Shutdown Icon is Missing
If the left button is missing so you can't assign it to shutdown your computer, you may need to make a change to your Group Policy
Start
Run
regedit
Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Policies \ Explorer
On the right hand panel, delete the key NoClose
Log off and back on again.
---
Another method is using the Group Policy Editor
Start
Run
gpedit.msc
Go to User Configuration / Administrative Tools / Start Menu and Taskbar
In the right hand panel, double click on Remove and prevent access to the Shutdown, Restart, Sleep, and Hibernate commands
Double click on Disabled
Click on Apply and Ok
Log off and back on again.
Changing the Location of the Documents Folder
If you would like to change the location of the Documents folder to a new location:
Create the new location's folder
Click on the Start button
Right click on My Documents
Select Properties
Click on the Location tab
Click on Move and select the new location you just created
For example, I prefer to keep all my data on a second partition for easier backup. My Documents folder is moved to D:\Data\Documents
Quick Access to Programs in the Quick Launch Bar
If you want to quickly access any of the programs in the Quick Launch bar,Press the Windows key with the number corresponding to the location of the program.
For example, if Outlook is your fourth item, you would press Windows+4
Easy Access to Clock / Calendar
By left clicking on the clock in the system tray, you have a quick view of the clock and the current month's calendar.
You can then scroll for preceding and upcoming months as well
Displaying a Checkbox For Selecting Files and Directories
Normally when you want to select a file or folder, it is somewhat difficult to determine exactly what is check and what isn't.
To change this:
Start the Windows Explorer
Go to Tools / Folder Options
Click on the View tab
Check the box for Use check boxes to select items (it's towards the bottom)
Changing the Desktop Icon Size
By default, the icons on the desktop are quite large.To change the size
Right click on the Desktop
Select View
Set it to Classic Icons
You can also hold down the Control key while the desktop is displayed
Use the wheel mouse to make the icons larger or smaller
This gives more control
Flip3D Task Switching
Added more information on how to use Flip3D Task Switching
Installing Vista With No Product Key
You can install Vista with no product key and have 30 days to evaluate it
Boot from the DVD and start the installation
Select the Language, Time and Currency, and Keyboard
Click on Next
Click on Install Now
Don't enter a Product Key
Uncheck Automatically activate Windows when I'm online
Click on Next
Click on No to confirm you do not want to enter a product key
Highlight the version of Vista you want to install
Check that it is the same edition you have purchased (if you want to enter in a product key at a later time).
Click on Next
Check accept the license and terms
Click on Next
Install a clean copy and continue as with a regular install
Changing the Windows Explorer Columns
By default, the Windows Explorer displays file's Name, Date Modified, Size and TypeIf you want to Add or Change these,
Right click on any of the columns
Check or Uncheck any times you want
Click on More to display an extremely rich list of options to display
To Move columns
Left click and drag the column to the location you want
Changing the Folders Vista Includes to Index and Search
When you search for files, the default setting for Vista is to search only in the User's Documents folderTo add to the locations that are included in Vista's Indexing
Open the Control Panel
Go to System and Maintenance
Go to Indexing Options
Click on the Modify button
Click on the Show all locations button
Check the Drives or Folders in Drives that you want to include
Click on the Close button
For more details with screenshots see Vista Indexing and Search
Turning Hibernate On or Off
If you don't need your computer to Hibernate or want to turn it back on again
Open the Start Menu
Right click Command Prompt
Select Run as administrator
To turn Hibernation off - powercfg -hibernate off
To turn Hibernation on - powercfg -hibernate on
If you turn it off, it won't even show on the Start Menu
Changing the Action for the Start Menu Power Button
At the bottom right of the Start Menu are three icons.The left one (circle with a vertical line) is the Power ButtonTo change the action (Sleep, Hibernate or Power Off)
Go to the Control Panel
Select System Maintenance and then Power Options if it is the Default View or
Select Power Options if it is the Classic View
Under your current plan, click on Change plans settings
Click on Change advanced power settings
Click on the + by Power buttons and lid
Click on the + by Start menu power button
For the Setting, select Sleep, Hibernate or Shutdown
Click on Apply and OK
Now when you hover over icon, you can see the action it will take.
Opening to a Command Prompt from the Explorer
If you are using the Windows Explorer, and want to open a folder to a command prompt:
With the folder in the right hand panel
Hold down the Shift key
Right Click
Select Open Command Window Here
RoboCopy
RoboCopy or Robust File Copy for Windows is an enhanced file copy that far surpasses what you can do from either the Explorer or XCOPY.It is a very robust command line driven program with a huge amount of switches and options. In addition to standard switches like /S for subdirectories,Just a short list is:
/PURGE :: delete dest files/dirs that no longer exist in source
/MOV :: MOVe files (delete from source after copying)
/MON:n :: MONitor source; run again when more than n changes seen.
/MOT:m :: MOnitor source; run again in m minutes Time, if changed
/MAX:n :: MAXimum file size - exclude files bigger than n bytes.
/MAXAGE:n :: MAXimum file AGE - exclude files older than n days/date
/R:n :: number of Retries on failed copies: default 1 million
/TBD :: wait for sharenames To Be Defined (retry error 67)
Showing the Explorer Menu
By default, the Windows Explorer does not show the menu bar.
To temporarily display the menu, press the Alt button
To turn it on permanently, press the Alt button.
Tools / Folder options
Click on the View tab
Check Always show menus
Viewing Hidden and System Files
Added 2/17/07
To configure the Explorer to view hidden and system files.
Click on the the Control Panel / Folders icon
Click on the View tab at the top
Check or uncheck the options you want
Common ones to change are:
Check Show hidden files and folders
Uncheck Hide extensions for known file types
Uncheck Hide protected operating system files - You will get a warning when you do this last one.
Turning on Single Click for Icons
To make it so you can single click on your icons
Click on the the Control Panel / Folders icon
Check Single click to open an item
Displaying the Volume Control on the System Tray
To show the volume control on the task tray:
Right click on the taskbar
Select Properties
Click on the Notification Area tab
Check Volume
Removing the Shortcut Arrows
Open REGEDIT.EXE
Open the key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
Open the Key LNKFILE
Rename the value IsShortcut
Log out and back in again.
To reset it, just rename the key back again, and log off and back on.
Vista Opening Links to Another Web Browser Than IE
By default, when you click on a link to a web page, Vista will automatically use the Internet Explorer.If you want it to use some other program like Firefox:
Go to the Control Panel \ Programs \ Default Programs
Click on Set your default programs
Select the Web Browser you want to use
Click on Choose defaults for this program
Under Protocols, check HTTP
Click on Save
You can also check .htm and .html as well
Now when you click on links in an e-mail for example, your other web browser will start.
----
If your other browser does not show here, then you can make a change to the registry
Go to:HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Associations\UrlAssociations\http\UserChoice
Change it from IE.HTTP to Firefox.Url (if you are using Firefox for example)
No reboot is necessary
Allowing Network Access with Blank Passwords with Vista
Although you can log in locally without a password, by default, Vista does not allow network users to access the computer without a password.
To change this setting:
Run gpedit.msc
Go to Computer Configuration / Windows Settings / Security Settings / Local Policies / Security Options
Double click on Accounts: Limit local account use of blank passwords to console login only
Disable this option
Adding the IE 7 Icon to the desktop
By default, the icon for the Internet Explorer 7 does not show up on the Vista desktop
To add it back in again, a registry edit is needed.
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel]"{871C5380-42A0-1069-A2EA-08002B30309D}"=dword:00000000
Then log off and back on again
Resizing Partitions
Vista now has the ability to resize partitions.
Right click on Computer
Select Manage
Click on Disk Management
Right click on a partition
Select Shrink or Extend depending on what you want to do
Note: As with all changes to partition sizes, have a good set of backups beforehand is a good idea
Access Denied to Folders
If you are getting Access Denied errors when trying to open folders like Documents and Settings, Application Data, Local settings:
Right click on the Folder
Select Properties
Click on the Security tab
Click on the Advanced button
Click on the Owner tab
Click on the Edit button
In the Change owner to box, highlight your account
Check Replace owner on subcontainers and objects
Click on Apply
Click on Yes to replace all permissions
Continue to click on OK until you
Using the Snip Tool
There is a program called Snip that will let you capture screenshots to put in documents or send as e-mail.To access it, simply open the Startup Menu and type SNIP
Next to the New button, click on the down-arrow and select what type of capture you want to do, Free Form, Rectangular, Window or Full-Screen.
Once you capture the screen, you can save it as a HTML, PNG, GIF or JPG
Sending a Picture as an E-Mail
In previous versions of Windows, you could always right click on a graphic and have the option to send it to a mail recipient. But you could only send an small or full size image.
With Vista you also have several size options to choose from, 640x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1280x1024 and Original Size
Pinning Programs to the Start Menu
You can add programs that appear on the top of the Start Menu.These are always there and are above recently opened programs
Right click on the program
Select Pin to Start Menu
GUI Performance
You can turn off some of the eyecandy to help speed of graphics performance
Open the Start menu
Right click on My Computer
Select Properties
Click on Advanced System Settings
In the Performance section, click on the Settings button
Click on Custom
I usually only have:Show preview and filters in folder, Show shadows under mouse pointer, Show thumbnails instead of icons, Show window contents while dragging, Smooth edges of screen fonts, Use drop shadows for icon labels, Use visual styles on windows and buttons
Displaying Run on the Desktop
You can create a shortcut for the Run command on your desktop
From the Start Menu, go to All Programs / Accessories
Drag a shortcut for Run to the desktop
Displaying Run on the Start Menu
By default, Run is not shown when you open the Start Menu.To enable this:
Right click on the taskbar
Select Properties
Click on the Start Menu tab
Click on the Customize button
Scroll down and check Run (it's about 2/3's of the way towards the bottom
Changing the Sidebar
By default, the sidebar can take up a unwanted room on the desktop. You also can't put icons on the space it uses.If you want to retain the ability to display the sidebar gadgets but also want full use of the desktop,you can detach individual gadgets.
Right-click the gadget you want to detach
Click Detach from Sidebar
Move the gadget wherever you want on the desktop
Right click on the sidebar
Click on Close Sidebar
There will now be an icon in the system tray for the sidebar if you want to get it back
You can also get more gadgets on-line
Services You Can Disable
There are several services you can disable to help improve performance.
Desktop Window Manager Session Manager - Provides Desktop Window Manager startup and maintenance services.If you don't plan on using Aero Glass, you can disable this service.
Diagnostic Policy Service - Enables problem detection, troubleshooting and resolution for Windows componentsSet to Disabled
Diagnostic Service Host - Same as above
Diagnostic System Host - Same as above
Offline Files - The Offline Files service performs maintenance activities on the Offline Files cache, responds to user logon and logoff events, implements the internals of the public API, and dispatches interesting events to those interested in Offline Files activities and changes in cache state.
Terminal Services - Allows users to connect interactively to a remote computer. Remote Desktop and Terminal Server depend on this service. If you don't use either of these, then you can disable the service.
Windows Error Reporting Service - Allows errors to be reported when programs stop working or responding and allows existing solutions to be delivered.
Windows Search - Formerly this was the Indexing Service. Provides content indexing.
Windows XP Tips
IPCONFIG Error
When you run IPCONFIG and get an error:
An internal error occured: The request is not supported. Please contact Microsoft Product Support Services for further help. Additional information: Unable to query routing information
You need to copy a clean TCPIP.SYS file to the \windows\system32\drivers directory and reboot.
Browse Master Monitor
If you have trouble browsing the network with only a few computers, you might check to see what Browse Master they are using. There is a utility from Microsoft that will let you see what each computer is using for a browse master called Browsemon.
Taking Ownership Of a Folder
Sometimes when you reinstall WindowsXP, you can receive an Access Denied error when trying to open a previous user's directory.To take ownership of that folder again:
Log on with an account that has administrator rights
Right click on the folder
Select Properties
Click on the Security tab
Click on the Advanced button
Click on the Owner tab
In the list of Names, click on your name
To take ownership, click on Replace owner on subcontainers and objects
Click OK and Yes
Repairing Damaged Winsock2
The symptoms when Winsock2 is damaged shows when you try to release and renew the IP address using IPCONFIG.
And you get the following error message: An error occurred while renewing interface 'Internet': An operation was attempted on something that is not a socket.
Also Internet Explorer may give the following error message: The page cannot be displayed Additionally, you may have no IP address or no Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA) address, and you may be receiving IP packets but not sending them.
-----
If you have WindowsXP with Service Pack 2, there is a one line command you can run to reset the winsock2 registry entriesnetsh winsock reset catalog
------
There are two easy ways to determine if Winsock2 is damaged:
From the XP source files, go to the Support / Tools directory
Winsock Test Method 1Run netdiag /test:winsock
The end should say Winsock test ..... passed
Winsock Test Method 2
Run Msinfo32
Click on the + by Components
Click on the by Network
Click on Protocol
There should be 10 sections if the Winsock2 key is ok
MSAFD Tcpip [TCP/IP]MSAFD Tcpip [UDP/IP]RSVP UDP Service ProviderRSVP TCP Service ProviderMSAFD NetBIOS [\Device\NetBT_Tcpip... MSAFD NetBIOS [\Device\NetBT_Tcpip... MSAFD NetBIOS [\Device\NetBT_Tcpip... MSAFD NetBIOS [\Device\NetBT_Tcpip... MSAFD NetBIOS [\Device\NetBT_Tcpip... MSAFD NetBIOS [\Device\NetBT_Tcpip...
If the names are anything different from those in this list, then likely Winsock2 is corrupted and needs to be repaired. If you have any 3rd party software installed, the name MSAFD may be changed.There should be no fewer than 10 sections.To repair Winsock2
Run Regedit
Delete the following two registry keys:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\WinsockHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Winsock2
Restart the computer
Go to Network Connections
Right click and select Properties
Click on the Install button
Select Protocol
Click on the Add button
Click on the Have Disk button
Browse to the \Windows\inf directory
Click on the Open button
Click on the OK button
Highlight Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)
Click on the OK button
Reboot
Task Manager is Menu Bar is Missing
If you start the Task Manager and menu bar and tabs are missing, the Task Manager is running in Tiny Footprint mode.
To fix this, simply double click on an empty space in the top border
Network Connection Always Shows Access Denied
If you are always getting Access Denied errors when trying to connect to a XP computer, and you know you have the correct user names and passwords on the computer, the solution may be a simple registry edit.
Start Regedit
Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE / SYSTEM / CurrentControlSet / Control / Lsa
Change the value of a key called "restrictanonymous" to 0 instead of 1
Don't change "restrictanonymoussam" value.
Reboot
Hiding Manage My Computer
If you want to remove Manage My Computer from My Computer
Start Regedit
Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER / Software / Microsoft / Windows / CurrentVersion / Policies / Explorer
Create a DWORD value called NoManageMyComputerVerb
Set the value to 1
Reboot
Finding Your XP Product ID
Added 11/25/05
There is a great little utility available to help you find your currently installed product IDhttp://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder.shtml
It also works for Windows 95, 98, ME, NT4, 2000, XP, Server 2003, Office 97, and Office XP
Forgotten Admin or User's Password
You do not need to reinstall if you forgot the admin password.There is a boot disk you can download at:http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/that will let you reset the password of any account on NT4, Windows2000 or XP.Just follow all the default settings which are for the admin account. Used it many times with great success.They also have a bootable CD image you can download.
Showing Common Tasks in Window
When you open a window from My Computer or the Control Panel, and you don't see the blue bar with additional options on the left side, you may simply need to turn on Common Tasks
From that same windows, go to Tools / Folder Options
Check Show common tasks in folders
Renaming Multiple Files in a Directory
If you want to rename multiple files in the same directory:
Using the Windows Explorer, select all the files you want to rename
Press F2 or right click and select Rename
Enter the prefix for the name you want (e.g. Newname)
This will automatically rename the rest of the files Newname (1).jpg, Newname (2).jpg etc.
Make sure you include the extension if you have the Explorer configured to show them.
Disable Windows Tour
If you want to disable the Take Tour of Windows XP that comes up after you install WindowsXP:
Start Regedit
Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Tour
Create a new DWORD key called RunCount
Give it a value of 0
Windows Help and Support Error
If you get an error Windows cannot find HELPCTR.EXE, it may be that a registry entry has gotten corrupted.
Start Regedit
Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\HELPCTR.EXE
If the key isn't there, right click and create a new key HELPCTR.EXE
It should have a value of C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\Binaries\HelpCtr.exe
Reboot
Speeding Up Network Browsing
There are a lot of things which can negatively impact how fast XP will browse network shares. One has been previously covered regarding browsing to Win9x computers.
Other things you can try, especially when there is slow browsing to network shares with a lot of files:
1. Remove current shortcuts in My Network Places
2. Change the registry so shared folders on remote computers are not automatically added to My Network Places when you even open a document from that shared folder
Start Regedit
Create a DWORD value:
HKEY_Current_User \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Policies \ Explorer \ NoRecentDocsNetHood to 1.
I have also seen setting the following help as well.HKEY_Current_User \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Policies \ Explorer \ UseDesktopIniCache to 1.
3. Increase the amount of data is buffered at one time to send to a client. On the computer with the shared directory:
Start Regedit
Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanmanServer\Parameters
Create a DWORD Key called SizReqBuf
Give it a value of Hex FFFF
Editing the Boot.ini file
The boot.ini file is a simple text file that is on the root of the boot drive. You can edit this with any plain text editor like Notepad (may need to unhide the file first)
Right click on My Computer
Select Properties
Click on the Advanced tab
Under Startup and Recovery, click on the Settings button
Click on the Edit button
Running CHKDSK
One way to run a chkdsk (this is like Scandisk that was with Win9X), is to
Double click on My Computer
Right click on the drive you want to check
Select Properties
Click on the Tools tab
Click on the Check Now button
Check to Automatically fix file system errors - This is the same as running chkdsk /f
If you want to Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors, check that box - This is the same as running chkdsk /R. It can also add a lot of time to the scan
Reboot if necessary
You can also run chkdsk from the command line with will give you more options.The following switches are available:
/F - fix any errors/R - identifies bad sectors/V - with FAT32, displays a verbose outputWith NTFS Volumes:/I - Performs simpler check (stage 2)/C - Skips the checking of cycles within folder structures/X - Forces the volume to dismount if necessary. Intended for server administrators and should be avoided for normal use
Opening Shared Folders Snap-In
To manage all your shared folders, you can run the snap-in directly
Start / Run / fsmgmt.msc
This will show you all your shared folders in a single windowYou can also see what other computers are connected and what files they have open
Additional Utilities
On the XP CD in the \Support\Tools directory, there are a lot of additional support and troubleshooting utilities.You can run SETUP from that directory to install them.
Just a few are:
diruse
Shows Disk Usage
dupfinder
Finds Duplicate files
getmac
Get's MAC address of the network card
hostname
Shows the host name of the computer
netdiag
Diagnoses a variety of network components
pviewer
Show a list of process and allows you to get a memory detail or kill any process
windiff
Compare files and directories
Viewing Your IP Address Information
There are several ways you can determine your IP address information:
IPCONFIG
Start / Run / cmd
IPCONFIG /ALL
This opens a command window. One advantage is that you can send the information to a text file (IPCONFIG /ALL > c:\ip.txt)But sometimes the window shows show much information you need to scroll around to fine it.
VIEW STATUS
Control Panel / Network Connections / Double click the icons for your network (If the network has an icon in the system tray you can also just double click on that icon)
Click on the Support tab
Click on the Details button
Make Pictures Smaller Unavailable
When you try and send pictures through e-mail, you should normally be given the option to make them smaller. If this option is not available, a DLL file may need to be registered.
Start
Run
regsvr32 shimgvw.dll
Creating a Suspend Shortcut
Submitted 3/2/05
If you would like to create an icon to suspend your computer,
Right click on the Desktop
New / Shortcut
Enter in rundll32.exe PowrProf.dll, SetSuspendState
Give it whatever name you want
Now when you click on that shortcut, your computer will shutdown and suspend
Changing the User Type
Normally in XP Pro, through the Control Panel / User Accounts icon, you are only allowed to create administrators or limited users.If you want to create
Right click on My Computer
Manage
Local Users and Groups
Users
Right click on the user you want to change
Properties
Member of tab
Add button
Advanced button
Find Now button
From here you see the full list of possibilities (e.g. Power User, Backup Operator etc.)
Determining Which Services are Associated with SVCHOST
Since so many critical services are run with each svchost,You can see which ones are being used by opening a cmd prompt and running:
tasklist /svc /fi "imagename eq svchost.exe"
Note: This is available only with XP Pro
Identify Faulty Device Drivers
If you are having problems with lockups, blue screens, or can only get to safe mode,often the problem is due to a faulty device driver.
One way to help identify them is through the use of the Verfier program
Start / Run / Verifier
Keep the default of Create Standard Settings
Select the type of drivers you want to confirm
A list of drivers to be verified on the next boot will be shown.
Reboot
If your computer stops with a blue screen, you should get an error message with the problem driver
To turn off the Verifier, run verifier /reset
Viewing Installed Drivers
If you want to see a list of installed drivers, you can run the driverquery programThere are a lot of available switches to view different types of information.On use can be to export to a CSV file for viewing in ExcelAn example would then be:
Driverquery /v /fo csv > drivers.csv
Operation Was Attempted on Something That Is Not a Socket Error
If you get this error when you try and renew your IP address, Likely the winsock2 registry entries are corrupted.
The basic steps to fix this are:
Remove the old registry entries -
Import the correct registry entries -
Reboot the computer
Opening Ports or Adding Allowed Programs with SP2's Firewall
Click on Start / Run
Enter in firewall.cpl
Click on the Exceptions tab
Adding a Port for Internet Access:
Click on the Add Port button
Name it whatever you want
Enter in the ports you want to open
Adding a Program for Internet Access
Click on Add Program... button
A list of all installed programs will be displayed
Highlight the one you want to include for Internet access
Click on the OK button
Autoexec.nt or Config.nt Errors
If you are getting errors similar to:The system file is not suitable for running MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows applications. Choose 'Close' to terminate the application.
Try copying the file from \windows\repair directory to the one that is in the \windows\system32 directory.
Common Control Panel Applets
The follow are some common Control Panel Applets that are located in the \windows\system32 directory.If you find yourself using any of these frequently, then you can simply make shortcuts to them on your desktop.
appwiz.cpl
Add/Remove Programs
desk.cpl
Display Properties
firewall.cpl
Firewall Settings
inetcpl.cpl
Internet Options
mmsys.cpl
Sound and Audio
ncpa.cpl
Network Connections
nusrmgr.cpl
User Accounts
powercfg.cpl
Power Options
sysdm.cpl
System Properties
wscui.cpl
Security Center
wuaucpl.cpl
Automatic Updates Configuration
Windows Explorer Opens Search Companion Rather than the Folder
If the Windows Explorer opens up the Search Companion rather than opening up the actual folder, the default setting for opening a folder is changed.
To correct this:
Start Regedit
Go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT \ Directory \ shell and HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT \ Drive \ shell]
Edit the default value to be explorer or none
Running SFC without a CD ROM
If you run sfc /scannow and get prompted to insert a CD,there are a couple of changes you might need to make.
Slipstream your copy of WindowsXP with the latest service pack you have applied.For detailed unstructions on how to do this see:SlipStreaming a Service Pack into Windows XP
Once these files are on your hard drive, you can simply make a few registry changes to point to those locations.
Start Regedit
Go to the follow locations and change the path to wherever you copied the source files.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\ServicePackSourcePathHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\SourcePath the last one might not be necessaryHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SourcePath
When you run IPCONFIG and get an error:
An internal error occured: The request is not supported. Please contact Microsoft Product Support Services for further help. Additional information: Unable to query routing information
You need to copy a clean TCPIP.SYS file to the \windows\system32\drivers directory and reboot.
Browse Master Monitor
If you have trouble browsing the network with only a few computers, you might check to see what Browse Master they are using. There is a utility from Microsoft that will let you see what each computer is using for a browse master called Browsemon.
Taking Ownership Of a Folder
Sometimes when you reinstall WindowsXP, you can receive an Access Denied error when trying to open a previous user's directory.To take ownership of that folder again:
Log on with an account that has administrator rights
Right click on the folder
Select Properties
Click on the Security tab
Click on the Advanced button
Click on the Owner tab
In the list of Names, click on your name
To take ownership, click on Replace owner on subcontainers and objects
Click OK and Yes
Repairing Damaged Winsock2
The symptoms when Winsock2 is damaged shows when you try to release and renew the IP address using IPCONFIG.
And you get the following error message: An error occurred while renewing interface 'Internet': An operation was attempted on something that is not a socket.
Also Internet Explorer may give the following error message: The page cannot be displayed Additionally, you may have no IP address or no Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA) address, and you may be receiving IP packets but not sending them.
-----
If you have WindowsXP with Service Pack 2, there is a one line command you can run to reset the winsock2 registry entriesnetsh winsock reset catalog
------
There are two easy ways to determine if Winsock2 is damaged:
From the XP source files, go to the Support / Tools directory
Winsock Test Method 1Run netdiag /test:winsock
The end should say Winsock test ..... passed
Winsock Test Method 2
Run Msinfo32
Click on the + by Components
Click on the by Network
Click on Protocol
There should be 10 sections if the Winsock2 key is ok
MSAFD Tcpip [TCP/IP]MSAFD Tcpip [UDP/IP]RSVP UDP Service ProviderRSVP TCP Service ProviderMSAFD NetBIOS [\Device\NetBT_Tcpip... MSAFD NetBIOS [\Device\NetBT_Tcpip... MSAFD NetBIOS [\Device\NetBT_Tcpip... MSAFD NetBIOS [\Device\NetBT_Tcpip... MSAFD NetBIOS [\Device\NetBT_Tcpip... MSAFD NetBIOS [\Device\NetBT_Tcpip...
If the names are anything different from those in this list, then likely Winsock2 is corrupted and needs to be repaired. If you have any 3rd party software installed, the name MSAFD may be changed.There should be no fewer than 10 sections.To repair Winsock2
Run Regedit
Delete the following two registry keys:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\WinsockHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Winsock2
Restart the computer
Go to Network Connections
Right click and select Properties
Click on the Install button
Select Protocol
Click on the Add button
Click on the Have Disk button
Browse to the \Windows\inf directory
Click on the Open button
Click on the OK button
Highlight Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)
Click on the OK button
Reboot
Task Manager is Menu Bar is Missing
If you start the Task Manager and menu bar and tabs are missing, the Task Manager is running in Tiny Footprint mode.
To fix this, simply double click on an empty space in the top border
Network Connection Always Shows Access Denied
If you are always getting Access Denied errors when trying to connect to a XP computer, and you know you have the correct user names and passwords on the computer, the solution may be a simple registry edit.
Start Regedit
Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE / SYSTEM / CurrentControlSet / Control / Lsa
Change the value of a key called "restrictanonymous" to 0 instead of 1
Don't change "restrictanonymoussam" value.
Reboot
Hiding Manage My Computer
If you want to remove Manage My Computer from My Computer
Start Regedit
Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER / Software / Microsoft / Windows / CurrentVersion / Policies / Explorer
Create a DWORD value called NoManageMyComputerVerb
Set the value to 1
Reboot
Finding Your XP Product ID
Added 11/25/05
There is a great little utility available to help you find your currently installed product IDhttp://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder.shtml
It also works for Windows 95, 98, ME, NT4, 2000, XP, Server 2003, Office 97, and Office XP
Forgotten Admin or User's Password
You do not need to reinstall if you forgot the admin password.There is a boot disk you can download at:http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/that will let you reset the password of any account on NT4, Windows2000 or XP.Just follow all the default settings which are for the admin account. Used it many times with great success.They also have a bootable CD image you can download.
Showing Common Tasks in Window
When you open a window from My Computer or the Control Panel, and you don't see the blue bar with additional options on the left side, you may simply need to turn on Common Tasks
From that same windows, go to Tools / Folder Options
Check Show common tasks in folders
Renaming Multiple Files in a Directory
If you want to rename multiple files in the same directory:
Using the Windows Explorer, select all the files you want to rename
Press F2 or right click and select Rename
Enter the prefix for the name you want (e.g. Newname)
This will automatically rename the rest of the files Newname (1).jpg, Newname (2).jpg etc.
Make sure you include the extension if you have the Explorer configured to show them.
Disable Windows Tour
If you want to disable the Take Tour of Windows XP that comes up after you install WindowsXP:
Start Regedit
Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Tour
Create a new DWORD key called RunCount
Give it a value of 0
Windows Help and Support Error
If you get an error Windows cannot find HELPCTR.EXE, it may be that a registry entry has gotten corrupted.
Start Regedit
Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\HELPCTR.EXE
If the key isn't there, right click and create a new key HELPCTR.EXE
It should have a value of C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\Binaries\HelpCtr.exe
Reboot
Speeding Up Network Browsing
There are a lot of things which can negatively impact how fast XP will browse network shares. One has been previously covered regarding browsing to Win9x computers.
Other things you can try, especially when there is slow browsing to network shares with a lot of files:
1. Remove current shortcuts in My Network Places
2. Change the registry so shared folders on remote computers are not automatically added to My Network Places when you even open a document from that shared folder
Start Regedit
Create a DWORD value:
HKEY_Current_User \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Policies \ Explorer \ NoRecentDocsNetHood to 1.
I have also seen setting the following help as well.HKEY_Current_User \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Policies \ Explorer \ UseDesktopIniCache to 1.
3. Increase the amount of data is buffered at one time to send to a client. On the computer with the shared directory:
Start Regedit
Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanmanServer\Parameters
Create a DWORD Key called SizReqBuf
Give it a value of Hex FFFF
Editing the Boot.ini file
The boot.ini file is a simple text file that is on the root of the boot drive. You can edit this with any plain text editor like Notepad (may need to unhide the file first)
Right click on My Computer
Select Properties
Click on the Advanced tab
Under Startup and Recovery, click on the Settings button
Click on the Edit button
Running CHKDSK
One way to run a chkdsk (this is like Scandisk that was with Win9X), is to
Double click on My Computer
Right click on the drive you want to check
Select Properties
Click on the Tools tab
Click on the Check Now button
Check to Automatically fix file system errors - This is the same as running chkdsk /f
If you want to Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors, check that box - This is the same as running chkdsk /R. It can also add a lot of time to the scan
Reboot if necessary
You can also run chkdsk from the command line with will give you more options.The following switches are available:
/F - fix any errors/R - identifies bad sectors/V - with FAT32, displays a verbose outputWith NTFS Volumes:/I - Performs simpler check (stage 2)/C - Skips the checking of cycles within folder structures/X - Forces the volume to dismount if necessary. Intended for server administrators and should be avoided for normal use
Opening Shared Folders Snap-In
To manage all your shared folders, you can run the snap-in directly
Start / Run / fsmgmt.msc
This will show you all your shared folders in a single windowYou can also see what other computers are connected and what files they have open
Additional Utilities
On the XP CD in the \Support\Tools directory, there are a lot of additional support and troubleshooting utilities.You can run SETUP from that directory to install them.
Just a few are:
diruse
Shows Disk Usage
dupfinder
Finds Duplicate files
getmac
Get's MAC address of the network card
hostname
Shows the host name of the computer
netdiag
Diagnoses a variety of network components
pviewer
Show a list of process and allows you to get a memory detail or kill any process
windiff
Compare files and directories
Viewing Your IP Address Information
There are several ways you can determine your IP address information:
IPCONFIG
Start / Run / cmd
IPCONFIG /ALL
This opens a command window. One advantage is that you can send the information to a text file (IPCONFIG /ALL > c:\ip.txt)But sometimes the window shows show much information you need to scroll around to fine it.
VIEW STATUS
Control Panel / Network Connections / Double click the icons for your network (If the network has an icon in the system tray you can also just double click on that icon)
Click on the Support tab
Click on the Details button
Make Pictures Smaller Unavailable
When you try and send pictures through e-mail, you should normally be given the option to make them smaller. If this option is not available, a DLL file may need to be registered.
Start
Run
regsvr32 shimgvw.dll
Creating a Suspend Shortcut
Submitted 3/2/05
If you would like to create an icon to suspend your computer,
Right click on the Desktop
New / Shortcut
Enter in rundll32.exe PowrProf.dll, SetSuspendState
Give it whatever name you want
Now when you click on that shortcut, your computer will shutdown and suspend
Changing the User Type
Normally in XP Pro, through the Control Panel / User Accounts icon, you are only allowed to create administrators or limited users.If you want to create
Right click on My Computer
Manage
Local Users and Groups
Users
Right click on the user you want to change
Properties
Member of tab
Add button
Advanced button
Find Now button
From here you see the full list of possibilities (e.g. Power User, Backup Operator etc.)
Determining Which Services are Associated with SVCHOST
tasklist /svc /fi "imagename eq svchost.exe"
Note: This is available only with XP Pro
Identify Faulty Device Drivers
If you are having problems with lockups, blue screens, or can only get to safe mode,often the problem is due to a faulty device driver.
One way to help identify them is through the use of the Verfier program
Start / Run / Verifier
Keep the default of Create Standard Settings
Select the type of drivers you want to confirm
A list of drivers to be verified on the next boot will be shown.
Reboot
If your computer stops with a blue screen, you should get an error message with the problem driver
To turn off the Verifier, run verifier /reset
Viewing Installed Drivers
If you want to see a list of installed drivers, you can run the driverquery programThere are a lot of available switches to view different types of information.On use can be to export to a CSV file for viewing in ExcelAn example would then be:
Driverquery /v /fo csv > drivers.csv
Operation Was Attempted on Something That Is Not a Socket Error
If you get this error when you try and renew your IP address, Likely the winsock2 registry entries are corrupted.
The basic steps to fix this are:
Remove the old registry entries -
Import the correct registry entries -
Reboot the computer
Opening Ports or Adding Allowed Programs with SP2's Firewall
Enter in firewall.cpl
Click on the Exceptions tab
Adding a Port for Internet Access:
Click on the Add Port button
Name it whatever you want
Enter in the ports you want to open
Adding a Program for Internet Access
Click on Add Program... button
A list of all installed programs will be displayed
Highlight the one you want to include for Internet access
Click on the OK button
Autoexec.nt or Config.nt Errors
If you are getting errors similar to:The system file is not suitable for running MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows applications. Choose 'Close' to terminate the application.
Try copying the file from \windows\repair directory to the one that is in the \windows\system32 directory.
Common Control Panel Applets
The follow are some common Control Panel Applets that are located in the \windows\system32 directory.If you find yourself using any of these frequently, then you can simply make shortcuts to them on your desktop.
appwiz.cpl
Add/Remove Programs
desk.cpl
Display Properties
firewall.cpl
Firewall Settings
inetcpl.cpl
Internet Options
mmsys.cpl
Sound and Audio
ncpa.cpl
Network Connections
nusrmgr.cpl
User Accounts
powercfg.cpl
Power Options
sysdm.cpl
System Properties
wscui.cpl
Security Center
wuaucpl.cpl
Automatic Updates Configuration
Windows Explorer Opens Search Companion Rather than the Folder
If the Windows Explorer opens up the Search Companion rather than opening up the actual folder, the default setting for opening a folder is changed.
To correct this:
Start Regedit
Go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT \ Directory \ shell and HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT \ Drive \ shell]
Edit the default value to be explorer or none
Running SFC without a CD ROM
If you run sfc /scannow and get prompted to insert a CD,there are a couple of changes you might need to make.
Slipstream your copy of WindowsXP with the latest service pack you have applied.For detailed unstructions on how to do this see:SlipStreaming a Service Pack into Windows XP
Once these files are on your hard drive, you can simply make a few registry changes to point to those locations.
Start Regedit
Go to the follow locations and change the path to wherever you copied the source files.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\ServicePackSourcePathHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\SourcePath the last one might not be necessaryHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SourcePath
Dos Prompt Tips
Showing Long and Short Filenames
There are two additional switches that can be used when doing a DIR
/B - Shows only the long filename, no details
/Z - Shows the short filename, with details
/B /Z - Shows only short filename, with no details
DOS Command History
If you use DOSKEY in either your AUTOEXEC.BAT file or as part of the properties of your Dos Window ,you can show and recall the history of commands you enter and the DOS prompt.
To recall previous commands, use the up arrow key.
A complete list of previous commands can be shown if you press the F7 key
To use one, press F9 and the number of the command you want to use
To clear the cache, press Alt+F7
Changing a File's Date and Time Stamp
You can change the Date and Time stamp of a file to the current setting.
Type:COPY filename /B + ,, /Y
Removing the Microsoft Copyright from a DOS Prompt
By default, when you open a DOS window, the Microsoft Copyright notice shows.To disable it, add the /K switch in the Program tab
For example: C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND.COM /k
Setting the Number of Lines in a DOS Window
To set the number of lines displayed when you open up a DOS window:
Create a shortcut for the MS-DOS Prompt
Right click on it
Select Properties
Click on the Program tab
In the Batch file:, line enter mode con: lines=xx (where xx is the number of lines you want displayed)
Valid numbers for xx are 25 or 43
Submitted by John Karwoski
Starting DOS Fast
Want to start DOS fast outside of the START button? Drag it to your desktop.
Want to start it even FASTER without the mouse?
Change the shortcut properties of the DOS icon to something unique, like Ctrl-Alt-Z.
Then to start DOS from within Win95/98?/NT just enter C-A-Z and poof! it's there.
If you toggle away, and hit the shortcut sequence again, you'll get the "old" DOS box, not a new one.
Long Filenames in a DOS Box
More long filenames in DOS paths...
You don't need the close double quote when entering long folder names in DOS.
CD "\program filesworks as well asCD "\program files"
You can use long file names in a MS DOS Box.All you have to do is pu the long file name in quotes.
Example: cd "program files"
Expanding Full Path or File Name
NT 4.0 Only
Expand full path/file name with defined char using Command Prompt in Win NT 4.0
You can expand the full name of a file or directory using a character of your choice.
Close all Command Prompts
Start the Registry Editor
Open HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Command Processor
If not present, add Key: CompletionChar
If you like to use TAB-Key for expand: set value (REG_SZ): "9"
You can test it:
Open up a DOS window
Type: CD (followed by TAB)
The first available directory will appear
Press TAB again, the next one will appear
The same can be done with the DIR command
Adding DOSKEY to your DOS Window
One way to have DOSKEY available when you open a DOS window would be to have it in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file.This takes away conventional memory, even when you don't have a DOS window open.To only use DOSKEY when you open a DOS window:
Right click on your DOS shortcut
Select Properties
Click on the Program tab
Add DOSKEY > NUL to the Batch File field
You can also add /INSERT if you prefer
Showing DOS Error Codes
If you want to see what error codes are being generated by DOS programs,start your DOS session with the addition of a /Z parameter to the COMMAND.COM program.
Changing Directories in DOS
Normally, you can move up one directory level by typing CD ..The DOS with Windows95 allows you to continue moving up beyond the first directory by simply adding more periodsFor example, to move up two levels, type CD ...
Entering Long Paths in a DOS Window
If you have to enter a long path and program name in a DOS window,
Open up the Explorer
Go to the folder you want
Drag it to the DOS window
The path will be inserted into the window
This can come is useful with the long path names and all the ~'s you would normally need to type.If you need to change directories, type in the CD before you drag the directory.
Having DOS Programs Prompt for Input
When you normally create a shortcut for a DOS program, it does not prompt you for any input and just runs the programTo change that, simply add a ? after the program name in the CMD field.
For example:C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\EDIT.COM ?will start the DOS editor and prompt you for a file name to edit.
Verbose Directory Listing
To see your free memory and other useful info in detail:
Open a DOS box
Go to the directory that you want to get specific info about, or if you just want to see memory info go to any directory (I use the root).
Type DIR /V
The /v argument stands for "verbose".
All sorts of good information comes up.
Easy way to open up DOS prompt in a specific directory
With the advent of long directory names, it can be difficult to open up a DOS box and CD to the directory you wantparticularly if it is several layers of long names deep.
An easy way is to:
Open up Explorer and highlight the directory you want to be in
Select Run / Command from the Start Menu
Your DOS prompt will now be in the directory you highlighted in Explorer
There are two additional switches that can be used when doing a DIR
/B - Shows only the long filename, no details
/Z - Shows the short filename, with details
/B /Z - Shows only short filename, with no details
DOS Command History
If you use DOSKEY in either your AUTOEXEC.BAT file or as part of the properties of your Dos Window ,you can show and recall the history of commands you enter and the DOS prompt.
To recall previous commands, use the up arrow key.
A complete list of previous commands can be shown if you press the F7 key
To use one, press F9 and the number of the command you want to use
To clear the cache, press Alt+F7
Changing a File's Date and Time Stamp
You can change the Date and Time stamp of a file to the current setting.
Type:COPY filename /B + ,, /Y
Removing the Microsoft Copyright from a DOS Prompt
By default, when you open a DOS window, the Microsoft Copyright notice shows.To disable it, add the /K switch in the Program tab
For example: C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND.COM /k
Setting the Number of Lines in a DOS Window
To set the number of lines displayed when you open up a DOS window:
Create a shortcut for the MS-DOS Prompt
Right click on it
Select Properties
Click on the Program tab
In the Batch file:, line enter mode con: lines=xx (where xx is the number of lines you want displayed)
Valid numbers for xx are 25 or 43
Submitted by John Karwoski
Starting DOS Fast
Want to start DOS fast outside of the START button? Drag it to your desktop.
Want to start it even FASTER without the mouse?
Change the shortcut properties of the DOS icon to something unique, like Ctrl-Alt-Z.
Then to start DOS from within Win95/98?/NT just enter C-A-Z and poof! it's there.
If you toggle away, and hit the shortcut sequence again, you'll get the "old" DOS box, not a new one.
Long Filenames in a DOS Box
More long filenames in DOS paths...
You don't need the close double quote when entering long folder names in DOS.
CD "\program filesworks as well asCD "\program files"
You can use long file names in a MS DOS Box.All you have to do is pu the long file name in quotes.
Example: cd "program files"
Expanding Full Path or File Name
NT 4.0 Only
Expand full path/file name with defined char using Command Prompt in Win NT 4.0
You can expand the full name of a file or directory using a character of your choice.
Close all Command Prompts
Start the Registry Editor
Open HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Command Processor
If not present, add Key: CompletionChar
If you like to use TAB-Key for expand: set value (REG_SZ): "9"
You can test it:
Open up a DOS window
Type: CD (followed by TAB)
The first available directory will appear
Press TAB again, the next one will appear
The same can be done with the DIR command
Adding DOSKEY to your DOS Window
One way to have DOSKEY available when you open a DOS window would be to have it in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file.This takes away conventional memory, even when you don't have a DOS window open.To only use DOSKEY when you open a DOS window:
Right click on your DOS shortcut
Select Properties
Click on the Program tab
Add DOSKEY > NUL to the Batch File field
You can also add /INSERT if you prefer
Showing DOS Error Codes
If you want to see what error codes are being generated by DOS programs,start your DOS session with the addition of a /Z parameter to the COMMAND.COM program.
Changing Directories in DOS
Normally, you can move up one directory level by typing CD ..The DOS with Windows95 allows you to continue moving up beyond the first directory by simply adding more periodsFor example, to move up two levels, type CD ...
Entering Long Paths in a DOS Window
If you have to enter a long path and program name in a DOS window,
Open up the Explorer
Go to the folder you want
Drag it to the DOS window
The path will be inserted into the window
This can come is useful with the long path names and all the ~'s you would normally need to type.If you need to change directories, type in the CD before you drag the directory.
Having DOS Programs Prompt for Input
When you normally create a shortcut for a DOS program, it does not prompt you for any input and just runs the programTo change that, simply add a ? after the program name in the CMD field.
For example:C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\EDIT.COM ?will start the DOS editor and prompt you for a file name to edit.
Verbose Directory Listing
To see your free memory and other useful info in detail:
Open a DOS box
Go to the directory that you want to get specific info about, or if you just want to see memory info go to any directory (I use the root).
Type DIR /V
The /v argument stands for "verbose".
All sorts of good information comes up.
Easy way to open up DOS prompt in a specific directory
With the advent of long directory names, it can be difficult to open up a DOS box and CD to the directory you wantparticularly if it is several layers of long names deep.
An easy way is to:
Open up Explorer and highlight the directory you want to be in
Select Run / Command from the Start Menu
Your DOS prompt will now be in the directory you highlighted in Explorer
Desktop Tips
Easy Access to Folders from the Toolbar
You can quickly access commonly used folders from your Toolbar
Right click on an open area of the Toolbar
Select Toolbars / New Toolbar
Browse to the directory you want to add
Now on the toolbar you will see the name of that folder displayed.
Click on the >> to open any sub-folders as well.
Organizing the Start / Programs Listing
As you add more and more programs, the listing of them in Start / Programs can get fairly long.One solution is to categorize your programs into several groups, create a folder for those groups, and move the shortcuts to those folders.
For example:
Start the Explorer
Go to Windows / Start Menu / Programs
Create new folders with the categories you want (e.g. Graphics, Utilities, Internet etc.)
Now move the shortcuts to those programs in Windows / Start Menu / Programs to whichever category you decide.
This can greatly reduce clutter and make it a lot easier to find your programs.
Note: Windows2000 and WindowsXP Users will need to go to the C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs directory
Restoring a Lost Desktop
If you ever lose the Desktop but Explorer is still running with the Start Button, you can do this to bring back your Desktop in a Windows box.
Click Start
Click Run
Type a period " . "
Then press Enter
Creating 3D Window Effect
You can create a nice 3D effect for your windows
Start Regedit
Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Control Panel \ Colors
Make sure the following setting are there:
ButtonHilight=128 128 128
ButtonShadow=255 255 255
Creating Shutdown, Restart and Logoff Icons
To create the icons, create a shortcut on the desktop.
For Shutdown, the command is C:\WINDOWS\RUNDLL.EXE user.exe,exitwindows
For Restart, the command is C:\WINDOWS\RUNDLL.EXE user.exe,exitwindowsexec
For Logoff, the command is C:\WINDOWS\RUNDLL.EXE shell32.dll,SHExitWindowsEx 0
Having your Favorites and Start Menus Sort Alphabetically
If your Start Menu Program or Favorites are not sorting alphabetically, it is easy to fix this:
Start Regedit
Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Explorer/MenuOrder
Under here is are Favorites and Start Menu folders
In each there is a value called Order
Simply delete (or rename this) and restart Winodws
Your Favorites or Start Menus should now sort alphabetically
Increasing the Icon Cache
Run Regedit
Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer
Create a new string called Max Cached Icons
Give it a value of 10000
This will increase response time in windows and give the Shellicon cache file more elbow room.
Make Icons 256 Color 16-Bit
Open the Registry
Hit Ctrl+F
Type Shell Icon BPP
When found, right click the Shell Icon BPP icon
Click Modify
Change the value from 4 to 16
Click Ok
Close the registry
Restart your computer
Removing Shortcut Arrows
An easy way to remove those irritating arrows from your desktop shortcut icons and not change their properties
Right click the Desktop / Properties / Appearance tab
Select Item
Scroll for Icon
The default size is 32
Change this to 30
Clicking Apply
Adding the Control Panel to the Start Menu
Open up the Explorer
Go to \WINDOWS\Start Menu
Right click in the right-hand panel
Add a new folder
Name it Control Panel.{21ec2020-3aea-1069-a2dd-08002b30309d}
This makes getting to the Control Panel items a little easier
Making Desktop Changes Permanent
To make changes to the Desktop like window size, positon after rebooting:
Start Regedit
Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
Create a New Binary Value
Name it NoSaveSettings
Give it a value of 01 00 00 00
You can quickly access commonly used folders from your Toolbar
Right click on an open area of the Toolbar
Select Toolbars / New Toolbar
Browse to the directory you want to add
Now on the toolbar you will see the name of that folder displayed.
Click on the >> to open any sub-folders as well.
Organizing the Start / Programs Listing
As you add more and more programs, the listing of them in Start / Programs can get fairly long.One solution is to categorize your programs into several groups, create a folder for those groups, and move the shortcuts to those folders.
For example:
Start the Explorer
Go to Windows / Start Menu / Programs
Create new folders with the categories you want (e.g. Graphics, Utilities, Internet etc.)
Now move the shortcuts to those programs in Windows / Start Menu / Programs to whichever category you decide.
This can greatly reduce clutter and make it a lot easier to find your programs.
Note: Windows2000 and WindowsXP Users will need to go to the C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs directory
Restoring a Lost Desktop
If you ever lose the Desktop but Explorer is still running with the Start Button, you can do this to bring back your Desktop in a Windows box.
Click Start
Click Run
Type a period " . "
Then press Enter
Creating 3D Window Effect
You can create a nice 3D effect for your windows
Start Regedit
Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Control Panel \ Colors
Make sure the following setting are there:
ButtonHilight=128 128 128
ButtonShadow=255 255 255
Creating Shutdown, Restart and Logoff Icons
To create the icons, create a shortcut on the desktop.
For Shutdown, the command is C:\WINDOWS\RUNDLL.EXE user.exe,exitwindows
For Restart, the command is C:\WINDOWS\RUNDLL.EXE user.exe,exitwindowsexec
For Logoff, the command is C:\WINDOWS\RUNDLL.EXE shell32.dll,SHExitWindowsEx 0
Having your Favorites and Start Menus Sort Alphabetically
If your Start Menu Program or Favorites are not sorting alphabetically, it is easy to fix this:
Start Regedit
Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Explorer/MenuOrder
Under here is are Favorites and Start Menu folders
In each there is a value called Order
Simply delete (or rename this) and restart Winodws
Your Favorites or Start Menus should now sort alphabetically
Increasing the Icon Cache
Run Regedit
Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer
Create a new string called Max Cached Icons
Give it a value of 10000
This will increase response time in windows and give the Shellicon cache file more elbow room.
Make Icons 256 Color 16-Bit
Open the Registry
Hit Ctrl+F
Type Shell Icon BPP
When found, right click the Shell Icon BPP icon
Click Modify
Change the value from 4 to 16
Click Ok
Close the registry
Restart your computer
Removing Shortcut Arrows
An easy way to remove those irritating arrows from your desktop shortcut icons and not change their properties
Right click the Desktop / Properties / Appearance tab
Select Item
Scroll for Icon
The default size is 32
Change this to 30
Clicking Apply
Adding the Control Panel to the Start Menu
Open up the Explorer
Go to \WINDOWS\Start Menu
Right click in the right-hand panel
Add a new folder
Name it Control Panel.{21ec2020-3aea-1069-a2dd-08002b30309d}
This makes getting to the Control Panel items a little easier
Making Desktop Changes Permanent
To make changes to the Desktop like window size, positon after rebooting:
Start Regedit
Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
Create a New Binary Value
Name it NoSaveSettings
Give it a value of 01 00 00 00
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