Display the Windows version on your desktop

It is possible to display the version of Windows in the lower right corner of your desktop. This requires a modification in the Windows Registry.
Note:
You cannot decide what text you want to appear; it's predefined, based on the version of Windows you are running. For example, the text for Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 2 will be along the lines of:
Windows XP Professional
Build 2600.xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-2158 (Service Pack 2)

Procedure:
1) Click the Start button, click Run, type regedit and click OK
2) On the left-hand side, navigate to (and highlight)
  HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop
3) On the right-hand side, locate PaintDesktopVersion and double-click it
4) In the pop-up window, change the data to 1 and click OK
Note:
0 = Hide Windows version from desktop
1 = Show Windows version on desktop
5) Close the Windows Registry Editor as well as your other programs and reboot (or log off and log back in).

Display message on startup

If you would like to display a legal message or any other message in a pop-up window when windows starts read below:
Start regedit, if you are unfamiliar with regedit please see our FAQ.
Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
Modify the key legalnoticecaption with what you want to name the window.
Modify the key legalnoticetext with what you want the window to say.
Restart.

Disable Picture Viewer, but have thumbnails still work

There is a tweak for preventing the picture viewer from opening your pictures by
typing "regsvr32 /u shimgvw.dll" at a command prompt. This works, except
if you use it, then if you set a folder to thumbnail display mode, your thumbnails
will not work.
If you want to disable the picture viewer but would still like to have your
thumbnails, then change this in the registry:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\image\
ShellEx\ContextMenuHandlers\
ShellImagePreview\(Default)
It should be set to {e84fda7c-1d6a-45f6-b725-cb260c236066} by default...
just erase its contents to disable the picture viewer. Your thumbnails should
still work. If you did do "regsvr32 /u shimgvw.dll" at the command prompt,
you can undo it by going to the command prompt and typing "regsvr32Â shimgvw.dll"

Desktop Manager for "power users". (PowerToys)

Desktop Manager allows you to switch between multiple desktops creating more elbow room for those who like to stay organized while pushing the max thread limit.

1. First grab XP PowerToys from microsoft.com (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/downloads/
powertoys.asp)
2. Once installed right click then check: task bar > toolbars > Desktop Manager
You may now view up to four new desktops. I prefer not to have "Shared Desktops" on as it reminds me more of linux (and is cleaner).
Now you may hide the buttons etc. and use Windows key + 1-4 to switch between desktops and Windows key + v to preview.

Delete My eBooks and other special folders in My Doc..

Click Start, then Run and type: regsvr32 /u mydocs.dll

then delete them

Delete/Repair the Windows Media Player Library

If you have moved your music around on your hard drives, Windows Media Player continues to add new entries into it's library instead of modifying the existing ones. This means that you will now have multiple entries for the same song, half of which will not work now because you have moved the files to their new location. To delete the current library and build a new one, do the following:
1. Close Windows Media Player, wait about 3 seconds for the database to close.
2. Using "My Computer", navigate to the following folder:
F (or whatever drive is appropriate for you):\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Microsoft\Media Index
3. Delete the "wmplibrary....db" file here. This is not your actual music, only the database which Windows Media Player uses as a listing.
4. Start Windows Media Player
5. Hit "F3" and enter the location where you have moved your music to. If it is on muliple drives, check "All Drives". Let it finish.
You're Done! All the old listings will now be gone, and you will only have the new accurate ones.

Delete Unwanted Screen Savers Loaded w/XP

If anyone else was wondering how to get rid of the annoying Screen Savers that Microsoft feels you have to have with XP they made it a little more difficult than normal.

1. First navigate to “C:\windows\system32\dllcache”. Cut and paste or type in your address bar to get there because it is a hidden folder . Once there, delete the Screen Savers in that folder . Otherwise, you will find that they will come back no matter how many times you delete them from your system 32 folder.
2. Then you have to go to C: \Windows\system32 and delete the Screen Savers you want to get rid of . (Answer the file protection popups with cancel and yes.)
3. Voila---no more Screen Savers!!!!