Some tips, mostly picked up from the UW TechSupport list.
Cached login on a laptop
Windows caches the last N successful logins, where N is set by group policy and defaults to 10. I do not believe it is time based, or at least does not default as time based. N can be set in gpedit.msc
local computer policy -> Computer Configuration -> Windows Settings -> Security Settings -> Local Policies -> Security Options
Check out MS KB913485 for everything you never wanted to know on the subject. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/913485/
Boot problems
If you move a drive with Windows to another computer, on boot you may get a Stop 0x0000007b error because of a different Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL). Below are the steps to change the HAL Windows sees at boot to ACPI; for a description of HALs other than the Halacpi.dll look here: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;309283
- Boot to XP SP2 Install Media (I used a Dell CD)
- Choose “R” to repair via the Recovery Console
- Choose the installation (usually number 1)
- Enter the local admin password
- At the C:\Windows prompt, type cd system32
- Type expand d:\i386\halacpi.dl_
- Type copy halacpi.dll hal.dll,
- Type y to overwrite
- Type expand ntoskrnl.ex_
- Type y to overwrite
- Type exit to reboot
- Remove CD
Language Packs/IME
Here is a good guide to installing languages:
http://apps.carleton.edu/its/flt/osmain/windows/winxp/
3GB memory
By default Windows XP reserves half memory for the OS, if you want to use more you can use the `/3GB' switch in boot.ini:
[boot loader] timeout=20 default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINDOWS [operating systems] multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional 3GB" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect /3GB multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
For more details see http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/system/platform/server/PAE/PAEmem.mspx
