Messenger, SVCHost & more: Short Questions, Quick Answers

Why can I get audio & video with MSN Messenger but not
Windows Messenger? As mentioned in my article on the differences between MSN and Windows
Messenger, their features are typically out of sync with respect to
each other, and obviously not always well coordinated. It's quite
possible (and my guess here) that the version of Windows Messenger
you're using is probably not using uPNP, which is required to get audio
and video through a uPNP compatible router.

I can't get MSN Messenger to use audio through my router –
without the router it works fine. My guess is that your router
needs to support uPNP, and doesn't. Results are undefined if the router
you have does not. Check out the article on Audio Conversations in Messenger.

What Port do I open to enable audio in MSN Messenger?
Unfortunately there is no port to open. MSN's audio protocol apparently
doesn't work that way. uPNP routers allow MSN Messenger to request the
resources it needs dynamically.

How do I get an MSN Messenger Account? Easy: fire up
MSN Messenger, click on File, then Sign
In… — at the bottom of that dialog is a link to "Get a
.NET Passport". Click on that, and it'll walk you through the
process.

Why is SVCHOST using 99% of my CPU? Chances are you
have a virus. Several viruses manifest as problems with SVCHOST —
typically it either faults, or eats CPU time as in this question. It's
proving a challenge for everyone to repair, while most anti-virus programs
can detect the viruses, not all are doing the job to clean it up. Reader
comments following the article svchost.exe
has generated an error – now what do I do? have been particularly
helpful in guiding many folks to a resolution.

What's the minimum tasks set Windows XP?
Unfortunately there really is no answer to this question. Each install is
different, and will have different requirements. The best solution, while
imperfect, is to do your best to understand what each process on your
machine is for (see What's this program
running on my machine?), and the decide whether or not you need the
services it provides. Speaking of services, once you get past the
"obvious" running programs, many questions relate to the system
services that are left. This site has an excellent XP Services Reference that can often tell you
exactly what each service is for, and includes recommendations for whether
or not you need it. (Caveat: as I write this the site appears to be down.
It's very popular, as you can imagine, so I'm hoping it'll
return soon.)

How do I hide a file or folder in Windows Explorer?
Right click on the file, select properties, and select the
"Hidden" checkbox. Realize that this hides the file from normal
viewing, but Windows Explorer can be set to always view hidden files … so
it's not very hidden, now is it?