RegI

Icon - From the actual bitmap
Icon - Hide on the Desktop
Icon - In Hi-Color without the Plus Pack
Icon - Problems
Inbox - Get Rid of the Icon
Internet Connection - Optimising the DefaultRcvWindow & DefaultTTL Settings
Internet Connection - Optimising Dial-Up Modem Connection Speed
Internet Explorer - Add edit button
Internet Explorer- Animated Logo Restoration
Internet Explorer - Change Default Mail Client
Internet Explorer - Change Default Start Page
Internet Explorer - Change Toolbar Animation
Internet Explorer - Change Toolbar Background
Internet Explorer - Change Window Title
Internet Explorer - File, Folder - Edit Connection (ME)
Internet Explorer - Hide Icon
Internet Explorer - Intercepts the FTP Command
Internet Explorer - Partial Address Feature
Internet Explorer - Speed Up
Internet Explorer - Search Engine
Internet Explorer - ToolBar Background Bitmap
Image Preview - Disable

Icons from the actual bitmaps

It is possible make the icons of bitmap files, from the actual bitmap.
With OLE 2, they can also automatically update themselves, as they are edited.
Here's all you have to do:

1. Open the HKey_Classes_Root key
2. Open the Paint.Picture folder.
3. If there isn't a DefaultIcon folder, you will have to create one. You can do that by selecting the Key Paint.Picture, and right clicking on it. Select NEW, and then select KEY.
4. Name this new folder "DefaultIcon".
5. Open the new DefaultIcon folder that you just created.
6. Double-click on the "default" item.
7. Change the value from (value not set) to "%1"
8. Exit the Registry.

That is all there is to it! And, now you have some KILLER .BMP icons! One caveat is that they may display a little slower than regular icons! But, to be honest with you, the effect is stunning, and makes the files a hell of a lot easier to identify when you are in Windows 95 Explorer.

Open your chosen .BMP in paint and ‘Save As’ a .ICO file.
If you have Properties Plus(Target) make a copy of your chosen .bmp, highlight this copy, select Properties Plus(Target) and change .BMP to .ICO
This will create the bmp as an icon file.
Make a shortcut to your original .bmp file, select the properties for this shortcut,
Select ‘Change Icon’, Browse to where your new ‘.ico’ file is and select this as your new Icon
Download Properties Plus

Hide all Icons on the Desktop

This is dedicated to those of you who possess the need to have a completely 'naked' desktop:

Solution 1:
Load up the System Policy Editor (poledit.exe) on your Windows95 CD-ROM.
In build 347, it's in the Mig_kit\Admin95\Apptools\Poledit folder.
In build 490 (and later), it's in the Admin\Apptools\Poledit folder.
If you are asked to "Open a Template File," choose admin.adm in the same folder, and click OK.
Select Open Registry from the File menu.
Double-click on the Local User icon.
Open Local_User\ Shell\ Restrictions.
Check Hide all items on the desktop.
Click OK, and select Save from the File menu.
Click on the desktop, and press F5 to refresh the desktop so that this change will take effect.

Icons in Hi-Color without the Plus Pack!

If you like a bit more colour and detail in your icons, then step up to hi-color mode.
With this setting your Windows icons are shown in all their hi-resolution glory.
Go to:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics

And create a new string value named "Shell Icon BPP".
Change the value to equal the color depth supported by your video card (e.g. '16' for 16-bit graphics cards or '24' for 24-bit graphics cards)
Note: You need a graphics card capable of displaying above 256 colors for this to be useful.

For example, the setting may look like:
(Default) (value not set)
Shell Icon BPP "16"

Icon problems

Go to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer

Change:-

Max Cached Icons String Value to between 100 and 2000. (Try 1000)

If this string value is not there then create it.
Delete the ShellIconCache file in the Windows directory and restart computer,
ShellIconCache is self creating and recreates all icons.
Note: ShellIconCache is a hidden file.
See also General section

Get Rid of the Inbox Icon

If you don't use inbox, there is a way to delete it.
Goto:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\ Desktop\NameSpace
Look for the key 00020D75-0000-0000-C000-000000000046, that has a default value of Inbox.
Delete the entire key, not just the default value. Click on the desktop, and press F5 to refresh the desktop so that this change will take effect.
NOTE: Make a copy of the information or export the key before deleting

Optimising the DefaultRcvWindow & DefaultTTL Settings

The optimisation of RcvWindow and DefaultTTL along with other registry settings such as MaxMTU and MaxMSS can speed up TCP/IP modem networking connections (Internet connections).

RWIN (Receive Window) is the buffer your machine waits to fill with data before attending to whatever other TCP transactions are occurring on the other threads and sockets WinSock has open while a connection is in progress.
The value of TTL (Time To Live) defines how long a packet can stay active before being discarded.
Each packet is given a number from 0 to 254 when it is sent out. Each router it encounters along the way reduces this number by 1 and sends the packet on it's way. If the packet encounters more routers than it's original number was set to, it is discarded by that router. This TTL number prevents lost packets from roaming the internet indefinitely.

The default value is '32'.

Open the registry and go to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\VxD\MSTCP

Create a new string value named 'DefaultRcvWindow' and set it to '4288'.
If 'DefaultRcvWindow' already exists, then simply modify the current value.

Also create another string value named 'DefaultTTL' under the same key and set that to '128'. Again if it already exist, simply modify the value.

Exit the registry and reboot your PC.

Optimising Dial-Up Modem Connection Speed

By optimising the MaxMTU & MaxMSS settings along with the RWIN and TTL settings you can increase dialup modem connection reliability and performance by as much as 200%.

What are the MTU and MSS?
MTU stands for Maximum Transmission Unit and in basic terms, it defines the maximum size of a packet that can be transferred in one frame over a network.

MSS or Maximum Segment Size defines how much actual data can be put in that packet, and it is therefore a marginally smaller value than MTU to allow for packet addressing and other information.

Why do the default values need to be changed?
By default Windows hardcodes the value of MTU to equal 1500 bytes. This value is adequate for normal LAN networking, but when your connecting to the Internet with a modem this value is too high. This can show itself in different ways, the most noticeable affect is less than peak performance.
By adjusting this value to more closely match the requirements of a modem Internet connection huge performance gains can be achieved.
Below are the instructions on how to modify these values for yourself.
Please remember though, modifying the Windows registry is not for the faint hearted.
Always remember to back it up first!

To change the settings you first have to find the details of your Dial-Up Adapter.
1. Find the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Enum\Root\Net and within there will be one or more sub-keys such as 0000, 0001 ...
2. Open each key and find the one that contains the value of DeviceDesc equal to Dial-Up Adapter.
3. Within that key there will also be another sub-key named Bindings.
Open the Bindings sub-key and you will find a string name like MSTCP\0000.
Take note of the four digit number after MSTCP (in this case 0000) and use it in the next step.
4. Now go to the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Enum\Network\MSTCP and expand the sub-key with the same four digit number as from the previous step.
5. In this key you will find a value called Driver and it will be equal to something similar to NetTrans\0002.
Take note of this four digit number (in this case 0002) and use it in the next step.
6. Now open the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Class\NetTrans below there will be one or more sub-key's.
Expand the key with the name equal to the four digit number from the previous step.
7. Within this key create a new string value named MaxMTU and set it to 576 , and also add a string value named MaxMSS and set it to 536.
8. Then exit the registry and restart your computer.

Add to Internet Explorer edit button:

To add you own HTML editor to the edit button go to the registry key; HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.htm\OpenwithList Add a new key named after your editor.
In this key create a new subkey named shell
In shell create a new subkey named edit
In edit key create a new subkey named command

Double click on the "Default" value in command and enter the path to your editors .exe followed by a space and %1

Now when you select the edit button drop down your editor will be there.

Restore the Animated Internet Explorer Logo

When you browse the Internet using Internet Explorer, the animated logo spins indicating that activity is taking place.
This registry setting controls which logo is being shown.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar

To restore the default animated Internet Explorer logo, delete the " BrandBitmap " and "SmBrandBitmap" string values found under the registry key below.

Change Default Mail Client in IE

Go to:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Mailto\Shell\Open\Command.

The proper setting for OE Mail is;

"C:\Program Files\Outlook Express\msimn.exe" /mailurl:%1 (with the quotation marks).

Change to the path of your chosen mail client.

Change Internet Explorers Default Start Page

Although you can do this in Internet Explorer Properties, this is how to do it in the registry.
To change the default start page you have to change the name of the file that IE 4.0 loads.
To do this, open the Registry Editor and go to:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ Software\ Microsoft\ Internet Explorer\ Main.

Next, doubleclick on the Local Page value in the right pane and replace the text there with the full path and filename of another HTML file on your hard disk.
If you use an HTML editor, you can create a custom HTML file just for this purpose.

Change Internet Explorers Toolbar Animation

There are two steps involved;

Static Images
1) Create one bitmap 22 X 22 pixels and one bitmap 38 X 38 pixels and save to a folder such as C;\Program Files\Internet Explorer.

2) Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar

Create two new string values called

BrandBitmap and smBrandBitmap Put in the path to your large and small bitmaps respectively in their data values

Note;
If these keys already exist change the path and name to your own

Animated Images
Create the two bitmaps one 22 X 22 and 38 X 38.
Cell 1 in each will be the static image which is shown when there is no action.
Cells 2 to 4 are the lead in, played when browsing begins.
Cell 5 onwards loops until browsing is complete

Once they are ready create two tall bitmaps with each cell stacked one on top of the other and save them.
As above go to the registry keys to enter the path and names.

Change Internet Explorer Toolbar Background

To use custom image for Internet Explorer Toolbar, create BMP then enter the following String and Value at this location in the registry. HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Microsoft/Internet Explorer/Toolbar

String = BackBitmap

Value = Path to BMP

Change Window Title for Internet Explorer.

Goto:

HKEY LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\INTERNET EXPLORER\MAIN

In the right pane, Right click on the entry "Window Title", Select Modify and change to the wording to your choice.
If the entry does not exist then;
Right click on right pane and select ‘New String’.
Name the New string:- Window Title (space included )
Right click on the new string and select ‘Modify’ and enter your title choice.

Or try in the following key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\INTERNET EXPLORER\MAIN

Edit File-Folder Connection

When you save an HTML document from a website, any images, scripts, sound files, etc that belong to that document are saved in a folder with the same name as the document.
Windows ME links the document and folder together so that if one is deleted or moved then the other is deleted or moved.
It is possible to sever this link by going to:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer

In the right pane look for the entry NoFileFolderConnection

Change the binary value from 00 00 00 00 to 01 00 00 00

To do this select the entry, right click, select modify

Hide Internet Explorer Icon

Go to:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

Enter a new DWORD value Name: NoInternetIcon
Enter Data : (0 = disabled, 1 = enabled)

Internet Explorer Intercepts the FTP Command

When you enter an FTP command such as "FTP ftp.regedit.com" IE 4.0 launches instead of the DOS based FTP program.
To disable this behaviour go to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\URL\
Prefixes

and delete the value of "ftp".
To re-enable, create a new string value of "ftp" and set the data to "ftp://".

Internet Explorer Partial Address Feature

The Internet Explorer partial address feature, scans common domains for a match to a keyword entered in the Address bar. The feature is limited by default to searching only .COM, .EDU and .ORG domains. This tip allows you to add new domains and modify their priorities.
The values listed under the key below control which domains are auto searched for matches to the keyword entered in the Address bar.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\UrlTemplate

To add a new domain simply create a new string value and name it a sequential number (e.g. '7'). Set the data of the new value to equal the domain you want to search, for example to also search .DE domains add a new value of 'www.%s.de' (%s represents the keyword).

To change their priorities, simply rename the values with sequential numbers where '1' is the site to be checked first.
For example, the setting may look like:
1 "www.%2.de"
2 "www.%s.com"
3 "%s.de"
4 "%s.com"

Internet Explorer - Speed Up

The HTTP 1.1 spec limits the number of simultaneous connections any one browser can make to a given server. This IE tweak turns off IE's built-in compliance with this standard, and lets your copy of IE open far more simultaneous connections with a server. This means your browser can grab many chunks of a web page at one time, speeding load times.

Run Regedit and Navigate to the following folder:

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

Create the following "DWORD":

MaxConnectionsPerServer Set the value to any high number (the default is 2)

Creat the following "DWORD":

MaxConnectionsPer1_0Server Set the value to any high number as well (the default is 4)

Internet Explorer Search Engine

Normally when you type 'go keyword' in the Internet Explorer address bar IE will search the web using a Microsoft selected search engine. By modifying this key you can select which search engine to use.
Open your registry and go to:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchUrl

Modify the value of default to equal the URL for the search engine you want to use, substituting '%s' to represent the keywords.

For example, to use Altavista the value would be:
http://www.altavista.com/cgi-bin/query?q=%s
And to use Yahoo! the value would be:
http://search.yahoo.com/bin/search?p=%s

For example, the setting may look like:
(Default) "http://www.altavista.com/cgi-bin/query?q=%s"

Add Background Bitmap to the Internet Explorer ToolBar

To have your own bitmap shown on the Internet Explorer toolbar.

1. Open Regedit and find the key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar
2. Add a new String Value of "BackBitmap" and set the value to the path and name of bitmap file you wish to use (e.g. "C:\WINDOWS\CLOUDS.BMP")
3. Exit Regedit and restart Internet Explorer.

Image Preview

When you open an image file in Windows XP the default action is to "Preview" it using the Windows Picture and Fax Viewer. This tweak can be used to disable the Preview image option.

Go to

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\image\ShellEx\ContextMenuHandlers\ShellImagePreview

Clear the value of "(Default)" to disable the default image preview action. To restore the preview action set the value to {e84fda7c-1d6a-45f6-b725-cb260c236066}.

System Key: [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\image\ShellEx\ContextMenuHandlers\ShellImagePreview]
Value Name: (Default)
Data Type: REG_SZ (String Value)
Value Data: Blank or {e84fda7c-1d6a-45f6-b725-cb260c236066}