NOTE: You, the customer, are solely responsible for data security. WinBook strongly recommends that you perform a backup of all personal data contained on your system prior to performing this procedure. Warning: WinBook will NOT be held responsible for any data loss incurred during this process.

If you are ever lost in Windows XP, balloon tips appear to tell you where a new program is hiding, among other "helpful" messages.
Some of these tips, like the balloon urging you to sign up for a Passport account, give up after a while and stop popping up. Others, like the balloon reminding you to download and install the latest and greatest from Windows Update, never leave.
There is way to get rid of them all, just be careful to check Windows Update often, because your friendly animated reminder will not pop up to help you out. Another thing you will miss is Windows' reminder that hard-drive space has run low. You will still get a little picture of a hard drive in your task bar, but you won't be accosted by a big yellow balloon that won't go away.
There are two ways to disable Windows XP Balloon Tips. One, you can go here and download Microsoft's PowerToys. This is a set of essential applications offered free from Microsoft. NOTE: PowerToys is not supported by WinBook.
Once you have it installed, go to Taskbar and uncheck "Enable Balloon Tips." This is the easy way to do it, but you're looking at about a 1MB download.
The second way is more risky. It involves modifying the registry. We recommend only doing this if you feel comfortable modifying the registry, and have fully backed up any information, or the registry itself in case something goes wrong. Registry hacks take place immediately and can cause damage to your system.
You can perform a registry tweak to the same end. If you aren't familiar with hacking your registry, go to Related Articles at the end of this story and read up on opening your registry, backing it up, and restoring certain keys in case something goes wrong. Registry hacks take place immediately and can cause damage to your system. NOTE: WinBook will not be held responsible for any damage or data loss done by performing this task.

To open up the registry editor:
1. Click on Start
2. Choose Run
3. Type in "regedit"
4. Click Okay
Follow this path to The Key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

Create a new DWORD value, name it EnableBalloonTips, and set it equal to 0. If EnableBalloonTips is already there and equal to 1, set it equal to 0. Quit the registry editor, log off, and log back on. Voila! Your computer will stop talking down to you.

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Disclaimer: This information is being provided to you as a service from the Technical Support Department of WinBook Computers. It is intended to assist you in the resolution of your technical problems or questions. If you feel uncomfortable implementing any of the information or suggestions contained herein then you should e-mail the WinBook Technical Support Department. WinBook will not be held responsible for any loss of information, data or programming as a result of the use of this TechNote.