JSI Inc. - Windows NT Ž Registry Hacks 2+

020 ť Configuring a RAM Drive.

If you have more RAM than you (and NT) knows what to do with, and you really want a RAM Drive , Download RAMDISK.ZIP

In most cases, NT would make better use of the RAM for its dynamic cache, but if you are sure you need it, enjoy!

021 ť Parse/Don't Parse autoexec.bat.

Windows NT parses the AUTOEXEC.BAT file during startup by default, which results in the appending of the path statement in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file to the system path created by Windows NT. You can modify the system path and evironment variable at Control Panel/System/EnvironmentTab.
You can configure parsing of the AUTOEXEC.BAT file at:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\ParseAutoexec

1 = autoexec.bat is parsed
0 = autoexec.bat is not parsed

This has no effect on the parsing of AUTOEXEC.NT or CONFIG.NT by the MS-DOS or 16-bit Windows environments (VDMs).

022 ť 3 Button Mouse.

Edit: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE folder/SYSTEM/CurrentControlSet/Services

Double click on either BUSMOUSE, SERMOUSE, or i8042PRT (PS/2 style mouse port).
Double click on the PARAMETERS sub-key.
On the right side of this window double-click on NumberOfButtons.
In the command line change the number '2' to '3' and click on OK.
Exit and restart NT for these changes take effect.
Download CLCKR12a.ZIP to configure the middle button (and more) functionality.
(Works on NT4.0 and NT 3.5x - for Intel, Alpha and PPC)

023 ť NUMLOCK at startup.

Edit:

HKEY_Current_User\ControlPanel\Keyboard\InitialKeyboardIndicators

Type REG_SZ:

If set to 0, NumLock is disabled for that current user after logging on. If it is 2, NumLock is enabled and will retain the settings from the last shutdown.

024 ť Logon Welcome/Legal Notice.

The Registry value entries that control the logon sequence for starting Windows NT are found under the following Registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

LegalNoticeCaption REG_SZ
Default: (none)

Specifies a caption for a message to appear when the user presses CTRL+ALT+DEL during logon. Add this value entry if you want to add a warning to be displayed when a user attempts to log on to a Windows NT system. The user cannot proceed with logging on without acknowledging this message. To specify text for the message, you must also specify a value for LegalNoticeText.

Note: You can use the System Policy Editor to change this value.

LegalNoticeText REG_SZ
Default: (none)

Specifies the message to appear when the user presses CTRL+ALT+DEL during logon. Add this value entry if you want to add a warning to be displayed when a user attempts to log on to a Windows NT system. The user cannot proceed with logging on without acknowledging this message. To control presentation, you may insert a lf/cr by copying the contents of lfcr.npd to the clipboard and pasteing it as you type. To include a caption for the logon notice, you must also specify a value forLegalNoticeCaption.

Note: You can use the System Policy Editor to change this value.

LogonPrompt REG_SZ
Default: "Enter a user name and password that is valid for this system."

The text entered appears in the Logon Information dialog box. This is designed for additional legal warnings to the user before they log on. This value entry does not appear in the Registry unless you add it.

Welcome REG_SZ
Default: (Title only; no message)

The text entered appears in the caption bar beside the title of the Begin Logon, Logon Information, Workstation Locked, and Unlock Workstation dialog boxes. This value entry does not appear in the Registry unless you add it.

025 ť Don't display Last user in logon dialogue.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

DontDisplayLastUserName REG_SZ
Range: 0 or 1

Default: 0 (false)

By default, Windows NT displays the name of the last person to log on in the Username space of the Logon Information dialog box. If you add this value entry and set it to 1, the Username space is always blank when the Logon Information dialog box appears.

026 ť NTFS - Disable 8.3 Name creation.

You can increase NTFS performance if you disable 8.3 name creation.
(Some 16bit programs may have trouble finding Long File Names. Don't set this option if you wish to install Norton NT Utilities.)
Edit: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem

Value:NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation REG_DWORD
Default: 0
Range: 0 or 1

Set it to 1 to disable 8.3 name creation. This won't take effect until the next boot.

027 ť Deleteing device drivers and services.

If you have a service or device driver that you want to remove:

In Control Panel /Services or /Devices, located the object and STOP it (if it is started). If it won't STOP, configure StartUp as Disabled and reboot.

Edit: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services

Locate the object, highlight it, delete it.

028 ť Activate Screen Saver if no one logs on.

Edit: HKEY_USERS \DEFAULT\Control Panel\Desktop

Double click ScreenSaveActive and set it to 1.
Double click SCRNSAVE.EXE and enter the full path to the screen saver you want to use such as SCRNSAVE.SCR or SSTARS.SCR.
Double click ScreenSaveTimeOut and enter the number of seconds of inactivity before activation.
You will need to reboot for this to become effective.

Never use anything other than the blank screen saver (scrnsave.scr) on a "Server" as it will steal needed cycles!

029 ť Displaying Your Company Logo (or other bitmap) during logon.

Design an appropriate bitmap and place it in your NT directory as YourLogoName.BMP. Use 8.3 naming convention.

Edit: HKEY_USERS \.DEFAULT\Control Panel\Desktop

Double click or Add Value REG_SZ of Wallpaper and set it to the full path to YourLogoName.BMP.
Double click or Add Value REG_SZ of TileWallpaper. 0 is Don't tile, 1 is tile.
Double click or Add Value REG_SZ of WallpaperStyle. 0 is normal, 2 is stretch to fill the screen (which is mutually exclusive with TileWallpaper = 1).
If you use a normal, not tiled logo, you can position it by adding the following REG_SZ values:
WallpaperOriginX set to the number of pixels from the left hand edge of the screen.
WallpaperOriginY set to the number of pixels from the top of the screen

Reboot to view your handywork. See Tip 205.

030 ť Reduce Windows NT 4.0 Start Menu navigation delay.

To reduce the time it takes for the Start Menu to display the next tree as the cursor moves over it, edit:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Control Panel/Desktop

Double click on MenuShowDelay and set it to 100. You will need to reboot for this to take effect.

031 ť WinNT 4.0 File Name Completion.

If you want to be able to depress the TAB key to complete the file name you are typing at a command prompt, edit:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Microsoft/Command Processor

Double Click on CompletionChar or add value of REG_DWORD, set it to 9. You will need to reboot.

032 ť Freeware Messager - Send WinPopUp messages in WinNT.

Tired of using "NET SEND" or Server Manager to send network PopUp messages? Download Messager, expand the archive, and place the files in \system32. Create a shortcut to messager.exe and place it on your DeskTop or in the Start Menu.

See tip 172 for NT_HAIL, a similar freeware utility.

033 ť Can't shutdown without "killing" an application.

When I used to Logoff or ShutDown, WOWEXEC would invariably not respond and I would have to press "End Task".

Edit HKEY_USER\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\Desktop and add value AutoEndTasks REG_SZ. Set it to 1.
Edit HKEY_USER\YourUserId\Control Panel\Desktop and add value AutoEndTasks REG_SZ. Set it to 1.

This forces any task, that does not respond to the shutdown, to end.

You can also Add Value of WaitToKillAppTimeout with type REG_SZ.
The default: is 20000 milliseconds (20 seconds). If the user process does not end by this time, AutoEndTasks is invoked.

034 ť Uninstall apps without Add/Remove or an uninstall program.

If you want to uninstall an appliction that has no uninstall program and it is not listed in the Add/Remove applet of Control Panel (or that uninstall doesn't work), then just delete the directory/files. Drill down:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ and HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE

locating the applications entry and delete them.

Use Explorer to to remove the entries from the Start Menu in either %windir%\Profiles\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\ and/or %windir%\Profiles\YourId\Start Menu\Programs\

If there is an entry in the Add/Remove list, edit:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall

locate the entry and delete it. If the app has a service, edit:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services

and scroll down till you locate it. Then delete it.

If this app starts automatically and there is no entry in the StartUp folder(s), then use Regedt32 to edit:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows

load REG_SZ and
run REG_SZ

Remove the offending value and reboot.

035 ť Managing the Mapped Network Drive dropdown list.

If you want to remove some the connections in the list, edit:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\Network\PersistentConnections

Highlight and delete unwanted entires. Then double click Order and remove the letters that have been deleted. You may rearrange the letters to change the display order.

036 ť Ghosted connections.

If you want to Ghost/Un-Ghost persistent connections, edit:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\NetworkProvider

Value: RestoreConnection REG_DWORD
0 = ghost connection
1 = persistant (not ghosted)

037 ť Power Down when you Shut Down.

If you are tired of "it is now safe to turn off your computer" when you select Shut Down, Edit:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

Double click on PowerDownAfterShutdown or add it as REG_SZ. Set it to 1.

This only works if your HAL (Hardware Abstraction Layer) supports it.

038 ť Adding applications to your Send To folder.

When you right click on a file in explorer, you can choose to Open with .. or Send To. You can add applications to your Send To.

Create a Shortcut to your application (right click the ProgramName.exe) and copy (or cut) the Shortcut to %windir%\Profiles\YourUserId\SendTo.

Now, when you right click on that file with a non-standard extension, you can Send To your application.

039 ť Is your Taskbar getting a little crowded?.

If you can't read the icon text on your minimized icons because the Taskbar is too crowded, move the cursor to the top edge of the Taskbar. When the cursor changes to a double headed arrow, drag the top edge of the Taskbar so it becomes double height (or triple height).

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