Each piece of Windows XP CD disc media or ISO image has been created for specific channel of distributions, namely retail, OEM or volume licensing. Each channel has specific installation CD and product key or CD key that required to register and activate the installed system. Activation with product serial keys from other channel version are simply not accepted,…

If you’ve been wondering why your XP desktop icons have a background color, you’ll be glad to know you can flip a checkbox and have them go back to a normal transparent background.

Here’s the two versions side by side.

To set the transparent background on the icons, we’ll need to open System Properties in Control Panel…

Haven’t posted many Windows XP tricks recently, so here’s one: How to change the start button on your Windows XP.

Tired of the boring old “start” button at the bottom left corner of your Windows XP’s monitor? Want something new to replace iit? Well here’s how to change it.

With a few modifications in the Windows Registry, you can replace…

Winsock is a specification that is used in Windows and it determines  how network applications communicate with network services, such as TCP/IP. It basically defines how two network programs will communicate with each other. For example, in order for an FTP client to work correctly, it uses Winsock.

However, Winsock can become corrupted on a Windows machine during the removal…

Oddly enough, I’ve been asked by many people recently how they can restore their computers to “factory settings”. Depending on how you look at it, factory settings can mean several things.

For me, factory settings means getting the computer back to the state when you first bought it. This includes the OS with all the third-party software they like to…

Microsoft is warning Windows XP users to take immediate action to protect themselves from an ActiveX security flaw that’s already being exploited, particularly in Asia.

Microsoft has issued a security advisory warning Windows XP users to take immediate steps to protect themselves from an ActiveX security vulnerability that’s already being exploited, particularly in Asia.

The problem only impacts Windows…

One way Windows helps you organize your files is to direct different kinds of content to different locations. There’s a Music folder, a Videos folder, a Saved Games folder, and a Pictures folder. Put all your digital pictures in your Pictures folder, for example, and that’s where most photo applications will prompt you to open and save your files.

And…

Windows XP uses many visual effects to provide a rich, friendly interface. One of these settings allows menus to fade into view when you open them. This visual effect is so smooth that you may never have noticed it.

1. Right click on an open area of the Desktop
2. Select Properties
3. Click on the Appearance tab
4.…

It’s very annoying when you’re listening to the music or left the speaker at a high volume and suddenly, you hear the beep. That’s telling you there is an error or a warning message appears. Here’s how to turn it off:

1. Click Start
2. Click Run
3. Type REGEDIT -> click OK
4. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Sound
5. On…

Keyboard Shortcut Result in Windows ® XP – General

CTRL and A  Selects all the items in the active window.
CTRL and C  Copies the item or items to the Clipboard and can be pasted using CTRL and V.
CTRL and F  Displays the Find all files dialog box.
CTRL and G  Displays the Go to folder…