- Windows Updates Downloader (WUD) (freewaree):
http://wud.jcarle.com/
- Xable Light Windows XP Post-SP2 Update Pacck:
http://udp.xable.net/
- Unofficial Windows XP SP3:
http://www.thehotfix.net/sp3_2.php
Unofficial Windows XP SP3 (free):
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4754.html
- RyanVM's Windows XP Post-SP2 Update Pack ((free):
http://www.ryanvm.net/msfn/updatepack.html
- Windows XP Post-SP2/Vista Hotfixes:
http://www1.webng.com/xpsp3/
- AutoPatcher XP: Windows XP SP2 Updates + FFixes (free):
http://www.autopatcher.com/autopatcherxp/
- Windows XP PowerPacker (free):
http://powerpacker.siginetsoftware.com/
- ERPMan's Windows 2000 + XP Updates:
http://erpman1.tripod.com/w2kxpupd.html
- Microsoft OSes + Software Updates:
http://www.softwarepatch.com/
TechSpot Windows 98 SE/2000/ME/XP Updates:
http://www.techspot.com/tweaks/updates/
* Windows NT4/2000/XP/2003/Vista Power Tools on the Internet (mostly
freeware):
- Free Microsoft Software List:
http://bhandler.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!70F64BC910C9F7F3!709.entry
- Free Microsoft Windows Programs List:
http://bhandler.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!70F64BC910C9F7F3!1231.entry
- SmallVoid Windows XP Files:
http://www.smallvoid.com/articles/windows-xp/utilities/
- SysInternals Utilities:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/
- Win32 Programmers' Resource:
http://www.internals.com/
- Cronosoft freeware XP Tools + Skins:
http://www.cronosoft.com/
- Steve's Windows NT/2000/XP Freeware:
http://wettberg.home.texas.net/freeware.htm
- Digital Energy Freeware Software:
http://www.digital.7hits.net/soft.php
- Free System Tools:
http://www.systemtools.com/free.htm
- Free Command Line Utilities + Tips:
http://www.commandline.co.uk/
- IntelliAdmin Freeware Downloads:
http://www.intelliadmin.com/downloads.htm
USE PROXY SERVERS
Proxies (for those who are not familiar with the term) are Internet servers
which retrieve and often cache internet data for clients. Connecting to a good
proxy provides 2 main benefits:
1. Privacy ["Anonymous"]: proxies are designed to conceal information about
their clients when connecting to web sites, protecting user's privacy on the
Internet.
2. Speed ["Caching"]: a proxy server caches data from client requests.
Frequently accessed content can be retrieved quickly, often much faster than
if you would connect to the site directly.
Proxy resources on the Internet:
http://www.publicproxyservers.com/
http://tools.rosinstrument.com/proxy/
http://www.proxy4free.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proxy_server
http://www.analogx.com/contents/download/network/proxy.htm
http://www.multiproxy.org/
BACKUP AFTER FRESH INSTALL
After you complete your clean setup and get all your software installed I
recommend you use something like Drive Image 3/4 to create a backup image of
your install partition, then burn it to a CD for safe keeping. XP is a
different creature for some people. If you mess it up while playing around,
just bring back the image you made. You can be up and running again in 20
minutes vs. 2-3 hours it takes to setup the OS and all your stuff installed
all over again.
Default XP install is about 1.5 GB and the download setup image (ISO) may be
larger that 700 MB. So don't install too much on the OS partition. To help
downsize the image I run System File Checker (SFC) and reset the cache size
to 40-50 MB (it's well over 300 MB by default).
To do this, open a command prompt and run:
SFC /?
SFC /purgecache
SFC /cachesize=50
and finally rebuild the cache by typing (have your XP Setup CD ready):
SFC /scannow
I also delete the Pagefile.sys and Hibernate.sys files before running Drive
Image, to save time.
CREATE PASSWORD RESET DISK
If you're running Windows XP Professional as a local user in a workgroup
environment, you can create a password reset disk to log onto your computer
when you forget your password. To create the disk:
Click Start -> Control Panel -> User Accounts -> your account name -> under
Related Tasks click Prevent a forgotten password -> follow the directions in
the Forgotten Password Wizard to create a password reset disk.
Store that disk in a secure location, because anyone using it can access your
local user account.
* Best System Tweaking Tool: X-Setup Pro v6.6: 1600+ System tweaks + Registry
Hacks for Windows 9x/NT4/2000/ME/XP/2003 + related apps [4.54 MB, freeware
for personal use]:
http://www.mdgx.com/xset.htm
See "FREE WINDOWS 9x/NT/2000/ME/XP/2003/Vista SYSTEM + REGISTRY TWEAKERS"
further below:
http://www.mdgx.com/toy.htm#SYS
* XdN Tweaker v0.8.8.4 32 + 64 bit for Windows XP/2003/Vista tweaks tons of
hidden Registry settings, highly customizable:
http://www.xenomorph.net/xdntweaker/
Direct download [287 KB, donationware]:
http://www.xenomorph.net/files/xdn_tweaker_setup.exe
Requires Microsoft .Net Framework Redistributable (NFR) 2.0 [22.4 MB, free]:
http://www.mdgx.com/add.htm#NFR
* Tweaking Experience v4.0 HTML Help (CHM) file for Windows 2000/XP/2003
contains tons of System, Registry, GUI, Security, Explorer, MS IE/OE,
Messenger, DOS etc tips to MAXimize performance + improve stability:
http://windowsxp.homedns.org/xp/asp/twg/twg.asp
Direct download [9 MB, freeware, right-click to save!]:
http://www.osnn.net/downloads/tweaks/tweakexp4.msi
* Registry Tweaker v1.8.2.125 32-bit for Windows 2000/XP/2003 adds, edits
Registry tweaks, exports them to *.REG files, backs up Registry, includes
Tweak Tracker, restore, internet based updates, highly customizable:
http://www.registrytweaker.net/
Direct download [869 KB, freeware]:
http://www.registrytweaker.net/Download/regtwk182125.exe
* TuneXP v1.5 32-bit for Windows 2000/XP/2003 tweaks tons of hidden system,
Registry, GUI, memory + disk settings, highly customizable [464 KB, freeware]:
http://www.download.com/3001-2086_4-10290928.html
* XPepius v2.1.0 32-bit for Windows XP tweaking, optimizing + tuning tools
suite: Start-Up Manager, Uninstaller, Cleanup Center (Registry Cleaner + Track
Cleaner), Disk Cleanup + Designer XP, highly customizable:
http://www.geocities.com/xpepius/
Direct download [865 KB, freeware]:
http://www.delphipages.com/uploads/utilities/xpe_setup.exe
* WT RegCleanerXP v1.20 32-bit for Windows 2000/XP/2003 deletes unnecessary
Registry entries to increase system performance:
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download3560.html
Direct download [886 KB, freeware]:
http://downloads.planetmirror.com/pub/majorgeeks/registry/wtregcleanersetup.exe
- Windows 98 on CD:
http://www.lachiesadicristo.it/w98cd/
* DFUeTweaker v1.005 32-bit TCP/IP, MTU, RWIN, TTL etc tweaking tool for
Windows 9x/NT4/2000/ME/XP/2003 allows maximum Internet performance over Cable,
xDSL + Dial-Up modems:
http://home.tiscali.de/zdata/dfuetweaker_e.htm
Direct download [517 KB, freeware]:
http://home.tiscali.de/zdata/files/DFUeTweaker.exe
* TZ Connection Booster v2.6 32-bit TCP/IP, MTU, RWIN, TTL etc tweaking tool
for Windows 9x/NT4/2000/ME/XP/2003 allows maximum Internet performance over
LANs, Cable, xDSL + Dial-Up modems:
http://www.trackzapper.com/booster.html
Direct download [565 KB, freeware]:
http://www.trackzapper.com/download/tzcb26.exe
********************* TCP Optimizer v2.03 32-bit TCP/IP, MTU, RWIN, TTL etc
tweaking tool for
Windows 9x/NT4/2000/ME/XP/2003 allows maximum Internet performance over Cable,
xDSL + Dial-Up modems:
http://www.speedguide.net/downloads.php
Direct download [596 KB, freeware]:
http://www.speedguide.net/files/TCPOptimizer.exe
* CableNut v4.08 32-bit TCP/IP, MTU, RWIN, TTL etc tweaking tool for Windows
9x/NT4/2000/ME/XP/2003 allows maximum Internet performance over Cable, xDSL +
Dial-Up modems (freeware):
http://www.cablenut.com/
Direct download [824 KB]:
http://www.dslnuts.com/files/cablenut408.exe
CableNut Add-On for Windows 98/2000/XP/2003 [64 KB]:
http://www.dslnuts.com/files/CABLENUT_UPDATE.exe
CableNut Registry settings for Windows:
- 2000/XP/2003:
http://www.j79zlr.com/cablenutXP2k.php
- 98/ME:
http://www.j79zlr.com/cablenutME98.php
* Internet Connection Booster (ICB) 2000 v3.5.0 32-bit TCP/IP, MTU, RWIN, TTL
etc tweaking tool for Windows 9x/ME allows maximum Internet performance over
Cable, xDSL + Dial-Up modems:
http://toshi.50megs.com/icb2000/
Direct download [478 KB, freeware]:
http://toshi.50megs.com/icb2000/ICB2000.zip
* Intelli-Dial-UP v2.51 32-bit TCP/IP, MTU, RWIN, TTL etc tweaking tool for
Windows 9x/NT4/2000/ME/XP allows maximum Internet performance over analog,
ISDN, Cable and xDSL modems:
http://www.skylam.com/intellidialupmain.htm
Direct download [4.97 MB, freeware]:
http://www.peerq.com/Intelli252.zip
* SpeedXP v1.0 32-bit system, TCP/IP, MTU, RWIN, TTL etc tweaking tool for
Windows XP/2003 allows maximum Internet performance over Cable + xDSL modems:
http://www25.brinkster.com/chirisoft/
Direct download [55 KB, freeware]:
http://www.geocities.com/aazi1/SpeedXP.zip
* PPP-Boost v1.4 32-bit TCP/IP, MTU, RWIN, TTL etc tweaking tool for Windows
95/OSR1/OSR2 (ONLY without DUN Upgrade 1.4 installed!) allows maximum Internet
performance over analog modems [368 KB, freeware]:
http://users.raketnet.nl/m.breedveld/ppp_setup.exe
* MTUSpeed Pro v4.10 32-bit TCP/IP, MTU, RWIN, TTL etc tweaking tool for
Windows 95/OSR1/OSR2 (ONLY without DUN Upgrade 1.4 installed!) and Windows NT4
allows maximum Internet performance over analog modems [376 KB,
optionware]:
http://www.schaft.com/ftp/Win95/mtuspeed410.exe
* TweakIP 98 v1.00 32-bit TCP/IP, MTU, RWIN, TTL etc tweaking tool for Windows
9x/ME allows maximum Internet performance over analog modems [1.92 MB,
freeware, requires free registration!]:
http://www.lewe.com/?option=com_content&task=view&id=78
-------------------------COMPRESSION------------------------
* CabPack v1.4 32-bit compression/decompression tool for Windows
9x/NT4/2000/ME/XP/2003 supports Microsoft CABinet (CAB) format, capable of
achieving MAXimum possible compression ratio (using LZX), unattainable even
by ACE/RAR formats (freeware, English):
http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/english.htm
Direct download [436 KB]:
http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/cabpck14.zip
CabPack v1.4a EXE Upgrade [274 KB]:
http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/upgr_14a.zip
* Microsoft Windows 9x/NT4/2000/ME/XP/2003 Cabinet Software Development Kit
(CAB SDK) v2.0 32-bit includes: LZX/ZIP Data Compression formats, Cabinet File
Docs + allows creation of self extracting executables or compressed CAB files
used for local/remote software installations (English):
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/dncabsdk/html/cabdl.asp
- CAB SDK 32-bit [463 KB]:
http://download.microsoft.com/download/platformsdk/cab/2.0/w98nt42kmexp/en-us/Cabsdk.exe
More info:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=310618
- CAB SDK 16-bit Supplement for Windows/WfWGG 3.1x:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=182489
CAB SDK 16-bit [109 KB, right-click to save!]:
http://download.microsoft.com/download/platformsdk/Update/1/WIN98/EN-US/CAB-16.cab
MSDN: Building and Packaging Reference:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/vstool1/html/veovrsolutionbuildpackagereference.asp
* 7-Zip v4.57 32-bit ZIPping/unZIPping integrated Windows Explorer right-click
shell extension + DOS command line tool for Windows 9x/NT4/2000/ME/XP/2003
supports most popular compression formats: ZIP, 7Z, RAR, CAB, MSI, DOC, ARJ,
GZIP, BZ2, TAR, CPIO + RPM, highest ZIP compression ratio (2-10% better than
most other ZIPpers) otherwise attainable only by ACE/CAB/RAR/UHARC archiving
formats, highly customizable (free GPL):
http://www.7-zip.org/
- 7-Zip Shell extension + DOS box tool [841 KB]:
http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/sevenzip/7z457.exe
- 7-Zip DOS box tool [341 KB]:
http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/sevenzip/7za457.zip
- #7Z 7-Zip interface (GUI) for Windows 20000/XP/2003:
http://k7z.sourceforge.net/7Z/S7Z/
Requires Microsoft .Net Framework Redistributable (NFR) 2.0 [22.4 MB, free]:
http://www.mdgx.com/add.htm#NFR
- 7-Zip EasySFX self-extracting EXE creator [414 KB]:
http://www.excessive-software.eu.tt/
- 7-Zip native MS-DOS 5/6/7/8 + FreeDOS tooll [1.07 MB]:
http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/micro/pc-stuff/freedos/files/util/file/7zip/p7z455b.zip
Requires CWSDPMI.EXE DPMI DOS extender [54 KB]:
http://clio.rice.edu/cwsdpmi/csdpmi5b.zip
* FileCompress v2.0 Beta 32-bit for Windows 9x/NT4/2000/ME/XP/2003 UHARC.EXE
front end GUI compression/decompression tool + integrated Windows Explorer
shell extension supports UHA format with higher compression ratio than
ACE/CAB/RAR, highly customizable:
http://filecompress.altervista.org/
Direct download [2.58 MB, freeware, right-click to save!]:
http://filecompress.altervista.org/misc/Download/FileCompress/FileCompress2.0_Beta.exe
* ZipGenius Suite v6.0.3 32-bit for Windows 9x/NT4/2000/ME/XP/2003/Vista
ZIPping/unZIPping tools support all popular compression formats: 7Z, ZIP, JAR,
WAR, EAR, CZIP, CAB, RAR, ACE, ARJ, TAR, TAZ, TGZ, GZIP/GZ, PAK, ZOO, LZH,
LHA, UUE, XXE + MIME/B64, include ZGTools: Cutter, Time To Get!, DeCryptoZip,
Mail Recovery + CryptoZip Key Coded, highly customizable:
http://www.zipgenius.it/eng/
Direct download [8.55 MB, freeware]:
http://www.zipgenius.it/eng/?page_id=10
Firefox Memory Tweaks:
http://www.ghacks.net/2007/02/26/firefox-memory-tweaks/
15 must-have Firefox tricks:
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9052321
Hacking Firefox: Speed Up Your Browser:
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,1854508.asp