WINXP - Changing Registry Entries

This article is about changing Registry entries, especially using filename.reg downloaded from WEB sites.

First, the WARNINGS:

1. If it ain't broke, don't fix it DEFIANTLY applies to the Registry


2. If you are NOT technically-incline, DO NOT DO THIS


3. Do NOT trust downloaded filename.reg files, open them in NOTEPAD FIRST and see what they change


4. Make a backup of the Registry Branch from the tree (left-pane) BEFORE executing the REG-file, using the [Export] option, and assign a unique filename (see example below)


5. Only AFTER you have a backup of the Registry Branch being changed, execute the filename.reg


6. Backing up the Registry Branch also applies to any manual changes you make

EXAMPLE file disablerefresh.reg:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced]
"NoNetCrawling"=dword:00000001

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer]
"Max Cached Icons"="12000"

The Registry Branches that should be backed-up in from example file above, are (see example screenshot)

• HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\


• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer

(click for better view)