Increase DSL packet speed

1. Make sure you're logged on as actually "Administrator". Do not log on with any
account that just has administrator privileges.
2. Start > Run > type gpedit.msc(not available in home version).
3. Expand the Local Computer Policy branch.
4. Expand the Administrative Templates branch.
5. Expand the Network branch.
6. Highlight the "QoS Packet Scheduler" in left window.
7. In right window double click the "limit reservable bandwidth" setting.
8. On setting tab check the ENABLED item.
9. Where it says "Bandwidth limit %" change it to read 0 (ZERO).
10. Close gpedit.msc.

Making FireFox faster

Open up FireFox and type ABOUT:CONFIG
in URL box
type network in box then hit enter
Scroll down half-way
Find network.http.pipelining
change valur to true
and below that one
(network.http.pipelining.maxrequests)
change value from 4 to 10
now CLOSE the box

Backing Up and Restoring the Windows XP Registry by Syed Qutub

It wasn't very long after I installed XP that I was messing around with the registry. I suspect you're probably going to be doing the same thing or else you wouldn't be in this area of the site. Before you make any changes, take the time to read over this section. It's pretty dry reading material, but it might save you from finding yourself with a putty colored box that just sits there doing nothing rather than firing up XP as you would expect.

There are two ways of working with the registry; software based and direct access. The software based method is generally considered to be safe, although a badly behaved piece of software that mangles the registry can make you doubt the wisdom of this statement. Anyone who has used a computer is familiar with the software based method of making changes. Control Panel is an excellent example. Make a change to one of the Control Panel settings and almost assuredly you have initiated a change within the registry. It's just that you are insulated by Control Panel from seeing what went on behind the scenes in the registry.

Directly accessing the registry is far more dangerous. There used to be two versions of Registry Editor, regedit and regedt32, but for XP they have been incorporated in Microsoft Registry Editor Version 5.1. Type either name in the [Run] box and Version 5.1 is what you're going to end up with. The only real disadvantage of not having regedt32 anymore is the lack of read-only mode in Version 5.1, but it just means you need to be careful not to make any unintended changes when browsing through the registry. And make sure you have a valid backup and restore point.
Frequent visitors to The Elder Geek sites are aware that I don't often recommend specific programs in my articles. On the occasions when I do recommend one it is because I personally use it on my system. If you are going to do any work in the registry I urge you to take a look at jv16 Power Tools by Macecraft. Included are the Registry Manager, Registry Cleaner, Registry Finder, Registry Find & Replace, and Registry Monitor as well as a number of other very useful system utilities.

How The Windows XP Registry is Structured

Open the Registry Editor [Fig. 01] using Start > Run and typing regedit in the Open: line and you'll see it's divided into two panes. Understanding Registry Editor is much easier if you think of the left pane as the Keys Pane and the right side as the Values Pane. In the left pane there are five (5) main divisions or root keys as shown below. I've inserted the root key abbreviations in red text behind each key.

Registry Editor uses a hierarchical structure similar to Windows Explorer but with one major difference. In Windows Explorer you have folders in both the left and right hand panes, but in Registry Editor there are never any folder icons in the right hand section. In Registry Editor the yellow folder icon really denotes a separate and distinct key. Since the right hand pane is reserved for values only there are no folders displayed in that pane.

Each of the five main keys can be expanded to reveal additional keys or what some refer to as sub-keys. Many sub-keys have sub-keys below them, in some cases the amount of sub-keys becoming almost unbelievably long, but in the same manner that Windows Explorer works, registry locations are defined by a path. Just remember that any reference to a registry location begins with one of the five root keys.



Notice at the bottom of Registry Editor that My Computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT is displayed. This display will change as you navigate down through the registry structure; very handy for keeping track of where you are rather than having to scroll upward if the mind momentarily goes blank while you are editing.
Types of Registry Backups

It's critical that before you do any editing you make a backup of the current registry. The temptation to make 'one little change' without backing up is great. It can also be deadly. I speak from experience here, and most likely you're going to ignore this warning just like I did, but hopefully you'll be a little bit smarter than I was. That said, there are different ways of backing up so let's look at each one individually.

Backing up is simply exporting information from the registry into a file that is saved on your system. When you invoke the export function you are given a choice of different file types that can be saved.



Each one of the different file types above plays an important role in how the data you export is saved. Choosing the wrong type can give you unexpected results. Understanding each type and when to use it is essential.

Registration Files: The Registration Files option creates a .reg file. This is probably the most well known file format used for backing up the registry. The Registration File can be used in two ways. As a text file it can be read and edited using Notepad outside of Registry Editor. Once the changes have been made and saved, right clicking the file and using the [Merge] command adds the changed file back into the registry. If you make additions to the registry using regedit and then merge the previously saved Registration File, anything that you've added via regedit will not be removed, but changes you make to data using regedit that previously existed in the saved Registration File will be overwritten when it is merged.

Registry Hive Files: Unlike the Registration Files option above, the Registry Hive Files option creates a binary image of the selected registry key. The image file is not editable via Notepad nor can you view its contents using a text editor. However, what the Registry Hive Files format does is create an image perfect view of the selected key and allow you to import it back into the registry to ensure any problematic changes you made are eliminated.

Text Files: This option does just as the name suggests. It creates a text file containing the information in the selected key. It's most useful purpose is creating a record or snapshot of a key at a particular point in time that you can refer back to if necessary. It cannot be merged back into the registry like a Registration File.

Win9x/NT4 Registration Files: This option creates a .reg file in the same manner used by the Registration Files option. It's used by previous Windows versions and serves no purpose in XP unless you want to merge a key from XP into a previous version of Windows.

Considering the four choices above, the most effective and safest method of backing up the registry is to use the Registry Hive Files option. No matter what goes wrong in your editing, importing the image of the key will eliminate all changes, additions, or other things that might have occurred.

If you want to edit outside the confines of regedit, or if you are sure you want your additions to the registry to remain even if you have to merge, use Registration Files for your backup.

If you just want a copy of the key that can be referenced using a text editor, but want to eliminate any chance of the file being accidentally merged back into the registry, use Text Files.
The Actual Backup Process

The actual process of backing up the registry is quite simple once you've decided the file type for the backup and whether you want to back up an individual key or the entire registry. In the left hand pane of regedit, select the key to be backed up, right click and select [Export] to open the Export Registry File Property Sheet. From there, it's merely a matter of assigning the backup a descriptive filename and selecting the type of backup file you want based on the discussion above. To be on the safe side, it certainly wouldn't hurt to make a backup in both Registry Hive Files and Registration Files formats.
There are two notes you should be aware of regarding what can be backed up using specific file types.
If My Computer is selected in the left pane of regedit, you will not be allowed to make a backup using the Registry Hive Files format. This is equivalent to backing up the entire registry. XP requires you to use the System State backup in this instance. (Backing up the System State is discussed further down in this article)
If My Computer is selected in the left pane of regedit, you may select Registration Files as the backup file format but this is not the recommended method for a complete registry backup.
In the following sections I'm going to refer to this screen capture frequently to help illustrate the different methods of backup.



--Backing Up Individual Values--

Take a quick look at Fig. 03 and you'll note it displays the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop key. In the Values Pane you'll see the WaitToKillAppTimeout value that is currently set to 4000. It will be the subject of backing up individual values.

It's important to remember that the registry is really just a big compilation of data and settings that sits there waiting to be accessed by XP itself or by an installed application. By itself it does nothing. At first glance that may not seem to be of much importance, but it can be useful when you consider that the truly useful information in the registry is stored in the values. Look at the majority of registry edits and you'll see they involve changing values, not adding or removing keys. Combine that knowledge with the fact that XP or an application has to be programmed to access the values or else they are useless and that provides a quick, easy way to back up individual values.

Fig. 04 illustrates how the previous information is applied to backing up values of keys that might be modified. It's important to note that this section applies to values, not keys. For this example I have decided to modify the value of the string WaitToKillAppTimeout. The WaitToKillAppTimeout string value highlighted in red is the original string value with a value of 5000 that I'm going to modify. Once I modify the value I might forget what the original value was (5000) before I decide if the change I make is appropriate. To guard against the original value being forgotten, I've created the string value TEG_WaitToKillAppTimeout that's shown highlighted in green. For this tutorial I've used TEG_ before the real value name but you can use anything convenient. If your dog was named Fido, you might use Fido_ before the real value name.



Now, looking at the screen capture below, I can go back to the original string value (the one highlighted in red) and make the change to the new (4000) value. At this point the question is often asked why having the two values listed in the registry doesn't cause a conflict. Remember what was said previously; XP or an application has to be programmed to access the values or else they are useless. There is no application or part of XP that is programmed to look for a string value named TEG_WaitToKillAppTimeout so it can happily co-exist with WaitToKillAppTimeout, providing a journal or record of what changes have been made to the registry. For a more detailed record you can add a date to the prefix which might look like TEG08252003_WaitToKillAppTimeout that is shown highlighted in blue.


If the change doesn't work out all you have to do is reference the backed up entry (the one highlighted in green or blue) for the original value and change the value that was modified (the one in red) back to the original value. An easier way to revert back to the original value is to delete the modified string (the one in red) and then right click the backup strings (green or blue) and select Rename. Eliminate the prefix that was added to return the string to its original configuration.

If you do a lot of registry tweaking and modification of existing values this is an excellent method because it provides a visual record of any modifications that have been made to the registry values. Two months from now if I want to know if I made a modification to the WaitToKillAppTimeout value, all I have to do is open Registry Editor, navigate to the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop key and compare the WaitToKillAppTimeout with the backup entries. By using the dated prefix I can not only tell what change was made but what date it was modified. After the value modification has been tested you can go back and remove the new prefixed values that were created if it bothers you having them remain in the registry. I always leave them as a permanent record and have never noticed any problems or system performance penalty.
-- Backing Up Individual Keys --

Prefix Method

One of the first questions that always comes up after reading the previous section --Backing Up Individual Values-- is what happens if the prefix method is used to back up keys rather than just individual values. It's a good question and I'll go through another example to try and explain one possible scenario.

In the previous section we were working in the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop key so lets apply a prefix to the Desktop key and see what happens.
Open Fig. 06 to see HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop before any changes are made. Note that HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop also has a sub-key WindowMetrics.
Open Fig. 07 to see the change made to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop. Nothing has been altered other than adding the TEG_ prefix to the Desktop key. No changes were made to the sub-key WindowMetrics.

What do you think happened when the change was made and the user logged off and back on?
Open Fig. 08 and you'll see that XP automatically recreated the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop key that is shown with the green highlight. However, it's a far cry from what the original HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop key looked like before it was modified to TEG_HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop. There is only one entry in the Values Pane and that is Default, plus there is no sub-key for WindowMetrics. You can also see that the default Bliss background is also missing from the desktop.





Continue...............

REGISTERY EDIT WINDOWS XP by Syed Qutub

(1)
This tweak allows you to customize Internet Explorer by adding your own window title.

[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Registry Key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main
Modify/Create the Value Name [Window Title] according to the Value Data listed below.
Data Type: REG_SZ [String Value] // Value Name: Window Title
Value Data: [Enter The Text Desired In Title Bar]
Exit Registry and Reboot

(2)
Customize Windows Media Player Title Bar

Allows you to change the title bar to read Windows Media Player provided
by , so if I had entered text of [The Elder Geek], it would
read: Windows Media Player provided by The Elder Geek

[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Registry Key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft
Create the Key [WindowsMediaPlayer].
Modify/Create the Value Name [TitleBar] according to the Value Data listed below.
Data Type: REG_SZ [String Value] // Value Name: TitleBar
Value Data: [Enter the text to be displayed in the title bar.]

Note: Whatever text you enter as the value data will be preceded by:
Windows Media Player provided by, so if I had entered text of [The Elder Geek], it would read:
Windows Media Player provided by The Elder Geek
Exit Registry and Reboot

(3)
Invoke a Program Once then Delete from the Registry


This tweak allows you to set up a program that will be run
once and then deleted so that it does not run again unless
the entry is re-entered manually. The Runonce key does remain
in the registry for reuse.

[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Registry Key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
Create the Key: Runonce
(The [Runonce] Key you create will remain in the registry for use with a new string value)
Create Data Type: REG_SZ [String Value]
Value Name: [Enter the Name of Program Executable]
Value Data: [Enter the Path to the Program Executable]
Exit Registry and Reboot

(4)
Launch Programs at Login Without Using the Startup Folder

This tweak allows a program to be launched when the user
logs onto the computer. It can be set to run minimized and
there is no trace of the executable in the Startup folder on the
Start Menu nor in the Documents and Settings folder accessible
via Windows Explorer.

[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Registry Key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Modify/Create the Value Data Type(s) and Value Name(s) as detailed below.
Data Type: REG_SZ [String Value] // Value Name: [Enter the Name of Program Executable]
Value Data: [Enter the Path to the Program Executable]
Exit Registry and Reboot

(5)
Desktop Patterns from Previous Windows Versions

If you've been around previous Windows versions
you more than likely remember some of the hideous
desktop patterns that were available. They're still
here in XP waiting to be resurrected. Hey, they can't
be any worse than the default XP scheme, can they? On second
thought, maybe they can.

The desktop patterns from previous versions are stored in the
registry under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Patterns.
The names and values are shown in the screen capture below:

[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Registry Key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop
Modify/Create the Value Data Type(s) and Value Name(s) as detailed below.
Data Type: REG_SZ [String Value] // Value Name: Pattern
Setting for Value Data: [Use the data value from the chart above or
Key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Patterns]
Exit Registry and Reboot

(6)
Increase Menu Display Speed

I see no reason for there to be any delay when I click on the
Start Menu. Effects are pretty, but I wouldn’t click on it if
I didn’t have business inside, so lets get it open and get moving.
The default speed can be adjusted with a quick registry entry.

The default value is 400. Set it to 0 and the delay is gone, but
it will be nearly impossible to move the mouse fast enough not to activate
[All Programs] if you mouse over it in route to your final selection. It's
easy to train yourself to move the pointer to the right after clicking
Start to avoid activating All Programs. Pick a number that suits your
style and make the change, then test it until you find a good compromise
between speed and usability.

[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Registry Key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop
Modify/Create the Value Data Type(s) and Value Name(s) as detailed below.
Data Type: String Value // Value Name: MenuShowDelay
Setting for Value Data: [Default = 400 / Adjust to Preference]
Exit Registry and Reboot

(7)
Set Default Search Options

This tweak will modify the standard search
parameters so they do not have to be reset for each individual search.

[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Registry Key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Explorer

[Any or all of the five Value Names below may be modified to customize search options]

Modify/Create the Value Name [CaseSensitive] according to the Value Data listed below.
Data Type: REG_DWORD [Dword Value] // Value Name: CaseSensitive
Value Data: [0 - Unselected / 1 - Selected as Default]

Modify/Create the Value Name [IncludeSubFolders] according to the Value Data listed below.
Data Type: REG_DWORD [Dword Value] // Value Name: IncludeSubFolders
Value Data: [0 - Unselected / 1 - Selected as Default]

Modify/Create the Value Name [SearchHidden] according to the Value Data listed below.
Data Type: REG_DWORD [Dword Value] // Value Name: SearchHidden
Value Data: [0 - Unselected / 1 - Selected as Default]

Modify/Create the Value Name [SearchSlowFiles] according to the Value Data listed below.
Data Type: REG_DWORD [Dword Value] // Value Name: SearchSlowFiles
Value Data: [0 - Unselected / 1 - Selected as Default]

Modify/Create the Value Name [SearchSystemDirs] according to the Value Data listed below.
Data Type: REG_DWORD [Dword Value] // Value Name: SearchSystemDirs
Value Data: [0 - Unselected / 1 - Selected as Default]

Exit Registry and Reboot

(8)
CD AutoRun

Depending on the type of CD's one uses, AutoRun may be more
of an annoyance than a help. This allows it to be universally
disabled rather than on an individual file type basis.

[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Registry Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Cdrom
Modify/Create the Value Data Type(s) and Value Name(s) as detailed below.
Data Type: REG_DWORD [Dword Value] // Value Name: AutoRun
Setting for Value Data: [0 = AutoRun Disabled / 1 = AutoRun Enabled]
Exit Registry and Reboot

(9)
Create Legal Notice Logon Dialog Box

In situations where you need users to review a legal notice
before logging on, this tweak will create the caption for the
notice and the notice itself which you type directly into the string values.

[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Registry Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

Modify/Create the Value Name [LegalNoticeCaption] according to the Value Data listed below.
Data Type: REG_SZ [String Value] // Value Name: LegalNoticeCaption
Value Data for LegalNoticeCaption: [Type the Caption for the Dialog Box]

Modify/Create the Value Name [LegalNoticeText] according to the Value Data listed below.
Data Type: REG_SZ [String Value] // Value Name: LegalNoticeText
Value Data for LegalNoticeText: [Type the Data for the Legal Notice]
Exit Registry and Reboot
(10)
Customize Logon and Security Dialog Title
[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Registry Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\ CurrentVersion\Winlogon
Modify/Create the Value Name [Welcome] according to the Value Data listed above.
Data Type: REG_SZ [String Value] // Value Name: Welcome
Value Data: [0 = Disabled / 1 = Enabled]
Exit Registry and Reboot
(11)
Customize Logon Box Message
This is the message displayed on the Classic Logon box, not the XP ‘Welcome’ logon screen.

[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Registry Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\ CurrentVersion\Winlogon
Modify/Create the Value Name [LogonPrompt] according to the Value Data listed below.
Data Type: REG_SZ [String Value] // Value Name: LogonPrompt
Value Data: [Enter the text of the message]
Exit Registry and Reboot
(12)
Add Administrator Account to Log In Screen
When Windows XP is first installed it requires you to enter
at least one name of a user who will access the computer.
Once you create this name the default Administrator account
vanishes. To access it, press Ctrl-Alt-Delete twice at the Welcome
screen to retrieve the standard Windows 2000 logon dialog. Log on as
Administrator from this point. To log the Administrator off, click
[Start] [Log Off] and [Log Off] when the [Log Off Windows] selection
box appears. The Log On screen with the available users will be displayed.

To Make the Administrator Account Always Visible on the Login Screen

[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Registry Key: HKEY_LOCALMACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows
NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\SpecialAccounts\UserList
Modify/Create the Value Data Type(s) and Value Name(s) as detailed below.
Data Type: DWORD// Value Name: Administrator
Setting for Value Data: [0 = Disabled / 1 = Enabled]
Exit Registry and Reboot
(13)
Welcome Screen Logon versus Classic Logon
This tweak specifies whether the Welcome screen or the Classic logon will be used to access Windows XP.

[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Registry Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\ CurrentVersion\Winlogon
Data Type: REG_DWORD [Dword Value] / Value Name: LogonType
Value Data: [0 - Classic Mode / 1 - Welcome Screen]
Modify/Create the Value Name [LogonType] according to the Value Data listed above.
Exit Registry and Reboot
(14)
Change the Registered Organization/Owner of Windows XP
This tweak allows modification of the registered owner and
organization of the Windows XP software.

Note: This tweak has nothing to do with Windows Product
Activation (WPA) and will not allow you to register illegal XP software.
[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Registry Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion
Modify/Create the Value Data Type(s) and Value Name(s) as detailed below.
Data Type: String Value // Value Name: RegisteredOrganization
Data Type: String Value // Value Name: RegisteredOwner
Setting for Value Data: [Modify the Values to Reflect Current Information]
Exit Registry and Reboot
(15)
Power Down the Computer After Shutdown
This tweak sets the XP machine to power off completely
rather than stop at the prompt advising users it's now
safe to power off the machine.

[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Registry Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
Modify/Create the Value Data Type(s) and Value Name(s) as detailed below.
Data Type: REG_DWORD [Dword Value] // Value Name: PowerdownAfterShutdown
Setting for Value Data: [0 = Disabled / 1 = Enabled]
Exit Registry and Reboot
(16)
Welcome Screen Logon versus Classic Logon
This tweak specifies whether the Welcome screen or the Classic logon will be used to access Windows XP.

[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Registry Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\ CurrentVersion\Winlogon
Data Type: REG_DWORD [Dword Value] / Value Name: LogonType
Value Data: [0 - Classic Mode / 1 - Welcome Screen]
Modify/Create the Value Name [LogonType] according to the Value Data listed above.
Exit Registry and Reboot
(17)
Automatic Logon to Windows XP
Convenience is one of the major reasons
this tweak has become so popular. However,
with convenience there is a price, and in this
case that price is a lack of security. Due to
the way it is implemented, anyone with local
or remote access to the computer can easily
navigate to the registry key and find out your
password since it's stored as a plain text string.
You've been warned.

[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Registry Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
Modify/Create the Value Data Type(s) and Value Name(s) as detailed below.

Data Type: String Value // Value Name: DefaultUserName
Setting for Value Data: [Enter the account name to be automatically logged on]

Data Type: String Value // Value Name: DefaultPassword
Setting for Value Data: [Enter the account password]

Data Type: String Value // Value Name: AutoAdminLogon
Setting for Value Data: [0 = Disabled / 1 = Enabled]

Exit Registry and Reboot

To avoid the inherent danger of editing the registry,
the same results may be obtained by using the procedure
detailed below.
(18)
Create A Hidden User Account
This tweak allows an account that is
normally displayed on the Welcome screen
to be hidden from view. To log on using the
account it's necessary to use the Log On To
Windows dialog box similar to the one in Windows 2000.
[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Registry Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\
Winlogon\SpecialAccounts\UserList
Modify/Create the Value Data Type(s) and Value Name(s) as detailed below.
Data Type: REG_DWORD [Dword Value] // Value Name: Type Name of Account to be Hidden
Setting for Value Data: [0 = Account is Hidden / 1 = Enabled]
Exit Registry and Reboot

While the account is hidden on the Welcome screen,
note that the account profile will be visible in
C:\Documents and Settings or wherever user profiles
are stored as well as in Local Users and Groups.

Ethernet RJ-45

RJ-45 (10/100BaseT) uses pins 1,2,3 and 6,7,8 - These must be used in pairs as follows...


Straight-thru


Crossover