Tips And Tricks, Windows XP - Part6

Add Open With to all files:

You can add "Open With..." to the Right click context menu of all files.This is great for when you have several programs you want to open the same file types with. I use three different text editors so I added it to the ".txt" key.
1. Open RegEdit
2. Go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\Shell
3. Add a new Key named "OpenWith" by right clicking the "Shell" Key and selecting new
4. Set the (Default) to "Op&en With..."
5. Add a new Key named "Command" by right clicking the "OpenWith" Key and selecting new
6. Set the (Default) to "C:\Windows\rundll32.exe shell32.dll,OpenAs_RunDLL %1", C:\ being your Windows drive. You must enter the "OpenAs_RunDLL %1" exactly this way.




Customize the System Tray:

You can add your name or anything you like that consists of 8 characters or less. This will replace the AM or PM next to the system time. But you cannot do this if you are using any of our software during the trial period; it will corrupt the trial license.
1. Open RegEdit
2. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\International
3. Add two new String values, "s1159" and "s2359"
4. Right click the new value name and modify. Enter anything you like up to 8 characters.
If you enter two different values when modifying, you can have the system tray display the two different values in the AM and PM.






Disable the Outlook Express Splash Screen:

You can make OutLook Express load quicker by disabling the splash screen:
1. Open RegEdit
2. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\OutLook Express
3. Add a string value "NoSplash"
4. Set the value data to 1 as a Dword value





Multiple Columns For the Start Menu:

To make Windows use multiple Start Menu Columns instead of a single scrolling column, like Windows 95 had:
1. Open RegEdit
2. Go to the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

3. Create a string value "StartMenuScrollPrograms"
4. Right click the new string value and select modify
5. Set the value to "FALSE"





Change Default Folder Locations:

You can change or delete the Windows mandatory locations of folder like My Documents:
1. Open RegEdit
2. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders
3. Change the desired folder location, My Documents is normally list as "Personal"
4. Open the Explorer and rename or create the folder you wish.
To change the desired location of the Program Files folder
1. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
2. Change the value of "ProgramFiles", or "ProgramFilesDir"
Now when you install a new program it will default to the new location you have selected.






Change the Registered User Information:

You can change the Registered Owner or Registered Organization to anything you want even after Windows is installed.
1) Open RegEdit
2) Got to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion.
3) Change the value of "RegisteredOrganization" or "RegisteredOwner", to what ever you want






Changing Exchange/Outlook Mailbox Location:

To change the location of your mailbox for Exchange:
1. Open RegEdit
2. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows Messaging Subsystem\Profiles
3. Go to the profile you want to change
4. Go to the value name that has the file location for your mailbox (*.PST) file
5. Make the change to file location or name
To change the location of your mailbox for Outlook
1. Open RegEdit
2. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Outlook (or Outlook Express if Outlook Express)
3. Go to the section "Store Root"
4. Make the change to file location




Adding an Application to the Right Click on Every Folder:

Here is how to add any application to the Context Menu when you right click on any Folder. This way you do not have to always go to the Start Menu. When you right click on any folder, you can have access to that application, the same as using Sent To.
1. Open RegEdit
2. Go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell
3. Add a new Key to the "Shell" Key and name it anything you like.
4. Give it a default value that will appear when you right click a folder, i.e. NewKey( use an "&" without the quotes, in front of any character and it will allow you to use the keyboard)
5. Click on the Key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell\NewKey
6. Add a New Key named Command
7. Set the (Default) value of the application you want to run
8. For example: c:\program files\internet explorer\iexplore.exe (Include the full path and parameters if you need them)






Changing the Location of Windows' Installation Files :

If you need to change the drive and or path where Windows looks for its installation files:
1.Open RegEdit
2.Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup
3.Edit the value next to SourcePath





Automatic Screen Refresh:
When you make changes to your file system and use Explorer, the changes are not usually displayed until you press the F5 key
To refresh automatically:
1. Open RegEdit
2. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Update
3. Set the value name "UpdateMode" to 1







WISE WORDS:Eat to please thyself, but dress to please others.