Structure of Windows XP Registry :
When you will open the Windows XP Registry , you will see it's divided into two panes. On the left side there are Five main
Keys as shown below. These can be expanded to several Sub-Keys, which further has many Sub-Keys.
+HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
+HKEY_CURRENT_USER
+HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
+HKEY_USERS
+HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG
Before you try out the Tweaks, learn how to Backup and Restore Windows XP Registry.
Types of Registry Backups :
It?s very important that before you do editing you make a backup of the current registry. If you ignore this warning, it might prove deadly for you? So better listen to me.
Open your registry. Go to Start>Run , type regedit . When you invoke the Export function from File>Export, you are given a choice of different file types that can be saved :
Registration Files (*.reg)
Registry Hive Files (*.*)
Text Files (*.txt)
Win9x/NT 4 Registration Files (*.reg)
All Files
Each one of the different file types above plays an important role in how the data you export is saved. Choosing the wrong type can give you unexpected results. So let me explain you quickly these file types.
Registrations Files : The Registration Files option creates a .reg file. This is the most well known file format used for backing up the registry. The Registration File can be used in two ways. As a text file it can be read and edited using Notepad outside of Registry Editor. Once the changes have been made and saved, right clicking the file and using the [Merge] command adds the changed file back into the registry. If you make additions to the registry using regedit and then merge the previously saved Registration File, anything that you've added via regedit will not be removed, but changes you make to data using regedit that previously existed in the saved Registration File will be overwritten when it is merged
Registry Hive Files : Unlike the Registration Files option above, the Registry Hive Files option creates a binary image of the selected registry key. The image file is not editable via Notepad nor can you view its contents using a text editor. However, what the Registry Hive Files format does is create an image perfect view of the selected key and allow you to import it back into the registry to insure any problematic changes you made are eliminated.
Text Files : This option does just as the name suggests. It creates a text file containing the information in the selected key. It's most useful purpose is creating a record or snapshot of a key at a particular point in time that you can refer back to if necessary. It cannot be merged back into the registry like a Registration File.
Win9x/NT 4 Registration Files : This option creates a .reg file in the same manner used by the Registration Files option. It's used by previous Windows versions and serves no purpose in XP unless you want to merge a key from XP into a previous version of Windows.
Out of the give above choices , the safest method of backing up registry is to use Registry Hive Files option. No matter what ever you do or goes wrong in editing, importing the image of the key will eliminate all changes.
**Note-> I have included the exact name/value between [ ] brackets. [ & ] should be ignored, only the data inside them should be considered.
1. Customize Windows Media Player Title Bar
Change the title bar to read Windows Media Player provided by
[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft
Create the Key [WindowsMediaPlayer]
Create String value named [TitleBar]
Data Type: REG_SZ // Value Name: TitleBar
Double click TitleBar and Enter the text to be displayed in the title bar.
Exit Registry / Reboot
2. Minimize Outlook 2002 to the System Tray
If you frequently access Outlook during the day it?s more convenient to have it minimized to the system tray rather than invoking it each time you need to send/receive e-mail. This tweak minimizes Outlook 2002 to the system tray:
[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Outlook\Preferences
Modify/Create Data Type DWORD named [MinToTray]
Setting for Value Data: [0 = Disabled / 1 = Enabled]
Exit Registry / Reboot
3. Specify Default IE Download Directory
This tweak changes the default directory where downloads initiated in Internet Explorer are stored on the system.
[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer
Modify/Create String Value of Data type REG_SZ Named [Download Directory]
Value Data: [Enter Path to Directory to be Assigned as Defualt for Downloads]
Exit Registry / Reboot
4. Force Use of Classic Start Menu
This tweak loads the Classic Start Menu and makes it impossible to change back to the Windows XP version
[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
Modify/Create the DWORD Value of Data type REG_DWORD Named [NoSimpleStartMenu]
Value Data: [0 = Default / 1 = Force Classic Start Menu]
Exit Registry / Reboot
5. Hide/Show Internet Explorer Desktop Icon
By default, Windows XP does not show the Internet Explorer icon on the Windows desktop. Using the registry tweak below allows you to control whether or not the Internet Explorer icon is displayed.
[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
Modify/Create DWORD Value of Data type REG_DWORD Named [NoInternetIcon]
Setting for Value Data: [0 = Disabled / 1 = Enabled]
Exit Registry / Reboot
6. Increase Menu Display Speed
When you click on the Start Menu there is some delay to display the contents , just for no reason. Effects are pretty though. The default speed can be adjusted with a quick registry entry.
The default value is 400. Set it to 0 and the delay is gone. If you are not able to adjust pick a number that suits your style and make the change.
[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop
Modify/Create String value of Data type REG_SZ Named [MenuShowDelay]
Value Data: [Default = 400 / Adjust to Preference]
Exit Registry / Reboot
7. Change the Location of Special Folders
This tweak allows changing the location of special folders on the system. Any of the folders listed in the registry key may be moved.
[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Go to : HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\UserShell Folders
Modify/Create String value of Data type REG_SZ Named [Various Folder Names]
Data Type: REG_SZ [String Value] // Value Name: Consult RegEdit for Folder Names
Value Data: [Move the folder to the new desired location using explorer, and then edit the matching folder in RegEdit to reflect the new folder location]
Exit Registry and Reboot
8. Faster Browsing in Windows Explorer on Network Computers
By default, a Windows XP machine connecting to a Windows 95/98/Me computer will search for scheduled tasks or enabled printers on the remote computer. Two sub-keys control this behavior. Deleting them will speed up browsing on the remote computer.
[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Go to : HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\RemoteComputer\NameSpace
To Disable Scheduled Task Checking
Value Name: {D6277990-4C6A-11CF-8D87-00AA0060F5BF}
Delete the sub-key in the left pane of Registry Editor
To Disable Printer Checking
Value Name: {2227A280-3AEA-1069-A2DE-08002B30309D}
Delete the sub-key in the left pane of Registry Editor
Exit Registry / Reboot
9. Add Administrator Account to Log In Screen
When Windows XP is first installed it requires you to enter at least one name of a user who will access the computer. Once you create this name the default Administrator account vanishes. To access it, press Ctrl-Alt-Delete twice at the Welcome screen to retrieve the standard Windows 2000 logon dialog. Log on as Administrator from this point. To log the Administrator off, click [Start] [Log Off] and [Log Off] when the [Log Off Windows] selection box appears. The Log On screen with the available users will be displayed.
To Make the Administrator Account Always Visible on the Login Screen use this Registry Tweak.
[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Go to: HKEY_LOCALMACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\SpecialAccounts\UserList
Modify/Create DWORD Value of Data type REG_DWORD Named [Administrator]
Setting for Value Data: [0 = Disabled / 1 = Enabled]
Exit Registry / Reboot
10. Increase Internet Download Connections
Increase Simultaneous Internet Download Connections. Increases the number of allowed simultaneous connections to ten (10).
[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Go to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings
Modify/Create DWORD Value of Data type REG_DWORD Named [MaxConnectionsPer1_0Server]
Setting for Value Data: [0000000a]
Modify/Create DWORD Value of Data type REG_DWORD Named [MaxConnectionsPerServer]
Setting for Value Data: [0000000a]
Exit Registry / Reboot
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