Windows XP configuration

2010-02-04
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Windows > Windows XP >

So here are some rough notes on what I did to set Windows up to clean the crap out and make it go faster.



Table of Contents [hide]

Intro ∞

First.. yes I do use Windows.

It’s WAY too annoying to use a program like Wine to get a simple game to run.  Even when I can, there’s no assumption of stability whatsoever.  It’s really disappointing.  Even after all these years of waiting patiently, it’s still not happening.

Yes, I could use VMWare, VirtualBox or some other similar virtualization solution within Linux.  These instructions apply just as much (if not more) to their environment.

These notes are for Windows XP.

I hear Windows 7 is really wonderful.  Well it ought to be since it had Vista as its beta.  This is just like how Millennium was the beta for XP.  I wouldn’t want to use Windows 7 though, since I have an older computer.

Yes, these notes are what I consider rough.  Documentation professionals eat your heart out, ’cause this is the detail I produce out of habit.  Then every time I do something similar to my notes, I go through them like a list of steps to follow.  This assures accuracy.

To be honest I’m not particularly keen on pursuing this stuff further.  I abandoned Windows in the first place because of the need to constantly configure and re-configure it.  I don’t want to go down that road again.

Basic Setup ∞

Key:

  • [_] This is a checkbox which is empty.
  • [x] This is a checkbox which is not empty.
  • (o) This is a radio button which has been selected.
  • <Name> This is a button called “name”

  • One > Two > Three – This is the “breadcrumb” method for describing how to get to where I want to be.

    • So Start > Run means “Click on “Start”, then select “Run”).
    • This method will also step you through tabs at the top of a window.  It’ll be pretty obvious when you’re doing it.

  • I usually assume that you press “Ok” or “Apply” once done with a screen.

  • Have all your drivers and such offline and available to you, e.g. on a CD, USB key or removable hard drive.  Be certain a fresh Windows install won’t need special drivers to actually get to your storage device./

  • Disconnect networking before beginning the install.  Physically unplug it.

    • You can choose to keep networking at your own peril.  Windows is KNOWN to be insecure-by-default.  You WILL be open to attack before you’re finished the configuration.  It’s already bad enough that you have to go online to get the updates (FIXME), so don’t make it any worse.
  • Perform an everyday install from the Windows install CD.
  • I choose Canadian English as my language, and I modify the short date display to be YYYY-MM-DD.

  • After you booted up for the final time and things are working, immediately turn off automatic updates.

    • FIXME: I’m not sure why this note is here in this place, and not just below after logging as the admin.
  • In the welcome screen, create two users: admin, user
  • Log in as ‘admin’, no password is requested (great security!)

  • Click the Windows XP Tour popup baloon.

    • (o) Play the non-animated tour that features text and images only.
    • Then exit the popup.
    • TODO – (There’s probably a better / automatable way to do this, but I haven’t looked)
  • Right-click on the taskbar “language bar”, close it and do not prompt again.

  • Start > Control panel > User Accounts

    • Change the way users log in or off
    • [_] Use the Welcome screen — this is to avoid a bug where repeated logout will lock up your ability to click or tab to the password field
    • <apply>

  • Start > Control panel > User Accounts > Admin

    • Create a password
    • (I choose to not make my files private)
    • (When done, hit escape to return to the list of users)

  • Start > Control panel > User Accounts > User

    • Create a password
    • (I choose to not make my files private)
    • Change the account type > Limited

  • Start > Control panel > Performance and maintenance > Administrative tools > Computer management > System Tools > Local Users and Groups > Users

    • double-click and disable administrator (this does not stop the use of safe more or the repair console)
    • delete HelpAssistant, SUPPORT_########

  • Start > Control panel > Performance and maintenance > Administrative tools > Computer management > System Tools > Local Users and Groups > Groups

    • delete HelpServicesGroup — I’d delete more, but that’s not allowed.  =(
    • (can’t delete:  Backup Operators, Network Configuration Operators, Power Users, Remote Desktop Users, Replicator)

  • Start > Control panel > Performance and maintenance > Administrative tools > Computer management > System Tools > Services and Applications > Services

    • or you could directly run (WINDOWS-r) services.msc or even the full line:  %SystemRoot%system32services.msc /s

  • Start > Control Panel > Mouse > Pointer Options

    • [_] Enhance pointer precision
    • (“pointer precision” is mouse acceleration)

services-name.png

Key:

  • A = Automatic
  • D = Disabled

  • M = Manual

NOTE: Some of these instructions may not apply to you.

  • I don’t do any local networking, so I also explicitly disable such things.
  • I don’t print or scan on Windows

  • I do use wireless

    • (Actually I don’t anymore, but I’ll leave these instructions as-is until I can re-test with a wired-only connection.)
  • I do not use any DRM content
  • I don’t have QoS networking of any sort
  • I don’t use a Smart Card
  • I don’t have a UPS
  • I do burn CDs and DVDs

  • I don’t use the Windows system restore functionality (Warning:  A dangerous preference!)

For each of these services, stop it and then disable it:

  1. Application Layer Gateway Service
  2. Cryptographic Services
  3. Distributed Link Tracking Client
  4. Error Reporting Service
  5. Help and Support

  6. HID Import Service

    • (OPTIONAL – I don’t care about the multimedia keys on my keyboard,  but you might.)
  7. Network Location Awareness (NLA)
  8. Print Spooler
  9. Protected Storage
  10. Remote Registry

  11. Server

    • (cannot be left manual, it’ll restart itself)
  12. SSDP Discovery Service

  13. System Restore Service

    • (Warning:  A dangerous preference!)
  14. TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper

  15. Telephony

    • This prompts to stop “Remote Access Connection Manager”.  Cannot be stopped, but rebooting will disable it.

  16. Terminal Services

    • Cannot be stopped, but rebooting will disable it.
  17. Themes
  18. WebClient
  19. Windows Image Acquisition (WIA)
  20. Windows Time

  21. Workstation

    • (cannot be left manual, it’ll restart itself)

Your remaining list of items which are started should be:

Leave “Started” and do not change settings:

  1. Automatic Updates

    • (OPTIONAL – you must re-enable this to update your system!  You’d need to have an alternate way to even know if there are updates.  This is safe to temporarily disable for particularly system intensive applications.)

  2. COM+ Event System

    • (TODO – RESEARCH)
  3. DCOM Service Process Launcher (can’t be stopped)

  4. DHCP Client

    • (TODO – RESEARCH – can this be replaced by a network tool to resolve DNS?)
  5. DNS Client

  6. Event Log

    • (can’t be stopped)

  7. IPSEC Services

    • (TODO – RESEARCH)

  8. Logical Disk Manager

    • (Probably stoppable, probably a bad idea to stop it though.)

  9. Logical Disk Manager Administrative Service

    • (this’ll start up if you enter into your services list through the main admin panel, but not if you start the list directly)
  10. Network Connections

  11. Plug and Play

    • (Probably stoppable, probably a bad idea to stop it though.)

  12. Remote Access Connection Manager

    • (It’s curious that it’s started upon first boot.  But on second boot it’s not auto-started.)

  13. Remote Procedure Call (RPC)

    • (TODO – RESEARCH)
  14. Secondary Logon
  15. Security Accounts Manager

  16. Security Center

    • (Probably stoppable, probably a bad idea to stop it though.)
  17. Shell Hardware Detection
  18. System Event Notification

  19. Task Scheduler

    • (Probably stoppable, probably a bad idea to stop it though.)
  20. Windows Audio

  21. Windows Firewall/Internet Connection Sharing (ICS)

    • I’d like to stop the ICS part, but it’s all bundled.  A complete firewall replacement would also let you disable Microsoft’s built-in (probably inferior) firewall.  An external firewall would be best (i.e. at the network level).

  22. Windows Management Instrumentation

    • (can’t be stopped without disaster, so it says)

  23. Wireless Zero Configuration

    • (I do use wireless, unfortunately)

25 should be started.  The above list of 23, plus Telephony and Terminal Services which cannot be stopped, but will not start up on your next reboot.

  • Reboot and log back in as admin
  • Confirm your system does start back up.  =)

  • Confirm that everything which should be started is, and everything which shouldn’t be started is not.

21 items should be started, or possibly 22 if you entered into the services list through the admin panel and visited the disk panel.

This stuff wasn’t started, and you don’t want to start them:

  1. Computer Browser
  2. Distributed Transaction Coordinator
  3. Fast User Switching Compatibility
  4. Indexing Service
  5. MS Software Shadow Copy Provider
  6. Net Logon
  7. NetMeeting Remote Desktop Sharing
  8. Network Provisioning Service
  9. NT LM Security Support Provider
  10. Performance Logs and Alerts
  11. Portable Media Serial Number Service
  12. QoS RSVP

  13. Remote Access Auto Connection Manager

    • TODO: This might be a bad thing to disable, testing.  If this note hasn’t been removed, then it’s safe to disable this service.
  14. Remote Desktop Help Session Manager
  15. Smart Card
  16. Uninterruptable Power Supply

  17. Volume Shadow Copy

  • Start > Run > msconfig > General

    • (o) Selective Startup

  • Start > Run > msconfig > BOOT.INI

    • [x] /NOGUIBOOT

      • FYI, you can check out the list of services in the Services tab in msconfig.
  • Save and you’ll be prompted to restart.  Do so.

  • Log back in as admin.

    • You’ll be prompted with “You have used the System Configuration Utility to make changes to the way Windows starts.”.
    • [x] Don’t show this message or launch the System Configuration Utility when Windows start [sic]

  • Start > Settings > Control Panel > Performance and Maintenance > System > Advanced > Visual Effects > Performance: <Settings>

    • (o) Adjust for best performance
    • [x] Show window contents while dragging
    • [x] Smooth edges of screen fonts

  • FIXME > Advanced > Virtual memory: <Change>

    • (o) System managed size
    • <Set>
    • (NOTE: I use an SSD, so defragmentation isn’t an issue and I can put my swap on C: without concern, although having a swap at all is a concern and it can be disabled altogether if you have enough system memory to do that – 2GB is debatable but 4GB would be enough)
    • (You should not have a paging file on any other drive)

  • FIXME: Advanced > <Error Reporting>

    • (o) Disable error reporting

  • FIXME: Automatic Updates >

    • (o) Notify me but don’t automatically download or install them.

  • FIXME: Remote >

    • [_] Allow Remote Assistance invitations to be sent from this computer (I find it odd that this isn’t greyed out, didn’t we disable all the applicable services?)
  • When done, clicking “Ok” will prompt to reboot.  Do so.

  • WINDOWS-e > (For each of your drives): right-click > Properties

    • [_] Allow Indexing Service to index this disk for fast file searching (Apply to all the sub-folders too).

      • (I got an error trying this on C: because some files were in use.  Hrm.  FIXME: Possibly repeat this step later?)
      • (Odd that this isn’t greyed out since the indexing service should be disabled)

Personal preferences ∞

(These preferences must be repeated for each user.  Damn you, Windows.  FIXME: Is there a better way?)

  • Delete the Internet Explorer icon from the desktop

  • Right-click taskbar > Properties > Taskbar

    • [x] Show Quick Launch

  • Right-click taskbar > Properties > Taskbar > Start Menu

    • (o) Classic Start menu
    • <Customize>
    • <Sort>
    • <Clear>
    • [x] Display Administrative Tools
    • [x] Display Log Off
    • [x] Show Small Icons in Start menu
    • [x] Use Personalized Menus
  • Right-click the two quick-launch icons and delete them.  IE is “iexplore” and show desktop is WINDOWS-d.
  • Right-click taskbar > [_] Lock the taskbar
  • Widen the Quick Launch area so you can drop in new icons. (click and drag the rightmost vertical bar further to the right)

  • Right-click the desktop > Properties > Desktop

    • Background: None

  • Right-click the desktop > Properties > Screen Saver

    • Screen saver: [Blank]
    • Wait [5] minutes
    • [x] On resume, password protect

  • Right-click the desktop > Properties > Screen Saver: <Power> > Settings for Home/Office Desk power scheme

    • Turn off monitor: [After 10 mins]

  • Right-click the desktop > Properties > Appearance > Effects

    • [_] Use the following transition effect for menus and tooltips
    • [x] Use the following method to smooth edges of screen fonts: [ClearType]
    • [_] Show shadows under menus
    • [_] Hide underlined letters for heyboard navigation until I press the Alt key

  • WINDOWS-e > Tools > Folder Options > View

    • (Note that I do not change explorer with “View > [x] Status Bar” because Windows is retarded about reading info and creating thumbnails for movies, which can get really REALLY annoyingly slow, especially on a CD/DVD)
    • [_] Automatically search for network folders and printers
    • [_] Display file size information in folder tips
    • [x] Display the contents of system folders
    • [x] Do not cache thumbnails
    • (o) Show hidden files and folders
    • [_] Hide extensions for known file types
    • [_] Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)  (Note: This should only be un-set on administrator accounts)
    • (Note: “[x] Launch folder windows in a separate process” was a preference for a long time, but since explorer has stabilized it’s more important to me to share one process to save system resources)
    • [x] Show Control Panel in My Computer
    • [_] Show pop-up description for folder and desktop items

    • [_] Use simple file sharing (Recommended)

      • (I disable this so I have proper access to filesystem permissions)
    • <Apply>
    • <Apply to All Folders> <Yes>

    • WINDOWS-e > Tools > Offline Files

      • [_] Enable Offline Files

  • On the desktop, right-click Recycle Bin > Properties

    • [_] Display delete confirmation dialog

  • right-click Start > Explore all users

    • Move [Set Program Access and Defaults, Windows Catalog, Windows Update] into Programs

TODO: Disabling all sounds.  Damn I hate beeps and boops and I’m trying to work.

Software I use ∞

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but on a really fresh install this is pretty much all I need to not go completely insane.

  1. VirtuaWin

    • Virtual desktops.

  2. winxmove

    • Implements alt-leftclick-drag to move and alt-rightclick-drag to resize

  3. EXT2FS (IFS drives)

    • ext2/ext3 access within Windows.  Note that your partition needs to be formatted with (TODO)

  4. Firefox (presently the 3.6 beta)

    • Web Browser.  Its configuration and list of addons, themes and other customization is so complex that it must be left for another post.

  5. StartupCPL

    • Quickly and easily change what apps launch on startup.  Good for removing nonsense that might come with drivers.  Yes, there is much more thorough stuff out there, but I just need something portable and trivially simple to use.

To Do ∞

(Also see the above list for TODO/FIXME type notes)

  • The change to remove the remembering of the last logged in user in the initial textmode-esque login screen
  • Clearing the recently accessed documents, programs and Web sites – this is doable through Start menu: “Customize”.
  • Firefox cache, and the Ramdrive-based solution
  • Java temporary files
  • Java quickstart disabling
  • iexplore home page changing without launching it.. it dials home
  • There’s crap lingering around:  file꞉///C:/WINDOWS/Help/Tours/htmlTour/safe_fr.htm

  • There is a lot of other nonsense on-disk, like leftover theme stuff, wallpapers, sounds and more.

Services to research ∞

  1. Application Management
  2. COM+ System Application

  3. DHCP Client

    • Can this be replaced by a network tool to resolve DNS?
  4. HTTP SSL
  5. IPSEC Services

  6. Logical Disk Manager

    • Probably stoppable, probably a bad idea to stop it though.

  7. Plug and Play

    • Probably stoppable, probably a bad idea to stop it though.
  8. Remote Procedure Call (RPC)

  9. Security Center

    • Probably stoppable, probably a bad idea to stop it though.

  10. Task Scheduler

    • Probably stoppable, probably a bad idea to stop it though.
  11. Windows Management Instrumentation Driver Extensions

  12. WMI Performance Adapter

ancient notes ∞

DISABLE “Wireless Zero Configuration” service

From a text file I had lingering around..

  1. The initial textmode install complains about acledit.dll, skip that

  2. the later gui install will complain about nuskin.wm_, skip that

other notes ∞

Updating notes ∞

  • Install as usual.

  • Start > Settings > Control Panel > Automatic Updates

    • [o] Notify me but don’t automatically download or install them.
    • [Apply]
  • Click the “Windows Update Web site” link.
  • Proceed through the basic installs in IE
  • Continue, but when you see it downloading the authenticator thingy, abort.
  • By this time you’ll probably have a notification that Windows has found an update.
  • Install that update, and very soon you will get another notification of more updates.
  • Install the other updates, but DE-SELECT the authenticator.

  • Proceed, and tell Windows to not notify you of that update again.

Remove “Set Program Access and Defaults” from the start menu for all users. ∞

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
Explorer
NoSMConfigurePrograms
DWORD
1
  • Log out

  • (Tested and works)

Increase performance if you have 512 MB or more memory ∞

(source unknown, untested)

You can increase system performance by having the core system kept in memory.

  1. Start Regedit
  2. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management\DisablePagingExecutive
  3. Set the value to be 1

  4. Reboot the computer

Windows services ∞

  • Start Menu > Programs > Administrative Tools > Services, stop and disable non-essential services:

Services stopped and set to manual:

  • Automatic Updates

    • Note that this will need to be turned on to allow manual updates (visiting www.windowsupdate.com)

  • COM+ Event System

    • Was started but set to manual. Stopped.
  • Computer Browser
  • Cryptographic Services

  • DCOM Server Process Launcher

    • “stop” was greyed out, set to disabled.

  • DHCP Client

    • Required for connectivity.
  • Distributed Link Tracking Client
  • Error Reporting Service

  • Fast User Switching compatibility

    • Was started but set to manual. Stopped.
  • Help and Support
  • IPSEC Services
  • Logical Disk Manager

  • Network Location Awareness (NLA)

    • Was started but set to manual. Stopped.
    • DHCP will not function without this.

  • Print Spooler

    • Can be turned back on to speed printing.
  • Protected Storage
  • Remote Registry
  • Secondary Logon

  • Security Accounts Manager

    • “stop” was greyed out, set to disabled.
  • Security Center
  • Shell Hardware Detection
  • SSDP Discovery Service
  • System Event Notification
  • System Restore Service

  • Terminal Services

    • “stop” was greyed out, set to disabled.
  • Task Scheduler
  • TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper
  • Themes
  • WebClient
  • Windows Firewall/Internet Connection Sharing (ICS)
  • Windows Time
  • Wireless Zero Configuration

  • Workstation

    • Had to be re-stopped later on.
What is left:

  • DCOM Server Process Launcher

    • set to disabled

  • DNS Client

    • Required for connectivity.

  • Event Log

    • Cannot be stopped.

  • Network Connections

    • Required for connectivity? Unsure.

  • Plug and Play

    • Claims to reduce system instability if disabled.

  • Remote Procedure Call (RPC)

    • Set to automatic. “stop” is greyed out, so is the “startup type”.

  • Security Accounts Manager

    • “stop” was greyed out, set to disabled.

  • Server

    • Could be disabled, but it disables file sharing.

  • Terminal Services

    • “stop” was greyed out, set to disabled.

  • VMWare Tools Service

  • Windows Audio

    • Could be disabled for various reasons, mostly because the sound is pathetic through VMWare.

  • Windows Management Instrumentation

    • “If this service is stopped, most Windows-based software will not function properly.”

—

  • My Computer > Properties > Advanced

    • Performance > Settings > Adjust for best performance
      — Advanced > Virtual memory > Change > System managed size > Set
    • Error Reporting > Settings > Disable error reporting

—

  • Reboot

Check the running Services:

  • VMWare Tools Service

    • Had to be manually re-started.

  • Network Connections

    • Had to be started. Did I turn this off?
Things which stayed disabled:
  • DCOM Server Process Launcher
  • Terminal Services

  • Security Accounts Manager

What is left

8 items

  • DNS Client

    • Required for connectivity.

  • Event Log

    • Cannot be stopped.

  • Network Connections

    • Required for connectivity? Unsure.

  • Plug and Play

    • Claims to reduce system instability if disabled.

  • Remote Procedure Call (RPC)

    • Set to automatic. “stop” is greyed out, so is the “startup type”.

  • Server

    • Could be disabled, but it disables file sharing.

  • VMware Tools Service

  • Windows Audio

    • Could be disabled for various reasons, mostly because the sound is pathetic through VMware.

  • Windows Management Instrumentation

    • “If this service is stopped, most Windows-based software will not function properly.”
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