Tips to make Vista and XP run your way

Windows Vista and Windows XP, the most discussed operating systems form Microsoft are battling with each other on market charts.The issues with them are unending. The operating system with security as its USP, ironically runs threats which are much greater in number than running on Windows 2000. Windows XP, as per users or vendors, the most successful operating system ever launched by Microsoft till date, is giving stiff competition to the latest. Statistics reveal the market share for XP much larger than Vista.

Declared 30 June as the last day for XP created chaos in the market, result Microsoft granted lifeline till 2010. Leaving all these hassles un-discussed here, user faces one or other problem with these operating systems. The article will list those problems and fixes for them so that you can run XP and Vista your own way.

1. Cheesed off with Balloons and Icons: While using Vista, the appearance of balloons for tips and wizard asking for cleaning Desktop, drive the users crazy. The frequency of appearance takes away the patience of user.

Opposite to problem, the fixing is quite easy. If you are using XP and facing the same problem, you can disable the wizard with a VB Script by Kelly Theriot. For vanishing those balloon tips in XP run Doug Knox’s VB Script. For Vista, the solution is in operating system (no downloads needed). Right-click Desktop, select Properties --> Desktop --> Customize Desktop, and clear the Run Desktop Cleanup Wizard Every 60 Days check box.

To ditch balloon tips in Vista:

• Press Windows+R, enter gpedit.msc and hit enter. This opens the Group Policy Editor.
• User Configurationïƒ Administrative Templatesïƒ Start Menuïƒ Taskbarïƒ Select Remove Balloon Tips.
• Right-click and choose properties from the context menu.
• Select Enable from the options and click ok.
• Close the Group Policy Editor.
• Reboot Windows Vista.

For Windows Vista Home and Home Premium, the steps are:

• Press Windows+R, type regedit and hit enter.
• Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER / SOFTWARE / Microsoft / Windows / CurrentVersion / Explorer / Advanced
• Create a new Dword and name it EnableBalloonTips
• Set value to 0
• Reboot Windows Vista

3. Disabling Customize Notifications: While using PC you are wondering what happened to customize option in Taskbar tab for system properties (as appearing grayed out), do not panic, and simply right click the taskbar and select properties. Now disable the option for "Hide Inactive Icons" that is by default checked.

4. To take copy of the files that you need in any mode for instance they are in use or they are in temp folder, you can use HoboCopy, a utility that uses Volume Shadow Service to copy files (and folders) that are in use.

These are some of the handy tips that you can use to make XP or Windows Vista run your way.