Windows Secrets

Windows Secrets :::
Restoring a Lost Desktop

If you ever lose the Desktop but Explorer is still running with the Start Button,
you can do this to bring back your Desktop in a Windows box.

1 Click Start
2 Click Run
3 Type a period " . "
4 Then press Enter


Creating a New E-Mail Shortcut

To create a shortcut that will open your default e-mail program starting a new e-mail,

1 Right click on an open area of the desktop
2 Select New / Shortcut
3 For the Command Line, enter mailto:
4 For the title enter something like New E-Mail
5 When you click on this your default e-mail program should start with a new e-mail form.


Creating 3D Window Effect

You can create a nice 3D effect for your windows

1 Start Regedit
2 Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Control Panel \ Colors
3 Make sure the following setting are there:
4 ButtonHilight=128 128 128
5 ButtonShadow=255 255 255

Creating Shutdown, Restart and Logoff Icons

To create the icons, create a shortcut on the desktop.

For Shutdown, the command is C:\WINDOWS\RUNDLL.EXE user.exe,exitwindows

For Restart, the command is C:\WINDOWS\RUNDLL.EXE user.exe,exitwindowsexec

For Logoff, the command is C:\WINDOWS\RUNDLL.EXE shell32.dll,SHExitWindowsEx 0


Having your Favorites and Start Menus Sort Alphabetically

If your Start Menu Program or Favorites are not sorting alphabetically, it is easy to fix this:

1 Start Regedit
2 Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Explorer/MenuOrder
3 Under here is are Favorites and Start Menu folders
4 In each there is a value called Order
5 Simply delete (or rename this) and restart Winodws
6 Your Favorites or Start Menus should now sort alphabetically




Srini 1/27/2007 9:01 AM
Increasing the Icon Cache

1 Run Regedit
2 Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer
3 Create a new string called Max Cached Icons
4 Give it a value of 10000
5 This will increase response time in windows and give the Shellicon cache file more elbow room.


Make Icons 256 Color 16-Bit

1 Open the Registry
2 Hit Ctrl+F
3 Type Shell Icon BPP
4 When found, right click the Shell Icon BPP icon
5 Click Modify
6 Change the value from 4 to 16
7 Click Ok
8 Close the registry
9 Restart your computer

Removing Shortcut Arrows

An easy way to remove those irritating arrows from your desktop shortcut icons and not change their properties

1 Right click the Desktop / Properties / Appearance tab
2 Select Item
3 Scroll for Icon
4 The default size is 32
5 Change this to 30
6 Clicking Apply


Adding the Control Panel to the Start Menu

1 Open up the Explorer
2 Go to \WINDOWS\Start Menu
3 Right click in the right-hand panel
4 Add a new folder
5 Name it Control Panel.{21ec2020-3aea-1069-a2dd-08002b30309d}
6 This makes getting to the Control Panel items a little easier

Making Desktop Changes Permanent

To make changes to the Desktop like window size, positon after rebooting:

1 Start Regedit
2 Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
3 Create a New Binary Value
4 Name it NoSaveSettings
5 Give it a value of 01 00 00 00

Srini 1/27/2007 9:01 AM
Easy Shortcuts on the Desktop

Here is an easy way to put shortcuts on the Desktop where they can easily be moved to other group icons.

1 Using the Explorer, create a SHORTCUT to the \Windows\Desktop directory in your \Windows\SEND TO directory.
2 Now whenever you want to make a shortcut and move it to the desktop:
3 Just make the shortcut you want using Explorer
4 Right click on that shortcut
5 In the pop up menu select the Send To and Desktop shortcut.

Changing a Folder's Icon

To change the icon of a Folder on desktop:

1 Using the Explorer, move the folder from the Desktop directory to another directory on the hard drive
2 Right click on the new folder and select "Create Shortcut"
3 Move the shortcut to the Desktop
4 Right click and select a new icon