1. Turn Off System Beeps
Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Sound, and find the Beep and ExtendedSounds String values. Set each value to No. Exit the Registry and reboot. The beeps will no longer sound. Hey, your XP is no longer noisy!!
2. Change “AM” and “PM” Displayed Near the System Clock to Any Text You want
You can add your name or anything you like that consists of 8 characters or less. This will replace the AM or PM next to the system time. Do not use this tip if you are using any software during the trial period as it will corrupt the trial license. Open the RegEdit and navigate to the following registry key: KEY_CURRENT_USER\ControlPanel\International. Add two new String values, "s1159" and "s2359". Most probably those keys will be already present. If it is not there then create them. Right click the value name and modify. Enter anything you like up to 8 characters. If you enter two different values when modifying, you can have the system tray display the two different values in the AM and PM.
3. Change Icons of your Desktop Objects
(MyComputer, Recycle bin..)
Go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID, and look for the CLSID subkey from the table above for the object whose icon you want to change. Open the subkey and then the DefaultIcon subkey under that. To change the icon for My Computer, open the subkey HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\DefaultIcon. Change the Default value to the path of the icon that you want displayed. Follow the same for changing the icons of ther items as well. Exit the Registry. You might have to reboot for the new settings to take effect. If you aren't able to change your icons still, then try editing the following: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft \Windows\CurrentVersion \ Explorer\ CLSID\, and you will be in.
4. Turn Off Window Animation
You can shut off the animation displayed when you minimize and maximize Windows. Open Registry Editor and go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control panel \Desktop\WindowMetrics. Create a new string value "MinAnimate". Set the value data of 0 for Off or 1 for On.
5. Display Your Own Error Messages
When you try to delete Microsoft Outlook from the desktop, you get the warning message "The Outlook Desktop icon provides special functionality and we recommend that you do not remove it." If you like, you can edit that message to display whatever you want. In the CLSID's subkeyfor example, {00020D75-0000-0000-C000-000000000046} for Microsoft Outlook you'll find the value Removal Message. Edit this value to whatever text you want, and your warning message will appear whenever someone tries to delete the icon. This is just an example. Follow the suit for customizing the error messages for other icons too!
6. Enable/Disable Error Reporting in Windows XP
In an effort to make Windows XP a better and more stable operating system, Microsoft has included Error Reporting in the latest release. Whenever an application has to close because of an error, it asks that a report be sent to Microsoft for study and evaluation. Sending the report is optional, but users can benefit from the error log that is generated if they wish to study it or print a hard copy. If you find error reporting objectionable and want it disabled: Open Control Panel. Click on Performance and Maintenance. Click on System. Then click on the Advanced tab. Click on the error-reporting button on the bottom of the windows. Select Disable error reporting. Click OK.
7. Customize Your Login prompt
So let us get into some serious business. We shall start with a tip to customize your log in prompt. Open Registry editor by going to Start-Run-Regedit and Navigate to the key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Micrsft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon. In right pane, do a right click to create a new string value and give its name LogonPrompt. Set its value to whatever text you want to see displayed at login screen. Reboot the machine and see the log-in prompt for the change. You can see the text you entered above the text fields that ask for username and password.
