Here are a few ways to find your IP address:

• If the Network Connection icon is in the System tray, right click it, select Status. Then click the Support tab.
   
• Open a Command Prompt window and type IPCONFIG /ALL
   
• For anyone familiar with WINIPCONFIG you can download it here: IPCONFIG
   
• You can also visit http://www.whatismyip.com

Here are a couple of ways to lock your XP desktop:

1. Hold down the Windows key and the L key (WinKey+L) simultaniously.
    
2. You can also create a shortcut icon on your desktop using the command: rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation
    
• Right-click somewhere on the desktop
   
• Select New | Shortcut and type: rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation
   

NetMeeting is installed with Windows XP, it is just not obvious that it is. There are, by default, no Desktop or Start Menu shortcuts for it. To activate NetMeeting:

• Click Start | Run and enter CONF.EXE This will start the NetMeeting Setup wizard.
   
• During setup, you'll be prompted to create Desktop and/or Quick Launch bar icons.
   

If you're running XP Pro, you can use GPEDIT.MSC to prevent Messenger from loading. Otherwise, even disabling it in startup won't cause it to "always" not run. Outlook, Outlook Express and some Microsoft Web pages can still make it load.

• Click Start | Run and enter GPEDIT.MSC
   
• For "per machine" restriction, go to Computer Configuration, Administrative Templates, Windows Components, Windows Messenger
   
• For "per user" restriction, go to User Configuration, Administrative Templates, Windows Components, Windows Messenger
   
• You can now modify whether it starts initially and/or whether its to run at all.
   

To restrict a users logon hours we will use the net user command. These commands are used fromt the Command Prompt.

Below are some examples:

• net user brendon /time:M-F,08:00-17:00
   
• net user brendon /time:M-F,8am-5pm
   
• net user jane /time:M,4am-5pm;T,1pm-3pm;W-F,8:00-17:00
   
• net user matt /time:all (this one means this user can always log on)
   

Ever wonder what's going on behind that splash screen? Well, now you can find out!

• Right click My Computer
   
• Select Properties then click on the Advanced tab.
   
• Next click Settings under Startup and Recovery.
   
• Click Edit
   

You'll need to edit this file "BOOT.INI"

• Add /SOS right after /fastdetect with a space between them.
   

The line should look something like this:

• multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\Windows="Microsoft Windows Whistler Professional" /fastdetect /SOS
   

After you restart, the splash screen should be gone! You can set it back simple by removing the /SOS switch

Windows XP comes with software to make copying to a CD-RW drive easy!

• Be sure that you have a Recordable CD in your CD writer
   
• Highlight the files that you want to burn to your CD
   
• Right-click and select Send To | CD-RW Drive (D:) (or whatever your Recordable CD Drive is called.
   

It is a good idea to keep your system up to date with the latest security updates!

• Click Start | Help and Support. Under “Pick a task,” click Keep your computer up–to–date with Windows Update.
   
• Click Click Scan for updates
   
Click Yes when prompted to install any required software or device drivers.
 

This will keep your system automatically updated with the latest security updates!

System Restore is a great utility should anything go wrong with your system. You can restore you system back to the last restore point.

Creating a Restore Point:

• Access the System Restore Wizard through Help and Support Center. (Click Start | Help and Support. Click Performance and Maintenance | Using System Restore to undo changes | Run the System Restore Wizard.
   
• Click Create a restore point, and then click Next.
   
• In the Restore point description box, type a name to identify this restore point. System Restore automatically adds to this name the date and time that this Restore Point is created.
   
• Click Create
   

Now if something ever happens to your system, you can always restore you system back to this restore point:

• to return to this restore point, from the Welcome to System Restore screen of the System Restore Wizard select Restore my computer to an earlier time. Then select the date when the restore point was created from the calendar in the Select a Restore Point screen.
   

Annoyed by those silly balloons that keep popping up?

• Right-Click on Start and select Properties
   
• On the Start Menu tab click Customize
   
• Select the Advanced tab
   
• Uncheck the box labeled Highlight Newly Installed Programs
   
• Click OK.
   

The settings can be located using REGEDIT

• Click Start | Run and type REGEDIT
   
• Select HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE | Software | Microsoft | Windows NT | CurrentVersion
   
• Right-click on RegisteredOwner and select Modify
   
• Change the Value data: to your the new owner name
   
• Right-click on RegisteredOrganization and select Modify
   
• Change teh Value data: to the new organization name
   

Reboot!

Tired of accidentally resizing your taskbar?

• Right-click somewhere on the taskbar where there is empty space.
   
• Select Lock the Taskbar
   

ClearType is an effect that smooths the text fonts on a flat screen monitor. If enable at a high resolution on a CRT monitor, it will make things difficult to read.
(Thanks to Ian Barrs for correcting the information in this activity)

• Click Start | Control Panel
   
• Click the Appearance And Themes tab
   
• Click the Display icon | Appearance tab | Effects button
   
• Check the box labeled Use The Following Method To Smooth Edges Of Screen Fonts and select ClearType
   
• Click OK.
   

Older OS's would autoplay a CD that has music or software to install

XP goes a step further and display or find another way to present the data. This can be rather annoying everytime you want to insert a CD.

• Double-Left-Click on My Computer
   
• Right-Click on your CD-ROM icon and click Properties
   
• Click AutoPlay to bring up the options for this selection
   
• Select the content-type from the drop-down list
   
• Click the radio button for Select An Action To Perform and choose your desired action.
   

NOTE: By selecting Take No Action with a data CD, the CD will no longer open when you are installing new software.

Ever tried to run software that was design for Win98 or WinME and had problems?

Perhaps running the software in Compatibility Mode will enable this software to function properly.

• Right-Click on the shortcut to the problematic software and select Properties
   
• Select the Compatibility tab and check the box marked Run This Program In Compatibility Mode For and select the OS from the dropdown list
   
• Click OK.
   

The Windows key does more than just open the start menu.

1. Tapping the Windows Logo Key Once Opens the start menu
    
2. Holding down the Windows Key and tapping:
    
• D - minimizes the open windows. (Doing it again re-opens all the windows)
   
• E - opens Windows Explorer
   
• F - opens the File Search window
   
• R - opens the Run window.
   
• U - opens the utility manager
   
• Break - opens the System Properties window.
   
• F1 - opens the Help & Support Center window.
   

PowerTools are created by Microsoft to add to or enhance your Windows XP system.

• You can download them here.

If you've bought a used computer with Windows XP and need to change the registered owner, or for any other reason:

• Click Start | Run and type "regedit"
• Follow the directory to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion
• Right click on RegisteredOwner and select modify
• Change any other needed values in this directory

Microsoft has their own set of How-To Articles for Windows XP which is the next place you might look for more tips and tricks!

• For Windows XP Pro:
  http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/howto/default.asp
• For Windows XP Home:
  http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/using/howto/default.asp

Creating a shortcut to your favorite folder can save you the time and frustration of having to locate the same folder all the time.

• Click Start | My Computer to open Windows Explorer
• Locate the folder that you want to create a shortcut by navigating through the list
• Right click on the folder and select Send To | Desktop (Create Shortcut)

If you go to sites and have had this annoying screen pop up asking if you wish to debug the website, you can turn it off. This isn't directly associated with Windows XP, but rather Internet Explorer.

• From Internet Explorer, Click Tools | Internet Options... | Advanced
• Locate Disable script Debugging and put a check mark in front of it.

One of our readers was having problems with Internet Explorer incorrectly saving images. We found that this problem was well documented on Microsoft.com and thought we would post the link here.

• http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;260650

• Open any folder.
• On the menu bar, select View | List
• On the menu bar, select Tools | Folder Options | View tab | Apply to All Folders
• Click on OK to confirm