Tips Windows

Disable Status Messages During Boot

2012-09-26T07:19:00.001-07:00

Start/Run/Regedit

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System Right click in the right pane and select New, DWord value. Name the new value DisableStatusMessages. Double click the new value and set it to 1. Status messages will no longer show during boot/shutdown/logon/logoff.

Reset Windows Password

2009-11-08T18:56:00.000-08:00

Let's say you change the password very often on your Windows XP admin account from your home computer and you suddenly realize you don't remember the password. What do you do? No, you don't reinstall Windows XP and you don't format your hard-disk. You download Offline NT password & Registry editor, create a bootable floppy or CD, boot from the floppy / CD and start the utility. You can reset the password of any user that has a local account on your system.

This tip works for NT operating system: Windows NT4, 2000, XP and 2003.

Automatic Window Refresh

2009-10-08T05:58:00.000-07:00

Start/Run/Regedit
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Update. Value Name: UpdateMode, Data Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value), Value Data: default = 1. Create a new DWORD value, or modify the existing value, named "UpdateMode" and set it to equal "0" for faster updates. Restart Windows for the change to take effect.

Restrict Applications Users Can Run

2009-10-08T05:57:00.001-07:00

Start/Run/Regedit
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer. Value Name: RestrictRun Open your registry and find the key [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion \Policies\Explorer] Create a new DWORD value and name it "RestrictRun" set the value to "1" to enable application restrictions or "0" to allow all applications to run.

Then create a new sub-key called [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion \Policies\Explorer\RestrictRun] and define the applications that are allowed. Creating a new string value for each application, named as consecutive numbers, and setting the value to the filename to be allowed (e.g. "regedit.exe"). Restart Windows for the changes to take effect.

Note: If you are the person who applies Group Policy, do not apply this policy to yourself. If applied too broadly, this policy can prevent administrators from running Group Policy or the registry editors. As a result, once applied, you cannot change this policy except by reinstalling Windows.

Enable Path Command Line Completion

2009-10-08T05:57:00.000-07:00

Start/Run/Regedit

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Command Processor] Value Name: PathCompletionChar Data Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value) Value Data: Hex Control Character Create a new DWORD value, or modify the existing value, called 'PathCompletionChar' and set it to equal the hex value of the required control character.

For example to use the TAB key set the value to '9', to use Ctrl-D set the value to '4' and for Ctrl-F set the value to '6'. Now when you are using a command prompt and type the first part of a directory name then press the specified key, Windows will complete the remainder for you. Pressing the key multiple times will scroll through the available options.

Restrict Users from Running Specific Applications

2009-10-08T05:56:00.000-07:00

Start/Run/Regedit
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer.Value Name: DisallowRun
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion \Policies\Explorer] Create a new DWORD value and name it "DisallowRun" set the value to "1" to enable application restrictions or "0" to allow all applications to run.

Then create a new sub-key called [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Explorer\DisallowRun] and define the applications the are to be restricted. Creating a new string value for each application, named as consecutive numbers, and setting the value to the filename to be restriced (e.g. "regedit.exe"). Restart Windows for the changes to take effect.

Control Automatic Boot Disk Optimization

2009-10-08T05:55:00.001-07:00

Start/Run/Regedit
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Dfrg\ BootOptimizeFunction. Value Name: Enable, Data Type: REG_SZ (String Value), Value Data: (Y = enabled, N = disabled). Create a new String value, or modify the existing value, called 'Enable' and edit the value according to the settings below. Exit your registry, you may need to restart or log out of Windows for the change to take effect.

View Which Hot Fix Patches Have Been Installed

2009-10-08T05:55:00.000-07:00

Start/Run/Regedit
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\ CurrentVersion\Hotfix. Periodically Microsoft releases Hot Fix's to patch bugs in Windows and other products, this key contains information about which Hot fix's have been installed.

Change Default Search Options

2009-10-08T05:54:00.001-07:00

Start/Run/Regedit
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Explorer. Data Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value), Value Data: (0 = unselected, 1 = selected). Modify the following values, setting them to "1" to select the parameter as a default or "0" as unselected. CaseSensitive, IncludeSubFolders, SearchHidden, SearchSlowFiles, SearchSystemDirs, Restart or logoff Windows for the change to take effect.

Control the Auto Complete Mode

2009-10-08T05:54:00.000-07:00

Start/Run/Regedit
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Explorer\AutoComplete. Value Name: Append Completion, Data Type: REG_SZ (String Value), Value Data: yes or no. Create a new string value, or modify the existing value, named "Append Completion" and set it to "yes" to append the suggested text as you are typing or "no" to only show a drop-down list. Restart Windows for the change to take effect. Note: This setting also changes the auto complete functionality of Internet Explorer.

Add Explore From Here to Every Folder

2009-10-08T05:53:00.000-07:00

Start/Run/Regedit
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\Explore. Value Name: (Default), Data Type: REG_SZ (String Value), Value Data: explorer.exe /e,/root,"%1" Change the value of '(Default)' to equal 'E&xplore From Here'. Create a new key under the [Explore] key called command, and edit the (Default) value to equal explorer.exe /e,/root,"%1".

New Command Missing in Windows Explorer

2009-10-08T05:51:00.000-07:00

Start/Run/Regedit
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shellex\ ContextMenuHandlers\New. Value Name: (Default), Data Type: REG_SZ (String Value), Value Data: {D969A300-E7FF-11d0-A93B-00A0C90F2719} Open your registry and verify that the key listed below has the value listed, and if needed, edit the value to match the value listed.

Remove Properties from My Computer

2009-10-08T05:00:00.000-07:00

This restriction removes the properties option from My Computer and hides the "System Properties" screen.

Start/Run/Regedit
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Explorer
Value Name: NoPropertiesMyComputer, Data Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value) Value Data: (0 = Properties, 1 = No Properties) Create a new DWORD value, or modify the existing value, called 'NoPropertiesMyComputer' and edit the value according to the settings above.

Prioritizing IRQs

2009-10-08T04:59:00.000-07:00

Start/Run/Regedit
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\PriorityControl. Create a new DWORD value called IRQ8PRiority and set the data to 1, reboot.

Speed up Share Viewing

2009-10-08T04:58:00.000-07:00

Start/Run/Regedit
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Explorer\RemoteComputer\NameSpace. Delete the key called {D6277990-4C6A-11CF-8D87-00AA0060F5BF} and reboot.

Startup a Program Just Once then delete from the Registry

2009-10-08T04:57:00.001-07:00

Start/Run/Regedit
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Runonce. Data Type: REG_SZ. Value: path to the program.

Startup Programs Without the Startup Folder

2009-10-08T04:57:00.000-07:00

Start/Run/Regedit
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run. Data Type: REG_SZ. Value: path to program.

Force Exit

2009-10-08T04:56:00.000-07:00

Start/Run/Regedit
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop
In the right pane find, "AutoEndTasks" (Create if not present). Set the Value of 0 or delete it. No reboot needed.

Speed Up Menu Display

2009-10-08T04:55:00.001-07:00

Start/Run/Regedit
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop In the right pane select, "MenuShowDelay". Right click, modify and set the value to 100. Reboot.

Enable/Disable Boot Defrag

2009-10-08T04:55:00.000-07:00

Start/Run/Regedit
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\DfrgBootOptimizeFunction Right click, modify and change to value to Y to enable, N to disable.

Automatically Close Non-Responding Applications on Shutdown

2009-10-08T04:54:00.000-07:00

Start/Run/Regedit
HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\Desktop, Value Name: AutoEndTasks, Data Type: REG_SZ (String Value), Value Data: (0 = disabled, 1 = enabled). Modify the value of 'AutoEndTasks' to equal '1' to automatically end tasks or '0' to prompt for action. Note: This change will affect all users but the value can also be changed on a user-by-user basis by modifying [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop] with the same values.

End Task Time Out

2009-10-08T04:53:00.001-07:00

Start/Run/Regedit
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control Add a new string value called, "WaitToKillServiceTimeout" and change the Value to 2000. Exit, reboot.

Change Default Search Options

2009-10-08T04:53:00.000-07:00

Start/Run/Regedit
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Explorer. Data Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value), Value Data: (0 = unselected, 1 = selected). Modify the following values, setting them to "1" to select the parameter as a default or "0" as unselected. CaseSensitive, IncludeSubFolders, SearchHidden, SearchSlowFiles, SearchSystemDirs. Restart or logoff Windows for the change to take effect.

Stop Error Messages When Booting

2009-10-08T04:52:00.000-07:00

Start/Run/Regedit
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Windows. Value Name: NoPopupsOnBoot, Data Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value), Value Data: (1 = disable messages). Stops the annoying Windows pop-up messages notifying you a device is not functioning when you boot-up Windows. Create a REG_DWORD value of 'NoPopupsOnBoot' in the key below (if it doesn't already exist). Set the value to '1' to disable pop-up messages from appearing.

Unload DLL's

2009-10-08T04:51:00.000-07:00

Start/Run/Regedit
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer. Create a new sub-key named 'AlwaysUnloadDLL' and set the default value to equal '1' to disable Windows caching the DLL in memory. Restart Windows for the change to take effect.