Regedit Windows 7

How To Open Registry Editor

By Tim Fisher

All manual changes to the Windows Registry can be completed via Registry Editor, a tool included in all versions of Windows.

Unfortunately, there's no shortcut for the tool in the Start Menu, meaning you'll have to open Registry Editor it by executing it from a command line. Don't worry, it's not at all hard to do.

Follow these easy steps to open Registry Editor:

Note: You can open Registry Editor this way in any version of Windows that utilizes the registry, including Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.

Difficulty: Easy

Time Required: It'll take less than a minute to open Registry Editor in any version of Windows.

Here's How:

Click on Start.

In Windows XP, click on the Start button and then click Run....

In the search box, or Run window, type the following:

regedit

and then press Enter.

Note: Depending on your version of Windows, and how it's configured, you may see a User Account Control dialog box where you'll need to confirm that you want to open Registry Editor.

Registry Editor will open.

If you've used Registry Editor before, it'll open up to the same location you were working in last time. If that happens, and you don't want to work with the keys or values at that location, just continue to minimize the registry keys until you've reached the top level, listing the various registry hives.

You can now make whatever changes you need to make in to the registry.

Important: Considering the impact that the registry has on your computer, I highly recommend that, before you get started, you either backup the entire registry, or backup the individual registry keys that you're planning on working with, whatever is more appropriate for what you're planning on doing in Registry Editor.

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Disable Regedit win7

Under Windows 7 you can easily disable the access to registry editor to restrict users having limited administrative rights, to make modification to the system. 

Implemetation

Click the Start button. In the Search field, type regedit.

Right click on the regedit.exe icon and click Run as administrator.

Expand the following key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Microsoft/Windows/Current Version/Policies/System. 

Click on the Edit menu (at the top), click New then DWORD Value 32bit.

Named it as DisableRegistryTools and double click on it and set the value to 1 and click OK.

Expand the following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/ Software/ Microsoft/ Windows/Current Version/Policies, System 

Click on the Edit menu (at the top), click New then DWORD Value 32bit.

Named it as DisableRegistryTools and double click on it and set the value to 1 and click OK.

Close the Registry Editor. Restart your PC and form there access to the registry access will be blocked

Revert changes

To regain access to the registry, click the Start button and in the search field type the command gpedit.msc.

Go to User Configuration/Administrative Templates/System, and double click on the parameter "Prevent access to registry.."

Check "Disabled" and click OK. Finally, restart your computer to regain access to the registry.

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Tweak Windows 7 with these handy Registry edits

Windows 7 needs far less of the sleeves-up shuffling about that its predecessors demanded for smooth operation.

It works, and it works well. But that doesn't mean you can't use the Registry to add nifty features or change the settings to your liking.

Here are ten things you can do with the Windows 7 Registry. Just type regedit in the usual search box and hit [Enter], then follow our tips.

1. Personalise IE8

Bought your PC from an overzealous manufacturer that's gratuitously branded Internet Explorer with its own name? Just want to add your own custom touch in place of the default 'Windows Internet Explorer'? It's easy.

In the registry editor, navigate to 'HKEY_CURRENT_ USER\Software\Microsoft\ Internet Explorer\Main' and create a new string value. Name it 'Window Title', with the space. Then just double-click it and enter your desired window title in the field.

2. StOP SNAP

AERO SNAP IS ARGUABLY A VERY USEFUL FEATURE – WE SAY ARGUABLY BECAUSE, AS WE'RE SURE YOU'VE NOTICED, IT OFTEN DECIDES TO KICK IN AND GLUE YOUR WINDOWS TO SCREEN EDGES WHEN YOU DON'T WANT IT TO.

IF YOU'RE NOT FINDING THE SNAP FEATURE USEFUL, THEN YOU MIGHT AS WELL TURN IT OFF . FIRST, NAVIGATE TO 'HKEY_CURRENT_ USER\CONTROL PANEL\DESKTOP'. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF SETTINGS YOU COULD CUSTOMISE HERE, BUT THE ONE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR IN THIS CASE IS CALLED 'WINDOWARRANGEMENTACTIVE'. THE VALUE SHOULD BE 1 – CHANGE IT TO 0 TO MAKE THIS FEATURE INACTIVE.

ALTERNATIVELY, JUST MAKE SURE YOU NEVER VENTURE TOO CLOSE TO THE EDGE.

3. CHANGE STACKING BEHAVIOUR

THIS PARTICULAR TWEAK IS PERHAPS OF QUESTIONABLE USEFULNESS, BUT WE THOUGHT YOU'D LIKE THE OPTION TO TRY IT ANYWAY. IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE THUMBNAIL DISPLAY WHEN CLICKING ON TASKBAR BUTTONS, THEN YOU CAN CHANGE THE ACTION AND FORCE WINDOWS TO OPEN THE LAST OPENED WINDOW OF THE STACK INSTEAD.

TO DO THIS, OPEN 'HKEY_ CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\ MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURRENT VERSION\EXPLORER\ADVANCED' AND CREATE A NEW DWORD VALUE. RENAME IT LASTACTIVECLICK AND SET ITS VALUE TO 1 TO SWITCH THIS MODE ON.

SHOULD YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND, YOU CAN ALWAYS GO BACK AND DELETE THE KEY OR SET IT TO 0 TO REVERT BACK LATER ON.

4. QUICKER TASKBAR PREVIEWS

ARE YOU BORED OF WAITING THE COUPLE OF SECONDS IT TAKES FOR THE GRAPHICAL PREVIEWS TO POP UP WHEN YOU HOVER OVER ICONS ON THE TASKBAR? OR WOULD YOU RATHER THEY TOOK LONGER TO APPEAR?

THE CHOICE IS YOURS. GO TO 'HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\ CURRENTVERSION\EXPLORER\ADVANCED' AND CREATE A DWORD NAMED 'EXTENDEDUIHOVERTIME'. NOW DOUBLE-CLICK TO OPEN IT, CLICK THE 'DECIMAL' RADIO BUTTON, AND THEN CHANGE ITS VALUE TO THE NUMBER OF MILLISECONDS YOU'D LIKE THE PROCESS TO TAKE. THE DEFAULT IS 400MS.

5. CHANGE OTHER DELAYS

STAY IN THE SAME KEY (EXPLORER\ADVANCED) AND YOU CAN TWEAK A COUPLE OF OTHER TIMINGS.

ADD A 32-BIT DWORD INTO THE MIX NAMED 'DESKTOPLIVEPREVIEWHOVERTIME'. SWITCH THIS TO DECIMAL IN THE SAME MANNER AS BEFORE, THEN CHANGE THE VALUE DATA FIELD TO ALTER THE NUMBER OF MILLISECONDS IT TAKES FOR THE AERO PEEK FUNCTION (MINIMISE ALL WINDOWS) TO KICK IN WHEN YOU HOVER OVER THE ICON ON THE RIGHT OF THE TASKBAR.

ALTERNATIVELY, DO THE SAME WITH A DWORD CALLED 'THUMBNAILLIVEPREVIEW HOVERTIME' TO ALTER HOW LONG IT TAKES FOR THE WINDOWS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH TASKBAR THUMBNAILS TO COME TO THE FRONT.

6. SPEED UP MENUS

MAKE MENU ITEMS AUTOMATICALLY DROP DOWN A LOT FASTER WITH THIS TWEAK. GO TO 'HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ CONTROL PANEL\DESKTOP', RIGHT-CLICK 'MENUSHOWDELAY' AND CLICK 'MODIFY'.

NOW CHANGE THE CURRENT STRING VALUE TO SOMETHING LIKE 100 – HEY PRESTO, NEAR-INSTANT MENU APPEARANCE.

7. STOP SPACE CHECKING

FREE UP A TINY SHRED OF SYSTEM RESOURCES. GO TO 'HKEY_ CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\ MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURRENT VERSION\POLICIES\EXPLORER', CREATE A NEW DWORD CALLED 'NOLOWDISK SPACECHECKS' AND SET ITS VALUE TO 1 TO SWITCH OFF DISK SPACE CHECKING.

8. MOVE THE KERNEL

IF THE WINDOWS KERNEL IS IN MEMORY, IT WILL RUN SLIGHTLY FASTER THAN IT WOULD IF IT WERE ON YOUR HARD DRIVE. HUNT OUT 'DISABLEPAGINGEXECUTIVE' WITHIN 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ CURRENTCONTROLSET\CONTROL\SESSION MANAGER\MEMORY MANAGEMENT'. CHANGE ITS VALUE TO 1.

9. CHANGE THE NAME

BOUGHT A SECOND-HAND MACHINE? THEN YOU MIGHT WANT TO ALTER THE NAME OF THE REGISTERED OWNER. GO TO 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS NT\ CURRENTVERSION\', DOUBLE-CLICK ON THE 'REGISTEREDOWNER' KEY AND THEN CHANGE IT.

10. BOOST SPEED

THERE'S ONE TWEAK THAT WILL MAKE EVERY HOVER ACTION MUCH FASTER, FROM TOOLTIPS TO THE START MENU. NAVIGATE TO 'HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ CONTROL PANEL\MOUSE' AND TWEAK THE 'MOUSEHOVERTIME' VALUE. A WORD OF WARNING, THOUGH: NEVER CHOOSE 0 – IT'S COMPLETELY UNWORKABLE.

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WINDOWS 7 ACTIVATION HACK

WHEN INSTALLING WINDOWS 7 IT’S VERY PICKY ABOUT WHICH INSTALLATION DISC YOU USE (FULL VS. UPGRADE) AND IF IMPROPERLY MATCHED WITH YOUR KEY CAN PREVENT YOU FROM ACTIVATING YOUR COPY OF WINDOWS USUALLY RETURNING AN “INVALIPRODUCT KEY” ERROR MESSAGE. YOU MAY ALSO SEE THE SAME OR SIMILAR ERROR WHEN YOU DO A FULL, CLEAN INSTALLATION WITH AN UPGRADE DISC. THIS CAN BE VERY ANNOYING, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HAVE A LEGITIMATE KEY AND DISC BUT JUST DIDN’T INSTALL IT THE WAY MICROSOFT THINKS YOU SHOULD. IN THE EVENT THAT YOU ARE HAVING TROUBLE ACTIVATING YOUR WINDOWS 7 INSTALLATION WITH A LEGITIMATE KEY, TRY THE FOLLOWING REGISTRY HACK:

FIRST MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO PENDING TASKS REQUIRING A REBOOT. THIS IS INDICATED BY AN ORANGE SHIELD ICON NEXT TO YOUR SHUTDOWN BUTTON ON THE START MENU OR IN THE NOTIFICATION TRAY.

OPEN THE REGISTRY EDITOR (START -> SEARCH FOR “REGEDIT” AND HIT ENTER)

NAVIGATE TO THE FOLLOWING REGISTRY KEY:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURRENTVERSION\SETUP\OOBE

DOUBLE CLICK ON MEDIABOOTINSTALL IN THE RIGHT PANE AND CHANGE “VALUE DATA” TO 0

OPEN A COMMAND PROMPT WITH ADMINISTRATIVE RIGHTS (START -> SEARCH FOR “CMD” AND HIT ENTER)

RUN THE FOLLOWING COMMAND TO RESET WINDOWS ACTIVATION STATUS:

SLMGR -REARM

REBOOT YOUR COMPUTER.

RUN THE ACTIVATE WINDOWS UTILITY (START -> SEARCH FOR “ACTIVATE WINDOWS”), ENTER YOUR UPGRADE PRODUCT KEY AND ACTIVATE WINDOWS.

NOTE: THIS ACTIvation hack will only work if you have a legitimatekey. This method wont help if you have a pirated copy of Windows.

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