Registry Tweaks

[mythosaz]

Like other users, I'm pretty sure this is the "wrong" way to go about forcing the QuickLaunch toolbar:

;-----  Enable Quick Launch
 ;-----
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams\Desktop]
"TaskbarWinXP"

Before I waste my evening trying to figure out exactly how that giant bitmapped field works, and make a small script to flip the right bits, if anyone knows the REAL answer, I'd apprecaite it.

[prathapml]

That enable QuickLaunch tweak that you see in the reg attachment of first post in this thread....

It works perfectly for me, and other long-time forum members. Many recent entrants though, do not read through the full instructions, and therefore are unable to see it work.

Apply it at T-12 using cmdlines.txt. That's what you need to do to get it working. If someone can't figure out what that means, I'm afraid its not the fault of anyone ELSE here.

[Afterdawn]

Warning!

This tweak:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem]
"NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation"=dword:00000001

unfortunately troubles the installation of a lot of software! This one caused me headaches! I spend days to figure out what caused it!

For example... if you would run the .exe installer of vmware-client, then you would get a popup message of the options of the windows-installer. (Workaround was the run the extracted MSI-file)

Another problem.. SafeNet Softremote VPN client wouldn't install properly.. the driver wouldn't load! (offtopic: what a dirty piece of software-crap is that! all virtual network adapters and enhancers installed just to connect to an IE-only site.. .. well my father needs it!)

[mythosaz]

That enable QuickLaunch tweak that you see in the reg attachment of first post in this thread....

It works perfectly for me, and other long-time forum members. Many recent entrants though, do not read through the full instructions, and therefore are unable to see it work.

Apply it at T-12 using cmdlines.txt. That's what you need to do to get it working. If someone can't figure out what that means, I'm afraid its not the fault of anyone ELSE here.

I don't doubt that the fix works. I know it does. I understand that at and before T-12 stage changes to the HKCU tree get applied to the default profile.

I'm saying that the current method, of importing a mostly clean changed registry key is a massive kludge.

We know that that the \Streams\Desktop\TaskbarWinXP key holds some basic information. It holds a value for the number of items on the taskbar, and then a description of those items. It is incorrect to label this as the "Add Quicklaunch" key. This is a "Make your taskbar look exactly like this one, that happens to includes Quicklaunch."

My question wasn't so much of a "how do I do this," but more of an "has anyone looked into doing this the RIGHT way." Hundreds of people having done it before with a kludge doesn't make it any less of a kludge, and it's hardly deserving of a RTFM answer.

So, I'll ask again, has anyone done any more work in taking this apart than the people who identified the byte that holds the number of entries (the 8th, I believe, without checking the other thread). I understand that, because of the way this key works, there will never simply be a registry add that does this the RIGHT way. You'll always have to read the key, perform an analysis of it, and then write it back. You can argue, of course, that what the current change does produces the same result - but forgive me for wanting to make it work... ...right.

[Afterdawn]

....

You are absolutely right.... but this is the only way for now. I also hate these binary tweaks... but if you want to modify the corresponding hexadecimals, you'd have to indentify them first (that may not be a big problem) but you'd have to find a way of modifying them properly.

Also... you don't want to know what happens to this registry-entry if you add a toolbar to the taskbar. (For example, I add a directory: %SystemDrive%\Tools). The data almost doubles!! Try to monitor then what exactly happens...

[mythosaz]

....

You are absolutely right.... but this is the only way for now. I also hate these binary tweaks... but if you want to modify the corresponding hexadecimals, you'd have to indentify them first (that may not be a big problem) but you'd have to find a way of modifying them properly.

Also... you don't want to know what happens to this registry-entry if you add a toolbar to the taskbar. (For example, I add a directory: %SystemDrive%\Tools). The data almost doubles!! Try to monitor then what exactly happens...

Oh, I have. When you add a toolbar, a counter to identify the NUMBER of items increases, and then the information about that toolbar is appended (or inserted) into the data. (I've looked at a lot of before/after snapshots with Advanced Registry Tracer.)

Identifying the format is important. If I knew the format, I'd make a tool that read it, parsed it and spat it back out.

Screw it, I'm *going* to decypher the damned thing.

[war59312]

Anyone know how to fix the theme problem.

That is it not completely loading the entire visual style and having to select it after install for it to show 100% correctly.

You know in winnt.sif you have:

[Shell]
    CustomDefaultThemeFile = "%WinDir%\Resources\Themes\Storm\Storm.msstyles"
    DefaultStartPanelOff = "Yes"
    DefaultThemesOff = "No"

Then you apply the reg setting:

;Set Storm As Theme
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ThemeManager]
"WCreatedUser"="1"
"ThemeActive"="1"
"LoadedBefore"="1"
"LastUserLangID"="1033"
"DllName"=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,\
  74,00,25,00,5c,00,72,00,65,00,73,00,6f,00,75,00,72,00,63,00,65,00,73,00,5c,\
  00,54,00,68,00,65,00,6d,00,65,00,73,00,5c,00,53,00,74,00,6f,00,72,00,6d,00,\
  5c,00,53,00,74,00,6f,00,72,00,6d,00,2e,00,6d,00,73,00,73,00,74,00,79,00,6c,\
  00,65,00,73,00,00,00
"ColorName"="Thin3"
"SizeName"="LargeFonts"

Well I finally figured it out. hehe

Three registy places:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Appearance]

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Colors]

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ThemeManager]

So set your theme you wish to use. Then log off and log back on.

Then run regedit and export those three keys.

[Afterdawn]

....

You are absolutely right.... but this is the only way for now. I also hate these binary tweaks... but if you want to modify the corresponding hexadecimals, you'd have to indentify them first (that may not be a big problem) but you'd have to find a way of modifying them properly.

Also... you don't want to know what happens to this registry-entry if you add a toolbar to the taskbar. (For example, I add a directory: %SystemDrive%\Tools). The data almost doubles!! Try to monitor then what exactly happens...

Oh, I have. When you add a toolbar, a counter to identify the NUMBER of items increases, and then the information about that toolbar is appended (or inserted) into the data. (I've looked at a lot of before/after snapshots with Advanced Registry Tracer.)

Identifying the format is important. If I knew the format, I'd make a tool that read it, parsed it and spat it back out.

Screw it, I'm *going* to decypher the damned thing.

Good luck

[rnielsen151]

How do you add reg tweaks for the following?

1) Show Quick Launch = on

2) My Network Place shown in Start menu

3) Number of Programs on start menu = 0 and clear list

4) Highlight newly installed programs = off

5) List my most recently opened documents = off and clear list

6) Disable error reporting / disable notify me when critical errors occur

and how can you move .lnk file to another start menu folder by default? (.ie....Internet Explorer shortcut, Remote Assistance shortcut to the Accessories Folder in start menu for every user.?)

Thanks in advance for any help provided.

[bucketbuster]

How do you add reg tweaks for the following?

1) Show Quick Launch = on

2) My Network Place shown in Start menu

3) Number of Programs on start menu = 0 and clear list

4) Highlight newly installed programs = off

5) List my most recently opened documents = off and clear list

6) Disable error reporting / disable notify me when critical errors occur

and how can you move .lnk file to another start menu folder by default? (.ie....Internet Explorer shortcut, Remote Assistance shortcut to the Accessories Folder in start menu for every user.?)

Thanks in advance for any help provided.

Use Regshot B)

[Jogy]

Hey, I need a little help.

I took the text file on the first page, deleted most items I did not want and changed some to the way I wanted it and put it to run at T-12 (as ppl out here say) Came up with two little problems, which may or maynot be related to the tweaks, but maybe the seniors out here would know better than me!

1) When I change my Visual Style (after the entire setup ... I mean its not incorporated into my CD), I do not get those background picture in my folder. Here, I mean the picture one see on the right hand corner of a music or picture folder ... you know, the musical note or photo/ camera picture, which is included in the shellstyle. Would it be that I switched something off when applying the tweaks?

2) I used the entry to activate the Quicklaunch bar (applied it at T-12) and yes, it gets activated! ... no problem there. My problem is that this Quicklaunch toolbar does not include the "Show Desktop" icon and there is no way I could find the .scf file either.

Will really appreciate help on this!

Cheers!

[butanamine]

Anyone know how to fix the theme problem.

That is it not completely loading the entire visual style and having to select it after install for it to show 100% correctly.

I had the same problem as you and initially I was trying to go about it the same way as you, anyway think i I found the 'right' way to do it. The problem is most likely due to the fact that you have an incomplete theme file. I was using the default windows theme, but wanted the silver/metallic look. So I saved the theme file and linked to that but had the same problem as you.

Firstly, you're linking to the wrong file. In your winnt.sif you have:

CustomDefaultThemeFile = "%WinDir%\Resources\Themes\Storm\Storm.msstyles"

This line should actually be pointing to a .theme file (which is a txt file) eg

CustomDefaultThemeFile = "%WinDir%\Resources\Themes\Storm.theme"

If there is already a .theme file there you should be sweet (unless you want a different colour scheme). If you can't find a theme file, set up your theme as you want it and go to 'Display Properties' -> 'Themes' tab and save your current theme (as Storm.themes for example). Link to that in winnt.sif, and then you'll have to do a bit of editing of the .theme file. You'll need to make it look kind of like the Luna.theme file already in the win\resources\themes dir. This way you won't have to do any registry edits.

Pretty poorly explained, but i'm trying to save myself effort in case you already have a .theme file.

Anyway, let me know if that helps.

On a similar note, you can also set up all your sound configurations with a theme so you don't need to do those registry hacks I saw laying around somewhere. Just set up your sounds as you want them and save your theme file.

[butanamine]

@ prathapml

I noticed in here you've told quite a few people to run the quicklaunch tweak at the T-12 minutes stage but you didn't specify to run it in a separate .reg file. I don't know if its important or not, but you said it should be done it in that big post you made about it.

It's pretty easy as a new unattender to think you're running something at T-12 stage through cmdlines.txt, when in actual fact its only registering in runOnceEx at the T-12 stage and not running at all, so please keep that in mind.

And on to my question(s). Is there any problem with running all regtweaks at the T-12 stage? Eg HKLM reg tweaks? Or should I only run HKCU tweaks at T-12?

Thanks for the fantastic guide and forums!

[Jogy]

Ah! I've got just one .reg file which I run at T-12. Everything is just as I've wanted ... save those two problems I've mentioned 2 posts up. wonder if someone in the know could help me???

Cheers

[butanamine]

I don't know about quicklaunch, but the other one, number two:

The background folders disappear when you set up visual effects, I think that's because you have disabled "Use a background image for each folder type" in the Visual Effects settings