Windows 8.1 Registry Tweaks

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Why bother with the registry? It's simpler if you just do it yourself:
Right click on desktop -> Personalize -> Change Desktop icons -> Check "This PC"

It can't really get easier than that (unless you're too lazy to do it, and would rather hunt on forums for registry tweaks that let you accomplish said task in a few seconds more. )

 

Unless one means to do it on every VM they install at which point the manual method becomes quite tedious.

 

Yea it can get easier if you have a start menu installed, Click start > Right click "This PC" > Show on desktop

 

If I were installing 8.x on a VM then I surely wouldn't reinstall every time, but I see what you mean

 

Code:

$objIPProperties = [System.Net.NetworkInformation.IPGlobalProperties]::GetIPGlobalProperties()
if ($objIPProperties.DomainName -eq $null) {
 $SystemName = “{0}” -f $objIPProperties.HostName
}
else {
 $SystemName = “{0}.{1}” -f $objIPProperties.HostName, $objIPProperties.DomainName
}
Set-Item -Path  "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CLSID\{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}" -Value $SystemName -Type string

Change "this pc" to the FQDN of the computer in an active directory environment with a powershell script

 

Just create a backup of the original Registry if you wish to add all tweaks as a registry file.So you can undo the changes you make easly.

 

Spoiler

Weird, I ran it on a non-domain server and got a . in the name, so maybe the field is not truly null. I switched it to "" and now it works on Domain or Non-Domain machines.

 

Is it possible to change the behavior of the new windows start button? To minimize all windows and show desktop for example?

 

You mean other than right-click/desktop?

 

Yeah, without right-clicking, just on left click.

 

Is it possible to disable the "drag to close" handle on the desktop? Very annoying.

 

alt-F4 is quite well to do the same

 

Can someone tell me the values of the default colors.
I used this tweak and want the default colors back.

Changing the color values does not affect the color of the start and shutdown screen color.

 

I should be more clear. What I meant was to tweak inside install.wim regedit. For example,

this is what i meant. Is there a way to do like above quote so it show "This pc" on the desktop?

Thanks.

 

When this key and values are added to the registry, the background color of the Login-screen and Shutdown-screen stays in that color.
These colors can't be changed anymore.

 

How can i set Control panel to open in Category view by default instead of Small or Large icons ? 8.1 x64 , thanks

 

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not working this for me :``NOTE: The Control Panel will open to the same view as it was in when last closed by default.``
i have to change a regkey

sorry MSMG this not work for me

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ControlPanel]
"AllItemsIconView"=dword:00000000
"StartupPage"=dword:00000000

there are 2 keys
HKEY\CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\ForceClassicControlPanel - REG_DWORD 1 or 0
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ControlPanel\AllItemsIconView.
Set this to 0 for large icons, 1 to small icons.

but not for Category view

i think i found :Local Group Policy Editor /User Configuration/ Administrative Templates/Control Panel/Always open All Control Panel Items when opening the Control Panel/Edit/Disable - If this policy setting is disabled, the Control Panel opens to the category view.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"ForceClassicControlPanel"=dword:00000000