it successfully stops Messenger from launching.To use this fix, follow these steps: 1. Double-click the My Computer icon on your desktop. If this icon is not available, click the Start button in the lower-left corner of Windows and click My Computer. If you can’t find the My Computer icon anywhere, do the following: a. Right-click in the empty space on your desktop. b. Select Properties. c. A window will open. Click the Desktop tab. d. Near the bottom of the window, click the Customize Desktop button. e. Another window opens. On the General tab, beneath the words Desktop Icons, place a checkmark in the My Computer box. f. Click the OK button. g. You will be returned to the previous screen. Click the Apply button. h. Click the OK button. i. The My Computer icon appears on your desktop. Double-click it. 2. A window opens. Double-click the icon for your C: drive (unless you installed Windows in a different location, in which case you would double-click that drive letter). 3. Double-click the Program Files folder. 4. Locate the Messenger folder and right-click it. 5. Select Rename. 6. Give the folder a name that is easily recognizable, such as MessengerDisabled. 7. If you change your mind and want to use Windows Messenger again, simply rename this folder Messenger. Force Windows to Use a Different Instant Messenger Instead of hiding or removing Windows Messenger, you can change the settings in Windows so that it recognizes another program as 102 Part III • Bonus Material 16_068557 ch10.qxp 12/13/06 6:15 PM Page 102 Please purchase PDF Split-Merge on www.verypdf.com to remove this watermark. your default instant messenger.The advantage of this is that it keeps Windows Messenger intact and ready to use whenever you want it. Note This option works only on Windows XP computers that have a minimum of Service Pack 1 installed. To designate a different instant messaging program: 1. Click the Start button in the lower-left corner of Windows. 2. Click the Control Panel. (If you don’t see this option, your Start menu is in classic mode. In that case, click Settings, and then select the Control Panel.) 3. Double-click Add or Remove Programs. 4. A window opens. In the left window pane, click the Set Program Access and Defaults icon. 5. Click the Custom button. 6. Scroll down until you see the Choose a Default Instant Messaging Program heading. Click the Use My Current Instant Messaging Program button. Next, put a checkmark in the Enable Access to This Program box (see Figure 10-3). 7. Click the OK button. Figure 10-3: Forcing Windows to use a different instant messenger Chapter 10: Customizing Windows for Your Personal Preferences 103 16_068557 ch10.qxp 12/13/06 6:15 PM Page 103 Please purchase PDF Split-Merge on www.verypdf.com to remove this watermark. Change the Windows Registration Name If you bought a previously owned computer, there is a good chance that Windows still says it is registered to its former owner. To remove that name and insert your own, you must edit the Windows registry: Warning Be careful when editing the registry. Deleting or editing the wrong entries could cause more problems. 1. Click the Start button in the lower-left corner of Windows. 2. Click Run. 3. A window will appear.Type regedit in the blank, and then click the OK button or press the Enter key. 4. The Windows Registry Editor opens. In the left window pane, double-click the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE reg- istry key. If you can’t find it, do the following: a. In the left window pane of the Registry Editor, scroll to the top. b. If any of the HKEY registry keys are open — as indi- cated by a minus sign (-) on their left side — close them by clicking that minus sign.When a registry key has been properly closed, it will have a plus sign (+) next to it. c. Repeat this process for the remaining HKEY registry keys until the only things visible in the left window pane are the five HKEY keys (see Figure 10-4). d. Double-click the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE reg- istry key. Figure 10-4: Selecting the HKEY_LOCAL MACHINE registry key 104 Part III • Bonus Material 16_068557 ch10.qxp 12/13/06 6:15 PM Page 104 Please purchase PDF Split-Merge on www.verypdf.com to remove this watermark. 5. A new column of registry keys appears. Double-click Software. 6. A long column of registry keys will appear. Scroll down until you find Microsoft, and then double-click it. 7. Another long list of registry keys appears. Scroll down and double-click Windows NT. 8. Click the CurrentVersion registry key. 9. In the right window pane, double-click the RegisteredOwner registry value (see Figure 10-5). Figure 10-5: Accessing the RegisteredOwner registry value 10. A window opens. Under the Value Data heading is the name of the previous owner. Delete it, and then type your name in the blank. 11. Click the OK button. 12. Above RegisteredOwner, double-click the registry value named RegisteredOrganization (see Figure 10-6). Figure 10-6: Accessing the RegisteredOrganization registry value Chapter 10: Customizing Windows for Your Personal Preferences 105 16_068557 ch10.qxp 12/13/06 6:15 PM Page 105 Please purchase PDF Split-Merge on www.verypdf.com to remove this watermark. 13. Under the Value Data heading is the name of the previous owner’s employer or organization. Delete it, and then type the name of your organization (or you can just leave it blank if you want). 14. Click the OK button. 15. Exit the Registry Editor by clicking the X button in the upper-right corner. Pop the Balloon Tips To make your computer easier to use,Windows XP often displays balloon tips, which are advice and hints that pop up for a few seconds and then disappear. If you prefer not to use balloon tips, you can disable them: Warning Be careful when editing the registry. Deleting or editing the wrong entries could cause more problems. 1. Click the Start button in the lower-left corner of Windows. 2. Click Run. 3. A window appears.Type regedit in the blank, and then click the OK button or press Enter. 4. The Windows Registry Editor will open. In the left window pane, double-click the HKEY_CURRENT_USER registry key. If you can’t find it, do the following: a. In the left window pane of the Registry Editor, scroll to the top. b. If any of the HKEY registry keys are open — as indi- cated by a minus sign (-) on their left side — close them by clicking that minus sign.When a registry key has been properly closed, it will have a plus sign (+) next to it. c. Repeat this process for the remaining HKEY registry keys until the only things visible in the left window pane are the five HKEY keys (see Figure 10-7). d. Double-click the HKEY_CURRENT_USER registry key. 106 Part III • Bonus Material 16_068557 ch10.qxp 12/13/06 6:15 PM Page 106 Please purchase PDF Split-Merge on www.verypdf.com to remove this watermark. . Double-click the My Computer icon on your desktop. If this icon is not available, click the Start button in the lower-left corner of Windows and click My Computer. If you can’t find the My Computer icon. checkmark in the My Computer box. f. Click the OK button. g. You will be returned to the previous screen. Click the Apply button. h. Click the OK button. i. The My Computer icon appears on your desktop. Double-click. the upper-right corner. Pop the Balloon Tips To make your computer easier to use,Windows XP often displays balloon tips, which are advice and hints that pop up for a few seconds and then disappear. If