Missing Windows "Show Desktop" shortcut icon

If you by mistake deleted the Windows "Show Desktop" shortcut icon in the QuickLunch, you can get it back by creating a text file named "Show Desktop.scf", and drag it to the QuickLaunch.

This is the content of the "Show Desktop.scf" file, for Windows XP and Vista respectively.

Windows XP

[Shell]
Command=2
IconFile=explorer.exe,3
[Taskbar]
Command=ToggleDesktop

Windows Vista

[Shell]
Command=2
IconFile=shell32.dll,34
[Taskbar]
Command=ToggleDesktop

How to give name to a thumb drive

Each time we plug in a thumb drive, the PC will assign a letter to it. But, what if we plug more than one thumb drive? How are we going to know which one is the one we that want just by looking at the drive letter.

Fortunately, Windows enable us to give the thumb drive a name.

To give the thumb drive a name, right click on the drive letter, and choose Properties.

In the Properties windows, we can change the name, as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1: Properties Windows

112 useful Windows XP commands

Here is a list of 112 useful Windows XP commands. You can run it from the command prompt, or using the Run command located in the Start menu.

1. Accessibility Controls: access.cpl
2. Add Hardware Wizard: hdwwiz.cpl
3. Add/Remove Programs: appwiz.cpl
4. Administrative Tools: control admintools
5. Automatic Updates: wuaucpl.cpl
6. Bluetooth Transfer Wizard: fsquirt
7. Calculator: calc
8. Certificate Manager: certmgr.msc
9. Character Map: charmap
10. Check Disk Utility: chkdsk
11. Clipboard Viewer: clipbrd
12. Command Prompt: cmd
13. Component Services: dcomcnfg
14. Computer Management: compmgmt.msc
15. Date and Time Properties: timedate.cpl
16. DDE Shares: ddeshare
17. Device Manager: devmgmt.msc
18. Direct X Control Panel: directx.cpl
19. Direct X Troubleshooter: dxdiag
20. Disk Cleanup Utility: cleanmgr
21. Disk Defragment: dfrg.msc
22. Disk Management: diskmgmt.msc
23. Disk Partition Manager: diskpart
24. Display Properties: control desktop
25. Display Properties: desk.cpl
26. Display Properties (Appearence tab): control color
27. Dr. Watson System Troubleshooting Utility: drwtsn32
28. Driver Verifier Utility: verifier
29. Event Viewer: eventvwr.msc
30. File Signature Verification Tool: igverif
31. Findfast: findfast.cpl
32. Folders Properties: control folders
33. Fonts: control fonts
34. Fonts Folder: fonts
35. Free Cell Card Game: freecell
36. Game Controllers: joy.cpl
37. Group Policy Editor: gpedit.msc
38. Hearts Card Game: mshearts
39. Hyper Terminal: hypertrm
40. Iexpress Wizard: iexpress
41. Indexing Service: ciadv.msc
42. Internet Properties: inetcpl.cpl
43. IP Configuration (Display Connection Configuration): ipconfig /all
44. IP Configuration (Display DNS Cache Contents): ipconfig /displaydns
45. IP Configuration (Delete DNS Cache Contents): ipconfig /flushdns
46. IP Configuration (Release All Connections): ipconfig /release
47. IP Configuration (Renew All Connections): ipconfig /renew
48. IP Configuration (Refreshes DHCP & Re-Registers DNS): ipconfig /registerdns
49. IP Configuration: ipconfig /showclassid
50. IP Configuration: ipconfig /setclassid
51. ava Control Panel: jpicpl32.cpl
52. Java Control Panel: javaws
53. Keyboard Properties: control keyboard
54. Local Security Settings: secpol.msc
55. Local Users and Groups: lusrmgr.msc
56. Logs You Out Of Windows: logoff
57. Mcft Chat: winchat
58. Minesweeper Game: winmine
59. Mouse Properties: control mouse
60. Mouse Properties: main.cpl
61. Network Connections: control netconnections
62. Network Connections: ncpa.cpl
63. Network Setup Wizard: netsetup.cpl
64. Notepad: notepad
65. Nview Desktop Manager: nvtuicpl.cpl
66. Object Packager: packager
67. ODBC Data Source Administrator: odbccp32.cpl
68. On Screen Keyboard: osk
69. Opens AC3 Filter: ac3filter.cpl
70. Password Properties: password.cpl
71. Performance Monitor: perfmon.msc
72. Performance Monitor: perfmon
73. Phone and Modem Options: telephon.cpl
74. Power Configuration: powercfg.cpl
75. Printers and Faxes: control printers
76. Private Character Editor: eudcedit
77. Quicktime: QuickTime.cpl
78. Regional Settings: intl.cpl
79. Registry Editor: regedit
80. Remote Desktop: mstsc
81. Removable Storage: ntmsmgr.msc
82. Removable Storage Operator Requests: ntmsoprq.msc
83. Resultant Set of Policy (XP Prof): rsop.msc
84. Scanners and Cameras: sticpl.cpl
85. Scheduled Tasks: control schedtasks
86. Security Center: wscui.cpl
87. Services: services.msc
88. Shared Folders: fsmgmt.msc
89. Shuts Down Windows: shutdown
90. Sounds and Audio: mmsys.cpl
91. Spider Solitare Card Game: spider
92. SQL Client Configuration: cliconfg
93. System Configuration Editor: sysedit
94. System Configuration Utility: msconfig
95. System File Checker Utility (Scan Immediately): sfc /scannow
96. System File Checker Utility (Scan Once At Next Boot): sfc /scanonce
97. System File Checker Utility (Scan On Every Boot): sfc /scanboot
98. System File Checker Utility (Return to Default Setting): sfc /revert
99. System File Checker Utility (Purge File Cache): sfc /purgecache
100. System File Checker Utility (Set Cache Size to size x): sfc /cachesize=x
101. System Properties: sysdm.cpl
102. Task Manager: taskmgr
103. Telnet Client: telnet
104. User Account Management: nusrmgr.cpl
105. Utility Manager: utilman
106. Windows Firewall: firewall.cpl
107. Windows Magnifier: magnify
108. Windows Management Infrastructure: wmimgmt.msc
109. Windows System Security Tool: syskey
110. Windows Update Launches: wupdmgr
111. Windows XP Tour Wizard: tourstart
112. Wordpad: write

Windows XP Service Pack 3 Final release download

Microsoft had finally released the final version of its Windows XP Service Pack 3. According to Microsoft, this update includes a small number of new functionalities, which do not significantly change customers’ experience with the operating system.

Windows XP SP3 ensures these PCs have all available updates and allows these PCs to leverage some new Windows Server 2008 capabilities, such as Network Access Protection (NAP). Although Windows XP SP3 does not include Windows Internet Explorer 7, Windows XP SP3 does include updates to both Internet Explorer 6 and Internet Explorer 7. It will update whichever IE version is installed on the computer.

As a conclusion, Windows XP SP3 combines all previously released performance, security, and stability updates. It also provides a limited number of new and enhanced functionalities, although it does not significantly change the Windows XP experience or bring functionality from newer versions of Windows to Windows XP.

Download Here

Disable Windows Autorun

This tip is useful for disabling Windows XP from running the Autorun.inf file.

REGEDIT4
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows
NTCurrentVersionIniFileMappingAutorun.inf]
@="@SYS:DoesNotExist"

For further information, please go to

Nick Brown's blog