XP install changes

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In an effort to make life faster the next time I do this, I've documented the changes I made to the pre-installed Vista on my Dell laptop. I've split this into sections.

Contents

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Sanity

Turn off UAC (control panel -> user accounts).

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Programs

  • TweakUI and other powertoys (CMD prompt here) (XP only)
  • Firefox + extensions
  • Wireshark
  • PuTTY
  • FileZilla or WinSCP
  • VLC
  • autoruns, process explorer + other sysinternals
  • search and destroy anti-spyware
  • acroread (move all plugins bar EScript, Search, Search5 and Weblink into "optional")
  • Foxit PDF reader
  • Xming for Xwindows
  • Openoffice
  • CDBurnerXP Pro
  • Google Desktop + Firefox integration
  • Google toolbar for MSIE and Firefox
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Performance

  • turn off system restore
  • set swap/VM to a fixed size to stop windows from changing (and fragmenting) it
  • reduce recycle bin size down
  • reduce explorer cache size down
  • reduce firefox cache size down
  • set system properties to performance rather than eye candy (bar font smoothing)
  • turn off MSN messenger
  • delete old backups (/windows/$NTUninsstall*, /windows/$NTServicePackUninstall$, /windows/SoftwareDistribution)
  • defrag
  • check add/remove programs for unwanted or deleted programs
  • setup hibernation
  • disable unwanted services
[edit]

Misc

  • install Dell ethernet driver from CD (not in base XP)
  • install all latest Dell drivers from web (required for WPA)
  • install latest BIOS
  • install Windows updates
  • install Windows XP Service Pack 2
  • install post SP2 updates
  • change desktop back to classic
  • change start menu back to classic
  • add administrative tools to start menu (and expand control panel, network, printers)
  • change explorer back to classic
  • set explorer to "view details", change folder options (e.g. hidden directories etc)
  • set sound theme to "none"
  • setup network and firewalling
  • set automatic updates to download and notify
  • check keyboard setup (remove US)
  • check date, time, timezone
  • unregion lock DVD drive

The wireless card was um, interesting. It's a "Truemobile 1300/1400" - windows only Broadcom chipset. Ewwww. The driver installed both the driver and some configuration utility which clashes with the SP2 tool. So I installed the driver, then uninstalled it, then told windows to look in c:/dell/.... for the driver (hence leaving the Dell configuration utility uninstalled).

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