windows tips and tricks

If you do not have a windows enabled keyboard you can disable its use. Navigate to the key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\KeyboardLayout. Look
for value of “Scancode Map”. Its binary data. Set its value to “00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 03 00
00 00 00 00 5B E0 00 00 5C E0 00 00 00 00″ to disable the win key. Please be cautious while
entering this lengthy key.

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Some times, when you type a webpage address you might see an error page. A very common
error page that we come across is “Page not found” page. These error messages do not come
from any server. They are all stored in a DLL file in our system itself. The name of the dll file
is SHDOCLC.DLL file. If you don’t trust me then copy the following address and paste it in
your IE address bar and see for yourself.

res://c:\\Windows\\System32\\SHDOCLC.DLL/servbusy.htm

Now replace servbusy.htm with other html files given below .

http_400.htm, http_404.htm, http_406.htm, http_410.htm, http_500.htm, http_501.htm,
http_gen.htm, servbusy.htm, syntax.htm, navcancl.htm, offcancl.htm, policyerror.htm,
policylooking.htm, policynone.htm, policysyntaxerror.htm, privacypolicy.dlg, preview.dlg,
printerr.htm, printnf.htm, printnof.htm, printunk.htm, wcee.htm, ietext.bmp, ietext256.bmp,
world.bmp, world256.gif, ie.gif, ie256.gif, orgfav.dlg, about.dlg, analyze.dlg, bidifind.dlg,
docppg.ppg, error.dlg, find.dlg, findic.dlg, ieerror.dlg, imageppg.ppg, orgfav.dlg, and
pstemplate.dlg (Do you trust me now???)

If you need to customize these messages, write an error message and store it somewhere on
your hard disk. We can replace all these HTML error pages with our own. Navigate to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\InternetExplorer\AboutURLs. You
can change entries associated with various keys and provide complete path name to your own
custom html file.

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If you would ask me how XP handles DNS resolution, I would have to admit that it is simply
great. But there is still a room for improvement. This can be done by increasing the DNS
Cache size. To do this you would have to add following entries in registry. Please navigate to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Dnscache\Parameters.
Create or modify (if already present) the following four DWORD keys to following values.

CacheHashTableBucketSize 00000001(hex)
CacheHashTableSize 00000180 (hex)
MaxCacheEntryTtlLimit 000fa00a(hex)
MaxSOACacheEntryTtlLimit 0000012d(hex)

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To do this open up the registry editor and navigate to the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer. Now
create or modify a dword key named InternetOpenWith. Give a value of 0 (zero) to hide the
web services or 1 to display web services.

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This lengthy session is dedicated to fully explain the various registry hacks associated with
active desktop. To remove the ability to disable Active Desktop, navigate to the following
registry key.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Micrsft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

Create or modify a dword key called ForceActiveDesktopOn. Give it a value of 1 to enable
the key.

To remove the Active Desktop options from Settings on the Start Menu follow this tweak. Go
to the following key.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Micrsft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
Create or modify a dword value called NoSetActiveDesktop give it a value of 1 to enable the
restriction.

To restrict any changes to the already enabled active desktop settings navigate to the
following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Micrsft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

Create or modify a dword key called NoActiveDesktopChanges and give it a value of 1 to
enable restriction. To disable it give it a value of 0 (zero).

Other Features of the Windows Active Desktop that you can enforce is explained below. First
go to the following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Active
Desktop. Now create or modify the following dword keys for the functions explained.

NoChangingWallpaper Disable the ability to change wallpapers.
NoComponents Disable components.
NoAddingComponents Disable the ability to add components.
NoDeletingComponents Disable the ability to delete components.
NoEditingComponents - Disable the ability to edit components.
NoCloseDragDropBands Restrict adjustments to toolbars
NoMovingBands Restrict adjustments to desktop toolbars
NoHTMLWallPaper Only allow bitmaps (BMP) as wallpaper

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