Windows 7 customization

Hi, I've followed a number of tweak and config threads and I have "beginners questions" left over. Thanks to anyone who can help!

1. Windows Explorer forgets the appearance for "Desktop" and "My computer" (list view, ungrouped)

2. How to switch off or reconfigure figuring out what type a folder is? I would prefer one default view for all folders, unless explicitly changed for specific locations.

3. I'd like to remove "favorites" and "control panel" from Windows Explorer "WIN+E" combination, and disable the favourites icon (not the menu) in IE8.

4. Is "Libraries" just a Win7 term for an abstracted folder (a collection of locations viewable and searchable as one logical location)? How can I disable libraries and remove them from the navigation panel on Windows Explorer.

5. Can the logged-on username be shown in the start panel, and the user icon at the top removed?

6. The theme/personalisation has a white/transparent blur effect across the top-left diagonal (eg on taskbar buttons on screenshot). How can I tweak or remove it, to avoid the distracting shading effects?

7. Windows Explorer uses unnecessarily large fonts for its listing views. My desktop has a smaller font which I prefer. How can I change the font and font size used in Windows Explorer?

8. Is there a way to keep Flip3D but avoid most of the rest of Aero (specifically the glass and transparency which I find too distracting, and not nearly as informative in ALT TAB as text + icons) Mostly resolved: AltTabSettings in the registry, Switcher 2.0, a non-aero theme, and transparency disabled.

9. I work with unusual disk formats, including my encrypted disks and raw disks for recovery, several of which aren't recognised by Windows. Windows 7 pops up the "Do you want to format this disk" prompt. I can't stop a drive letter being assigned (encryption programs won't mount raw drives without also assigning a letter). I didn't have this in Windows XP. I've seen one fix for this but it required software and the author hasn't explained it in detail. Is there any other effective fix?

10. I have a file permissions problem. When I plug in drives that can boot to XP and other OS's or contain data, Windows 7 tries to respect the Windows XP permissions on those drives. Since the users on those systems don't exist under my Windows 7 install, it's considering many of these folders inaccessible or read-only. I can change the owners on them all, but then when I reboot under the old systems, the disks concerned would have access problems there instead. Best way to fix this?

11. If I make changes to the system via gpedit.msc, how can I save these to replicate them on other Windows 7 installations?

Sorry for the list! It's a big change of OS :) Desktop sample attached.