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An * before a tip indicates it was updated on 30 Mar 02 ** indicates 16 Feb 01 **RECOVERING FILES DELETED FROM THE RECYCLE BIN. You need to quit using the partition that the files were deleted from in order to prevent the deleted files from being overwritten. You will need help trying to retrieve the files: Do It Youself, different programs and prices.
www.diydatarecovery.nl/ Recover4all, $49
www.recover4all.com/
Restoration, Freeware, not tried:
www.snapfiles.com/get/restoration.html
**REMOVING ADDED ITEM FROM FIND MENU. Open regedit.exe to this key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\FindExtensions\Static
Any items that can be removed should be listed here. Be sure to export the key before deleting so you can restore the registry in case of problems. After removing the unwanted entries, close the editor.
REMOVING DESKTOP ICONS. Use Tweak UI, Desktop tab. As an alternative, open the registry editor to this key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
In the right pane, right-click and select Binary Value. Rename it: NoDesktop and then right-click the entry, select modify and assign a value of 01 00 00 00
REMOVING ITEMS FROM THE IE4 START MENU. Open regedit to:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies \Explorer Right-click the right pane and select New, Binary Value:
To remove Documents, name the binary value: NoRecentDocsMenu
To remove Favorites, name the binary value: NoFavoritesMenu
To remove Find, name the binary value: NoFind
To remove Log Off, name the binary value: NoLogOff
To remove Run, name the binary value: NoRun
To disable Shut Down, name the binary value: NoClose
To disable Control Panel and Printer folders, name the binary value: NoSetFolders
To disable Taskbar context menu, name the binary value: NoTrayContextMenu
Double-click the new entry, select modify and add this value: 01 00 00 00
To reverse the action, change the value to: 00 00 00 00 REMOVING OBSOLETE ENTRIES FROM ADD/REMOVE SCREEN, CONTROL PANEL. Reinstall the program and then uninstall it. As alternatives, use Tweak UI, Add/Remove tab or open the registry to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Uninstall. Many (but possibly not all) of the programs are listed in the left-hand panel--highlight the program to be removed and delete it. In either case, the program is removed from the list--any other registry entries pertaining to it will remain.
REMOVING OBSOLETE PROGRAMS FROM OPEN WITH LIST. Remove the associated file types and the associated applications should disappear. Open Explorer, View, Options, File Types, highlight the file type and click remove. If you still use the file type but with a different application, you will have to add the file type back so be sure to check out the information closely before deleting it. Note: While this is the preferred method, I’ve removed the entry by doing a registry search on the application name as it appears in the Open With list and deleting it. If the file extension is no longer being used, you will have to search for and remove it from the registry also.
REMOVING SCROLLING ARROWS FROM IE4/IE5 START MENU. If the number of entries in a column on the start menu exceeds the available space, scrolling arrows are added. You can reduce the amount of entries by creating new folders and placing like programs in them. Or, you might name a folder “Column Two” and then place other folders in it. For IE5 users, you can revert back to the early W95 start menu by making a registry change. Click here to download a .reg file. Unzip it and double-click it to merge the information.
REMOVING "SETTINGS" FROM START MENU. To remove the Settings entry from the Start Menu, two registry hacks are required in this key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies \Explorer. Left-click once the Explorer folder. In the right panel, right-click and select New Binary Value. Name it NoSetFolders, double-click it and type in the new window, 01 00 00 00 and click OK. This removes the Control Panel and Printers folders. Right-click the panel again, make a similar entry called NoSetTaskbar and assign the same value. Right-click the panel again, make a similar entry called NoFolderOptions and assign the same value. You can also retain the Settings entry and just delete the folders or taskbar sub-settings.
REMOVING "SHORTCUT TO" FROM SHORTCUT NAME. Open regedit to this key: HKEY_USERS\.Default\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer.
Left click the Explorer folder once, in the right panel right click the the panel and select New Binary Value. Rename it Link and then double-click it. A new window with four zeros will appear. Type to the right of the zeros: 00 00 00 00 and enter. An easier way is to use Tweak UI, Explorer tab.
REMOVING SPEAKER FROM TRAY. To remove the speaker, go to Control Panel, Multimedia, Audio tab, Playback section and remove the check mark.
RENAMING DESKTOP SHORTCUTS. Use Tweak UI, Desktop tab, right-click context menu, to rename desktop shortcuts which can’t otherwise be renamed. REPAIRING ASSOCIATION FOR .LNK (SHORTCUT) FILES. When shortcuts won't work, it is normally because the registry entries for .lnk files have been damaged. To download a .reg file, click here. Unzip the .reg file and to view it, right-click it and select edit. To merge the data into the registry, double-click the file.
RESIZING TASKBAR. Position the cursor on the top edge of the bar so a double-headed arrow appears. Left-click the edge and make the bar larger or smaller by dragging. RESTORING SORTING SEQUENCE IN “OPEN” AND “SAVE AS” WINDOWS. The folders and files displayed in these dialog boxes may not be sorted correctly, i.e., files appear before the folders, items are filed are in descending order, etc. Click here to download a .reg file to repair a registry entry. Unzip the .reg file and to view it, right-click it and select edit. To merge the data into the registry, double-click the file. Also see this article: Q229070
SAVING POSITIONS OF DESKTOP SHORTCUTS. Open registry to: Hkey_Current_User\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies and open the Explorer folder. In the right pane, double-click "Nosavesettings" which has a value of 00 00 00 00. In the dialog box, type: 0000 01 00 00 00 and close the dialog box and registry. If the "Nosavesettings" entry doesn't exist, right-click the right pane, select New Binary Value and type "Nosavesettings" and enter. Change the 0000 to the above setting. Once the hack is set, you cannot save settings. To make a change, you have to take the hack off (change the 01 to 00), make any changes and then reapply the hack. This procedure is the same one used by Tweak UI, Explorer tab, save windows settings and with Tweak, it is much easier to apply. SELECTING MULTIPLE FILES. To select multiple consecutive files for operations like cut and paste or delete, click the first file, press the shift key, click the last file and right-click the last file to select the operation. Nonconsecutive multiple files are selected by clicking the first file, pressing the control key, clicking the remaining files and right-clicking the last file to select the operation. *SETTING A BLANK PASSWORD. Go to control panel, network, primary network logon and select Windows Logon. Go to control panel, passwords, user profiles and ensure the "all user's" box is marked. If you have a password established, go to control panel, passwords, change windows password, type the password in the old box, leave the rest blank and OK your way out. If you have forgotten your password, delete the .pwl file with your user name (mine is ron.pwl); however, be aware that you will lose all passwords stored in the .pwl file. If you do not have a password established or have deleted the .pwl file, when the W95/98 logon screen appears at boot, type a user name only and hit OK. If the logon screen continues to appear and you have Tweak UI installed, go to the Paranoia tab and remove the mark from "clear last user."
SETTING AUTO INSERT NOTIFICATION. To keep the CD drive and hard disk drive lights from flashing about every three seconds, disable the auto insert notification. Open the Control Panel, click System and Device Manager tab, double-click CD-ROM and CD-ROM Drive, click on Settings and disable Auto Insert Notification.
SETTING DRIVE LETTERS FOR CDROM AND REMOVABLE DISK DRIVES. To designate a drive letter for the CDRom, open the Control Panel, System, Device Manager, click the + on CDRom, double-click the pop out CDRom, click on Settings, type the start and end letter you want to use for this drive. Note: For a CDRom, the letters will be the same. If you have a removable disk drive that is partitioned, you must designate letters for each partition. Enter a letter for the first partition and the corresponding letter for the last partition. SETTING UP OPTIONAL TEMP FOLDER. Open the registry editor to this key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\
VolumeCaches\Temporary Files. In the right pane is a value called Folder. Right-click it, select Modify and enter the new path for the Temp folder you created. Open the Autoexec.bat file with Notepad, add these entries and then save the file:
SET TEMP=F:\Temp (F: is the hard drive letter where you created the new Temp folder)
SET TMP=F:\Temp
SHUTTING OFF DESKTOP ICONS. To turn off all icons on the Desktop, open the registry to this key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer and create a new Binary value by right-clicking in the right pane. Name the Binary: NoDesktop and establish a value of 01 00 00 00 by right-clicking the Binary and selecting modify. Reboot.
SORTING IN DETAILS MODE OF WINDOWS EXPLORER. Click on a header in the right pane of Explorer and the files will sort by the category of the header. Click the header again and it sorts in the reverse order in that header.
STOPPING NUM LOCK AT BOOT. By default, Win95 has the Num Lock key turned on at boot. To turn it off, add this line to the Config.sys file: numlock=off This can be a BIOS setting also. SUBDIRECTORIES MISSING FROM PROGRAMS FOLDER ON START MENU. If there are no programs reflected in Programs on the start menu yet the shortcuts appear in Windows Explorer, open the registry editor to this key:
HKEY_USERS\.Default\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders
In the right pane, look for an entry named "Programs" and unless you have moved the start menu, it should have a value of: c:\windows\start menu\programs
SYSTRAY.EXE MISSING FROM TRAY. This item is only required to be present for a few things such as the Volume Control icon. If you determine that it is needed, go to this registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run Click the Run folder and in the right panel, right-click and select New String Value. Change its name to SystemTray. Double-click the SystemTray entry and type: Systray.exe and click OK. Reboot the system and systray should appear in the Close Program screen. THUMBNAIL PREVIEWS OF PICTURE FILES DO NOT APPEAR IN EXPLORER. Sometimes when file associations are changed for picture files (i.e., .gif, .jpg, etc.) a registry entry will get clobbered which precludes thumbnail previews. Click here to download a .reg file which will repair the appropriate keys. Unzip the .reg file and to view it, right-click it and select edit. To merge the data into the registry, double-click the file.
TOTALING THE REQUIRED SPACE FOR FILES. To find the total space that certain files occupy, open the Explorer and hold down the Control key while left-clicking the files to be counted. Explorer provides a running tally.
TURNING OFF MODEM ICON. Open up Explorer to Dial-Up Networking. Right-click the ISP connection you wish to change and select properties. In the "Connect using" section, click on Configure and select the options tab. Remove the mark from the display modem status box.
USING PROGRAM MANAGER INSTEAD OF WINDOWS EXPLORER. While Program Manager (Progman.exe) is available in W95, don’t use it. You can foul up your links and long file names by doing certain operations with it.
WELCOME TO WINDOWS 98 SCREEN CONTINUES TO APPEAR. Sometimes the disable box doesn't appear in the left-hand bottom corner of the screen and at other times, the screen doesn't obey its order not to appear again. Disable it by running MSconfig.exe, start up tab--the file's name is Welcome.exe. **WINDOWS SHUTDOWN PROBLEMS. MVP Jim Eshelman has general troubleshooting procedures for W95/98/98SE/ME shutdown problems at http://www.aumha.org/a/shutdown.htm and procedures for W98SE in particular at http://www.aumha.org/a/shtdwnse.htm
W95 LANGUAGE VERSION. On the start menu, do a find on: winver.exe. Right-click the file, select Properties, click the Version tab and in the Item Name box, click Language. The language version displayed in the Value box is how to differentiate between US English and Pan European English versions of W95.
WRONG ICON IS ASSIGNED IN QUICK LAUNCH AREA OF TASKBAR. This appears to occur because there is insufficient space set in the shelliconcache file. To restore the correct icons, push the quick launch divider bar to the right, right click a blank area and select refresh. I have had no problems after making a registry change. Click here to download a .reg file, unzip it and double click it to update the registry.
WRONG LOGO SCREEN APPEARS UPON BOOTING. Sometimes the "Windows is starting for the first time" logo becomes the standard splash screen when booting. Find the logo.sys file in C:\ and change the extension to .bmp. Double-click the file to see if it is the "first time" logo. If so, delete it and reboot. If no splash screen appears, find logo.sys in one the .cab files on your W95 disk and copy it to C:\.
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