Windows Tips

[Grok]

TOPIC RULES:

* No changing the topic rules.  (unless you're Grok)

* Each reply must contain a new tip.

* This is not a discussion thread, but intended to be a list of tips.

* Preference goes to tips not documented by Microsoft, or barely documented, hard-to-find,etc.

* Set your subject title.  Suggested format...    Application: Tip

[Grok]

Skywing found and shared how to turn on console shadowing for Terminal Server.

The registry file containing the entry is here.  Install the change, reboot your server, and you can now remote control a logged-in console session.

[muert0]

When you shut down Windows, if you have any programs running you'll get a message box warning you that a program is still running. You then have to close the program and tell XP again to shut down. It's a fairly pointless warning—better yet would be if XP automatically killed the programs without issuing the warning. That way, you wouldn't get error messages and wouldn't have to close each individual application before shutting down your computer.

To have XP automatically close programs at shutdown, run the Registry Editor and go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop. Edit the AutoEndTasks key so that is has a value of 1. If the key doesn't exist, create it as a DWORD value and give it the value of 1. To disable it, either delete the key, or set the value to 0.

From O'Reilly's: Windows XP Hacks

[Yoni]

I posted these already, but they should appear here.

On WinXP and Win2k3, to go back to Win2k style file search (without the stupid dog thing that barks at your file system):
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CabinetState
Make a REG_SZ entry called "Use Search Asst", and set it to "no". Change requires either restarting explorer or logoff+logon, don't remember.

Explorer on WinXP and Win2k3 behaves annoyingly with .avi files, reading info from them whenever they're selected. This makes them "in use" and sometimes impossible to delete with explorer. To fix that:
regsvr32 /u shmedia.dll

[muert0]

It's a given that anything that runs in RAM will be faster than an item that has to access the hard drive and virtual memory. Rather than have the kernel that is the foundation of XP using the slower Paging Executive functions, use this hack to create and set the DisablePagingExecutive DWORD to a value of 1.
Note: Only do this if you have 256mb of ram or more.
Edit the Registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management\DisablePagingExecutive to 1 to disable paging and have the kernel run in RAM (set the value to 0 to undo this hack). Exit the Registry and reboot.

[Sargera]

To change the registered user of your computer and the organization:
Navigate through your registry: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion (start -> run -> regedit).  Then find RegisteredOwner and RegisteredOrganization and change the values accordingly.  Also see Computer Name under the system (start -> settings -> control panel -> system -> computer name) for other miscellaneous options.

[UserLoser.]

Just found this out, don't know how useful it is, but it's supposed to help against SYN floods.

Set HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters\SynAttackProtect (REG_DWORD) to 2.

Also, anyone know how affective this can be against SYN floods?

More information can be found here.

[Hitmen]

To disable the lovely explorer crashing goodness that is the media preview(that little media player thing that pops up on the side when you select a media file), find the file "folder.htt" in your winnt/web folder (it's a hidden file).  Find the line <span id=MediaPlayerSpan>, delete it, save the file. I think you need to reboot after.

This saves you from that stupid thing taking a second or two to load every time you click on a media file, and I've had it often crash explorer altogether when I was going through a bunch of files.

[TehUser]

In the event that your copy of Windows is less-than-legitimate, it sometimes becomes necessary to change the key that you installed with.  This is done fairly easily.

Step 1: Deactivate (if activated) your copy of Windows.

Start -> Run -> regedit
Browse to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\wpaevents
Modify the value of OOBETimer.

Step 2: Enter a new key and activate Windows.

Start -> Run -> "%systemroot%\system32\oobe\msoobe.exe /a"
Select "Yes, I want to phone a customer service representative to activate Windows."
Click Next.
Click Change Product Key.
Enter the new key.
Click Update.
Reboot.

[UserLoser.]

Q: Why doesn't my Scanner or camera work properly anymore?

A: Windows Server 2003 incorporates a new service named Windows Image Acquisition (WIA). Since most servers are not equipped with scanners or cameras, the Windows Image Acquisition service is disabled by default to reduce system resources used by the operating system.

If you want to make your Imaging device work under Windows Server 2003 then you first need to enable the Windows Image Acquisition Service. To do so, go to Services (under  Start/Programs/Administrative Tools) and find the Windows
Image Acquisition Service. Right click on it and go into its properties.
Change the Startup Type dropdown list value from disabled to automatic and reboot prior to installing your devices drivers and plugging it in.

[tenbytes]

I don't know if this is old or anything, but if a program is crashing, press atl + ctrl + del, and end the dumpreg instances. It will close everything that's crashing, almost instantly.

[Eibro]

I don't know if this is old or anything, but if a program is crashing, press atl + ctrl + del, and end the dumpreg instances. It will close everything that's crashing, almost instantly.

The process name is dumprep, not dumpreg.

[R.a.B.B.i.T]

Open .reg files for edit (by default):
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\regfile\shell\(Default) -> change to "edit"

[AcidAngel]

regsvr32 /u %windir%\system32\zipfldr.dll

this will disable windows xp's native zip support (thus stopping the search from going into everyone of your zip files aka wasting time), and explorer in general becomes a bit speedier. You should install winzip or alternative app right after running the command to make sure windows doesnt try to reassociate itself with zip's

[Joe[x86]]

On Windows XP SP1 (perhaps SP0?) you can change the name of your recycle bin through the registry. I've tried this on SP2 and it doesn't work, though.

Code Select Expand

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-776561741-1532298954-682003330-1003\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\MUICache]
"@C:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\SHELL32.dll,-8964"="Rubbish Bin"