Change your Computer Name on network

Get ready to think of some high quality appealing name for your
computer so that when you apply that, everybody else on the network
would identify you by that name.

To achieve this travel to following registry key through Registry
editor:

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\ComputerName\ComputerName

Then selecting the 'ComputerName' Key in left pane of registry editor,
you would find the entry in right pane as 'ComputerName'.



This name is your computers name on network, change this to whatever
that you want. And you are through to it.

Recover the lost product ID for Windows Installation

Ever imagined, that you lost your Windows product ID and later
due to some unexpected reasons your windows installation got
corrupt as a result some files went missing and finally you need
to perform reinstallation.
Then how are you going to install it back again without Product ID.

Usually when we install the Windows its ID is stored in Registry.

To get back this ID, travel to following path;

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\

Then selecting the 'CurrentVersion' key in left pane, find for the
entry 'ProductID' in right pane.
And there it is the ID you wanted.



Alternatively you can also get your product ID by right clicking on
the 'My Computers' icon on Desktop or Start Menu.
And then uder the General tab you would find your product ID at
lower section of dialog box as shown below.



So now keep it safe, may be next time even your computer won't boot,
to recover it.

Change taskbar clock AM & PM text

This is the one of the best registry tweak available.
In this tweak we change the AM and PM that is shown in taskbar
clock to some other name.



To achieve this follow steps given below:

1. Travel to following key in registry editor
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\International\
2. Now select the 'International' key in left pane and search for
the following two entries in right pane of registry editor.
s1159 - for changing AM
s2359 - for changing PM
3. Once you have found this entries now double click it to change
the text.

Remember it only accepts characters of minimum six letters even
if you try to stuff more, only first six will be displayed.

Enjoy the tweak, please let me know in case you are finding
some problems.

Disable all Balloon tips in Windows

I always felt it wary about those balloon tips in Windows task bar for
'low disk space', 'new hardware', etc.

The following small registry tweak can disable these balloon tips:

Go to following registry key

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
\Explorer\Advanced

and then in right pane search for entry 'EnableBalloonTips' and if it is
not present then add the DWORD entry and name it as ' EnableBalloonTips'.

Once this is done then add the value to it as '0' (zero in number).

If you want to enable it again than change the value to '1'.

Remember the key and entry names are Case Sensitive.

Shortcut to open Registry Editor

Now to open the Registry editor no need of going to Start Menu > Run.
One can create a shortcut on desktop to open the Registry Editor
follow the steps given blow:

1. Open the Notepad and copy the following code snippet:

'Open Registry Editor
'from http://www.technoglitters.blogspot.com
Option Explicit
On Error Resume Next

Dim WSHShell
Set WSHShell=Wscript.CreateObject("Wscript.Shell")
WSHShell.Run "REGEDIT"

Set WSHShell = Nothing

2. Once this is done now save the file as 'Open_Registry.vbs'
(without quotes) remember to make the file type option in
Save As dialog box to 'All files'
3. Now you can create as many shortcuts for these files as possible.
4. Since this is script file, some Antivirus or antispyware softwares
may report abuse, but override the rules and allow it to run and
enjoy the Registry Editor at click of you mouse.

Start Button Context Menu

Using this tweak, you can run applications from the context menu
of the start button, i.e. by right clicking on the start button.

Open the registry from Start Menu > Run > regedit and follow the path:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Shell Key.

Right click on Shell Key, and create a new sub-key named after the
program you want to associate it with, say, Notepad. Now select this key
and create another sub-key named 'Command' and set its 'Default' entry
value as the path to the executable for example 'C:\windows\notepad.exe'.

Now if you right click on Start Menu you will see new entry for launching
Notepad.

Related Limks:
Add 'Copy To' and 'Move To' in Context Menu

Create 'Copy To' and 'Move To' in context menu

When you right click you get a menu called Context menu.
This tweak shows how you can add two useful entries to it namely
'Copy To' and 'Move To'.
Therefore copying and moving files can be done in two steps.

To add 'Copy To' option, go to Registry and follow the following path;
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers
and right click ContextMenuhandlers and create a new key called
'Copy To' (without quotes).
Select the key you created in right pane, modify the value of default
entry to '{C2FBB630-297111d1A18C00C04FD75D13}' (without quotes).
Similarly, navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers
and create a sub-key named 'Copy To' and give the same default value
as above.

To add 'Move to' option duplicate the above mentioned steps, but rename
the sub-keys as 'Move To' and the default values as
'{C2FBB631-2971-11d1-A18C-00C04FD75D13}'.

Now when you right click on any file or folder - except on the desktop
you will get two more options for 'Copy To' and 'Move To'.
Thia may require a windows restart or simply press F5 after modifying
to refresh the changes in registry.

Run commands

Accessibility Controls
access.cpl

Add Hardware Wizard
hdwwiz.cpl

Add/Remove Programs
appwiz.cpl

Administrative Tools
control admintools

Automatic Updates
wuaucpl.cpl

Bluetooth Transfer Wizard
fsquirt

Calculator
calc

Certificate Manager
certmgr.msc

Character Map
charmap

Check Disk Utility
chkdsk

Clipboard Viewer
clipbrd

Command Prompt
cmd

Component Services
dcomcnfg

Computer Management
compmgmt.msc

Date and Time Properties
timedate.cpl

DDE Shares
ddeshare

Device Manager
devmgmt.msc

Direct X Control Panel (If Installed)*
directx.cpl

Direct X Troubleshooter
dxdiag

Disk Cleanup Utility
cleanmgr

Disk Defragment
dfrg.msc

Disk Management
diskmgmt.msc

Disk Partition Manager
diskpart

Display Properties
control desktop

Display Properties
desk.cpl

Display Properties (w/Appearance Tab Preselected)
control color

Dr. Watson System Troubleshooting Utility
drwtsn32

Driver Verifier Utility
verifier

Event Viewer
eventvwr.msc

File Signature Verification Tool
sigverif

Findfast
findfast.cpl

Folders Properties
control folders

Fonts
control fonts

Fonts Folder
fonts

Free Cell Card Game
freecell

Game Controllers
joy.cpl

Group Policy Editor (XP Prof)
gpedit.msc

Hearts Card Game
mshearts

Iexpress Wizard
iexpress

Indexing Service
ciadv.msc

Internet Properties
inetcpl.cpl
IP Configuration (Display Connection Configuration) ipconfig /all
IP Configuration (Display DNS Cache Contents) ipconfig /displaydns
IP Configuration (Delete DNS Cache Contents) ipconfig /flushdns
IP Configuration (Release All Connections) ipconfig /release
IP Configuration (Renew All Connections) ipconfig /renew
IP Configuration (Refreshes DHCP & Re-Registers DNS) ipconfig /registerdns
IP Configuration (Display DHCP Class ID) ipconfig /showclassid
IP Configuration (Modifies DHCP Class ID) ipconfig /setclassid

Java Control Panel (If Installed)
jpicpl32.cpl

Java Control Panel (If Installed)
javaws

Keyboard Properties
control keyboard

Local Security Settings
secpol.msc

Local Users and Groups
lusrmgr.msc

Logs You Out Of Windows
logoff

Mcft Chat
winchat

Minesweeper Game
winmine

Mouse Properties
control mouse

Mouse Properties
main.cpl

Network Connections
control netconnections

Network Connections
ncpa.cpl

Network Setup Wizard
netsetup.cpl

Notepad
notepad

Nview Desktop Manager (If Installed)
nvtuicpl.cpl

Object Packager
packager

ODBC Data Source Administrator
odbccp32.cpl

On Screen Keyboard
osk

Opens AC3 Filter (If Installed)
ac3filter.cpl

Password Properties
password.cpl

Performance Monitor
perfmon.msc

Performance Monitor
perfmon

Phone and Modem Options
telephon.cpl

Power Configuration
powercfg.cpl

Printers and Faxes
control printers

Printers Folder
printers

Private Character Editor
eudcedit

Quicktime (If Installed)
QuickTime.cpl

Regional Settings
intl.cpl

Registry Editor
regedit

Registry Editor
regedit32

Remote Desktop
mstsc

Removable Storage
ntmsmgr.msc

Removable Storage Operator Requests
ntmsoprq.msc

Resultant Set of Policy (XP Prof)
rsop.msc

Scanners and Cameras
sticpl.cpl

Scheduled Tasks
control schedtasks

Security Center
wscui.cpl

Services
services.msc

Shared Folders
fsmgmt.msc

Shuts Down Windows
shutdown

Sounds and Audio
mmsys.cpl

Spider Solitare Card Game
spider

SQL Client Configuration
cliconfg

System Configuration Editor
sysedit

System Configuration Utility
msconfig
System File Checker Utility (Scan Immediately) sfc /scannow
System File Checker Utility (Scan Once At Next Boot) sfc /scanonce
System File Checker Utility (Scan On Every Boot) sfc /scanboot
System File Checker Utility (Return to Default Setting) sfc /revert
System File Checker Utility (Purge File Cache) sfc /purgecache
System File Checker Utility (Set Cache Size to size x) sfc /cachesize=x

System Properties
sysdm.cpl

Task Manager
taskmgr

Telnet Client
telnet

User Account Management
nusrmgr.cpl

Utility Manager
utilman

Windows Firewall
firewall.cpl

Windows Magnifier
magnify

Windows Management Infrastructure
wmimgmt.msc

Windows System Security Tool
syskey

Windows Update Launches
wupdmgr

Windows XP Tour Wizard
tourstart

Wordpad
wordpad