Lots of Knowledge

8/14/2019 Lots of Knowledge

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Boot Defragment

A very important new feature in Microsoft Windows XP is the ability to do a boot

defragment. This basically means that all boot files are placed next to each other on

the disk drive to allow for faster booting. By default this option is enabled but someupgrade users have reported that it isn't on their setup.

1. Start Regedit.

2. Navigate to

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Dfrg\BootOptimizeFunction

3. Select Enable from the list on the right.

4. Right on it and select Modify.

5. Change the value to Y to enable and N to disable.

6. Reboot your computer.


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Slow Shutdown

Some people have noticed that they are experiencing a really slow shutdown after installingWindows XP Home or Professional. Although this can be caused a number of ways, the most

clear cut one so far is happening on systems with an NVidia card installed with the latest setof drivers. A service called NVIDIA Driver Helper Service is loading up on start up and forwhatever reason doesn't shut itself down properly. The service isn't needed and can also

increase the amount of memory available to your system. Here is how to disable it.

1: Go into your Control Panel

2: Select Administrative Tools and then click on Services3: Right click on the file "NVIDIA Driver Helper Service" and then select STOP.

4: To stop this loading up every time you boot up your PC Right click it again and selectproperties - then where the option "Startup Type" is shown - make sure it is set at Manual

like we have shown in the image below.


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To change drive letters

To change drive letters (useful if you have two drives and have partitioned the boot drive,

but the secondary drive shows up as "D")

Go to Start > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Computer Management, DiskManagement, then right-click the partition whose name you want to change (click in the

white area just below the word "Volume") and select "change drive letter and paths."From here you can add, remove or change drive letters and paths to the partition

Never Re-Activate After Installation


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If you have to reinstall Windows XP you normally will have to reactivate too. Well notanymore. Just copy wpa.dbl after you activated the first time. It is located in the

WINDOWS\system32 folder. Now if you reinstall Windows XP just copy the file back andyou're up and running again.

How to make My Computer' open in Explore mode with folder listIn My Computer click Tools menu, and then click Options.

Click the File Types tab.In the list of file types, highlight "(NONE) Folders"

Click Advanced button, In the Actions box, highlight "Explore" Click "Set Default"

Remove shortcut arrow from desktop icons

Here's how you can remove those shortcut arrows from your desktop icons in Windows XP.

1. Start regedit.2. Navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTlnkfile

3. Delete the IsShortcut registry value.You may need to restart Windows XP.


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Keyboard Shortcuts

When speed counts, the keyboard is still king. Almost all the actions and commands you canperform with a mouse you can perform faster using combinations of keys on your keyboard.

These simple keyboard shortcuts can get you where you want to go faster than severalclicks of a mouse. You'll work faster on spreadsheets and similar documents, too, because

you won't lose your place switching back and forth between mouse and keys.

Here are some of the most useful keyboard shortcuts:

Copy. CTRL+C

Cut. CTRL+XPaste. CTRL+V

Undo. CTRL+Z

Delete. DELETE

Delete selected item permanently without placing the item in the Recycle Bin.SHIFT+DELETE

Copy selected item. CTRL while dragging an itemCreate shortcut to selected item. CTRL+SHIFT while dragging an item

Rename selected item. F2Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next word. CTRL+RIGHT ARROW

Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous word. CTRL+LEFT ARROWMove the insertion point to the beginning of the next paragraph. CTRL+DOWN ARROW

Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous paragraph. CTRL+UP ARROWHighlight a block of text. CTRL+SHIFT with any of the arrow keys

Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text within a document.SHIFT with any of the arrow keys

Select all. CTRL+A

Search for a file or folder. F3View properties for the selected item. ALT+ENTERClose the active item, or quit the active program. ALT+F4

Opens the shortcut menu for the active window. ALT+SPACEBARClose the active document in programs that allow you to have multiple documents open

simultaneously. CTRL+F4Switch between open items. ALT+TAB

Cycle through items in the order they were opened. ALT+ESC

Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop. F6Display the Address bar list in My Computer or Windows Explorer. F4

Display the shortcut menu for the selected item. SHIFT+F10

Display the System menu for the active window. ALT+SPACEBARDisplay the Start menu. CTRL+ESC

Display the corresponding menu. ALT+Underlined letter in a menu nameCarry out the corresponding command. Underlined letter in a command name on an open

menuActivate the menu bar in the active program. F10

Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu. RIGHT ARROWOpen the next menu to the left, or close a submenu. LEFT ARROW

Refresh the active window. F5View the folder one level up in My Computer or Windows Explorer. BACKSPACE

Cancel the current task. ESC


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(*)Display the contents of the selected folder. NUM LOCK+PLUS SIGN on numeric keypad (+)

Collapse the selected folder. NUM LOCK+MINUS SIGN on numeric keypad (-)Collapse current selection if it's expanded, or select parent folder. LEFT ARROW

Display current selection if it's collapsed, or select first subfolder. RIGHT ARROW


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What are XP powerToysPowerToys are additional programs that developers work on after the product has been

released to manufacturing, but before the next project has begun. These toys add fun and

functionality to the Windows experience.We've taken great care to ensure that PowerToys operate as they should. But please notethat these programs are not part of Windows and are not supported by Microsoft. For this

reason, Microsoft Technical Support is unable to answer questions about PowerToys

The PowerToys are installed into the directory you specify during setup. Typically this is the

system32 directory.

To uninstall the PowerToys, Open the control Panel. Launch the Add/Remove Programs

control panel applet. Find the PowerToys for Windows XP entry, and choose Modify/Remove.From here you can remove specific toys or all of them.

Faster User SwitcherNote: You cannot use this toy if fast user switching is not enabled.

What it is: With Fast User Switching enabled on Windows XP, this PowerToy allows you toswitch users without having to use the logon screen.

Special requirements: This PowerToy requires a Windows key on your keyboard.How to use: Press the Windows key then the Q key to activate; release and press Q to

switch to a different user tile, then release both Q and Windows key to switch to that user.

Shell PlayerWhat it is: This PowerToy plays MP3 files and WMA files from the taskbar.

How to use: Right click on the taskbar, click toolbars, then click "Audio Player." If thetaskbar is locked and you want to resize the player, you will have to unlock it. This will allow

you to access the play list editor and view all the buttons.

Task SwitcherWhat it is: Replaces the existing Alt + Tab application switching mechanism of Windows XP.

It provides a thumbnail preview of windows in the task list and is compliant with the newWindows XP visual style.

How to use: (NOTE: You must log off and then log on again for the changes to take effect).Use just as you do the existing Alt + Tab mechanism by pressing the Alt key and the Tab

key to activate. While holding down the Alt key, press the Tab key to cycle through runningapplications. To move backwards, press Shift + Alt + Tab. Release all keys when the desired

application is highlighted.

Open Command Window HereWhat it is: This PowerToy adds an "Open Command Window Here" context menu option on

file system folders. This gives users a quick way to open a command window (cmd.exe)pointing at a selected folder in the Explorer UI.

How to use: After installation, right click on the folder you would like to have a quick launchcommand window for.

Tweak UIWhat it is: Provides access to system settings that are not exposed in the Windows XP

default user interface.How to use: Go to Start, All Programs, Accessories, TweakUI for Windows XP.


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PowerToy CalcWhat it is: Graphing calculator

How to use: Go to Start, All Programs, Accessories, PowerToy Calc

Bulk Resize for Photos

What it is: Allows you to make a new, resized copy of your selected pictures in the samefolder they are currently located in. You can opt to resize one or many pictures (as a batch).

How to use: Right click any image(s) and select Resize Pictures in the context menu.

ISO Image Burner

What it is: Allows you to burn an ISO Image using a CD-ROM burner that is compatible withWindows XP

How to use: Go to Start, All Programs, Accessories, ISO Burner

Slide Show GeneratorWhat it is: Generate a slideshow when burning a CD

How to use: Add only images to a CD-ROM using Windows XP Explorer, then Write thesefiles to disk. A new task is presented in the wizard for generating the autorun for the

slideshow.

Virtual Desktop ManagerWhat it is: Manage up to 4 desktops from the Windows Shell Taskbar.

How to use:Right click on the taskbar, click toolbars, then click "Desktop Manager." If the

taskbar is locked and you want to resize the manager, you will have to unlock it.

Background Wallpaper switcher

What it is: Allows you to switch the background image periodically.How to use: Access this PowerToy by right clicking the desktop, click properties. It has

added a new tab that will allow you to specify the interval as well as the directory to obtainthe images from.

Taskbar MagnifierWhat it is: Allows you to magnify part of the screen from the taskbar.

How to use:Right click on the taskbar, click toolbars, then click "Taskbar Magnifier." If the

taskbar is locked and you want to resize the magnifier, you will have to unlock it.

Slide Show WizardWhat it is: This wizard helps you create a slide show of your digital pictures. When you're

done, you can put your slide show on the Web so that your family and friends can view it.How to use: Launch the Wizard from the Start Menu under All ProgramsPowertoys for

Windows XPSlide Show Wizard. Follow the steps of the wizard to select and arrange your

pictures, choose from a few simple options, and then save a Web-ready HTML slide show toa folder.

Turn off Welcome screen

Open User Accounts in Control Panel.

Click Change the way users log on or off


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Unlocking WinXP's setupp.ini

WinXP's setupp.ini controls how the CD acts. IE is it an OEM version or

retail? First, find your setupp.ini file in the i386 directory on your WinXP CD.Open it up, it'll look something like this:

ExtraData=707A667567736F696F697911AE7E05

Pid=55034000

The Pid value is what we're interested in. What's there now looks like a

standard default. There are special numbers that determine if it's a retail,

oem, or volume license edition. First, we break down that number into twoparts. The first five digits determines how the CD will behave, ie is it a retail

cd that lets you clean install or upgrade, or an oem cd that only lets youperform a clean install? The last three digits determines what CD key it will

accept. You are able to mix and match these values. For example you couldmake a WinXP cd that acted like a retail cd, yet accepted OEM keys.

Now, for the actual values. Remember the first and last values are

interchangable, but usually you'd keep them as a pair:

Retail = 51882335

Volume License = 51883 270OEM = 82503 OEM

So if you wanted a retail CD that took retail keys, the last line of yoursetupp.ini file would read:

Pid=51882335And if you wanted a retail CD that took OEM keys, you'd use:

Pid=51882OEM

Note that this does NOT get rid of WinXP's activation. Changing the Pid to a

Volume License will not bypass activation. You must have a volume license(corporate) key to do so.


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Dual Boot XP

A computer can be configured to let you choose between two or more operating systemseach time you restart the computer. With multibooting, you can choose which operating

system to run or specify a default OS if no selection is made during the restart process.Computers Containing Multiple Windows 2000 or Windows XP Partitions

Before installing Windows 2000 and Windows XP on the same machine, you need to prepareyour system with different partitions (a process that divides a hard disk into separate

sections that can be formatted for use by a file system. Partitions typically have differentdrive letters such as C or D).

One OS per partition

Its important to install each operating system on a different partition and install theapplications used with each operating system on the same partition as the OS. If an

application is used with two different operating systems, install it on two partitions. Placing

each operating system in a separate partition ensures that it will not overwrite crucial filesused by the other OS.

Install Latest OS LastIn general, you should install the most recent OS lastafter you have installed all other

operating systems on the target computer. In this case, you should install Windows 2000and then install Windows XP.

Unique Computer Name

You can set up a computer so that it has multiple installations of Windows XP on multiple

partitions. However, you must use a different computer name for each installation if thecomputer participates in a Windows 2000 Server domain. Because a unique security

identifier (SID) is used for each installation of Windows XP on a domain, the computer namefor each installation must be uniqueeven for multiple installations on the same computer.

Checklist SummaryTo configure a computer containing Windows 2000 and Windows XP, review the following

guidelines:

Install each operating system on a separate drive or disk partition.

Install Windows XP after you have installed Windows 2000.When you perform a new installation of Windows XP (as opposed to an upgrade), by default,

the installation is placed on a partition on which no other operating system is located. Youcan specify a different partition during Setup.

Dont install Windows XP on a compressed drive unless the drive was compressed with theNTFS file system compression feature.

On any partition where you perform a new installation of Windows XP (as opposed to anupgrade), you will need to re-install any programs, such as word processing or e-mail

software, after Setup is complete.Install the programs used by each operating system on the partition with that system. If

you want your programs to run with multiple operating systems, you need to installseparate copies of the programs in each of the operating system partitions.

If the computer is on a Windows 2000 Server domain, each installation of Windows XP onthat computer must have a different computer name.

Computers Containing Windows NT 4.0 and Windows XP

Setting up a computer to run Windows XP as well as an earlier operating system such as


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Windows NT Workstation 4.0 requires addressing compatibility issues among different filesystems: NTFS, FAT, and FAT32.

Normally, NTFS is the recommended file system because it supports important features,including the Active Directory service and domain-based security. However, using NTFS as

the only file system on a computer that contains both Windows XP and Windows NT is notrecommended. On these computers, a FAT or FAT32 partition containing the Windows NT

4.0 operating system ensures that when started with Windows NT 4.0, the computer willhave access to needed files. In addition, if Windows NT is not installed on the system

partition, which is almost always the first partition on the disk, it is recommended that thesystem partition also be formatted with FAT. This is because earlier operating systems, with

one exception, can't access a partition if it uses the latest version of NTFS. The one

exception is Windows NT version 4.0 with Service Pack 4 or later, which has access topartitions with the latest version of NTFS, but with some limitations.

Even the latest Service Pack does not provide access to files using the new features in

NTFS. Windows NT 4.0 cannot access files that have been stored using NTFS features that

did not exist when Windows NT 4.0 was released. For example, a file that uses the newencryption feature wont be readable when the computer is started with Windows NT 4.0

Workstation, which was released before the encryption feature existed.

Note: If you set up a computer so that it starts with Windows NT 3.51 or earlier on a FAT

partition, and Windows XP on an NTFS partition, when that computer starts with WindowsNT 3.51, the NTFS partition will not be visible.

Checklist Summary

To configure a computer containing Windows NT 4.0 and Windows XP, review the following

guidelines:

As explained above, using NTFS as the only file system on a computer containing bothWindows XP and Windows NT is not recommended.

Make sure that Windows NT 4.0 has been updated with the latest released Service Pack

available for download before installing Windows XP.Install each operating system on a separate drive or disk partition.

When you perform a new installation of Windows XP (as opposed to an upgrade), by default,the installation is placed on a partition on which no other operating system is located. You

can specify a different partition during Setup.

Dont install Windows XP on a compressed drive unless the drive was compressed with theNTFS file system compression feature.

On any partition where you perform a new installation of Windows XP (as opposed to anupgrade), you will need to re-install any programs, such as word processing or email

software, after Setup is complete.Install the programs used by each operating system on the partition with that system. If

you want your programs to run with multiple operating systems, you need to installseparate copies of the programs in each of the operating system partitions.

If the computer is on a Windows NT Server or Windows 2000 Server domain, eachinstallation of Windows XP on that computer must have a different computer name.

Computers Containing MS-DOS or Windows 9x and Windows XP

As explained above you need to address file system compatibility to ensure a multibootingconfiguration with these earlier operating systems and Windows XP. Remember to install the

latest operating system last otherwise important files may be overwritten.

Checklist Summary

To configure a computer containing Windows XP and Windows 9x or MS-DOS, review thefollowing guidelines:


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On computers that contain MS-DOS and Windows XP:

MS-DOS must be installed on a basic disk on a partition formatted with FAT. If MS-DOS is

not installed on the system partition, which is almost always the first partition on the disk,the system partition must also be formatted with FAT.

Windows XP must be installed last. Otherwise important files needed for starting WindowsXP could be overwritten.

On computers that contain Windows 95 and Windows XP:

As in the case above, Windows 95 must be installed on a basic disk on a partition formatted

with FAT. (For Windows 95 OSR2, FAT32 may be used.) If Windows 95 is not installed on thesystem partition, which is almost always the first partition on the disk, the system partition

must also be formatted with FAT (or FAT32 for Windows 95 OSR2).Compressed DriveSpace or DoubleSpace volumes wont be available while you are running

Windows XP. It is not necessary to uncompress DriveSpace or DoubleSpace volumes thatyou will access only with Windows 95.

Windows XP must be installed last. Otherwise important files needed for starting Windows

XP could be overwritten.On computers that contain Windows 98 (or Windows ME) and Windows XP:

As in the cases above, Windows 98 or Windows Millennium Edition (ME) must be installed on

a basic disk on a partition formatted with FAT or FAT32. If Windows 98 or Windows ME is not

installed on the system partition, which is almost always the first partition on the disk, thesystem partition must also be formatted with FAT or FAT32.

Compressed DriveSpace or DoubleSpace volumes wont be available while you are running

Windows XP. It is not necessary to uncompress DriveSpace or DoubleSpace volumes thatyou will access only with Windows 98.

Windows XP must be installed last. Otherwise important files needed for starting WindowsXP could be overwritten.

Installation and How to :

The order of installation is critical if you want a successful multiboot installation. In general

terms, install nonMicrosoft operating systems and earlier versions of the Windowsoperating system first. This would mean installing UNIX or Linux operating systems first;then Windows 95 or Windows 98 or Windows Me; then Windows NT; and finally, Windows

2000 and/or Windows XP. (In the unlikely event that youre installing MSDOS, you caninstall that either before or after UNIX or Linuxbased operating systems, and generally Id

opt for before.) Its also important to understand that, without using a thirdparty productto help out, you cant install non-Microsoft operating systems, or Windows 95 and Windows

98 on the same computer, and that you can install only a single version ofWindows95/98/Me. But you can install as many different versions of Windows NT and later

versions of the Windows operating system as you have available logical drives, with the solecaveat that you must install all Windows NT versions before you install any Windows 2000

or Windows XP versions.

Lets take a typical installation. Our target computer must be able to boot into Windows 98,Windows NT 4 Workstation, Windows 2000 Professional, and Windows XP Professional. Wehave a 2GB partition to hold our programs and the whole thing must fit on a single 10GB

hard drive. No problem. First, we partition the hard drive into two partitions: a 2GBprimary partition, and an 8-GB extended partition using FDisk. In the extended partition,

well create four logical volumesD, E, F and Gto hold our remaining operating systemsand our programs.


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After the disk is partitioned, format the primary partition using the FAT16 file system andinstall Windows 98 on it. So far so good. Now, format your D drive with FAT16 as well.

Eventually, youll install your programs on D drive.

Next, install Windows NT 4 Workstation. You will install this on any of the logical volumes

not already used (either E drive, F drive or G drive) and choose NTFS as your file system.Leave D drive alone, because your applications go there where theyre visible to all

operating systems. When you install Windows NT, it recognizes that you already haveWindows 98 on the computer. Then it automatically sets up for dual booting between

Windows 98 and Windows NT by creating a boot.ini file, which creates a menu of availableoperating systems. After you have Windows NT 4 installed, immediately apply Service Pack

6, before you install Windows 2000.

Finally, install Windows 2000 and Windows XP, each in its own logical volume. Again, choose

NTFS as the file system. As you install them, they are automatically added to the boot.inifile on your C drive, which lets you choose operating systems at start up.


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Logging On to Your computer

After you've installed Windows XP Professional, you can configure common settings,

including user accounts and network connections.

If you already have a user account, log on to your computer with that account name and

password. If you don't have a user account, you must first log on as the administrator tocreate one.

Log On as the AdministratorUntil you set up a user account on your computer, you need to log on as the Administrator.

For security reasons, you should create a user account for yourself and a user account foreach person who may be using the computer.

After you complete Setup, your computer restarts and the Log On to Windows dialog boxappears.

To log on as the Administrator

In Log On to Windows, type Administrator and the password you assigned to the

administrator during Setup.

Click OK.

If a message appears informing you that the system could not log you on, verify that CAPS

LOCK is not turned on, and then retype your password.

IMPORTANTRunning Windows XP as an administrator makes the system vulnerable to unnecessary

security risks. Instead, use your user account to perform routine tasks such as runningprograms, working on documents, and visiting Internet sites.


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Making Older Programs Run under Windows XP

Some programs designed for earlier versions of Windows won't run under Windows XP. Until you canget your hands on a program upgrade for Windows XP, you can try running the program in one of

Windows XP Compatibility Modes by following these steps:1. Double-click the desktop shortcut called Run in Compatibility Mode that's automatically installedthere when you install Windows XP to open a full-size Help and Support window with instructions andcontrols for starting an application in Compatibility Mode.

You can also open this window by clicking Start on the Windows taskbar and then clicking Help andSupport on the Start menu. Next, click the Find Compatible Hardware and Software for Windows XPlink and then click the Program Compatibility Wizard link at the bottom of the window navigation pane.

2. Read the instructions on the Welcome to Programs Compatibility Wizard screen, paying particularattention to the warning about not using Compatibility Mode on programs, such as anti-virus softwareand backup tools, that specifically prohibit their use on future editions of the operating system before

you click the Next button.

3. In the next screen, click the radio button indicating how you want to locate the program you want

to run: I Want to Choose from a List of Programs, I Want to Use the Program in the CD-ROM Drive, orI Want to Locate the Program Manually.

4. If you selected the I Want to Choose from a List of Programs radio button, click the name of theprogram you want to run in the list that appears before you click Next.

If you selected the I Want to Locate the Program Manually radio button, type the path to the programin the text box that appears or click the Browse button and locate it in the Please Select Applicationdialog box and select the Open button before you click Next.

5. In the next screen, called Select a Compatibility Mode for the Program, click the radio button for theversion of Windows under which your program used to run or was designed to run: Microsoft Windows95, Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 (Service Pack 5), Microsoft Windows 98/Windows Me, or MicrosoftWindows 2000.

6. In the next screen called Select Display Settings for the Program, click the check box or boxes forthe display settings that are recommended for running the program.

These check box options include: 256 Colors, 640 x 480 Screen Resolution, and Disable VisualThemes.

7. Click the Next button to advance to the Test Your Compatibility Settings screen where you canverify your selections for the program.

8. If your settings are correct, click the Next button to run the program in compatibility mode.

If Windows XP can run the program in the selected Compatibility Mode, the program then launches in

a separate window. If Windows can't run the application, you receive an alert box indicating that

there's a problem. In such a case, you have to contact the software manufacturer and get an upgrade

for the application that's specifically designed for the Windows XP operating system. Note that when

you exit the program that you're running in compatibility mode, Windows automatically returns you to

the Program Compatibility Wizard in the Help and Support window.


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Volume Icon in Taskbar

It's really handy to have access to the Volume Control panel in the event you quickly needto move the volume slider up or down. In its default state, XP ships with almost a clean

slate for both the desktop and taskbar. So, if you'd like to place the volume control icon inthe taskbar, you're going to need to make a little adjustment.

To place the volume control icon in the taskbar, follow these steps:

Single-click the Start menu.

Single-click Control Panel.Single-click Sound, Speech, and Audio Devices.

Single-click Sounds and Audio Devices to launch the Sound and Audio Devices properties.On the Volume tab, locate the text labeled "Device Volume" and place a check mark next to

the text labeled "Place volume icon in the taskbar."Single-click Apply.

You should now have the volume icon in the taskbar. Now all you need to do is double-click

this icon to bring up your Volume Control panel.


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Backup / Restore the Registry

To Backup/Restore the Windows Registry: Windows 9x For XP 2000 click here

1. If you are in MSDOS, at the C:\Windows prompt type

2. Attrib -s -r -h C:\Windows\System.dat (press Enter)

3. Attrib -s -r -h C:\Windows\User.dat (press Enter)

To make the backup copies type:

1. copy C:\Windows\System.dat C:\Windows\System.000 (press Enter)

2. copy C:\Windows\User.dat C:\Windows\user.000 (press Enter)

To Restore the Registry

1. copy C:\Windows\System.000 C:\Windows\System.dat (press Enter)

2. copy C:\Windows\User.000 C:\Windows\user.dat (press Enter)

Add Open With to all filesYou can add "Open With..." to the Right click context menu of all files.This is great for whenyou have several programs you want to open the same file types with. I use three different texteditors so I added it to the ".txt" key.

1. Open RegEdit2. Go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\Shell3. Add a new Key named "OpenWith" by right clicking the "Shell" Key and selecting new4. Set the (Default) to "Op&en With..."5. Add a new Key named "Command" by right clicking the "OpenWith" Key and selecting new6. Set the (Default) to "C:\Windows\rundll32.exe shell32.dll,OpenAs_RunDLL %1", C:\ beingyour Windows drive. You must enter the "OpenAs_RunDLL %1" exactly this way.

Customize the System Tray

You can add your name or anything you like that consists of 8 characters or less. This willreplace the AM or PM next to the system time. But you can corrupt some trial licenses ofsoftware that you may have downloaded.

1. Open RegEdit2. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\International3. Add two new String values, "s1159" and "s2359"4. Right click the new value name and modify. Enter anything you like up to 8 characters.

If you enter two different values when modifying, you can have the system tray display the twodifferent values in the AM and PM.

Lock Out Unwanted Users

Want to keep people from accessing Windows, even as the default user? If you do not have adomain do not attempt this.

1. Open RegEdit2. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Network\Logon3. Create a dword value "MustBeValidated"
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4. Set the value to 1This forced logon can be bypassed in Safe Mode on Windows 9x

Disable the Outlook Express Splash Screen

You can make OutLook Express load quicker by disabling the splash screen:

1. Open RegEdit2. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\OutLook Express3. Add a string value "NoSplash"4. Set the value data to 1 as a Dword value

Multiple Columns For the Start Menu

To make Windows use multiple Start Menu Columns instead of a single scrolling column, likeWindows 9x had, Also if you are using Classic Mode in XP

1. Open RegEdit2. Go to the keyHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ Software\ Microsoft\ Windows\ CurrentVersion\ Explorer\Advanced

3. Create a string value "StartMenuScrollPrograms"4. Right click the new string value and select modify5. Set the value to "FALSE"

Changing Windows' Icons

You can change the Icons Windows uses for folders, the Start Menu, opened and closed folder inthe Explorer, and many more.

1. Open RegEdit2. Go toHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ Software\ Microsoft\ Windows\ CurrentVersion\ Explorer\ ShellIcons

3. Add a string value for each Icon you wish to change.Example: "3" ="C:\Windows\Icons\MyIcon.ico,0" This will change the closed folders in theExplorer to "MyIcon.ico". Here is a complete list for each value.

0= Unknown file type1= MSN file types2= Applications Generic3= Closed Folder4= Open Folder5= 5.25" Drive6= 3.25" Drive7= Removable Drive

8= Hard Drive9= NetWork Drive10= Network Drive Offline

11= CD-ROM Drive12= RAM Drive13= Entire Network

14= Network Hub15= My Computer16= Printer17= Network Neighborhood18= Network Workgroup19= Start Menu's Program Folders

20= Start Menu's Documents

21= Start Menu's Setting22= Start Menu's Find23= Start Menu's Help24= Start Menu's Run25= Start Menu's Suspend26= Start Menu's PC Undock27= Start Menu's Shutdown

28= Shared29= Shortcut Arrow30= (Unknown Overlay)31= Recycle Bin Empty32= Recycle Bin Full33= Dial-up Network34= DeskTop35= Control Panel

36= Start Menu's Programs

37= Printer Folder38= Fonts Folder39= Taskbar Icon40= Audio CD


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You need to reboot after making changes. You may need to delete the hidden file ShellIconCacheif after rebooting the desired Icons are not displayed.

Change Default Folder Locations

You can change or delete the Windows mandatory locations of folder like My Documents:

1. Open RegEdit2. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ Software\ Microsoft\ Windows\ CurrentVersion\ Explorer\Shell Folders3. Change the desired folder location, My Documents is normally list as "Personal"4. Open the Explorer and rename or create the folder you wish.

To change the desired location of the Program Files folder1. Go toHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion2. Change the value of "ProgramFiles", or "ProgramFilesDir"Now when you install a new program it will default to the new location you have selected.

Change the Registered Change the User Information

You can change the Registered Owner or Registered Organization to anything you want evenafter Windows is installed.

1) Open RegEdit2) Got toHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\ Windows\ CurrentVersion.3) Change the value of "RegisteredOrganization" or "RegisteredOwner", to what ever you want

Opening a DOS Window to either the Drive or Directory in Explorer

Add the following Registry Keys for a Directory:HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\opennew@="Dos Prompt in that Directory"

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\opennew\command@="command.com /k cd %1"

Add or Edit the following Registry Keys for a Drive:HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell\opennew@="Dos Prompt in that Drive"

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell\opennew\command@="command.com /k cd %1"

These will allow you to right click on either the drive or the directory and the option of startingthe dos prompt will pop up.

Changing Exchange/Outlook Mailbox Location

To change the location of your mailbox for Exchange:1. Open RegEdit2. Go toHKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\ Microsoft\Windows Messaging Subsystem\ Profiles3. Go to the profile you want to change4. Go to the value name that has the file location for your mailbox (*.PST) file5. Make the change to file location or name


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To change the location of your mailbox for Outlook1. Open RegEdit2. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Outlook (or Outlook Express if OutlookExpress)3. Go to the section "Store Root"4. Make the change to file location

Add/Remove Sound Events from Control Panel

You can Add and delete sounds events in the Control Panel. In order to do that:

1. Open RegEdit2. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\AppEvents\Schemes\Apps andHKEY_CURRENT_USER\AppEvents\Schemes\Eventlabels. If this key does not exist you cancreate it and add events.3. You can add/delete any items you want to or delete the ones you no longer want.

Adding an Application to the Right Click on Every Folder

Here is how to add any application to the Context Menu when you right click on any Folder. This

way you do not have to always go to the Start Menu. When you right click on any folder, you canhave access to that application, the same as using Sent To.

1. Open RegEdit2. Go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell3. Add a new Key to the "Shell" Key and name it anything you like.4. Give it a default value that will appear when you right click a folder, i.e. NewKey (use an "&"without the quotes, in front of any character and it will allow you to use the keyboard)5. Click on the Key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell\NewKey6. Add a New Key named Command7. Set the (Default) value of the application you want to run8. For example: c:\program files\internet explorer\iexplore.exe (Include the full path and

parameters if you need them)Adding Explore From Here to Every Folder

When you want to right click on any folder and want to open up an Explorer window of thatfolder.

1. Open RegEdit2. Go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell3. Add a new Key "RootExplore " under the "Shell" Key4. Set the (Default) value to "E&xplore From Here "5. Right Click the "RootExplore " Key and add a new Key "Command"to the RootExplore6. Set the (Default) value of Explorer.exe /e,/root,/idlist,%i

Changing the Location of Windows' Installation FilesIf you need to change the drive and or path where Windows looks for its installation files:1.Open RegEdit2.Go toHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\ Windows\ CurrentVersion\ Setup3.Edit the value next to SourcePath

Creating a Logon Banner


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If you want to create a Logon Banner: A message box to appear below your logon on.

1.Open RegEdit2.Go ToFor Windows 9x and ME -HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\ Windows\ CurrentVersion\ Winlogon

For Windows 2000 XP 2003 Vista -HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\ Windows\ CurrentVersion\ Winlogon

3.Create a new String value"LegalNoticeCaption "4. Enter the Title of the window. What is displayed in the Title Bar.5. Create a new string value "LegalNoticeText"6. Enter the text for your message box that will appear even before the Logon window.

Creating a Default File Opener

If you have a un-registered file type and want to view it instead of having to select Open With.Use Explorer's Right-click and add your program to the right-click options by:

1. Open RegEdit2. Go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Unknown\Shell3. Right click on "Shell" and create a New Key and name it "Open "4. Create a New Key under the "Open" key you just created and name it "Command"5. Set the (Default) value to the path and filename of the program you want to use to open thefile type6. For example: C:\Windows\NOTEPAD.EXE %1You must use the "%1" for this to work.and a space between the exe and the %1

Deleting Registry Keys from the Command Line

There are two ways to delete a key from the Registry from the Command line. At the WindowsCommand line:

RegEdit /l location of System.dat /R location of User.dat /D Registry key to deleteYou cannot be in Windows at the time you use this switch.

Or you can create a reg file as such:REGEDIT4

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\the key you want to delete]Note the negative sign just behind the[Then at the Command line type:1. RegEdit C:\Windows\(name of the regfile).

Change/Add Restrictions And Features

If you want to make restrictions to what users can do or use on their computer without having torun Poledit, you can edit the Registry. You can add and delete Windows features in this Keyshown below.

Zero is Off and the value 1 is On. Example: to Save Windows settings add or modify the valuename NoSaveSettings to 0, if set to1 Windows will not save settings. And NoDeletePrinter set to1 will prevent the user from deleting a printer.


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The same key shows up at:HKEY_USERS\(yourprofilename)\ Software\ Microsoft\ Windows\ CurrentVersion\ Policies\Explorer so change it there also if you are using different profiles.

1.Open RegEdit2.Go to

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\ CurrentVersion\ Policies3.Go to the Explorer Key (Additional keys that can be created under Policies are System,Explorer, Network and WinOldApp )4.You can then add DWORD or binary values set to 1 in the appropriate keys for ON and 0 foroff.NoDeletePrinter - Disables Deletion of PrintersNoAddPrinter - Disables Addition of PrintersNoRun - Disables Run CommandNoSetFolders - Removes Folders from Settings on Start MenuNoSetTaskbar - Removes Taskbar from Settings on Start MenuNoFind - Removes the Find CommandNoDrives - Hides Drives in My ComputersNoNetHood - Hides the Network NeighborhoodNoDesktop - Hides all icons on the DesktopNoClose - Disables ShutdownNoSaveSettings - Don't save settings on exitDisableRegistryTools - Disable Registry Editing ToolsNoRecentDocsMenu - Hides the Documents shortcut at the Start buttonNoRecentDocsHistory- Clears history of DocumentsNoFileMenu _ Hides the Files Menu in ExplorerNoActiveDesktop - No Active DesktopNoActiveDesktopChanges- No changes allowedNoInternetIcon - No Internet Explorer Icon on the Desktop

NoFavoritesMenu - Hides the Favorites menuNoChangeStartMenu _ Disables changes to the Start MenuNoFolderOptions _ Hides the Folder Options in the ExplorerClearRecentDocsOnExit - Empty the recent Docs folder on rebootNoLogoff - Hides the Log Off .... in the Start Menu

And here are a few more you can play withShowInfoTipNoTrayContextMenuNoStartMenuSubFoldersNoWindowsUpdateNoViewContextMenu

EnforceShellExtensionSecurityLinkResolveIgnoreLinkInfoNoDriveTypeAutoRunNoStartBannerNoSetActiveDesktopEditLevelNoNetConnectDisconnectRestrictRun - Disables all exe programs except those listed in the RestrictRun subkey


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This key has many other available keys, there is one to even hide the taskbar, one to hide thecontrol panel and more. I'm not telling you how, as someone may want to play a trick on you.The policies key has a great deal of control over how and what program can run and how one canaccess what feature.

In the System key you can enter:

NoDispCPL - Disable Display Control PanelNoDispBackgroundPage - Hide Background PageNoDispScrSavPage - Hide Screen Saver PageNoDispAppearancePage - Hide Appearance PageNoDispSettingsPage - Hide Settings PageNoSecCPL - Disable Password Control PanelNoPwdPage - Hide Password Change PageNoAdminPage - Hide Remote Administration PageNoProfilePage - Hide User Profiles PageNoDevMgrPage - Hide Device Manager PageNoConfigPage - Hide Hardware Profiles PageNoFileSysPage - Hide File System ButtonNoVirtMemPage - Hide Virtual Memory Button

In the Network key you can enter:NoNetSetup - Disable the Network Control PanelNoNetSetupIDPage - Hide Identification PageNoNetSetupSecurityPage - Hide Access Control PageNoFileSharingControl - Disable File Sharing ControlsNoPrintSharing - Disable Print Sharing Controls

In the WinOldApp key you can enter:Disabled - Disable MS-DOS PromptNoRealMode - Disables Single-Mode MS-DOS

Automatic Screen RefreshWhen you make changes to your file system and use Explorer, the changes are not usuallydisplayed until you press the F5 keyTo refresh automatically:1. Open RegEdit2. Go toHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Update3. Set the value name "UpdateMode" to 1

Disable Password Caching

To disable password caching, which allows for the single Network login and eliminates the

secondary Windows logon screen. Either use the same password or:1. Open RegEdit2. Go to the keyHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE \Microsoft\ Windows\ CurrentVersion\ Policies\Network3. Add a Dword value "DisablePwdCaching" and set the value to 1

Changing the MaxMTU for faster Downloads


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There are four Internet settings that can be configured, you can get greater throughput (fasterInternet downloads) by modifying a few settings.They are the MaxMTU, MaxMSS and DefaultRcvWindow, and DefaultTTL

1.Open RegEdit2.Go to

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlset\ Services\ Class\ net\ 000x(where x is your particular network adapter binding.)3.Right click on the right panel4.Select New\String Value and create the value name IPMTU5.Double click on it and enter then the number you want. The usual change is to 5766.Similarly, you can add IPMSS and give it a value of 536

(Windows 9X)You can set DefaultRcvWindow, and DefaultTTL by adding these string values toHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ System\ CurrentControlset\ Services\ VXD\ MSTCPSet the DefaultRcvWindow to"5840"and the DefaultTTL to "128"

Note: These settings will slow down your network access speed slightly, but you will probablynot even see the difference if you are using a network card. If you are using Direct Cable you

should see a sight difference.

Adding Items to the Start Button

To add items when you right-click on the Start Button:1.Open RegEdit2.Go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Shell3.Right-click on Shell and select New Key4.Type in the name of the key and press the Enter key5.In the Default name that shows in the right hand panel, you can add a title with a "&" characterin front of the letter for a shortcut6.Right-click on the key you just created and create another key under it called command7.For the value of this command, enter the full path and program you want to execute8.Now when you right click on the Start Button, your new program will be there.9.For example, if you want Word to be added, you would add that as the first key, the default inthe right panel would be &Word so when you right click on the Start Button, the W would be theHot Key on your keyboard. The value of the key would be C:\ProgramFiles\Office\Winword\Winword.exe

Remove Open, Explore & Find from Start Button

When you right click on the Start Button, you can select Open, Explore or Find.Open shows your Programs folder. Explore starts the Explorer and allows access to all drives.Find allows you to search and then run programs. In certain situations you might want to disablethis feature.

To remove them:1.Open RegEdit2.Go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Shell\Find3.Delete Find4.Scroll down below Directory to Folder5.Expand this section under shell6.Delete Explore and OpenCaution: - When you remove Open, you cannot open any folders.


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Removing Items from NEW Context Menu

When you right-click on the desktop and select New, or use the File Menu item in the Exploreand select New a list of default templates you can open up are listed.To remove items from that list:1. Open RegEdit

2. Do a Search for the string ShellNew in the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT Hive3. Delete the ShellNew command key for the items you want to remove.

Changing Telnet Window

You can view more data if you increase the line count of Telnet. By Default it has a window sizeof 25 lines. To increase this so you can scroll back and look at a larger number on lines:1. Open RegEdit2. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Telnet3. Modify the value data of "Rows"

Changing the Tips of the Day

You can edit the Tips of the day in the Registry by going to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\ Windows\ CurrentVersion\ explorer\ TipsDisabling Drives in My Computer

To turn off the display of local or networked drives when you click on My Computer:1.Open RegEdit2.Go toHKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\ Microsoft\ Windows\ CurrentVersion\ Policies\ Explorer3.Add a New DWORD item and name it NoDrives4.Give it a value of 3FFFFFF5.Now when you click on My Computer, none of your drives will show.

Changing the caption on the Title Bar

Change the Caption on the Title Bar for OutLook Express or the Internet Explorer:For Outlook Express:1. Open RegEdit2. Go toHKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\OutLook ExpressFor IE5 and up use:HKEY_CURRENT_USER\IDENTITIES \{9DDDACCO-38F2-11D6-93CA-812B1F3493B}\SOFTWARE\ MICROSOFT\ OUTLOOK EXPRESS\5.03. Add a string value "WindowTitle" (no space)4. Modify the value to what ever you like.

For no splash screen, add a dword value "NoSplash" set to 1

The Key {9DDDACCO-38F2-11D6-93CA-812B1F3493B} can be any key you find here. Eachuser has his own Key number.The Key 5.0 is whatever version of IE you have

For Internet Explorer:1. Open RegEdit2. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main3. Add a string value "Window Title" (use a space)4. Modify the value to what ever you like.


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Disabling the Right-Click on the Start Button

Normally, when you right button click on the Start button, it allows you to open your programsfolder, the Explorer and run Find.In situations where you don't want to allow users to be able to do this in order to secure yourcomputer.

1.Open RegEdit2.Search for Desktop3.This should bring you to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory4.Expand this section5.Under Shell is Find6.Delete Find7.Move down a little in the Registry to Folder8.Expand this section and remove Explore and OpenNow when you right click on the Start button, nothing should happen.You can delete only those items that you need.Note: - On Microsoft keyboards, this also disables the Window-E (for Explorer) and Window-F(for Find) keys.See the section on Installation in the RESKIT to see how to do this automatically during aninstall.

Disabling My Computer

In areas where you are trying to restrict what users can do on the computer, it might be beneficialto disable the ability to click on My Computer and have access to the drives, control panel etc.To disable this:1.Open RegEdit2.Search for 20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D3.This should bring you to the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID section4.Delete the entire section.

Now when you click on My Computer, nothing will happen.You might want to export this section to a Registry file before deleting it just in case you want toenable it again. Or you can rename it to 20D0HideMyComputer4FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D. You can also hide all the Desktop Icons, see Change/Add restrictions.

Opening Explorer from My Computer

By default, when you click on the My Computer icon, you get a display of all your drives, theControl Panel etc. If you would like to have this open the Explorer:1. Open RegEdit2. Go toHKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\ {20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\ Shell3 . Add a new Key named "Open" if it does not exists by right clicking "Shell" and selecting new.

4. . Add a new Key named "Command" by right clicking "Open" and selecting new5. Set the (Default) value for the Command Key to "Explorer.exe" or"C:\Windows\Explorer.exe"

Recycle Bin Edits

Fooling with the recycle bin. Why not make the icon context menu act like other icon contextmenus.Add rename to the menu:


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HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\ {645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}\ ShellFolder

"Attributes"=hex:50,01,00,20Add delete to the menu:HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\ {645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}\ ShellFolder

"Attributes"=hex:60,01,00,20Add rename and delete to the menu:HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\ {645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E} \ShellFolder

"Attributes"=hex:70,01,00,20Restore the recycle bin to Windows defaults including un-deleting the icon after deletion:Restore the icon.HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\ Windows \CurrentVersion\ explorer\Desktop\NameSpace\{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}@="Recycle Bin"Reset Windows defaults.

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\ {645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E} \ShellFolder

"Attributes"=hex:40,01,00,20Other edits to the recycle bin icon:HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\ {645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}\ ShellFolder

"Attributes"=hex:40,01,01,20 ... standard shortcut arrow"Attributes"=hex:40,01,02,20 ... a different shortcut arrow"Attributes"=hex:40,01,04,20 ... and still another shortcut arrow"Attributes"=hex:40,01,08,20 ... make it look disabled (like it's been cut)

For Windows XP and 2000 also edit HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ Software\ Microsoft\ Windows\

CurrentVersion\ Explorer\ CLSID\ {645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}For Windows ME also edit HKEY_CURRENT_USER \Software\ Classes\ CLSID\ {645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}

Setting the Minimum Password Length

1.Open RegEdit2.Go toHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\ Windows\ CurrentVersion\ Policies\Network3. Now, choose the Edit/New/Binary value command and call the new value MinPwdLen. PressEnter twice and Assign it a value equal to your minimum password length.

Add\delete programs to run every time Windows starts

You can start or stop programs from executing at boot up by adding or deleting them to/from therun Keys in the Registry. Windows loads programs to start in the following order; Program listedin the Local Machine hive, then the Current User hive, then theWin.ini Run= and Load = lines.then finally programs in your Start Up folder.

To add or remove programs in the Registry1.Open RegEdit2.Go to the desired Key


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HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows \CurrentVersion \RunHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows \CurrentVersion \RunServicesHKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows \CurrentVersion \RunHKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows \CurrentVersion \RunServices3. Add a new String Value and name it anything you like4. For the value data, enter the path and executable for the program you want to run.

By adding the value to the HKEY_CURRENT_USER hive instead allows the program to startonly when that user is logged on.

If you add the value to the RunOnce key the program will run once and be removed from the keyby Windows.

Removing the Shortcut Icon Arrows

1.Open RegEdit2.Open the Key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT3.Open the Key LNKFILE4.Delete the value IsShortcut5.Open the next Key PIFFILE6.Delete the value IsShortcut7.Restart the Windows

Turn Off Window Animation

You can shut off the animation displayed when you minimize and maximize Windows.1. Open RegEdit2. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control panel \Desktop\ WindowMetrics3. Create a new string value "MinAnimate".4. Set the value data of 0 for Off or 1 for On

Changing your Modem's Initialization String

1.Open RegEdit2.Go toHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet \Services \Class \Modem \0000 \Init3.Change the settings to the new values

Increasing the Modem Timeout

If your modem it is timing out during file transfers or loading Web Pages, you might tryincreasing the timeout period. To change the Time Out::1.Open RegEdit2.Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\ Services\ Class\ Modem\XXXX\ Settings Where XXXX is the number of your modem3. In the right panel and double click on Inactivity Timeout

4.The number of minutes for a timeout should be entered between the brackets.5.For example, a setting could have S19= to set it to 10 minutes.

Removing Programs from Control Panel's Add/Remove Programs Section

If you uninstalled a program by deleting the files, it may still show up in the Add/Removeprograms list in the Control Panel.In order to remove it from the list.1.Open RegEdit2.Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\ Windows\ CurrentVersion\


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Uninstall3.Delete any programs here.If you have a problem locating the desired program open each key and view the DisplayNamevalue

The Fix for Grayed Out Boxes

The File Types tab in Explorer's View / Options menu lets you edit most of your file types, butcertain settings cannot be changed. The default action for a batch file, for instance, runs the batchfile instead of opening it via Notepad or Wordpad. Thus, when you double-click onAUTOEXEC.BAT, a DOS window opens, and the file executes. If you want to change thisdefault action and edit a batch file when you double-click on it, however, the File Types tab doesnot let you do so; the Set Default button for the file type called MS-DOS Batch File is alwaysgrayed out.

The button is grayed out because HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT's batfile key contains an EditFlagvalue entry. Such entries are used throughout the Registry to prevent novice users from alteringcertain system settings. The binary data in batfile's EditFlag reads d0 04 00 00. If you change thisvalue to 00 00 00 00, you can then change any of the batch file settings. Do not, however,

indiscriminately zero out EditFlag; if you do so in a system ProgID such as Drive or AudioCD, itcompletely disappears from the File Types list. For ProgIDs that are linked to extensions, set allEditFlags to 00 00 00 00. For system ProgIDs, replace EditFlag data with 02 00 00 00.

If you wish to have access to some buttons while leaving others grayed out, you must know thefunction of each EditFlag bit. The last two bytes of data are always zero, but most bits within thefirst two bytes have a specific effect:

Byte 1, bit 1: Removes the file type from the master list in the File Types tab (select View

/ Options under Explorer) if it has an associated extension.

Byte 1, bit 2: Adds the file type to the File Types tab if it does not have an associated

extension.

Byte 1, bit 3: Identifies a type with no associated extension.

Byte 1, bit 4: Grays out the Edit button in the File Types tab.

Byte 1, bit 5: Grays out the Remove button in the File Types tab.

Byte 1, bit 6: Grays out the New button in the Edit File Type dialog (select the Edit

button in the File Types tab).

Byte 1, bit 7: Grays out the Edit button in the Edit File Type dialog.

Byte 1, bit 8: Grays out the Remove button in the Edit File Type dialog.

Byte 2, bit 1: Prevents you from editing a file type's description in the Edit File Type

dialog. Byte 2, bit 2: Grays out the Change Icon button in the Edit File Type dialog.

Byte 2, bit 3: Grays out the SetDefault button in the Edit File Type dialog.

Byte 2, bit 4: Prevents you from editing an action's description in the Edit Action dialog

(select the Edit button in the Edit File Type dialog).

Byte 2, bit 5: Prevents you from editing the command line in the Edit Action dialog.


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Byte 2, bit 6: Prevents you from setting DDE (Dynamic Data Exchange) fields in the Edit

Action dialog.

The EditFlags value for Drive, for instance, is d2 01 00 00 in Hex (1101 0010 0000 0001 inbinary). Bits 2, 5, 7, and 8 are on in byte 1, and bit 1 is on in byte 2. The EditFlag for batfile is d004 00 00 in Hex or 1101 0000 0000 0100 in binary. In this case, bits 5, 7, and 8 are on in byte 1,

and bit 3 is on in byte 2.Bits 4, 5, and 6 of byte 2 apply only to actions that are protected. EditFlags with action keys(such as HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\batfile\shell\open) determine protection. If byte 1, bit 1 ofsuch an EditFlag is 0 (or if there is no EditFlag), then the action is protected. If byte 1, bit 1 is 1,then the action is unprotected.

Protection on system files

To enable protection on system files such as the KnownDLLs list, add the following value;

1. Open RegEdit2. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\ Control\ SessionManager3. Create the a Dword value and name it "ProtectionMode "

4. Set the Value to1


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Password Recovery Disk

Take preventive measures against losing user-level passwords.

It doesn't matter if you never again remember a Windows user password.Thanks to XP's Forgotten Password Wizard, your conscience will be free and

clear -- should your mind happen to accidentally misplace your user

password.

I highly suggest you create a password recovery disk the minute you createyour user account. Why? In order to create a password recovery disk you're

going to need your password. Write it down the minute you create your user

account and then proceed to creating your very own password recovery disk.

Here's how to launch the Forgotten Password Wizard:

Single-click Start menu, Control Panel, and User Accounts.

Click your user account name.Under Related Tasks on the left, click "Prevent forgotten password" to launch

the wizard.

Now that you've launched the wizard, let it walk you through creating the

recovery disk. Make sure the disk you use is formatted and in the drive.

After it's finished creating the disk, label it and stash it away for anemergency.

If you happen to forget your password, all you need to do is click your user

icon at the logon screen. Even though you don't have your password, goahead and click the green arrow just like you would to finish logging on to

your computer. This will launch a little yellow dialog box directing you to use

your password recovery disk.


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