Questions tagged [windows-registry]

Window registry is a hierarchical database that stores configuration settings and options on Microsoft Windows operating systems. It contains settings for low-level operating system components as well as the applications running on the platform: the kernel, device drivers, services, SAM, user interface and third party applications all make use of the Registry.

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How do you remove a default program association for file types in Windows 7?

I somehow have set the default file type association for a file type in Windows 7. It doesn't appear to be possible to delete it from the "Change the file type associated with a file extension" ...
Christothes's user avatar
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71 votes
4 answers
39k views

Which special variables are available when writing a shell command for a context menu

When extending the Windows' shell context menu (e.g. for adding an 'Open command here' prompt on directories), a 'command' key needs to be created in the registry. The value of this 'command' key ...
Gio's user avatar
  • 813
47 votes
9 answers
287k views

How to restore the Path environment variable I deleted?

I accidentally deleted the Path environment variable by creating a new one with Path name. How can I restore my old Path environment variable?
deno's user avatar
  • 471
44 votes
5 answers
320k views

How to reset shortcuts (.lnk file) in Windows 7?

Somehow I went to open a shortcut and Windows couldn't find the target but instead of pointing the shortcut to the .exe it pointed the .lnk file handler to the .exe, so now all my .lnk files are ...
Joel Barsotti's user avatar
40 votes
12 answers
5k views

Is it worth cleaning the registry?

I have heard that you should keep the registry clean on Windows. Is this actually important or is it just myth?
Jeff Yates's user avatar
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27 votes
7 answers
65k views

Where in the registry does Windows store with which program to open certain file types?

After installing Adobe PDF reader, it opens files with the .PDF file extension. Ones' default web browser opens .html files and notepad opens .txt files, etc. Where exactly in the registry are these ...
claws's user avatar
  • 4,319
14 votes
5 answers
84k views

Remapping a keyboard key in windows 8.1 [duplicate]

How can I remap keyboard keys in windows 8.1? I'm looking for a simple utility which will modify registry and would not require running at startup. I tried sharpkeys but, it does not seem to work in ...
Grishma U's user avatar
  • 241
9 votes
5 answers
45k views

Bypassing "Found New Hardware Wizard" / Setting Windows to Install Drivers Automatically

My motherboard finally died after the better part of a decade, so I bought a used system. I put my old hard-drive and sound-card in the new system, and connected my old keyboard and mouse (the rest of ...
Synetech's user avatar
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58 votes
2 answers
212k views

How to disable Windows 10 memory compression?

my former wrong assumption: it drains my notebook battery and I've no shortage of RAM. In Task manager you see ntoskrnl.exe is eating more CPU time than any other process. this feature does not appear ...
Falco Alexander's user avatar
29 votes
1 answer
102k views

Where does Windows store MSI files for uninstallation?

I'm trying to figure out how Windows (XP through 7) is handling installation and uninstallation of MSI files. I have come up in situations where Windows Installer is unable to uninstall because it's ...
Nilzor's user avatar
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23 votes
8 answers
107k views

What registry key or windows file determines where monitors are placed in a multi monitor environment?

I have a laptop with a USB to VGA adapter which allows me to add a third monitor to my laptop (the second monitor uses the onboard slot). It worked fine on Windows Vista - you could go into Windows' ...
user avatar
22 votes
4 answers
60k views

Where can I find Windows keyboard scancode registry information?

I am in the process of remapping some keys on my Windows 7 keyboard. I have done the following (in a .reg file): [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layout] "Scancode ...
enderland's user avatar
  • 1,988
18 votes
3 answers
42k views

Disable Hyperthreading in the Windows 7 registry

Some bios's Do Not have the option to disable Hyperthreading of the CPU, it there a way to disable it in the Windows 7 Registry? Or a tool or software? I know about msconfig boot tab (advanced ...
Moab's user avatar
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38 votes
2 answers
338k views

How do I modify the data of an existing registry key value name from cmd?

How do I modify an existing registry key value from cmd? There are a lot of options and switches, bells and whistles, for the Reg command. There are options to query, add, and delete keys, subkeys, ...
Samir's user avatar
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12 votes
1 answer
8k views

How can I display additional boot and shutdown information on the Windows 7 welcome screen?

There is a small tweak, I believe it is a registry key, that allows to display additional information on the Welcome and Shutting down screens of Windows 7 (and most likely Vista, too). I have ...
Daniel Saner's user avatar
10 votes
2 answers
117k views

How do I disable audio jack detection In Windows 10 without using Realtek HD Audio Manager?

I have a headphone jack with a broken sensor. The headphones are normally supposed to turn on when they're plugged in. Because the jack is broken, however, my computer only detects that my headphones ...
Strill's user avatar
  • 912
9 votes
5 answers
47k views

How to disable Google Chrome's Auto-update feature?

I am using Google Chrome. I re-installed it today as it was crashing when I start it. I guess may be that this was due to any of my Extensions or Google Update. I disabled my extensions but it was ...
TheRookierLearner's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
6k views

Adding key to registry

I would like to create a batch file, that will add registry key, not manually, but full automaticly by .BAT file. This link goes about adding everything but not the key. This link shows how to add ...
Rik Telner's user avatar
44 votes
6 answers
153k views

What's the easiest and fastest way to compare 2 registry files?

I would like to find the changes made in the registry after installing something on my computer. However I would like to also know what can be done with ease as a general procedure.
Notitze's user avatar
  • 1,166
34 votes
6 answers
80k views

Editing the "Open with" menu in Windows 10

I use PDF Split & Merge (PDF SAM) frequently, but don't want to set it as the default PDF handler. When I right-click on a PDF and select Open with, these are the options I am given. To select ...
music2myear's user avatar
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27 votes
10 answers
75k views

Permanently disable num lock in Windows?

I like to use the number keys for cursor movement. But every so often I hit NumLock by mistake, and then instead of moving the cursor where I want it, I end up with an input like this: 44444488 How ...
William Jockusch's user avatar
23 votes
4 answers
20k views

Configure Windows Creators Update Night Light via Registry

How can the new Night Light feature in Windows 10 (Pro) Creators Update be configured via the registry? I'd like to auto configure new/updated installations when using my configuration management ...
David F. Severski's user avatar
9 votes
3 answers
14k views

How do you add an item to the context menu of a folder?

I know how to add a context menu for when you click on an actual folder: [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\commandNameHere] but what about clicking on nothing in a folder? like I make a new folder ...
xero's user avatar
  • 91
6 votes
2 answers
3k views

Is there a way to allow concurrent remote desktop users on XP without changing dlls?

I would like to allow concurrent users on an XP install, but I was wondering if there was a way to do it with out swapping dll's and booting into safe mode. (Registry changes are fine)
Vaccano's user avatar
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6 votes
1 answer
17k views

How can I disable the "Open File Security Warning" when I want to run downloaded executable files?

I would like to disable the "Open File Security Warning" that says "Do you want to run this file?" whenever I double click on an .exe I download. I have Windows 7 Home Premium, so I don't have the ...
xpda's user avatar
  • 989
3 votes
1 answer
30k views

Remap keyboard with scancode map for disable alt+ctr+del

I have an application to run on a dedicated kiosk. I want to disable any key on Windows7. I want to block Alt+Ctr+Del, that users can't shutdown the system. I want to disable Alt , Ctrl keys that ...
Niloo's user avatar
  • 141
3 votes
5 answers
151k views

Uninstall Deep Freeze manually using the Windows registry

How do I uninstall Deep Freeze manually using registry?
SamSol's user avatar
  • 537
3 votes
1 answer
5k views

Make Chrome always execute with flags, for eg., directly opening an HTML file

I want to run Chrome with a given set of flags, always I created a shortcut and added the flag to it in the following way, so my target of the shortcut says: C:\<application-path>\chrome.exe --...
Om Shankar's user avatar
2 votes
3 answers
2k views

How do I find the hex values that I need to use to hide a drive letter?

In this thread How to hide drive for specific users in Windows 7? it talks about how you can hide drive letters for specific users. I am trying to follow Nathan Hinkle's answer but I am stuck. I need ...
Radical924's user avatar
46 votes
15 answers
89k views

"Create new text document" option missing from context menu

I noticed today that there is no longer a "Create new text document" option in my Windows 7 (x64 Ultimate) context menu when I right click. No idea how or when it disappeared, point is it's gone. ...
Matt's user avatar
  • 1,009
44 votes
4 answers
179k views

Where are Registry Files stored in Windows?

Where is the Registry stored in Windows? I want to find the files shown when running regedit.exe (Windows Registry Editor).
oneat's user avatar
  • 3,321
39 votes
7 answers
111k views

Switching default audio device with a batch file

I'm trying to write a batch file on Windows 10 that allows me to switch between my headset and my speakers as default audio device when I run it. I don't want to use any third-party software. I tried ...
zerothehero's user avatar
38 votes
4 answers
22k views

Remove Desktop entry from Alt+Tab list

Is it possible to remove the entry for the desktop from Windows 7's Alt+Tab list? So far I have found a post telling me to add an entry to the registry: HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Microsoft/Windows/...
MichaelM's user avatar
  • 874
18 votes
8 answers
19k views

Easiest way to get right-click "Open command window here" with admin priveleges in Windows 7

I don't want to install PowerToys, I'd rather a simpler solution for this specific problem. I've tried Ctrl+Shift+Right-Click. I've tried adding a registry script, but I get the following error: ...
Josh Comley's user avatar
  • 4,102
12 votes
4 answers
20k views

How to include custom non-system folder under This PC in Windows 8.1?

I've recently upgraded from Windows 8 to 8.1 and noticed the restructured This PC folder, formerly Computer. What I want to achieve is to include custom folder under "This PC". What I've found ...
laika's user avatar
  • 1,721
10 votes
4 answers
100k views

How do I recover from "repair pending" error in SFC?

I am trying to fix an issue with Windows registry and services. I tried running sfc command but this is the error message I get? C:\Windows>sfc /scannow Beginning system scan. This process will ...
Samir's user avatar
  • 20.8k
8 votes
5 answers
128k views

Disable UAC for a specific program (Windows 10)

On Windows 8.1, the following registry change allowed a user with Administrator privileges to launch a particular application without the User Access Control popup warning about changes being made to ...
AlainD's user avatar
  • 4,675
8 votes
3 answers
6k views

How to add item to right-click menu when NOT selecting a folder or file? [duplicate]

How do I add a menu item to my context menu to open up powershell (or any other arbitary application) when I right-click inside Windows Explorer? I found tons of links on how to add menu items when ...
Michael0x2a's user avatar
7 votes
3 answers
9k views

What is the function of question marks in file system paths in Windows registry?

This is about the registry on a 64-bit Windows 7 Home Premium (my friend's computer). I was going to set the system to clear the pagefile at shutdown by setting the REG_DWORD value ...
x457812's user avatar
  • 2,349
5 votes
4 answers
15k views

How to disable the start screen on Windows 8 Release Preview?

The old advice to set the REG_DWORD value named RPEnabled (some sources claim it's RPEnable) under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer to 0 doesn't work anymore since ...
0xC0000022L's user avatar
  • 7,033
3 votes
3 answers
23k views

How to uninstall an app in Windows when its uninstaller is missing?

I am trying to install a newer version of Lego Mindstorm, and it's trying to uninstall the older version and it fails. I tried to uninstall it manually and noticed it's not listed Under "Programs and ...
Tony_Henrich's user avatar
  • 11.7k
3 votes
1 answer
4k views

How to remap Right-Win and Right-Alt keyboard keys

... on a Unicomp Ultra Classic Buckling Spring keyboard in particular. I recently bought one of these IBM Model M revivals. A great keyboard with one slight flaw: there are no Power, Sleep, Wake keys ...
Gerold Broser's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
5k views

How to block programs from running (Windows 7)

I'm need to find an easy way to let a few end users block certain programs from running. to be a bit more specific; At my school we have a couple of laptops (~15) that we use to make assessments, ...
radriaanse's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
3k views

Outlook 2013, New Mail Desktop Alert Goes Away After 5 Seconds

When I receive a new email, the desktop notification pops up and then fade away after 5 seconds. I found how to fix it through changing registry for outlook 2010 and older versions but it does not ...
Ali Jamali's user avatar
78 votes
2 answers
75k views

How can I disable flashing icons on Windows 7 taskbar?

I set my Windows 7 taskbar to auto-hide. However, sometimes when a program changes or something new happens in a program, the taskbar will show its self, and its respective taskbar icon will begin ...
Jeff Gortmaker's user avatar
29 votes
5 answers
61k views

"Always use this program to open these files" is grayed out. Why?

I inadvertently set the Registry Editor to be the default editor for *.txt files. Now when I go to change the default, "Always use this program to open these files" is grayed out. This is the case ...
Herb Caudill's user avatar
24 votes
6 answers
25k views

Retrieve/decrypt Windows 7 product key from Linux

I accidentally disconnected my hard drive while it was still running and corrupted my Windows 7 installation; I am now completely unable to boot into Windows. I have tried everything to try and repair ...
sundiata's user avatar
  • 241
23 votes
7 answers
95k views

How to increase mouse sensitivity beyond limits in Windows Regedit?

I want to increase mouse sensitivity beyond the limits set in Windows 7 Control Panel. I found various mouse sensitivity settings in regedit under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Mouse. Can I ...
Alfred James's user avatar
22 votes
8 answers
165k views

How do I set the desktop background on Windows from a script?

On X Windows I had a cool 'silent-alarm" reminder script that would change my root window (background) color to solid red, just for a few seconds a few moments before changing it back. Is there a way ...
user avatar
18 votes
7 answers
105k views

How to force Windows desktop background to update or refresh

If I manually change the background image in the registry, how can I force it to refresh without logging off? I know that bginfo does it, but I would like to keep things simple and not use any ...
RASG's user avatar
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