Kill Hung Processes When Logging Off in Windows NT

When you tell NT to shut down, it first sends shutdown requests to any running processes.
Most 32-bit applications honor these requests and shut down, but older 16-bit apps running in the Virtual DOS Machine often won't.
When this occurs, the operating system prompts you with a dialog box asking if you want to kill the task, wait for the task to die on its own, or cancel the shutdown.
By modifying the Registry, you can automate this process.

You can force NT to kill all running processes on shutdown by adding a REG_SZ value named HKEY_USER\\ControlPanel\Desktop\AutoEndTasks and set the value to 1. You can also add this value to HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT so that all new accounts will shut down the same way.

Automatic Shutdown with Windows NT

Most laptops allow the operating system to turn off the hardware after shutdown, instead of displaying the message telling you it's now safe to turn off your system.
You can take advantage of this capability by enabling the Power Down After Shutdown feature.

To enable this feature, simply add a REG_SZ value named HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\PowerdownAfterShutDown and set it to 1.

Next, tell NT to shut down and see if the machine turns itself off after shutting down. If it doesn't, change the value back to 0 to restore normal operation.

Sticky Menus

Normally when you move the mouse over the Start Menu / Programs, it will automatically cascade and show the submenus.
If you want them to open only when you actually click on them:

1. Start Regedit
2. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Control Panel \ Desktop
3. If if it not already there, create a string called MenuShowDelay
4. Give it a value of 65534

Renaming the File System Profiles

In the Control Panel / System / Performance / File System, you can select either Desktop Computer, Mobile or docking system, or Network Server.
You can change these labels to something more descriptive:

1. Start Regedit
2. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE / Software / Microsoft / Windows / Current Version / FS Templates
3. You can change the text that appears under each key

Fixing no AutoRun for CDs

If your CDs have stop starting automatically, and you have checked everything else:

1. Go to HKEY_USERS\.Default\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
2. The value for NoDriveTypeAutoRun should be set to 95 00 00 00

Automatically Deleting a Registry Key

Normally you cannot automatically delete registry keys from reg file. But there is a way...

Simply include a minus sign inside the left bracket before the main key.

For example.
If you want to delete the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ Software \ Microsoft \ Office \ 8.0 \ Common \ Assistants, your regfile would simply look like:

REGEDIT4

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Office\8.0\Common\Assistants]

This would delete that key and any below it.

Adding Open With to the Right Click in the Explorer

To add the option Open With when you right click on a file in the Explorer:

1. Start Regedit
2. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ Software \ CLASSES \* \ shell \ openas \ command
3. If this key isn't there then just create it
4. Give it the value of C:\WINDOWS\rundll32.exe shell32.dll,OpenAs_RunDLL %1