Some time you just get tired of seeing the same ol generic operating system settings. So if Windows really is more powerful than a locomotive, why does it look more like Jimmy Olsen than like the Man of Steel? From title bar to taskbar, the default Windows interface conceals more useful quick-change options than an old-fashioned telephone booth. And XP’s new Luna look takes this secretiveness to new levels. At least the dumbing down is undoable. These steps give Windows more looks than there are streetlights in Metropolis.
All Versions: Begin With the Start Menu You can customize the Start menu to add and remove programs, folders, documents, and other items. In Windows Me, 2000, or XP with the Classic Start menu, right-click the taskbar and choose Properties. In XP, click the Start Menu tab and then click Customize. In Windows 2000 and Me, click the Advanced tab. In All Versions, look for the scrolling list of check boxes at the bottom of the dialog box. The Administrative Tools menu can appear on the Start, Programs menu (XP and Windows 2000). You can hide the Run command (XP and Me) or make the Favorites menu go away. Check boxes that begin with the word ‘Expand’ let you create cascading menus out of such otherwise-static Start menu items as Control Panel, Network& Dial-Up Connections, My Documents, and My Printers (depending on your version of Windows). When you’re done, click OK as many times as needed.
To alter Windows XP’s Start menu, right-click the Start button and choose Properties. Click Customize under the Start Menu tab and select the Advanced tab. In the scrolling list labeled ‘Start menu items’, you can hide or reveal Search, My Music, and other items, or you can make Control Panel, My Computer, Network Connections, My Documents, and related items appear as icons, as a cascading menu, or not at all. Just make your choices and click OK twice.
XP: Pin Em Up The applications that appear on the left side of Windows XP’s new Start menu (above All Programs) are those you launch most often. You may also have an icon for Internet access, another for e-mail, and others above the list of frequently used applications. Microsoft calls that grouping the ‘pinned items list’. Icons for these applications don’t disappear when you stop using the programs or when you use them less frequently. To make an application or document appear on the pinned items list, open Explorer to the folder where the application is located and right-click the application’s .exe file (it’s most likely in a directory for that application within Program Files). Or right-click any shortcut to the application in Explorer, on the desktop, or on the Start menu or one of its submenus; and choose Pin to Start menu. To pin a shortcut to a document or folder to this list, drag the icon for the document or folder to the Start menu button.
Bonus tip: You can put Internet Explorer, MSN Explorer, Hotmail, or Outlook Express on the pinned items list by right-clicking the Start button, choosing Properties, clicking the Customize button, and making the appropriate selections in the ‘Show on Start menu’ panel. The Internet and e-mail options available here vary from system to system, however.
XP: Rework Your Frequent Apps List To alter the list of applications XP shows on the Start menu, right-click the Start button, choose Properties, and click Customize. Under Programs in the resulting dialog box, type a number between 0 and 30 (or select a number with the arrow keys). This might increase the Start menu’s height. To start over, simply click Clear List.
XP: A Classic Look As the list of frequently used applications on Windows XP’s Start menu changes, you may lose the ability to jump to an item by pressing the first letter in its name. To revert to the Classic Start menu, right-click the Start button, choose Properties, select Classic Start menu, and click OK.
XP: Gimme Back My Icons The Windows XP desktop has but a single icon: Recycle Bin. (If you installed XP over your old version of Windows, your old icons remain on the desktop.) If you miss the default desktop icons of Windows past, you can have them back in a trice. Right-click the desktop and choose Properties, click the Desktop tab, and click the Customize Desktop button. Under Desktop Icons, check the box for each icon that you want on your desktop (My Documents, My Computer, My Network Places, and/or Internet Explorer); then click OK twice.
XP: Tidy Up Your Desktop Windows XP also helps you keep your desktop spiffy. The Desktop Cleanup Wizard locates and offers to clean off desktop shortcuts you haven’t used lately.
Right-click the desktop and choose Properties. Click first the Desktop tab and then the Customize Desktop button. Under Desktop Cleanup, select Clean Desktop Now. In the Desktop Cleanup Wizard, click Next. The Wizard dialog box lists the desktop shortcuts that you haven’t used in the last 60 days. Uncheck the ones you want to keep on the desktop, and click Next. Click Finish to acknowledge the final list of shortcuts to be swept away.
Windows puts them in a desktop folder called (appropriately) Unused Desktop Shortcuts. If you ever want to retrieve a shortcut, just drag it out of this folder. If you’re the forgetful type, check Run Desktop Cleanup Wizard every 60 daysto have the software prompt you. Unfortunately, the wizard works only on shortcuts–not on folders, applications, or documents.
All Versions: Drop Anchor on Media Player When you apply a skin to Windows Media Player 7 or later (choose View, Taskbar, Skin Chooser), a small Anchor Window appears in the lower right corner that reverts to full mode when you double-click its center button. But you can switch modes simply by pressing Ctrl-1 (full mode) or Ctrl-2 (compact or skin mode). To drop Anchor, choose Tools, Options, click the Player tab, uncheck When in compact mode, always display anchor window (version 7) or Display anchor window when in skin mode (version 8), and click OK. Alternatively, with Media Player 8, click inside the Anchor Window and choose Hide Anchor Window from the pop-up menu.
This should have your OS looking like it belongs to YOU and YOU only. No more generic user interface for your machine. You really are the master of your domain. Hope this helps. Now get out there and use your new OS Super Powers.
If you are experiencing a slow problem prone machine or need physical pc repairs, networking, consulting, upgrades or more please give me a call at 423-613-5590 or visit www.PlainTechTalk.com.

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