In this post I mentioned that a few months ago I got a new machine at work. Here are the steps I take to configure Windows XP SP2 on all of my machines. Of course, I use the File and Settings Transfer Wizard to avoid having to do all this manually but here are the steps anyway. As I think of other things I'll update this post.
From the Control Panel:
- Select User Accounts
- Create new administrative user account
Log out and log back in using the above account.
From the Control Panel (switch to Classic mode) do the following:
- Select Display Properties
- Under Settings change the resolution accordingly
- Under Desktop set the background to (None)
- Select Add/Remove Programs and click Add/Remove Windows Components (have the OS CD ready)
- Uncheck Accessories/Games
- Uncheck MSN explorer
- Check IIS
- Check IIS\FTP Service
- Uncheck Outlook Express
- Uncheck Windows Messenger
- Revisit Windows|Update to ensure the recently installed drivers are the latest
- Select Sounds and Audio Devices
- Remove sound from Windows Explorer\Start Navigation
- Select Windows Security Center
- Under Virus Protection click "Recommendations" and check "I have an antivirus program that I'll monitor myself"
- Select Network connections
- Double click Local Area Connection and click Properties
- Check "Show icon in notification area when connected"
- Select Start|Run and type gpedit.msc
- Browse to Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Update and enable "No auto-restart for scheduled Automatic Updates installations"
- Select Folder Options
- Uncheck "Display simple folder view in Explorer's Folders list"
- Check Display the full path in the title bar
- Uncheck "Use simply file sharing"
- Select Mouse
- Under Pointers select "Windows Black (large)"
- Select Internet Options
- On the General tab under Temporary Internet Files
- Settings... and change the disk space use to 5MB
- Click Colors... and check "Use hover color"
- Under Programs
- Uncheck "Internet Explorer should check to see whether it is the default browser"
- Under Advanced
- Set Underline Links to Never
- Check "Use inline Autocomplete"
- Uncheck Show Go button in Address bar
- Select Date and Time
- Under Internet Time set Server to "admin.inprise.com"
- Select Taskbar and Start Menu
- On the Taskbar tab
- Uncheck Show the clock
- Uncheck Hide inactive icons
- Under the Start Menu tab select Customize
- On the General tab
- Click Small Icons
- Set Number of programs to display on Start Menu to 12
- On the Advanced tab
- Under Control Panel select Display as Menu
- Uncheck Help and Support
- Under System Administrative tools select Display on the All Programs menu and the Start menu
- Select System
- Under the Remote tab
- Uncheck Remote Assistance
- Check Allow users to connect remotely to this computer
- Click Select Remote Users and add the above user account
- Select Folder options
- Check "Display the contents of system folders"
- Check "Show Hidden files and Folders"
- Uncheck "Hide extensions for known file types"
- Uncheck "Hide Protected OS files"