How can I use my external hard disk drive to regularly backup my Windows XP laptop in as simple a manner as possible? Ideally, I would want something that works like Time Machine on the Mac—I would really like something I can set and forget. Free solutions are best, obviously, but I'm willing to buy software for this. [more inside]
posted by grouse on Nov 25, 2009 - 12 answers

What is up with my music files' titles turning into nonsensical four-letter titles? [more inside]
posted by ishotjr on Sep 8, 2009 - 8 answers

What's a simple way in windows xp to prevent a user from doing anything but using one program? [more inside]
posted by kraigory on Aug 11, 2009 - 30 answers

In Windows XP, what is the best way to keep Internet Explorer versions 6, 7, and 8 all installed simultaneously? [more inside]
posted by kidbritish on May 3, 2009 - 19 answers

What does it mean when a used laptop is advertised as having Windows XP installed and coming with a COA sticker? Without having a Windows install cd, is there any benefit to having such a sticker? Would it, for example, permit one to call MS and obtain a new install disk for Windows XP?
posted by washburn on Jan 15, 2009 - 11 answers

Is there any way I can create desktop wallpaper that has a link to a specific web site? [more inside]
posted by Joleta on Dec 17, 2008 - 5 answers

Is there any way to view a list of failed incoming faxes in Windows XP using the built-in fax service? [more inside]
posted by reddot on Nov 22, 2008 - 2 answers

My laptop's right-arrow key is remapping itself. Any tips for diagnosis or repair? [more inside]
posted by Rhaomi on Oct 25, 2008 - 10 answers

Is it safe to install Windows XP Service Pack 3 yet? [more inside]
posted by NoMich on Sep 18, 2008 - 19 answers

A Dell PC was originally equipped with Windows ME. Somebody later installed, instead, an unauthorized copy of XP. The machine was given to me, and I legitimated the XP install by paying Microsoft for a "Genuine Advantage Kit." Will Microsoft let me use that kit's CD to install XP on a different machine (perhaps an Apple) if I get rid of the first machine? Thanks.
posted by Dave 9 on Sep 8, 2008 - 3 answers

What is the best way to set up multiple user accounts on my computer to: minimize security risk, allow me to keep some files/passwords private, but still let others use my computer for basic tasks? [more inside]
posted by vegetableagony on Aug 6, 2008 - 7 answers

I'm finally retiring my dad's virus-laden PC running XP with a new iMac. Is there any way to migrate his old settings from the PC over to a VMWare instance of XP running on the iMac in case he must use a PC-only app after the upgrade to a new machine? [more inside]
posted by mathowie on Jul 23, 2008 - 9 answers

PC Help again again. I have an old pc with windows 2000 server installed on a 20gig SCSI drive. I am trying to install a 40 gig IDE drive that has xp on it. I don't need windows 2000 server anymore so I want the computer to boot into xp but it isn't happening for me. What am I doing wrong? [more inside]
posted by snowjoe on Mar 22, 2008 - 11 answers

Can I create a custom Windows XP install disc with all of my favorite applications, drivers, windows updates already installed? If so, how do I do it? [more inside]
posted by HC Foo on Mar 15, 2008 - 10 answers

Anyone familiar with using a Fax/Printer to send a fax from Windows XP, connecting to a Fax/Scanner/Printer?? [more inside]
posted by TrueVox on Mar 12, 2008 - 19 answers

What's the best way to erase my hard drive for resale if I don't have original OS reinstall CDs to work with? [more inside]
posted by rhoticity on Feb 29, 2008 - 13 answers

I want to reinstall Windows xp but I am scared. [more inside]
posted by snowjoe on Oct 13, 2007 - 24 answers

What would make an old Windows computer stop accepting input for short periods of time (2-3 minutes)? [more inside]
posted by SansPoint on Aug 6, 2007 - 8 answers

In the rare times I've needed to hit ctrl-alt-delete within the past few months, the task manager window pops up, but it lacks the little tabs at the top and the useful little X in the upper right that actually allows me to CLOSE the task manager. What happened? [more inside]
posted by Verdandi on Jun 12, 2007 - 13 answers

I'm trying to reinstall Windows XP, but I'm running into driver issues. I'm using a Dell Inspiron E1405 that I want to dual boot XP and Feisty Faun on (I want to go Linux full time, but I needs my WoW, and I can't get Wine to be friendly with my Video Card). I'm running into driver issues. [more inside]
posted by TrueVox on May 11, 2007 - 6 answers

Windows XP: my wife's computer locks up a few times a day, but there are no other symptoms. What could be wrong? [more inside]
posted by samw on Apr 10, 2007 - 16 answers

So it's come to this - I see no other option than to ask a "help me fix my PC" question. After some troubleshooting the STOP errors seem to have been resolved, XP now boots successfully but is excruciating slow to the point of being unusable. Details and specs below the fold. [more inside]
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane on Mar 4, 2007 - 25 answers

My dad needs help with total computer backup (particularly Outlook). Computer in question is an older Dell model, running Windows XP. No one in our family is a computer genius. More information and particular stickyness inside. [more inside]
posted by sperose on Jan 2, 2007 - 13 answers

My mom's computer won't re-install an older version of Windows XP. This is actually a timely, pressing problem. [more inside]
posted by jeffmshaw on Nov 27, 2006 - 8 answers

What's the most efficient way to transfer an entire functioning Windows XP PC to my new Mac running Parallels? [more inside]
posted by maniabug on Oct 20, 2006 - 3 answers

Windows XP: When I Click "User Accounts" nothing happens. [more inside]
posted by sophist on Jun 13, 2006 - 5 answers

Re-installed Windows XP on my old laptop (Sony PCG-SRX87). Let it run through all the updates. Now neither IE nor Firefox will show CSS background images. [more inside]
posted by ao4047 on Jun 12, 2006 - 2 answers

Every time I turn off the Read Only setting for this one folder it reverts immediately. Is there another way to change this setting? [more inside]
posted by aburd on Mar 19, 2006 - 6 answers

WindowsXP Filter: I've noticed, on more than one machine, that XP has a tendency to crash when you view thumbnails in "open file" dialog boxes, especially, of course, if the folder you are viewing has a lot of image files in it. It is as if XP has to rebuild the thumbnails every time, rather than cacheing them. I've had this issue on more than one machine and using more than one application (most recently, Palm Desktop, while trying to add some photos to my wife's Palm). It seems an XP problem, not an app or machine problem. [more inside]
posted by wheat on Mar 2, 2006 - 10 answers

Mixed wireless network: 3 Macs, one Windows XP PC. We're using 40-bit WEP encryption, and for some reason the Windows XP laptop simply cannot stay on the network... why that be? [more inside]
posted by logovisual on Jan 12, 2006 - 6 answers

WinXP SP2: Forcing hibernate to resume from old hiberfil.sys [more inside]
posted by adzm on Jan 8, 2006 - 8 answers

My laptop is running hot lately with the fan going all the time regardless of processor load. Is there a windows XP setting that controls processor stepping? [more inside]
posted by srboisvert on Nov 28, 2005 - 14 answers

Windows XP: What does the "Speaker setup" option do, if you choose one of the various stereo options (desktop, laptop, monitor stand, monitor side, keyboard, headphones)? How does it change the waveform? It seems to me that things sound better if I pretend my headphones are desktop speakers... [more inside]
posted by thirteenkiller on Oct 16, 2005 - 3 answers

When I use BitTorrent on XP SP2, Windows "limits the number of concurrent, incomplete outbound TCP connection attempts" and (I think) slows me down, because they might be coming from a "malicious program". How can I stop it doing that and make it treat me like a grown-up? Is it in the registry somewhere?
posted by Mephistopheles on Aug 23, 2005 - 9 answers

I'm trying to transfer pictures from my digital camera to my computer, which is being made very difficult by the constant bluescreens Windows is giving me. [more inside]
posted by punishinglemur on Aug 22, 2005 - 10 answers

I just received a new Acer laptop. The hard drive is 100GB, but it arrived divided into two partitions. According to the Windows XP Professional disk management window, the drive is divided as follows ... [more inside]
posted by punishinglemur on Aug 11, 2005 - 22 answers

Stupid Windows question: Every time I shut down or log out of Windows XP, my My Computer and Network Places icons move. How do I make them stay put? Trying to google an answer has left me humbled.
posted by willpie on Feb 15, 2005 - 6 answers

SoftwareRAID0AndCan'tLogInToWindowsXPFilter: My userinit.exe is gone after a routine Windows update, and I can't use the recovery console or a boot disk to access my hard drives [+] [more inside]
posted by tumult on Feb 14, 2005 - 7 answers

HTPC owners: need recommendations, based on your direct experience, on a remote control for my XP-based mp3/video player. More requirements inside. [more inside]
posted by aberrant on Feb 13, 2005 - 3 answers

photoshop 7 won't start ! help ! [more inside]
posted by sgt.serenity on Feb 8, 2005 - 6 answers

Printer filter/ I'm downsizing to travel cross country and would like to use an old Canon bubble jet (BJ10ex) with my new Dell laptop running XP. Does anyone know if this won't work? I have to wait for a USB Parallel converter cable to arrive to test it. Are there other compatibility problems I need to know about?
posted by NorthCoastCafe on Feb 3, 2005 - 3 answers

If I have two XP machines on the internet in different locations, and each machine is running a virtual PC version of Windows 98, is it possible through some use of a tunneling protocol or whatever, to make those two virtual 98 machines appear to be on the same local network? In other words ...(more inside) [more inside]
posted by gummo on Jan 26, 2005 - 1 answer

Why has my Firefox slowed down? It started a few day ago. Sometimes it takes several minutes for a page to load. Some only partially load, then stop. Some don't load at all. Not every page is this way, but I'd say about 20% suffer from one of these problems. IE is zipping right along though. I did a virus check, ran Spy-bot and Ad-Aware and cleaned up my registry. Yet the problem persists. Oh, I'm running 1.0 and XP Pro.
posted by zorro astor on Jan 17, 2005 - 8 answers

When I'm booted into Windows, the motherboard sensors always flash up an alert: the 5v Standby is below it's threshold at 4.2v. All I can do is kill PC Alert. I presume this isn't serious, since my PC has happily worked for years, but what is going on? What is the 5v Standby?
posted by salmacis on Dec 29, 2004 - 5 answers

Win XP Problem: Windows Explorer (and My Computer) keep crashing. If I bring either up, it crashes immediately (the computer doesn't crash). Around the same time, I noticed I'd acquired some spyware. So I ran Ad-aware, and it seemed to get rid of the bad stuff. But Explorer still crashes. I ran Norton Anti-Virus, which claimed it found viruses but couldn't fix them because I needed to adjust the properties of some of the Norton files. But I can't adjust these properties, because I can't get to the files (because Explorer crashes). Help.
posted by grumblebee on Dec 21, 2004 - 13 answers

WindowsXPsupportfilter: Wow. My hard drive is all kind of messed up. Looking for a program that will reconstruct an NTFS file partition. (more inside) [more inside]
posted by monkeyman on Dec 18, 2004 - 5 answers

Laptop Clean XP Install:
1] My (on board?) sound card is unrecognised. How do I find out what drivers to use?

2] What programs do you really think I need? I already have VNC, VLC, Firefox, Thunderbird and AVG installed. What else should I add? (Freeware/OS appriciated but not needed.) [more inside]
posted by twine42 on Dec 16, 2004 - 8 answers

Can I dock MSN Messenger on the side of my (Windows XP) screen? [mi] [more inside]
posted by sanitycheck on Nov 26, 2004 - 4 answers

WindowsXPSecurityFilter: How do I help my mother-in-law? [more inside]
posted by daver on Nov 20, 2004 - 11 answers

Are there any real advantages to running Windows XP on a partitioned hard drive, with a different partition each for Windows, programs, and files?
posted by tranquileye on Nov 15, 2004 - 6 answers