Beep on printer errors
Use this setting to enable the machine to beep every few seconds when a print error occurs. For local printers, go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print and create or modify the DWORD entry called ‘BeepEnabled’. A value of ‘1′ enables beeps and ‘0′ disables them.For network printers, go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\Print\Providers\LanManPrintSer-vices\Servers and create or modify the DWORD entry called ‘BeepEnabled’. A value of ‘1′ enables beeps and ‘0′ disables them.
Include Copy to and Move to in the context menu
When you right-click a file, you get a menu called context menu. This tweak shows you how you can add two useful entries to it, namely, ‘Copy To’ and ‘Move To’. Therefore, copying and moving files can be ………done in 2 steps. To add the ‘Copy To’ option, go to HKEY_CLASS-ES_ROOT\ Directory\shellex\ ContextMenuHandlers and ere ate a sub-key called ‘CopyTo’. Select the key you created and in the right pane, modify the value of the ‘Default’ entry to ‘{C2FBB630-29711 IdIA 18C00C04FD75D13} ‘. Similarly, navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers and create a sub-key named ‘Copy To’ and give the same default value as above. For the ‘Move To’ option, duplicate the above mentioned steps, but rename the sub-keys as ‘Move To’ and the Default values as ‘{C2FBB631-2971-lldl-A18C-00C04FD75D13}’. Now when you right click on any file or folder—except on the Desktop—you will get these two options.
Start button context menu
Using this tweak, you can open applications from the context menu of the Start button, i.e. by right-clicking on the Start button. Open the registry and select the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ Directory\Shell key. Create a new sub-key named after the program you want to associate it with, say, Notepad. Now select this key and create another sub-key named ‘Command’ and set its’ Default’ entry value as the path to the executable for example, ‘C:Windows\ notepad.exe’.
Make Google default search page
Google-holies ahoy! You can set IE to search using Google as default. Enter the search terms in the address and select the option that appears below: Search for ‘<search terms>’. This will take you directly to the results page in Google. Open the registry and navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\lnternetExplorer\Main; change the value of ‘Use Search Asst’ to ‘no’; change the value of ‘Search Page’ to ‘http://www. google.com’, change the value of ‘Search Bar’ to ‘http:// www.google. com/ie’. Next, go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\lnternetExplorer\ Search URL and change the values of ‘Default’ to ‘http:// www.google.com/keyword/%s’ and ‘provider’ to ‘gogl’. Then go to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft \lnternet ExplorerXSearch key and modify the ‘Search Assistant’ entry’s value to ‘http://www.google.com/ie’.
Selectively remove cached Run commands
Commands entered in the Run dialog box are automatically cached to be used again later as Auto Complete. You can selectively remove entries from the cached list of instructions. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows \ Current Version\Explorer\RunMRU, and on the right pane, you will find entries, each one representing a cached instruction. Delete the unwanted entries, or delete all if you want to clear the cache.
Remove Logoff from Start Menu
In Windows 98, the start menu will have a Log Off button, but many users don’t use it, especially in standalone systems. To remove this button from the Start menu, go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ Software\Microsoft\ Windows\Current Version\Policies\Explorer, create a binary entry and enter its value as 01 00 00 00.
Removing typed URLs from IE address bar
Internet Explorer stores 25 URLs that were previously entered into the address bar. Click on the drop down button at the end of the address bar to view the cached URLs. To selectively remove URLs from this list go to HKEY_ CURRENT_USER\Software\Micros oftMnternet Explorer\TypedURLs.
In the right pane, you will find the list of URLs ordered with names url, url2, .. .url25. Delete the entries you wish to remove. Rename the remaining entries so that the order is maintained. For example, if you delete two entries, rename the others so that they list as urll to url23.
Remove Start menu items
Most users don’t use all the items in the Start menu. Entries such as Help and Log off are sometimes never used at all. Using this tweak, you can selectively remove items from the Start menu. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer, and add a DWORD entry for each item you want to remove
here’s a list of items:
· ‘NoRecentDocsMenu’ removes the Documents menu
· ‘NoFavoritesMenu’re-moves the Favourites menu.
· ‘NoFind’ removes the Find command from the Start menu.
· ‘NoRun’ removes the Run command.
· ‘NoClose’ removes the Shutdown command (be careful as it prevents you from shutting down Windows).
· ‘NoSetTaskbar’ removes the Taskbar command in the Settings sub-folder on the Start menu.
Adding this entry will also prevent a user from making changes to the taskbar by right-clicking on the taskbar and selecting Properties.In Windows 2000 and XP, adding ‘NoSMHelp’ will remove the help item and ‘ NoCom -monGroups’ will remove all the entries located in C:\Documents and Settings\AII Users\Start Menu and its sub folders. After adding any entry, assign it a value of ‘1′ to remove the item from the Start Menu, or ‘0′ to bring it back.
Remove the Recycle bin
If you’re tired of having to delete things twice and the Recycle Bin seems redundant, you can remove it. Using this tweak, you can force Windows to delete files directly—be sure that you don’t want files to be stored in the Recycle bin. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\BitBucket and create a DWORD entry named ‘NukeOnDelete’. Give this a value of ‘1′ to disable the Recycle bin and ‘0′ to enable it.
Disable recent files list in Media Player 8
Windows Media Player 8 maintains a list of files accessed recently in the File menu. Use this registry tweak to do away with that list. Open the registry and navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ Software \ Microsoft \ Media Player\Preferences. Here, double click the ‘AddToMRU’ entry. Give this a value of’00′ if you intend to disable the recent files list. You can enable it by changing the value to ‘01′.
Clear Add/Remove Programs list
Certain program entries do remain in the Add/Remove programs list owing to an uninstallations that go haywire. This tweak enables you to do away with those. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SOFTWARE\Microsoft\ Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall. Under this key, you will find sub-keys for each program installed. Right-click and delete all the entries you want removed from the Add\ Remove programs list.
Other Guides of this series
Techbulb’s Registry Guide 1 : Customize your Operating System
Techbulb’s Registry Guide 2 : MS Office Register Tweaks
Techbulb’s Registry Guide 3: Enhance the Performance
Techbulb’s Registry Guide 4 : Remove The Annoying Parts
