Fast Shutdown and/or Restart From Quick Launch Buttons

This tip will enable you to create buttons in your quick launch toolbar to quickly and easily shut down and/or restart your computer.

1. Right click on your desktop, scroll to new..... shortcut
2. In the location line, for shutdown type; shutdown -s -t 0 ie: shutdown(space)-s(space)-t(space)number zero
3. Name the shortcut "Shut Down PC" or whatever u want
4. The new shortcut is now sitting on your desktop, right click on it and go to properties, then click on "change icon". Click OK, then pick a suitable icon, there is a red "off button" icon available, then click apply and ok.
5. Now drag the icon from your desktop into the quick launch toolbar, resize the toolbar so all the buttons are visible, then delete the shortcut from your desktop.

To create a restart button the location line should read shutdown -r -t 0 name it restart pc and give it a suitable icon for restart.

Now you can shut down or restart your pc in 1 mouse click without having to go through the startup menu.

Disable Error Reporting

1. Open System Properties.

2. Click the Advanced tab.

3. Click the "Error Reporting" button.

4. Select "Disable Error Reporting"

Use active desktop to save memory used by wallpapers

When you choose a wallpaper using the standard method (selecting a background on the desktop tab, in the properties window), Windows converts this image to a huge .bmp file (even if you selected a .jpg). Then instead of having a nice 220K wallpaper, you get a 3,15MB wallpaper. To get rid of this, try using active desktop's web capabilities, like this:

1. Right click on your desktop and select "properties", then select the "desktop" tab.
2. Click on "Customize Desktop".
3. Select the "Web" tab and click on "New..."
4. Browse for your favorite image and click OK when you are done.
5. Make sure "Lock desktop items" is uncheck.
6. Click OK, and OK again.
7. Now your image is like another window. Drag it to where you want and then right clik over it.
8. Select "arrange icons by" and the check "Lock Web Items on Desktop".
9. That's it. Now you have a "low memory usage wallpaper".

With this you can make interesting things, like using various small wallpapers, or even animated ones!! (you can select an animated .gif too!!). Simply select various images, and when you click OK, drag all them to its right location, and lock the content again.

PS: If you want to check the huge wallpaper windows makes, select a wallpaper the standard way, then browse to "C:\Documents and Settings\USER PROFILE\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft" (where USER PROFILE, is the profile you're using, i.e. Administrator). There should be a file called Wallpaper.bmp, open it and you'll see your cureent wallpaper.

A couple more keyboard shortcuts

CTRL + ALT + ESC

While in a full-screen window will launch the task bar. If used while not in a full screen window, it will work like ATL + TAB without the option of choosing which window and simply go to the window whose button is to the RIGHT of the current window.

ALT + D [MSIE]

This will move the cursor to the Address bar, highliting all the text in the bar as well.

ALT + TAB (With Shift)

If you have many windows open, using ALT + TAB can be kind of annoying if you miss the program you're seeking. Adding SHIFT and pressing TAB again will move the highlite back one.

CTRL + TAB

When working with multiple frames/panes, this will jump from one frame to another without having to TAB to the end of the current pane to move to the next. Press TAB again to enter the frame/pane you select.

SHIFT + CLICK (Explorer/MSIE)

This does the same thing as RIGHT CLICKing and selecting "Open in new window". Sometimes, however, I find that you have to DOUBLE CLICK to make it work.

SHIFT + RIGHT CLICK (Explorer)

This gives you an extra option, "Open With..." for certain (most) files types.

WINKEY + L (Using the "Welcome" style logon)

Same as [Start>Log Off>Switch User].

F1

Opens the Help dialogue for most programs.

F3

When searching using a typical text "Find..." feature, this will do the same as "Find next".

A better disk cleanup

A Better Disk Cleanup

This tip will show you how to create an unattended disk cleanup which will also empty your prefetch folder. This tip assumes you have Windows XP installed in c:\windows.

Step 1.
Create a new text file and place the following contents inside:

c:\windows\system32\cleanmgr.exe /dc /sageset: 1
c:
cd \
cd c:\windows\prefetch
del *.* /q

Step 2.
Save the file, changing the extension from .txt to .bat
For this tip's purpose, we will call it clean.bat

Step 3.
Execute the file. This will run the Disk Cleanup program in a special mode which asks what items you will want cleaned when Disk Cleanup performs an unattended cleanup. Check the items you wish to have cleaned up, then click OK.

Step 4.
Right-click on the clean.bat file and click edit. Change the first line to read:

c:\windows\system32\cleanmgr.exe /dc /sagerun: 1

Step 5.
Save the file. You can execute this file in place of running Disk Cleanup, or, to have this program run unattended, run the Add Scheduled Task Wizard in the Control Panel and create a scheduled task using the clean.bat file you just created.

Note: This cleanup script will also clear windows prefetch directory. Often this directory can become cluttered with old appication and a cleaning would free up disk space but it will result in a one time performance decrease and windows has to rebuild the cache with active software afterwards.

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.