Playing with Windows Registry: Part 4C

This is the third part of the previous articles. From the previous parts we already learned how to modify the icons size, showing Windows version on Desktop, Removing arrow signs in shortcut icons, hiding all Desktop icons, disabling title warping, disabling Start Menu's item modification, disabling animation when minimizing a window and also adjusting the spacing between each icon in Desktop. In this part we'll continue to learn how to use Windows Registry in modifying our Desktop and Start Menu.

PART IV-3
Modifying Desktop and Start Menu-3

1. Changing delay time when displaying a menu
When you put your mouse pointer over a menu, it will eventually show the submenu in that menu. For example, when you put your mouse over "All Programs" in start menu, you will see a list of programs in submenu form. Sometimes you may feel that the delay between when you put your pointer over it and when the submenu show up is too long. But in other times, you may feel like to dismiss this service so the submenu will appear only when you click the menu. This thing can be adjusted by using Windows Registry.
- Open Windows Registry Editor
- Go to this path: HKCU-ControlPanel-Desktop
- Find the "MenuShowDelay" key
- Change the value to 0 to make the submenu appear at once
- Change it between 1 to 65534 to adjust the delay time
- Change it to a big number like 65534 to make the submenu appear on mouse click
- Restart your computer to see the effects

2. Highlighting new programs in Start Menu
In some cases, with windows default settings, when you installed a new program and place in on start menu, you'll be able to find it easily because it is highlighted. But in some other cases, that setting is turned off. This is how you can turn it on and off by using Windows Registry.
- Open Windows Registry Editor
- Go to this path: HKCU-Software-Microsoft-Windows-CurrentVersion-Explorer-Advanced
- Create a new DWORD Value key
- Name it "Start_Notifynewapps"
- Fill the value with 1 to activate this setting.
- Change it to 0 to deactivate it.
- Restart your computer or log off to enable the setting.

3. Remove LogOff button from Start Menu.
Sometimes when you are using a computer with more than one user, you'll need this button to easily change between user's accounts. But what if this button disappears from Start Menu? How can you switch user without shutting down the computer. We'll try to do it then.
- Open Windows Registry Editor
- Go to this path: HKCU-Software-Microsoft-Windows-CurrentVersion-Policies-Explorer
- Create a new DWORD value
- Name it "Startmenulogoff"
- Change it to 1 to enable the settings.
- Change it to 0 to disable it.
- Restart your computer or log off to see the effects.

4. Remove TurnOff button from Start Menu
TurnOff button is a very crucial button in Start Menu and if it is gone a computer newbie will completely get confused on how to turn off their computer, especially if the log off button is gone as well. This part will show you how to remove that button by using Windows Registry.
- Open Windows Registry Editor
- Go to this path: HKCU-Software-Microsoft-Windows-CurrentVersion-Policies-Explorer
- Create a new DWORD value
- Name it "noclose"
- Change it to 1 to enable the settings.
- Change it to 0 to disable it.
- Restart your computer or log off to see the effects.

* If you already disable both LogOff and TurnOff button, then it's going to be hard to normally shut down your computer. In this case you can use the task manager to help you shut it down, but remember to disable the Registry settings first.