Administrative Tools

[os2fan2]

The value HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders\Administrative Tools in the registry is blank, but in the right position to be an extention of the administrative tools. It is seen in NT4, W2k, WXP, for example.

When you use the shell:(folder name) trick, eg "shell:administrative tools", it opens up a folder for 'administrative tools' in the user's menu. This is usually empty, but you can put links to apps on a per-user basis.

In NT4, the user and common menus are separate, and shell: trick does not work. Still, it's a start,

In NT5 (2k, xp), matching folders in the user and common menus are merged if the name matches. This means that a folder in the administrative tools will be added into the explorer

The administrative tools in control panel, however, is still just 'common admin tools', and not the per user basis.

The fact that there is indeed an entry for HKCU admin tools, suggests that this could be persued.