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Pin a frequently used application to the Start menu
If you have an applicationt that you use frequently and you don't want to add it to the Quick Launch menu, you can add it to the Start menu. Right-click on the application and select "Pin to Start Menu". The application will now be a permanent part of the Start menu.
Convert your file system from FAT32 to NTFS
Open up a command window and type this:
convert drive_letter: /fs:ntfs
There's no way to go back to FAT32 after this without a third-party program, and also remember to backup your crucial data before you do this.
Bring your standard desktop icons back
Start->Control Panels->Display->Desktop Tab, and then press the "Customize Desktop" button. There you can set your My Documents, My Computer, My Netowrk Places, and Internet Explorer icons to be on the desktop.
Forcing XP to ask for my password after the screen saver starts
Start->Control Panels->Display->Screen Saver tab, and then check the box that says "On resume, password protect". Remember, you can easily lock your computer by pressing Winkey-L.
Minimize all windows and show the desktop
<WinKey>-D (this actually works as a toggle)
Bring up the "Run" window
<WinKey>-R
Quick-Lock the computer
<WinKey>-L
Bring up the Task Manager
Ctrl-Shift-Esc or Ctrl-Alt-Delete
Grouping taskbar buttons
Tired of 5 instances of Internet Explorer taking up precious room on your taskbar? No problem. Right-click on your taskbar and select "Properties". Make sure "Group similar items" is checked. Now, when you have several documents opened by the same application, they'll all be grouped in the same button on the taskbar. Click on it, and you can select which document you want to open.
Unlock the taskbar
By default, XP doesn't allow the size of the task bar to be changed. Right click on the task bar and uncheck "Lock Taskbar". Now you can resize it as you please.
Bonus!
If you left-click on the task bar and drag it to another side of your monitor, you will move the entire task bar to that side. Drag it to the top and have your PC look like a Mac!
Adding programs to the Quick Launch menu
When XP first starts, the Quick Launch section of the task bar is hidden. To show it, right click on the task bar, select "Properties", and click on "Show Quick Launch".
My Quick Launch area.
Top Row: IE, "Show Desktop", WMP, Quake III, and Winamp
Bottom Row: Outlook Express, Everquest, Diablo II: LoD, UT, and PowerDVD
Removing the highlight on newly installed apps
When you install an application for the first time, XP highlights it in a yellowish-tan color so that you know where in the Programs menu it lives. If you don't like this, right-click on the taskbar and select "Properties".By default, the "Taskbar" tab is selected, so select the "Start Menu" tab. Make sure "Start Menu" is selected and press the "Advanced" button. Uncheck "Highlight newly installed apps".
My Programs menu, showing "CyberLink PowerDVD" highlighted.
Adding Album Art to your "My Music" folder
Windows XP allows you to add album art to a folder that holds MP3s. There are two guidelines that must be followed:
1. The album cover must be 200x200 pixels, and stored in the .jpg format as "Folder.jpg".
2. A smaller version may be use. It must be 75x75 pixels and named "AlbumArtSmall.jpg"
The files that need to be added to the folder for album art to be displayed
How the album art looks
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