Support for Windows XP Service Pack 2 will end on July 13, 2010.This means that the users who are still using SP2 of Windows XP will no longer receive updates after this date.In order to receive updates after July 13, 2010 they will have to update to Windows XP SP3, a free update.But the Windows XP SP2 64-Bit Edition is supported until April 8, 2014.This is because there is no SP3 for Windows XP 64-Bit Edition.

Support for Windows Vista RTM (Release to Manufacture) will end on April 13, 2010.The users of Vista RTM will no longer receive updates after April 13, 2010 and they must upgrade to SP1 or SP2 to receive updates after April 13, 2010.

Via neowin.net

You must have got inspired from the look of windows 7 and specially the well designed taskbar.You wanna install windows 7 but unable to do because of the system requirements or another reason for not installing windows 7 can be that it is currently in beta stage so we can expect some errors in it.

There is a theme pack that can convert the look of windows XP into windows 7.This theme will make your Windows XP look-a-like Windows 7. It’ll provide superbar, full start ORB, big iconized taskbar buttons in Windows XP.

This theme contains 4 sub-styles:

Aero32 (for 32x icon size)
Aero48 (for 48x icon size)
Bottom32 (for 32x icon size)
Bottom48 (for 48x icon size)

Aero32 and Aero48 contain left common tasks in Explorer. On the other hand, Bottom32 and Bottom48 contain bottom common tasks. So feel free to use whichever do you want.

Download : Windows 7 theme pack for Windows XP

Note : In order to use third party themes in windows XP you will need to uxpatcher.

If you are using Windows XP SP2 then use the following patcher.

http://rapidshare.com/files/181438080/uxpatcher.zip

For XP SP3 Users

http://rapidshare.com/files/181438546/UXTender.zip

Are you impressed with cool and sophisticated look of Mac OS X Leopard but you are using Windows XP and don’t wanna buy Mac computer then this Mac OS X Leopard transformation pack can atleast change the look and feel of windows XP into Mac OS X Leopard.

Mac OS X Leopard Transformation Pack will transform your Windows XP user interface to Mac OS X Leopard alike looks that everyone will never notice it’s the same old. The installation of Mac OS X Leopard transformation pack that changes some of the windows component and get Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard mods on your XP operating system.

The windows component includes explorer.exe, shell32.dll, xpsp2res.dll, mydocs.dll, and msgina.dll. However, it’s advisable to create a system restore point before installing the transformation from Windows XP to Mac OS X Leopard GUI interfaces. Meanwhile, this Mac OS X Leopard transformation pack is workable on Win XP .

Download : Mac OS X Leopard Transformation Pack for XP

Note : Please make backup before replace your system files.

If you are impressed with the cool and simple look,fonts and screen savers of ubuntu and you have windows XP installed on your system and don’t wanna install ubuntu.So there is a really cool ubuntu customization pack available for you whick will almost completely change the look of windows XP into ubuntu.This pack contains the visual styles for Ubuntu, Cursors, Boot Screen, LogonUI, Screensaver, custom sounds and much more utilities for Ubuntu feel on your windows XP.

Download  Ubuntu Customization Pack For Windows XP

http://uploadbox.com/files/bvHPhpOSQ5
OR
http://uploading.com/files/6UZSH1SC/Ubuntu%20Ultimate%20Customization.rar.html

Download

http://www.bablotech.com/Xbox-theme-for-windows-xp(bablotech.com).rar

As all of us know microsoft has released the latest Service Pack SP3 for windows XP which can be downloaded from microsoft website the size of this Service Pack is about 350-500MB So rather than first installing windows XP SP2 from CD and then install SP3 it would be much better if you create a custom windows XP SP3 Installation CD So SP3 will also be installed at the time of installation.

In this post i am gonna share a tutorial for you for creating windows XP SP3 Installation CD.

First of all lets have a quick look at the requirements you will need to have.

1. Windows XP SP2 (Installation CD)
2. Windows XP SP2 (Can be downloaded from microsoft Website)
3. .Net Framework 3.5 (Can also be downloaded from microsoft Website)
4. nLite v1.4.9 (Download Links given below)

http://nliteos.pcrpg.org/nlite/old/nLite-1.4.9.installer.exe

5.  WMP11 Slipstreamer [for slipstreaming WMP11 to the Windows XP installation files] (Download Links given below)

http://www.boooggy.org/slipstreamer/wmp11slips1.3i.exe

6.  WMP 11 & Internet Explorer 7 (Download Links given below)

http://rapidshare.com/files/161410638/WMP11_Oct08.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/161410558/IE7_Aug.rar

After downloading everything its time to start creating windows XP SP3 Installation CD

1. Install .NET Framework 3.5
2. Install nLite and WMP11 Slipstreamer

Don’t Start WMP11 Slipstreamer yet, the program will work automatically.

3.Create a folder on desktop and Insert Windows XP SP2 CD into CD and copy the whole CD to the folder WinXP_SP2

4. Start nLite and Locate the Windows XP installation files (Should be in folder WinXP_SP2 recently created on Desktop)

5. Import & Load previous settings.

If this is the first time, you can skip this step with just clicking Next button; however, if you want to retouch the Installation CD this option will lighten your next mission.

6. Task Selection

At this stage, nLite wants you to pick the task you want to operate, there are 8 tasks. If you ask me, usually I pick it like this.

But since this is a Complete Mission Briefing, then let’s just pick them all.

7. Service Pack Integration

Now for the first mission, locate the Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 3 and press open; nLite then extracts and updates the Installation files.

Now You Installation files are ready.

8. Add Hotfixes, Add-ons and Update Packs

The second mission is load your installation files with Windows XP Hotfixes, Add-ons and Update Packs, If you already have some of them then you could add the package by inserting it here. The first priority is to insert WMP11 and IE7 so then you won’t install them if you ever reinstall your Window XP.

9. Integrating Drivers

Usually I skip this task, because you aren’t always share same drivers with everyone then I think it’s safe to just leave it blank. To insert your driver files first you MUST extract them in one folder each, locate the folder by selecting Multiple Driver Folder.

Make sure the Delete After Install checkbox are ticked so Windows will cleanup the files after the installation.

10. Removing Windows XP Components

Firstly you should select the functionality you need in order the wizard to automatically prevent you from accidentally removing related components. Check ‘em all, it’s better to safe than sorry.

Make sure you read the components description before you tick (remove) or leave (use) the component; becareful, don’t tick the red lettered component; those are important components.

11. Unattended

This stage was provided so you could set your installation CD personally, you can set it to suit yourself and yours only. If you fill the blanks now, then Setup will automatically skip the query during the installation process. You can enter the CD-Key, set the owner and the company, create User Account/s, etc.

12. Options

In this stage, you’ll be asked to set the system options. This is one of the most critical phase, false picks or settings will end up in an odd system interface, read the description carefully before you do any changes.

13. Tweaking Windows Settings

14. Applying Changes

Let us see how much you shrunk / grew your installation files.

15. Bootable ISO

The final step, finally you have your own personalized Windows XP Pro SP3 Installation files. In this stage nLite provides the tool for creating an ISO / directly burn the file to CD.

Before you execute the ISO creation / disc burning make sure you check the file folder, there are two files named Last Session.ini and Last Session_u.ini. If you’re not planning to edit the installation files again, make sure you delete/move it somewhere else; if you want to retouch the files, leave those files and skip this step.

Most of the time while using softwares or OS you must have noticed an irretating beep sound which doesn’t make feel so good.Another thing is that Beep sound is not disabled even if you have disabled sound card from BIOS.While looking arround after 15-30 minutes i get to know how to disable beep sound in windows XP and windows Vista.The method is really simple but until you don’t know it is difficult for you.

Disable beep sound in Windows XP.

Right Click on My Computer Icon > Click Manage > Now go to device manager > at the top menu of device manager click on view > Then click on show hidden device.

Now you can see the hidden system devices

Expand Non-Plug and play drivers and the game is done.You can see the Beep here.Right click on Beep and click disable.Restart the system and you are done!

Disable beep sound in Windows Vista.

Right Click on My Computer Icon > Click Manage > Now go to device manager > at the top menu of device manager click on view > Then click on show hidden device.

Now you can see the hidden system devices

Expand Non-Plug and play drivers and you will have Beep Right click on Beep and go to properties > Then go to Driver tab > Select startup Type disabled so the service will never start again in startup and you will get of irritating beep sound.

You can also Increase Hard Drive Speed in Windows XP which improves the performance of your system littlebit.Method for Increasing the speed of Hard Drive in Windows XP is given below.

STEP 1: Start > Run > then type SYSEDIT.EXE

STEP 2: Expand the system.ini file window.

STEP 3: Scroll down almost to the end of the file till you find a line called [color=red][386enh]

STEP 4: Press Enter to make one blank line, and in that line type

Irq14=4096

NOTE: The above info for the new line is CASE SENSITIVE

STEP 6: Select File > Save

STEP 7: Close SYSEDIT and reboot your computer

To disable follow the instructions below

1) In the box, type control userpasswords2 and then hit OK.

2) Next, you’ll see the “User Accounts” screen. Uncheck the option for Users must enter a user name
and password to use this computer. Then hit OK.

Now you don’t need to enter the username and password.

If the master boot record of your computer gets corrupted because of a virus or any other problem like improper shutdown or electricity failure then you must have to repair it otherwise you will be getting an error with blue screen saying that the master boot record is corrupted or something similar to this.

This has happened to me yesterday when i started my computer it just kept on restarting this problem also happened with me before some day so i pressed F8 while the computer goes for boot and then selected last good known configuration and then everything was OK but this time this option also didn’t worked for me.

If you face the same problem and your system kept on restarting you need to first have a look at How to disable automatic system restart on crash.
So you can see the actual error rather than restarting.
After having a look at the error if the error is related to master boot record then you need to perform steps given below.

First Method
As i also mentioned above that i also tried another method for this problem which was last good know configuration.
1) Press and keep on pressing F8 while computer goes for booting into windows
2) You will have several options available on screen.
3) Select last good known configuration and press enter
4) If you successfully boot into windows then first perform drive clean up then install CCleaner
and delete all the temporary files and you are done!
5) Now your PC should be working smoothly.

If first method doesn’t work then try second method it works 100%.

Second Method
1)You can boot to the XP cd and when you see the “Welcome to setup” message, press the letter R.
2)You will then get a DOS prompt.
3)Then type: chkdsk /p [enter]
4)When that is done type: fixboot [enter]
5)Type: Y at the next prompt [enter]
6)Then type: exit [enter]
7)The system will now reboot into Windows and everything should be working now.