Windows XP Secrets / Easter Eggs

For those who're still using Window XP ( Well I am ), this is some of the easter eggs in the OS. Enjoy.

Easter Eggs (Definition) - A hidden message or feature in an application. This guide covers the undocumented and hidden features in Windows XP. All of the following were tested in Windows XP only.

Defrag
Secret - Hidden Command Line Switch
Instructions - Go to "Start", "Run" and Type defrag c: -b to defragment the Boot and Application Prefetch information.

Notes - Windows XP will run this automatically every three days or so, during system idle periods. BootVis will evoke this when you run the"Optimize System" function. There is no need to manually run this unless you wish to immediately optimize a newly installed application's load time.

IExpress
Secret - Hidden Install Creator

Instructions - Go to Start, Run, type iexpress

Notes - IExpress is a technology designed to simplify creation of a setup program. Using the step-by-step IExpress Wizard, you can create self-extracting files that automatically run the setup program contained inside. The setup program can be an .inf file or an executable program. IExpress technology automatically removes the setup files after installation, saving the user time and frustration.

Netmeeting
Secret - Hidden Internet Conference Application

Instructions - Go to Start, Run, type conf

Notes - Windows XP is the last version of Microsoft Windows to include NetMeeting. NetMeeting delivers a complete Internet conferencing solution for all Window users with multi-point data conferencing, textchat, whiteboard, and file transfer, as well as point-to-point audio and video.

Notepad
Secret - Create a Log File

Instructions - Launch Notepad, Type .LOG on the first line, and then press Enter to move to the next line. On the File menu, click Save As,type a descriptive name for your file in the File name box, and then click OK. When you next open the file, note that the date and time have been appended to the end of the log, immediately preceding the place where new text can be added. You can use this functionality to automatically add the current date and time to each log entry.

Paint
Secret - Image Trails

Instructions - Open an image and hold down Shift then drag the image around to create an image trail.

Secret - 10x Zoom

Instructions - Open an image and select the magnifying glass icon. Left-Click exactly on the line below the 8x.

Private Character Editor
Secret - Hidden Font Editor

Instructions - Go to Start, Run, type eudcedit

Notes - You can use Private Character Editor to create unique letters and logos for your font library.

Windows Media Player 6.4
Secret - Hidden Windows Media Player

Instructions - Go to Start, Run, type mplayer2

Notes - Windows Media Player 6.4 (Classic) is installed along with Windows Media Player 7. The only update is that it now supports the latest codecs.

GAME SECRETS

FreeCell
Secret - Instant Win

Instructions - Hold down Ctrl + Shift + F10 during game play. Then youwill be asked if you want to Abort, Retry or Ignore. Choose Abort, then move any card to instantly win.

Secret - Hidden Game Modes

Instructions - In the "Game" menu choose "Select Game". Enter -1 or -2 to activate the hidden game modes.

Hearts
Secret - Show All Cards

Instructions - Edit this registry key:HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Hearts and create a new String value named ZB with a Data value of 42. Start Hearts and Press Ctrl + Alt + Shift + F12 to show all the cards.

Background - This secret is a reference to Douglas Adams' book the Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy. 'ZB' is the initials of the character Zaphod Beeblebrox, the Galactic President. '42' is the answer to The Ultimate Question Of Life, the Universe and Everything.

Minesweeper
Secret - Reveal Mines

Instructions - Minimize or close all running applications. Launch Minesweeper, then type xyzzy. Next hold down either shift key for one second. Now when you move the mouse cursor over a Minesweeper square you will see a tiny white pixel in the top left corner of your desktop screen. This pixel will change to black when your mouse moves over amine. You may need to change you desktop background to a solid color other then white or black to see the pixel.

Secret - Stop Timer

Instructions - Launch Minesweeper and start a game so the timer starts counting, then press the Windows Key + D to show the desktop. Now when you select minesweeper from the taskbar you can continue playing with the timer stopped.

Pinball
Secret - Extra Balls

Instructions - Type 1max at the start of a new ball to get extra balls.

Secret - Gravity Well

Instructions - Type gmax at the start of a new game to activate the Gravity Well.

Secret - Instant Promotion

Instructions - Type rmax at the start of a new game to go up in ranks.

Secret - Skill Shot

Instructions - Launch the ball partially up the chute past the third yellow light bar so it falls back down to get 75,000 points. There are six yellow light bars that are worth a varying amount of points:

First: 15,000 points
Second: 30,000 points
Third: 75,000 points
Fourth: 30,000 points
Fifth: 15,000 points
Sixth: 7,500 points

Secret - Test Mode

Instructions - Type hidden test at the start of a new ball to activate Test Mode. No notification will be given that this is activated but you can now left-click the mouse button and drag the ball around. While intest mode press the following keys for more secrets:

H - Get a 1,000,000,000 High Score
M - Shows the amount of system memory
R - Increases your rank in game
Y - Shows the Frames/sec rate

Secret - Unlimited Balls

Instructions - Type bmax at the start of a new ball. No notification will be given that this is activated but when a ball is lost a new ball will appear from the yellow wormhole indefinitely. Once this is activated you will be unable to activate other secrets without restarting the game.

Solitaire
Secret - Instant Win

Instructions - Press Alt + Shift + 2 during game play to instantly win.

Secret - Draw single cards in a Draw Three game

Instructions - Hold down CTRL + ALT + SHIFT while drawing a new card. Instead of drawing three cards you will only draw one.


OS SECRETS

Add/Remove
Secret - Hidden Uninstall Options

Instructions - Warning: Proceed at your own risk!Browse to C:\Windows\inf\ and make a backup copy of sysoc.inf. Then open the original file C:\Windows\inf\sysoc.inf in notepad. Go to"Edit" and select "Replace". In "Find what:" type ,hide and in "Replacewith:" type , then select "Replace All", save and close the file. Go to the "Control Panel", "Add/Remove", select "Add/Remove WindowsComponents". You will now see many more Windows components to uninstall. Do not remove anything with no label or that you do not recognize or fully understand what it does. Doing so can break certain functionality in Windows.

Control Panel
Secret - Hidden Control Panel Extensions

Instructions - Download and install TweakUI, launch, go to "ControlPanel" and check any item not selected, then "Apply" and "OK". You will now see the hidden control panel extensions.

Device Manager
Secret - Hidden Devices

Instructions - Go to the "Control Panel", "System" icon, "Hardware" taband select "Device Manager". Select "View" and Show hidden devices.

Secret - Phantom Devices

Instructions - Go to "Start", "programs", "Accessories" and select"Command Prompt". At the command prompt, type "setdevmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1" and press Enter. At the command prompt, type "start devmgmt.msc" and press Enter. Select "View" and Show hidden devices. You can see devices that are not connected to the computer. - Source

Notes - When you close the command prompt window, Windows clears the"devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1" variable that you set and prevents phantom devices from being displayed when you select "Show hidden devices".

Music
Secret - Music from the Installer
Instructions - Browse to C:\Windows\system32\oobe\images\title.wma and play.

Notes - "OOBE" stands for "Out-of-Box Experience".