The Windows registry is a Group of configuration which stores settings and options for the operating system for Microsoft Windows. Now, the Windows registry is available for the operating system on your Windows local computer as well as the Windows dedicated servers. There are some registry settings which are required on the Windows operating system even if you use it on the local machine or on the Windows dedicated server hosting. If you consider a managed Windows dedicated server from a professional hosting provider, the Windows registry settings will be done by the hosting provider, however, in case, you need to do some of the setting manually, you can check the settings to be done below :
1. Default Mail Client
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\mailto\shell\open\command.
Under command, enter the full path to the email client then %1
c:\internet\Netscape\program\netscape.exe %1
c:\program files\internet explorer\iexplore.exe %1
2. Generate Program Fault Log
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\FaultLogFile
Value should be the path and filename of the log file
3. Remove “Click here to begin”
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\NoStartBanner
Set this hex value to 01,00,00,00
4. Disable Windows Animation
HKEY_CURRENT_USER \Control Panel \Desktop \WindowMetrics\MinAnimate
Set this to 1
5. Full-Color Icons
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\desktop\WindowMetrics\Shell Icon BPP
Give it a value of 16
6. Preview BMP images in Windows Explorer
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PAINT.PICTURE\DefaultIcon
Set value to “%1?
7. Windows Refresh Rate
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Update\UpdateMode
Setting value to 00 will force an instant update to Windows Explorer.
8. Remove Hidden Shares
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanmanServer\Parameters\AutoShareServer
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanmanServer\Parameters\AutoShareWks
Both of these REG_DWORD values set to 0 will prevent hidden shares from working (c$, etc.)
9. Outlook 2000/XP Restricted Filetypes
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Outlook\Security\Level1Remove
It is possible to add Filetypes back into the OK zone. This will allow you to open these attachments from Outlook (they won’t be blocked).
This key lists all of the file extensions that will be blocked by Outlook. You can edit this key to either remove extensions that you want access to or add extensions that you want to block.
10. Display the Number of Network Errors for a Network Connection
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Network\Connections\StatMon\ShowLanErrors
(Windows 2000)
You can display a LAN connection-error count on the General tab of the connection’s Status dialog box in Win2K This REG_DWORD when set to 1 will display the errors that have occurred over a network connection. The default value is 0 will not display the errors. Note that the Errors field looks a little odd, because of a bug in how the Status dialog box accommodates the error information.
11. Changes to the Windows Security Screen Title Bar
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\ Welcome
(Windows NT/2000)
This REG_SZ data type will display a custom string on the title bar of the Windows Security Screen on the Windows dedicated servers that you see when you invoke the Ctrl+Alt+Del keystroke.
These settings should be done in a proper manner on the Windows dedicated server hosting whether you do it yourself or ask the support department of the hosting provider in order to make sure that the settings are perfectly done as it is very important. Though, these settings can be changed in case they are not done correctly, however, it important to make sure that they are done correctly as it might be possible that they may affect the server which could actually affect the performance of your Windows dedicated server hosting.
