1. Start RegEdit (regedt32.exe)
2. Move down to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows NT/Current Version/Winlogin
3. Edit the following items:
   • LegalNoticeCaption
   • LegalNoticeText

Disable CD-ROM Auto-Run

1. Start RegEdit (regedt32.exe)
2. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/System/CurrentControlSet/Services/Cdrom
3. Edit the following item:
   • Autorun: set to 0 (zero.)

Automatically Login User When NT Boots

For NT 3.51:
Use REGEDT32.EXE, and search for the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon. Fill in the keys DefaultDomainName, DefaultUserName, and DefaultPassword with the values of the already-established Windows NT user. You may have to add the DefaultPassword key. Then choose Add Value from the menu and add a new key, named AutoAdminLogon. Select REG_SZ for the Data Type. Enter "1" (without the quotes) in the String field. Save the changes and restart - Windows NT should automatically log the system on as that user.

For NT 4.0:
The Method above does not work properly with NT 4.0. The easiest method is to simply download the Microsoft TWEAKUI powertoy. It has a tab labeled "NETWORK" that allows you to specify what user id and password you want NT 4.0 to automatically use for logging on during the boot process.

NOTE:
This can be a BIG security problem - only use it on machines that are physically secured.

Increase Your Login Security
By default, Windows NT 4.0 displays the name of the last person who logged on the system. This can pose a security threat, especially if a user's password can be guessed from the account name or the login environment. To turn this "feature" off take the following steps:

1. Launch the Registry editor. (regedt32)
2. Go to Hkey_Local_Machine key.
3. Locate the Subkey\Software\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon.
4. Select the ReportBootOK item.
5. Select Edit/New/String Value from the menu bar.
6. Type DontDisplayLastUserName for the string's name.
7. Double-click the new string to edit its value.
8. Change the value to 1.
9. Click OK.
10. Close the Registry editor.

Moving a Profile from Workgroup to a Domain
You've been using a workgroup setup and now are moving to a Domain setup. The users have desktop settings and you'd like to keep these when they login as a domain user but the settings are lost.

Log in with the local userID on the machine, open REGEDIT.EXE, select the \HKey_Current_Uuser key, and choose Registry|Export registry. The resulting .reg file can then be used by the user after he logs in to his domain account, just dbl-clicking on it. That will transfer the settings. Make sure he has full rights to his \HKey_Current_User key of the registry

Does Your CD-ROM Cycle a Lot
If your CD-ROM Changer cycles excessively, try out this tip below.

1. Set HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet \Services\Cdrom\Autorun to zero.
2. Set the "Start Up" of CD Audio in Control Panel / Devices to Manual. Press the Stop button (This may not be required on your installation.)
3. Create a shortcut to Explorer (set to minimized) and place it in your Startup folder. Leave it minimized. It will share the CD information with all other copies of Explorer that you open and with all properly written applications

Change that "Awful Green" Logon Background Color

• You can change the logon background color by altering the RGB values at:
• HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\Colors\Background
• If you set it to 0 0 0 you will have a black background,
• 255 255 255 is white, and
• 153 0 0 is this burgundy.

Set the IRQ of a PC-CARD
Windows NT has no GUI for setting up a PC-CARD's IRQ. You must edit the registry and enter an IRQ mask. Edit:

1. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Pcmcia
2. Add Value name InterruptMask of type REG_DWORD and set the RADIX to Binary. Enter the 16 digit mask.
3. The InterruptMask is composed of a series of binary switches, 0 means the IRQ is available and 1 means the IRQ is unavailable. Here is an example for allowing IRQs 10, 9, and 3:
   
   

Note:
When you click Ok, the mask would appear as f9f7 in the right hand pane. Exit regedt32 and reboot.

Change of Ownership
When you install Windows NT, it asks for the user and organization name. If you've inherited a system from some other user, or your company's name changed, you might need to change this data.

In the HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT \CurrentVersion key, update the two string values named RegisteredOwner and RegisteredOrganization with the correct info.

Recover from Registry Blunders
Before you delve into the NT Registry, make sure you set up a safety net. NT's backup program (NTBackup) and repair disk utilities (Rdisk) can help you recover if you make a serious error, but only if you use them beforehand.

Which NT Registry Editor?
The original registry editor, REGEDT32 understands features specific to the NT registry such as hives, security settings and environment-expanded values. It presents key values in a hard-to-read fashion, there are no right-click Context menus and the search function works only with key names. Starting with NT 4.0, the Windows 95 Registry Editor (RegEdit) is available for use with NT. RegEdit has much better features than those of REGEDT32.

No Backup? Then Go Back
If you crashed without a backup, you might be able to recover by using the Last Known Good option. Press the spacebar as NT is booting at the blue screen, and press L to boot with the last known good registry.

Automated Registry Edits
If you need to change Registry entries using batch files or other automated scripts, you can use REG files. Create REG files by using the Registry/Export Registry File option in RegEdit. Generally, you'll want to export only the smallest subtree of the Registry that you need. To restore the exported values to the Registry from a batch file, use the command line regedit/s myfile.reg.

Abolish Animations
You can turn off animation that shows windows popping to and from the taskbar by adding a string value named MinAnimate to the HKCU\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics key. Set the string value to 0 to turn off animations.

A Bin by Any Other Name...
Want to rename your Recycle Bin? Run RegEdit and use the Edit/ Find function to search for the string "Recycle Bin." The first or second occurrence you find should be in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT; you should see an entry that shows a default value of "Recycle Bin." Click the plus sign next to the key, then click on a subkey named ShellFolder. You'll see a binary value named Attributes. The first byte of Attributes is 40. Change it to 50, and you'll be able to rename the Recycle Bin immediately. Just right-click on the Recycle Bin icon and select Rename.

The Key to NumLock
Windows NT lets you decide if you want NumLock on or off whenever you log on. Find the key HKCU\ControlPanel\Keyboard and change the value for InitialKeyboardIndicators. Set the value to 0 to turn NumLock off; make the value 2 if you want NumLock on.

Change the Message
You can change the text displayed on the NT log-on screen above the user name and password. Set a string value at HKLM\Software\Microsoft \WindowsNT\Cur rentVersion\WinLogon\LogonPrompt to the message you want to display.

Shut Down Security
You could set your NT system to allow shutdown without anybody being logged on. Just set the string value HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT \CurrentVersion\WinLogon\ShutDownWithoutLogon. If you set the value to 1 then the Ctrl+Alt+Del menu shows a Shut Down button even when nobody is logged on. If you set the value to 0 then the button is grayed out.

Loath to Log On?
If you don't need NT log-on security, you can let NT log you on automatically. Create four new string values in the key HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WinLogon. The value Default DomainName should be the name of your domain, DefaultUserName should be your user name and DefaultPassword should be set to your password. Finally, set the string value AutoAdminLogon to 1. The next time you reboot, your system will automatically be logged in to the account you specified. Remember, this is insecure.

Increase L2 cache
Your system may come with more than 256k of L2 cache, but Windows NT may not be recognizing all of it! By default, NT sets the L2 cache to 256k (or less.) If your motherboard has more than that, it's time to dive into the registry. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ System \ CurrentControlSet \ Control \ Session Manager \ Memory Management. Find the following value name: SecondLevelDataCache. A data value of "0" is default, which sets the L2 cache to 256k. If you have a different amount installed, set its value in decimal form. If you have 512k cache, set the entry to 512 in decimal (200 in Hexadecimal.) It's almost like a free upgrade! Again, this only applies to workstations running Windows NT. If you have to ask what any (or all) of this means, please skip the tip.

Disable Icons in Control Panel
Use this Registry setting to disable the Display icon in Control Panel, as well as the Properties option when a user right-clicks on the desktop. By disabling these options, you will stop the user from changing settings that control monitor resolution as well as screen saver and wallpaper options. To disable this option for a user, open the Registry Editor and go to:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\System

Edit the value "NoDispCPL" (DWORD value) and set the value equal to "1"(without quotes) to disable the Display icon (if the value/key does not already exist, create it.) To re-enable the option, delete the above value or set the value to "0." The setting will take effect immediately and does not require a reboot.

Disable Virtual Memory Button
Use this Registry setting to hide the Virtual Memory button on the Performance tab under Control Panel > System. By hiding this button, you can prevent users from changing or disabling the machine's Virtual Memory setting, which can adversely effect the machine's performance. To set this option, open the Registry Editor and go to:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System

Edit/create the value "NoVirtMemPage" (String Value) and set the value to "1" (without quotes) to hide the Virtual Memory button, or "0" to display the button. The setting will take effect immediately and does not require a reboot.