Personalize your Windows XP-based PC

We got a lot of feedback on the Customize your Start menu entry. Making your PC personal—and it is supposed to be personal—and friendly for you to use can go a long way toward improving your computing experience. I started writing some additional articles on how to customize your monitor, mouse settings, toolbars, and other settings. However, the Windows team beat me to it. They recently updated the entire Windows XP Using site and included a whole section on how to personalize your Windows XP-based PC. They did a great job and offer a collection of helpful articles.

I suggest you check out the site, or just go directly to some of my favorites:

• Change your monitor resolution
• Change the sounds that Windows makes
• Work with shortcuts
• Customize your mouse settings
• Change your toolbars
• Working with menus
• Optimize your computer's performance

If you've got additional ways to customize your system, let us know.

--Jason Kozleski

Comments

• Anonymous
  December 06, 2006
  The comment has been removed

• Anonymous
  December 06, 2006
  the most interesting thing I found is working with 2 monitors. about the resolution settings one can differ, if 17" or 19" is used, I use the 1280x1024 version, you can zoom in or just place the other window in the 2nd monitor for clarity. all other adjustments are personal and that depends how much memory you have and which video card you got.

• Anonymous
  December 16, 2006
  I agree. There's not enough 'safe' themes to use and for the price of the old ones, they're not that great.

• Anonymous
  December 22, 2006
  I realy have problme with my PC when I'm working with. Because one of the importent problme is my eyes. I can not read each text or somthing likes this. So I want a way that helps me for solveing my problme. Now I'm useing windows XP. because it can solve half of my problme with NARRATOR. I hope you can help me. I'm waiting for a w way that you segest. OK good bye.

• Anonymous
  December 26, 2006
  I LOVE the Windows 95 Theme and the AVI where the woman sings,You don't even have to trii-y.." Still have it, would it damage my new pc If iinserted it in my CD/VD tray?

• Anonymous
  January 09, 2007
  Itried to play checkers and it would not let me do it.  What aaam I doing wrong please emaail me and tell me what wrong. Thank you What is URL? cowboy050751@peoplepc.com

• Anonymous
  January 25, 2007
  Come on get with the times windows 95 theme don't make me puke. No seriously, I did like the zune theme that recentley came out don't no if you seen that one. That's cool a few more like that would be great.

• Anonymous
  February 08, 2007
  I have a new computer with the Windows Vista operating system.  Is it possible to install Windows XP to accomodate my tax software that will not operate with Vista?  If so, can I install Windows XP without removing or deleting Windows Vista?

• Anonymous
  February 22, 2007
  I too would love a theme club where the users can share Win XP themes without fear of spyware etc, I agree too that software which is 2 years old + should be free, especially if there's no chance it'll ever be updated to a new version. I use Win 98 SE themes on XP, don't know about 95 though.