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WINDOWS REGISTRY TIPS AND
TWEAKS
BY SUBHROJIT
SENGUPTA
This
Tutorial contains a list of essential Windows Registry twigs &
tricks.
You may
try then out but at first please back up your registry.This is the
First
part of the Window Registry Tick.Stay tuned for
more.
For any
Querries please mail me at:
subhro_4u@hotmail.com
subhro4u@eml.cc
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REMOVE
TASK SCHEDULER:
Task
Scheduler is automatically installed in some versions of Windows, and also when
you install Internet Explorer. This tweak will remove it from your system. Open
your registry and find the key below.
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServices]
Value
Name: SchedulingAgent
Data
Type: REG_SZ (String Value)
Data:
mstask.exe
There
should be a value named SchedulingAgent which is set
to equal mstask.exe, this is the entry that loads the Task Scheduler. Delete
this value to stop the task manager loading again.
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CONTROL
THE WINDOWS ANIMATION FUNCTION (Windows 9x and NT):
Although
the Windows animation function, can look good it can slow down your PC if you
have a slower graphics card. This settings allows you to control the Windows
animation function. Open your registry and change the value of MinAnimate found in the key below, set the value to 0 for
disabled or 1 for enabled. If the value doesn't already exist simply create a
new string value and name it MinAnimate.
Key:
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop]
Value
Name: MinAnimate
Data
Type: REG_SZ (String Value)
Data:
(0=disable, 1=enable)
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REMOVING
PROGRAMS LISTED IN THE ADD/REMOVE PROGRAMS BOX (Windows 9x and
NT):
All
Windows 9x or NT compatible programs must include an Uninstall program,
sometimes though the program may get removed but entry in Add/Remove programs
doesn't, from this key you can remove those orphaned
entries.
Using
Regedit open the key below. Under this key will be a
number of sub-keys, each representing an installed application. To see which
application each sub-key represents, open it and there should be at least two
values DisplayName and UninstallString. DisplayName is
the name used in the Add/Remove programs list, and UninstallString is the program used to uninstall the
application.
To remove
a program from the list you can simple delete the sub-key representing that
program.
Key:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall]
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CD-ROM
DOES NOT RUN AUTOMATICALLY WHEN INSERTED (Windows 9x):
When you
insert a CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive, it may not be run automatically, changing
this registry key should correct the problem.
Key:
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
Value
Name: NoDriveTypeAutoRun
Data
Type: REG_BINARY (Binary Value)
Data:
0000 95 00 00 00
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HOW TO
REVEAL MORE INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR CPU:
To reveal
a bit more information on your CPU, try this neat little trick with Intel-based
machines. Open the following Registry key using Regedit. Double-click VendorIdentifier and put a space between Genuine and
Intel.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Hardware\Description\System\CentralProcessor\0
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RESET THE
PASSWORD TO THE CONTENT ADVISOR IN INTERNET EXPLORER:
If you
find you cannot visit the web sites you've been to so often, and you cannot
change the content settings in Explorer Tools because you've forgotten the
password, this will get rid of the old password for you. Open this Registry key
using Regedit and Delete the entry in the right window
called Key. You will then have to Reboot your system.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Ratings
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CLEARING
START | RUN HISTORY LIST:
Clear the
list of entries in Start > Run history list finding the following
key.
You will
see a list of entries that you've run with the Run command line on the Start
menu.
Delete
the items that you wish to remove from the list.
HKEY_USERS\.Default\Software\Micosoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\RunMRU
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LOCK YOUR
WINDOWS SETTINGS:
You can
lock your windows setting (or rather prevent them from being permanently
saved).
Using
RegEdit locate the following
key.
You
should see some items listed here, on the Edit menu select New and then DWORD
Value.
Name the
new item NoSaveSettings.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
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DELETING
DESKTOP ICONS:
Deleting
some of the Hard To Kill icons on your destop can be
accomplished by locating the following key.
You will
see some items listed here.
Click on
each item, see what it is, and delete it if you no longer want
it.
This
change is permanent!
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\Desktop\NameSpace
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ADDING
APPLICATIONS TO THE CONTEXT MENU:
You can
add applications to the Context Menu (right-click) in Windows Explorer by doing
the following.
In this
example we'll add Notepad to the menu.
Using
Regedit locate the following
key:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*
* should be highlighted at this
time
Click Edit > New > Key. Name
the new key shell. shell should be highlighted.
Click Edit > New > Key. Name
the new key open. Click on the open folder.
Double-click the Default entry on
the right window and change the Value data to:
&Notepad
Click OK. open should be
highlighted.
Click Edit > New > Key. Name
the key command
Click on the command
folder.
Double-click the Default entry on
the right window and change the Value data to: Notepad.exe
%1
Click OK.
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DISPLAY
ICON AS BMP:
You can
set up explorer to display a BMP as the icon by changing the following
key.
This will
be set to a default windows image file icon.
Double-click on the Default entry
on the right window. Change the Value Data to: %1
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Paint.Picture\DefaultIcon
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DOS
PROMPT FROM HERE:
To jump
to a DOS prompt from the right-click context menu, use Regedit to locate the following key:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell
shell should be
highlighted.
Click Edit > New > Key and
name the new key DosHere
Click the open
folder.
Double-click the Default entry on
the right window and change the Value data to: DOS &Prompt from
Here
Click OK.
rootexplore should be highlighted.
Click Edit > New > Key and
name the new key command
Click the command
folder.
Double-click the Default entry on
the right window and change the Value data to: C:\WINDOWS\command.com /k cd "%1"
Click OK.
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SPEED UP
MENU DISPLAY:
This is
how you can speed up how fast your menus are displayed.
Use RegEdit to locate the following key. Create a new String
Value key and name it MenuShowDelay.
Double-Click on this new value and
change the Value data to: 0 (or whatever you want to delay in
seconds).
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control
Panel\desktop
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Speed up
File View Refresh Rate:
You can
speed up Explorer's refresh rate by editing the following key
value.
Using
Regedit locate the following key
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\control\Update
Double-click on UpdateMode and Change the Value data to 00 from
01
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.... stay
tuned for updates ....