5 Simple XP Hacks

• Hack 1 Customize Multiboot Startup Options
  Edit or create a startup menu that lets you choose which operating system to boot into in multiboot systems, or create a menu that lets you choose different startup options for your single operating system if you have only XP installed.
  
  
• Hack 2 Change the Picture that Appears on the XP S...
  You're not stuck with XP's default splash logo on the startup screen—use any picture or logo of your choosing. One of the nice things about XP is how malleable it is. Don't like the way it looks? No problem—change it. Take my splash screen, please!
  
  
• Hack 3 Speed Up Boot and Shutdown Times
  Shorten the time it takes for your desktop to appear when you turn on your PC, and make XP shut down faster as well. No matter how fast your PC boots, it's not fast enough. Here's a hack to help you get to your desktop more quickly after startup, and to let you walk away faster after shutdown.
  
  
• Hack 4 Miscellaneous Startup and Shutdown Hacks
  A grab bag of ways to customize the way you start up and shut down your system. There are many small ways that you can control the way you start up and shut down your PC. This grab bag of four hacks shows you the best of them.
  
  
• Hack 5 Control User Logins by Hacking the Registry...
  If there is more than one user account on your system, or if you've set up XP to require logins, you'll have to log in to XP before you can begin to use it. But you needn't stay with the default XP login rules; you can use a single Registry key to customize how you log in. For example, you can display custom text before login, and you can remind anyone with an account on the PC to change their password a certain number of days prior to the password's expiration.