Windows XP Pop-up Idiot Boxes.....

The works laptop computer I use has Windows XP on it. Windows XP seemed to me, out of the box and riddled with its factory defaults, as being "Windows for Morons". Everywhere I went, it kept telling me how to do things that I already knew, and that cheezy, chunky blue "I want to be a Mac when I grow up" appearence made it look like it was aimed at 12yr old kids, not experienced computer users. It took me probably an hour to strip it back to something resembling an operating system and get it to stop treating me like an idiot. Except for one thing - the system tray icons.

They do this:



...when I plug things in, establish network connections or start some programs/change some settings. So, my question is this:

How do I turn these annoying idiot-boxes off? I know I can click`em away but I`d rather they not pester me in the first place. Is there any way to kill them or should I give up and stick 98SE on there instead? I like 98SE. Aside from crashing now and then, it generally treats me with the respect and dignity that someone who`s been using windoze since 98FE was out deserves /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Thanks in advance!

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/help.gif

HEH. Right click on the taskbar and goto Properties. Uncheck "Hide inactive icons." Enjoy!

Dan

Here is a site with a registry hack to turn off the "tool tips". /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

TOOLTIP OFF

Hope this helps,

<font color="800080">Right click on the taskbar and goto Properties. Uncheck "Hide inactive icons." </font>

That will stop *that* systray idiot box, but it won`t stop the ones that nag at me when I connect my camera, plug in the network LAN cable in the office, dial into an ISP, etc. I only used that one as an example....


Bart - thanks, that one looks quite useful but I`m not sure I want to kill *all* tooltips cos some of them are helpful, but I`ll give it a try later and see what it does.

-

Surely though, there is a WinXP administrative feature (I have total control over this thing, it`s not locked up by office computer admins cos in our small office, I`m the nearest we get to a computer admin!) that will turn off pop-up notifications only? I seem to recall from ages ago, reading that there was.....?

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[ QUOTE ]
Chris M. said:
<font color="800080">Right click on the taskbar and goto Properties. Uncheck "Hide inactive icons." </font>

That will stop *that* systray idiot box, but it won`t stop the ones that nag at me when I connect my camera, plug in the network LAN cable in the office, dial into an ISP, etc. I only used that one as an example....


[/ QUOTE ]

Oops, didn't read all of your problem - just saw the pic and ZOOM... to the quick reply.

Dan

Sounds somewhat like the "Mac" way of having things set up.

If one is a newbie or a person inexperienced at the particular OS there are all sorts of "helps" that pop up to assist one in learning.

These things can be rather annoying if one thinks they already know everything. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

On a Mac there are generally ways to turn these helpful flags off once one is well enough versed in the system to know how to find the switches. I guess part of the philosophy is that if one can't find the switch to turn off the help, one isn't ready to turn it off. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

The only one that still bugs me is the one that pops up just before one does something that one can't recover from asking if you are SURE you want to do it. I know it is actually a good idea, but I find it annoying since I'm used to using UNIX systems where one can completely destroy everything with one keyclick and the OS doesn't try to prevent that ...

Oops! @#%*@#%#&!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Maybe that is OK, eh?

Instead of 98 SE why not Windows 2000? It is, IIHO, the least suckiest of all the Windoze OSes. It's got the stability of XP (Or rather, XP has got the stability of 2000) without the Mac wannabe inerface (Or name...hmmm OS X, Windows XP...)

Google is such a wonderful thing, here you go:


Get rid of balloon tips

Want to get lots of power back from Windows XP?

run this, and turn off almost everything:

services.msc

Do this at your own risk.

From the Tech TV page: <font color="800080">"Microsoft XP has been called the Fisher Price operating system for more than just its bright colors and rounded edges. "</font>

My sentiments entirely! I was thinking of nicknaming it "Windows Playskool" or something like that when I first saw it. Kept thinking there should be a sticker on the box saying "For ages 3 and up" /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Mr Aso - thanks for that page, that`s hopefully just what I was looking for. The computer`s been put away for the night but I`ll do it the next time I wake it up again.

Ryan - I only choose 98SE because I have a copy of 98SE here, and it`s the OS I`ve ben brought up on, so have grown accustomed to its shortfalls. I`m far from a "power user" and don`t run any networking or things like that here (USB is a novelty to me!). And besides, I`d have to buy (or scavenge a CDR copy of) W2000. Sure, as things move on I`ll upgrade the old beast of a computer to something a little more spritely (333 celeron CPU right now) and might want an OS to match (and learning a new one like Linux or BSD is a bit out of my capability right now). Hmmmm, we have W2000 on the computers at work, wonder if anyone would notice an install disk walking off for a night......?

Budd - is that a utility resident on WXP or something related to the Micro$oft Powertoys download that TechTV`s page mentions? Not seen that before, it sounds like it`s worth a try though.


Thanks everyone /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

The system I'm running now had Windows XP on it when I got it from Dell, and it wasn't too long before I figured out how to change the Playschool look into the more business-like Windows 98 look. I couldn't stand all the bright primary colors and rounded corners that XP defaults to. Makes your computer desktop look like a child's pull-toy floating in the toliet instead of a computer. Yuck!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif

I forgot what I did to get rid of those asinine pop-up things with the "ploop!" sound effect they make, but I must have done *something* because I don't get them anymore. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Good news, the registry hack did what it was supposed to, and my computer is now nag-box-free.

I killed all the sounds at the beginning, asides the theme from defunct British TV network Thames TV that plays on start-up. You can hear it if you visit my Vector/Hub page by the way. I just find it amusing /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Now that sound takes me back!

First thing I do to XP is change the display to the old style. Some things are good - like the folders show up to four photos from the photos inside and thumbnails are automatic and fast. I also like how you can plug stuff like USB cameras in and out without it whining like my ME at home does.

Al