Windows NT Tips #5


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TipWorld - http://www.tipworld.com
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Proudly presents:
The Windows NT Tip of the Day

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*1.   AUTOMATE LOG-ON

Windows NT Workstation 4.0
Reader Charles P. sends this question about automatic log-on:

"In a recent NT 4.0 tip, you gave a REG file that would allow
 you to bypass the log-in feature. It worked fine, but the
 network guys had a heart attack when they couldn't log in as
 another user. Is there any way to allow me to bypass the log-in
 screen (which was very nice), but keep alive the Log In
 Another User feature?"

This is surely the single most popular tip we have ever
 published. Before we answer his question, here's the REG file
 to which he refers.

REGEDIT4
BLANK LINE GOES HERE
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows
NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon]
"AutoAdminLogon"="1"
"DefaultPassword"="YourPasswordGoesHere"
BLANK LINE GOES HERE

To generate the REG file, run Notepad and type the code as shown.
 Where you see BLANK LINE GOES HERE, press Enter to enter a
 blank line. When finished entering the code, choose File, Save
 As and name the file Auto.reg. Locate a folder for the file and
 click Save. To run the file, double-click its icon.

Now, to bypass the automatic log-on and log in as a new user,
 click Start, Shut Down, select the radio button labeled "Close
 all [programs and log on as a different user?", and click Yes.
 Press and hold the Shift key while Windows NT Workstation 4.0
 restarts. This time, you'll get the familiar log-on dialog box.

Here's another suggestion. If you like to use the auto log-on
 setting while you work, but want to make sure the tech group
 has the ability to log on as they wish when you're not there,
 you could generate another REG file to turn auto log-on off. To
 do this, simply open the Auto.reg file in Notepad and change
 the line

"AutoAdminLogon"="1"

to

"AutoAdminLogon"="0"

Choose File, Save As and name the file LogOff.reg. Click Save
 after you choose a folder for the new file. Now, to turn auto
 log-on off, just double-click LogOff.reg.


*2.   DOES THIS FOLDER EXIST?

Windows NT Workstation 4.0
Here's a batch file question from new subscriber Dan M.:

"For a current project, I need to use batch files to create
 folders. However, I would also like to know when a folder
 already exists. Is there an easy way to do this in a
 batch file?" 

Yes, there is. The batch file shown here creates a specific
 folder if the folder doesn't already exist. If the folder does
 exist, the file simply reports that fact. To generate the batch
 file, run Notepad and type the code as shown.

@echo off
if exist c:\PCWorld\*.* goto message
if not exist c:\PCWorld goto create
goto end

:create
md c:\PCWorld
echo Folder created
goto end

:message
echo Folder exists

:end

After you enter the code, choose File, Save As and name the file
 whatever you want as long as it has a .bat extension--Test.bat
 will do. To run the file at the Command Prompt, just type

test

and press Enter.

If you want to type a folder name when you run the file (this is
 probably more useful), change the code to that shown here.

@echo off
if exist %1 goto message

if not exist %1 goto create
goto end

:create
md %1
echo Folder %1 created
goto end

:message
echo Folder %1 exists

:end

Now, let's say you want to create a folder named New on drive
 C. Type

test c:\New

at the Command Prompt and press Enter. If the folder doesn't
 already exist, this creates it.


*3.   COOL ICONS

Windows NT Workstation 4.0
Reader Shelley P. asks us to point out some icons she can use
 for desktop shortcuts:

"I have looked in all the DLL files and can't find any icons
 that I really like. Surely there must be some icons somewhere
 on the Internet."

Try All Icons at

http://www.pcworld.com/fileworld/file_description/0,1458,
4365,00.html 

This rather large file (3.66MB) contains more than 4000
 full-color icons you can use in Windows NT Workstation 4.0,
 Windows 95, or Windows 98. You'll find a varied collection,
 including cartoons, games, rock stars, and sports.

After you download the file, extract it to a new folder--we
 named ours Icons. To use the icons, right-click a desktop
 shortcut and choose Properties. When the Properties dialog box
 opens, click the Shortcut tab. Now click Change Icon and then
 click Browse in the Change Icon dialog box. Navigate to your
 new Icons folder and make a selection by double-clicking the
 icon of your choice. Back in Properties, click OK to save your
 choice and close the dialog box.


*4.   COPY AND PASTE

Windows NT Workstation 4.0
Reader Bill F. asks us to point out that many Windows NT
 Workstation 4.0 users seem to ignore a very simple and
 convenient way of copying or moving files. All you have to do
 is use cut (or copy) and paste.

Let's say you're working in drive D from My Computer. There's a
 file you'd like to move to drive D. You don't have to open
 drive D at the same time and then drag the file from one drive
 to the other. All you have to do is right-click the file and
 choose Cut (or Copy). Then you open drive D and right-click in
 the folder. Choose Paste and the move is complete.


*5.   DELETE THIS

Windows NT Workstation 4.0
Reader Polly G. asks us to repeat this NT golden oldie:

"Some time ago, you ran a tip on how to create a Doskey macro
 that would replace the Delete command with one that would move
 tentatively deleted files to a special folder. I had this macro
 at one time, but have lost it."

Reader Jeff D. sent us the macro to which you refer. It was
 designed to replace the DEL command with one that sends the
 files to a specific folder for safekeeping until you decide
 whether you want to delete them permanently.

To create and use the following macro, run Notepad and type the
 code as shown:

doskeydoskey DEL=move $* C:\Trashdoskey DELETE=DEL $*

Choose File, Save As and name the file Del.bat. Save the new
 file in your start-up folder so it will be available whenever
 you start Windows NT Workstation 4.0. Now go to the root folder
 of drive C and type

md Trash

to create the Trash folder.

Using this macro, you don't have to remember to use a new
 command--just use Del. For example, you could type

del c:\data\myfile.txt

to move myfile.txt to the c:\Trash folder. When you are sure
 you want to delete a file permanently, use Delete instead of
 Del--this sends your files directly to the Recycle Bin.

Thanks again to Jeff D. for the macro.


*6.   SAVE THE REGISTRY

Windows NT Workstation 4.0
Reader Jerry K. sent this request: "I've used a number of your
 Registry edits and have had no problems. But you always warn us
 to back up the Registry to be safe. How do I do that?"

It's a good idea to back up the Registry before you do a
 Registry edit. We recently suggested that you simply export the
 key you're changing. To do this, you run RegEdit (click Start,
 Run, type

regedit

and click OK). When you navigate to the key you intend to modify,
 click the key and choose Registry, Export Registry File. When
 the Export Registry File dialog box opens, name your new file
 and locate a folder in which to save it. Finally, click Save.
 This file contains all the information in the target key before
 you make any changes. With your exported file, you can restore
 the key to its original position.

Alternatively, you can make a backup of the entire Registry.
 To do this, click Start, Run, type

rdisk -s

and press Enter. The rdisk file first saves the information to
 your hard disk and then asks if you want to make an emergency
 repair disk (ERD). Insert a blank floppy into the A: drive and
 click Yes; Rdisk first formats the floppy disk and then copies
 the configuration files to the floppy.

We recommend you always export a key you want to modify. This is
 a quick and easy way to restore a key. If you should have a
 problem with a modified key, just locate your export REG file
 and double-click its icon. This merges the original data back
 into the Registry.


*7.   SAVING YOUR APPLICATION SETTINGS         
  
Windows NT Workstation 4.0 
In the last tip, we discussed how to save a Registry key using
 RegEdit's Export feature. We also discussed using Rdisk to make
 an emergency repair disk (ERD). Reader Kyle R. asks us to point
 out that you should make an ERD whenever you install
 new software. 

This is a very good idea. If there's a problem, you don't want
 to spend your day installing applications that you've already
 installed once. If you always have a current system backup made
 using Rdisk, you can recover not only your system, but all the
 registered applications as well. 

If you'd like to save only the installed associations, you can
 click Start, Run, type 

regedit 

and click OK. When RegEdit opens, navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT.
 Click this folder and choose Registry, Export Registry File.
 When the dialog box opens, name the file Associations and
 locate a folder in which to keep the file. Click Save to keep
 your changes and close the dialog box.  

This method saves all your file associations, and you just
 double-click Associations.reg to restore them when needed. 

Of course, the best method remains the Rdisk option, because
 this provides you with all the necessary information to restore
 your system in case of a disaster.


*8.   WHERE IS THE MOUSE?         
  
Windows NT Workstation 4.0  
Subscriber Tom S. has a problem with his serial port mouse:  

"My mouse (Microsoft) is attached to COM2. I run Windows NT
 Workstation 4.0 with Service Pack 3. At times, my system fails
 to detect the mouse on startup and I have to restart to get the
 mouse to work. Is there a way to force Windows NT Workstation
 4.0 to detect the mouse?"  

You can use a Registry edit to tell Windows NT Workstation 4.0
 that the mouse is present, even when the system fails to
 detect it.   

Be careful when editing the Registry. Click Start, Run, type   

regedit   

and press Enter. When RegEdit opens, navigate to
 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet 
\Services\Sermouse\Parameters. Right-click the right pane and
 choose New, DWORD Value. Name your new key
 OverrideHardwareBitstring. Double-click the new entry and enter
 1 if you use COM1 and 2 if you use COM2. Close RegEdit (choose
 Registry, Exit) and restart the computer.  

Note: This tip does NOT apply to the PS/2 mouse port.


*9.   NO DIAL-UP CHANGES         
  
Windows NT Workstation 4.0  
Subscriber Lowell F. sent this Dial-Up Networking question:  

"I supervise a number of computers, all running Windows NT
 Workstation 4.0. My problem is that some people modify the
 system's Dial-Up Networking in an attempt to call a variety
 of ISPs and their home computers. I would like to hide (or
 delete) the Dial-Up Networking icon in My Computer.
 Is this possible?"  

It is possible, but to do this requires a very serious Registry
 edit. Here's how to delete the Dial-Up Networking icon in My
 Computer. Don't do this unless you have a very good reason to
 delete Dial-Up Networking.  

Click Start, Run, type  

regedit  

and press Enter. When RegEdit opens, navigate to
 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\
 CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\
 {a4d92740-67cd-11cf-96f2-00aa00a11dd9}. Now, since you want to
 be able to undo what you're about to do, choose Registry,
 Export Registry File. When the Export Registry File dialog box
 opens, name the file DialOn and click Save. You can use this
 file later to reinstall your Dial-Up Networking icon.  

With the key exported to a file, click
 {a4d92740-67cd-11cf-96f2-00aa00a11dd9} and press Delete to
 delete the key. Choose Registry, Exit to close RegEdit.   

At this point, you can double-click My Computer to open it. You
 should no longer have a Dial-Up Networking icon. If the icon
 is still visible, restart the computer.  

You can still use all your dial-up connections, but without
 the icon you can't add or delete connections.  

If you decide to reinstall the Dial-Up Networking icon, locate
 your exported Registry file, DialOn.reg, and double-click its
 icon. This merges the original key back into the Registry, and
 the Dial-Up Networking icon reappears. Again, you may need to
 restart the computer.


*10.   FAMOUS VOLCANOES?         
  
Windows NT Workstation 4.0 
Reader Jaime B. points us to this hidden Windows NT Easter egg:  

"Right-click the desktop and choose Properties. Click the Screen
 Saver tab and choose 3-D Text as your screen saver. Click
 Settings, then click in the text entry box. Type the word 

volcano 

and click OK. The screen saver now displays the names of
 famous volcanoes."
