| 1. Associate an icon with a drive
Navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
If one doesn’t already exist, create a new KEY called “DriveIcons”. Under this key, create a new key with the letter of your drive.
i.e. C for your C:\ drive.
To change the icon for that drive, create a key inside that one called DefaultIcon and set the path of (Default) to the location of your icon
e.g. C\DefaultIcon\
then (Default) = D:\Documents\C Drive Icon.ico
To change the name of that drive, create a key in the drive letter one (eg C\) called DefaultLabel and set the (Default) to what you want the drive to be called.
This is useful if you want to assign a long name to the floppy drive. |
| 2. Change any system icon
NOTE: Before using this tweak know that it is potentially dangerous to your system… ALWAYS make backups!!!! Also NOTE: I am not responsible for any damage to your computer USE AT YOUR OWN RISK! I’ve used Icon Packager for the longest time to change all the icons in my Windows XP system. Until I decided that wasn’t enough. But there is a way to change 95% of the icons that you see in your windows system. The key to understanding this process is knowing that many files installed in windows has embedded icons. We are simply going to replace the old ones with new ones. 
1. Get a copy of Microangelo. at http://www.microangelo.us/
2. While Microangelo is downloading you need to make 2 backups of any files that you will be replacing. for this example we will use shell32.dll This file is located at c:\windows\system32\shell32.dll. To view these files you need to turn off ‘Hide protected operating system files’ and ‘Show hidden files and folders’ in the view tab of the folder options under tools in my computer. One of these backups is for editing purposes and the other is pure backup.
3. Once Microangelo is downloaded and installed, open librarian. librarian is an application that can open up exe’s and just about any file with embedded icons.
4. Once librarian is opened, open the first backup of that shell32.dll file. and Voilà!! Tons of icons, actually most of the icons in the entire system.
5. Here comes the fun part. simply right click on an icon that you want to change click on replace and navigate to your new icon.
6. Once you’ve changed all the icons that you want, Save the file. Now you have a new and improved shell32 file. Now comes the hard part.
7. First off, XP is very clever in creating a backup of all its important system files so you need to replace these backups. Navigate and copy the new shell32.dll file to these two locations: c:\Windows\System32\dllcache and if you have SP1 installed c:\Windows\ServicePackFiles\i386
8. Now that you have the backup files taken care of, Navigate to c:\Windows\System32 and locate that original shell32.dll file. Right Click drag (hold down the right button and drag as opposed to the left button) this file from its original location to your desktop. Select Move here.
9. Almost done.. now copy your modified new shell32.dll icon into the c:\Windows\System32 directory. And restart.
10. Thats it! sounds like a lot of work but its worth it. Now if your icons don’t change you may have to rebuild the icon cache by using TweakUI or by using the windows options in Axalis Icon Workshop.(excellent Icon program)
11. You can repeat this process to any program you want to.. check out the .CPL’s in system32 folder these are control panel files. But remember that any file in this system32 folder has a backup in the dllcache and ServicePackFiles
|
| 3. Change Browser Toolbar Background
This tweak customizes the appearance of the Internet Explorer Toolbar
XP Professional
1. Click Start > Run > Type gpedit.msc
2. Click User Configuration > Windows Setting > Internet Explorer Maintenance > Browser User Interface
3. Double click on Browser Toolbar Customization
4. Click on Customize Toolbar Background Bitmap
5. Browse for the new Background
XP Home Edition
1. Click Start > Run, type: regedit
2. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar
3. Right click on an empty spot and create a new string value
4. Name it BackBitmapIE5
5. Doubleclick on BackBitmapIE5 and type in the path of your toolbar bitmap
6. Click OK and close regedit
(always backup before making any changes in the registry) |
4. Change IE Windows Title
In regedit navigate to this key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main
Change (or create) the value of the string “Window Title” to whatever you want on the titlebar of Internet Explorer. To have no title except the title of the web pages you are browsing do not enter anything for a value |
5. Change Internet Explorer Logo
This Tweak Changes the Small logo at the top right corner of your browser.
1. Click Start > Run > Type gpedit.msc
2. Click User Configuration > Windows Setting > Internet Explorer Maintenance > Browser User erface
3. Double click on Custom Logo
4. Click on Customize The Static Logo Bitmaps
5. Click on Browse…
6. Browser for your new Logo
7. click Ok
8. An error will popup “You have selected to customize a setting but provided no
value. The behavior of this will be to delete the setting. Are you sure you want
too continue?“
9. Click yes
Note: The Logo have to be (22X22) Small and (38X38) Large and have to be bitmap.
When you save your Logo, you have to save in 256 or 16bit color.
This Tweak Changes the Small logo at the top right corner of your browser.
1. Click Start > Run > Type gpedit.msc
2. Click User Configuration > Windows Setting > Internet Explorer Maintenance > Browser User Interface
3. Double click on Custom Logo
4. Click on Customize The Static Logo Bitmaps
5. Click on Browse…
6. Browser for your new Logo
7. click Ok
8. An error will popup “You have selected to customize a setting but provided no
value. The behavior of this will be to delete the setting. Are you sure you want
too continue?“
9. Click yes
Note: The Logo have to be (22X22) Small and (38X38) Large and have to be bitmap.
When you save your Logo, you have to save in 256 or 16bit color. |
6.How to uninstall Windows XP to 98
Some people say it isnt possible to uninstall XP. Fact is, it is! Use your Win98 Cd-ROM Autostart thing and go to DOS. There go to your XP-Drive and do a format -u. This will delete any XP-Files. Add to format -u an r and it restores the overwritten files from the last os (you won’t see the RESTORED_OS-Folder since it is implemented in the Partition
|
| 7. More quick key tips!
I can’t believe someone submitted the Windows Key+E to launch explorer as a ‘tweak’, but I guess you’d be really happy to learn about it if you didn’t already know.
In the spirit of higher learning, here’s a few more:
Windows Key + F – Launch Find tool
Windows Key + M – Mimimize all open windows
Windows Key + R – Launch the ‘Run’ button
Windows Key + U – Launch the utility manager (win2k & XP only?)
Alt + Tab (Hold Alt & Press Tab repeadly) – Task Switcher
Alt + F4 – kills the ‘active’ application – fun(?) for killing web popup windows quickly when they are coming at you like spam madness!
Ctrl+Alt+Del – In Win9x/ME (why are you using that?) it launches a 14m3 version of NT/2K/XP’s Task Manager. In NT/2K/XP you get a menu with useful options for lock computer, logoff, shutdown, change password, task manager etc.
Have fun! And enjoy the cool tweaks that are here… |
8. Faster Application Access
Have you ever wanted to have your program shortcuts withing a clicks reach without crowding the desktop? And do you have to many apps to pin them all to the start menu? If so, then this might be a solution for you aswell.
1) Create a new folder anywhere you like and name it “Progz”, “Gamez” or “Music” according to your will and pleasure.
2) Place shortcuts of the stuff you need into this folder.
3) Right-click on the windows tastbar and select “toolbars” and “New toolbar”. Then you simply refer to your “Progz” folder.
And there you have it… all your applications within a clicks reach…. and a clean desktop aswell. I have my menues minimized, so I only see the names of the categories or folders, and then locked the taskbar, making room for the active applications to be shown.
Adding new items to the toolbar is done simply by copying or creating shortcuts into the original folder, then your menu updates itself. This can also be a good way of organizing applications into different categories… you just make seperate toolbars. |
| 9. Easily rename the Recycle Bin
If you (like me) would like to be able to rename the Recycle Bin to something else (Trash, Waste, Shredder, etc) then this tweak will make it easy to do so.
Open up your favorite plain text editor (notepad, for example) and copy the following text into a new file: |
| 10.Display message on startup
If you would like to display a legal message or any other message in a pop-up window when windows starts read below:
1.Start regedit, if you are unfamiliar with regedit please see our FAQ.
2.Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
3.Modify the key legalnoticecaption with what you want to name the window.
4.Modify the key legalnoticetext with what you want the window to say.
Restart. |
| 11. Change your Welcome (login) Screen
This tweak will only work if you have the “Use welcome screen” option activated in Control Panel>Users Accounts>Logon and Logoff Options.
1. Make a backup copy of C:\windows\system32\logonui.exe
2. Overwrite the file with your new login screen. (be sure to use the same file name as the old logonui.exe)
3. If you ever want to revert back to the old login screen, just overwrite C:\windows\system32\logonui.exe with your backup.
Enjoy!
|
| 12. Change XP Boot Screen
If you would like to change your boot up screen follow the directions below. These instructions assume that you have a place to download the boot screen from the net. If you would like to download a boot screen, visit http://www.themexp.org
1. Backup (copy) the file %windir%\system32\ntoskrnl.exe (most likely C:\windows\system32\ntoskrnl.exe – the boot screen)
2. Download the .zip to your computer (important: make sure to get the right version, XP or XP SP1)
3. Extract ntoskrnl.exe to a directory other than %windir%\system32 (most likely C:\windows\system32)
4. Reboot your computer into Safe Mode (hit F8 before the boot screen) or into true DOS (from a boot disk)
5. Overwrite the file %windir%\system32\ntoskrnl.exe (which should have been backed up) with the extracted exe
6. Reboot your computer as you normally would |
| 13.Change Hard and CD-ROM Drive Letter in XP
If you want to change your hard drive letter or your cd-rom drive letter, this is the tip you want.
1. Click the start button
2. Go into Administrative tools (either in the start button or in “All Programs”
3. From Administrative Tools, go into “Computer Management”
4. In “Computer Management”, click on “Disk Management” under “Storage” from the left menu
5. You should see a window from the lower right hand corner open (it shows all the hard disk drives and cd-rom drives)
6. To change …
…hard drive, click on the hard disk with a blue horizonal bar, the box should be shaded; next right click that box that you desire to change the letter then click on “Change Letter Drive and Path”
…cd-rom drive, click on the box that you desire the drive letter; next right click that box that you desire to change the letter then click on “Change Letter Drive and Path”
7. click the “change…” button
8. from the “assign the following drive letter”, select the letter you want to assign to the hard drive or the cd-rom drive
9. click ok
10. click ok
11. (optional) redo the whole step to reassign other hard drives or cd-rom drives
There! You have succeeded in changing the hard drive or cd-rom drive letter. Enjoy!
|
14.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. |
15. Remove Control Panel Items
This tweak is useful for uncluttering your Control Panel and removing unused functions:
1.Open Regedit and go to:
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\]
2.Add a key named Don’t Load
3.Next add String values within the “don’t load” Key. You will use one String value for each control panel applet you want removed. For example, if I want to remove the System applet I will make a string value with the name sysdm.cpl and no value set and the System applet will no longer be available under the Control Panel.
To restore a full control Panel to default just delete the “don’t load” key.
Here are the Windows XP Pro Control Panel applets:
System Properties = sysdm.cpl
Network Connections = ncpa.cpl
ODBC Administrator = odbccp32.cpl
Display Properties = desk.cpl
Add or remove programs = appwiz.cpl
Internet Properties = Inetcpl.cpl
Game Controllers = joy.cpl
Phone and modem Options = telephon.cpl
Time and Date Properties = timedate.cpl
Region and Language Options = intl.cpl
Power Options = powercfg.cpl
Mouse Properties = main.cpl
Accessibility Options = access.cpl
Add Hardware Wizard = hdwwiz.cpl
Sound and Audio Devices = mmsys.cpl
User Accounts = nusrmgr.cpl
Speech Properties = sapi.cpl |
| 16. Faster startup of Windows XP
If your computer takes a long time to become useable after starting up or logging on, or you want a clean boot of Winodws XP try this,
Click Start > Run > Type “msconfig” > On the Startup tab click Disable All and on the Services tab check the Hide All Microsoft Service box and then click Disable All. Click Restart and Windows XP will restart with only the system services and applications running resulting in a vey fast logon / startup.
N.B This tweak will disable all non-system startup sevices and applications so if you have anything you want to run in the background such as anti virus software do not disable that item. |
| 17. Shutdown XP Faster
1) Start – Run – Regedit
Navigate to the following Registry key:
HKEY CURRENT USER\Control Panel\Desktop
Double click on the AutoEndTasks entry and replace the 0 with a 1 in the Value data text box
For the next two, if the dword value indicated does not exist, create it:
Double click on the WaitToKillAppTimeout entry in the right pane and change the Value data to 2000
Double click on the HungAppTimeout entry in the right pane and change the Value data to 1000
Reboot
If still having a problem, make the next change:
2) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control
Right-click on WaitToKillServiceTimeout and change it to 2000
NOTE: The lowest value Windows will recognize is 1000 (1 second)
ADVISORY: While rare, the “WaitToKillService” tweak can cause problems. If an application is in the process of saving data and the associated service is stopped prematurely, the data will not be saved and may be lost |
| 18.Speed up Network Browsing
There was a bug in windows 2000 that would cause the scheduled tasks folder to be searched when ever the user would browse network drives. Microsoft developed a fix for this bug. The fix fixed the problem and it also had nice side affect of speeding up browsing of Microsoft networks. Below are instructions how to apply the fix.
1. Open up regedit.
2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/Current Version/Explorer/RemoteComputer/NameSpace.
3. Find a key named {D6277990-4C6A-11CF-8D87-00AA0060F5BF}.
4. Right click on it and delete it.
5. Restart |
| 19. How to make a XP Startup Disk
Put a floopy disk in your floopy drive. One you have done this, Go to My computer, and right click on A:/. Click on format, and then at the bottom, clikc Make Boot Disk. Click Format. |
