First some format tips : XP does not recognize SATA (SP something does but not the vanilla one). I had to use a floppy to install the driver - and don't forget to install the drivers once you boot into XP. Also computer name and user names cannot match - didn't know that. Install language packs for east asian languages etc during install - it will save you a reboot when you first see the □S in a filename. Ah - err, you'll need the key during install.
Now - once you booted and all :
- Install all updates - namely service pack 2 then 3 then what's left. I used IE -once SP2 is installed configure automatic updates to "only download but not install" - some say that this won't actually prevent Windoz from "not installing" updates - you have to actually disable the service. Dunno if fixed in SP3. Install also IE8 for the times you'll need IE.
- Go to device manager and make sure all devices are ok - some drivers can be downloaded in step 1 from windows update (I find the IE interface adequate).
- Now is a good time to run Autoruns. Let it verify signatures and save the .arn scan. It will come very handy when you want to compare your current set of autoruns with the initial - Autoruns conveniently compares with saved scans and highlights newer entries. Save also a scan with "Hide windows entries" checked (you need to refresh Autoruns). In my set up the only non windows entries apparent were the gfx interface - the audio one had an MS signature - and a bunch of not found drivers, which apparently one shouldn't mess with.
- Folder sizes : has its share of bugs (locking drives/folders, refreshing when it shouldn't) but I need it.
- Now maybe it's a good time to install Beyond Compare and save a complete scan of the hard drive. If you are that anal. I never messed with ghosting etc but you might as well.
- Fluff : System Properties > Advanced > Performance > Settings > Visual Effects. Disable everything except Show windows content while dragging and Smooth edges of screen fonts. Go to Desktop > Properties > Appearance > Effects and choose clear types for the method of fonts smoothing. This one pays.
- Now still in System Properties > Advanced : disable error reporting and go to Startup and Recovery and uncheck automatically restart. So you can read the blue screen. Do it.
- Again in Desktop > Properties> Desktop > Customize Desktop, disable the icons you don't need (all of them that is) - and turn off desktop cleanup wizard and screensaver.
- Go to Recycling Bin > Properties and disable the "Delete confirmation dialog" - do not disable the RB though.
- Go to a high level folder : choose the view you want (details), adjust columns the way you want and launch Folder Options > View > Folders views > Apply to all folders. Great - details everywhere - no more chaos. No way to "Size all columns to fit" by default.
- Still in folder options : check Do not cache thumbnails (do it now!), Display the contents of system folders, uncheck Hide protected OS files, Hide extensions for known filetypes (duh). Toggling hidden files/folders needs an autohotkey script - will post one soon.
- Start menu / Taskbar: classic start menu (>customize > hide run, display admin tools), untick group similar taskbar buttons.
- Search : turn the dog off, choose advanced files and folders search behavior.
- Disable "Use the Web service to find the correct program" - save :
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
as a .reg file and run it.
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoInternetOpenWith"=dword:00000001
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoInternetOpenWith"=dword:00000001 - Disable sounds from Control panel> Sounds and Audio Devices > Sounds - you won't miss them.
- The Places bar locations in a Common Dialog box (Open/Save As) can be customized to your choice of folders. You can do it many ways but the easiest is to create a reg file - cause you simply have to edit this file whenever you change your mind instead of running tweakUI, gpedit.msc etc. Here is mine :
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\comdlg32\PlacesBar]
"Place0"="C:\\Dropbox"
"Place1"="C:\\"
"Place2"="F:\\"
"Place3"="C:\\Documents and Settings\\USER\\Desktop"
"Place4"="F:\\P R O G R A M S" - Run > gpedit.msc. Here you can remove a couple more items from the Start menu and disable the recent documents no-feature. Check screenshot. Also disable autoplay here, for good.
- Run defraggler - go to files tab and choose all files - defrag checked.
Firefox, Autohotkey, Dropbox, 7z (associate all archive types), Notepad++(associate .ini, .nfo, .xml and .txt with it), foobar2000 (associate all audio), IrfanView (associate all images), Sumatra pdf (adobe creates folders everywhere as well as startup entries - renders better though), CCleaner, Defraggler, Clipboard Recorder (I'd rather use something free - haven't found any - this one (or similar) is a must), Java, Open Office (yes I know), Renamer (mass renames folders too), cmd here powertoy, Duplicate cleaner, Taskbar Shuffle (discovered it too late). And the Sysinternals Suite.
Some run commands :
Device Manager devmgmt.msc
Disk Management diskmgmt.msc
Event Viewer eventvwr.msc
Group Policy Editor (XP Prof) gpedit.msc
This is still a WIP - feel free to correct me.
ToDo : more reg files - rather than fumbling through menus.
Last edited : 2011.04.24 00.12 UTC
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