XP Repair Site

I received an interesting question from subscriber Maria. She has been using Firefox, as many people do, including me. In this case, she had just upgraded her Internet Explorer to IE7 and was having problems with Outlook Express.

Maria wrote:

Terry, I currently have Fire Fox and Internet Explorer on my computer. I just added the Internet Explorer as a browser after removing it some time ago. Outlook Express is my default email handler. The problem is that in Outlook Express the links don’t open since I added Internet Explorer. [Tech guy] at [a local computer shop] says that it seams like the two are competing I am hoping that you have some ideas as I have tried a few from a Google search.

Fortunately for Maria, I had seen this problem before and thought I knew the answer.

Continue reading Outlook Express Links Don’t Work

I’ve had reasons to do some Windows Registry repairs a few times. Fortunately, last year I found XP Repair Pro and bought it — with lifetime upgrades, too. Now, the good news from the folks at ddxSoftware is that XP Repair Pro fully Vista compatible, too!

It’s come in handy for routine maintenance and cleanup of my registry.

Read my XP Repair Pro Review - or download it now to try the trial scan!

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With all the news about the cute graphics (often termed “eye candy” to denote its real value) of Windows Vista, we need to remember that Windows XP has some of those features, too.

Windows XP’s graphical interface defaults to a number of cute options that are worthless from a usability point of view — and are worse than that, too — they’re animations that effectively slow down your computer.

You can find and control these settings via the Control Panel. As usual, click on the Start Button and then select Control Panel from the menu.

If you’re using the Windows XP-style control panel, you’ll see the Category view and the invitation to Pick A Category. Our options are controlled in the Performance and Maintenance section, so select that button.

Continue reading Speeding Up Windows XP - Fine-Tuning Visual Effects

Remember back when you got your latest computer? It seemed so fast, so much faster than your previous computer. Now, if it doesn’t seem to drag, it just doesn’t seem as peppy as it used to…

Part of that effect is our memory — not the computer’s memory but the memories stored between our ears. We tend to remember the past with fond thoughts and rose-colored glasses. We also become used to the faster speed and expect it. Fast today is faster than it used to be <grin>.

There are some real aspects of computing, though, that affect our computer’s speed as we continue to use Windows.

The clean, fresh installation of Windows has little in the way of superficial extras that take up CPU cycles, that take up memory and that clutter the hard drive and the Windows Registry.

Continue reading Speeding Up Windows XP

I’ve written a number of times about one of the programs that I use on every one of my computers, including my family’s computers. Well, really on every computer that runs Windows — and I’ve been using it since well before 2004.

This program is a great protection tool called WinPatrol. WinPatrol allows me to control which programs start automatically on my system. It also monitors my system for any changes to the programs that start automatically. Unlike some anti-spyware applications, WinPatrol allows me to make the reversable decision to disable auto-starting of a program, where most systems will simply not allow the program to set itself to auto-start.

WinPatrol is available in two flavors — the totally free WinPatrol and the added-function, added-information WinPatrol Plus.

Continue reading WinPatrol - for System Control and Protection