The hard disk drive (hdd) in my computer at work died yesterday. While I am fixing up this one to be usable I should log the necessary actions in case I (or anyone else) needs to do it again.

• Windows Itself
  
  • Open any folder. Choose tools->options. In the view menu check: (1) Display the contents of system folders, (2) Show hidden files and folders, (3) Restore previous folder windows at login. Uncheck: (4) Hide extensions for known file types and (5) Hide protected operating system files.
  • Right click on the task bar. Choose properties. In the Taskbar tab uncheck (6) Group similar taskbar buttons. In the Start Menu tab choose (7) classic start menu. Click the customize button. (8) Click Sort. Uncheck (9) Use Personalized Menus.
  • Delete all the icons in the Start menu by right clicking on them and choosing delete.
• Things to Install
  
  • Launchy
  • WinAmp
  • Taskbar Shuffle
  • Sharp Reader
  • Gaim
  • Gimp
  • WinZip 8.0
  • WinRar
  • Startup Control Panel
  • Acrobat PDF Reader
  • Java Runtime and Dev Kit
  • Microsoft Visual Studio
  • Microsoft Office
  • Microsoft Communicator
  • TightVNC
  • Putty
  • Pscp
  • Mozilla Firefox
    • Adblock Plus
    • Filterset.G Updater
    • User Agent Switcher
    • Session Manager
    • HashColouredTabs+
• Other Configuration
  
  • In any office program: Tools -> Customize -> Options -> Always Show Full Menus
  • Outlook is awful, but it must be used at work. Configuring it to be even remotely useful is very difficult. Some good first steps. (1) View -> Reading Pane -> Bottom. (2) Tools -> Options -> Preferences Tab -> E-Mail Options -> Read all mail in plain text. (3) Tools -> Options -> Mail Format Tab -> Compose all mail in plain text. (4) View -> Arrange By -> Current View -> Hide messages marked for deletion. (5) Tools -> Customize -> Commands Tab -> Edit -> Drag the command "Purge Deleted Messages" into the tool bar up top. (6) Set up your filters using Tools -> Rules and Alerts. There are lots of other work related configuration changes that need to be made, but I won't list them here because they would just help hackers map our internal network.