List of Figures

Chapter 1: Learning the Basics

Figure 1-1: The registry is a hierarchical database that contains most of Windows XP's settings.

Figure 1-2: The registry enables local and remote administration.

Figure 1-3: When fooling around with bits, a binary 1 is the same thing as yes or true, and a binary 0 is the same thing as no or false. In other words, they are Boolean values.

Figure 1-4: If you're familiar with Windows Explorer, and I'll bet you are, you won't have any trouble understanding the registry's structure, which is similar to that of the file system.

Figure 1-5: When one key is linked to another, as in this example, the same subkeys and values appear in both places.

Figure 1-6: Three of the registry's root keys are links to subkeys in HKU and HKLM.

Figure 1-7: Each subkey in HKU contains an account's settings.

Chapter 2: Using the Registry Editor

Figure 2-1: Regedit is much easier to use when you maximize its window, which helps you to see the full names of subkeys and each value's data in its entirety.

Figure 2-2: Use fewer characters and partial matches to get more hits. Use more characters or require full matches to get fewer hits.

Figure 2-3: Bookmark your most-used keys to return to them quickly.

Figure 2-4: The format of Regedit's printer output is the same as the format that Regedit uses when exporting portions of the registry to a text file.

Figure 2-5: Make sure you choose which file format you want to use, regardless of the file extension you type in the File Name box.

Figure 2-6: Type a name that describes what the hive file contains.

Chapter 3: Backing up the Registry

Figure 3-1: Backing up values in the registry is like having a built-in revision tracking feature.

Figure 3-2: The key Backup Desktop Settings is a hive containing a backup copy of HKCU\Control Panel\Desktop\ that I've loaded into the registry.

Figure 3-3: TechSmith SnagIt is the best screen capture tool, and it works well with Windows XP.

Figure 3-4: Before continuing, make sure you save your documents and close any programs that are running. System Restore restarts your computer.

Figure 3-5: System Restore backs up all the hive files so it can restore them if necessary. Managing System Restore

Figure 3-6: Normal backup tapes contain all the server's files; incremental backup tapes contain only files that changed since the last normal or incremental backup.

Figure 3-7: Backup Or Restore Wizard is the default user interface for Backup Utility. If you'd rather use the classic user interface, click Advanced Mode on the first page.

Figure 3-8: Restoring system state data to an alternate location is the best choice if you want to restore a limited number of files or settings.

Chapter 4: Hacking the Registry

Figure 4-1: You can find interesting object classes by searching for ShellFolder subkeys that contain the value Attributes. Look for LocalizedString, too.

Figure 4-2: The NameSpace subkeys of Explorer\ControlPanel, Explorer\Desktop, and Explorer\MyComputer determine the contents of each corresponding folder.

Figure 4-3: By editing the registry, you can reorganize the contents of Windows Explorer.

Figure 4-4: A file extension key's default value indicates the program class with which it's associated. The program class's shell subkey contains commands you see on the shortcut menu.

Figure 4-5: When I hold the mouse pointer over the Registry Book folder, I see the text Manuscripts for my latest registry book.

Figure 4-6: Windows XP displays the programs you frequently use on the Start menu.

Chapter 5: Mapping Tweak UI

Figure 5-1: Many of these settings are in the Performance Options dialog box. Right-click My Computer, click Properties, and in the Performance area of the Advanced tab of the Properties dialog box, click Settings.

Figure 5-2: Use Tweak UI to find suitable values before trying to set mouse sensitivity values manually.

Figure 5-3: Make network document folders easily accessible by adding them to the places bar.

Figure 5-4: You don't need to download any search add-ins for Internet Explorer when using your favorite search engines is this easy.

Chapter 6: Using Registry-Based Policy

Figure 6-1: The Extended and Standard view tabs are new for Windows XP. Click the Extended tab to display help for the selected policy setting.

Figure 6-2: Registry-based policies start with administrative templates, which define the settings that are available and the location where they are stored in the registry.

Figure 6-3: Each policy has three states, Enabled, Disabled, or Not Configured, and some policies collect additional information.

Figure 6-4: Administrative templates, such as the one in this example, define the user interface for collecting settings that the editor stores in the file Registry.pol.

Figure 6-5: Use the PART keyword to collect additional data that further refines the policy.

Figure 6-6: Notice the warning that says the setting will tattoo the registry.

Figure 6-7: Help and Support Center's RSoP report contains the same type of information as Gpresult.exe, but it's more readable and more suitable for printing.

Figure 6-8: The RSoP snap-in is the best tool for figuring out the source of policy settings when multiple GPOs apply to a computer.

Chapter 7: Managing Registry Security

Figure 7-1: This dialog box is almost identical to the dialog box for file system security.

Figure 7-2: Special permissions give you finer control of a user or group's permissions to use a key, but assigning special permissions is generally unnecessary.

Figure 7-3: Audit keys sparingly because doing so can significantly impact performance.

Figure 7-4: You build templates with security templates, and you analyze and apply templates using Security Configuration And Analysis.

Figure 7-5: You can view and edit settings in this dialog box.

Chapter 8: Finding Registry Settings

Figure 8-1: RegView is an enhanced registry editor.

Figure 8-2: The two columns you see on the left side of the window represent the two files that you're comparing. These columns are a roadmap of the files' differences.

Figure 8-3: Word is effective at comparing large REG files, but much slower than WinDiff.

Figure 8-4: Auditing the registry helps you track down settings in the registry.

Figure 8-5: Regmon's window quickly fills up with uninteresting information. This is Regmon's window seconds after starting it.

Chapter 9: Scripting Registry Changes

Figure 9-1: The parameter byte indicates to which of a number's bytes you want to apply mask.

Figure 9-2: The only two types of files that create REG files are Registration Files (*.reg) and Win9x/NT4 Registration Files (*.reg).

Figure 9-3: You create a WSH file, which contains a script file's settings, by right-clicking the script, clicking Properties, and then clicking the Script tab.

Chapter 10: Deploying User Profiles

Figure 10-1: The subkeys of ProfileList contain a wealth of information about the user profiles that Windows XP has created, including their paths on the file system.

Figure 10-2: Windows XP loads Ntuser.dat into HKU\ SID and then links HKCU to it.

Figure 10-3: The user profile folders you see in this figure are the default folders in a clean installation of Windows XP.

Figure 10-4: Typing a path in the Profile Path box is all it takes to enable roaming user profiles.

Figure 10-5: These policies give you management control of how Windows XP uses profiles.

Figure 10-6: Copy the template user profile using this dialog box; don't copy the folder using Windows Explorer because doing so copies artifacts that you don't want in the profile.

Chapter 11: Mapping Windows Installer

Figure 11-1: Windows Installer Clean Up is a friendly interface for Msizap.

Chapter 12: Deploying with Answer Files

Figure 12-1: In addition to creating this folder structure, you must set OEMPreinstall=Yes in your Windows XP answer file.

Figure 12-2: Windows XP's Setup Manager is greatly improved over Windows 2000's version. Most of the changes are in its user interface, but encrypting the local administrator password is a new feature.

Chapter 13: Cloning Disks with Sysprep

Figure 13-1: Using disk imaging, you deploy the contents of a sample computer's hard disk to many other computers' hard disks. It's an effective way to deploy many desktops.

Figure 13-2: Earlier versions of Sysprep had no user interface, so this look and feel is truly new.

Chapter 14: Microsoft Office XP User Settings

Figure 14-1: Profile Wizard enables you to exclude settings for some Office XP programs and include settings for others. Clear the check boxes next to the settings you want to exclude.

Figure 14-2: Custom Installation Wizard is the primary tool you use to customize Office XP.

Figure 14-3: Custom Installation Wizard clears the Migrate User Settings check box if you include an OPS file in your MST file.

Figure 14-4: Custom Installation Wizard's Change Office User Settings page is very similar to System Policy Editor with the Office XP policy templates (ADM files) loaded.

Figure 14-5: You can also add programs to your installation by customizing the Office XP Setup.ini file.

Chapter 15: Working Around IT Problems

Figure 15-1: Prevent Windows XP from creating Outlook Express shortcuts by hiding StubPath.

Figure 15-2: Removing the value StubPath from the subkey {2C7339CF-2B09-4501-B3F3-F3508C9228ED} prevents Windows XP from configuring the new user interface.

Figure 15-3: Search the %SYSTEMROOT%\Inf folder for all files with the .inf extension that contain the name of the component you want to remove.

Figure 15-4: Without a Files And Settings Transfer Wizard shortcut on the Start menu, users will not usually try to run the wizard. Those who do will see an error message.

Figure 15-5: Scheduled Tasks is a useful way to run programs on remote computers with elevated privileges, particularly in one-off scenarios.

Figure 15-6: High security in combination with code signing protects your business from viruses.

Appendix A: File Associations

Figure A-1: The default values of file extension keys associate these keys with program classes.

Figure A-2: This figure shows the relationship of a program class's verbs to the shortcut menu.

Figure A-3: Add supplemental verbs to a program class by creating new subkeys in Shell.

Appendix B: Per-User Settings

Figure B-1: Associate sounds with events using the Sounds And Audio Devices Properties dialog box.

Figure B-2: Each subkey in Console is the title of a customized console window. You typically see this key only after starting a command prompt from the Run dialog box.

Figure B-3: After you've configured the settings in this dialog box, consider exporting them to a REG file so you can use the same settings on other computers.

Figure B-4: TechSmith SnagIt stores its settings in HKCU\Software\TechSmith\SnagIt\5.

Figure B-5: Customizing the key SearchURL is the ultimate shortcut for searching the Internet.

Figure B-6: High security in combination with code signing protects your business from viruses.

Appendix C: Per-Computer Settings

Figure C-1: You can't normally see the contents of the SAM key, but this figure shows what you do see if you give the Administrators group permission to read it.

Figure C-2: You associate client programs with Internet services by using the Programs tab.

Figure C-3: In an enterprise environment, blocking unsigned device drivers is the safest option.