it's quite secure. Every user must have a username and a password. While security is very important in corporations, home users usually don't need a strict security policy. A typical home user needs moderate security but with a simplified interface;...