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[NickM]

I thought it may be useful to post a list of Windows set-up options for an HTPC.

1.   To boot without the windows start-up GUI, add “/noguiboot" right after "/fastdetect" in the boot.ini file.

2.   To change the default blue background to black in the start-up sequence, change HKEY_USERS\DEFAULT\Control Panel\Colors from “0 72 158” to “0 0 0”.  It then makes sense to change the desktop colour to black as well.

3.   To autologin still using a password, edit HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
\DefaultUserName & \DefaultPassword.  Set \ AutoAdminLogon to “1”.  You may have to create these entries.  To bypass this, hold the shift key on boot.

4.   To add a hibernate button to Theatre view, create a custom button with the command “%windir%\System32\rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,SetSuspendState”.

I’m still looking for a way to remove the complete toolbar – autohide is nearly good enough but there’s still a thin line visible.   And to remove the Recycle bin ( at the moment just change the icon to something black, so you cannot see it ).

Ideally as well as a “Party” mode, MC12 could have an “HTPC” mode, to disable anything but the Theatre and Display views and change the “Exit” button in the Theatre menu to really exit MC.

[raym]

....change the “Exit” button in the Theatre menu to really exit MC.

Yes, and as discussed in a recent thread, include the "Exit" button in the "Items To Show" optional list - along with all the other menu items. Shown by default.

[georgem29]

... And to remove the Recycle bin ( at the moment just change the icon to something black, so you cannot see it ).

You can get rid of the Recycle Bin icon with Tweak UI:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx

[NickM]

And ( if you're looking to increase memory & responsiveness you can remove (uninstall) Net1.0 and Net2.0 from Windows programs, along with MSN, Windows Messenger etc.

[marko]

Ideally as well as a “Party” mode, MC12 could have an “HTPC” mode, to disable anything but the Theatre and Display views and change the “Exit” button in the Theatre menu to really exit MC.

A button that issues the following: "C:\WINDOWS\system32\MC12.exe /power" will cause MC to really exit, albeit with a brief flash of standard view, though it does exit.

Yes, and as discussed in a recent thread, include the "Exit" button in the "Items To Show" optional list - along with all the other menu items. Shown by default.

It's there in my list? I have removed it from view.

[Mastiff]

Not to mention setting TimeToKillTasks to 2000 ms instead of 20 000, autoendtasks to 1 and timetokillhungapps to 2000. Very handy on a HTPC, especially if it's bleeding edge, with FFDShow and a lot of amusing filters.

[NickM]

Thanks Marko,

I remove the EXIT button ( thus stopping anyone else messing around from Normal View ), then assign the "Power" button on my remote to "Shutdown":-


Then ( for those that can be bothered... ), I add a custom button to Hibernate:-

[Marquis]

I’m still looking for a way to remove the complete toolbar – autohide is nearly good enough but there’s still a thin line visible.   And to remove the Recycle bin ( at the moment just change the icon to something black, so you cannot see it ).

The desktop and the taskbar are standard-windows for the OS. You can call the API functions "FindWindowA" to get the handler and "ShowWindow" to show or hide the windows. Also you can use any other software that can show/hide windows, e.g. GIRDER to show or hide it. If you hide the desktop, all Icons will disapear (not only recycle bin).

EDIT: I created a demo-file in Girder to show the effect, but don't know how to upload here.

BR/Marc

[raym]

Not to mention setting TimeToKillTasks to 2000 ms instead of 20 000, autoendtasks to 1 and timetokillhungapps to 2000. Very handy on a HTPC, especially if it's bleeding edge, with FFDShow and a lot of amusing filters.

Where in the registry are these defined?

[Marquis]

Take a look into

HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\Desktop

cu/Marc

[NickM]

Marc, under the registry folder you suggest, I see:-

ActiveWndTrkTimeout
AutoEndTasks
HungAppTimeout
WaitToKillAppTimeout

Is this the right place?
Or are Mastiff's registry names a little out?
Or are the registry entries not standard and need to be added?

[Marquis]

Hi Nick,

I think that his wording was not the exact keyname. The registry keys you have found are correct, but not ActiveWndTrkTimeout (=Specifies time in milliseconds that the mouse needs to remain over a window before the window is activated). Also the key WaitToKillServiceTimeout (non-standard) maybe is interesting for you.

If you would like to dig a little deeper, pls visit  http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windows2000serv/reskit/regentry/34637.mspx?mfr=true from microsoft. There is every key explained. I know it's about win2k, but most of them are true for winxp...

cu/Marc

[maxxsid]

Just found these two little tools (18kb each) - one hides everything from the desktop (taskbar and all icons), the other one restores them.
They are included with chameleon htpc interface:
http://www.xmission.com/~smesser/