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Here are a few cool things that you can do with your Windoze box
NOTE: almost all the tricks from here involve editing the registry.
Please make backups (click on Start->Run and type 'regedit' (without the 's)
or 'RegEdt32' under WinNT admin and choose Registry->Export registry. Then
zip that file to make it smaller in size. Everything in here will work ONLY for
Win9x (the tricks for WinNT will work under WinNT only (duh!)). Be prepared for
the neXt version!!!
windows update is a cool win98 (you can run it and leave it and it will search for new drivers updates... on the internet) feature but you have to register win if you want to use it. not so good after all huh? well we are mean and we found a trick for bypassing the registration process:
-open regedit (start->run and type regedit)
-find the key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Welcome\RegWiz-if this key doesn't exist create it (right click on the key from the upper list that you have and select new->key)
-find the string value RegDone
-if it doesn't exist create it (right-click on the right pane and select new->string value)
-change it's value to 1
-refresh the registry (hit f5) and restart the comp
-run windows update
-it shouldn't ask you to register anymore!
note: i think the procedure is a little bit different in win95 ask on
bsrf's message board (blacksun.box.sk) or on SWG's messy board (www.securitywriters.org)
restarting windows:
-right click anywhere on the desktop (except on the icons) and select new->shortcut
-choose all the necessary options and in the "command line" box type this:
C:\Windows\rundll.exe user.exe,exitwindowsexecwithout the quotes
where the "C:\Windows" is your Windows path.
-note: this restarts windows without any warning
shutdown:
-right click anywhere on the desktop (except on the icons) and select new->shortcut
-choose all the necessary options and in the "command line" box type this:C:\Windows\rundll.exe user.exe,exitwindowswithout the quotes
where the "C:\Windows" is your Windows path.
-note: this shutdowns windows without any warning
note: "choosing the necessary options" means giving a
friendly name to the shortcut like "restart win" for restart or
"shutdown win" for the shutdown procedure.
this is a cool trick. listen...
to change the boot (start) splash screen:
-try to find the logo.sys file. it should be on c:\. if it exists backup it. rename the logo.sys to logo.bmp and open it in paint and edit it as you wish. later save it as logo.bmp (256 colors) on c:\. rename c:\logo.bmp to c:\logo.sys.
-if it doesn't exist follow these steps:
-open ms paint
-create a new bmp file 320(w)Ч400(h)
-create your own splash screen
-save the file as logo.bmp (256 color bitmap!)
-go to c:\
-rename the file logo.bmp to logo.sys
-restart windows and you should see your own splash screen
-if the splash scr doesn't come up check the dimensions (they have to be absolutely correct) and check if you saved the file as 256 color bitmap! this is very important.
to change the shutdown 1 and 2 screens:
you know that you have 2 shutdown screens: one that says shutting down windows and looks like the splash boot screen and the other that says "it's now safe to turn off your computer". well you can change both. here's how:
-find the files logos.sys and logow.sys (find it by using the find option from start menu they must be in the windows dir)
-backup the files and rename them to logos.bmp and logow.bmp
-open them in paint
-edit as you wish
-save the files as 256 color bmp's
-copy the bmp's you saved to the c:\windows (or your windows dir) directory
-rename logos.bmp and logow.bmp to logos.sys and logow.bmp
-shutdown your computer
-if you don't see the shutdown screens try to chek are they saved in 256-color bmp and are their dimensions 320(w)Ч400(h)
-if this doesn't work either copy the files you backed up in your windows dir thus replacing the files you created but then the default shutdown screens come.
-launch regedit.exe (go to start->run and type "regedit" without the qoutes)
-note: for winnt ('cause this will be useful and on nt boxes) launch regedt32
-go to the following key in the registry:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WinLogon-create a new string value (by right-clicking in the right panel and choosing new->string value
or something like that)
-Name it LegalNoticeCaption
-right click on it & select modify
-enter the text you want to see in the menu bar
-create another string value
-name it LegalNoticeText
-right click & select modify
-enter the text you want to see in the message box
note: this will pop up a message box before any user logs on
you now those stupid icons like recycle bin network neighbohood and others
that you can't delete rename copy & paste? well here's a solution...
first of all you need to know what is the clsid (class id) value of the folder
is. here are the most common:
My Briefcase:
{85BBD920-42AO-1069-A2E4-08002B30309D}
Desktop:
{00021400-0000-0000-C000-0000000000046}
(those guys from MS are sick look at these zeros!)
Control Panel:
{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-0B002B30309D}
Dial-Up networking:
{992CFFA0-F557-101A-88EC-00DD01CCC48}
Fonts:
{BD84B380-8CA2-1069-AB1D-08000948534}
My Computer:
{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}
Inbox:
{00020D76-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}
Network Neighborhood:
{208D2C60-3AEA-1069-A2D7-08002B30309D}
Printers:
{2227A280-3AEA-1069-A2DE-08002B30309D}
Recycle Bin:
{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}
MSN:
{00028B00-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}
History:
{FF393560-C2A7-11CF-BFF4-444553540000}
these are 16-byte CLSID values of the folders. they are used to identify
themselves. they are like names to "real" folders. write them down
before you do anything in fact you can't do anything without them. now write
down the value of the folder you want to change. now i will show you some
tricks:
deleting the special folder from desktop:
these folders (entire list above) can't be renamed
deleted
copied
cut and pasted. now let's go through this step by step. first i'm gonna show you
how to delete those folders from desktop:
-write down the clsid value of the folder you want to erase from desktop
-launch regedit (start->run and type regedit (4 winnt regedt32)
-go to the following key in the registry:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace\{CLSID value here}-delete that key
-press f5 to refresh the registry
-voila! the folder is past :)
note: if this doesn't work try the following key if exist:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace\{CLSID value here}
-follow the steps above
adding copy
cut
paste
rename & delete to special folders:
ok
you managed to get rid of them but wouldn't it be better if we could add copy
cut
paste
rename & delete to these folders? of course it would. here are the instructions:-write down the clsid value
-launch regedit (winnt - regedt32)
-go to the following key:HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{CLSID value here}\ShellFolder-in the right pane find a dword (it's the thing with binary numbers like binary string value) named Attributes
-to add the rename option
change attributes value to:
50 01 00 20
-to add delete option
change it to:
60 01 00 20
-to add both rename & delete change it to:
70 01 00 20
-to add copy:
41 01 00 20
-to add cut:
42 01 00 20
-to add copy & cut:
43 01 00 20
-to add paste:
44 01 00 20
-to add copy & paste:
45 01 00 20
-to add cut & paste:
46 01 00 20
-to add cut
copy & paste:
47 01 00 20
-to change the menu back to default change it:
40 01 00 20
-press f5 to refresh the registry
-voila second time! right cilck on the folder you changed (i suggest starting with recycle bin) and you will find the options you added! cool isn't it???
adding control panel to 1st-level of start menu:
it's pretty boring to access control panel isn't it. you have to wait
forever. well this tweak will shorten that time:
-right-click on start menu and click explore
-create a new folder and name it:Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}-don't forget the "." (period) sign after "l" in panel!
-voila! you have the control panel folder in the first-level start menu
-similarly you can add all special folders to start menu except my briefcase i think
now say you have an account for your younger brother and a passworded account
for yourself. now you want to remove "run" and "find"
options from start menu 'cause your little bro knows the command regedit :).
well you can do it here's how:
remove find and run:
-launch regedit (winnt - regedt32)
-go to the key:HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer-create a new dword value named "NoFind" (to remove Run name it "NoRun")
-right-click on the value and select "modify"
-change the value of the dword to 1
-to get the find and run commands back change the values to 0 or delete the dword-s
this trick hasn't been tried on win98 but it should work (i have win98 but i
haven't tried it. this was taken over from the ankit fadia's win tips'n'secrets
tutorial).
changing folder icons:
to change the folder icon for let's say your folder do this:
-create a blank text file
-copy the following lines into it:[.ShellClassInfo] ICONFILE=Drive:\Path\name.extensionwhere drive:\path\name.extension is your path to the icon.
-save the file as desktop.ini in the folder you want to change
-right click on the file and check the "hidden" and "read-only" boxes to prevent the file from being erased
-yeah! your folder has a different icon!
change the drive icon:
you can change the drive icons too (what do you think how do they get the
cool icon on the cd when you open "my computer" instead the old boring
default cd icon?). follow these steps:
-create a text file with these ilnes in it:
[Autorun] ICON=Drive:\Path\name.extensionwhere drive:\path\name.extension is your path to the icon.
-save the file as 'autorun.inf' (without the quotes) in the root of the drive who's icon you want to change (i.e. c:\).
-hey! my drive has a different icon yours doesn't!!! :)))
right click on start menu you will get 3 options: open explore & find (if
you have winamp there will be winamp's options and if you have an antivirus
proggy you will have his options too). isn't that boring? it's just waits to be
changed. :)
adding a program to right-click menu
-open regedit
-go to the key:HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Shell-create a new key by right-clicking on the "shell" key and selecting new->key
-type in the name of the application you want ot add (we'll be adding notepad)
-create another key named command
-in the "default" string value (it's always there it's the first) type in the path to the applicaton you want to use (in our example: c:\windows\notepad.exe)
-press f5 to refresh the registry
-yo! i have notepad in my right-click start menu!
removing programs & options from the right-click menu
in our example we will remove find option. similary you can remove any option or program you added:
-open regedit
-go to the key:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Shell\Find
-delete find
-note: do not delete open. then you will not be able to open any folders in the start menu.
internet eplorer has a hell lot of tweaks you can do. here are the best:
change the ie-s window title:
-open regedit (i'm fed up of writing regedit...)
-go to the key:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main-in the right pane create a new string value called "Window Title" (without the quotes)
-right click and select modify
-type in the new caption (window title)
-voila! refresh (f5) and open ie
you will find that the new caption is there!
-note: if this doesn't work (i discovered this accidentaly it didn't work 4 me so i tried it and it worked...) go to the following key:HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main
and follow the instructions above.
adding background to ie and explorer:
-open regedit (...)
-go to the key:HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar-create a new string value (in the right pane right-cilck and select new->string value)
-Name it BackBitmap
-modify (right-click on the value and select modify) it to the path of the bmp file that you wish to use.
-cool! refresh (f5) and you will have a background on the toolbars in ie and even in the standard explorer!
colourful background:
outlook express has a cool feature colourful background. no biggy it says in the
tips of the day how to use this. but what if we could speed it up...
-open regedit
-go to the key:HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Mail And News-find colorcycle in the left panel click on it
select edit->modify from the edit menu and change it's value to 1
-refresh the registry and restart win
-launch oe and open a new message
-hold down ctrl-shift and tap the z key to cycle trough background colors.
-yeah!
well altough some of the tips written here could be used for windows nt too i
decided to include a few tips and tricks for nt only. here are they...
winnt security bug:
windows nt displays the last person who logged in by default. this could be
a security bug specially for those whos password is the same as their username.
here's how to fix it:
-launch regedt32 under admin privilages
-go to this key:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon-click and select the reportbookok item and create a new string value called DontDisplayLastUserName. modify the value to 1.
-refresh the registry and restart
automatically shutdown non-responding applications:
as in win9x every now and then some application stops responding. well here's
how to automatically kill a non-responding application in winnt:
-open regedt32
-go to the following key:HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\Desktop-find the value "autoendtasks"
-the default value is 20000 this means that non-resppnding app will be automatically shut down after 20000 miliseconds
-change the value to fit your needs
winnt blue screen
when you get a blue screen under winnt your system will halt. here's how to change that so that the system automatically restarts after the blue screen:
-open regedt32
-go to the following key:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\CrashControl-find the dword autoreboot
-change it's value to 1 if you want that the computer to be automatically restarted after blue death
-refresh and restart