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Go Change the default application install path
Go Change the default Win2000 install path
Go A warmer welcome
Go Tell Win2000 where to find the service pack files
Go Remove Unwanted programs from Add/Remove Programs
Go Open My Computer icon in Explorer view
Go Keep the Print Spooler service from displaying dialog boxes
Go Stop Print Job Logging in the Event Log
Go Disable Keyboard Combinations
Go Turn off 8.3 Filename Generation
Go Autologon
Go Clear the PageFile at Shutdown
Go Enable Shutdown button on the Logon Screen




Change the default application install from C:\Program Files:  Top

If you want to change the Default application install from "C:\Program Files", use Regedt32 to navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion

Alter the paths at: ProgramFilesDir
AND
ProgramFilesPath

You may also alter: CommonFilesDir



Changing the default Win2000 install path:  Top

If you want to change where Windows 2000 expects to find the installtion source files, edit:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Setup
and substitute your hard disk path for the existing CD-ROM path.
If a value isn't there, click Edit, New, String Value. For the name enter
SourcePath and press enter. Then double click SourcePath and enter the
path to your installation files, e.g. C:\I386. (it must have a I386 structure)

Next, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows
NT\CurrentVersion. In RegEdit's right pane, double-click SourcePath and
enter the new path, e.g. C:\I386.

You should also check:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\
Installation Sources
and
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\
SourcePath

for a path to the CD-ROM drive. If the CD-ROM path appears in these keys, then change them to the hard disk path also.


A Warmer Welcome:  Top

You can set a note to appear at log-on by editing the Registry.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon.

Change the LegalNoticeText subkey to a text string for the notice you want to
display, and change the LegalNoticeCaption subkey to a text string that specifies
a caption for the notice's dialog box.
If you want to change the prompt itself, edit the LogonPrompt key.



Tell Windows 2000 where to look for a service pack stored on the hard disk  Top

Windows 2000 remembers where the service pack was installed from.
When new components are added it can automatically get updated files from the service pack location without requiring the user to manually reinstall the service pack.

If this location is changed or you wish to modify it you can do this:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup
Double click ServicePackSourcePath
Modify the required path.

Note: the default is C:\Winnt\ServicePackFiles



Remove unwanted items from Add/Remove programs:   Top

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall

Delete any program names you no longer need.

Note: Use the same registry key in Windows NT, Win9x, Win2000



Opening My Computer icon on the desktop in Explorer View:  Top

If you hold down the Shift key while you double-click My Computer, it will open in the Explorer view. To make this a permanent change, you can edit the Registry. Keep in mind that the Registry change will cause all folders to open in the Explorer view.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Classes\Folder\Shell\Open.
Click the arrow at the left side of the Open folder to expand it. Next, click Command to select the folder.  Double- click the (Default) value in the right pane and change the value to:
%SystemRoot%\Explorer.exe /idlist,%I,%L
Next, navigate to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Classes\Folder\Shell\Open\ddeexec.
Double click (Default) in the right pane and replace the current value with:
[ExploreFolder("%l", %I, %S)]

Choose Registry, Exit to close RegEdit. Your folders, including My Computer, will now open in the Explorer view.



Keep the Print Spool Service from displaying dialogs boxes.  Top

The print spooler has an annoying "feature" that causes it to display alerts telling you when a print job has been submitted. You can stop it from doing so by adding a new REG_DWORD named NetPopup to:

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\ Print\Providers

Give it a value of 0 to suppress the alerts, or 1 to re-enable them.
After making this change, you'll need to reboot.



Stop Print Job Logging In Event Log:  Top

To suppress print job event log entries, add a new REG_DWORD value
named EventLog to:

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\ Print\Providers

Give it a value of 0. This change won't take effect until you stop and restart the Spooler service.



Disable ALT-TAB  Top

Start the Registry Editor (regedit.exe)
Move to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop
Double click on Coolswitch
Set to 0 and click OK
Close the registry editor

Disable CRTL+ALT+DEL


This can't be done.  However, you can do the following:
Disable Lock Workstation:
Start the registry editor (regedit.exe)
Move to:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System
If the System Key is not there, then create one by clicking Edit, New Key and press
enter.  Name the key System.

From the Edit menu select New, DWORD value, Enter a name of
DisableLockWorkstation and press Enter
Double click on the new value and set to 1. Click OK

Disable Shutdown:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
Add value name NoClose as type REG_DWORD
Set it to 1 to remove the ShutDown button from the Start Menu.
This does not disable shutdown from CTRL+ALT+DEL.
To totally disable a users ability to shutdown, remove the
"Shutdown the System" right in the Local or Group Policy.

To disable the shutdown button on the Windows Log On dialog box, open
regedit, point to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE folder, click the Edit menu, click Find,
type in shutdownw, and then click Find Next.
Double-click the ShutdownWithoutLogon value, change from 1 to 0,
and then click OK.  

Or navigate to this key:
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\system



Turning off 8.3 file name generation: Top

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem

Change the NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation value to 1


Implement AutoLogon using RegEdit:   Top

To do this, click Start, Run, type "regedit", and press Enter. Navigate to

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

Double-click DefaultDomainName and set it to the necessary value. Now double-click DefaultPassword and make sure it contains your current password. Do not enter a new password here.
Next, double-click DefaultUserName and make sure it is set correctly.
Again, do not make a change here. If you're logging in as administrator, then administrator is what you need in the key. Finally, double-click AutoAdminLogon and set its value to 1. Choose Registry, Exit and then restart the computer. From this point on, you will not be prompted for logon information.

To lock down AutoLogon:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
Right-click in the RegEdit right pane and choose New and String Value. Name the new string IgnoreShiftOverride and press Enter twice. Set the value to 1 and press Enter

Set the number of times Autologon executes:
By default, autologon will log on a defined user account each time
the machine starts. However, in some circumstances, you might want
automatic logon to occur only a defined number of times (e.g.,
unattended installations require autologon only once). To set the
autologon count, perform the following steps:

1. Start the registry editor (regedit.exe).
2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
3. From the Edit menu, select New, String value.
4. Enter a name of AutoLogonCount, and press Enter.
5. Double-click the new value, and enter the number of times you
want autologon to occur.
6. Close the registry editor. Each time autologon occurs, the AutoLogonCount will decrement by one.
After this value reaches 0, Windows will disable autologon and remove
all registry values related to this setting.


To clear the pagefile at shutdown, add the REG_DWORD value:    Top

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management\ClearPageFileAtShutdown

and set it to 1.


Enable Shutdown button on the Logon Screen    Top

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\CurrentVersion\policies\system. In the right pane, look for the value named shutdownwithoutlogon. Windows 2000 lists this key in all lowercase.

To change the value, double-click it. You’ll then see the DWORD Editor. Enter a value of 1 in the Data field and click OK.

Add the value if it doesn't exist by selecting Add Value from the Edit menu. When the Add Value menu appears, enter the name of the value in the Value Name field exactly as listed above. Make sure the Data Type list box contains the value REG_DWORD and then click OK. You'll then see the Data Editor screen. In the String field, enter a value of 1 and click OK.



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