Experienced XP'ers please ?

Discussion in 'other software & services' started by MICRO, Jun 5, 2008.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. MICRO

    MICRO Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jun 8, 2004
    Posts:
    1,020
    I am brand new to XP and want to get rid of any dead wood - Yesterday I managed to seek out a one line 'safe' method to get rid of something called
    'Windows Messenger' - Can someone please help with a few other items,

    1) In Add/Remove Programs there is MSN 25.39 MB's - Can I safely get rid of it ? or is it attached to important items ?

    2) There is a thing called 'Net Meeting' in Program Files - Can someone say if I can safely get rid of it ?

    3) This one is a nuisance because it sits in my sys. tray doing bugger all from when I start up the machine - Its a TINY icon of two 'dead' monitor screens with a Red X on the icon, and when I hover the cursor on it the text says,
    'Local Area Connection
    A Network Cable is Unplugged'.

    Unfortunately I can't see a way to get rid of it - Right clicking it gives two options - 'Change Windows Firewall Settings or Open Network Connections'.
    Any clues how to lose it please, if it's safe to do so ?
     
  2. dw426

    dw426 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jan 3, 2007
    Posts:
    5,543
    Whoa, slow down there :) First of all, just disabling Windows Messenger from running is fine, if you were worried about the security vulnerability of it. That "MSN" could either be MSN Messenger (likely considering the size of the file) or your ISP software if you use MSN as your ISP. Obviously you don't want to get rid of your ISP software ;)

    Net Meeting can be disabled too in your Services config. That "two dead computers" icon means your network connection is down or has something going wrong. (check your router connection and cable modem connection first) That is your real trouble, the other two things can be disabled and forgotten about. (removal can be a problem sometimes because of other operating system files they may use or simply because Microsoft wants to make it a pain in the butt to remove their creations that they think we'll all love).
     
  3. lucas1985

    lucas1985 Retired Moderator

    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2006
    Posts:
    4,047
    Location:
    France, May 1968
    - Windows Messenger and MSN Explorer are safe to remove.
    - To get rid of the network connections icons in the systray, right-click "My Network Places" and go to "Properties". Right-click on any connection that you don't want to monitor in the systray and go to "Properties" again. Uncheck the last two checkboxes and click "Accept". See the screenshot (Spanish Windows)

    network properties.png
     
  4. bellgamin

    bellgamin Registered Member

    Joined:
    Aug 1, 2002
    Posts:
    8,102
    Location:
    Hawaii
    Try this...

    Start Button > Settings > Control Panel > Network Connections > right-click Local Area Connections > Properties > Uncheck "Notify me when this connection has limited or no connectivity" > click OK

    NOTICE: I am not responsible for any problems that may result from following my advice. This includes, but is not limited to, computer failure, erectile disfunction, PMS, the heartbreak of psoriasis, or your daughter running off with a biker gang. Follow my suggestions at your own risk. :blink:
     
  5. HURST

    HURST Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jul 20, 2007
    Posts:
    1,419
    MICRO

    Check out this website:
    http://www.tweakhound.com

    DO NOT start tweaking XP until you start understanding the basics. This site will help you to get started figuring some things out.

    XP was a big leap from 98/Me, and it can be tricky for a while, but it's IMO the best Windows version.

    You could also try getting the "Windows XP for Dummies" book.

    ROTFLMAO
     
  6. MICRO

    MICRO Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jun 8, 2004
    Posts:
    1,020
    Thanks to everyone for the help here - Lucas this 'Network Connections' you
    show has the tiny icon with the Red X and when I right click on it, and click 'Properties', it shows the dialog pic. you give - with the two boxes at the bottom,

    "Show icon in notification area when connected" is not checked at the moment but the other is checked, it says,

    "Notify me when this connection has limited or no connectivity"

    I 'unchecked' both and clicked OK but nothing happened to the Red'exed icon in the sys. tray or in the 'Network Connections' area - however, however, upon replacing the check in the lower box and clicking OK - still nothing happened ! However again - In that
    'Network Connections' area where the Red'exed icon sits - I right clicked
    the icon but instead of clicking 'Properties' I clicked the first word on the
    list 'Disable' - Wallah !! the Red X was gone off that icon in NC but more to the point the sys. tray icon vanished immediately and took the Red X with it.

    Thanks a lot Lucas - I've been making those moves as I type - if anything gets sabotaged I can click on the first word on the list which is now
    'Enable' of course.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Only other thing is that while in that same NC area I see 'Connection Manager'
    and it's MSN - So I am wondering if that means it also manages MY connection with my ISP - In other words if I give it the big A will it take MY
    dial-up connection with it ?
     
  7. Hugger

    Hugger Registered Member

    Joined:
    Oct 27, 2007
    Posts:
    1,003
    Location:
    Hackensack, USA
    I hope you have an imaging program with a clean unaltered copy of your XP.
    I agree with what was said before.
    Take a little time to learn your system.
    And I'm not sure it's necessary to remove stuff from XP.
    Disabling the stuff you don't want should be just as good.
    Enjoy yourself.
    Hugger
     
  8. MICRO

    MICRO Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jun 8, 2004
    Posts:
    1,020
    Thank you very much Bell. - C'mon mate take a bit of responsibility with this business, make a decision here ! LOL ! - you were in the right area fair play.
     
  9. Dark Shadow

    Dark Shadow Registered Member

    Joined:
    Oct 11, 2007
    Posts:
    4,553
    Location:
    USA
    As bellgamin Said,It Is looking for for your ethernet cable,And the other Is probably your wireless Wifi.It sounds like both items are Enabled you would have to disable them.Are you using dial up connection?
     
  10. MICRO

    MICRO Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jun 8, 2004
    Posts:
    1,020
    Yes djohn Dial-up - No sign of wireless,broadband or routers etc.

    These guys very kindly guided me onto the persistent track and that did the job.
     
  11. lucas1985

    lucas1985 Retired Moderator

    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2006
    Posts:
    4,047
    Location:
    France, May 1968
    Be aware that you've disabled a NIC. Doing what I've suggested is enough, maybe Windows was a little slow at updating the state of the systray :)
     
  12. ThunderZ

    ThunderZ Registered Member

    Joined:
    May 1, 2006
    Posts:
    2,459
    Location:
    North central Ohio, U.S.A.

    Being an Ol` Biker :cool: and having ridden with an International Club I strongly resemble that remark. ;) :D
     
  13. MICRO

    MICRO Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jun 8, 2004
    Posts:
    1,020
    Thanks a lot HURST - I shall check out "Tweakhound" - I can do with any info. re. this XP because I was hoping to die sitting in front of 98se - perish the thought that I must move on, bah humbug, all good things come to an end.
     
  14. MICRO

    MICRO Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jun 8, 2004
    Posts:
    1,020
    What's a NIC Lucas ?
     
  15. lucas1985

    lucas1985 Retired Moderator

    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2006
    Posts:
    4,047
    Location:
    France, May 1968
    NIC :)
    If you're on dial-up, you don't need it to stay enabled.
     
  16. Huupi

    Huupi Registered Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2006
    Posts:
    2,024
    a bit OT though but from yo screenshot,spanish windose,living in france and using english here at Wilders ! WOW :thumb:
     
  17. Mrkvonic

    Mrkvonic Linux Systems Expert

    Joined:
    May 9, 2005
    Posts:
    10,215
    Hello,
    He used to live In France in 1968, a-ha!
    Which makes him into Antonio Banderas' father - it's the only logical explanation.
    Mrk
     
  18. Huupi

    Huupi Registered Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2006
    Posts:
    2,024
    Great if that is true then i like to have a personal signature from Lucas. LOL :D
     
  19. Longboard

    Longboard Registered Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2004
    Posts:
    3,238
    Location:
    Sydney, Australia
  20. lucas1985

    lucas1985 Retired Moderator

    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2006
    Posts:
    4,047
    Location:
    France, May 1968
    ROFLMAO :D
    Check the link in my sig and you'll know the answer :) I live in Argentina and I only speak Spanish, although I understand written English very well. I have very little knowledge of Français :)
     
  21. HURST

    HURST Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jul 20, 2007
    Posts:
    1,419
    (Che lucas, saludos desde el otro lado de la cordillera)
    I would say you also write English very well :)
     
  22. Franklin

    Franklin Registered Member

    Joined:
    May 12, 2005
    Posts:
    2,517
    Location:
    West Aussie
    Besides disabling I think that after unticking Show icon and Notify me options in nic properties the icon with the red x won't show after a reboot?

    I've got rid of a quite a bit of XP's excess baggage using Bold Fortune's slimming XP guide.

    I haven't slimmed XP to the extent of some users of Bold's guide mainly getting rid of the larger XP files/folders that I deem unnecessary as I employ ghost images for backing up with an imaging app being a must have before doing any tweaking/slimming.
     
  23. MICRO

    MICRO Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jun 8, 2004
    Posts:
    1,020
    Thanks a lot LB, sounds good - Jees it must be hit & missing down at your place, Randwicks too heavy for me today.

    Regards.
     
  24. MICRO

    MICRO Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jun 8, 2004
    Posts:
    1,020
    Thanks Franklin -
    Your first question is very probably what Lucas was trying to tell me (Reboot) but I didn't pick it up quick enough - I did reverse my move and gave it half an hour to no avail - I might reverse it again when off the net and go via a reboot as you suggest.

    B-F's slim down method looks good to me - I already made one bad Blue - I made an ATI but should have made sure the M$ hotfixes were all on board b'4
    losing some of the rubbish - I shall have to hope like hell that giving
    W Mess. and MSN the big A b'4 I had the HF's doesn't end up biting me on the ass.
     
  25. NGRhodes

    NGRhodes Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jun 23, 2003
    Posts:
    2,381
    Location:
    West Yorkshire, UK
    To the contrary, I have found his advice quiet dubious.

    I and others have spent time debunking his advise.

    Knowledge of of how windows works I recently wrote: https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showpost.php?p=1238746&postcount=39

    At Anandtech there was discussion, with benchmarks: http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.aspx?catid=34&threadid=1678445&enterthread=y&arctab=y

    The performance difference in total was something like less than 1% using various real world benchmarks.

    The only time I disable services is to improve security (and then this is only on live web facing servers, never desktop machines).

    On Arstechnica there have been a few good threads on the subject as well, I will dig them out later.
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.