Our Favorite Tweaks

[kcnychief]

Not sure if this is already in here or not, if it is please forgive me I came across it and find it very useful

Getting a user to tell you their computer name can be a task at times, so this little registry hack will show the computer name when they hit CTRL + ALT + DEL or at the initial login screen, in the blue title bar.

Save the following text as a .REG file

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon]
"Welcome"=" --=={ %COMPUTERNAME% }==--"

 

[Brad]

ooooooooo that is a nice one

 

[kcnychief]

I came across it yesterday, have already found it to be very useful

 

[kcnychief]

This Prefetch tip can cut up to 7 seconds off your boot time:

1. First, go to C:\Windows\Prefetch and delete all contents of the folder
2. Open Regedit, Navigate to
   HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management\PrefetchParameters
3. Look for "EnablePrefetcher" in right-side pane.
4. Right-click, set to Modify
5. Change the value to 2, it will only prefetch Boot Items
6. If you set it to 3, it will prefetch Applications and Boot Items.

 

[Brad]

mine was already set to 3 :\

 

[kcnychief]

That is the default setting, you can change it to two to "fetch" only boot files. I just tossed the 3 in there for explanation of it's value.

If you do though, make sure you dump the folder first.

 

[Brad]

If anyone can find this, I will owe them big time.

Is there a way that I can create a shorcut that will open a link in Internet Explorer? For instance, I want to be able to click that shortcut (or BAT file, whatever the case may be) and IE open and open that link. If I just do the: creeate shortcut, put webaddress in there, it will just use one of the same windows over again. This will help me a lot in my work. Thanks!

 

[kcnychief]

Kinda confused, do you want the shortcut to open in an already open IE window, or in a new IE Window?

EDIT: If you want IE to open in a new window, here is the reg entries

Navigate to : HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main

Modify/Create the Value Data Type(s) and Value Name(s) as detailed below.

Data Type: DWORD Value
Value Name: AllowWindowReuse
Setting for Value Data: [0 = Do Not Reuse Window / 1 = Reuse Window]

Exit Registry and Reboot

 

[LeeJend]

Umm, is setting IE to open a new window for each link not an option?

PS Kyn thanks. I had no idea how fat my prefetch list had gotten. Shaved 15 seconds off boot.

 

[kcnychief]

Wow Leejend, that's a nice improvement

 

[Brad]

Kinda confused, do you want the shortcut to open in an already open IE window, or in a new IE Window?

EDIT: If you want IE to open in a new window, here is the reg entries

Navigate to : HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main

Modify/Create the Value Data Type(s) and Value Name(s) as detailed below.

Data Type: DWORD Value
Value Name: AllowWindowReuse
Setting for Value Data: [0 = Do Not Reuse Window / 1 = Reuse Window]

Exit Registry and Reboot

I only want it to do it for that one shortcut though.

 

[kcnychief]

Not really sure how to do that, but I can poke around.

Wouldn't it be better to do that for all shortcuts anyways, incase you double-click something and it overwrites something you have open and wanted?

EDIT: Also, if you want something like a .BAT file to open in IE, you'd have to change the file association type.

 

[Brad]

The reason that I want it is this:

We use a web-based application here and I need to be able to have quick access to it in case one of my windows crahes. I don't want to get new window each time that I click a link though...

 

[Admiral Michael]

This should help:

In the Target field of the shortcut use this:

"C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE" http://www.google.ca

 

[Admiral Michael]

Any luck Brad?

 

[Brad]

I won't find out until tomorrow, I am off Sunday and Monday.

 

[Admiral Michael]

It works for both http:// and C:\File.htm in case your is done that way.

 

[Mainframeguy]

I think perhaps a note of caution on this tweak to shrink down your title bars and fonts - I was idly playing around and took mine down to six point ariel - then noticed that in my task bar all the tray icons were shrunk to microdot size and rearraneged into a grid in the tray also, more seriously, looks like my quicklaunch toolbar has lost it's icons completely! Perhaps the tweak needs a little fine tuning or approaching with caution?

[EDIT] this reset itelf - possibly after a reboot - enabling the slimmer title bar tweak to be reatined without untowards effect [/EDIT]

 

[Perris Calderon]

Kinda confused, do you want the shortcut to open in an already open IE window, or in a new IE Window?

EDIT: If you want IE to open in a new window, here is the reg entries

Navigate to : HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main

Modify/Create the Value Data Type(s) and Value Name(s) as detailed below.

Data Type: DWORD Value
Value Name: AllowWindowReuse
Setting for Value Data: [0 = Do Not Reuse Window / 1 = Reuse Window]

Exit Registry and Reboot

I believe there is a user button that does the same thing in inernet options, I don't have the time to find it now

 

[kcnychief]

There is.

There is a box that can be checked or unchecked to "Reuse Windows in Internet Explorer". If that's unchecked, all shortcuts will open in new windows.