Configuring Windows XP Pro SP2

[peat moss]

Does anybody have any additional advice on configuring SP 2?

Here are my configurations:
Log on as administrator.
Turn off welcome screen and logon box so that the computer starts up normally with no user accounts or logon boxes.
Allow sharing of C drive and and Administrators Documents on my network.
Turn off Automatic updates.
Turn off Windows Firewall.

In Administrative Tools/Services. Stop and disable the following:
Automatic Updates
Security Accounts Manager
Security Center

does anyone else think that this really is not a way to setup a system even if it is just a home machine?

Just the first one is a no no ,Log on as Admin. I missed that tho but no not good advice .

[digmen1]

Great thread,

I would also like to be able to disable the XP CD insert options ie What do you want to do with the CD questions.

Well I am not an idiot and would like to make my own choice to play, or burn or install etc.

Does anyone know of the registry settings to turn this whole CD question off?

[digmen1]

Turn off System Restore.

Go to My Computer and open the Properties for each partition/hard drive> uncheck "Allow indexing service...".

I bow to your name and experience, but could you please say why you disable these 2 options.

I would have thought that System Restore is required in case of a crash. In my last few years I have needed it at least once when a whole lot of crap got into my system. System Restore worked perfectly for me then.

And what benefits do you get from not allowing indexing ?

Kind regards

Digby
NZ

[peat moss]

I can't speak for Clocker but System Restore is a joke , first thing I turn off . You 'll notice if your unlucky to get spyware, virus or a trojan for that matter you have to turn off System Restore or you get the fucking problem again .

As for Indexing services ,I rarely need to search my HDD for files ,I know were they are .

Its a security issue for one :
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=920685

Or this :

Disable file indexing. The indexing service extracts information from documents and other files on the hard drive and creates a "searchable keyword index." As you can imagine, this process can be quite taxing on any system.

Link : http://www.techbuilder.org/recipes/59201471

[clocker]

I can't speak for Clocker

In this case you certainly may...excellent explanation of why I don't run either service.
@digmen1:
Keep in mind that, at heart, XP PCs are business machines and set up to live in an office environment.
The file indexing feature presumes that you are in a networked office where files are constantly being added and altered and these files are constantly being accessed by multiple users; a presumption rarely true in home operation.

As for System Restore-
Peat previously mentioned that SR is a favorite hangout for malware, etc but really, my main objection to it is that having System Restore active provides a totally unwarranted sense of security.
My experience with it shows that's it's effective maybe 2 out of ten times and eats up HDD space to boot.
If an image based restore is wanted (and why not?), Norton Ghost is far more effective (I use Ghost 2003).
There are other programs that do the same thing and are highly regarded- Acronis comes to mind- but Ghost has always worked fine for me so I continue to use it.

Bowing to my name was a nice touch, BTW.

[peat moss]

Great thread,

I would also like to be able to disable the XP CD insert options ie What do you want to do with the CD questions.

Well I am not an idiot and would like to make my own choice to play, or burn or install etc.

Does anyone know of the registry settings to turn this whole CD question off?

Couple of ways .

1)Windows XP

* Right-click on the drive icon for your CD drive, CD recorder, or DVD drive, and select Properties.
* Choose the AutoPlay tab, and choose the desired action for each type of CD. For example, choose Music CD, then click Select an action to perform, then select Take no action.


2) * Run the Registry Editor (REGEDIT.EXE).
* Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Cdrom.
* Double-click the Autorun value, and type 0 for its value. (If it's not there, create it by selecting Edit -> New -> DWORD Value, and typing "Autorun" for its name.)
* You may have to log out and then log back in for this change to take effect.

* Note: With this solution, Windows will no longer be notified when you insert a new CD. To make sure the correct icon and title for the current CD are displayed in My Computer and Explorer, press F5 to refresh the window.


Link :http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/article03-018