Windows Registry Tips

When you change the color scheme and appearance of your desktop it does not change the background color of the logon screen to match. This tweak allows you to change that color as well.

Open your registry and find the key below.

Modify the value named 'Background' according to the color you would like in RGB (Red/Green/Blue) format. For example, "0 0 0" for black or "255 255 255" for white, and every other color in between.

Restart Windows for the change to take effect.

Settings:
User Key: [HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\Colors]
Name: Background
Type: REG_SZ (String Value)
Value: 0 0 0 - 255 255 255

Use these fields to create a dialog box that will be presented to any user before logging onto the system. This is useful where you are required by law to warn people that it is illegal to attempt to logon without being an authorized user.

Open your registry and find the appropriate key for your operating system.

Windows 95, 98 and Me:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

Windows NT, 2000 and XP:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

Modify the value named 'LegalNoticeCaption' to represent the caption on the dialog box (e.g. 'WARNING!'). If this value doesn't already exist create it.

Modify the value named 'LegalNoticeText' to represent the body of the dialog box (e.g. 'Do Not Attempt to Logon to this system unless you are an authorized user!')

Exit your registry and restart Windows, and the next time you boot up you should be presented with the dialog box before logging on.

Note: This value is limited to 256 characters, you need to install the latest Windows NT service pack to allow up to 1024 characters.

Settings:

Name: LegalNoticeCaption, LegalNoticeText
Type: REG_SZ (String Value)

This value controls the number of allowable cached login attempts when the network domain controller is unavailable.

Open your registry and find the key below.

Create a new String value, or modify the existing value called 'CachedLogonsCount' using the settings below.

Exit your registry, you may need to restart or log out of Windows for the change to take effect.


Note: With caching disabled or the maximum has been reached, the user is prompted with this message: "The system cannot log you on now because the domain [DOMAIN_NAME] is not available."

Settings:
System Key: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon]
Name: CachedLogonsCount
Type: REG_SZ (String Value)
Value: 0 - 50 (0 = disabled, 10 = default)

This setting is used to limit the number of automatic logins, once the limit has been reached the auto logon feature will be disabled and the system will display the standard authentication box.

Open your registry and find the key below.

Create a new DWORD value, or modify the existing value called 'AutoLogonCount' using the settings below.

Exit your registry, you may need to restart or log out of Windows for the change to take effect.


Note: This value is a DWORD when using Windows XP

Note: Each time the system is rebooted, the value of AutoLogonCount will be decremented by one, until it reaches zero. When AutoLogonCount reaches zero, no account will be logged on automatically, the AutoLogonCount and DefaultPassword key values will be deleted from the registry, and AutoAdminLogon will be set to zero.

Settings:
System Key: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon]
Name: AutoLogonCount
Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value)
Value: Number of Automatic Logins

This setting can be used to blank the username box on the logon screen. This will prevent people that are logging on from knowing the last user to access the system.

Open your registry and find the key for your Windows version below.

Windows 98 or Me
Open [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Network\Logon] and create new string value called "DontShowLastUser" and set it to "1" to hide the last user.

Windows 2000 or XP
Open [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System] and create a new string value, or modify the existing value, called "DontDisplayLastUserName" and set it to "1" to enable or "0" to disable the restriction.

Windows NT
Open [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon] and create a new string value, or modify the existing value, called "DontDisplayLastUserName" and set it to "1" to enable or "0" to disable the restriction.

Restart Windows for the change to take effect.

Settings:
System Key: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
System]
Name: DontDisplayLastUserName
Type: REG_SZ (String Value)
Value: (1 = remove username, 0 = display username)

When you install Windows XP a balloon reminder is shown to prompt you to enter a Microsoft .NET Passport. This reminder can be disabled if you are not using Passport or MSN Messenger.

Open your registry and find the key below.

Create a new Binary value, or modify the existing value called 'PassportBalloon' using the settings below.

Exit your registry, you may need to restart or log out of Windows for the change to take effect.

Settings:
User Key: [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\MessengerService]Name: PassportBalloon
Type: REG_BINARY (Binary Value)
Value: "0a 00 00 00" = disabled

Fast user switching allows you to quickly switch to another user account without having to close any programs. This setting controls whether fast user switching is available.

Open your registry and find the key below.

Create a new DWORD value, or modify the existing value called 'AllowMultipleTSSessions' using the settings below.

Exit your registry, you may need to restart or log out of Windows for the change to take effect.

Note: Windows XP users must use the standard Welcome Screen logon method.

Settings:
System Key: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon]
Name: AllowMultipleTSSessions
Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value)
Value: (0 = Disable Fast User Switching, 1= Enable)