Adjust various visual effects

Open up the control panel

Go under system and click on the advanced tab

Click settings under Performance options

You can now change various graphical effects (mainly animations and shadows)

Enable Clear Type

Easy way- Click on or cut and paste link below: http://www.microsoft.com/typography/cleartype/cleartypeactivate.htm?fname=%20&fsize= or

Right click on a blank area of the Desktop and choose Properties

Click on the Appearance Tab; Click effects

Check the box: Use the following method to smooth edges of screen fonts

In the drop down box select: Clear Type

Add Familiar Icons back to your desktop

It’s the case of the missing icons. Many of you may be wondering where all the icons from your desktop are in Windows XP? Well if you’re like me, you like to have at least My Computer, My Network Places, and My Documents on the desktop.

To do this:

Right-click on the desktop, and then click Properties.

Click the Desktop tab and then click on Customize Desktop.

Put a check mark in the box next to My Document, My Computer, My Network Places, or Internet Explorer, to add those familiar icons to your desktop.