Right click desktop | personalize

• enable transparency → off (maybe)
• sounds - start navigation - none (kills that annoying click every time you open a folder)
• color, wallpaper, etc.

• Hit alt to show the menu
• view | details
• view | status bar
• tools | folder options
  • general tab
    • navigation pane
      • show all folders → on
      • automatically expand to current folder → on
  • view tab
    • always show menus → on
    • display the full path in the title bar → on
    • show hidden files, folders, and drives → on (if you want)
    • hide extensions for known file types → off
    • show preview handlers in preview pane → off (maybe)

right click recycle bin | properties

• don't move files to the recycle bin → enable (maybe)

win+pause/break to get to system properties

• "advanced system settings" on the left to get to the REAL system properties
  • advanced tab
    • performance | setttings | turn off candy as desired
    • startup and recovery | settings | automatically restart → off

1. Click Start, click Run, and type "control userpasswords2". This is a shortcut instead of having to click on Start → Control Panel → User Accounts.
2. Uncheck the "Users must enter a username and password to use this computer" check box.
3. Click Apply.
4. Enter the user name and password you wish to automatically log on with, and then click OK.
5. Click OK again and you're all done.

(from http://8help.osu.edu/2063.html)

1. Start, type "ease", select 'Ease of Access Center'.
2. Click 'Make the keyboard easier to use'.
3. Tick ‘Underline keyboard shortcuts and access keys’

If you don't want to see the libraries every time you open explorer, change the shortcut to:

%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe ,::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}