*~T~* *Taskbar* Cannot Move or Resize the Taskbar or Any Toolbars on the Taskbar Taskbar Is Missing When You Log On to Windows *Taskbar - Context Menus - Disable Taskbar Context Menus* This setting removes the context menus (right click on the taskbar) for the system tray, including the Start button, Tab control, and Clock. Open your registry (Start/Run/Regedit) and find the key below. You may need to create the key if it does not already exist. Create a new DWORD value, or modify the existing value, called 'NoTrayContextMenu' and edit the value according to the settings below. [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer] [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer] Value Name: NoTrayContextMenu Data Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value) Value Data: (0 = disabled, 1 = enabled) Exit your registry, you may need to restart or log out of Windows for the change to take effect. *Taskbar - Hide Clock (Notification Area)* This setting allows you to remove the clock from the system tray on the taskbar. Open your registry (Start/Run/Regedit) and find the key below. You may need to create the key if it does not already exist. Create a new DWORD value, or modify the existing value, called 'HideClock' and edit the value according to the settings below. [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer] [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer] Value Name: HideClock Data Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value) Value Data: (0 = Show Clock, 1 = Hide Clock) Exit your registry, you may need to restart or log out of Windows for the change to take effect. *Taskbar - Remove the Toolbars on the Taskbar* This restriction is used to remove all the toolbars, including Quick Launch, from the taskbar. It also restricts the ability to re-enable them. Open your registry (Start/Run/Regedit) and find the key below. You may need to create the key if it does not already exist. Create a new DWORD value, or modify the existing value, called 'NoToolbarsOnTaskbar' and edit the value according to the settings below. [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer] [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer] Value Name: NoToolbarsOnTaskbar Data Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value) Value Data: (0 = default, 1 = enable restriction) Exit your registry, you may need to restart or log out of Windows for the change to take effect. *Taskbar - Remove Notification Tray Items from Taskbar * This setting removes and restricts access to the tray icons normally found next to the clock on the taskbar. Open your registry and find the key below. You may need to create the key if it does not already exist. Create a new DWORD value, or modify the existing value, called 'NoTrayItemsDisplay' and edit the value according to the settings below. [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer] [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer] Value Name: NoTrayItemsDisplay Data Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value) Value Data: (0 = default, 1 = enable restriction) Exit your registry, you may need to restart or log out of Windows for the change to take effect. *Task Manager* Launching the Task Manager can sometimes be difficult depending on the situation. Some people didn't know that the Task Manager can actually be launched in at least three different ways to make it easier to use when you need it the most. First Method: Press CTRL + ALT + DELETE and click on the 'Task Manager... Second Method: Right click on the Windows Notification area and chose 'Task Manager... Third Method: Press CTRL + SHIFT + ESC and the Task Manager will be launched instantly. *Task Manager Menu Bar and Tabs Are Not Visible in Windows XP Description of What the Available Bytes in Task Manager Represents *Task Scheduler - A scheduled task can be run without passwords *For Pro: Start/Control Panel/Administrative Tools/Local Security Policy/Local Policies/Security options. In the right hand pane (third down). Accounts: Limit local account use of blank passwords to console logon only. This is enabled by default, disable it. For Home: (Keith Miller) Backup your registry before modifying. Locate the following registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa Value name: limitblankpassworduse Type: REG_DWORD Data: 0 (disabled) 1 (enabled) It is enabled by default. Disable it and scheduled tasks should run. HOW TO: Modify Scheduled Tasks in Windows XP Task Scheduler Does Not Run Tasks When "Run As" User Account Has No Password *TCP/IP - Can't Uninstall *When viewing the list of components for a network interface, you may notice that the Uninstall button is disabled when Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) is selected. In Windows XP, the TCP/IP stack is considered a core component of the operating system; therefore, it is not possible to uninstall TCP/IP in Windows XP. In extreme cases, reinstalling the Internet Protocol stack may be the most appropriate solution. With the NetShell utility, you can now reset the TCP/IP stack back to a pristine state, to the same state as when the operating system was installed. *Tip: *RWIN: Where is this located to change it manually HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters In 2K, it is called "TcpWindowSize" and is a DWORD, instead of a String Value. Create a new one, but choose DWORD instead of String Value. Value may be entered in decimal or hex. Note: DRTCP will set all of these very easily. Description of Windows TCP Features *Temporary Internet Files (TIF)* Internet Explorer (IE) can enter a state where it almost immediately hangs and starts to use 100 percent of CPU time. In particular, trying to delete Temporary Internet files via Tools, Internet Options triggers this behavior. Also, all attempts to delete files or folders from %systemdrive%\Documents and Settings\%username%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files (or wherever the Temporary Internet files folder is located) causes Windows Explorer to hang. This behavior occurs because the Temporary Internet files database is corrupt. The Temporary Internet files aren't really files but entries in %systemdrive%\Documents and Settings\%username%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\index.dat. Deleting that file solves the problem. Exit IE and Windows Explorer (iexplore.exe and explorer.exe, respectively, in Task Manager). Use the following command from a command prompt to delete the file: Type in cd.. enter, cd.. enter then paste this line: del "%userprofile%\local settings\temporary internet files\content.ie5\ Empty Temp Folders v2.8.3 http://www.danish-shareware.dk/soft/emptemp/index.html *Text - Data (Extracting text data from a PDF file)* To do this open the PDF file with Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.0, a free program available for download from Adobe at http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html Select the text tool, which looks like a "T" on the toolbar and drag it over the text in the PDF document and then use the copy command from the Edit menu. Pop into the program you want to put the text into and go to its "Edit" menu and select "Paste". *Text to Speech* HOW TO: Configure and Use Text to Speech in Windows XP HOW TO: Use Speech Recognition in Windows XP HOW TO: Install and Configure Speech Recognition in Windows XP *Themes * WinCustomize *- * The Definitive Desktop Web Site (Daily Shots*/*Library)* * Windows Customization 2002 More and more programs have become "Skinnable" in themselves and the latest version of Windows (Windows XP) allows users to choose between a "Classic" Windows look and a new "Windows XP" style of look. Microsoft introduced a new terminology to describe skins that are applied across the operating system - visual styles. Windows XP: Adding more visual themes When Windows XP was released, users immediately could see that something was different. It came with an updated user interface that looked more polished. The new look came with a new term: A visual style. A visual style represents the customization of the main parts of the Windows graphical user interface (GUI). Windows XP came with 1 called "Windows XP style". HOW TO: Configure Desktop Themes in Windows XP Personalize Your Computer - Working with Themes - MS Downloadable XP Themes Change Splash Screen for WinXP How to Make Your Own Themes How to Apply Your Style XP Themes! How to Create your own Login Screens Hacking the Start Button in XP Creating Windows XP Icons HOW TO: Distribute a Custom Desktop Theme to Users User Picture Logos (Icons) How to install Visual Styles in Windows XP * Themes - Hide the Themes Settings Page * This option hides the Themes tag which prevents the user from selecting an alternate theme. Themes normally include a background plus sounds, icons and other elements. Go to Start/Run/Regedit Create a new DWORD value, or modify the existing value, called 'NoThemesTab' and edit the value according to the settings below. [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer] [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer] Value Name: NoThemesTab Data Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value) Value Data: (0 = default, 1 = enable restriction) Exit your registry, you may need to restart or log out of Windows for the change to take effect. *Themes - Restrict Desktop Theme Controls * These restrictions control access to the desktop theme settings including the Windows styles, buttons, schemes and fonts. Go to Start/Run/Regedit: For each required restriction create a new DWORD value from the list below and set the value to "1" to enable it. NoVisualStyleChoice - Disable the "Windows and buttons" style control NoColorChoice - Disable the "Color scheme" control NoSizeChoice - Disable the "Font size" control To specify the default style create a new string value called "SetVisualStyle" and set it to the full path and filename of the required .msstyles file. Changes should take effect immediately. [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System] Value Name: NoColorChoice, NoSizeChoice, NoVisualStyleChoice, SetVisualStyle *"The Name Specified Is Not Recognized..." * From Command Prompt: "The Name Specified Is Not Recognized..." *This Page Cannot Be Displayed - Error Message* Error Message: The Page Cannot Be Displayed *Thumbnail - Change the size of Thumbnail View * Current user only: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Explorer All users: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Explorer Add a new DWORD value called ThumbnailSize and give it a hexidecimal value that is between 32 and 256, inclusive (that is, the lowest possible value is 32 and the highest is 256): A value of 32 will give you the smallest possible thumbnails, and 256 will give you the biggest. *Tip: *If you set the thumbnail view and then go to folder options on the view tab and apply to all folders, Windows Explorer will remember. *Thumbnail - Disable Cache *Start/Run/Regedit HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Explorer\Advanced. Value Name: DisableThumbnailCache, Data Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value), Value Data: (0 = enabled, 1 = disable cache). Create a new DWORD value, or modify the existing value, called 'DisableThumbnailCache' and edit the value according to the settings below. Exit your registry, you may need to restart or log out of Windows for the change to take effect. *Thumbnail View* ThumbsPlus supports five customizable thumbnail views. In small, large, and custom views, the thumbnails are displayed much like the icon display for files in Windows Explorer. You may also configure the thumbnail views small, large, and custom to not display a thumbnail. When you do this the thumbnail display looks similar to Windows Explorer List View. One big difference between this "no Thumbnail" view and Windows Explorer is that when hovering over an image with a thumbnail, ThumbsPlus will display an image tip for the image. Image tips can be disabled by checking the Disable popup image tips on the Preferences tab. *Tips* 50 Things You Didn't Know About XP - Chris Pirillo (Lockergnome ) When opening the Command Prompt window, in Windows ME a file called c:\windows\command\cmdinit.bat would automatically run. It doesn't run any more in XP. In this file you can add doskey aliases or whatever else you would like to run upon startup of this command window. To make it run in XP: Go to Windows Explorer\Windows\Command. Right click in the right pane and choose New/Text Document (Notepad). Copy these lines into the folder: @echo off echo Autorun cmdinit aliases doskey dir=dir /on /p $* And save as: cmdinit.bat Then go to this key in the registry (Start/Run/Regedit) or download this regedit . HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Command Processor. Add the name AutoRun with reg_sz data c:\windows\command\cmdinit.bat (tip provided by Gary DiSal) *Tips - Add Your Own* Start/Run/Regedit HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Tips. Data Type: REG_SZ (String Value), Value Data: Tip Text. Create a new string valued named by incrementing the existing value names and set it to the required tip text. *Toolbar Repair* This corrects missing Address Bar, Toolbars and/or Menu bars in Windows Explorer and Internet Explorer. Download my Toolbar Repair Utility here . *Tool Tips - Disable* Disable Tool Tips - Start/Run/Regedit HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced. Modify or create, "ShowInfoTip" and set the Value to 0. To restore set the Value to 1. This edit excludes the Start Button. Disable Balloon Tips - Start/Run/Regedit HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced. Modify or create, "EnableBalloonTips" and set the Value to 0. To restore set the Value to 1. * How To: Turn off the Balloon Tooltips and Pop-ups* Windows Explorer/Tools/Folder Options/View/Advanced/Uncheck Popup Descriptions for Folder and Desktop Items. Related Registry entry: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced "FolderContentsInfoTip"=dword:00000000 * To turn off Windows Explorer Pop-Ups: * HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\tips "Show"=dword:00000001 HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced "ShowInfoTip"=dword:00000001 * How To: Turn off Tooltips* HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\ StartButtonBalloonTip - values are from "2" to "1" or "0". For Pro: Start/Run/gpedit.msc. Local Computer/User Configuration/Administrative Templates/Start Menu and Taskbar/Remove Balloon Tips on Start Menu Items/Right Click Properties... Customize Windows XP *Toolbar - Missing *This corrects missing Address Bar, Toolbars and/or Menu bars in Windows Explorer and Internet Explorer. Download my Toolbar Repair Utility here . Do manually alter the settings...see below: Close any open Internet Explorer and Windows Explorer windows. Click Start/Run/Regedit HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar There are 3 sub keys: Explorer, ShellBrowser, WebBrowser'. In each of these sub-keys is the entry for ITBarLayout For IE Toolbars: The WebBrowser Sub-key directly affects IE. For Windows Explorer Toolbars: The Explorer Sub-key directly affects Explorer. The ShellBrowser sub-key may affect IE as well. Its effect on IE and Windows Explorer is unknown at this time, so if the first option doesn't work, delete the ITBarLayout value here as well. Choose the relevant sub-key and right click where it says ITBarLayout and select Delete. The deleted value will automatically be recreated for you. You may want to right click on the main key (above) and select Export. This will allow you to backup the contents of the whole key, including subkeys. *Tour Prompt * XP displays the Windows Tour balloon prompt the first 3 times you logon to XP. If you want to suppress the XP Tour, use the following XP registry edit : Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE Key: Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Tour Name: RunCount Type: REG_DWORD Value: 0 Setting RunCount = 0 will disable the balloon prompt for all users. Although the Tour will be disabled after 3 logons, you could use the following XP registry edit to disable the Tour for a particular user: Hive: HKEY_CURRENT_USER Key: Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Tour Name: RunCount Type: REG_DWORD Value: 0 *Transition Effect for Menus and Tooltips* Start/Run/Regedit HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop. Value Name: UserPreferencesMask Data Type: REG_BINARY (Binary Value) Double-click on the "UserPreferencesMask" value to open the Edit Binary Value screen. Press the right arrow to move over to the second set of digits. Press the delete key to remove the digits and type either '28' for the scroll effect or '3e' for the fade effect. Restart Windows for the change to take effect. *Transparent Icons* Control Panel/System/Advanced/Performance/Settings/Visual Effects/"Use drop shadows for icon labels on the Desktop" *Troubleshooting Support Tools* 1. Insert the Windows XP CD-ROM in the drive.* *2. Double-click My Computer, right-click the CD-ROM drive, and then click Explore. 3. Go to Support\Tools, and then double-click Setup.exe. 4. When the Windows Support Wizard starts, click Next. 5. Click I agree on the End User License Agreement. 6. Type your name and organization and click Next. 7. Click either the Typical or Complete installation type, and then click Next. 8. Verify the installation location, and then click Install. The Windows Support Tools are installed to the folder specified in step eight and a Windows Support Tools folder is added to the Program Files folder on the Start menu. *NOTE:* A more comprehensive version of this document is located at Support\Tools\Readme.htm on the Windows XP CD-ROM. *Troubleshooting * Resources for Troubleshooting Windows XP *Tweaks for Windows XP* Kelly's Korner - Tweaks for XP Doug's Tweaks, Tips and Fixes *TweakUI* They're back! PowerToys are additional programs that developers work on after a product has been released to manufacturing. They add fun and functionality to the Windows experience. *Note:* We've taken great care to ensure that PowerToys operate as they should, but they are not part of Windows and are not supported by Microsoft. *Microsoft PowerToys for Windows XP * http://www.microsoft.com/WINDOWSXP/home/downloads/powertoys.asp http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/downloads/powertoys.asp Remove TweakUI v1.33 Manually To remove TweakUI v1.33 manually, perform the following steps: (Written by MVP Doug Knox) # Do a Find for TWEAKUI.CPL, TWEAKUI.HLP and TWEAKUI.GID. When each of these files has been located, delete it. Note: TWEAKUI.GID may not exist on your system. # Click Start, Run and enter REGEDIT. # This step is only necessary if you wish to remove the Shortcut Icon customization. Go to the Registry branches indicated and modify or delete the values as instructed. a) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Icons\29 In the right pane, locate the value named "29". Right click on this value and select Delete. b) HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics In the right pane, locate the value called "Shell Icon Size". Double click on this entry and set the value to 32. # Go to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run In the right pane, locate the value called "Tweak UI". Right click on this value and select Delete. # Close Regedit. Or download the script here . *TweakUI* - Add TweakUI Icon to the Control Panel. Download the Regedit here . To use the Regedit: Save the REG File to your hard disk. Double click it and answer yes to the import prompt. REG files can be viewed in Notepad by right clicking on the file and selecting Edit. Powered by FreeFind /Note: This compilation of information are from various sources. All credit due to its authors. Home Page Win98 - 08/31/2002 04:35 PM - Home Page WinXP © Copyright Kelly Theriot MS-MVP(DTS) 2002 All rights reserved. /