Customizing WINXP PRO?

[PtBetsie]

Our last donation was an E Machine with WINXP Pro on it and so far I hate it. I can't find things, can't put shortcuts for my computer,control panel, or a shortcut to our connection on the desktop. The icons are too small for old eyes and I was able to get them a little larger. Is it possible to customize XP to make it look and act like WIN98SE? IS there a software substitute for WIndows media player which doesn't act right and we don't like that ridiculous screen image either when the player boots up.

[PrntRhd]

Yes you can customize Xp Pro just like any other Windows version if you have the Administrative rights/permissions to do so:
TweakUI for XP and PowerTools is one good way to customize XP. http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx

WindowBlinds is one good program to change the look of the XP desktop.http://www.stardock.com/products/windowblinds/

WinAmp is a media player that plays a lot of stuff, skinnable to change the look.
http://www.winamp.com/

Also switching to Classic View will make the menus act more like 98 than the XP you may be using.

[PtBetsie]

Where can I find the "classic view"? I checked the help files and they don't have anything referring to this. I asked a neighbor and he said his options disappeared after updating. Are we stuck with the pc as received?

[david eaton]

To reset to classic view, right click on a vacant part of the desktop ( i.e. not on an icon)
From the menu select Properties. Click on the "appearance" tab. In the "windows and buttons" options box, select "windows classic style". In the "color scheme" box, select "windows standard", or whatever color scheme you want, and click on OK.

To reset the folders, open a folder, and click on Tools>Folder options. On the "general" tab,select "use Windows classic folders"

On a blank part of the task bar, right click, and select properties. On the start menu tab, select "classic start menu" and click OK.

[PtBetsie]

Thanks, I found it. Not that it helps much. I will be very surprised if I leave this pc as is after a month. WIN98se is looking better and better, much more user friendly. I'd wipe everything out immediately but it does have a lot more programs than any of our old pc's at the center. I'll have to post a different question on the partitions.

[david eaton]

Have you also tries altering the screen resolution?
If everything looks too small, try lowering the resolution from 1024x768 to 800x600. You can also select large fonts, which may be helpful

To put a shortcut for "my computer" on the desktop, go to Start>Programs, Right click on my computer, and select show on desktop.

A similar method will put a shortcut to control panel on the desktop.

[PtBetsie]

The shortcut for my computer worked but I can't get a shortcut for control panel established. Right clicking on control panel doesn't bring up the shortcut choice.

[Erik]

You can get a shortcut to Control Panel simply by dragging and dropping it onto an empty area of the desktop.

XP really is a much better os than Windows 98SE, it is much more stable and secure. I am prety sure if you change the screen resolution to somehting you like better (ie larger) you will get used to the difference quickly. Truly the biggest difference is all of the eye candy, which can be turned off.