Solution Concepts

Hax - Tweaks
Registry Settings

"Making IT happen on the
Information Superhighway"

Active Desktop Errors - How To Fix

• run regedit
• find this entry - HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Desktop\SafeMode\Components
• change the key value - DeskHtmlVersion REG_DWORD 0x00000110(272) to decimal zero
• Close regedit log off and log back on.
• This has worked for all our XP clients

CD Burning Lockdown

• [Start] [Run] [Regedit]
• Registry Key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
  Modify/Create the Value Name [NoCDBurning] according to the Value Data listed below.
• Data Type: REG_DWORD [Dword Value] // Value Name: NoCDBurning
  Value Data: [0 - Enable Burning / 1 - Disable Burning]
• Exit Registry and Reboot

Defrag System Files Automanically

• To defrag the system files 
  automatically at every boot (to 
  optimize you system), change the 
  value Enable to Y in the following 
  registry key:
  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software
  \Microsoft\Dfrg\BootOptimizeFunction

• HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\
  Microsoft\Windows\
  CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
• Right-click the right pane, create a new DWORD value, and then name it EnableBalloonTips.
• Double-click this new entry, and then give it a hexadecimal value of 0.

Disable Forced Windows Reboot After Updates

• Start / Run / gpedit.msc / Local Computer Policy / Computer Configuration / Administrative Templates / Windows Components / Windows Update / Re-prompt for restart with scheduled installations
• You can configure how often it will nag you (I re-configured it for 720 minutes, which means I'll be asked twice on a work day), or completely disable it.

• Oh, I almost forgot: this setting is only loaded when Windows starts, so a reboot is needed. If that stupid dialog is on your screen now, just stop the "Automatic Updates" service (but keep it as Automatic, so it gets reloaded on the next start) and you won't see it again. 

• Probably you have seen the irritating 
  'low on disk space'-warning before, 
  if your hard disk reaches full capacity. 
  This warning message can be turned off by adding the DWORD-value NoLowDiskSpaceChecks with 
  value 1 in the following key:
  HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\
  MicroSoft\ Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
  ExplorerA

Disable Paging File If...

• If you have a fast internet connection, it's wise to increase the Window Size, using the registry editor. By doing so you prevent the decreasing connection download speed, while downloading a file. The receive window is the number of bytes a sender can transmit without receiving an acknowledgment.

•  By increasing the Window Size, you are 
  able to increase your download speed. Use the registry editor to add or edit the DWORD-value GlobalMaxTcpWindowSize to value 00007fff (or even: dword:0000ffff) 
  in the following key:  [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\
  CurrentControlSet\Services\
  Tcpip\Parameters]
• NOTE: Try some values and time the download time of a big file to optimize this setting (you need to restart Windows each time).

• By default, you are only able to download 1 file at the same time, which slows down visiting websites. By a registry tweak you are able to raise the number of simultaneous downloads.
• Use the registry editor to go to the following key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\
  Software\Microsoft\Windows\
  CurrentVersion\Internet Settings. Add a new DWORD-value named MaxConnectionsPer1_0Server and value 5.
•  

• Add a new DWORD-value named MaxConnectionsPerServer and value 5 as well. If you have a DSL or Cable connection use the value 16 or even 32 for both. Visiting websites will be a lot faster now!

• This will slow the shut down process
• The optimizing tweaks are all done
   in the following register key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\
  CurrentControlSet\Control\ Session Manager\Memory Management
• Clear the Pagefile at shutdown: If you prefer to clear the pagefile at shutdown because you are worried someone might try to read it, you can clear it at shutdown.

• Create a DWORD-value ClearPageFileAtShutdown with the value 1 (use the value 0 to disable this option). There is only one big disadvantage: shutting down Windows will be very slow! Only do this registry tweak in case of strong security issues.

• The optimizing tweaks are all done
   in the following registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\
  CurrentControlSet\Control\ Session Manager\Memory Management

• Boost the System Cache: By loading the kernel in the RAM-memory it is quickly available which will improve the system performances. This option will consume some of the free RAM-memory, however this will not be much. Change the DWORD-value LargeSystemCache to the value 1 to enable to load the kernel in the RAM-memory (use the value 0 to disable this option).

• Start Registry Editor. To do this, click Start, click Run, type regedit.exe, and then click OK.
  If the following registry subkey already exists, go to step 6:
  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Messenger\Client
• Click the following registry subkey:
  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft
• On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click Key. Type Messenger for the name of the new registry key, and then press ENTER.4.Click the following registry subkey: key:
  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Messenger
• On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click Key. Type Client for the name of the new registry key, and then press ENTER.6.Click the following registry subkey: key:
  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Messenger\Client
• On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click DWORD Value. Type PreventRun for the name of the new DWORD value and then press ENTER.
• Right-click the PreventRun value that you created in step 7, and then click Modify. In theValue data box, type 1, and then click OK.9.Quit Registry Editor.

• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Reliability, and change the DWORD-value ShutdownReasonUI from 0 to 1.

• Now you will find more information about the reason why Windows crashed in the log files, which are available through the Control Panel, Administrative Tools, Event Viewer.
• If your problems are solved, restore the value to 0

• If shutting down Windows takes a long time (or doesn't shut down at all), change the value PowerOffActive to 1 in the following registry key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Control Panel \ Desktop

• Shutting down Windows can take a long time. You can speed this up (at your own risk) with the following tweaks in the registry key:

• HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop
  Change the following String values:
  AutoEndTasks=1
  HungAppTimeout=4000
  WaitToKillAppTimeout=4000
  WaitToKillServiceTimeout=4000

• open the registry editor and go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop
• and change the key value for 'MenuShowDelay' into 0, you can try 100 as well - it might be more convenient (the start menu now opens
  without any delay, normally you need to wait almost half a second for every menu)

• Step 1. Click Start, Run, enter regedit, and then press Enter to launch the Registry Editor.
• Step 2. Navigate the Registry tree to:
  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control
• Step 3. Look in the tree for a key called StorageDevicePolicies. If it doesn't exist, create it.
• Step 4. Select the StorageDevicePolicies key and then click File, New, DWORD Value.
• Step 5. Set the name of the value to WriteProtect.\
• Step 6. Set the value of WriteProtect to 1 and close the Registry Editor.

• WBEM (Windows Based Enterprise Management is what I believe this acronym stands for), which I do not like or trust personally, has a logging feature!
• I am of the opinion to turn off logging if you do not need it and can in most all OS functions in Win2k... even the Event Logs, if you do NOT need to be recording it!
• This also theoretically helps ease fragmentation also potentially, another speed benefit that COULD result!

• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WBEM\CIMOM]
  "EnableEvents"="0"
  "Logging"="0"
  "Logging Directory"= k:\temp
  "Working Directory"= k:\temp
  "Backup Interval Threshold"="60"