How To Be A Power User 101

MS Windows XP allows the user to select either the Luna Graphical User Environment (GUI) or the Classic GUI, or a mixture of both. The Classic GUI without any wallpaper uses fewer resources and it standardizes the things we do on the PC.

To get the Classic GUI, right click on the desktop and go to the Themes tab. Select Windows Classic, click Apply then go to the Screen Saver tab and select None for the screen saver, then click Apply, followed by OK. This will give you the Classic View without any screen saver to use-up resources and interrupt processes going on in the background. The screen saver and wallpaper are useless resource-hogs that are not needed.

Next, right click on the taskbar. Make the following selections:

1. Uncheck Lock the taskbar

2. Check Auto-hide the taskbar

3. Check Keep the taskbar on top

4. Uncheck Group similar taskbar buttons

5. Check Show Quick Launch

6. Check Show Clock

7. Uncheck Hide inactive icons.

In the Start Menu tab select Classic Start menu and click on Customize and select the following:

8. Check Display Administrative Tools

9. Uncheck Display Favorites

10. Check Display Log Off

11. Check Display Run

12. Check Enable dragging and dropping

13. Check Expand Control Panel

14. Expand My Documents

15. Uncheck Expand My Pictures

16. Check Expand Network Connections if you need access to a network resources on start-up

17. Check Epand Printers if you need access to a network printer on start-up

18. Uncheck Scroll Programs

19. Uncheck Show Small Icons in Start Menu

20. Uncheck Personalized Menus

Now click on OK then Apply. Now you have the Classic desktop, taskbar, and Start Menu. You now have menus that do not collapse and show all your programmes.

You are now officially on your way to being a Power User. Stay tuned for How To Be a Power User 102 next week.

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