PLEASE READ - All the registration (.reg) files here can be edited once you unzip them, to do so, unzip the file to some directory, right click on it & select Edit. You may find it useful for informational purposes & for creating your own registry “patches”.

NOTE - This was prepared on a Windows98 Second edition system, although many of the tweaks work on Windows95 as well.

I’ll begin by showing you how to backup & restore your registry before you actually move onto making any changes to it.

Backing up the registry

It is always a good idea to keep backup copies of your registry just in case you need to restore to a previous setting. From the ever-helpful Microsoft Knowledge Base:

When you start your computer successfully, Windows Registry Checker (Scanreg.exe) creates a backup of system files and registry configuration information (including user account information, protocol bindings, software program settings, and user preferences) once daily. Files that Windows Registry Checker backs up include System.dat, User.dat, System.ini, and Win.ini.

First you should customize what the Windows Registry Checker will & won’t do. Open your C:\Windows\Scanreg.ini file. The Scanreg.ini file contains the entries that determine how the Registry Checker tool makes backup copies of your registry. Edit the x values of the settings below.

Backup=x, a value of 1 causes a backup copy of your registry to be made the first time you start your computer on any given day (determined by the system clock). A value of 0 disables the backing up of the registry.

Optimise=x, a value of 1 automatically optimises your current registry if it contains 500KB+ of unused space. A value of 0 does not automatically optimise your current registry by removing unused space.

MaxBackupCopies=x, use this value to set the maximum amount of registry backups, e.g. a value of 5 saves the last 5 registry backups in the Windows\Sysbckup folder. This value can be between 0 and 99.

NOTE: When you restore a registry backup using Registry Checker for MS- DOS (scanreg), only the five earliest backups are displayed.

BackupDirectory=x, by default this entry does not contain a value, and registry backups are automatically saved in the Windows\Sysbckup folder. If for some reason you wish to change where the backup is stored then use this to do so. E.g. If you want to change it to you C:\Backup directory then you would have BackupDirectory=C:\Backup. I’d suggest just leaving the backup directory in its default location.

Files=x, this entry does not exist by default, and is used to specify additional files you want to back up in the .cab file. To specify additional files to be backed up, type Files=<folder code>, <file name>, where <folder code> is the numerical code for the folder in which the file you want to back up is located, and <file name> is the name of the file you want to back up. If you want to back up multiple files in the same location, separate each file name using a comma (,) & no spaces.

The following table lists the possible folder codes:

Folder code             Folder

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

10            <windows> (e.g., Windows)

11            <windows>\System (for example, Windows\System)

30            Root folder (for example, c:\)

31            Root host folder (for example, c:\)

E.g. if you want to back up the 3d Maze.scr and Actmovie.exe files located in the Windows\System folder, type the following line:

Files=11,3d maze.scr, actmovie.exe

If you want to back up the Asd.log file located in the root folder of your C drive, type the following line:

Files=30,asd.log

Running scanreg

To run Scanreg in windows do the following. Click on Start, Run & type in C:\Windows\Scanregw.exe. This is where scanregw is located by default, so change it if your Windows directory is located elsewhere.

Hit Ok & scanregw will be launched & will check your registry for errors. When finished (it only takes about 10 seconds to scan for errors) you will be given the options, Yes or No, simply choose if you would like to backup the registry or not.

Scanreg however can be made do this during bootup. Open regedit (click on Start, Run, type in regedit) & go to [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]. Add a new String value entitled Registry checker (or whatever you want to call it) & give it a value of scanregw.exe /autorun & select Ok. Now when you reboot your PC the Registry checker will run & make backups/optimization as you have set out in your Scanreg.ini.

Restoring up the registry

Click Start, and then Shut Down. Select Restart in MS-DOS mode, and then click Ok.

At the MS-DOS prompt, type scanreg /restore & hit enter. When you do so, you can choose up to five registry backup files listed for you to restore.

When you receive notification that you restored a properly working registry, press ENTER to restart your computer. Following this procedure will restore your registry to its state when you last successfully started your computer.

Every time you restart your computer, the Registry Checker scans your registry, and if it finds a problem, it automatically replaces the damaged registry with the most recent backup copy. By default, registry backups are stored in the Windows\Sysbckup folder as Rb0<nn>.cab files, where <nn> is a number between 00 and 99.

Now that you know how to backup/restore your registry it’s time to start editing the registry.

Troubleshooting MS-DOS Compatibility Mode on Hard Disks/Drives

If the Performance tab in System properties (right click on My computer, select Properties) shows that one or more of the hard disks in your computer is using MS-DOS Compatibility mode. MS-DOS compatibility mode may be in use for either the file system or for virtual memory. You may receive the following message:

Compatibility Mode Paging reduces overall system performance

1. Open Regedit, go to [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CURRENTCONTROLSET\SERVICES\VXD\IOS].
2. Delete the NOIDE entry if it exists here.
3. Exit Regedit.
4. If no such entry exists, remove any references from your config.sys & autoexec.bat. Back them up before deleting entries.

Restart for changes to take effect. The error message should be gone now.

Windows Media player DVD playback

This tweak will allow you to play DVD movies using Windows media player. Open [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Player\Settings], right click in the right pane & select New, String value entitled EnableDVDUI. Give it a value of yes. Restart your PC & insert a DVD disk into your DVD drive, open Media player, click on File & Open DVD. Enjoy. Alternatively, you can download the file here.

Smooth scrolling

You’ll need Microsoft Word 97 to use this. This will enhance the scrolling function in Word. The scrolling will be much smoother than before & you can pull up & down on the sidebar & actually see where you are going, before you had to release the bar to move to the location. Unzip this file & double click the file within, it'll ask to add the data to your registry, click Yes/Ok & it'll confirm the data has been added.

Miscellaneous

Next up here's one that disables those annoying beeps getting played when some error occurs (Errors bring up the error dialog box all the same though). Get it.

Next up, ever try to create a shortcut to something. Only to find it always has "shortcut to" at the start of it. This file disables the "shortcut to" being put into the name. Sweet ehhhh.

This will optimise the contiguous file allocation size for the file system in Windows. This will help out during disk intensive applications. Get it here.

BIOS information

Here’s how to find out detailed information on your BIOS, go into [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Enum\Root\*PNP0C01\0000]. You'll then be able to see the BIOS date, version number & name.

Hiding drives

These next settings are useful if you want to restrict a person’s access while on your computer or removing unneeded menus/commands for yourself.

Open this key, [HKEY_USERS\DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer]. In this key you can add/edit entries too allow you to hide/show certain drives on your system. Select from the following list as you see fit, if any. Add a new DWORD value. Use a value of 1 to apply the restriction & a value of 0 to remove the restrictions.

NoNetHood, removes the Network Neighbourhood icon from the desktop & connected computers will no longer appear in My Computer or Windows Explorer.

NoDrives, & give it a value of 1 if you want to hide the A: drive from My computer & Windows Explorer.

Next open this key [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\]. Add a new DWORD value. Use a value of 1 to enable the restriction & a value of 0 to remove the restriction.

NoEntireNetwork, removes the Entire Network icon from Network Neighborhood. This limits the display to that of local workgroups.

NoWorkgroupContents, removes the icons for the local workgroups.

Icon cache

Windows stores Icons it displays in a cache file called ShellIconCache. This allows icons to appear quickly, as Windows doesn’t have to load the icons from programs that contain them. However, by default the cache holds 512 icons. Once the cache is full Windows it gets destroyed & begins again. When this happens desktop activity slows to a crawl & the desktop will most likely redraw. Increasing the Icon Cache size will decrease the amount of times this may happen in a session.

Open this key [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer]. Add a New string value entitled Max Cached Icons. The default value is 512. You should increase this value. I’d recommend doubling it to 1024. The maximum value for this is 2000 & minimum is 100 according to Microsoft.

Start menu customizing

You can customize what is shown on your Start menu using the following tweaks. This can be a very useful way of limiting/restricting a person’s access while on your computer or removing unneeded menus/commands for yourself. Open [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer].

Add a new DWORD value. Use a value of 1 to disable/remove the option in the Start menu, & a value of 0 to leave the option enabled in the Start menu. You can choose from the list below which ones to remove.

NoCommonGroups, this removes the commands in the Common program group on the Start menu.

NoRecentDocsMenu, removes the Documents menu from the Start menu.

NoFavoritesMenu, removes the Favourites menu from the Start menu.

NoFind, this removes the Find command from the Start menu.

NoRun, this removes the Run command from the Start menu.

NoClose, this removes the Shutdown command on the Start menu.

NoSetTaskbar, this removes the Taskbar command in the Settings sub-folder on the Start menu. It will also prevent a user from making changes to the taskbar by right clicking on the taskbar & selecting Properties.

Cascading control panel

Right click on Start, select Open. Click on File, New then New Folder. Cut & paste in this as the name Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}. You will now get a Start menu that appears as shown below. This will offer faster access to your Control Panel applets.

Internet connection

NOTE – Setting the MSS (Maximum segment size) is only to be done in Windows NT, it is pointless setting it in Windows 95/98 as it cannot use it.

Finding MTU

It is best to use the MaxMTU that your ISP allows you to use. In order to find out your ISP's MTU. Take the following steps.

1. Open up Dial-up Networking & right click on your connection, selecting Properties. In the General tab, select Configure.
2. Select the Options tab.
3. Put a tick in the Bring up terminal window after dialling. Click Ok twice & exit. Now connect to your ISP. You'll be asked to login with your username & password.

4.     Once confirmed you'll be able to see the MaxMTU that your ISP uses. You can now use that number instead of the one shown for MaxMTU.

NOTE – Substitute in your own ISP’s MTU over my figures here where applicable. You should also use the same MTU setting for all values/calculations below.

Optimising the connection

Open the following [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\VxD\MSTCP].

Right click in the right hand side of it. click on New & String value. Make 2, one called DefaultRcvWindow & the other DefaultTTL. Once they have been created right click on each of them select "Modify". For DefaultRcvWindow I suggest using 4380, 3*(MTU-40) & for DefaultTTL 32.

Now change the MTU & MSS (Maximum transmission unit & Maximum segment size). Windows is optimized for Network connections & not for people using modems to connect to the Internet. To do so, follow the steps below.

1. You have to find the details of your Dial-Up Adapter.
2. Find the key [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Enum\Root\Net\000x] and within there will be one or more sub-keys such as 0000, 0001 ...
3. Open each key and find the one that contains the value of 'DeviceDesc' equal to 'Dial-Up Adapter'.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. In this key you will find a value called 'Driver' and it will be equal to something similar to 'NetTrans\0000'. Take note of this four-digit number and use it in the next step.
7. 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.
8. Within this key create a new string value named MaxMTU and set it to 1500, and also add a string value named MaxMSS and set it to 1460. The MaxMSS (read note at top) should always be the MaxMTU minus 40.
9. Next go into [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Class\Net\
   000x\Ndi\params\IPMTU\enum], in here you will find values for Automatic, Large, Medium, Small. Right click in the right hand side of the box & make a new String value, 1500, right click it & select modify, type in Automatic then click ok. Delete all the other values there, e.g. Large - Small & the other Automatic (if any).
10. Now go into [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Class\Net\000x]. Right click on IPMTU & select modify, change this value to whatever your current MTU you (e.g. 1500).
11. Go into [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\
    Services\Class\Net\0000\Ndi\params\IPMTU], change the default value to your current MTU.
12. Then exit the registry and restart your computer.

You can change the above settings as necessary.

Timeouts

This little tweak will reduce the amount of Timeouts you may experience.

1. Open Regedit, go to [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Class\Net\000x].
2. In the right hand pane, right click on Slownet & select modify, change the value to 00.

Higher DTE rate

Another speed enhancement is setting a higher DTE rate for your modem. To do so, follow these steps. NOTE – Your modem may not support Port speeds higher than 115200 so if it doesn’t work don’t worry about it.

1. Open up the following registry key. [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Class\Modem\000x\]. Replacing x with the number that is there.
2. Right click on the entry entitled Properties, as shown in the picture below, & select Modify.

3. In the fourth line, beginning with 0018, modify the values I have highlighted to the values shown.

4. This will allow you to select a Maximum speed of 230400 from the modem control panel.

Select a lower speed if you encounter any problems.

Filing system

1. You may change your Windows filing system options this way, e.g. Desktop, Network server.
2. Open Regedit, go to [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\FS Templates\].
3. Add a new key called Optimal. Add two new binary values in that key with the names NameCache and PathCache.
4. I would recommend using values somewhere in-between the values are for "Desktop" and "Network Server". The optimal values would be 00 08 00 00 for NameCache and 30 00 00 00 for PathCache (2048 filenames and 48 pathnames).
5. Close Regedit & right click on My Computer, selecting Properties.
6. Click on the Performance tab, select the File System button & you will now find the Optimal setting in the drop down box.
7. Select it, click on Ok then restart the PC.

Cleaning the registry

First off if you are using Windows 95, a version older than OSR2, you'll need to get this. Just unzip it & run the file in it, this fixes regedit errors in Windows 95 & is essential. It can be deleted once you've run it. Reboot after it’s used.

The registry can be full of empty links & registries that are cluttering up your registry. I recommend downloading EasyCleaner, by Toniarts & let it do it for you. It can even check for unnecessary files too. Use this regularly to clean up your systems registry & other potentially unneeded files.

Another program to use is Microsoft’s regclean. Use this to scan for invalid entries as well. It creates an undo file in case you need to restore the registry with the removed entries. Simply double click the undo file to add the information back.

Optimising the registry

Once you’ve found & removed all invalid entries the next step is to compress/optimise the registry. Deleting entries doesn’t change the size of the registry until you compress it. Compressing it removes any unused space, making it smaller & faster.

There’s an easy way & a not so easy way to compress the Windows registry. First we’ll do it the easy way. You’ll only need to use the not-so-easy-way if you are on Windows95.

The easy way

1. If you have Windows 98, restart in MS-DOS mode.
2. Type in CD\WINDOWS & press enter.
3. Type in scanreg /opt & press enter (The /opt command-line switch causes the Registry Checker tool to optimise the registry by removing unused space). You can read more scanreg options here.
4. Type in win & press enter to restart Windows.

Not so easy way

In order to do this you'll need to download fixreg. This will check & correct any errors that may arise when re-importing the compressed registry.

1. Delete as many unnecessary files as you can, e.g. delete the Windows\Temp folder of its contents, not the folder itself.

2. Run regclean, then EasyCleaner, removing invalid registry entries with them. Then restart your PC in MS-DOS mode.

3. Type CD\WINDOWS & press enter to go into your Windows directory.

4. Type SMARTDRV.EXE & press enter, this may speed up the next few processes a little.

5. Enter in regedit /e old.reg & press Enter, this will export the registry into your Windows directory, the file being called old.reg.

6. Enter in regedit /c old.reg & press Enter, this will import a compressed version of the registry, i.e. old.reg.

7. Type win & press enter, this will load up Windows.

8. Load up Fixreg & select the old.reg file. This will make sure that no errors occurred during the importation of old.reg.

Conclusion

Your registry will now be optimized & contain a lot of useful tweaks to it. This will improve speed & is also a useful way of restricting/limiting user access on your PC. It’s also a great way of enhancing functionality in Windows.

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