XP-AntiSpy is a little utility that let's you disable some built-in update and authetication 'features' in WindowsXP.
For example, there's a service running in the background wich is called 'Automatic Updates'. I don't know what this service transfers from my machine to other machines on the internet, especially the MS ones. So I play it safe and disable such functions. If you like, you can even disable these function manually, by going through the System and checking or unchecking some checkboxes. This will take you approximately half an hour. But why waste time when a little neat utility can do the same in 1 minute?

This utility has been successfully tested by many users, and was found to disable all the known 'Suspicious' Functions in WindowsXP. It's customizeable, but comes up with the Default settings, which are recommended.

[See Screenshot]

Here you can find a description of the things that are done by the XP-AntiSpy Program and what would have to be manually done to have the same effect, (and a description if available):

Mediaplayer: Do not acquire licences automatically - Open the MediaPlayer->Tools->Options... Klick the tab 'Player', look at the groupbox 'Internetsettings' and uncheck 'Acquire licences automatically'.
Mediaplayer: Disable identificationb of player by internetsites - Open the MediaPlayer->Tools->Options... Klick the tab 'Player' , look at the groupbox 'Internetsettings' and uncheck 'Allow internetsites to uniquely identify your player'
Meaning if activated: Services on the web are able to identify your system (not only your player) via the GUID (Global Unique ID)
Mediaplayer: Disable automatic codec download - Open the MediaPlayer->Tools->Options... Klick the tab 'Player', look at the groupbox 'Automatic Updates' and uncheck 'Download Codecs Automatically'
Meaning if activated: The mediaplay can automatically check a ms-server if the codec, your movie is compressed with, is not on your system, and download it.
Error reporting: Disable error reports - Open the Explorer, right-klick on 'My Computer' and select 'Properties', click on the Tab 'Advanced' and klick the button 'Error reporting', in the upcoming dialog uncheck all 3 items and select 'Disable Error reports'
Meaning if activated: If a program crashes on your machine, windows generates an error report, which it wants to send to MS.
Explorer: Turn off Remotedesktop support - Open the Explorer, right-klick on 'My Computer' and select 'Properties', klick on the Tab 'Remote' and uncheck all Items (there are 2 of them)
Meaning if activated: This gives your machine the ability to be remotely controlled via the internet
IE6: Disable automatic updates - Open the Explorer, select 'Control Panel' and double click on 'Internet Options', select tab 'Advanced' uncheck 'Automatically check for Internet Explorer Updates'
Meaning if activated: The Internet Explorer automatically connects to MS and checks for updates.
Internet time: Don't synchronize with internet time - Double click on the clock in the systemtray, select 'Internet time' and uncheck 'Automatically sychronize with an internet timeserver'
Meaning if activated: The system automatically synchronizes it's time with a timeserver at MS.
Services: Disable error-report service - Open the Explorer, select 'Control Panel' double click on 'Administration' double click on 'Services' double click the entry 'Error reporting Service' and select 'Disabled' as 'Starttype'.
Meaning if activated: A service running in the background, which supports error reporting, if deactivated it saves systemresources.
Services: Disable auto-updates service - Open the Explorer, select 'Control Panel' double click on 'Administration' double click on 'Services' double click the entry 'Automatic Updates' and select 'Disabled' as 'Starttype'.
Meaning if activated: A service running in the background, which supports the automtic updates of the internet explorer, if deactivated it saves systemresources.
Services: Disable time server service - Open the Explorer, select 'Control Panel' double click on 'Administration' double click on 'Services' double click the entry 'Windows Time' and select 'Disabled' as 'Starttype'.
Meaning if activated: A service running in the background, which supports the automtic synchronizing of the time, if deactivated it saves systemresources.
Regsvr32: Unregister Regwizc.dll - Select Start->Run, enter in the upcoming dialogbox 'regsvr32 /u regwizc.dll' and press return. a messgebox should pop up, telling you that regwizc.dll was unregistered successfully.
Regsvr32: Unregister licdll.dll - Select Start->Run, enter in the upcoming dialogbox 'regsvr32 /u licdll.dll' and press return. a messgebox should pop up, telling you that licdll.dll was unregistered successfully.

This utility is FREEWARE! This means, you dont have to pay anything for this program and you can give it to anyone who's interested in, as long as you don't sell it.

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