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.