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15 Top Windows XP secrets

Posted in Labels: Windows tips and secrets | at 05:30

· Useful key shortcuts available:

Windows key + D - shows the desktop.
Windows key + M - minimizes all open windows.
Windows key + Shift + M - maximizes all open windows.
Windows key + E - Runs Windows Explorer.
Windows key + R - shows the RUN dialog.
Windows key + F - shows Search window.
Windows key + Break - shows System Properties box.
Windows key + TAB - Go through taskbar applications.
Windows key + PAUSE Display the System Properties dialog box.
Windows key + U Open Utility Manager.
ALT + TAB - Cycle through opened applications.
Hold down CTRL while dragging an item to Copy it.
CTRL + ESC Display the Start menu.
ALT + ENTER View the properties for the selected item.
F4 key Display the Address bar list in My Computer or
NUM LOCK + Asterisk (*) Display all of the subfolders that are under the selected folder.

· Lock Windows to protect computer:
You can lock Windows to protect the computer when leaving the station easily by creating a shortcut with the path rundll32.exeuser32.dll, Lock Workstation. The Windows key + L is also a shortcut to this feature.

· Edit sysoc.inf to list all software:
To show all software that can be removed from your computer (including protected Windows services), you can manually edit (using notepad for example) the sysoc.inf file located in Windows\inf\. Just remove the word hide next to the software pack.
Note - use this at your own risk. Removing critical components of the system will make Windows instable.

· Windows XP comes with IPv4 and IPv6:
Windows XP comes both IPv4 and IPv6 support. To enable IPv6, you can install the protocols needed with the command "ipv6 install" in the command-prompt. Then type ipv6 /? to see the options. The installation will not remove the IPv4 protocols so your current configuration will still work.

· Access Task Manager with shortcut:
To access the Task Manager easier, you can make a shortcut that points to %windir%\system32\taskmgr.exe.

· Stop treating ZIP files like Folders:
If you don't want your Windows XP to treat ZIP files like folders, you can disable this component by running regsvr32 /u zipfldr.dll at the command prompt or Run dialog. If you start missing it, you can enable it by typing regsvr32 zipfldr.dll.

· Run program as diffrent user :
You can run a program as a different user. Right click an application and select Run As command.

· Switch users leaving applications opened:
You can switch users leaving the applications opened too (*NOTE* use this only when needed since it could lead to system instability).
Go to Task Manager - processes and end the process explorer.exe. This will end only your session and not all applications. Then go to Applications tab, click New task and type runas /user:domainname\username explorer.exe. A password prompt will appear to login to the desired username. The user's session will start, with all your previously applications running.
I recommend to open first a command-line prompt and type runas /? to see all the options available.

· Rename multiple files in Windows at once:
Rename multiple files in Windows at once. Select them all, right click and select Rename. Enter the desired name. They will be renamed using what you specified, with a number in brackets to distinguish them.

· Task kill feature in Windows:
Windows has a task kill feature similar to Linux. Go to a command prompt and run the command task list to see running processes with PID numbers. Then type tskill <PID> to end the specific task. This forces an instant closing of the task.

· Edit features with GPEDIT.MSC:
You can edit many features by running gpedit.msc. You can add log on/log off scripts here and many features.

· Edit accounts in the command prompt:
You can edit accounts by running "control userpasswords2" at the command prompt.

· Use systeminfo.exe to see System Information:
You can use the systeminfo.exe command in the command prompt to see System Information, including all Windows updates and hotfixes.

· Disable system services for maximum performance:
There are system services that you can disable to free up the system's load. To access the interface that permits you to make changes to system's services, type services.msc and the command prompt.
This is a list of services that are *usually* useless and can be safely disabled.

Alerter
Application Layer Gateway Service,
Application Management
Automatic Updates
Background Intelligent Transfer
Clipbook
Distributed Link Tracking Client
Distributed Transaction Coordinater
Error Reporting Service
Fast User Switching Compatibility
IMAPI CD-Burning
Indexing Service
IPSEC Services
Messenger
Net Logon
Net Meeting
Remote Desktop Sharing
Network DDE
Network DDE DSDM
Portable Media Serial Number
Remote Desktop Help Session Manager
Remote Registry
Secondary Logon
Smartcard
SSDP Discovery Service
Uninterruptible Power Supply
Universal Plug and Play Device Host
Upload Manager
Webclient
Wireless Zero Configuration
WMI Performance Adaptor

NOTE: Make sure you don't need them since some applications you're using could depend on them. If you make any application to fail by disabling any of the services, go back and enable it again.

· Repair

Windows XP by using the XP installation CD: If your system critical system boot files you can repair this by using the XP installation CD. Simply boot from your XP Setup CD and enter the Recovery Console. Then run "attrib -H -R -S" on the C:\Boot.ini file and delete it. Run "Bootcfg /Rebuild" and then Fixboot.failes to start due to an error related to missing HAL.DLL, invalid Boot.ini or any other

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How to recover a Boot Record in Windows?

Posted in Labels: Windows tips and secrets | at 05:29

The boot record stores the first bits of software executed once the system BIOS hands control of the computer over to software.
The boot record stores instructions used to start Windows XP. Each drive partition can store a boot record.
Occasionally a boot record will be damaged and need to be repaired. This damage may be caused by a hardware error, software error, user error, or even malware such as a boot sector virus.

How to Recover a Boot Record in XP:

To recover the boot record in XP, use the fixboot command in the Recovery Console. The fixboot command will write a new boot sector to the partition.
Steps:

Boot with the XP installation CD.
When prompted, press R to repair a Windows XP installation.
If repairing a host with multiple operating systems, select the appropriate one (XP) from the menu. If you have only one operating system, enter 1 to select it.
Enter the administrator password if prompted.
To fix the MBR, use the following command:

fixmbr

This assumes that your installation is on the C:\ drive. You will be presented with several scary warning lines the reading of which will make you want to say no. Microsoft is exceptionally vague regarding the conditions under which fixmbr can cause problems although they are clear about the consequences (losing all data on the hard drive), so use this at your own risk.
Type Y and ENTER to fix the MBR.

Type exit to leave the recovery console and reboot.

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How to Use File Compression in Windows Xp

Posted in Labels: Windows tips and secrets | at 05:28

SUMMARY
Compressing files, folders, and programs decreases their size and reduces the amount of space they use on your volumes or removable storage devices. Volume compression decreases the amount of space that is used by all of the files and folders that are stored on that volume. Because of a potential loss of performance, you may not want to compress some files.

NTFS Compression

NTFS compression is available on volumes that use the NTFS file system, and NTFS compression has the following features and limitations:

You can use NTFS compression to compress individual files and folders, as well as an entire NTFS volume.
You can compress a folder without compressing its contents.
You can work with NTFS-compressed files without decompressing them, because they are decompressed and recompressed without user intervention.
You can display NTFS-compressed file and folder names in a different color to make them easier to identify.
You may notice a decrease in performance when you work with NTFS-compressed files. When you open a compressed file, Windows automatically decompresses it for you, and when you close the file, Windows compresses it again. This process may decrease your computer performance.
NTFS-compressed files and folders only remain compressed while they are stored on an NTFS Volume.
You cannot encrypt an NTFS-compressed file.

Compressing an NTFS Volume

You must be logged on as an administrator or a member of the Administrators group to complete this procedure. If your computer is connected to a network, network policy settings may also prevent you from completing this procedure. To compressing an NTFS volume:

Click Start, then click My Computer.
Right-click the volume you want to compress, and then click Properties.
On the General tab, click to select the Compress Volume to save disk space check box, and then click OK.
In Confirm Attribute Changes, click the option you want.

Compressing Files or Folders on NTFS Volume

To compress a file or folder:

Click Start, and then click My Computer.
Double-click the NTFS Volume that contains the folder or folders you want to compress.
Right-click the file or folder you want to compress, and then click Properties.
On the General tab, click Advanced.
Click to select the Compress contents to save disk space check box, and then click OK.
In the Properties dialog box, click OK.
In Confirm Attribute Changes, click the option you want.

NOTE: If you move or copy a file into a compressed folder, it is compressed automatically. If you move a file from a different NTFS Volume into a compressed folder, it is also compressed. However, if you move a file from the same NTFS Volume into a compressed folder, the file retains its original state, either compressed or uncompressed.

Displaying Compressed Files in Color

You can change the display of files and folders that are compressed in Windows Explorer and My Computer, so it is easy to see them. To display compressed files in color:

Double-click Folder Options in Control Panel.
Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
Click Appearance and Themes, and then click Folder Options.
On the View tab, click to select the Show encrypted or compressed NTFS files in color check box.

REFERENCES

Windows supports two types of compression, NTFS compression and compression by using the Compressed (zipped) Folders feature.
For additional information about zipped folders, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
306531 How To Use Compressed (Zipped) Folders
For additional information about NTFS compression, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
251186 Best Practices for NTFS Compression

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What is Windows Genuine Advantage?

Posted in Labels: Windows tips and secrets | at 05:28

Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) is an automated validation process integrated on later Microsoft operating system products. Windows Genuine Advantage was developed by Microsoft Corporation in order to bolster its anti-piracy campaign. This automated validation process makes it a requirement for Microsoft Windows OS users to go through a series of validation systems before being granted by the Microsoft website to download and subsequently install updates and various version releases of software programs.
Feature:
The WGA validation process validates the present installation of Windows and its license key, against the hardware involved. It is accessible by either a stand-alone program, or (within Internet Explorer), an ActiveX control.
If an instance of Windows doesn't seem to have a valid license, WGA display a specific notice to the user and prevent any updates being downloaded from Microsoft except security upgrades that are rated "Critical."
There are two separate parts of Windows Genuine Advantage for Windows XP: WGA Validation and WGA Notifications.
WGA Validation is the component that checks Windows to make sure it's a properly licensed copy of the software. Your system must be validated in order to receive some software (such as Internet Explorer 7, Windows Defender, and Windows Media Player 10) from Windows Update and Microsoft Update. WGA Validation has been required for access of these types of downloadable software from Microsoft since July 2005.

WGA Notifications was designed to remind users who fail validation that their Windows software has been deemed by WGA Validation to be illegitimate. It directs people who experience this to resources to learn more about getting what Microsoft calls "genuine" software. WGA Notifications is delivered via Automatic Updates and it is technically optional.
Behavior on Windows VISTA:
On Windows Vista, WGA validation failure has a greater impact. In addition to persistent notification and the disabling of non-critical updates, WGA also disables Windows Aero, Windows Defender, and ReadyBoost. The user is given a grace period in which to then pass validation, after which most of the operating system is disabled and Windows reverts to reduced functionality mode.
What is Windows Genuine Advantage Validation Tool:
When a user installs WGA, an Internet Explorer add-on is installed labeled "Windows Genuine Advantage". Microsoft includes the Windows Genuine Advantage Validation Library in several products like Windows Defender, Internet Explorer 7, Microsoft Folder and Windows Media Player 11 to validate about the Windows installation.
History:
Right after its release during the early 2000s, Windows Genuine Advantage was designed to be a voluntary add-on to the OS versions of Microsoft Windows users. But after Microsoft Windows OS 2005 versions were released, Windows Genuine Advantage is now a requirement when it comes to accessing the services that are being offered by Microsoft Download Center and Windows Update.
How to Disable IT:
To disable Microsoft's How to disable or uninstall the pilot version of Microsoft Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications Knowledgebase article.
If you prefer not to mess around with the System Registry yourself, there's a free utility called RemoveWGA available for download on the Internet from Firewall Leak Tester. I've tested RemoveWGA 1.2 and I recommend it as an alternative.

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How to use the Windows Recovery Console?

Posted in Labels: Windows tips and secrets | at 05:26

Introduction
The Microsoft Windows recovery console was first introduced in Microsoft Windows 2000 and is available in all later versions of Windows including Windows XP. This feature enables users to recover, change, or fix files or settings that may be causing their computer not to boot properly.
Before using Microsoft Windows recovery console note following points:

You will need to know the Microsoft Windows administrator password.
Before running the Windows recovery console you need to realize you will need to have at least some experience using MS-DOS.
You only have access to root directory and the Microsoft Windows or Winnt directory. This means you cannot open any other directory.

Getting Started:
First, to get into the Microsoft Windows recovery console you must have a Microsoft Windows CD. Place the Windows CD in your computer and boot from the CD.
Note: If you do not have a standard Microsoft Windows XP CD you can get into the recovery console by using the Windows XP bootable diskettes. If you need a set of boot disks, check How to obtain Windows XP Setup boot disks.
Once in the Microsoft Windows Setup screen choose one of the below options, depending on which version of Microsoft Windows you are using.

Windows 2000 users:

To repair a Windows 2000 installation, press R.
To repair a Windows 2000 installation by using the recovery console, press C.

Windows XP users:

To repair a Windows XP installation using recovery console, press R.

Now choose which Windows Installation to Repair. The next prompt will ask you which Windows installation you want to recover:

Microsoft Windows(R) Recovery Console

The Recovery Console provides system repair and recovery functionality.
Type EXIT to quit the Recovery Console and restart the computer.
1: C:\WINDOWS
Which Windows Installation would you like to log on to
(To cancel, press ENTER)?
Therefore press 1 if you wish to edit the primary Windows installation.
Enter the Windows XP Administrator Password:
After selecting the installation you will be prompted for the administrator password, enter the password exactly as you would in Windows. If you do not know the Windows administrator password you cannot enter the recovery mode.
Finally after you have entered the password you will be at a MS-DOS prompt similar to the MS-DOS shell window you can get through Windows. However, you will also have access to many additional commands not found in standard MS-DOS mode.
Typing in help at the prompt will give a complete listing of all commands available through the prompt.

Command	Purpose
Attrib	Changes the attributes of a file or directory
Batch	Executes the commands specified in the text file
Bootcfg	Boot file (boot.ini) configuration and recovery
CD / ChDir	Displays the name of the current directory or changes the current directory
Chkdsk	Checks a disk and displays a status report
Cls	Clears the screen
Copy	Copies a single file to another location
Del / Delete	Deletes one or more files
Dir	Displays a list of files and subdirectories in a directory
Disable	Disables a system service or a device driver
Diskpart	Manages partitions on your hard drives
Enable	Starts or enables a system service or a device driver
Exit	Exits the Recovery Console and restarts your computer
Expand	Extracts a file from a compressed file
Fixboot	Writes a new partition boot sector onto the specified partition
Fixmbr	Repairs the master boot record of the specified disk
Format	Formats a disk
Help	Displays a list of the commands you can use in the Recovery Console
Listsvc	Lists the services and drivers available on the computer
Logon	Logs on to a Windows installation
Map	Displays the drive letter mappings
MD / Mkdir	Creates a directory
More	Displays a text file
Net Use	Connects a network share to a drive letter
Ren / Rename	Renames a single file
RD / Rmdir	Deletes a directory
Set	Displays and sets environment variables
Systemroot	Sets the current directory to the systemroot directory
Type	Displays a text file.

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How to Break a BIOS Password?

Posted in Labels: Windows tips and secrets | at 05:24

Methods of breaking password for Desktop PC and for laptop is quite different. We would explain each.

Break BIOS Password for Desktop:

If it's a desktop PC, erasing the cmos memory will usually clear it.
Steps:

Power off the computer and make sure that it is unplugged.
Open up your computer case. You need physical access to the motherboard to complete this procedure.
Find a circular, (mostly) silver metallic object on the motherboard. This is the CMOS battery.
CAREFULLY remove the CMOS battery and leave it out for about 120- 180 seconds. This will flush the CMOS memory which stores the BIOS password and all other configuration. (See Warnings)
Set the battery back into place and power on the computer.
The computer should then warn you that the CMOS configuration could not be found. You can either reconfigure it yourself or restore defaults. Restoring the default configuration should be fine.
You will notice that the BIOS password has been cleared and you can boot without it. You may reset the BIOS password to something else by going into the BIOS configuration and setting a new User Password.

Alternate Methods: (More Dificult)

Remove a jumper: There's a jumper on your motherboard that you'll need to identify and remove. Most motherboards make your job easier by actually labeling the correct jumper as "BIOS config" or something similar. (it looks like a small plastic thingy on 2 pins with 1 pin beside it, within a 1" of the battery). If you're having trouble looking for it, look in the motherboard manual. After you have found it, carefully pull straight up on it, and place it on the 2-3 pins(it was on the 1-2 pins). With the battery removed and the jumper moved, turn the computer on, and check to see if you can get into the bios. If you are able to, turn the computer off, put the jumper back on pins 1-2, and put the battery back in. Lastly put the case together and you are done.

Note: Don't forget to configure the BIOS (if you know how) after this process. If you you don't know how just hold the "delete" button when starting your PC and when the blue screen appears, find the load safe defaults settings and press:

ENTER button
Y button
F10 button

Break BIOS Password for Laptop:

Remember that laptops can be trickier, especially if it's a newer model. If it has a security chip on the motherboard forget about it. You either have to physically remove the chip or contact the mfg for the "master" password. If you can boot up off of a cd or floppy try any of these methods:

Create a Win98SE bootable media "or anything that lets you boot into MS-DOS" and boot off of it.
When the A :\> prompt appears type debug and press enter.
You will then only see a "-".
Type o 70 2E "includes the spaces" and press Enter.
Type o 71 ff "include the spaces" and press Enter.
Type q and press Enter.
Here are a list of common mfg backdoor passwords

AWARD BIOS

AWARD SW, AWARD_SW, Award SW, AWARD PW, _award, awkward, J64, j256, j262, j332, j322, 01322222, 589589, 589721, 595595, 598598, HLT, SER, SKY_FOX, aLLy, aLLY, Condo, CONCAT, TTPTHA, aPAf, HLT, KDD, ZBAAACA, ZAAADA, ZJAAADC,

AMI BIOS

AMI, A.M.I., AMI SW, AMI_SW, BIOS, PASSWORD, HEWITT RAND, Oder

Software’s to Break BIOS Password:

If your system boots but the BIOS password is still in place, there are several programs you can load that are designed to crack the passwords or clear them altogether. The encryption on BIOS passwords is not very complex. Following are links to a few of these free programs:

CmosPwd 4.8

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20 things you didn't know about Windows XP

Posted in Labels: Windows tips and secrets | at 01:29

You've read the reviews and digested the key feature enhancements and operational changes. Now it's time to delve a bit deeper and uncover some of Windows XP's secrets.

It boasts how long it can stay up. Whereas previous versions of Windows were coy about how long they went between boots, XP is positively proud of its stamina. Go to the Command Prompt in the Accessories menu from the All Programs start button option, and then type 'systeminfo'. The computer will produce a lot of useful info, including the uptime. If you want to keep these, type 'systeminfo > info.txt'. This creates a file called info.txt you can look at later with Notepad. (Professional Edition only).
You can delete files immediately, without having them move to the Recycle Bin first. Go to the Start menu, select Run... and type ' gpedit.msc'; then select User Configuration, Administrative Templates, Windows Components, Windows Explorer and find the Do not move deleted files to the Recycle Bin setting. Set it. Poking around in gpedit will reveal a great many interface and system options, but take care -- some may stop your computer behaving as you wish. (Professional Edition only).
You can lock your XP workstation with two clicks of the mouse. Create a new shortcut on your desktop using a right mouse click, and enter 'rundll32.exe user32.dll, LockWorkStation’ in the location field. Give the shortcut a name you like. That's it -- just double click on it and your computer will be locked. And if that's not easy enough, Windows key + L will do the same.
XP hides some system software you might want to remove, such as Windows Messenger, but you can tickle it and make it disgorge everything. Using Notepad or Edit, edit the text file /windows/inf/sysoc.inf, search for the word 'hide' and remove it. You can then go to the Add or Remove Programs in the Control Panel, select Add/Remove Windows Components and there will be your prey, exposed and vulnerable.
For those skilled in the art of DOS batch files, XP has a number of interesting new commands. These include 'eventcreate' and 'eventtriggers' for creating and watching system events, 'typeperf' for monitoring performance of various subsystems, and 'schtasks' for handling scheduled tasks. As usual, typing the command name followed by /? Will give a list of options -- they're all far too baroque to go into here.
XP has IP version 6 support -- the next generation of IP. Unfortunately this is more than your ISP has, so you can only experiment with this on your LAN. Type 'ipv6 install' into Run... (It’s OK, it won't ruin your existing network setup) and then 'ipv6 /?' at the command line to find out more. If you don't know what IPv6 is, don't worry and don't bother.
You can at last get rid of tasks on the computer from the command line by using 'taskkill /pid' and the task number, or just 'tskill' and the process number. Find that out by typing 'task list', which will also tell you a lot about what's going on in your system.
XP will treat Zip files like folders, which is nice if you've got a fast machine. On slower machines, you can make XP leave zip files well alone by typing 'regsvr32 /u zipfldr.dll' at the command line. If you change your mind later, you can put things back as they were by typing 'regsvr32 zipfldr.dll'.
XP has Clear Type -- Microsoft's anti-aliasing font display technology -- but doesn't have it enabled by default. It's well worth trying, especially if you were there for DOS and all those years of staring at a screen have given you the eyes of an astigmatic bat. To enable Clear Type, right click on the desktop, select Properties, Appearance, Effects, select Clear Type from the second drop-down menu and enable the selection. Expect best results on laptop displays. If you want to use Clear Type on the Welcome login screen as well, set the registry entry

HKEY_USERS/.DEFAULT/Control Panel/Desktop/FontSmoothingType to 2.

You can use Remote Assistance to help a friend who's using network address translation (NAT) on a home network, but not automatically. Get your pal to email you a Remote Assistance invitation and edit the file. Under the RCTICKET attribute will be a NAT IP address, like 192.168.1.10. Replace this with your chum's real IP address -- they can find this out by going to www.whatismyip.com -- and get them to make sure that they've got port 3389 open on their firewall and forwarded to the errant computer.
You can run a program as a different user without logging out and back in again. Right click the icon, select Run As... And enter the user name and password you want to use. This only applies for that run. The trick is particularly useful if you need to have administrative permissions to install a program, which many require. Note that you can have some fun by running programs multiple times on the same system as different users, but this can have unforeseen effects.
Windows XP can be very insistent about you checking for auto updates, registering a Passport, using Windows Messenger and so on. After a while, the nagging goes away, but if you feel you might slip the bonds of sanity before that point, run Regedit, go to

HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Microsoft/Windows/Current Version/Explorer/Advanced

and create a DWORD value called EnableBalloonTips with a value of 0.

You can start up without needing to enter a user name or password. Select Run... from the start menu and type 'control userpasswords2', which will open the user accounts application. On the Users tab, clear the box for Users Must Enter a User Name and Password to Use This Computer, and click on OK. An Automatically Log On dialog box will appear; enter the user name and password for the account you want to use.
Internet Explorer 6 will automatically delete temporary files, but only if you tell it to. Start the browser, select Tools / Internet Options... and advanced, go down to the Security area and check the box to Empty Temporary Internet Files folder when browser is closed.
XP comes with a free Network Activity Light, just in case you can't see the LEDs twinkle on your network card. Right click on My Network Places on the desktop, then select Properties. Right click on the description for your LAN or dial-up connection, select Properties, then check the Show icon in notification area when connected box. You'll now see a tiny network icon on the right of your task bar that glimmers nicely during network traffic.
The Start Menu can be leisurely when it decides to appear, but you can speed things along by changing the registry entry

HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Control Panel/Desktop/MenuShowDelay

from the default 400 to something a little snappier. Like 0.

You can rename loads of files at once in Windows Explorer. Highlight a set of files in a window, then right click on one and rename it. All the other files will be renamed to that name, with individual numbers in brackets to distinguish them. Also, in a folder you can arrange icons in alphabetized groups by View, Arrange Icon By... Show In Groups.
Windows Media Player will display the cover art for albums as it plays the tracks -- if it found the picture on the Internet when you copied the tracks from the CD. If it didn't, or if you have lots of pre-WMP music files, you can put your own copy of the cover art in the same directory as the tracks. Just call it folder.jpg and Windows Media Player will pick it up and display it.
Windows key + Break brings up the System Properties dialogue box; Windows key + D brings up the desktop; Windows key + Tab moves through the taskbar buttons.

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Read if your computer is running slow/hangs/takes time to boot

Posted in Labels: Windows tips and secrets | at 01:28

Computer is running slow/hangs/takes time to boot:

This problem can be caused by any of the below possibilities.

HDD is short on available disk space
Many software programs have been installed/uninstalled leaving behind bad files and/or confusing the
Software.
The Data maybe corrupted.
Computer (that is your processor) is overheating.
Bad Hardware.

Below are some my favorite steps for Microsoft Windows that should help speed up the computer or determine why the computer is running slow.

If you have a hard disk drive that is 2GB or smaller, ensure that there is at least 200MB of hard disk drive space free. If you have a hard drive larger than this size, verify that there is at least 500MB of free hard disk space. This available space allows the computer to have room for the swap file to increase in size as well as room for temporary files.
Run Scandisk or something equivalent to help ensure that there is nothing physically wrong with the computer hard disk drive.
Run Defrag to help ensure that data is arranged in the best possible order.
Remove or disable any TSRs or programs that automatically start each time the computer boots.
Verify that the device manager has no conflicts, but if conflicts are present, resolve them.
If you are using Microsoft Windows 95 or Windows 98 and do not plan on running any MS-DOS programs from MS-DOS, click Start / Run / type command and press enter. In the MS-DOS window type cd\ to get to C :\> then type "ren autoexec.bat autoexec.ch" and "ren config.sys config.ch". This will rename your autoexec.bat and config.sys and help make sure memory is being optimized through Windows.
If you have Windows XP try deleting all files in the prefetch directory. These are prefetch files and can lower system resources if loading programs no longer being used. See our prefetch definition for additional information about prefetch.
Try running through the basic troubleshooting steps for your operating system. Make sure your computer and processor is not overheating; excessive heat can cause a significant decrease in computer performance some processors will even lower the speed of the processor automatically to help compensate for the heat related issues.
Scan for viruses , your pc might be infected
Finally, if none of the above solutions resolve your issues, it is recommended that you either reinstall Windows or erase everything and then start over.

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How to Remotely Access Your PC

Posted in Labels: Windows tips and secrets | at 01:27

How To Remotely Access you’re PC:

Windows XP Professional includes a basic PC remote control tool which lets you log onto your PC remotely from anywhere. Do you know how to use it
It’s called Remote Desktop Connection, and when you’ve properly configured your PC, this handy utility will let you log into your computer from anywhere in the world and control it as if you were sitting in front of it instead of half a world away.
If you’re running Windows XP Professional, you already have all the software you need to connect remotely to your PC. Whether you’d like to monitor a server, grab files from your home PC at work, or just keep an eye on your machines when you’re out, connecting remotely is easy to do. However, due to the vagaries of network configurations and various other quirks beyond your control, you may not be able to actually connect. Until now.

Prepping your system

First, you need to know the IP address of the computer you want to connect to. The only sure-fire way to always be able to connect to your PC’s is to use an ISP that provides you with a static IP address. Most ISPs give customers dynamic IP addresses, which can change every few days or even hours. Because your IP address is the way you’ll locate your computer on the net, you’ll need to know what your IP address is and monitor it as it changes.
The good news is that there are loads of programs that will notify you of IP address changes, whenever they occur. We like IP Address Monster (www.ipmonster.com). It’s a small program that runs in your system tray and can be configured to e-mail you whenever your IP address changes.

IP Address Monster should be your first stop to remote connectivity. This handy utility will keep tabs on your Internet address and send you an e-mail whenever it changes.
Now that you know your IP address, you need to make sure that Remote Desktop Connection is enabled. Make sure your firewall is configured to allow incoming connections on port 3389 (firewalls vary, so check your documentation to find out how to open the port).
You can turn on Remote Desktop Connection in the System Control Panel (Start, Control Panel and System). Check the Remote tab and make sure “Allow users to connect remotely to this computer” is checked. You’ll also need to have at least one user account that requires a password because accounts without passwords are prohibited from logging into Remote Desktop.
To enabling Remote Desktop, open the System Control Panel, go to the Remote tab, and check this box.
It’s important to make sure the passwords on the machine you’re going to remotely log into are “good” ones. This means you should use a mixture of letters and numbers, avoid words that are found in dictionaries, and change the password regularly to protect yourself from mischief.

Making the connection

At this point, your PC should be prepped and patiently waiting for a connection. To log in, you need to open the Remote Desktop Connection client on your remote PC. Go to Start, Programs, Accessories, Communications And Remote Desktop Connection. Input the IP address you want to connect to (courtesy of IP Address Monster) in the Computer field. Then enter your username and password.
Now you’ll want to tweak a few settings to optimize your remote experience. Whiz-bang features gobble up bandwidth, so you should tune your settings to match your home net connection. We recommend you start with a minimal feature set. Press the Options button, then the Display tab. Change the display settings to full-screen, 256-color. This looks acceptable and consumes practically no bandwidth. You’ll also want to browse to the Experience tab and change the Performance setting to reflect your home PC’s connection speed.
Switching to a lower color resolution and a smaller display area will greatly minimize the amount of data that has to transfer between your computer and the remote PC.
Once you’ve tuned the connection a bit, you’re ready to connect. Press the Connect key and you’re in!

What to do next

At this point, you should be connected. You can run programs and manipulate files just like you’re sitting in front of your PC. In fact, you can even use your PC’s e-mail and web browsers. Do you want to start downloading Desert Combat now so you can start playing it when you get home that’s easy enough; just log into your PC using Remote Desktop, open your web browser, and download the file. It will be sitting on your machine waiting for you as soon as you get home. If all your PCs are running Windows XP Pro, and you enable drive-sharing in the Local Resources tab, you can transfer files from remote PC to local PC. You can even remotely transfer files between local PCs on your home network.
Once connected, you can interact with printer ports and networked hard drives. This is a handy way to delete those “special interest” videos you downloaded before your wife finds them.

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Customize Multiboot Startup Options in Windows

Posted in Labels: Windows tips and secrets | at 01:25

Customize Multiboot Startup Options in Windows:

Edit or create a startup menu that lets you choose which operating system to boot into in multiboot systems, or create a menu that lets you choose different startup options for your single operating system if you have only XP installed.
If you've installed another operating system (in addition to XP) on your system, your PC starts up with a multiboot menu, which allows you to choose which operating system you want to run. The menu stays live for 30 seconds, and a screen countdown tells you how long you have to make a choice from the menu. After the 30 seconds elapse, it boots into your default operating system, which is generally the last operating system you installed.
You can customize that multiboot menu and how your PC starts by editing the boot.ini file, a hidden system file, to control a variety of startup options, including how long to display the menu, which operating system should be the default, whether to use the XP splash screen when XP starts, and similar features. And as you'll see later in this hack, you can also use the file to create a startup menu that will allow you to choose from different versions of your operating system—for example, one that you'll use for tracking down startup problems, and another for starting in Safe Mode.
The boot.ini file is a plain text file found in your root C:\ folder. You might not be able to see it, because it's a system file, and if you can see it, you might not be able to edit it, because it's a read-only file. To make it visible, launch Windows Explorer, choose View > Tools > Folder Options > View and select the radio button "Show Hidden Files and Folders." To make it a file you can edit, right-click on it in Windows Explorer, choose Properties, uncheck the Read-Only box, and click OK.

Editing Files:

To edit the file, open it with a text editor such as Notepad. Following is a typical boot.ini file for a PC that has two operating systems installed on it—Windows XP Home Edition and Windows 2000 Professional:

[boot loader]

Fastdetect :

As you can see, there are two sections in the file: [boot loader] and [operating systems]. To customize your menu and startup options, edit the entries in each section. Before editing boot.ini, make a copy of it and save it under a different name (such as boot.ini.old), so that you can revert to it if you cause problems when you edit the file.
Following are details about how to edit the entries in each section:
[Boot loader]
This section controls how the boot process works; it specifies the default operating system and how long a user has to make a selection from a boot menu, if a boot menu has been enabled. The timeout value specifies, in seconds, how long to display the menu and wait for a selection before loading the default operating system. If you want a delay of 15 seconds, for example, enter 15 for the value. Use a value of 0 if you want the default operating system to boot immediately. If you want the menu to be displayed indefinitely and stay onscreen until a selection is made, use a value of -1. The default value specifies which entry in the [operating system] section is the default operating system. (The default value is used even if there is only one operating system in the [operating system] section.) To change the default operating system, edit the setting, in our example, to

default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINNT

So, in our example, if you change the menu settings so that the screen appears for 10 seconds before loading the default operating system, and the default operating system is Windows 2000 Professional, the section reads:

[boot loader]

timeout=10
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINNT
[Operating system]
This section specifies which operating systems are present on the computer, and detailed options for each one. XP uses the Advanced RISC Computing (ARC) path to specify the location of the boot partition. In our example, the ARC path is:

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS

The first parameter, which identifies the disk controller, should be 0. The second parameter, the disk parameter, should also be 0. The rdisk parameter specifies the disk number on the controller that has the boot partition. The numbers start at 0. So, if you have three hard disks installed and the second hard disk has the boot partition, the setting is rdisk (1). The partition parameter identifies the partition number of the boot partition. Partitions start with the number 1. The final section, which in our example is \WINDOWS, specifies the path to the folder where the operating system is installed.
To the right of the ARC path in the example is ="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect. The words within quotes are what will appear on the boot menu next to the entry. To customize the text on the menu you can change these words to whatever you wish—for example, "My Favorite Operating System." The /fastdetect switch disables the detection of serial and parallel devices, which allows for faster booting. The detection of these devices isn't normally required in XP, because the functions are performed by plug-and-play drivers, so as a general rule it's a good idea to use the /fastdetect switch. The /fastdetect switch is only one of many switches that can be used in the boot.ini file to customize how the operating system loads

Switches for boot.ini:

Switch
what it does
/BASEVIDEO
Starts XP using the standard VGA driver. It's most useful if you can't boot normally because of a video driver problem.
/BOOTLOG
Logs information about the boot process to the ntbtlogl.txt file in the C:\Windows folder.
/CRASHDEBUG
Loads the debugger at boot, but the debugger remains inactive unless a crash occurs.
/DEBUG
Loads the debugger at boot and runs it.
/FASTDETECT
Disables the detection of serial and parallel devices.
MAXMEM:n
Specifies the maximum amount of RAM that XP can use.
/NOGUIBOOT
Does not allow the XP splash screen to load during boot.
/NODEBUG
Stops the debugger from loading.
/SAFEBOOT:switch
Forces XP to boot into the safe mode specified by the switch parameter, which can be minimal, network, or minimal(alternate shell). In minimal safe mode, only the minimum set of drivers necessary to start XP are loaded. In network safe mode, networking drivers are loaded in addition to the minimum set of drivers. In minimal(alternate shell) the minimum set of drivers are loaded and XP boots into the command prompt.
/SOS
Displays the name of each driver as it loads and gives descriptions of what is occurring during the boot process. It also offers other information, including the XP build number, the service pack number, the number of processors on the system, and the amount of installed memory.
When you've finished editing the boot.ini file, save it. The next time you start your computer, its settings will go into effect.
In our example, if we want the menu to appear for 45 seconds, the default operating system to be Windows 2000, and the XP splash screen to be turned off when we choose to load XP, the boot.ini file should look like this:

[boot loader]

timeout=45
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINNT
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect /noguiboot
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINNT="Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect

Create a Startup Menu Even if You Have Only One Operating System

Even if you have only one operating system, you can create a boot menu that will let you choose to load your operating system with different parameters. For example, for menu choices, you might have your normal operating system; a mode that lets you trace any startup problems; and Safe Mode. To give yourself the option of operating systems with different parameters, create separate entries for each new operating system choice. For example, for the version of the operating system that traces potential startup problems, you could create this entry:

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Trace Problems XP Home Edition"

/fastdetect /bootlog /sos
This entry creates a startup log and also displays information about the drivers and other operating system information as it loads.
For the version of the operating system that loads in Safe Mode but that still allows networking, you could create this entry:

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Safe Start XP Home Edition" /

fastdetect /safeboot:network
The boot.ini file would look like this, assuming that you want the menu to display for 30 seconds and you want normal XP startup to be the default:

[boot loader]

timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home
Edition" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Trace Problems XP Home Edition"
/fastdetect /bootlog /sos
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Safe Start XP Home Edition" /
fastdetect /safeboot:network
If you're unsure about using a text editor to edit boot.ini directly, you can use the System Configuration Utility instead. Type msconfig at a command prompt or the Run box and click on the BOOT.INI tab. You'll be able to add several switches (but not as many as you can if you edit the boot.ini file yourself using a text editor)

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Lost the Administrator Password - Windows

Posted in Labels: Windows tips and secrets | at 01:22

Hello Friends
Can't Log On to Windows XP?
If that's your only problem, then you probably have nothing to worry about. As long as you have your Windows XP CD, you
can get back into your system using a simple but effective method made possible by a little known access hole in Windows
XP.
You can easily change or wipe out your Administrator password for free during a Windows XP Repair. Here's how with a step-by-step description of the initial Repair process included for newbie's.

Place your Windows XP CD in your cd-rom and start your computer (it's assumed here that your XP CD is bootable as it should be - and that you have your bios set to boot from CD)
Keep your eye on the screen messages for booting to your cd Typically, it will be "Press any key to boot from cd"
Once you get in, the first screen will indicate that Setup is inspecting your system and loading files.
When you get to the Welcome to Setup screen, press ENTER to Setup Windows now
The Licensing Agreement comes next - Press F8 to accept it.
The next screen is the Setup screen which gives you the option to do a Repair.
It should read something like "If one of the following Windows XP installations is damaged, Setup can try to repair it"
Use the up and down arrow keys to select your XP installation (if you only have one, it should already be selected) and press R to begin the Repair process.
Let the Repair run. Setup will now check your disks and then start copying files which can take several minutes.
Shortly after the Copying Files stage, you will be required to reboot. (this will happen automatically and you will see a progress bar stating "Your computer will reboot in 15 seconds"
During the reboot, do not make the mistake of "pressing any key" to boot from the CD again! Setup will resume automatically with the standard billboard screens and you will notice Installing Windows is highlighted.
Keep your eye on the lower left hand side of the screen and when you see the Installing Devices progress bar, press SHIFT + F10. This is the security hole! A command console will now open up giving you the potential for wide access to your system.
At the prompt, type NUSRMGR.CPL and press Enter. Voila! You have just gained graphical access to your User Accounts in the Control Panel.
Now simply pick the account you need to change and remove or change your password as you prefer. If you want to log on without having to enter your new password, you can type control userpasswords2 at the prompt and choose to log on without being asked for password. After you've made your changes close the windows, exit the command box and continue on with the Repair (have your Product key handy).
Once the Repair is done, you will be able to log on with your new password (or without a password if you chose not to use one or if you chose not to be asked for a password). Your programs and personalized settings should remain intact.
I tested the above on Windows XP Pro with and without SP1 and also used this method in a real situation where someone could not remember their password and it worked like a charm to fix the problem. This security hole allows access to more than just user accounts.

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Run Commands in Windows

Posted in Labels: Windows tips and secrets | at 01:19

Do you use the Run feature in Windows XP? For most, this feature remains unused (or rarely used). Why is that? Well, first off nearly all of the Run Commands Correspond to a particular Control Panel Item or a Utility, Tool or Task that can be accessed through Windows.
Here is the list of different Run command. To access go to run (Win + R )

Accessibility Controls : access.cpl
Accessibility Wizard : accwiz
Add Hardware Wizard : hdwwiz.cpl
Add/Remove Programs : appwiz.cpl
Administrative Tools control : admintools
Adobe Acrobat (if installed) : acrobat
Adobe Designer (if installed) : acrodist
Adobe Distiller (if installed) : acrodist
Adobe Image Ready (if installed) : imageready
Adobe Photoshop (if installed) : photoshop
Automatic Updates : wuaucpl.cpl
Bluetooth Transfer Wizard : fsquirt
Calculator : calc
Certificate Manager : certmgr.msc
Character Map : charmap
Check Disk Utility : chkdsk
Clipboard Viewer : clipbrd
Command Prompt : cmd
Component Services : dcomcnfg
Computer Management : compmgmt.msc
Control Panel : control
Date and Time Properties : timedate.cpl
DDE Shares : ddeshare
Device Manager : devmgmt.msc
Direct X Control Panel (If Installed)* : directx.cpl
Direct X Troubleshooter : dxdiag
Disk Cleanup Utility : cleanmgr
Disk Defragment : dfrg.msc
Disk Management : diskmgmt.msc
Disk Partition Manager : diskpart
Display Properties control : desktop
Display Properties : desk.cpl
Display Properties (w/Appearance Tab Preselected) control : color
Dr. Watson System Troubleshooting Utility : drwtsn32
Driver Verifier Utility : verifier
Event Viewer : eventvwr.msc
Files and Settings Transfer Tool : migwiz
File Signature Verification Tool : sigverif
Findfast : findfast.cpl
Firefox (if installed) : firefox
Folders Properties control : folders
Fonts control : fonts
Fonts Folder : fonts
Free Cell Card Game : freecell
Game Controllers : joy.cpl
Group Policy Editor (XP Prof) : gpedit.msc
Hearts Card Game : mshearts
Help and Support : helpctr
HyperTerminal : hypertrm
Iexpress Wizard : iexpress
Indexing Service : ciadv.msc
Internet Connection Wizard : icwconn1
Internet Explorer : iexplore
Internet Properties : inetcpl.cpl
Internet Setup Wizard : inetwiz
IP Configuration (Display Connection Configuration) : ipconfig /all
IP Configuration (Display DNS Cache Contents) : ipconfig /displaydns
IP Configuration (Delete DNS Cache Contents) : ipconfig /flushdns
IP Configuration (Release All Connections) : ipconfig /release
IP Configuration (Renew All Connections) : ipconfig /renew
IP Configuration (Refreshes DHCP & Re-Registers DNS) : ipconfig /registerdns
IP Configuration (Display DHCP Class ID) : ipconfig /showclassid
IP Configuration (Modifies DHCP Class ID) : ipconfig /setclassid
Java Control Panel (If Installed) : jpicpl32.cpl
Java Control Panel (If Installed) : javaws
Keyboard Properties control : keyboard
Local Security Settings : secpol.msc
Local Users and Groups : lusrmgr.msc
Logs You Out Of Windows : logoff
Malicious Software Removal Tool : mrt
Microsoft Access (if installed) : access.cpl
Microsoft Chat : winchat
Microsoft Excel (if installed) : excel
Microsoft Frontpage (if installed) : frontpg
Microsoft Movie Maker : moviemk
Microsoft Paint : mspaint
Microsoft Powerpoint (if installed) : powerpnt
Microsoft Word (if installed) : winword
Microsoft Syncronization Tool : mobsync
Minesweeper Game : winmine
Mouse Properties control : mouse
Mouse Properties : main.cpl
Nero (if installed) : nero
Netmeeting : conf
Network Connections control : netconnections
Network Connections : ncpa.cpl
Network Setup Wizard : netsetup.cpl
Notepad : notepad
Nview Desktop Manager (If Installed) : nvtuicpl.cpl
Object Packager : packager
ODBC Data Source Administrator : odbccp32.cpl
On Screen Keyboard : osk
Opens AC3 Filter (If Installed) : ac3filter.cpl
Outlook Express : msimn
Paint : pbrush
Password Properties : password.cpl
Performance Monitor : perfmon.msc
Performance Monitor : perfmon
Phone and Modem Options : telephon.cpl
Phone Dialer : dialer
Pinball Game : pinball
Power Configuration : powercfg.cpl
Printers and Faxes control : printers
Printers Folder : printers
Private Character Editor : eudcedit
Quicktime (If Installed) : QuickTime.cpl
Quicktime Player (if installed) : quicktimeplayer
Real Player (if installed) : realplay
Regional Settings : intl.cpl
Registry Editor : regedit
Registry Editor : regedit32
Remote Access Phonebook : rasphone
Remote Desktop : mstsc
Removable Storage : ntmsmgr.msc
Removable Storage Operator Requests : ntmsoprq.msc
Resultant Set of Policy (XP Prof) : rsop.msc
Scanners and Cameras : sticpl.cpl
Scheduled Tasks control : schedtasks
Security Center : wscui.cpl
Services : services.msc
Shared Folders : fsmgmt.msc
Shuts Down Windows : shutdown
Sounds and Audio : mmsys.cpl
Spider Solitare Card Game : spider
SQL Client Configuration : cliconfg
System Configuration Editor : sysedit
System Configuration Utility : msconfig
System File Checker Utility (Scan Immediately) : sfc /scannow
System File Checker Utility (Scan Once At Next Boot) : sfc /scanonce
System File Checker Utility (Scan On Every Boot) : sfc /scanboot
System File Checker Utility (Return to Default Setting) : sfc /revert
System File Checker Utility (Purge File Cache) : sfc /purgecache
System File Checker Utility (Set Cache Size to size x) : sfc /cachesize=x
System Information : msinfo32
System Properties : sysdm.cpl
Task Manager : taskmgr
TCP Tester : tcptest
Telnet Client : telnet
Tweak UI (if installed) : tweakui
User Account Management : nusrmgr.cpl
Utility Manager : utilman
Windows Address Book : wab
Windows Address Book Import Utility : wabmig
Windows Backup Utility (if installed) : ntbackup
Windows Explorer : explorer
Windows Firewall : firewall.cpl
Windows Magnifier : magnify
Windows Management Infrastructure : wmimgmt.msc
Windows Media Player : wmplayer
Windows Messenger : msmsgs
Windows Picture Import Wizard (need camera connected) : wiaacmgr
Windows System Security Tool : syskey
Windows Update Launches : wupdmgr
Windows Version (to show which version of windows) : winver
Windows XP Tour Wizard : tourstart
WordPad : write

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Internet Explorer Tips and Tricks

Posted in Labels: Windows tips and secrets | at 01:06

You would find lots of tips and tricks for Firefox but here we great collection of tips and tricks for our old Internet Explorer.

Quick jump to Web Site IE:
Type just the Internet domain name in the URL Address field and hold down ctrl enter keys.
This will fill in www as the machine name and TLD .com
Quick jump to Web Site Part II IE:
Type go eBay in the URL address field.
This will go to MSN search page site and select the best match.
Presentation Mode IE:
Select the F11 function key to enter Presentation mode.
Select the F11 function key to toggle back.
Resize Text Size IE:
Hold down ctrl key and move the wheel on the mouse.
The page text will enlarge or shrink.
Page forward and back IE:
Hold down shift key and move the wheel on the mouse.
This will page forward or backward through the pages selected.
Quick jump to the addresses IE:
Select the alt and D keys together.
This will select the URL address field.
Page scroll using mouse wheel button IE:
Push down on the mouse wheel button and slide the whole mouse up and down.
This will page up and down the screen.
Select visited web site addresses IE:
Select the F4 function key.
This will show a listing of sites you have visited for selection.
Refresh the page IE and Netscape 6 :
Select the F5 function key.
This will refresh the current page.
Quick Search IE:
In the address field type find or ? Then your topic or keyword
this will go to MSN search engine and search on your topic.
Quick Search part II IE:
Select the F3 function key.
This will display the left side search column box.
Open a New IE Window:
Enter Control N
A new IE browser window will appear.
Open a New IE Window with One Click:
Hold down shift and click on the link.
A new IE browser window will appear.
Page forward and back using arrow keys IE:
Hold Alt button and use the arrow keys to page forward and back.
Stop flashing images IE:
Find a site that has flashing images About.com
after the page loads select the Esc button.
Get to Your Favorites with Keyboard Shortcut IE :
Enter Control-I will bring up your left pane favorites.
Enter Control-I will make it disappear
Enter Control-B to organize your favorites
Print Part of a Web Page IE:
Select the area you want to print with your mouse.
Select the print option from the menu bar - not the print icon.
Change the print range area to selection.

Here is the list of shortcut keys for Internet explorer.

CTRL+A: Select all
CTRL+C: Copy
CTRL+X: Cut
CTRL+V: Paste
CTRL+F: Find
CTRL+E: Search
CTRL+W: Close window
CTRL+N: New browser window
CTRL+R: Refresh web page
CTRL+O: new location - esc to close
CTRL+D: quickly save a Web page to your Favorites list
CTRL+I: Favorites
CTRL+P: Print the page
CTRL+H: History
CTRL+tab: go to URL Address field
Alt+Spacebar+X: Window Maximize
Alt+Spacebar+R: Window Restore
Alt+Spacebar+N: Window Minimize
Home key: beginning of page
End key: bottom of page
Backspace key: move back a page.
CTRL+LEFT+ARROW: quickly move the cursor back between parts of the address.

Previous pages quickly, click the small down arrow to the right of the Back button.

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What is the Registry - Beginners Guide

Posted in Labels: Windows tips and secrets | at 01:04

The Registry is a database used to store settings and options for the 32 bit versions of M*cro$oft Windows including Windows 95, 98, ME and NT/2000. It contains information and settings for all the hardware, software, users, and preferences of the PC. Whenever a user makes changes to a Control Panel settings, or File Associations, System Policies, or installed software, the changes are reflected and stored in the Registry.
The physical files that make up the registry are stored differently depending on your version of Windows; under Windows 95 & 98 it is contained in two hidden files in your Windows directory, called USER.DAT and SYSTEM.DAT, for Windows Me there is an additional CLASSES.DAT file, while under Windows NT/2000 the files are contained separately in the %SystemRoot%\System32\Config directory. You can not edit these files directly; you must use a tool commonly known as a "Registry Editor" to make any changes (using registry editors will be discussed later in the article).
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The Structure of The Registry :
The Registry has a hierarchal structure; although it looks complicated the structure is similar to the directory structure on your hard disk, with Regedit being similar to Windows Explorer.
Each main branch (denoted by a folder icon in the Registry Editor, see left) is called a Hive, and Hives contains Keys. Each key can contain other keys (sometimes referred to as sub-keys), as well as Values. The values contain the actual information stored in the Registry. There are three types of values; String, Binary, and DWORD - the use of these depends upon the context.
There are six main branches, each containing a specific portion of the information stored in the Registry. They are as follows:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT - This branch contains all of your file association mappings to support the drag-and-drop feature, OLE information, Windows shortcuts, and core aspects of the Windows user interface.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER - This branch links to the section of HKEY_USERS appropriate for the user currently logged onto the PC and contains information such as logon names, desktop settings, and Start menu settings.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE - This branch contains computer specific information about the type of hardware, software, and other preferences on a given PC; this information is used for all users who log onto this computer.
HKEY_USERS - This branch contains individual preferences for each user of the computer; each user is represented by a SID sub-key located under the main branch.
HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG - This branch links to the section of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE appropriate for the current hardware configuration.
HKEY_DYN_DATA - This branch points to the part of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, for use with the Plug-&-Play features of Windows, this section is dynamic and will change as devices are added and removed from the system.

Each registry value is stored as one of five main data types:

REG_BINARY - This type stores the value as raw binary data. Most hardware component information is stored as binary data, and can be displayed in an editor in hexadecimal format.
REG_DWORD - This type represents the data by a four byte number and is commonly used for Boolean values, such as "0" is disabled and "1" is enabled. Additionally many parameters for device driver and services are this type, and can be displayed in REGEDT32 in binary, hexadecimal and decimal format or in REGEDIT in hexadecimal and decimal format.
REG_EXPAND_SZ - This type is an expandable data string that is string containing a variable to be replaced when called by an application. For example, for the following value, the string "%SystemRoot%" will replaced by the actual location of the directory containing the Windows NT system files. (This type is only available using an advanced registry editor such as REGEDT32)
REG_MULTI_SZ - This type is a multiple string used to represent values that contain lists or multiple values; each entry is separated by a NULL character. (This type is only available using an advanced registry editor such as REGEDT32)
REG_SZ - This type is a standard string, used to represent human readable text values.

Other data types not available through the standard registry editors include:

REG_DWORD_LITTLE_ENDIAN - A 32-bit number in little-endian format.
REG_DWORD_BIG_ENDIAN - A 32-bit number in big-endian format.
REG_LINK - A Unicode symbolic link. Used internally; applications should not use this type.
REG_NONE - No defined value type.
REG_QWORD - A 64-bit number.
REG_QWORD_LITTLE_ENDIAN - A 64-bit number in little-endian format.
REG_RESOURCE_LIST - A device-driver resource list.

Editing The Registry :
The Registry Editor (REGEDIT.EXE) is included with most version of Windows (although you won't find it on the Start Menu) it enables you to view, search and edit the data within the Registry. There are several methods for starting the Registry Editor, the simplest is to click on the Start button, then select Run, and in the Open box type "regedit", and if the Registry Editor is installed it should now open and look like the image below.
An alternative Registry Editor (REGEDT32.EXE) is available for use with Windows NT/2000, it includes some additional features not found in the standard version, including; the ability to view and modify security permissions, and being able to create and modify the extended string values REG_EXPAND_SZ & REG_MULTI_SZ.
Create a Shortcut to Regedit :
This can be done by simply right-clicking on a blank area of your desktop, selecting New, then Shortcut, then in the Command line box enter "regedit.exe" and click Next, enter a friendly name (e.g. 'Registry Editor') then click Finish and now you can double click on the new icon to launch the Registry Editor.
Using Regedit to modify your Registry :
Once you have started the Regedit you will notice that on the left side there is a tree with folders, and on the right the contents (values) of the currently selected folder.
Like Windows explorer, to expand a certain branch (see the structure of the registry section), click on the plus sign.

to the left of any folder, or just double-click on the folder. To display the contents of a key (folder), just click the desired key, and look at the values listed on the right side. You can add a new key or value by selecting New from the Edit menu, or by right-clicking your mouse. And you can rename any value and almost any key with the same method used to rename files; right-click on an object and click rename, or click on it twice (slowly), or just press F2 on the keyboard. Lastly, you can delete a key or value by clicking on it, and pressing Delete on the keyboard, or by right-clicking on it, and choosing Delete.

Note: it is always a good idea to backup your registry before making any changes to it. It can be intimidating to a new user, and there is always the possibility of changing or deleting a critical setting causing you to have to reinstall the whole operating system. It's much better to be safe than sorry!
Importing and Exporting Registry Settings :
A great feature of the Registry Editor is it's ability to import and export registry settings to a text file, this text file, identified by the .REG extension, can then be saved or shared with other people to easily modify local registry settings. You can see the layout of these text files by simply exporting a key to a file and opening it in Notepad, to do this using the Registry Editor select a key, then from the "Registry" menu choose "Export Registry File...", choose a filename and save. If you open this file in notepad you will see a file similar to the example below:

REGEDIT4

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup]
"SetupType"=dword: 00000000
"CmdLine"="setup -newsetup"
"SystemPrefix"=hex: c5, 0b, 00, 00, 00,40,36,02
The layout is quite simple, REGEDIT4 indicated the file type and version, [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup] indicated the key the values are from, "SetupType"=dword: 00000000 are the values themselves the portion after the "=" will vary depending on the type of value they are; DWORD, String or Binary.
So by simply editing this file to make the changes you want, it can then be easily distributed and all that need to be done is to double-click, or choose "Import" from the Registry menu, for the settings to be added to the system Registry.
Deleting keys or values using a REG file :
It is also possible to delete keys and values using REG files. To delete a key start by using the same format as the REG file above, but place a "-" symbol in front of the key name you want to delete. For example to delete the [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup] key the reg file would look like this:

REGEDIT4

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup]

The format used to delete individual values is similar, but instead of a minus sign in front of the whole key, place it after the equal sign of the value. For example, to delete the value "SetupType" the file would look like:
REGEDIT4
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup]
"SetupType"=-
Use this feature with care, as deleting the wrong key or value could cause major problems within the registry, so remember to always make a backup first.
Regedit Command Line Options :
Regedit has a number of command line options to help automate it's use in either batch files or from the command prompt. Listed below are some of the options, please note the some of the functions are operating system specific.

regedit.exe [options] [filename] [regpath]
[filename] Import .reg file into the registry
/s [filename] Silent import, i.e. hide confirmation box when importing files
/e [filename] [regpath] Export the registry to [filename] starting at [regpath] e.g. regedit /e file.reg HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT
/L:system Specify the location of the system.dat to use
/R:user Specify the location of the user.dat to use
/C [filename] Compress (Windows 98)
/D [regpath] Delete the specified key (Windows 98)

Maintaining the Registry :
How can you backup and restore the Registry? :
Windows 95 :
M*cro$oft included a utility on the Windows 95 CD-ROM that lets you create backups of the Registry on your computer. The M*cro$oft Configuration Backup program, CFGBACK.EXE, can be found in the \Other\Misc\Cfgback directory on the Windows 95 CD-ROM. This utility lets you create up to nine different backup copies of the Registry, which it stores, with the extension RBK, in your \Windows directory. If your system is set up for multiple users, CFGBACK.EXE won't back up the USER.DAT file.
After you have backed up your Registry, you can copy the RBK file onto a floppy disk for safekeeping. However, to restore from a backup, the RBK file must reside in the \Windows directory. Windows 95 stores the backups in compressed form, which you can then restore only by using the CFGBACK.EXE utility.
Windows 98 :
M*cro$oft Windows 98 automatically creates a backup copy of the registry every time Windows starts, in addition to this you can manually create a backup using the Registry Checker utility by running SCANREGW.EXE from Start | Run menu.
What to do if you get a Corrupted Registry :
Windows 95, 98 and NT all have a simple registry backup mechanism that is quite reliable, although you should never simply rely on it, remember to always make a backup first!
Windows 95:
In the Windows directory there are several hidden files, four of these will be SYSTEM.DAT & USER.DAT, your current registry, and SYSTEM.DA0 & USER.DA0, a backup of your registry. Windows 9x has a nice reature in that every time it appears to start successfully it will copy the registry over these backup files, so just in case something goes wrong can restore it to a known good state. To restore the registry follow these instruction:[list=1]

Click the Start button, and then click Shut Down.
Click Restart the Computer in MS-DOS Mode, then click Yes.
Change to your Windows directory. For example, if your Windows directory is c:\windows, you would type the following:

cd c:\windows

Type the following commands, pressing ENTER after each one. (Note that SYSTEM.DA0 and USER.DA0 contain the number zero.)

Attrib -h -r -s system.dat
attrib -h -r -s system.da0
copy system.da0 system.dat
attrib -h -r -s user.dat
attrib -h -r -s user.da0
copy user.da0 user.dat

Restart your computer :
Following this procedure will restore your registry to its state when you last successfully started your computer.
If all else fails, there is a file on your hard disk named SYSTEM.1ST that was created when Windows 95 was first successfully installed. If necessary you could also change the file attributes of this file from read-only and hidden to archive to copy the file to C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM.DAT.
Windows NT:
On Windows NT you can use either the "Last Known Good" option or RDISK to restore to registry to a stable working configuration.
How can I clean out old data from the Registry?
Although it's possible to manually go through the Registry and delete unwanted entries, M*cro$oft provides a tool to automate the process, the program is called RegClean. RegClean analyzes Windows Registry keys stored in a common location in the Windows Registry. It finds keys that contain erroneous values; it removes them from the Windows Registry after having recording those entries in the Undo.Reg file.

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