MDGx MAX Speed WinDOwS
WinDOwS Tricks - Part 20

Go to ALL WinDOwS ©Tricks + Secrets Contents
• 2-28-01 Win9x/2000/ME/AIM Registry ©Trick in REGISTRY.TXT, part of W95-11D.EXE:


MORE AIM BUDDIES


Courtesy of Andrew Bourdon.

"By default, AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) allows you to have only a maximum of 160 buddies. While this is more than enough for most people, it is possible to increase this value. Just run Regedit and go to:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\America Online\AOL Instant Messenger (TM)\CurrentVersion\Buddy\MaxBuddies

Change its default value of 160 to whatever number you want.
This value can also be lowered to restrict users if your machine is shared."

UPDATE: "This does NOT work with older AIM v4.3.xxxx releases, but was tested and works without side effects with ALL AIM v4.4.xxxx versions. I'm using AIM v4.4.2286.
AIM v4.3.xxxx checks the "MaxBuddies" Registry value as you log on, and subsequently changes it back to 160 if it is any different. Changing this value while logged on does not work either. :(
By using this trick with AIM v4.4.xxxx you can open a virtually unlimited amount of AIM clients and have them all signed on at the same time.
To accomplish this you need a hex editor, like XVI32 (freeware). See "FREE WINDOWS 9x/NT/2000/ME/XP/2003/Vista/2008/7 HEX EDITORS" for more examples.
Exit AIM, and then copy your original AIM.EXE file (located in the root of your AIM install folder) to something like AIM.OLD by running this command from any DOS prompt:

COPY AIM.EXE AIM.OLD

Now open AIM.EXE into your favorite hex editor.
Search for the "Oscar_AppMutex" string and change any of its letters, words, or you can even replace the entire string (don't type the quotes). Examples: "Bored_ClientUI", "Oscar_TrashCan" etc.
You should now be able to run the newly edited AIM.EXE and sign on.
To have more than 2 clients open, repeat the above process, but change that string to something different."
[Thank you Dave!]

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• 2-13-01 Win9x/ME Original ©Trick in MYTIPS95.TXT, part of W95-11D.EXE:


95/98/ME SETUP + MEMORY MANAGERS


Windows 95/98/ME in all their "incarnations", especially during installation (Setup), are very "allergic" to most 3rd party (proprietary), also called "386 enhanced" memory managers, used in the good old MS-DOS days to generate extra conventional (low) RAM by "cramming" as many devices/drivers/TSRs into upper memory (UMA) as possible, and provide at the same time extended (XMS) and expanded (EMS) memory, necessary for running various DOS based apps/games.
If you are still using DOS programs/games that require expanded memory and/or oodles of conventional RAM +/- direct access to hardware resources (video, audio, network etc), then you need the DOSBox tool (free GPL), or if you care, your ol' 3rd party memory manager loaded from customized CONFIG.SYS/AUTOEXEC.BAT lines.
Though I recommend using the Microsoft HIMEM.SYS + EMM386.EXE "combo" instead (bundled with all MS-DOS 5.xx/6.xx and Windows 9x/ME releases), to ensure 100% compatibility with ALL your programs and MS OSes (dual-boot users).
Suggested EMM386.EXE 4.95 CONFIG.SYS line (applies to ALL EMM386.EXE releases beginning with 4.45), which provides maximum free conventional DOS memory and optimal compatibility with Windows 9x/ME (EMS enabled by the RAM switch):

DEVICE=drive:\directory\EMM386.EXE I=B000-B7FF RAM A=64 H=120 D=256 AUTO NOTR

or with EMS disabled by the NOEMS switch:

DEVICE=drive:\directory\EMM386.EXE I=B000-B7FF NOEMS A=64 H=120 D=256 AUTO NOTR

Replace "drive:" with your drive letter and "directory" with the directory name where your file resides [and don't type the quotes :)].

Note however that Windows ME loads HIMEM.SYS from IO.SYS, therefore before CONFIG.SYS is processed, and a HIMEM.SYS line in CONFIG.SYS will generate an error message at bootup, like:

"ERROR: An Extended Memory Manager is already installed."

This also prevents most 3rd party memory managers (except UMBPCI.SYS) that rely on their own memory mapping routines from working properly with WinME. Also, some newer programs written specifically for WinME will NOT work with EMM386.EXE loaded from CONFIG.SYS, especially with expanded memory (EMS) enabled by the EMM386.EXE RAM switch. In such cases try to add the NOEMS parameter to your EMM386.EXE line in CONFIG.SYS (see example above), and then reboot. If that doesn't work, remove the EMM386.EXE line completely. :(

See REGIONS.TXT, MEMORY.TXT + EMM386.TXT (all part of W95-11D.EXE), for complete memory management details.

The purpose of this article is actually to tell you that you need to DISABLE ALL your CONFIG.SYS/AUTOEXEC.BAT lines that load/enable such memory managers/emulators and/or upper memory loaders, in order to install Windows 9x/ME smoothly WITHOUT lockups, over a previous OS: MS-DOS 6.xx or an earlier version of Windows 3.xx/95/OSR2/98.
And you can always reenable them after Setup has successfully completed if using Windows 95, OSR2 or 98, but NOT Windows ME, because Microsoft REMOVED COMPLETELY the access to native/real/true/pure MS-DOS mode from Windows Millennium Edition (ME), a.k.a MS-DOS 8.00. :(
But you CAN get it back by applying the Unofficial DOS Patch, which modifies COMMAND.COM + IO.SYS (from C:\Windows\Command\EBD) + REGENV32.EXE (from C:\Windows\System) to allow Windows ME to boot to native MS-DOS and use DOS mode startup files (AUTOEXEC.BAT + CONFIG.SYS), Windows 95/98 style, to be able to use your (old) MS-DOS based apps/games that do NOT work from within a Windows DOS session/box, and tweak your CUSTOM AUTOEXEC.BAT + CONFIG.SYS files to free MAXimum conventional DOS memory. :)

To REMark (disable) a command line: add a semicolon (;) in CONFIG.SYS or a double colon (::) in AUTOEXEC.BAT in the front of the respective line.
To reactivate (reenable) a REMarked command line: remove the semicolon (;) in CONFIG.SYS or the double colon (::) in AUTOEXEC.BAT from the front of the respective line.
Create/edit the startup files (AUTOEXEC.BAT + CONFIG.SYS = plain text/ASCII), located in C:\ root, with EDIT.COM in DOS or Notepad/Sysedit in Windows.

To be able to Setup Windows 9x/ME without a "hitch" on your computer you also need to add a line for HIMEM.SYS (the basic high and extended memory manager included with all Windows 9x/ME releases and MS-DOS 5.xx/6.xx) at the beginning of your CONFIG.SYS file (example):

DEVICE=drive:\directory\HIMEM.SYS /TESTMEM:OFF

HIMEM.SYS 3.10 is included with MS-DOS 6.xx: 6.00 up to 6.22.
HIMEM.SYS 3.95 is included with Windows 95 RTM/95a OSR1 [4.00.0950], a.k.a. MS-DOS 7.00.
HIMEM.SYS 3.96 is included with Windows 95B/95C OSR2 [4.00.1111], a.k.a. MS-DOS 7.00.
HIMEM.SYS 3.98 is included with Windows 98 RTM/98 SP1/98 SE [4.10.1998/4.10.2222], a.k.a. MS-DOS 7.10.
HIMEM.SYS 3.99 is included with Windows ME [4.90.3000], a.k.a. MS-DOS 8.00, and is loaded automatically from IO.SYS, rendering the CONFIG.SYS HIMEM.SYS line obsolete.
More info.

To install Windows 9x/ME from the plain MS-DOS command prompt you need to:

  1. Enable your CD (Compact Disc): CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-ROM, DVD-RAM, DVD-R, DVD-RW etc... drive in native/real/true/pure MS-DOS mode (presuming you have only 1 CD drive installed):

    1. Add a line into CONFIG.SYS for your CD DOS mode driver if not already present (examples):

      • IDE/ATAPI CD/DVD drive (universal IDE CD/DVD driver):

        DEVICEHIGH=drive:\directory\XDVD2.SYS /D:MYCDROM

        Get XDVD2.SYS [free].
        See "CD-ROM DRIVERS 4 DOS", also in MYTIPS95.TXT (part of W95-11D.EXE), for details.

      • SCSI CD/DVD drive (typical SCSI CD/DVD drivers):

        DEVICEHIGH=drive:\directory\ASPIDOS.SYS

        and/or:

        DEVICEHIGH=drive:\directory\ASPIHLP.SYS

        and:

        DEVICEHIGH=drive:\directory\ASPICD.SYS /D:MYCDROM

      Note that all Windows 98/ME releases can create bootable floppy diskettes with CD support.

    2. Add a line into AUTOEXEC.BAT for MSCDEX (native MS-DOS mode MicroSoft Compact Disc eXtensions) driver if not already present (example):

      LH drive:\directory\MSCDEX /D:MYCDROM

      Note that the CD drive name on the CONFIG.SYS driver line (MYCDROM above) MUST MATCH EXACTLY the CD drive name on the AUTOEXEC.BAT MSCDEX line: maximum 11 characters allowed, case insensitive, special/punctuation symbols or spaces NOT allowed!
      Reboot when done.

  2. Eventually (to decrease considerably installation time) copy all files from D:\WIN9*\*.* (where D is your CD drive letter; replace if different) to your fixed hard drive/partition if you have enough unused disk space (~ 200-300 MB) to hold them: run CHKDSK or DIR from any DOS prompt, and look at the number of available/free bytes. Then run Windows SETUP from there.
    Typical installation files directory names on Setup CDs:
    • Windows 95/OSR2 → \WIN95
    • Windows 98/98 SE → \WIN98
    • Windows ME → \WIN9X

Microsoft has determined that the following 3rd party memory managers are incompatible and/or cause problems/lockups with Windows 95/98/ME Setup, when a previous command line based OS (like MS-DOS, DR-DOS, PC-DOS, FreeDOS etc) is already installed:

FYI: Open PROGRAMS.TXT (found in your Win9x/ME folder) with Notepad and read the "THIRD-PARTY MEMORY MANAGERS" section for more info.

... And now for the good news: ;)

I [and many others :)] have determined that the following 3rd party memory manager is COMPATIBLE with most Windows 95/98/ME configurations, even during Setup! This is true if you have another OS already installed, but ONLY IF using MS-DOS 6.xx or Windows 3.xx/95/OSR1/OSR2/98 as previous OS!

BTW: MS-DOS 6.xx can be kept "alive" after installing Windows 9x/ME for dual booting purposes. See "DUAL BOOT" in MYTIPS95.TXT (part of W95-11D.EXE), for details.

Just make sure to BACKUP your startup files BEFORE "unleashing" the Win9x/ME Setup on your computer, because some lines will be erased/disabled during installation, or even worse: your AUTOEXEC.BAT + CONFIG.SYS files will be DELETED ENTIRELY when setting up WinME! :( In this case just apply the Unofficial DOS Patch afterwards, to regain control of native MS-DOS mode, and be able to use startup files.

... And the "winner" is:

Have fun!

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• 1-31-01 Win9x/NT4/2000/ME/IE Registry ©Trick in REGISTRY.TXT, part of W95-11D.EXE:


NEW IE SEARCH BUTTONS


Courtesy of Jsjr.

"This is an enhancement to MS Internet Explorer 4/5/6 tweak published at GotApex, which adds new IE buttons to search for your favorite web sites and access your downloads folder directly (C:\Downloads on Win9x/ME systems with MS IE 4/5/6 installed).
I've added animated icons which follow the Microsoft convention of "greyscale=mouse off" and "color=mouse over".
Now it can search up to 14 search engines at the same time by making a new IE button to link to Kevin Solway's Internet Search tool (freeware).
After installing Solway Search tool (make sure Ssearch.exe resides in your main Windows 9x/ME folder, usually C:\WINDOWS), just run this command to properly install all *.ICO files + merge the necessary information into your Registry:

RUNDLL32 ADVPACK.DLL,LaunchINFSection DWNLFIND.INF,DefaultInstall

Or right-click on DWNLFIND.INF from within Windows Explorer and then select Install.
Finally, fire up IE and have fun. :)"

Necessary files list (contents of IETWEAK.ZIP):Download IETWEAK.ZIP [3 KB, free].

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• 1-31-01 Win3.1x/9x/NT/2000/ME/XP/2003 Original ©Trick in MYTIPS95.TXT, part of W95-11D.EXE, and in MYTIPS31.TXT, part of W31-11D.ZIP:


URL PASSWORD


This trick applies to most internet sites that use server based HTML, DHTML, XML, CSS, Java or JavaScript password boxes to allow access to their members/subscribers/users, no matter what Operating System or web/ftp browser you are using.
This may or may NOT work with sites that use Active Server Page (ASP) programming or other server side (proprietary) methods for access (i.e. PHP).

Note that this won't let you view such restricted WWW pages/FTP sites IF you are NOT an authorized user, but will speed up the typing process.

To bypass these [annoying :)] few extra steps: type in your URL, or go there using your Bookmarks (Netscape Navigator/Communicator users), your Favorites (MS Internet Explorer users), or your URL shortcuts splattered all over your Desktop [:)], and only after that type in your User ID [Name] and Password in the appropriate boxes, just do this...
Add your User ID [Name] followed by a colon (:) and your Password followed by an at sign (@) as shown below in front of your target URL (Uniform Resource Locator), after the "http://" or "ftp://" prefix.
This is only a generic example, it won't take you anywhere [:)]:

http://username:password@www.!.com/restricted/

opposite to the "normal" URL:

http://www.!.com/restricted/

Remember: passwords are ALWAYS case sensitive!

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• 12-30-00 Win9x/NT/2000/ME ©Trick in TIPS95.TXT, part of W95-11D.EXE:


UNIVERSAL BATCH CLEANER


This clever batch file appears courtesy of Kevin.

"I've seen other "cleaner-upper" type batch files, but mine works especially well in ANY 32-bit Windows enviroment: Win9x, ME, NT, 2000, XP, 2003. :) Should also work on multi-boot machines, because I used the %windir% variable instead of C:\Windows.
Save the text between "cut & paste" lines as TMPCLEAN.BAT, using Notepad in Windows, and then place it in a folder on your path.
ALL files and folders should reside on the C drive for this batch to work properly!
The file will self-close its DOS window when done.
An interesting thing: [/i³/reg³/ver] will look like [/i|/reg|/ver] in DOS.

TMPCLEAN.BAT contents:

-----Begin cut & paste here-----
@echo off
if "%1"=="/?" goto what
if "%2"=="/?" goto what
if "%1"=="" goto norm
if "%1"=="/reg" goto regs
if "%1"=="/ver" goto vers
echo Invalid switch...
goto exet
:what
echo Kevin's Temporary Batch Cleaner Version 2.1.
echo Cleans Recycle Bin, Recent, .tmp and .gid files (and more)...
echo Recycle Bin's desktop icon may not disappear for a while.
echo Open and close the Bin twice to clear the icon.
echo Error messages are still shown (ex. File not found).
echo syntax:
echo TMPCLEAN [/i/reg/ver] [/?]
echo /? Only displays help screen above.
echo /REG Cleans recently opened file records in Registry (aka MRUs).
echo /I Rebuilds the icon cache ONLY if you have PV2K!
echo NOTE: All switches except /? will run the standard program too!
:: Next lines detect DOS path...
SET|FIND /I "path">nul
if errorlevel 1 goto nopth
echo Regedit.exe and Attrib.exe MUST be in your PATH!
goto mkreg
:nopth
echo Regedit.exe and Attrib.exe MUST be in your PATH!
:mkreg
echo ... And make sure Regedit is NOT open!
pause
goto exetb
:vers
cls
:regs
set regclr=1
:norm
cls
SET|FIND /I "temp">nul
if errorlevel 1 goto huh
goto atribb
:huh
echo Critical error 1
echo Temp environment variable NOT set!
pause
goto exet
:atribb
attrib>nul
if errorlevel 0 goto windir
echo Critical error 2
echo CanNOT proceed without Attrib.exe!
pause
goto exet
:windir
SET|FIND /I "winbootdir">nul
if errorlevel 1 goto nowicheck
if "%1"=="/reg" goto next
goto good
:nowicheck
:: Secondary detection for Win2000...
SET|FIND /I "USERNAME">nul
if errorlevel 1 goto nowi
goto good
:nowi
echo Run from inside Windows...
pause
exit
goto exet
:next
if exist %windir%\regedit.exe goto good
echo Regedit.exe NOT found!
set regclr=0
echo CanNOT proceed with registry cleaning without Regedit.exe!
pause
:good
echo Deleting recent files...
del %windir%\recent\*.pif
del %windir%\recent\*.lnk
del %windir%\profiles\%username%\recent\*.pif
del %windir%\profiles\%username%\recent\*.lnk
cls
echo Deleting Temporary files...
del ..\..\..\..\*.tmp
attrib -r -s -h %windir%\temp\*.*
del %windir%\*.tmp
echo y|del %windir%\temp\*.*
deltree/y %windir%\temp\*.*
if exist c:\temp\nul goto tmp
echo Next line clears ads only from Juno's free internet service!
if exist "c:\program files\Juno\ads\nul" deltree/y c:\progra~1\Juno\ads\0*.
goto aft
:tmp
deltree/y c:\temp
mkdir c:\temp
:aft
cls
echo Cleaning Recycle Bin...
attrib -r -s -h c:\recycled\dc*.*
del c:\recycled\dc*.*
del c:\recycled\info
cls
echo Cleaning .gid files...
attrib -h %windir%\help\*.gid
attrib -h %windir%\system\*.gid
attrib -h %windir%\*.gid
del %windir%\help\*.gid
del %windir%\system\*.gid
del %windir%\*.gid
cls
echo Cleaning Miscellaneous files...
del c:\scandisk.log
echo y|del c:\progra~1\access~1\log\*.*
del %windir%\cookies\double~1*.txt
del %windir%\cookies\flycas*.txt
if "%1"=="/i" goto iconredo
if "%1"=="/reg" goto regc
goto exet
:regc
echo REGEDIT4>regclr.reg
echo.>>regclr.reg
echo [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\RunMRU]>>regclr.reg
echo [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Doc Find Spec MRU]>>regclr.reg
echo [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FindComputerMRU]>>regclr.reg
echo [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\PrnPortsMRU]>>regclr.reg
echo [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\StreamMRU]>>regclr.reg
echo [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\OCXStreamMRU]>>regclr.reg
echo [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Paint\Recent File List]>>regclr.reg
echo [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Wordpad\Recent File List]>>regclr.reg
echo [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Player\RecentURLList]>>regclr.reg
echo [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Player\RecentFileList]>>regclr.reg
echo [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ComDlg32\LastVisitedMRU]>>regclr.reg
echo [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ComDlg32\OpenSaveMRU]>>regclr.reg
echo [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Wang\Imaging\Recent File List]>>regclr.reg
echo [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Kodak\Imaging\Recent File List]>>regclr.reg
echo [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\TypedURLs]>>regclr.reg
echo [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Netscape\Netscape Navigator\URL History]>>regclr.reg
echo [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\InstallLocationsMRU]>>regclr.reg
echo [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Cover Page Editor\Recent Files List]>>regclr.reg
echo [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Fax Viewer\Recent File List]>>regclr.reg
echo [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Dependency Walker\Recent File List]>>regclr.reg
echo [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\FrontPage\Editor\Insert Hyperlink\Recently Used URLs]>>regclr.reg
echo [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\FrontPage\Editor\Insert Image\Recently Used URLs]>>regclr.reg
echo [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\FrontPage\Explorer\FrontPage Explorer\Recent Page List]>>regclr.reg
echo [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Excel\7.0\Recent File List]>>regclr.reg
echo [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\MSE\9.0\FileMRUList]>>regclr.reg
echo [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\9.0\PhotoDraw\Recent File List]>>regclr.reg
echo [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\RecentDocs]>>regclr.reg
echo [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Picture It! Express\2.0\Recent File List]>>regclr.reg
echo [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\WebPost\SrcMRU]>>regclr.reg
echo [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Microsoft Image Composer\Recent File List]>>regclr.reg
echo [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\DirectShow\Dshow\RecentURLList]>>regclr.reg
echo.>>regclr.reg
echo Cleaning most recent Registry entries...
regedit /s regclr.reg
del regclr.reg
goto exet
:iconredo
if exist "C:\Program Files\ProcessViewer2000\PV2K.EXE" "C:\Program Files\ProcessViewer2000\PV2K.EXE" RebuildIconCache
:exet
:exetb
cls
------End cut & paste here------

Process Viewer 2000 (PV2K) (freeware) is an enhanced "three finger salute" tool: it will attempt to remove any app from memory immediately, and does not send a close command to the program, just "kills" it. ... And also rebuilds the icon cache. [Nice touch! :)]"

FYI:

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• 12-30-00 Win9x/NT4/2000/ME/XP/2003/Vista/2008/7 ©Trick in TIPS95.TXT, part of W95-11D.EXE:


LOCK DESKTOP ICONS


Courtesy of Jorge.

"In Windows 9x/NT4/2000/ME/XP/2003/Vista/2008/7 you can lock down the position of your Desktop icons using a couple of files from Windows NT 4.0 Resource Kit (RK) Support Tools [6.9 MB, free, unsupported]; or get only the 2 needed files [5 KB].
There is also a 64-bit version for Windows XP Professional/Vista/2008/7.
Place Layout.dll in %windir%\System (Win95/98/ME) or %windir%\System32 (WinNT4/2000/XP/2003/Vista/2008/7) and then (double-)click on Layout.reg.
From now on, whenever you right-click on the "Recycle Bin" or "My Computer" icons, you can see a new option: "Save [or Restore] Desktop Icon Layout"."

    Similar tools [free(ware)]:

    BUG REPORT:
    "This works fine for Desktop icons, but 2 things [problems :(] cropped up:
    Doesn't really "remember" the layout and you'll get a redundant context menu.
    This only happens to shortcuts (*.lnk files) on both my Win98 and Win2000 setups.
    1. Doesn't recall other shortcuts or Desktop files layout.
      I sort my shortcuts and some *.txt files (sort of post-it notes) according to importance on the Desktop. When I restored the Desktop layout, all the "default" (i.e. MS icons that we can't live without) Desktop icons behaved, but the rest seem to have forgotten their rank of importance. Irritating, really to turn off Auto Arrange, rearrange the WHOLE Desktop and turn it back on, only to have Windows "forget" it on a screen refresh or reboot, and then having to sort them alphabetically.
      Windows might acquire some "memory" after certain number of reboots, sorting the bloody icons like I want them to, after (of course!) resorting them after EACH reboot(s), and heh! forget them on the next reboot.
      The only workaround is to NOT turn off Auto Arrange and "pull the icons by their ears", that is sorting them by "pulling" icon(s) you want sorted later, away from where they were to the last icon listed, so the icon(s) I want sorted earlier will move forward in line. As soon as an icon falls in line, I'd continue pulling the next icons till they're in place.
    2. Redundant popup menu for shortcuts. Users of WinZip and Norton AntiVirus will have their options for *.lnk files come up TWICE, making the popup menu really long. I like mine short, taking out some options manually (like print, disconnect network drive) by mucking with the Registry.
      My AntiVirus was actually a SendTo target, but only after reinstallation did I realize about the double take.
      I backed up my original settings, merging the original *.reg files back to no avail. Windows would completely forget anyway, and wouldn't give a second thought to the Desktop layout, totally disregarding its own "icons", and sorting all icons alphabetically.
      The only fix was as I've stated earlier on. Meanwhile, the redundancy is still there. Installing and reinstalling the "twice-actioned programs" also didn't work. Nor did removing the layout.reg entries. I used to format my PC on much-much less (when I was a dripping newbie), but I'd rather spend the time formatting, reinstalling 2 OSes with all the apps and utils, not to mention the customizations, on something better, like not fret about why in the world did the bloody menu misbehave?!"
    [Thank you Adee!]

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• 12-13-00 Win9x/ME/OE Registry ©Trick in REGISTRY.TXT, part of W95-11D.EXE:


DELETE OUTLOOK PASSWORD


Courtesy of Hwang315.

"In case you have forgotten or lost your MS Outlook Express (OE) 4/5/6 identity (user) password, you can remove it by hacking the Registry, to be able to access OE again.
Run Regedit and go to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Protected Storage System Provider\*Default*\Data\89c39569-6841-11d2-9f59-0000f8085266

or to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Protected Storage System Provider\<UserName>\Data\89c39569-6841-11d2-9f59-0000f8085266    

If user profiles are enabled on your computer, go to:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Protected Storage System Provider\<UserName>\Data\89c39569-6841-11d2-9f59-0000f8085266

Then delete its subkey.
Now open OE and type in a new identity password.
Note that the subkey name and the CLSID are the same. There is difference of uppercase and lowercase.
If you know your CLSID, go to this Registry key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities\{CLSID}

to find out the OE password key name."

FYI: More info @ MSKB:

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• 12-13-00 Win9x/DOS6/DOS7 ©Trick in TIPS95.TXT, part of W95-11D.EXE:


DEBUG BIOS PASSWORD


Courtesy of Chris.

"This DOS trick deletes (resets to default) your motherboard BIOS CMOS password, to grant access to your computer and/or BIOS Setup once again, in case you have forgotten or lost it. :)
Exit Windows or reboot to native MS-DOS mode, using the "Command prompt only" option from the Windows 95/98 Startup Menu: hold Shift + F5 at the same time while your PC boots.
Then type at the C:\> prompt:

DEBUG

and hit Enter. You'll see a dash (—) at the DEBUG prompt. Now type:

o 70 2e

which will show as -o 70 2e at the DEBUG prompt. Hit Enter. Then type:

o 71 ff

and hit Enter. Finally type:

Q

and hit Enter one last time to quit DEBUG back to the C:\> prompt.
Now you're ready to reboot your PC, and press the appropriate key or key combo (look it up in your motherboard manual if you don't know it) to access your BIOS Setup. You'll notice the password is gone. :)"

More info.

BIOS resources.

NOTE: This works ONLY with MS-DOS 5.xx/6.xx, MS-DOS 7.xx/8.00 [a.k.a. Windows 9x/ME] or any other real mode OS.
MS-DOS 8.00 [a.k.a. Windows ME] needs a real DOS mode patch to be able to boot to native MS-DOS.

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• 12-13-00 Win9x/ME/YM ©Trick in REGISTRY.TXT, part of W95-11D.EXE:


CUSTOMIZE YAHOO MESSENGER


Courtesy of Jesse.

"In Yahoo Messenger (YM) you can create new (or customize your own) status messages and their icons by hacking the Registry.
Make sure to replace "UserID" below with your actual user ID.
The "x_DND=dword:xxxxxxxx" lines are for changing the icons, with 00000000 being the smiley face, and 00000001 showing the busy icon.
Here is an example, saved as a REG file, you can merge into your Registry by (double)-clicking on it. Change the lines you want (or add more) with your own messages:

-----Begin cut & paste here-----
REGEDIT4

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Yahoo\Pager\profiles\UserID\Custom Msgs]
"1"="Gone Fishing"
"1_DND"=dword:0
"2"="Chasing Mama"
"2_DND"=dword:1
"3"="Drunk"
"3_DND"=dword:0
"4"="Bored"
"4_DND"=dword:01
"5"="Cleaning Up"
"5_DND"=dword:0

------End cut & paste here------"

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• 11-30-00 Win9x/NT4/2000/ME/XP/2003 Registry ©Trick in REGISTRY.TXT, part of W95-11D.EXE:


TWEAK WEB VIEW


Courtesy of Neil.

"In Windows 95/OSR2 (with MS IE 4/5 installed), 98, ME, 2000, XP + 2003 [which install MS IE 5/6 anyway :(] you can use Web View in Windows Explorer, and if you do, you'll notice that some folders look and work different (e.g. Fonts, Favorites, Tasks etc). These are all controlled by the Desktop.ini file in that folder, but this file is usually "masked" so that you can't see it, like in the Favorites and Fonts folders. But it's still there, and this Registry hack will let you access it:

-----Begin cut & paste here-----
REGEDIT4

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell\desktop.ini]
@="Edit &Folder Settings"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell\desktop.ini\command]
@="NOTEPAD.EXE \"%1\\DESKTOP.INI\""

------End cut & paste here------

Save this REG file as EDITDESK.REG and then (double)-click on it.
Any other text editor will work if you don't care about the (primitive) Notepad.
From now, on whenever you right-click on a folder, you will get a new option called "Edit Folder Settings". Choosing this will open Desktop.ini in Notepad for editing.
You can also add these lines to Desktop.ini:

[.ShellClassInfo]
InfoTip=Take a look at this folder...
IconFile=C:\Windows\Winver.exe
IconIndex=0

MEANING:

Some Desktop.ini files include also other lines, such as CLSID={...}, which make folder "magic", and some have more sections, such as those where Thumbnail view is enabled, or those with customized left panels, like the main Windows folder.

Programs such as Folder Icon Wizard (freeware) can be used to change these options."

FYI: More info @ MSKB.

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