Tweak UI PowerToys for Windows XP have been around for many years now. The latest version is 2.10. Its still an oldie but a goodie. If you havent installed this Microsoft Freebie then your missing out in Windows XP.
TweakUI v2.10 is the latest release which ceased to be updated back in 2005 and has been allways been a nice complement to automating tweaks easily. It gives you access to system settings that are not exposed in the Windows XP's default control panel options for example or would require you to do registry tweaks.
If you´re a power user or not this makes it easy. Go ahead and try it, but be forewarned that PowerToys aren´t supported by Microsoft because they´re not part of the official Windows XP release. TweakUI lets you adjust your Windows user interface, including menu speed, window animation, and Microsoft Internet Explorer, mouse settings, Explorer settings, taskbar settings, and more.
Since TweakUI does not come installed by default you would be surprised how many people dont know anything about it. Watch PCWizKid's walktrough video on TweakUI and decide for yourself, what are you waiting for?
Download TweakUI from Microsoft hereNote: Tweak UI Version 2.10 requires Windows XP Service Pack 1 or above / Windows Server 2003. Since most Windows XP PC's have Service Pack 2 or 3 you will probably be ok.
If you have Windows Vista , try TweakVI instead. Click the image for details.
Other Tips Users have watched
Written by PCWizKid on July 9th, 2008 with no comments.
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PCWizKid's Tech Talk is proud to have been featured in the July 2008 issue of PC World Magazine. This article can be read in the "Here's How" section (page 115) of the magazine.
Although on
Microsoft TechNet you will find a few toys and tweaks, the alternative to increasing performance still remains upto you. Meaning hack your way into config settings and manually set things up the way you want in the registry.
Here are is a sought after hack for Windows Vista many dont know about. Be sure to make a System Restore Checkpoint to backup your settings before doing any of these tweaks.
Unlock the Administrator account
Turning on the Administrator account is straight forward. First, open an elevated command prompt by typing cmd into the Search box on the Start menu, right-clicking the command prompt icon that appears at the top of the Start menu, then selecting Run as administrator.
Then enter this command and press Enter:
Net user administrator /active:yes
From now on, the Administrator account will appear as an option on the Welcome screen, along with any user accounts you may have set up. Use it like any other account. Be aware that it won't have a password yet, so it's a good idea to set a password for it.
If you want to disable the account and hide it, enter this command at an elevated command prompt and press Enter:
Net user administrator /active:no
Tweak Windows Vista even more for free with TweakVI, click the image below for details.
Other Tips Users have watched
Written by PCWizKid on June 17th, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on 1340 and 1354 and 1426 and 1429 and 1673 and 169 and 2065 and 2157 and 401 and 544 and Contributors and Microsoft Windows Vista and hacks and powertoys and tweaks.
Microsoft's Technet has a utility called "Windows Easy Transfer Companion" (WETC). It can copy key software programs from Windows XP to Windows Vista for those planning to migrate over and want to make sure that the apps still work.
Windows Vista contains a similar utility, however, this version runs both on the source Windows XP PC first by scanning you hard drive, gathering basic system information, and analyzing all installed software. You need to connect the Windows XP (Source PC) to the separate Windows Vista (Target PC) via network or a easy transfer USB cable.
The utility communicates with the Windows XP machine to display a list of all discovered applications which you select to be transferred (click picture below)
At the end, a status message tells you which programs were copied and whether errors occurred.
Here is a sample list of programs that have been transferred with all its settings successfully in the past using this utility:
| Program | Vendor | Versions |
| Acrobat | Adobe | 7 |
| Acrobat Reader | Adobe | 7, 7.0.5, 7.0.8 |
| AOL Instant Messenger | AOL | 5.9 |
| AOL Toolbar | AOL | 3 |
| Avant Browser | Avant Force | 11 |
| Cam Frog Video Chat | Camshare | 3.72 |
| Trillian | Cerulean Studios | 3.1 |
| Google Earth | Google | 3 |
| Google Talk | Google |
|
| Google Toolbar | Google | 2.0.114, 3.0.126.3, 4 |
| Windows Live Mail Desktop | Microsoft |
|
| Firefox | Mozilla | 1.0.7, 1.0.6, 2 |
| Netscape | Netscape | 7.2, 8.0.2, 8.0.4 |
| Opera | Opera | 8.5 |
| Eudora | Qualcomm | 6 |
| Skype | Skype | 2.0 |
| Yahoo Messenger | Yahoo! | 7, 8.1 |
| Program | Vendor | Versions |
| Call of Duty | Activision | 2 |
| Battlefield 2 | EA Games | 1 |
| Star Wars Battlefront | Lucas Arts | 2 |
Download the Utility directly from Microsoft hereOther Tips Users have watched
Written by PCWizKid on March 14th, 2008 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on Microsoft Windows Vista and Utility and Windows XP and powertoys and wetc and xp compatability.
Customize the items in The "Send To" context menu in Windows Vista (or XP) to what you want with these easy steps.
Watch my video tutorial for details on how:
Other Tips Users have watched
Written by PCWizKid on February 12th, 2008 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on Customization and Windows Vista and Windows XP and menu and powertoys and send to and tweak and tweakui.
Microsoft now has made available to the public the latest beta build of Vista Service Pack 1. Although still not a final version of Vista SP1, the latest release is said to be on track with the estimated first quarter 2008 release date for the final first service pack for vista.
There are two ways to install the service pack, first, as a pop-up notification that the service pack is ready to be installed (this is the method in which most users will install the service pack) and using multiple manual installations from Windows Update. The first method is the simplest, but may take up to four days for the Windows Update Automatic Update feature to deliver each of the 3 prerequisites and the service pack.
Detailed instructions from Microsoft are available here for the update.
This update requires previous versions of SP1 to be uninstalled first, and there are several updates you’ll need to apply to your existing Vista install which can’t be removed later should you want to downgrade to a stable version of Vista.
Microsoft officials said the Vista SP1 RC includes changes that streamline setup and installation. It also includes all previously released updates since RTM, performance and reliability improvements such as file copy, network browsing and improved response time to resume from sleep, and change to administration features, including changes to BitLocker that allow encryption for multiple volumes.
Written by PCWizKid on January 14th, 2008 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on Microsoft Windows Vista and fix pack and powertoys and service pack and sp1.
Microsoft will launch the final version of the server OS at a February 27th event in Los Angeles which the company is calling 'Heroes Happen Here,' . Also to be unveiled is Microsoft SQL Server 2008 and Microsoft Visual Studio 2008.
But Today you can download RC1 of Windows Server 2008 - Codename Longhorn.
Microsoft said Windows Server 2008 RC1 (Release Candidate 1) is now available to all users, either as a
30-day trial that does not require a product activation key, or as a six-month trial for which users must register.
Windows Server 2008 offers a number of significant enhancements over its most recent predecessor, Windows Server 2003.
Among the software's more highly anticipated features are Windows PowerShell, Internet Information Services 7.0, a built-in Web server that brings together numerous online publishing technologies and a number of features first seen in Windows Vista.
Written by PCWizKid on December 5th, 2007 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on Beta and HACK and Longhorn and SP3 and Security and Tips and Updates and Xp and fixpack and pcwizkid and powertoys and rc1 and servicepack and sp1 and sp2 and tweaks and vista and windows 2008.
Tweak UI PowerToys for Windows XP have been around for many years now. The latest version is 2.10. Its still an oldie but a goodie. If you havent installed this Microsoft Freebie then your missing out in Windows XP.
