Automatic Window Refresh

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HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Update. Value Name: UpdateMode, Data Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value), Value Data: default = 1. Create a new DWORD value, or modify the existing value, named "UpdateMode" and set it to equal "0" for faster updates. Restart Windows for the change to take effect.

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Restrict Applications Users Can Run

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HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer. Value Name: RestrictRun Open your registry and find the key [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion \Policies\Explorer] Create a new DWORD value and name it "RestrictRun" set the value to "1" to enable application restrictions or "0" to allow all applications to run.

Then create a new sub-key called [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion \Policies\Explorer\RestrictRun] and define the applications that are allowed. Creating a new string value for each application, named as consecutive numbers, and setting the value to the filename to be allowed (e.g. "regedit.exe"). Restart Windows for the changes to take effect.

Note: If you are the person who applies Group Policy, do not apply this policy to yourself. If applied too broadly, this policy can prevent administrators from running Group Policy or the registry editors. As a result, once applied, you cannot change this policy except by reinstalling Windows.

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Enable Path Command Line Completion

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HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Command Processor] Value Name: PathCompletionChar Data Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value) Value Data: Hex Control Character Create a new DWORD value, or modify the existing value, called 'PathCompletionChar' and set it to equal the hex value of the required control character.

For example to use the TAB key set the value to '9', to use Ctrl-D set the value to '4' and for Ctrl-F set the value to '6'. Now when you are using a command prompt and type the first part of a directory name then press the specified key, Windows will complete the remainder for you. Pressing the key multiple times will scroll through the available options.

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Restrict Users from Running Specific Applications

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HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer.Value Name: DisallowRun
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion \Policies\Explorer] Create a new DWORD value and name it "DisallowRun" set the value to "1" to enable application restrictions or "0" to allow all applications to run.

Then create a new sub-key called [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Explorer\DisallowRun] and define the applications the are to be restricted. Creating a new string value for each application, named as consecutive numbers, and setting the value to the filename to be restriced (e.g. "regedit.exe"). Restart Windows for the changes to take effect.

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Control Automatic Boot Disk Optimization

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HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Dfrg\ BootOptimizeFunction. Value Name: Enable, Data Type: REG_SZ (String Value), Value Data: (Y = enabled, N = disabled). Create a new String value, or modify the existing value, called 'Enable' and edit the value according to the settings below. Exit your registry, you may need to restart or log out of Windows for the change to take effect.

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View Which Hot Fix Patches Have Been Installed

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HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\ CurrentVersion\Hotfix. Periodically Microsoft releases Hot Fix's to patch bugs in Windows and other products, this key contains information about which Hot fix's have been installed.

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Change Default Search Options

Start/Run/Regedit
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Explorer. Data Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value), Value Data: (0 = unselected, 1 = selected). Modify the following values, setting them to "1" to select the parameter as a default or "0" as unselected. CaseSensitive, IncludeSubFolders, SearchHidden, SearchSlowFiles, SearchSystemDirs, Restart or logoff Windows for the change to take effect.

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