Windows Registry Tips

[Sunnypk]

How to increase the list of recently opened documents history?


In windows XP, you can increase the list of recently used documents in start menu. By default windows XP display the shortcuts of last fifteen programs on recent documents list in start menu but you can increase this value with your required input value. However this tip is very useful for all new computer users because they can easily access their required documents from last visited documents history. This trick will work in nearly all of the windows versions like windows 2000, XP and 2003.

Follow the given steps for configuration to increase the list of recently opened documents:

To edit the computer registry, first you should log onto your computer with administrative rights.

Click Start button and type regedit in Run option then press Enter for next.


Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies


Now in left side panel, click right to create a new Key value with the name Explorer under "Policies" area.


Now explore the full path like:

Go to [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer


Now in right side panel, click right to create a new DWORD value with the name MaxRecentDocs and then set values with your required input value.


In this case, we are trying to set input value to 30 and press Ok button.


But next time, if you want to disable this functionality then simply change the value of data box to 15 or delete the MaxRecentDocs DWORD item.

Now close the registry editor and restart your computer after any changes to go into effect.

[Sunnypk]

How to disable/enable the windows hotkeys combinations?




Today tip help you to restrict your computer users to play with windows hotkeys combinations. Yon can disable any specific windows hotkeys or all combination keys for users. Using registry editor, you can implement this task in all windows versions with minimum effort.

Follow the given steps to disable windows hotkeys combinations:

To use this feature, you will need to be logged into your computer with administrative rights.

Click Start button and type regedit in Run option then press Enter for next.



Here locate the location to:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer


Here in right side panel, right click to create a new DWORD value with the name NoWinKeys

(it is case sensitive) or modify the existing value called NoWinKeys values and assign number 1 in value data box.


Now close the registry editor and restart your computer after any changes to go into effect.

But next time, if you want to enable windows hotkeys combinations then simply change the value of data box or delete the NoWinKeys DWORD item.

[Sunnypk]

How to hide computer drives to secure data?




This tip is very useful for home users, particularly for those who wants to hide/secure there important data from other users. You can hide any specific local drive or all drives (physical and removable) of the system and network drives also. By disabling the display of drives, you can safe your personal data from non-technical users on a single computer.

Follow the given steps to change the system drives registry value:

•To use this feature, you will need to be logged into your computer with

administrative rights.

•Click Start button and type regedit in Run option then press Enter for next.


•Here locate the location to:

· HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion \Policies\Explorer



· Here in right side panel, right click to create a new DWORD value

with name NoDrives (it is case sensitive), then assign number

to its value data box.



· Now if you want to hide all system drives then modify value data

to 3FFFFFF .



· For specific drive use values (For example, for A, B, C, D, E, F, G,

H drives, the values are 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, and 128 respectively).

· In this case we are trying to hide F drive, so we modify the value data

box to 32.



· Now close the registry editor and restart your computer after any

changes to go into effect.

· But next time, if you want to unhide this drive then simply change

the value data box or delete the DWORD item.

• Again close the registry editor and restart your computer after any

changes to go into effect.

[Sunnypk]

How to clear My Documents history automatically on log off?




Today tip will help you to clear your recently opened documents automatically on windows log off. Your family members and co-workers can find out your documents browsing activities with clicking on documents list menu. However this tip is very useful for you, if you are sharing your computer with others or you do not want that other persons know about your last visited documents history. This trick will work in nearly all of the windows versions like windows 2000, XP and 2003.
Follow the given steps for configuration to clear recently opened documents automatically:

To edit the computer registry, first you should log onto your computer with administrative rights.

Click Start button and type regedit in Run option then press Enter for next.


Navigate to HKEY_Current_User \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \Policies\Explorer


Now in right side panel, click right to create a new DWORD value with the name ClearRecentDocsOnExit and then set its value to 1.


But next time, if you want to disable this functionality then simply change the value of data box to 0 or delete the ClearRecentDocsOnExit DWORD item.

Now close the registry editor and restart your computer after any changes to go into effect.

[Sunnypk]

Displaying a Text Notice before Logon



You can create a funny message or legal warnings for others just before logon to your computer. This is very useful if you want to give a message to new user about the use of computer. Edit the value of registry keys to create a banner message.

•Click Start button then type regedit in Run option then press Enter for next.

•Here locate the location to:

•HKeyLocalMachine \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Win Logon

•Here in right side panel, right click to create a new string value LegalNoticeCaption and give it a value you want to see in the menu bar

•Now again right click to create a new string value called LegalNoticeText and change the value you want to see in the dialog box

•Now close the registry editor and restart your computer after any changes to go into effect.

[Sunnypk]

Disable drives in My Computer from unknown user.




If you want to prevent any users to access your computer or network shared drives using My Computer then you can hide the all drives for example C:/, D:/ and save your data from any unknown user. But next time you can turn on the display of these drives using registry editor. Now edit the computer registry to turn off the display of drives, but be careful to work with computer registry.

Follow the given steps to hide computer drives:

•First click on Start button then type Regedit in Run option.

•Here locate the location to:

HKey_Current_User \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows

\ Current Version \ Policies \ Explorer

•Here right click on right side of Registry editor panel and add new DWORD then put its value 3FFFFFF.

•Now close the registry editor and restart your computer after any changes to go into effect.

[Sunnypk]

How to remove the text from the Desktop icon?



Desktop is the interface of Windows, which contain the icons, taskbar etc. that allow the user to interact with the computer to perform different operations. Usually the picture of icon represents its purpose so if you want your desktop looking very clean then you can remove the title under the desktop icons. May be you are thinking it is so easy, just go to rename option and set blank name or single spacebar entry but the problem is this, windows will not allow you to set blank name or name with single spacebar entry. Here interesting thing is this; window will allow you to use the ASCII code for a space, which is 0160.



First clear all the text from that icon

Now type the ASCII code, simply hold the Alt key, type the number 0160 from the number pad and release the Alt key then press Enter button to finish the process.

Before


After


But if you want to remove the text of multiple icons, then repeat the above process with adding one extra ASCII code for second icon, (for example for second icon you type the 0160 twice and for third icon type 0160 three times with Alt key and so on).

[Sunnypk]

How to hide user account from the windows XP welcome screen?



Today tip is very useful particularly for expert users who want to create hidden or backup user accounts in windows XP. This trick permits an account that is normally displayed on the Welcome screen to be hidden from view. To hide the specific user account from the welcome screen, you need to create a special value under windows registry key.

Follow the given steps to hide any specific user account on welcome screen:

To use this feature, you will need to be logged into your computer with administrative rights.

Click Start button and type regedit in Run option then press Enter for next.

Here locate the location to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\

Winlogon\SpecialAccounts\UserList



Here in right side panel, right click to create a new DWORD Value with the name of account to be hidden - the name matches the users name exactly.



To modify the "Value data" information as DWORD Value 0 to hide the account and 1 to display the user then click on Ok button.



Now close the registry editor and restart your computer after any changes to go into effect.

But next time, if you want to enable specific user account on welcome then simply change the value of data box to 1 or delete the DWORD Value item.

[Sunnypk]

Disabling the ability to click on My Computer




You can restrict any user to access your system drives if you disable the click feature on My Computer. User will get no any changes when he will try to open My Computer.

By editing the windows registry keys, you can disable the click feature on My Computer. But always export or backup the whole windows registry keys on backup drive before editing. Because any mistake in Registry can cause serious problem in your computer to run properly.

Follow the given steps to disable My Computer setting.

•First click on Start button then type Regedit in Run option.

•In registry editor panel search the value

20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D

•May be you will find this value on path HKey_Classes_Root \ CLSID section.

•Here delete the entire section of this value.

•Now close the registry editor and restart your computer after any changes to go into effect.

[Sunnypk]

Disabling Run or Find from the Start Menu





1.Start Regedit

2.Go to HKey_Current_User \ Software\ Microsoft \Windows \ Current Version \ Policies \ Explorer

3.Right click on the right panel and add a New / DWORD

4.Name it NoFile or NoRun

5.Give it a value of 1

6.Logoff or Reboot the computer.