Tweaking Optimizing Windows.pdf - GEGeek

Right-click in the right hand pane, click New, and select DWORD Value. Name it 'NoSaveSettings'
Now right-click on it, choose Modify, and type 1 in the Value data box.
Click OK and exit the Registry Editor.
All future windows settings will be from now on those you specified BEFORE creating the new "NoSaveSettings" Registry value, and
can be changed ONLY temporarily. Next time you open that same window, its settings will revert back to the ones you started with,
before this Registry change. To reenable permanent settings changes again, goto the same Registry key above, right-click on
"NoSaveSettings", choose Modify, and change its Value data to 0.
46. Clear Internet Explorer Typed URL History
Internet Explorer caches any URL's that are typed into the address bar. This could become a privacy issue on a shared computer, or
it may become a nuisance if there is a particular URL you want to remove without clearing the whole history. Open your registry and
find the key below and delete any value you want to remove.
Registry Settings:
Key: [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\TypedURLs]
47. Dlls and Exes to Read only
Make all your dll's, exe's and com files read only. If you make all your application files (EXE) and dll's read only it will make your
system more secure because normally trojans and viruses don't have any built in routines to change attributes of the files they are
designed to modify - they can't modify a read only file without first changing its attributes. There are reasons viruses and trojans
don't try to change the attributes
- Virus programmers usually don't think anyone would make all their exe & dll files read only and don't write code to deal with that
obstacle.
- Even if they think about it, the goal of all viruses is to keep them as small as possible so they are harder to detect. Adding
routines to change attributes increases the size of the programs. When an exe or dll or com file can't be modified the virus can't
spread. BUT even better... If something tries to modify a read only file Windows usually pops up a notice and that would tip you
that something suspicious was going on. If you try to delete a folder that has read only files you will be prompted with a second
confirmation and this extra step helps to avoid mistakes of accidentally deleting the wrong files or folders.
48. Turn off auto-insert notification on all cd drives
Do this from control panels\system\devicemanager - click on each of your cd drives and goto properties\settings and uncheck auto
insert notification. I have seen some commercial magazine disks that try to execute a virus automatically when a disc is inserted
into your machine. Although a good virus checker would detect this.
In NT you will have to do this through the registry.
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\CDRom]
Change to value of 'Autorun', or create a new DWORD value if it doesn't already exist, and set the data to equal '0' for Autorun
disabled. Restart your computer. For example, the setting may look like: Autorun 0x00000000 (0)
49. Stop .reg files from being automatically run
This next registry entry changes the way a .reg file is handled. If a .reg is opened normally it would ask you 'are you sure you want
to add details to the registry' and when a .reg is run with the /s switch it wouln't ask you it would just add the details anyway. This
reg file changes the behaviour of a reg file, so if it is executed it will only edit the file and not import it into the registry. To merge
the Registry file into your Registry, you will need to right-click on it and select Merge.
-----Begin cut & paste here-----
REGEDIT4
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\regfile\shell]
@="edit"
------End cut & paste here------
50. Spyware
Run 'Ad-Aware' program to fight the spying that a least 100 or so programs are known to do. (I do this mainly to save the band
width wasted by the data and banner ads that are passing back and forth.) www.lavasoft.de
Also check out SpyBot from http://spybot.safer-networking.de/
51. Create a shortcut to lock computer
This works in XP and probably NT and 2000. Right click on desktop and select new -> shortcut. Then copy and paste this in the
program location box "rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation" Click next and enter a name for you shortcut and then click finish.
Now you can copy and paste that shortcut anywhere you want on your computer.
52. Physically secure and protect your servers and critical workstations
Quite simply lock them up - password protect consoles, lock them away in secure fireproof halon strong rooms which are alarmed
and have security cameras inside. Make sure rooms have no windows and no roof or any access of any kind apart from one
security door. The secure door must be very strong and protected with multiple entry systems e.g. keycard access with codepunch
and/or fingerprint/retina scan recognition systems - you get the idea...
53. XP Permissions
Sharing of files and folders can be managed in two ways. If you chose simplified file sharing, your folders can be shared with
everyone on your network or workgroup, or you can make your folders private. (This is how folders are shared in Windows 2000.)
However, in Windows XP Professional, you can also set folder permissions for specific users or groups.
To do this, you must first change the default setting, which is simple file sharing. Open Control Panel, click Tools, and then click
Folder Options. Click the View tab, and scroll to the bottom of the Advanced Settings list. Clear the Use simple file sharing
(Recommended) check box. To manage folder permissions, browse to the folder in Windows Explorer, right-click the folder, and
then click Properties. Click the Security tab, and assign permissions, such as Full Control, Modify, Read, and/or Write, to specific