Windows XP Registry Hacks

If you are a Microsoft Windows XP user and looking for few Registry Hacks, then you have arrived at the right place. I have listed few Windows XP registry hacks.

Remove shared documents folder from My Computer

Open Registry Editor by navigating to Start -> Run and type regedit and hit enter. Then navigate to the following registry entry

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\My Computer\NameSpace\DelegateFolders

Look for sub-key named {59031a47-3f72-44a7-89c5-5595fe6b30ee} and delete it. This will remove the shared documents folder.

Customize Internet Explorer Title bar

Open Registry Editor by navigating to Start -> Run and type regedit and hit enter. Then navigate to the following registry entry

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main

In right hand panel, look for string “Window Title” and change its value to whatever custom text you want to see.

How to remove recycle bin from your desktop

Open Registry Editor by navigating to Start -> Run and type regedit and hit enter. Then navigate to the following registry entry

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\
Desktop\NameSpace\{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}

Delete it. This will remove recycle bin from your desktop.

Speedup boot time by defragmenting all key boot files

Open Registry Editor by navigating to Start -> Run and type regedit and hit enter. Then navigate to the following registry entry

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Dfrg\BootOptimizeFunction

In right hand panel look for Enable. Right click on it and set the value as ‘Y’ for enable. After doing this, you will see considerable decrease in boot time.

Improving shutdown time by closing apps quickly

Open Registry Editor by navigating to Start -> Run and type regedit and hit enter. Then navigate to the following registry entry

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\CONTROL PANEL\Desktop

Look for AutoEndTasks and change the default value 0 to 1.

That's it. You can further reduce the time it takes for Windows to issue kill all active/hung applications by changing the value of WaitToKillAppTimeout to say 3500. Make sure the HungAppTimeout is greater than WaitToKillAppTimeout since the default value for HungAppTimeout 5000 and for WaitToKillAppTimeout its 20000.