Turn the Windows XP Autorun Back On

Some people like having the CD-ROM play automatically when Windows XP starts, and some people really don't like it. If you like CD autoplay and it's not working (maybe the last person who used the computer was an anti-autorun type), here's how to get it working again:

1. Click the Start button. Click the Run command and type Regedit in the Open text box. Click OK.
2. In the Registry Editor, go to the following Registry key:
HKEY LOCAL MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\CDRom
3. In the right pane of the console, right click the Autorun entry and click Modify.
4. In the Edit DWORD Value dialog box, put a number "1" (without the quotes) in the Value data text box. Click OK.
5. Close the Registry Editor

That's it! If it doesn't work right away, restart the computer. If it still doesn't work, read the WinXPnews next week and we'll tell you why [g].

Save Laptop Battery Life - Turn Off Your Wireless NIC

If you travel with your Windows XP laptop, you know how frustrating it gets to have your battery go dead at the airport or on the airplane when you still have stuff you need to do. If only you could get another 15-20 minutes out of that battery! Here's one thing you can do to extend battery life: disable the wireless antenna on your computer. If your wireless NIC is a PC card, just pull it out and put it in your pocket. If you have a built-in antenna in your laptop, consult your user guide for instructions on how to shut down the NIC. For example, on a Sharp PC=MV10, you use the Function key + F1 to turn the antenna off or on. Now you'll get that ten more minutes you need to finish the presentation that lands the sale!

Easy Log on to Windows XP Machines

Question:
Could you tell me what happened to the handy checkbox that allows the OS to assume the user is logging on each time in WinXP and bypasses the request for a username and password? In Windows 2000, there was a checkbox that you could select. I know that you get the option to allow for this when you first install the OS, but if you don't want this to happen at first and then would like to implement it at a later time, you can't. I did a bit of research and the only option I could find was to edit the Registry key HKEY Local Machine\Software\Microsoft\Windowsnt\Currentversion\Winlogon and create or modify the keys AutoAdminLogon string value 0 or 1, DefaultPassword to user password and the DefaultUserName set to the user you want to automatically log on each time. This is a very long winded process and I was wondering if there is any other way to go about this procedure.

Answer:
On a Windows XP Professional computer that is a member of a workgroup, you can create a user account that has no password. This allows you to type in your user name without a password and access the computer. You can also have the log on dialog box appear without pressing the "security attention sequence (CTRL-ALT-DELETE) by going into the User Accounts applet in the Control Panel and clicking the Change the way users log on or off option. Put a checkmark in the Use the Welcome screen checkbox. Then, if you don't have a password on your account, all you need to do is click on the account name. If you want autologon, you don't need a password because security must not be an issue for you. Have fun!

" After a normal morning boot, the line at the bottom of Internet Explorer disappeared from my screen.sad smiley

This is the line that shows the URL status, the SSL lock, what's being retrieved, privacy icon, and other useful information.

I've tried many approaches, including the Microsoft Support web site to reinstate the line, but with no luck.

How can I reinstate this line? "

Internet Explorer Status BarMy Response:

The line at the very bottom of an Internet Explorer window is actually called the Status Bar.

As Jay29 stated, the Status Bar is a very useful part of Internet Explorer: especially the lock icon, because it tells if a web site is secure or not.

The Status Bar can be enabled or disabled by:

* Load Internet Explorer
* Click View -> Status Bar