1. B - Installing Windows XP (The Welcome Screen and beyond)

After installing your Windows XP, you'll come across a screen that offers you to make User Accounts, registering your Windows XP copy with Microsoft and all that stuff. Just one tip here. Don't make many User Accounts. This will eventually take up space on the Windows XP partition and will slow down your machine.

Some basic tips after the Welcome screen.

1) On the bottom right of your screen there will be three icons:
a) Take a tour of Windows; double click on that and then press cancel (you can take the tour if you want to). Pressing the Cancel button will ensure that the icon will not appear again the next time you restart.
b) The Windows Security Alert; it alerts you of your current Security status. Often this pops out a notification when you do not have an Antivirus software or your security is not up-to date. To me, it is something unwanted. To get rid of this, Double-Click on the icon. You'll see a Window of "Windows Security Center". On the left side there are some tabs. Click "Change the way Security Center alerts me". Uncheck all of them. This will get rid of the icon that appears beneath.

2) Windows XP uses up a considerable amount of resource on its appearance. Disabling them can speed up your machine. Right-Click on "My Computer" > Properties > Advanced tab. Click on the first "Settings" tab. You'll see a list that shows you what appearance enhancing option are selected. Normally, all of them are selected. I have unchecked all of them. It's upto youwhat you want to do!

3) Another resource sucking features are the Desktop Icons and the taskbar. Keep the least possible Icons on your desktop. Disable your Quick Launch buttons and Uncheck the "Hide Inactive Icons". For this Right-Click on the taskbar and select Properties.

4) To remove other extra but uneeded softwares that come with XP, go to Add/Remove Feature. Select Add/Remove Windows Component. That will display you some features that are there, and some features that didn't come pre-installed, but you can install them. Browse through them and analyse your needs. Usually, I remove the Outlook Express and MSN Explorer.