Remove the Username From the Start Menu in XP

If you’ve ever wondered how to remove the username from the Start menu in Windows XP, follow the below steps:

This could also be used in reverse, if your start menu does not have the username you could check this registry setting.

Note that this only applies to the XP style menu, not the classic menus… since they don’t have the username anyway.

Open up regedit.exe through the start menu run box, and then browse down to the following key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

Create a new DWORD value on the right-hand pane with the following values:

• Name: NoUserNameInStartMenu
• Value: 1

To remove, either set the value to 0 or just delete the key. You will have to log off and back on to see the start menu without the username:

You could also remove the picture by deleting or renaming this folder:

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Microsoft\User Account Pictures\Default Pictures

Doing so would remove the picture from the login page as well, and it doesn’t remove the blue border across the top.

Recycle Bin Missing in Windows XP

Edit the registry to restore the Recycle Bin

Important: This task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs.

Click here to know how to backup and restore registry.

Disk cleanup stops responding

Why does Disk Cleanup tool stops responding?

Cause: This problem occurs when there is an incorrect entry in the registry that is used by the Disk Cleanup utility to locate compressed files.

Important: This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs.

Disable USB Ports using Registry WinXP

 If a USB storage device is already installed on the computer, you can change the registry to make sure that the device does not work when the user connects to the computer.

This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs.

If a USB storage device is already installed on the computer, set the Start value in the following registry key to 4:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\UsbStor

XP Registry

Introduction To Windows registry

            A central hierarchical database used in Microsoft Windows 98, Windows CE, Windows NT, and Windows 2000 used to store information that is necessary to configure the system for one or more users, applications and hardware devices.

The Registry contains information that Windows continually references during operation, such as profiles for each user, the applications installed on the computer and the types of documents that each can create, property sheet settings for folders and application icons, what hardware exists on the system, and the ports that are being used.