How to increase the list of recently opened documents history?

In windows XP, you can increase the list of recently used documents in start menu. By default windows XP display the shortcuts of last fifteen programs on recent documents list in start menu but you can increase this value with your required input value. However this tip is very useful for all new computer users because they can easily access their required documents from last visited documents history. This trick will work in nearly all of the windows versions like windows 2000, XP and 2003.

Follow the given steps for configuration to increase the list of recently opened documents:

To edit the computer registry, first you should log onto your computer with administrative rights.

Click Start button and type regedit in Run option then press Enter for next.

Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies

Now in left side panel, click right to create a new Key value with the name Explorer under "Policies" area.

Now explore the full path like:

Go to [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

Now in right side panel, click right to create a new DWORD value with the name MaxRecentDocs and then set values with your required input value.

In this case, we are trying to set input value to 30 and press Ok button.

But next time, if you want to disable this functionality then simply change the value of data box to 15 or delete the MaxRecentDocs DWORD item.

Now close the registry editor and restart your computer after any changes to go into effect.

How to apply password and compressed feature in windows XP?

You can store your data on hard disk using less space than normal size in windows XP. There is no need to install any third party software to compress or decompress your data, you can use windows built-in data compression or decompression feature to manage disk space issue.

I think many users are worried about the security of their file and folder also, so another benefit of this feature, you can protect your compressed file and folders with password.

Follow the given steps to implement the compression and password feature to mange data:

First double click on "My Computer" and locate the disk where you want to create compressed (zipped) folder. For example, if you want to create this compressed (zipped) folder on C drive, then open C drive.

Here open the "File" menu, go to "New" then click on "Compressed (zipped) Folder" option.

Rename this folder according to data information and press "Enter" button.

Now you can move (drag and drop or copy and paste) your files,

and folders to this compressed (zipped) folder then compression feature will implement automatically on that data.

When you want to open these compressed files, simple right click on compressed folder and click on Extract All. This extract wizard will automatically extract all these files to location you choose.

Now if you want to protect this compressed folder with password, simply open the compressed folder and go to "File" menu then here click on "Add a Password" option.

A small dialog box will appear with title "Add Password", type password in "Password" box and confirm password also then press Ok button.

Now when you will try to open your compressed files, system will prompt you a dialog box to enter password to open this file.