How to Activate Windows XP
- Wednesday, July 22, 2009, 20:46
- How To
- 352 views
- Add a comment
Learn how to activate Windows XP. The right Windows XP tips will help you get the most out of your operating system. Go beyond simply using your computer; use these Microsoft Windows XP tips to tweak your system and customize your user experience. 
Create User Accounts
Windows XP gives you the ability to run multiple user accounts from the same computer, so you can fully customize your display and personal settings. You can even secure your user account with a password so people can’t see what you’ve been doing.
To create a new user account, simply go to the Start Menu, open the Control Panel and double click the User Accounts option. From there, you can create a new user account or edit existing user accounts; simply follow the on-screen options. Once you’ve created a new user account, you can change display settings and personal settings within your user account, such as screensaver, background, visual preferences and folder displays. Those changes will only apply to your account; other users can have their own settings.
Turn off Anti-Virus Software while Updating
Anti-virus programs are great at providing protection for your computer, but they have been known to cause issues with Windows XP updates. Service Pack 2, in particular, had big issues with some anti-virus programs when it was first released, and many people have problems installing it if they don’t turn their anti-virus programs off first. Never leave your anti-virus programs off for any extended period of time, because they protect your system, but turn them off when you’re updating Windows XP.
Use the Windows XP Firewall
Windows XP comes with a firewall for added security. If you don’t have a third-party firewall protecting your system, you should utilize the Windows XP firewall. Go to your Start Menu, Control Panel and then click on Security Center. In the Security Center, if the firewall says “On,” your system is protected. If the firewall is off, you should enable it to protect your system. Click Recommendations, then Enable, to turn on your firewall. You can always set exceptions if you need some programs to be able to have access through the firewall. You’ll generally get a message from Windows asking you if you want to make an exception when software tries to connect to outside servers.
Adjust Visual Effects
If your computer is operating slowly, you can always adjust your visual effects to enhance performance. Simply go to the Start Menu and select Control Panel. From there, click into your System settings and click on the Advanced tab. Under Performance, you can select various visual effects. Reducing or eliminating animations and shadows can speed up your system performance by cutting down on the memory used by your CPU and graphics card.
Conduct Regular Maintenance
Running an anti-virus program isn’t the only thing you can do to keep your system operating smoothly. Perform routine maintenance tasks, such as Disk Defragmenter and Disk Cleanup. Run these operations weekly, or anytime you perform a major system cleanup or adjustment. Some of these utilities take a long time to run, so schedule them to run overnight, when you won’t need your computer.
Related Posts
About the Author
admin has written 1616 stories on this site.
Write a Comment
Gravatars are small images that can show your personality. You can get your gravatar for free today!