Registry Tricks

Well,editing the Registry is not like an ice on a piece of cake.It is the backbone of the computer.
So,one must know its part as well as sub-parts which are as under:



1.HKEY_USERS


It contains at least three subkeys:

.DEFAULT::It contains the settings which the Windows uses to display its initial desktop
before the user logs in.


.SID::This key contains the Desktop Settings and Control Panel settings.
.SID_Classes::This key contains the user class registrations and file associations.



2.HKEY_CURRENT_USER


It contains Desktop settings, network connections, printers, and application preferences.
Some of this root key's subkeys are::

AppEvents::It links the sounds to various desktop settings such as opening or closing of events

Console:: It hosts all character-mode applications of course, including the MS-DOS command prompt.


Control Panel:: It controls the accessibility, regional, and desktop appearance settings.


Identities::It Contains one subkey for each identity in Microsoft Outlook Express. Outlook Express uses identities to allow multiple users to share a single mail client.

Keyboard Layout::It contains the information of installed keyboard layouts.

Printers::It contains the preferences for computers.

Software::Most of the configurations are stored in this key itself.



3.HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE


This key contains the settings which apply to each and every user who logs in.

It contains the following subkeys:


HARDWARE:: It Stores the data which describes the hardware that Windows XP detects as it starts.

SAM::This key contains the data of local security.Windows stores the local users and groups in this key only.Even the administrator can't access this key while running the windows

SECURITY::It contains the security data as well as the security settings.


4.HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT


It contains two types of settings:

1.File associations that links different types of
files with the programs that can open, print, and edit them.

2.Class registrations for Component Object Model (COM) objects. This root key is one of the most interesting in the registry
to customize, because it enables you to change a lot of the operating system's behavior.
Being largest in size,this consumes most of the space.




5.HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG

It is an association to configuration data for the current hardware profile, the key HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentcontrolSet\Hardware Profiles\Current. In turn, Current is a link to the key HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentcontrolSet\Hardware Profiles\nnnn, where nnnn is a incremental number
beginning with 0000.


One can use various Registry Editing Tools like Registry Pro,Registry Mechanic to change the settings of the registry.


So,with a brief introduction to the registry,we are now in the position to play with it..

Lots of tricks are there in registry which can make the Windows act as u want.But remember to take the back up of the registry as well.A little mistake can even crash ur system.So,beware,while editing he registry.
To effect the changes to take place,one must restart the system in each case.

1.First I'll start with the tricks which are applied in same reistry key.The key is:


"HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer"(Remember it as "USMWCPE",Pronounce each alphabet seperatly)

All the values are in 'Hexadecimal' standard.
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a> To Hide All The Icons Of The Desktop,Go To This Key And Edit:

In the right pane,create a new DWORD value and name it:
"NoDesktop",of course,without double quotes:Set its value to 1.
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b> To Hide All The Drives In My Computer:
Create a DWORD value "NoDrives" and set its hexadecimal value to "3FFFFFF".
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c> To Avoid Shutting Down The System:

Create a DWORD value "NoClose"in the right pane and set its value to 1.

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d> To Disable The Find Menu:

Create a DWORD value "NoFInd" in the right pane and set its value to 1.
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e> To Disable The Recent Documents Menu:

Create a DWORD value "NoRecentDocsMenu" in the right pane and set its value to 1.
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f> To Disable The Right Click:

Create a DWORD value "NoViewContextMenu" in the right pane and set its value to 1.
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2.The second coolest trick is:


When Windows is not shut down correctly, it performs an AutoCheck
using CHKDSK on the next restart.

AutoCheck is executed after a short time delay. AutoCheck can be
disabled or delayed by tweaking a few Registry settings.
Run ‘Regedit’ from ‘Start Menu|Run...’
Go to ‘HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session
Manager’.
Create a new DWORD value, or
modify the existing value, called
“AutoChkTimeOut” and set it according
to the value data below.

Value Name: AutoChkTimeOut.
Data Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value).
Value Data: Time in Seconds or 0 to disable
(default = 10).
Exit your registry, you may need to
restart or log out of Windows for the
change to take effect.

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3.To have information of Windows on the screen,simply go to he following registry key:


"HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ControlPanel\Desktop"

In the right pane,look for the DWORD value"PaintDesktopVersion" and set its value to 1.Restart the system.


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4.This registry edit will cause your system to reboot itself automatically upon crashing. This can be useful if you have a reason for keeping your system on 24/7:

Open REGEDIT

Navigate to 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM
\CurrentControlSet\Control\CrashControl'

Edit the 'AutoReboot' value to '1'

Exit your registry; you may need to restart or log out of Windows for the change to take effect.

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5.To customize the "Login Prompt",navigate to the key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon.
In the right pane,right click to create a new string value and give its name LogonPrompt.Set its value to whatever u want to display.Restart the system.

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6.By Default,the start menu is aligned to left.To align it to right,simply navigate to the key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ControlPanel\Desktop.
On the right pane,try to find the key "MenuDropALignment" and set its value to 1.Restart the system.

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7.This Registry Trick is specially for the "GAMERS".While playing games,accidently Windows key is pressed which creates a whole mess up.So to disable the Windows key,navigate to the following key:

"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\KeyboardLayout"
Look for the value "ScancodeMap" and set its binary value to"00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 03 00 00 00 00 00 5B E0 00 00 5C E0 00 00 00 00".The Windows key will be disabled.Restart the system.You are done.....Happy Gaming..

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8.To change the icons of the Desktop Entities:

Navigate the followinf Registry Key:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\,In the right pane look for the clsid subkey.
The list of the subkeys is as under:


My Computer:: {20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}

Recycle Bin:: {645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}

Microsoft Outlook::{00020D75-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}

Internet Explorer::{FBF23B42-E3F0-101B-8488-00AA003E56F8}

The Internet::{3DC7A020-0ACD-11CF-A9BB-00AA004AE837}

My Network Places:: {208D2C60-3AEA-1069-A2D7-08002B30309D}

Briefcase:: {85BBD920-42A0-1069-A2E4-08002B30309D}

Dial-Up Networking:: {992CFFA0-F557-101A-88EC-00DD010CCC48}


Run the Registry Editor, go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID, a key that lets you change the characteristics of system objects, and highlight the CLSID whose name or balloon text you want to change. For example, to change My Computer, highlight the subkey.

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}. Keep
in mind that HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID has many CLSIDs listed under it, so it might take you a while to find the proper subkey.
Once you find the right subkey, if you want to edit the name of the object, open the Default
value and type in the text that you want to appear underneath the object. If you want to edit
the balloon text for the object, open the InfoTip value and type in the text that you want to
appear as balloon text. Once you're done, exit the Registry and reboot.

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9.Change Icons of your Desktop Objects(MyComputer, Recycle bin..):

Go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID, and look for the CLSID subkey from the table above for
the object whose icon you want to change. Open the subkey and then the "DefaultIcon"
subkey under that. To change the icon for My Computer, open the subkey
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\DefaultIcon.
Change the Default value to the path of the icon that you want to display. Follow the same for changing the icons of ther items as well. Exit the Registry. You might have to reboot for
the new settings to take effect. If you aren't able to change your icons still, then try editing the
following: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft \Windows\CurrentVersion \
Explorer\ CLSID\, and you will be in.

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These are the some of the Registry Tricks...Play Them Cool......