Optimize the Launch of the Microsoft Visual Studio 2005

• Disable "Start Page".
  1. Go to Tools | Options.
  2. In Environment | Startup section, change At startup setting to Show empty environment.
• Disable splash screen.
  1. Open the properties of Visual Studio 2005 shortcut.
  2. Add the parameter /nosplash to the target.
• Close all unnecessary panels/tabs to prevent them from appearing when the IDE loads.

Speed Up Microsoft Visual Studio 2005

• Make sure Visual Studio 2005 SP1 is installed.
• Turn off animation.
  Go to Tools | Options | Environment and uncheck Animate environment tools.
• Disable Navigation Bar.
  If you are using ReSharper, you don't need VS2005 to update the list of methods and fields at the top of the file (CTRL-F12 does this nicely). Go to Tools | Options | Text Editor | C# and uncheck Navigation bar.
• Turn off Track Changes.
  Go to Tools | Options | Text Editor and uncheck Track changes. This will reduce overhead and speeds up IDE response.
• Turn off Track Active item.
  This will turn off jumping in the explorer whenever you select different files in different projects. Go to Tools | Options | Projects and Solutions and uncheck Track Active Item in Solution Explorer. This will ensure that if you are moving across files in different projects, left pane will still be steady instead of jumping around.
• Turn off AutoToolboxPopulate.
  There is an option in VS 2005 that will cause VS to automatically populate the toolbox with any controls you compile as part of your solution. This is a useful feature when developing controls since it updates them when you build, but it can cause VS to end up taking a long time in some circumstances. To disable this option, select the Tools | Options | Windows Forms Designer and then set AutoToolboxPopulate to False.

Introduction to the Run Line

Clicking the entry "Run" opens the box shown below, where commands may be typed and entered.

Opening applications in Run

Although applications can be opened in a variety of ways, the Run line often provides the quickest route. Desktop shortcut icons are also a quick route but you have to know how to create a shortcut for all the applications and you may end up with dozens of icons.

The best candidates for the Run line are applications that are in the "path" environment. (Go to this page for more discussion of the path.) The path environment is a set of folders whose names do not have to be included when entering a command. The path environment variable normally includes \Windows\ and \Windows\system32\. Many common accessories and Windows applets are in these folders and can be opened by entering just the executable file name. Several that I use constantly are the Registry editor (regedit) and the System Configuration Utility (msconfig). Note that neither of these frequently used system tools has an entry in Start- All Programs. The Run line is the standard method of accessing them.

A table listing some applications that can be opened in the Run line is given below.

Programs not in the path require their full address, including the root folder and all subfolders. Actually typing long path names is not required since a "Browse" function comes with the Run line. This provides a way to search for files of interest and to enter them directly without typing. If desired, frequently used programs can be added to the path environment using the methods that are discussed in a section below.

Opening Management Consoles

Some of the functions that I find convenient to open by means of the Run line include various Management Consoles. For example, the disk defragmenter is opened by entering "dfrg.msc" . I find this easier than the multi-step process involved otherwise. A list of the appropriate file names for opening some of the various services is given in the table below. A more complete list is on this page.

Opening Control Panel Applets

It is also possible to use Run to open the applets that appear in the Control Panel. A full discussion of shortcuts to Control Panel applets is given on this page. For example,entering "main.cpl" launches the mouse properties window.

Rundll32.exe

There are a number of commands employing Rundll32.exe that can be entered into Start-Run. A full discussion can be found here.

Opening folders in Run

Not only files but also folders can be opened in the Run line. Folders contained by a folder in the path are in this category. Examples are folders within \Windows\ and \Windows\system32\ such as the folders Fonts and "Drivers". Folders that are in \Documents and Settings\{Current User}\ can also be opened in Run. An example is SendTo (written as one word). Being able to open this folder in Run is convenient for editing. It makes it easier to add functions to the "Send To" entry in the right-click context menu. (See this page) Another example of a folder from the same location that can be entered is Cookies.

There are also some interesting shortcuts to folders that are available in Run. Typing the backslash (\) in the run line and entering it brings up the root folder, usually the C: drive. Typing and entering a period (.) brings up the folder \Documents and Settings\{Current User}\. Entering two periods (..) opens the folder \Documents and Settings\.

Dragging and dropping folders and files into the Run line

If the Run line is open (make sure it is empty) folders or files can be dragged and dropped on it from an open folder window. The full path of the dropped object will be inserted into the Run line and clicking "OK' or pressing the "Enter" key will open the dropped file or folder. Although this feature presents no particular advantage in general, it can be helpful to those who have trouble with double-clicking the mouse.

Adding applications to the Path

The ability to enter a short file name into the Run line to open a program can be extended to any program by putting the folder containing the program executable into the path. Adding folders to the path is described here.

Alternatively, the Registry can be edited to explicitly contain the path to the desired executable file or files. The Registry key involved is

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths

1. Create a new sub-key with the name of the executable file that you wish to add to the path. e .g.,
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\somefile.exe
2. In this new key, add a string variable named "Path" containing the value of the the path to your new executable file, e.g.,
   C:\Program files\newprogramfolder\
3. The new key will already have an empty variable (Default). Edit it to have the string value of entire address of the new program executable , e.g.,
   C:\Program files\newprogramfolder\somefile.exe

A number of files are likely to have already been added on your system. Many applications place themselves here when they are installed. Examples are Microsoft Office components. It is sufficient to enter "winword" into the Run line to open Microsoft Word or "excel" to open Microsoft Excel.

Internet Applications

If you are connected to the Internet, entering an URL into Run opens Internet Explorer (or other browser if it is properly associated) and takes you right to the appropriate web site. The "Browse" function can be used to go to your Favorites folder and you can then click on a link. (Be sure the Browse function is showing "All files" as the file type.) On some systems it will even initiate a Web connection if you are not already on-line. You can also start e-mail by entering “mailto:someone@somewhere.com”. This will open a blank new e-mail with the address already entered. If you want to use an e-mail client other than the Microsoft application Outlook Express, it will have to be associated with the “mailto” function. Many e-mail clients do this automatically when they are installed. (As far as I know, this does not apply to AOL.)

Google supports a command line function that allows for simple searches on on a single term. Enter "www.google.com/search?q=%1" into the Run line, where %1 is the term that is being searched. A dash can be used to combine words. For example, try "www.google.com/search?q=windows-registry" (Omit the quotes.)

Comparison of Run with the Command Prompt

Although a great many commands can be executed in either the Run line or a command prompt, some commands will run only in one or the other. Commands which are built into the command interpreter cmd.exe cannot be entered directly in the Run line. They are listed here. These include commands like "dir" and "del". Certain special features of the Run line such as the direct way of opening folders or the Internet shortcuts discussed above do not work in a command prompt. (Of course, other methods can be used to achieve the same functionality.)

The Run Line in Vista

The Start menu in Vista has no Run line in its default setting. Many of the functions of Run can be carried out in the new Search function that is at the bottom of the Vista Start menu but I still like to use Run sometimes. You can get Run back temporarily by using the keyboard shortcut Windows key+R. To put Run permanently back in the Start menu :

1. Right-click on the Start menu and choose "Properties"
2. Select the "Start Menu" tab and click on the "Customize..." button
3. Check the "Run command" option

• Click Start
• Click Run
• Enter GPEDIT.MSC
  Group Policy mmc will popup. On left panel:
• Double-click Computer Configuration to open submenu
• Double-click Administrative Templates to open submenu
• Double-click System to open submenu
• Double-click Turn autoplay off option which will be near the bottom of the list in the right panel.

1) Open up Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del)
2) If wscript.exe is running, end it.
3) If explorer.exe is running, end it.
4) Open up “File | New Task (Run)” in the Task manager
5) Run cmd
6) Run the following command on all your drives by replacing c:\ with other drives in turn (note: if you have autorun.inf files that you think you need to backup, do so now):

del c:\autorun.* /f /a /s /q

7) Go to your Windows\System32 directory by typing cd c:\windows\system32
8) Type dir /a avp*.*
9) If you see any files names avp0.dll or avpo.exe or avp0.exe, use the following commands to delete each of them:

attrib -r -s -h avpo.exe
del avpo.exe

10) Use the Task Manager’s Run command to fire up regedit
11) Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Run (as usual, take a backup of your registry before touching it!)
12) If there are any entries for avpo.exe, delete them.
13) Do a complete search of your registry for ntde1ect.com and delete any entries you find.
14) Restart your computer.After the system behaves normally, we had to reset the registry back to "Show hidden files and folders".

Quote from CNET Forum:

You should open the registry, but remember to back it up. You can make a restore point in system restore, or just open the registry and export the whole thing, or export some selected keys.

Start >> Run >> (type) regedit >> (rightclick on the little my computer icon, and export the whole thing.)

Find this key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced. Go to the rightside of the window, where the values are. Find the value "Hidden" . Right click it and modify it to 1.

This next text is from my own registry. Copy it to notepad, then rename the notepad file, so it have the extension .reg ,and then double click it.:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\Folder\Hidden]
"Text"="@shell32.dll,-30499"
"Type"="group"
"Bitmap"=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,\
00,25,00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,53,00,\
48,00,45,00,4c,00,4c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,34,00,00,\
00
"HelpID"="shell.hlp#51131"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\Folder\Hidden\NOHIDDEN]
"RegPath"="Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Explorer\\Advanced"
"Text"="@shell32.dll,-30501"
"Type"="radio"
"CheckedValue"=dword:00000002
"ValueName"="Hidden"
"DefaultValue"=dword:00000002
"HKeyRoot"=dword:80000001
"HelpID"="shell.hlp#51104"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\Folder\Hidden\SHOWALL]
"RegPath"="Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Explorer\\Advanced"
"Text"="@shell32.dll,-30500"
"Type"="radio"
"CheckedValue"=dword:00000001
"ValueName"="Hidden"
"DefaultValue"=dword:00000002
"HKeyRoot"=dword:80000001
"HelpID"="shell.hlp#51105"

You can also try to the Windows System File Checker. To run it, go to Start -> Run -> (type) sfc /scannow

Hope this helps.

With the released of the Tabs feature in Google Personalized Homepage, the Blogosphere was all buzzing about it. However, after you have created 6 tabs, Google will not let you create more. I don’t need that much tabs, one is enough for me, but I figured out some of you guys would like to have more, and here’s how you do it.

Copy & Paste to the address bar, while you are on Google Personalized Homepage, then press enter.

javascript:_renameTab(); _dlsetp('at=')

With in the _dlsetp function, you can add the name you want after “at=”, but remember to escape the characters. For what I know so far … You can create up to … infinite tabs, and it will work even after you sign out, or in a different browser.

Source: Googlified