Windows XP does not detect a USB drive

To fix this problem, delete the UpperFilters registry value and the LowerFilters registry value. These values may cause access problems. To do this, follow these steps:
1.Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
2.Locate and then click the UpperFilters registry value. This value is located in the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E967-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}
3.On the Edit menu, click Delete, and then click OK.
4.Locate and then click the LowerFilters registry value. This value is located in the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E967-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}
5.On the Edit menu, click Delete, and then click OK.
6.Exit Registry Editor.
7.Restart the computer.

Windows Update Greyed Out

FIX: save as .reg file and merge.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Group Policy Objects\LocalUser\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\WindowsUpdate\DisableWindowsUpdateAccess]  
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoWindowsUpdate"=dword:00000000
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoWindowsUpdate"=dword:00000000
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU]
"NoAutoUpdate"=dword:00000000
"AUOptions"=dword:00000000
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate]
[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\WindowsUpdate]
[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoDevMgrUpdate"=dword:00000000
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main]
"NoUpdateCheck"=dword:00000000
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\WindowsUpdate]
"DisableWindowsUpdateAccess"=dword:00000000
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoWindowsUpdate"=dword:00000000

Logon with No Password

1. At a command prompt, type "control userpasswords2" and press Enter to open the Windows 2000-style User Accounts
    application.


2. On the Users tab, clear the Users Must Enter A User Name And Password To Use This Computer check box and then
    click OK.


3. In the Automatically Log On dialog box that appears, type the user name and password for the account you want to be
    logged on each time you start your computer.

HAL.DLL is Missing

FIX:
Boot from your CD and follow the directions below to start Recovery Console.

Insert the Setup compact disc (CD) and restart the computer. If prompted, select any options required to boot from the CD.
When the text-based part of Setup begins, follow the prompts; choose the repair or recover option by pressing R.

If you have a dual-boot or multiple-boot system, choose the installation that you need to access from the Recovery Console.
When prompted, type the Administrator password. (if you didn't create one try pressing enter).

At the system prompt, type Recovery Console commands; type help for a list of commands, or help commandname for help on a specific command.

Most likely you will need to expand the file from the CD. The command would be expand d:\i386\hal.dl_ c:\windows\system32\hal.dll. Substitute d: for the drive letter of your CD. Once you have expanded the file type "exit" to exit the Recovery Console and restart the computer

Enable the Task Manager

FIX: Save the following as .reg file and execute.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System]
"DisableTaskMgr"=dword:00000000
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Group Policy Objects\LocalUser\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System]
"DisableTaskMgr"=dword:00000000
"**del.DisableTaskMgr"=" "
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\system\]
"DisableTaskMgr"=dword:00000000
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon]
"DisableCAD"=dword:00000000

Add Outlook Express as Default Client

FIX: Save the following as .reg file and execute.
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Clients\Mail\Outlook Express]
"DLLPath"=hex(2):25,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,\
  6c,00,65,00,73,00,25,00,5c,00,4f,00,75,00,74,00,6c,00,6f,00,6f,00,6b,00,20,\
  00,45,00,78,00,70,00,72,00,65,00,73,00,73,00,5c,00,6d,00,73,00,6f,00,65,00,\
  2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,00,00
@="Outlook Express"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Clients\Mail\Outlook Express\Envelope]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Clients\Mail\Outlook Express\Envelope\CLSID]
@="{A08AF898-C2A3-11d1-BE23-00C04FA31009}"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Clients\Mail\Outlook Express\Envelope\CurVer]
@="OutlookExpress.Envelope.1"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Clients\Mail\Outlook Express\Protocols]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Clients\Mail\Outlook Express\Protocols\mailto]
@="URL:MailTo Protocol"
"EditFlags"=hex:02,00,00,00
"URL Protocol"=""
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Clients\Mail\Outlook Express\Protocols\mailto\DefaultIcon]
@=hex(2):25,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,\
  00,73,00,25,00,5c,00,4f,00,75,00,74,00,6c,00,6f,00,6f,00,6b,00,20,00,45,00,\
  78,00,70,00,72,00,65,00,73,00,73,00,5c,00,6d,00,73,00,69,00,6d,00,6e,00,2e,\
  00,65,00,78,00,65,00,2c,00,2d,00,32,00,00,00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Clients\Mail\Outlook Express\Protocols\mailto\shell]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Clients\Mail\Outlook Express\Protocols\mailto\shell\open]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Clients\Mail\Outlook Express\Protocols\mailto\shell\open\command]
@=hex(2):22,00,25,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,\
  00,65,00,73,00,25,00,5c,00,4f,00,75,00,74,00,6c,00,6f,00,6f,00,6b,00,20,00,\
  45,00,78,00,70,00,72,00,65,00,73,00,73,00,5c,00,6d,00,73,00,69,00,6d,00,6e,\
  00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,22,00,20,00,2f,00,6d,00,61,00,69,00,6c,00,75,00,\
  72,00,6c,00,3a,00,25,00,31,00,00,00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Clients\Mail\Outlook Express\shell]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Clients\Mail\Outlook Express\shell\open]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Clients\Mail\Outlook Express\shell\open\command]
@=hex(2):22,00,25,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,\
  00,65,00,73,00,25,00,5c,00,4f,00,75,00,74,00,6c,00,6f,00,6f,00,6b,00,20,00,\
  45,00,78,00,70,00,72,00,65,00,73,00,73,00,5c,00,6d,00,73,00,69,00,6d,00,6e,\
  00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,22,00,00,00

Change Registered Owner and Organization

FIX: Copy the following to a notepad and save as .vbs file and execute it.
'ChgOwnOrg.vbs - Change Win9x Registered Owner/Organization.
'© Bill James - billjames.geo@yahoo.com - rev 29 Oct 1999.
'Modified for Windows XP and Vista
Option Explicit
Set ws = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
Dim ws, t, p1, p2, n, g, cn, cg
Dim itemtype
p1 = "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\"
n = ws.RegRead(p1 & "RegisteredOwner")
g = ws.RegRead(p1 & "RegisteredOrganization")
t = "Change Owner and Organization Utility"
cn = InputBox("Type new Owner and click OK", t, n)
If cn <> "" Then
  ws.RegWrite p1 & "RegisteredOwner", cn
End If
cg = InputBox("Type new Organization and click OK.", t, g)
If cg <> "" Then
  ws.RegWrite p1 & "RegisteredOrganization", cg
End If

How to Disable a Service or Device that Prevents Windows from Booting

FIX: 1.Start your computer with the Windows boot disks, or with the Windows CD-ROM if your computer supports booting from the CD-ROM drive.
2.When the Welcome to Setup dialog box is displayed, press R to repair, and then press C to start Recovery Console.
2.Choose to install Windows and log on to your computer with the Administrator account.
3.From the %SystemRoot%\System32 folder at the command prompt, type listsvc, and then press ENTER.
4.Locate the service or driver that is causing the problem in the list that is provided.
NOTE: Selecting the wrong service or device could cause further problems.
5.Type disable servicename (where servicename is the name of the service), and then press ENTER.
NOTE: The disable command prints the old start_type of the service before resetting it to SERVICE_DISABLED. You should record the old start_type, in case you need to re-enable the service.
6.Type exit, and the computer restarts automatically. Allow the computer to boot normally.

Blank Screen or Operating System Cannot Load Profile at Logon

FIX: Restore "Read" permissions for the Everyone group to the Windows_folder folder and all its subfolders.