Copy to... and Move to... Context Options

To add Copy to... and Move to... context menu options (similar to Win95 Powertoys send to folder option) create the following registry keys

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AllFilesystemObjects\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\Copy To

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AllFilesystemObjects\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\Move To

For Copy To set the default value to {C2FBB630-2971-11d1-A18C-00C04FD75D13}

and for Move To set the default value to {C2FBB631-2971-11d1-A18C-00C04FD75D13}

Now when you right click on a file or folder, above the send to option are two new options: Copy to Folder and Move to Folder
You can copy or move files or directories to other folders with this.

super fast user switching

Super fast user switching is a powertoy which makes it easy to switch the active user. But you must be a member of the administrator group to see other users! Quite useless for normal users, but this is done on purpose. I contacted Lou, the programmer of fast.exe, and he said (quote):

"It actually has to do with permissions. As a regular user, you don't have access to the (InteractiveLogon) service. This is because I didn't want to open another hole in Windows. This is unavoidable."

The solution opens a hole, but makes super fast user switching usable. THIS IS ONLY FOR EXPERIENCED USERS!

1. remove task.exe from the local_machine ~ windows ~ run registry entry (you can use start --> run --> msconfig for that)
2. create a fast.cmd file wich contains the line below:
runas /noprofile /env /savecred /user:YOURMACHINE\Administrator "c:\windows\system32\fast.exe"
replace YOURMACHINE by your machine name
3. copy fast.cmd to your windows directory
4. make a shortcut to c:\windows\fast.cmd, let the shortcut run minimized
5. copy the shortcut to C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

You have to run fast.cmd manually one time for each user to supply the administrator password. This has to be done only once.

This solution won't work for XP home edition because that edition won't store the security credentials.

For your information: the user process fast.exe will communicate with the service task.exe to perform it's task. Meddling with the fast -service properties won't work (I tried...).

Turn off autoplay for CDs

1. Go to Start->Run->gpedit.msc
2. Computer Config -> Administrative Template -> System

3. Select Drive(s)

3. Double clik Turn off Autoplay
4. Enable it.

Turn off Thumbs.db

Thumbs.db is a file which is created in a folder with Movies or Pictures so that you can view a piece of their content without actualy opening them (you can't see thumbnails unless you have the option to view system files turned on). Thumbs.db is there so that you don't need to reload a thumbnail everytime you browse that folder. Sad fact is, is Thumbs.db takes up about 2kb per file and if you edit a lot of stuff its annoying to keep seeing them popping up all over your computer. You can remove thumbs.db quite easily by following these steps:

1. Go to Run in the startmenu
2. Type gpedit.msc
3. Click OK and the Group Policy will open
4. Go to User Configuration/Administrative Template/Windows Components/Windows Explorer
5. Scroll down to the bottom of the long list of stuff that now shows up in the menu on the right. Double-Click on Turn off caching of thumbnail pictures.
6. Click on Enable then Apply, Ok. And now you no longer have this annoying problem.

(Editor's note:

Alternatively or if you use XP Home you can make this change in Control Panel > Folder Options > View > "Do not cache thumbnails"

Disabling thumbnail caching will considerably slow down opening folders in thumbnail view. So if you use thumbnail view a lot, think about it.)

Windows Classic themed logon dialog

If you are using the Win 2k style logon prompt (not the Welcome screen) and want to change its default "XP" style to the "Classic" style, do this:

(Backup your registry before doing this, just in case you end having a problem.)

Open regedit, then navigate to: HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ThemeManager

Change the value for DllName to:

%SystemRoot%\Resources\themes\Windows Classic.theme

Close regedit and log off to see the new logon window right away.

Simple Reg Hack to Change the IE Title Forever (Simple)

This is very simple and does not require you to actually search throught the registry or activate any features using the Group Policy Editor. Open the note pad and paste the following lines into it:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main]
"Window Title"="TweakXP.com."

Replace the "TweakXP.com" with what ever text you would like to have displayed in the Title bar of the Internet Explorer Windows. Use your imagination. Then name the file "Explorer Renamer.reg" or something like that then simply close the editor and double click the file and click YES and your done. You might want to keep the file on hand in case you upgrade IE and it changes it back to normal then you will just need to reclick the file and it will be back to the title that you want.

Show CPU Meter in system tray at all times

How to show the built in CPU meter which is part of the Windows Task Manager every time you boot or switch users.

1. Do a search for taskmgr.exe
2. Right click and select Send To - Desktop (Create Shortcut)
3. On the taskmgr shortcut that is on the desktop right click and select Properties - Change the Run Command to - minimized.
4. Rename the shortcut to "Task Manager" or "CPU Meter" and right click and cut the Shortcut.
5. Paste the shortcut into the startup folder by right click on the start menu - Select All Users - Programmes - StartUp.

You should see the Meter in the system tray. If not then:

6. In the Windows Task Manager window select Options - and tick "Minimize On Use" and "Hide When Minimized".
7. Then minimize the Task Manager

Remove user name from Start Menu

START > RUN > GPEDIT.MSC > USER CONFIGURATION > ADMINISTRATIVE TEMPLATES > START MENU AND TASKBAR > FIND REMOVE USER NAME FROM START MENU > RIGHT CLICK PROPERTIES > CHECK ENABLED > OK

NOTE: The group policy editor (gpedit) is only available in XP Pro

Remove the search dog

To remove the dog that appears in the search window open the search window, select change preferences, and select the animated screen character option to remove it.

Remove Logoff From Start menu

1. Start Regedit

2. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion \Policies\Explorer

3.Create a DWORD value named StartMenuLogoff

4. Give it a value of 1 Restart you computer and Logoff is no longer in the Start Menu

Remove Login Password

I didn't want to enter the password at the welcome menu everytime I boot up my computer so I tried to disable it in the user accounts located in the Control Panel. When I clicked on my account and clicked on remove my password, it didn't allow me. Follow this step to remove it.

1. Go to Control panel
2. Click administrative tools
3. Local Security Settings
4. Click Minimum password length
5. Reduce it to 0, No password required
6. Go to user account in control panel click your account and remove password.

This will disable the password feature.

Locking Computer in XP

To lock a computer in XP, as you probably know, you press "L" while holding down "Windows Logo" key on your keyboard. However, if you would like to lock a computer remotely, for example via "Remote Administrator", you don't have this ability. What you can do instead, is to create a shortcut on remote computer's desktop where

Target %windir%\System32\rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation

Start In %windir%

How to Get "Show Hidden Files and Folders" Back if it is Missing

If the option to enable "Show Hidden Files and Folders" is MISSING from your Folders Options > View > Advanced Settings, find this key in your registry:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\Folder\Hidden]

Modify the string value "Type" and enter "group" as value data.

After the edit is complete hit F5 to refresh, and go look in your Folder Options.

Easist way to disable Windows Picture and Fax Viewer

Right Click On image file.
Choose "open with", then "choose program"
Select your favorite image viewer program.
Check the "always use selected program" box
Click OK.

Change owner and organization in System Properties

If you want to change the owner and organization in System Properties, just do the following:

Open the registry and go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion

Now just change the value for RegisteredOwner and RegisteredOrganization.

Change Log On Screen Colors

Microsoft includes three default "shell styles" with the Windows XP Luna theme: Homestead, Metallic, and NormalColor.

You can see these three styles in the "Welcome to Windows" and "Log On to Windows" screens during logon.

To change the style, open regedit and go to: HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ThemeManager
Change the "ColorName" key value to either "Homestead" or "Metallic". "Homestead" will show the title bars in an olive color. "Metallic" will show them in a silver color.

Log off or reboot to see the change.

Note: this will only work on the original Ctrl+Alt+Del log on screen, not the new Welcome screen.

Change Start Button Text

The start button is the most clicked on button in all of Windows. If you are going to customize windows, why not customize the start button. It is possible to change the text of the start button through the use of a hex editor which is a special program that allows you to edit files that were already compiled.

To get started, all you need is a hex editor which you can dowload for free on the web. If you do not have a hex editor, visit download.com and preform a search for hex editor and you will find several.

Once you have the hex editor downloaded and installed, just open up explorer.exe which is found in the windows directory in the program. Then go to the following offsets and you will see the text S T A R T. Just modify the letters to what ever you wish and save the file and you are set to go. Make sure that you leave the spaces between the letters and you only overwrite the five letters.

The file offsets for XP are: 000412b6 - 000412bf and 0004158a - 00041593

This method has a few limitations though, you can only use exactly 5 letters. If you want to us somthing with more than five letters, below is another guide that will also change the start menu text. It is from tweakersguide.com but it was in German so here's my rough translation.

First of all you will need to download a exe editor - Resource Hacker and Hacker 2.0 are avaliable from www.downloads.com and are adequate for the task in hand.

The first 3 steps stop the file we are going to tamper with from being restored automatically when windows restarts

1) with notepad or a text editor open the file c:\windows\system32\restore\filelist.xml (you might need to change it's properites from read only first by right clicking on the file and selecting properties, then remove the tich from the read only checkbox)

2) add the following line to the first section to exclude explorer.exe from the protected file list
- %windir%explorer.exe

3) save the file (and apply the read only properties back if you wish)

The next 2 steps actually modify the explorer.exe file that is the windows shell so back it up first if you are uncertain what you are doing (to back up the file, open a cmd window and type -
copy c:\windows\explorer.exe c:\windows\explorer.bak)

4) Open the file c:\windows\explorer.exe with your exe editor and edit the text in following lines

String Table > 37 > 1033
String Table > 38 > 1033

You just edit the text inside the "Start" to what ever you want and compile if necessary (depends on your exe editor - you will if you use ResHack)

5) save the file as (file > save as) explorer.xp (back up this file to another disk if you want to save a bit of hassle after you recover the machine next time)

Now you need to copy the file you've modified best way I've found to do this is to boot to safe mode command prompt although it's been suggested that you can stop the explorer.exe process with Task Manager, copy the fie in a cmd prompt then restart the process again - that worked for me but the origional returned after a restart. The next 3 steps describe how you copy the file

6) restart the machine and start tapping F8 to get the start menu - choose safe mode with command prompt

7) log on as Administrator and you'll be presented with a cmd prompt

8) To copy the modified file just type
copy c:\windows\explorer.xp c:\windows\explorer.exe
assuming that's where you saved it to with your exe editor)

9) Restart Machine

Change Internet Explorer Logo

This Tweak Changes the Small logo at the top right corner of your browser.

1. Click Start > Run > Type gpedit.msc
2. Click User Configuration > Windows Setting > Internet Explorer Maintenance > Browser User erface
3. Double click on Custom Logo
4. Click on Customize The Static Logo Bitmaps
5. Click on Browse...
6. Browser for your new Logo
7. click Ok
8. An error will popup ``You have selected to customize a setting but provided no
value. The behavior of this will be to delete the setting. Are you sure you want
too continue?``
9. Click yes

Note: The Logo have to be (22X22) Small and (38X38) Large and have to be bitmap.
When you save your Logo, you have to save in 256 or 16bit color.This Tweak Changes the Small logo at the top right corner of your browser.

1. Click Start > Run > Type gpedit.msc
2. Click User Configuration > Windows Setting > Internet Explorer Maintenance > Browser User Interface
3. Double click on Custom Logo
4. Click on Customize The Static Logo Bitmaps
5. Click on Browse...
6. Browser for your new Logo
7. click Ok
8. An error will popup ``You have selected to customize a setting but provided no
value. The behavior of this will be to delete the setting. Are you sure you want
too continue?``
9. Click yes

Note: The Logo have to be (22X22) Small and (38X38) Large and have to be bitmap.
When you save your Logo, you have to save in 256 or 16bit color.

Change IE Windows Title

In regedit navigate to this key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main

Change (or create) the value of the string "Window Title" to whatever you want on the titlebar of Internet Explorer.

To have no title except the title of the web pages you are browsing do not enter anything for a value.

Change Browser Toolbar Background

This tweak customizes the appearance of the Internet Explorer Toolbar

XP Professional

1. Click Start > Run > Type gpedit.msc
2. Click User Configuration > Windows Setting > Internet Explorer Maintenance > Browser User Interface
3. Double click on Browser Toolbar Customization
4. Click on Customize Toolbar Background Bitmap
5. Browse for the new Background

XP Home Edition

1. Click Start > Run, type: regedit
2. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar
3. Right click on an empty spot and create a new string value
4. Name it BackBitmapIE5
5. Doubleclick on BackBitmapIE5 and type in the path of your toolbar bitmap
6. Click OK and close regedit
(always backup before making any changes in the registry)

Note: Because you can customize your browser toolbar there isn't a specific size which
you need to make this tweak work. Play around with the size until you get it right.
-----
The Width of your toolbar with be the width of your resolution. 1024 will be your width
if your resolution is 1024x768.
-----

Bypass the Recycle Bin when deleting files

Right-click on the Recycle Bin and choose "Properties".

On the "Global" tab, check the box that says, "Do not move files to the Recycle Bin...."

Now, you will never have to empty the recycle bin again

Best way to Hide the Recycle Bin from the Desktop

Open Regedit & explore:

if you are using the XP style start menu
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel\

if working with the classic menu:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\ClassicStartMenu\

Inside, Make new DWORD-Value with the name "{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}" & 'Modify' Value "1"

That will just hide the Recycle bin icon,
If a Dock is installed, by this procedure the 'Recycle bin' Docklet won't be anyhow affected as by some other Tweaks.

To restore the desktop icon again, just 'Modify' the same DWORD-Value to "0"

Auto Hide/Show System Tray Contents

Have you ever wanted to just get rid of a system tray item, but not wanting to completely get rid of it? Or have you ever wanted to always see a certin icon in the System Tray? Well Its simple, and dosnt require any major editing on your part, and its completely safe. Just Do the Following:

1. Right Click on start, and select 'Properties'

2. Once in Properties, Select 'Taskbar'

3. Find the 'Customize...' Button, and press it.

4. Once the next screen comes up, find the icons you want/dont want. Click them, and click the drop down box. Here, you have two Options, Always Hide ( Hides It from the moment you start up, the the moment you shut down ) and Always Show ( Shows it even when it is inactive, will never "disapear" behind the arrow ). Select the option you want, and click ok. Do this to as many as you want.

Adjust various visual effects

Windows makes it possible for you to tweak your visual experience by turning on and off various visual effects.

- Open up the control panel.
- Go under system and click on the advanced tab.
- Click settings under Performance options.

You can now change various graphical effects (mainly animations and shadows) by checking/unchecking the individual boxes.

Add your own user account pictures

If you don't like the user account pictures that come with XP you can add your own.

1. First make sure the pic you choose is fairly square, that's because you have to resize it to 48 x 48 pixels, so you dont want it to distort too much. It also has to be a bitmap (.bmp extension) for it to work. A good graphic utility should take care of both the resizing and saving it into a bitmap.

2.After you have it ready go to the following folder:

X:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Microsoft\User Account Pictures\Default Pictures (Application Data is a hidden folder)

That's the place where all the little account pixies are located, copy the one (or the ones) you had prepared into that folder.

3. Click the Start Button then click over the account picture and it will take you to a new window that tells you to choose another pic for your account, look for the one you just created select it, and click the "change picture" button and you're all set!.

So now you don't have to put up with the flower or that blue butterfly you just hate :o).
Enjoy!

I know it is less fun, but Windows lets you use any picture and will automatically resize it for you. Look for the 'Browse for more pictures' button in Control Panel - User Accounts

Add a shortcut to XP-Style Start Menu

This is how to add a shortcut to the XP Start Menu in addition to the default "Internet Explorer" and "Outlook Express" (when XP Start Menu is in XP Style, not classic).

Right click any application icon in Start Menu, on the desktop or in Explorer and select "Pin to Start Menu".

Alternatively just drag and drop the icon to the Start button.