I'm trying to add to my batch file the registry entries needed to remove some icons (Like "My Music") and make things like the Control Panel expand themselves. I've figured out which keys control this (yay for Advanced Registry Monitor ), but the problem is that they lie in the HKCU area under those user-specific sections. I've thought about putting the changes under .DEFAULT, but I'm don't think that would help the current user. Is there any way you guys know of to determine this registry key for the current user to in order to make the necessary changes?

Thanks!

I just found most of the settings I was looking to change in the registry tweaks thread, so I guess you can consider this moot now.

hi,

you want having all hkcu strings for each user which logon on your pc.

right?

i have only 1 suggestion

goto regedit

hkey_users

load structure on c:\document and settings\default user\ntuser.dat

as ntuser

now go to your *.reg files and change with find

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\

and replace

[HKEY_USER\ntuser\

than execute the *.reg files

and unload ntuser from hkey_user

eache new created user have now the changes

the ntuser.dat file can you now slipstreaming on each installation

Wait, so could I use this to basically backup the registry with whatever tweaks I want already installed and then have Setup use this file when creating the first user (in cmdlines.txt)?

yes you can put the ntuser.dat to $oem$\c\ntuser.dat

on cmdlines.txt you can execute a batchfile called install.bat

[install.bat]

move /y c:\ntuser.dat "C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\ntuser.dat"

pause

[/install.bat]

this methode you will see that the moving was succesfuly

and all users have the registry-tweaks.

Does this include registry settings under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE?

no!

this is the tamplate for creating a new user for HKEY_CURRENT_USER

one other thing to note here. I had not thought about using the whole reg file but I show how to add hkey local machine stuff along with cmdlines.txt in this thread.

http://board.MSFN.org/index.php?showtopic=8632

I didn't think the local_machine keys would work, but I just thought I'd ask.

I'm sceptical ... Have you already done this? If so, have you installed to a DIFFERENT machine than that from which saved the ntuser.dat? This file is not on the distribution CD as it is built on each installation, and includes machine specific stuff like HDD mount points, GUID Identities, used by such things as Outlook Express (I know, I know...), Microsoft Input Devices. I may be mistaken, but I believe a move of this file would keep the current permissions - can a non-administrator access it? Tweaking the registry is already tricky business, I find it hard to belive that copying entier hives from one machine to another is without risk ... Then again, if it works for you, umso besser!