Cleaning Your Harddisk

Hard disks keep getting bigger and bigger, but somehow we still run out of space. MP3s and other media files are immensely popular–and simply immense. Programs are bigger, and data files are bigger. Windows Explorer isn't much help. It will tell you the size of all selected files in a folder, but nothing about the files in that folder's subfolders.

Enter DiskPie2 a utility to identify the biggest consumers of disk space. Pie charts let you see at a glance which folders and file types are taking up the most space. The charts are highly customizable, and can be printed.

An Explorer view lets you navigate to the folder you want to chart, and as a bonus displays the number of bytes in and below the selected folder. DiskPie2 also can display and print a report of the largest files in the selected folder. Armed with the information that DiskPie provides, you can decide how best to allocate the space on your disk.

TreeSize: Every hard disk is too small if you just wait long enough. TreeSize tells you where precious space has gone to. TreeSize can be started from the context menu of a folder or drive and shows you the size of this folder, including its subfolders. You can expand this folder in Explorer-like style and you will see the size of every subfolder. Scanning is done in a thread, so you can already see results while TreeSize is working. The space, which is wasted by the file system can be displayed and the results can be printed in a report. TreeSize is Mailware for Windows 9x/NT/2000/XP.

Welcome Screen - Colors

Select theme and color scheme for welcome screenWith this tweak you will be able to modify which color selection of the default theme is shown when the computer start up screen is displayed. Currently since there is only one theme you can only change the color scheme for the theme but in the future when more themes are available for XP you will be able to change which theme is used in the same place in the windows registry.

Go to Start/Run/Regedit and navigate to this key:Navigate to HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ThemeManager Locate the key NormalColor Right Click on it and select modify. Change where it says "NormalColor" to "Metallic" Click Ok, and exit regedit Restart

Note: To go back to the old color scheme durring startup just change "Metallic" back to "NormalColor" Once more themes are released you will be able to modify the DllName key to select different themes.

Welcome Screen Old Style

Change the Login Window to W2K Style - This setting controls which type of logon screen is shown, either the classic Windows NT/2000 format or the Windows XP welcome screen.

Start/Run/Regedit

Key: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon]Value Name: LogonTypeData Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value)Value Data: (0 = Classic Mode, 1 = Welcome Screen)

Create a new DWORD value, or modify the existing value, called 'LogonType' and edit the value according to the settings below. Exit your registry, you may need to restart or log out of Windows for the change to take effect.

Note: Using the classic logon method will also disable the use of fast user switching, where applications remain active in other users sessions.

Wallpaper (Folder) Background

Background for folders: To create a template folder with a background image, create a new folder and customize it to create a hidden desktop.ini file inside. Edit the desktop.ini in the folder and add two lines:

[{BE098140-A513-11D0-A3A4-00C04FD706EC}]IconArea_Image=Background.bmp

Then create a hidden image file in the folder and name it "Background.bmp". This image can be .bmp, .jpg, or .gif, but you will need to edit the image file extension in your desktop.ini file to match the image file name.

Name and Company - For Microsoft Applications

When you install a new application, using MS Setup, a default Name and Company are shown, these values can be changed when the details have changed or are incorrect.

Start/Run/RegeditHKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\MS Setup (ACME)\User Info

Value Name: DefName, DefCompanyData Type: REG_SZ (String Value)

Modify the two values named 'DefName' and 'DefCompany', and change the values to your current Name and Company respectively. The next time you install a program these new values will be used as the defaults instead. Note: This will not affect the registered names of existing applications, it only affects new installations.

Remove Recent Documents from the Start Menu

This setting can be used to remove the recent Documents folder from the Start Menu. Open your registry (Start/Run/Regedit) and find the key below.

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]

Value Name: NoRecentDocsMenuData Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value)Value Data: (0 = display, 1 = remove)

Create a new DWORD value, or modify the existing value, called 'NoRecentDocsMenu' set the value to equal '1' to enable the restriction. Exit your registry, you may need to restart for the changes to take effect.

Remove My Documents Folder From Desktop

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CLSID\{450D8FBA-AD25-11D0-98A8-0800361B1103}\ShellFolder

Value Name: AttributesData Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value)Value Data: (0xf0500174 = Hidden, 0xf0400174 = Default)

Modify the value called "Attributes" and set it to either "0xf0500174" to hide or "0xf0400174" to display My Documents. Click on a blank area of desktop and press F5 to refresh for the change to take effect. Note: This tweak can also by used on a system wide basis by entering the same values under the [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE] hive.

Makes the 'My Documents' folder on the Start Menu into a cascading folder

This tweak makes the 'My Documents' folder on the Start Menu into a cascading folder, which then give you direct access to sub-folders without having to open the main 'My Documents' directory first. Start/Run/Regedit.

You may need to create the key if it does not already exist. Create a new String value, or modify the existing value, called 'CascadeMyDocuments' and edit the value according to the settings below.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\AdvancedValue Name: CascadeMyDocumentsData Type: REG_SZ (String Value)Value Data: "Yes" or "No"

Exit your registry, you may need to restart or log out of Windows for the change to take effect. Note: This setting can be used either on a user by user basis by adding it to HKEY_CURRENT_USER or on a computer wide basis by adding it to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.

Rename "My Computer"

Start/Run/Regedit HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\ {20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}. Data Type: REG_EXPAND_SZ (Expanded String Value).

Rename the value named "LocalizedString" to "LocalizedString.old".

Create a new REG_EXPAND_SZ value named "LocalizedString", and set the value to "%USERNAME% on %COMPUTERNAME%".

Exit the registry editor, click on your desktop and press F5 (for refresh). The "My Computer" icon should now be rename to "Username on Computername".

Stops the Selective Startup screen

Download the xp_nomsconfig.vbs file: http://www.dougknox.com/xp/scripts_desc/xp_nomsconfig.htm and save it to your Desktop (you may want to right click and use Save Target As). Double-click the xp_nomsconfig.vbs file after closing MSConfig. You will not see the Selective Startup screen on the next boot.

Or...
Start/Run/Regedit
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

In the right pane, delete the value for MSConfig. Alternatively, you can use a small VB Script file to do this for you as well.

Copy the following three lines to a Notepad file and save as No_MSCONFIG.VBS

On Error Resume NextSet WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")WshShell.RegDelete "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\MSConfig"

After running MSConfig, run the VBS file and this entry will be removed automatically.

Disable Automatic Modem Connections at Startup

If remote connections are enabled in Windows, the system may try to initiate an Internet connection at Windows startup or at the start of many applications. This setting disables that behavior.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Ole. Value Name: EnableRemoteConnect, Data Type: REG_SZ (String Value), Value Data: "Y" = enable automatic connections, "N" = disabled.

Create a new String value, or modify the existing value, called 'EnableRemoteConnect' and edit the value according to the settings above. Exit your registry, you may need to restart or log out of Windows for the change to take effect.

Menu Display - Speed Up

Start/Run/Regedit
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop In the right pane select, "MenuShowDelay". Right click, modify and set the value to 0. Reboot.

Tip: TweakUI/Mouse/Menu Speed/Move glider to fast/Reboot.

To Set the My Documents Folder to Private

On the Start menu, right-click My Documents, and then click Properties. Click the Sharing tab, and then click to select the Make this folder private so that only I have access to it check box. Click Apply, and then click OK. Note: You cannot make your folders private if your drive is not formatted as NTFS, You Cannot Select the "Make This Folder Private" Option

Home Edition: Set Permissions for Shared Files and Folders. Boot into safe mode and logon to the 'Administrator' account. Right click the folder in question/Sharing and Security/Make Folder Private.

To view the Security tab for a file or folder in XP, hold down the Ctrl key while right-clicking the file or folder, and select Properties. If you are in a domain instead of a workgroup, this approach is unnecessary.

Tip: Hide Files and Folders inside of Windows XPWindows Explorer/Tools/Folder Options/View/Show Hidden Files and Folders. Right click the folder to be hidden/Sharing and Security/General Tab/Hidden/Apply Changes to.../

Auto-disconnect in Internet explorer

Start/Run/RegeditHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanmanServer\ParametersIn the right pane, find Autodisconnect and change the time accordingly.

Alternately You can try this from command prompt: net config server /autodisconnect:30 -to set the autodisconnect to 30 minutes.

Modify the Internet Auto-Dial Settings

Windows has the option to automatically dial your Internet Service Provider (ISP) to establish an Internet connection. This option can be controlled using this tweak.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings

Create a new binary value named "EnableAutodial", and set the new value to equal "01 00 00 00" to enable autodial or "00 00 00 00" to disable it.

Note: This restriction can be used either on a user by user basis by adding it to HKEY_CURRENT_USER or on a computer wide basis by adding it to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.

To view the list of names and addresses recorded by AutoDial, type the following command at a command prompt: rasautou -s

To delete a name or address entry from the list: Start/Run/Regedit HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\RAS Autodial\AddressesYou can delete any TCP/IP addresses that you see under this key.

Note that AutoDial can use IP addresses, DNS fully qualified domain names (FQDN), and NetBIOS names.

Disable Automatic Modem Connections at Startup

If remote connections are enabled in Windows, the system may try to initiate an Internet connection at Windows startup or at the start of many applications. This setting disables that behavior.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Ole. Value Name: EnableRemoteConnect, Data Type: REG_SZ (String Value), Value Data: "Y" = enable automatic connections, "N" = disabled.

Create a new String value, or modify the existing value, called 'EnableRemoteConnect' and edit the value according to the settings above. Exit your registry, you may need to restart or log out of Windows for the change to take effect.

Attributes - Display the Attributes Column in Explorer

Right click on the column headers and select Columns. You'll get a list of them to choose from. Attributes is one of them.

Start/Run/Regedit HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Explorer\Advanced. Value Name: ShowAttribCol, Data Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value), Value Data: (0 = disable, 1 = enable). Create a new DWORD value called 'ShowAttribCol' and set the value to '1' to enable the attributes column.

Application - Modify Application Timeout

The operating system has a set amount of time that a program must be frozen for before it is timed out. Often this number is set too high. But in some circumstances it is set too low. Depending on if the program is doing a lot of calculations in the background the computer may think that it is timed out. To prevent this increase the value of the timeout in the registry.

Start/Run/Regedit Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop. Select HungAppTimeout from the list on the right. Right on it and select Modify. Change the value to the new timeout value. Reboot your computer.

Applications - Restrict Users from Running Specific Applications

This setting allows you to specify applications and filenames that users are restricted from running.
Open your registry and find the key
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion \Policies\Explorer]

Create a new DWORD value and name it "DisallowRun" set the value to "1" to enable application restrictions or "0" to allow all applications to run.

Then create a new sub-key called [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion \Policies\Explorer\DisallowRun] and define the applications the are to be restricted.

Creating a new string value for each application, named as consecutive numbers, and setting the value to the filename to be restricted (e.g. "regedit.exe").

Home Page - Change

If the feature is disabled (greyed out), go to Doug Knox's site and download this script: http://www.dougknox.com/security/scripts_desc/nosethomepage.htm. Usage: Download nosethomepage.vbs and save this file to your hard drive. Navigate to where you saved it and double click the file. The VB Script file will check for the appropriate value and if not found will create it. You will be notified whether the option is enabled or disabled.
To manually make the change:

Start/Run/Regedit

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Control Panel\HomePage[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main] "Start Page"

History - Not Being Saved

McAfee gave this solution to the bug where VirusScan 6 stops your Internet Explorer History file working. Hope it is of some help:Open VirusScan consoleSelect "Pick a task..."Select "Change my VirusScan settings"Select "Configure VShield background scanning"Select "Customise your VShield settings"Select the "Internet Filter" icon from the icons down the left hand side On the "Detection" tab, in the 'Applet filters' section, remove the tick next to "ActiveX Controls".

Hidden Files Message: These files are hidden or system files

Start/Run/Regedit

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\WebView\BarricadedFolders Once there locate the folder that you want to turn the protection back on. Right click on them and select Modify Change the value to 1. Reboot your computer.