This is all the shit I regularly do to my computing environment when I start using a new OS. In this case, the new OS is Windows XP.

I usually have to do about 10 minutes of tweaking to get Microsoft's user interface to behave and for some reason I'm sharing this with the rest of the world. Next week will be an instructional video of how I tie my shoes.

Explorer:
Open explorer and go to > View and set it to "Details" and extend the size of the name column to something reasonable.

Then in Tools > Folder Options
Use windows classic folders. This disables most of the geewhiz features of XP but they're redundant, oversized and basically annoying to a non-idiot.
View Tab >
Uncheck Display Simple folder view
Uncheck Hide extensions for known file types
Uncheck Remember Each folder's view settings

Check display the contents of System folders
Check Show hidden files and folders

In Folder Views click Apply to All Folders

Start Menu:
Right click the start button and choose properties
Click Customize for the start menu and choose Small Icons
Put about 10 items in the programs list
In advanced Uncheck Highlight newly installed programs
In start menu items I Display Admin tools on the All Programs menu

Internet Explorer:
IE> tools> options >advanced
Uncheck Reuse windows for launching shortcuts.
Check Use inline auto complete
Check Don't display online media in the media bar

Customize toolbars (right click on toolbar) with no text labels, small icons, remove unnecessary icons, like print, edit, media and favorites.
Unlock toolbars and drag the address bar up to the top alongside the File, Edit menu bar. Remove links toolbar, install Google toolbar (without advanced features and without text labels), drag it next to the standard buttons underneath menu and address and lock the toolbars.

Display properties:
No screen saver (power management blanks screen)
Appearance> silver color scheme > advanced > reduce title bar to 20 pixels

Oh, and to get rid of that annoying click every time you click on a link in a web page, go to the Sounds control panel and scroll down until you see "Start Navigation" and assign the [none] sound to it.

If y'all really like to tweak the funky beats, try Tweak-XP.

davep