Using Windows XP's Restore Points For PC Recovery

Have you ever done something to make an improvement and later regretted it?It would be awesome to be able to go back in time and undo the the thing that were supposed to make an improvement.

While life in general will not allow us to return to an earlier time to make changes, we computer users do have such an option should we experience problems with our Windows XP operating systems.

If you update or install the wrong device driver for your video card, and you delete accidentally delete a critical Windows file, so what.

You can simply use Windows XP's Restore Point feature and, Tada, you're back on track and recovered that deleted file.

Restore Points are snapshots of the state your operating system was in during that time.Windows XP automatically creates a restore point when it senses a major change in your operating system.And Restore Points are created every 24 hours as a safety measure.But you can create a Restore Point manually any time you feel there is a need.

If you have a change of some sort that causes problems with the operating system, you can tell Windows XP to revert to any Restore Point established before the problem occured.After the rollback, every change in the operating system that happened after that Restore Point is eliminated.

Restore Points are generally used when you experience such pc problems as extremely slow performance of the system. Your computer responds far more slowly that it did before you installed or updated something.

Other times to run Restore Point is when your system stops responding after an update or installation. Be sure to create a Restore Point before making any significant change to your computer's software or configuration.

To set a Restore Point, click on Start, point to All Programs, click on Accessories, System Tools, and then click on System Restore.When the System Restore windows appears, click on the button labeled "Create A Restore Point" and click Next.

Enter a description of the restore point, something like "Before scanner device driver install" and click the Create button.A notification will inform you that a Restore Point was made.Now click the Close button and you're all set.

Reverting to a Restore Point is as easy as create one.Click on Start, point to All Programs, click Accessories, System Tools, and System Restore.When the System Restore window appears, click on the "Restore My Computer To An Earlier Time" and then click on the Next button.

Choose the date on which you set the Restore Point and click the Next button.Review the information presented and save any open files.Shut down any other programs that may be running.

Click on the Next button and now your computer will restart. As it restarts, it will present a message informing you of the restore point. Click OK and you're done.

After reading all about setting and reverting to restore points, you should make a known restore point if you have not done so already.Whatever you do after reading this article, don't say I'll get to it soon.Familarize yourself with this feature and create a restore point one.

You should try Restore Point and see how it works before you need it.Create a Restore Point now and update something.You can update Windows Media Player for example.

After the update or the installation of a program,wait a day or so and go back to Restore Point.Revert to the Restore Point you created and see if the old version of Windows Media Player comes back.Or see if that old device driver is present.

Doing a simple task like this can and will boost your computer skills and give you much more confidence in yourself and the Windows XP operating system.

MORE EXTENSIVE INFOS ON WINDOWS XP RESTORE POINTS: http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_restore.htm

ReInstalling WindowsXP

If you need to reinstall WindowsXP and want to keep all your current installed applications and settings:

1. Start WindowsXP

2. Go to the location of your source files

3. Run WINNT32 /unattend

I've often need to do this to repair something that had gotten corrupted and didn't want to do a clean install.

Services You Can Disable to speed up your PC

There are quite a few services you can disable from starting automatically.

This would be to speed up your boot time and free resources.
They are only suggestions so I suggestion you read the description of each one when you run Services
and that you turn them off one at a time.

Some possibilities are:

• Alerter - Sends alert messages to specified users that are connected to the server computer.
• Application Management - Allows software to tap directly into the Add/Remove Programs feature via the Windows Installer technology.
• Background Intelligent Transfer Service - The Background Intelligent Transfer service is used by programs (such as Windows AutoUpdate) to download files by using spare bandwidth.
• Clipbook - ClipBook permits you to cut and paste text and graphics over the network.
• Error Reporting Service - Allows applications to send error reports to Microsoft in the event of an application fault.
• Fast User Switching - Windows XP allows users to switch quickly between accounts, without requiring them to log off.
• Help and Support - Allows the XP Built-in Help and Support Center to run.
• IMAPI CD-Burning COM Service - You don't need this if you have other software to create CDs.
• Indexing Service - Indexes contents and properties of files on local and remote computers; provides rapid access to files through flexible querying language.
• IP SEC - Manages IP security policy and starts the ISAKMP/Oakley (IKE) and the IP security driver. If you are not on a domain, you likely don't need this running.
• Messenger - Transmits net send and Alerter service messages between clients and servers. This is how a lot of pop-up windows start appearing on your desktop.
• Net Logon - Supports pass-through authentication of account logon events for computers in a domain. If you are not on a domain, you don't need this running
• Network DDE - Provides network transport and security for Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) for programs running on the same computer or on different computers.
• NT LM Security Support Provider - Provides security to remote procedure call (RPC) programs that use transports other than named pipes.
• Performance Logs and Alerts - Collects performance data from local or remote computers based on preconfigured schedule parameters, then writes the data to a log or triggers an alert. If you don't need to monitor your performance logs, then you don't need this service.
• Portable Media Serial Number - Retrieves the serial number of any portable music player connected to your computer
• QOS RSVP - Provides network signaling and local traffic control setup functionality for QoS-aware programs and control applets.
• Remote Desktop Help Session Manager - Manages and controls Remote Assistance. If you are not using Remote Desktop you don't need this service.
• Remote Registry - Enables remote users to modify registry settings on this computer.
• Routing & Remote Access - Offers routing services to businesses in local area and wide area network environments. Allows dial-in access.
• Secondary Login - Enables starting processes under alternate credentials. This is what allows you to run an application as another user.
• Smart Card - Manages access to smart cards read by this computer.
• Smart Card Helper - Enables support for legacy non-plug and play smart-card readers used by this computer.
• SSDP Discovery Service - Enables discovery of UPnP devices on your home network.
• TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper - Enables support for NetBIOS over TCP/IP (NetBT) service and NetBIOS name resolution. This should not be needed in today's network environment.
• Telnet - Enables a remote user to log on to this computer and run programs, and supports various TCP/IP Telnet clients.
• Uninterruptible Power Supply Service - Manages an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) connected to the computer.
• Universal Plug and Play Device Host - Provides support to host Universal Plug and Play devices
• Upload Manager - Manages synchronous and asynchronous file transfers between clients and servers on the network.
• Volume Shadow Copy Service - Manages and implements Volume Shadow Copies used for backup and other purposes.
• Web Client - Enables Windows-based programs to create, access, and modify non-local files across the Internet.
• Wireless Zero Configuration - Provides automatic configuration for the 802.11 adapters
• WMI Performance Adapter - Provides performance library information from WMI HiPerf providers.

Configure for Auto-Logon for Windows Xp

If you are the only person using the computer and what to have it automatically log you on,

1. Start / Run / "control userpasswords2" - no quotes
2. Uncheck User must enter a user name and password to use this computer

Slow Shutdown of Windows Xp

Some people have noticed that they are experiencing a really slow shutdown after installing Windows XP Home or Professional. Although this can be caused a number of ways, the most clear cut one so far is happening on systems with an NVidia card installed with the latest set of drivers. A service called NVIDIA Driver Helper Service is loading up on start up and for whatever reason doesn't shut itself down properly. The service isn't needed and can also increase the amount of memory available to your system. Here is how to disable it.

1: Go into your Control Panel
2: Select Administrative Tools and then click on Services
3: Right click on the file "NVIDIA Driver Helper Service" and then select STOP.
4: To stop this loading up every time you boot up your PC Right click it again and select properties - then where the option "Startup Type" is shown - make sure it is set at Manual like we have shown in the image below.

Make XP display a custom screen saver using your very own pictures

It used to be darn near impossible to create a personal screen saver using your own photo collection. To do this, you had to track down a third-party application and sloppily piece together your pictures to create a screen saver.

Well, the engineers at Microsoft must have realized they hated third-party applications and decided enough was enough. XP can take any pictures stored in your "My Pictures" folder and display them in random order as a screen saver.

To make a personal screen saver in XP, follow these directions:

Right-click an empty spot on your desktop and choose Properties.
Click the Screen Saver tab inside the Display Properties dialog box.
In the Screen Saver pull-down menu, choose "My Pictures Slideshow."
Underneath the Screen Saver pull-down menu, adjust the time of inactivity before Windows will initiate your screen saver.
Click Settings to make additional adjustments. You'll be able to adjust transition effects between pictures, how frequently they change, what size the pictures should be, and more.
Click OK when you're done tweaking the settings adjustments.
Press the Preview button to see what your screen saver looks like.
If everything is to your liking, click Apply.

Free Copies of Windows Vista and Office 2007

This sure sounds too good to be true, but it looks like Microsoft is giving everyone a chance to get a free copy of Windows Vista Business(Ultimate) and Office 2007 Professional. All you have to do is register at the website, www.powertogether.com and participate in three (3) qualifying web casts and/or virtual lab sessions within 30 days to get Windows Vista and the to get a copy of Office 2007.

The Power Together Campaign consists of two (2) offers, the Windows Vista Business Offer and the Microsoft Office Professional 2007 Offer, and is open only to legal residents of the 50 United States (includes District of Columbia) 18 years of age or older. You are not eligible to receive these offers if you or your employer is a participant in the Microsoft Partner Program or the Microsoft Developer Network. To be eligible to receive Windows Vista Business, you must register at www.powertogether.com and participate in at least three (3) qualifying web casts and/or virtual lab sessions within 30 days of registration. To be eligible to receive Microsoft Office Professional 2007, you must register at www.powertogether.com and participate in at least three (3) qualifying web casts and/or virtual lab sessions within 30 days of registration. In order to register at www.powertogether.com, you may be asked to provide personal information including name, telephone, and address. All personal information gathered during registration will be subject to Microsoft’s privacy policy. Limit one gift per person per Offer. These offers are non-transferable. These offers expire on February 28, 2007, or while supplies last, and are not redeemable for cash. Taxes, if any, are the sole responsibility of the recipient. If you are eligible for and register to receive both gifts, you must complete a W-9 (Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification) form prior to receipt of the second gift. Any gift returned as non-deliverable will not be re-sent. Please allow 6 - 8 weeks for shipment of your gift(s). Source: Powertogether.com

It says on the website “Windows Vista and Office are great on their own, but with each other, it’s the power of together. Learn how to tap their power.” So, I guess that explains the website name, hopefully the web casts will be something good and useful. Some users have reported they think this is to good to be a Microsoft site and that is probably a phishing site, since it’s not registered to Microsoft, but it looks like it using their name servers, and you do have to login to Microsoft Live. I’m going to login and see what happens.

Added: A post at Channel 9 confirms it, here.

Added: I have officially given up trying for today, I may try later tonight, but I’m getting tired of seing “Sorry, a System Error Occurred”. It says at the bottom of the page, This site hosted for Microsoft by Ascentium, well, I guess they can’t handle being dugg and a bunch of people trying to sign up, I just hope Microsoft rethinks how they do this the next time.