HKEY_CURRENT_USER registry tweaks

[Red Barchetta]

On Tweaks to the registry that are specific to the user currently logged on to the operating system, dose anyone know of anyway to have the OS automatically run them for each indivisual user the first time that user account is used? Only I don't want to do this just on user accounts created during OS install - I am looking for it to just apply them the first time any user accout is used, reguardless of if the account was created durring OS install, or 2 years later.....

[nmX.Memnoch]

Run them from CMDLINES.TXT so that they're applied during the GUI part of setup. HKCU registry tweaks applied at that time are applied to the Default User profile and therefore applied to every user who logs onto the system from then on.

[Red Barchetta]

Run them from CMDLINES.TXT so that they're applied during the GUI part of setup.  HKCU registry tweaks applied at that time are applied to the Default User profile and therefore applied to every user who logs onto the system from then on.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks, although I do not use that file (CMDLINES.TXT) it still told my where to put them - see I wish to maintain the ability to "Repair an installation", I do still use the file "winnt.sif", but all I have in it is the "Product Key", I have not exparimented much with this file, but unough to know that specifing anything in the "[unattended]" section of this file will disable the "Repair an installation" function. (My drivers are installed via a "Patch" to the setup program and copied (actually un-compressed) to the root of the system drive in a batch file called "presetup.cmd").

Instead of doing it through CMDLINES.TXT, I created a batch file called "prep.cmd" and place it in the folder "\i386\svcpack" then called it via the file "\i386\SVCPACK.INF" in the section "[setupHotfixesToRun]"

[MHz]

Cmdlines.txt runs even without a Winnt.sif.

Not sure, but I believe that SVCPACK.INF is not executed for a repair install?

[nmX.Memnoch]

Correct. You can use CMDLINES.TXT without specifying anything in WINNT.SIF. All you need to do is have the file in $OEM$.

http://unattended.msfn.org/global/cmdlines.htm

The only command I have in my CMDLINES.TXT is .\Install.cmd. I then created Install.cmd to do everything I wanted and put it in $OEM$ along with CMDLINES.TXT. You can run your HKCU tweaks from here.

[Red Barchetta]

Correct.  You can use CMDLINES.TXT without specifying anything in WINNT.SIF.  All  you need to do is have the file in $OEM$.

http://unattended.msfn.org/global/cmdlines.htm

The only command I have in my CMDLINES.TXT is .\Install.cmd.  I then created Install.cmd to do everything I wanted and put it in $OEM$ along with CMDLINES.TXT.  You can run your HKCU tweaks from here.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

But the "$OEM$" fplder is another thing I am attempting to avoid (Using my own foled names just makes it easier [for my anyway] to know what is where if I wnat to modify it later)

as for the srvpack.inf file not being executed during a "Repaire installation" - I say (it least with the version I have) It MUST be. I say this because if it were not, the repaire would restore everything (except drivers, and third-party applications - or even MS APPs not included with the OS) to what the OS was before any updates at all were installed. In my case that would mean even before SP1 (I have SP2 now, with all "Hotfixes" intergrated, and not from getting an updated copy, just intergrating SP2 + all hotfixes in to the on I have. - And since it is important to me, I tried "Restore Installation" (I'm testing literaly with a HD I only use to test things, wile my main OS drive is compleatly disconected from my system) all the fixes and Service pack was there - that means it must have seen that file.....If mot, or repair, I think I would have gotten just Win XP Pre SP-1 and no hotfixes.....

[nmX.Memnoch]

But the "$OEM$" fplder is another thing I am attempting to avoid (Using my own foled names just makes it easier [for my anyway] to know what is where if I wnat to modify it later)

You don't have to put anything in the $OEM$ folder except for CMDLINES.TXT. This is the ONLY way to get HKCU tweaks to apply to all users automatically without creating a custom NTUSER.DAT.

as for the srvpack.inf file not being executed during a "Repaire installation" - I say (it least with the version I have) It MUST be.   I say this because if it were not, the repaire would restore everything (except drivers, and third-party applications - or even MS APPs not included with the OS) to what the OS was before any updates at all were installed.   In my case that would mean even before SP1 (I have SP2 now, with all "Hotfixes" intergrated, and not from getting an updated copy, just intergrating SP2 + all hotfixes in to the on I have. - And since it is important to me, I tried "Restore Installation"  (I'm testing literaly with a HD I only use to test things, wile my main OS drive is compleatly disconected from my system) all the fixes and Service pack was there - that means it must have seen that file.....If mot, or repair, I think I would have gotten just Win XP Pre SP-1 and no hotfixes.....

I'm pretty sure SVCPACK.INF isn't executed on a repair installation. A repair install simply loads the files back to their default state. If you're using a CD with SP2 integrated then it will load all system files back to their SP2 versions. You then have to run all hotfixes manually.

And let's be honest...how many times are you actually having to perform repair installs? If the answer is "a lot" then you have other problems going on besides just worrying about avoiding $OEM$.

Another fact is that with a proper unattended CD it can sometimes be just as quick to backup your favorites and documents (which can be avoided if you have a secondary hard drive) and run a quick unattended install.

I haven't actually tried it, but I'm also pretty sure that you can still run a repair install on an installation that was installed from an Unattended CD. You just can't do it with the actual Unattended CD...you'd need another CD to boot from that doesn't have any unattended options set (i.e. it has no WINNT.SIF).

Edited September 27, 2005 by nmX.Memnoch

[Red Barchetta]

Well, after being told at wat point the HKCU tweaks should be put in, I did it using the precedure I told you about, AND (even though I did not need to, just as pointed out - testing things with a HD seperate from the one I actually use [dis-connect my main OS drive, and the test HD becomes Primary master [till dis-connected]) everything seems to wok fine - I even created a new user account after a repair, all tweaks applied fine.

So, unless there is somthing radically differant between my base copy, and everyone elses...........

Even the so called "RTM (Release To Manufactures)" version I just can't imagine being THAT differant!

But the "$OEM$" fplder is another thing I am attempting to avoid (Using my own foled names just makes it easier [for my anyway] to know what is where if I wnat to modify it later)

You don't have to put anything in the $OEM$ folder except for CMDLINES.TXT. This is the ONLY way to get HKCU tweaks to apply to all users automatically without creating a custom NTUSER.DAT.

as for the srvpack.inf file not being executed during a "Repaire installation" - I say (it least with the version I have) It MUST be.   I say this because if it were not, the repaire would restore everything (except drivers, and third-party applications - or even MS APPs not included with the OS) to what the OS was before any updates at all were installed.   In my case that would mean even before SP1 (I have SP2 now, with all "Hotfixes" intergrated, and not from getting an updated copy, just intergrating SP2 + all hotfixes in to the on I have. - And since it is important to me, I tried "Restore Installation"  (I'm testing literaly with a HD I only use to test things, wile my main OS drive is compleatly disconected from my system) all the fixes and Service pack was there - that means it must have seen that file.....If mot, or repair, I think I would have gotten just Win XP Pre SP-1 and no hotfixes.....

I'm pretty sure SVCPACK.INF isn't executed on a repair installation. A repair install simply loads the files back to their default state. If you're using a CD with SP2 integrated then it will load all system files back to their SP2 versions. You then have to run all hotfixes manually.

And let's be honest...how many times are you actually having to perform repair installs? If the answer is "a lot" then you have other problems going on besides just worrying about avoiding $OEM$.

Another fact is that with a proper unattended CD it can sometimes be just as quick to backup your favorites and documents (which can be avoided if you have a secondary hard drive) and run a quick unattended install.

I haven't actually tried it, but I'm also pretty sure that you can still run a repair install on an installation that was installed from an Unattended CD. You just can't do it with the actual Unattended CD...you'd need another CD to boot from that doesn't have any unattended options set (i.e. it has no WINNT.SIF).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[nmX.Memnoch]

Well, after being told at wat point the HKCU tweaks should be put in, I did it using the precedure I told you about, AND (even though I did not need to, just as pointed out - testing things with a HD seperate from the one I actually use [dis-connect my main OS drive, and the test HD becomes Primary master [till dis-connected]) everything seems to wok fine

Running it from SVCPACK.INF will work...it's just not the recommended way to do it.

- I even created a new user account after a repair, all tweaks applied fine.

Running a repair install doesn't recreate the Default User registry hive. You can verify this by checking the creation date/time (not modified) of the NTUSER.DAT in %SYSTEMROOT%\Documents and Settings\Default User\. A repair install is meant to get you back to a working version, not reset everything back to a default install state. Usually repair installs are used to get the system up long enough to backup files and then perform a reinstall. I personally don't trust a system that has had a repair install performed on it after a failure. The failure occurred for a reason.

[Red Barchetta]

I don't really trust a "Repaired system" either, I just want to know it works (as stated, this is mainly for backing up data) but, I just want it to be posible - sinve I first started using PCs (Back before most people even knew what they were, and the "Internet" was only used by Governments, LARGE bussinesses, and hackers, Dialup only BBSes were common for the few that did have PCs, and there was no "Standard" Operating System (There were several availible at the time, and when you bought a computer, all you paid for is the hardware, the OS was a totally seerate purchase) I ALWAYS kept at least 2 copies of everything - but there are times when a few files may not be backed-up - especially if you run servers (as I do) like FTP, HTML, or the BIG one, Mail server.

And that way may not be recomended, but it seems to work best for what I am attempting to do.

Note: I also restore old cars as a hobby, and after an engine re-build, exc. they RARELY run well on "factory specs" - example the timing is almost always slightly off - set it to what the book says, it works, but not so great, move it slightly, runs great, and still passes a moderan inspection.....

Same sort of deal I guess.....

Well, after being told at wat point the HKCU tweaks should be put in, I did it using the precedure I told you about, AND (even though I did not need to, just as pointed out - testing things with a HD seperate from the one I actually use [dis-connect my main OS drive, and the test HD becomes Primary master [till dis-connected]) everything seems to wok fine

Running it from SVCPACK.INF will work...it's just not the recommended way to do it.

- I even created a new user account after a repair, all tweaks applied fine.

Running a repair install doesn't recreate the Default User registry hive. You can verify this by checking the creation date/time (not modified) of the NTUSER.DAT in %SYSTEMROOT%\Documents and Settings\Default User\. A repair install is meant to get you back to a working version, not reset everything back to a default install state. Usually repair installs are used to get the system up long enough to backup files and then perform a reinstall. I personally don't trust a system that has had a repair install performed on it after a failure. The failure occurred for a reason.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[finkster]

Guys,

Just a quick pint HKCU is a virtual reg hive - it is a user but not a user..if you see what I mean - programatically its a nightmare as current (logged on ) user can change - if you want to affect all user or default user (profiles) then these are better areas to target...

i think I'm talking the same thing here

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=56584&hl=#

[Red Barchetta]

Well mayby, not positive, havn't looked at your link yet.

But I don't wish to stop any user from changing things once logged on (unless it's going to effect the whole system, if it's just there account that's fine) but I want certaint things as default....

Guys,

Just a quick pint HKCU is a virtual reg hive - it is a user but not a user..if you see what I mean - programatically its a nightmare as current (logged on ) user can change - if you want to affect all user or default user (profiles) then these are better areas to target...

i think I'm talking the same thing here

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=56584&hl=#

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>