INTERFACE
ENHANCEMENTS

DOS Operations

Boot to a Command Prompt:
Using 'Notepad' or another ASCII text editor, edit the MSDOS.SYS file in the root directory, and change BOOTGUI=1 to BOOTGUI=0.
You can also set this with 'TweakUI', available at the Microsoft Web Site or here at this site.

Manipulating and Using Icons

Showing Thumbnail Icons of Bitmap Files:
Using the Registration Editor, RegEdit, find the following:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PAINT\PICTURE\DefaultIcon
Change to:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PAINT\PICTURE\DefaultIcon "%1"

Making Icons from Bitmap Files:
simply rename a .BMP file to (name).ico; Windows 95 will resize it to icon size, and convert it to 16 colors. You can then use it as a new icon!

Changing Window Behavior

Turn Off the "Zooming" Windows
When opening, closing, maximizing, or minimizing windows, they 'zoom' with animations. This is not only annoying after a while, it also takes up valuable processor or accelerator time. To turn these 'zooming' windows off, use "TweakUI", available from the Microsoft Web site, or here at this site.
This can also be done with the registry editor, RegEdit, but it is simpler and safer to use "TweakUI".

Fixing General Irritants of the Interface

Stopping the Bouncing Click Here to Begin Arrow
Use "TweakUI", available from the Microsoft Web site, or here at this site.

This can also be done with the registry editor, RegEdit, but it is simpler and safer to use "TweakUI".

Turning Off the PC-Speaker
Using 'TweakUI', available at the Microsoft Web Site or here at this site, turn off 'beep on errors'.

Hiding the Speaker Icon in the Tray

Hiding the Modem in the Tray


this must be repeated for each connection you wish to change

Turning Off Delete Confirmation

Turning Off the Documents Menu
Although the documents menu is a neat idea, it is also a nuisance -- not everyone wants someone to be able to look at your computer and see what you have been working on (or playing with!).
The documents menu can be cleared temporarily by right-clicking on the taskbar, selecting properties, clicking on 'Start Menu Properties', and choosing 'clear documents menu'. However, it is only temporary.
To keep the documents menu from listing your recently-used documents in the future:

  1. Right-click on the 'Recycle Bin' on the desktop, select 'Properties', choose the 'Global' tab, and select 'Use one setting for all drives'.
  2. Turn on the option labeled 'Do not move files to the recycle bin'.
    Be advised, that all files will now be immediately deleted!
  3. Using the Registry Editor, RegEdit, open 'HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\Shell Folders'.
  4. At the right will be a list of special folders. If an entry named 'Recent' does not exist, select 'New' from the 'Edit' menu, and then select 'String Value'. Rename this to 'Recent'.
  5. Double-click on 'Recent', and under 'Value Data, enter 'c:\recycled'.
  6. Press 'Okay' and close RegEdit.
  7. Duplicate this entry in 'User Shell Folders', just below 'Shell Folders'.
  8. Exit, and restart Windows 95.

    Permanently Disabling Autoplay
    To prevent Windows 95 from automatically playing your audio CD's,

    Or ...

    Disabling Autoplay and Autorun of CD's

    Customizing Your Win 95 Interface

    Replacing the Startup, Shut Down, and 'Please Wait' Screens
    These files are simply 320x400 Windows Bitmap files, located in the Windows folder. Specifically, they are:
    You can use Microsoft Paint, Photoshop, or Paint Shop Pro to create your new files. (Be sure to back up the originals to a safe location first.) While editing, work at 534x400. Then, before saving, resize them, (do not crop) back to 320x400. After saving, rename them to (filename).sys. Move them into the Windows folder when finished.

    Making the 'Explorer' Appear in Lieu of Folders From 'My Computer'

    Printing to a File
    To print to a file instead of one of your installed printers:

    Access the Control Panel from the Start Menu
    To have direct access to the Control Panel applets via the start menu, create a new folder in the start menu and name it precisely:
    Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}
    You will now have a cascading menu of all the control panel's contents.

    Changing the Appearance of Shortcuts
    Use "TweakUI", available from the Microsoft Web site, or here at this site.
    This can also be done with the registry editor, RegEdit, but it is simpler and safer to use "TweakUI".

    Using Iconic Preview of Bitmaps

    Making Applications Launch on Startup
    To add (or delete) applications from the startup folder:

    Adding a File Type to the 'NEW' Menu
    This requires using the Registration Editor, RegEdit. Be sure to read the notes in 'Key Technical Information' before doing so!

    Quick Access to Drives, Similar to Norton Desktop Under Windows 3.x
    Norton Desktop, under Windows 3.x, allowed you to place drive icons on the desktop for easy file manipulation. There is a simple way to do that for each of your drives under Windows 95.

    If you wish to change the appearance of the shortcut, perhaps even deleting the arrow entirely, obtain TweakUI here, or from the Microsoft Web Site.

    Customizing Explorer

    Showing All Files in Explorer
    Select 'View/Options - the tab 'View' has an option for 'Show All Files'.

    Using QuikView
    On the CD-ROM version of Windows 95 is a handy utility called QuikView. (You can also download it from the Microsoft Site or here at this site.)

    There are several ways to easily use QuikView:

    1. Create a shortcut on the Desktop -
      • you can now simply drag a file onto it to be viewed
    2. Configure the registry to allow you to use it
      • Launch the Regristration Editor, RegEdit
      • Open 'My Computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\'
      • Find a key that reads "*" (if not there, add it with 'New', 'Key' under the 'Edit' menu)
      • Under that key, add a new key called 'QuikView'
      • Set the value of 'Default' to "*"
      • Close RegEdit