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Troubleshooting and Configuring the Windows NT/95 Registry
-23-Windows NT 4 Users and the RegistryWindows NT 4.0 users are controlled through the Registry and through user profiles. User information in the Registry is stored in the NTUSER.DAT file in the user's profile folder. User ProfilesUser profile information is stored in %systemroot%\profiles\%username%. The menu information is held there, as well as options and desktop icons. Inside each profile are the startup applications, the folders for Network Neighborhood, and other lists of information. The most important ones to notice are the Default User profile and the All Users profile. The Default User profile is the template for all new users. Whatever is set there will be duplicated when a new user logs onto the system. If you want to give every new user the same Send To menu, you could change it in the Default User profile folder. Any changes to the .DEFAULT user in HKEY_CURRENT_USERS in the Registry get saved in the NTUSER.DAT file in the Default User profile folder. The All Users profile is new to NT 4.0. It doesn't have an NTUSER.DAT file, so the only information that can be used for all users is the menu and folder information. The real benefit of the All Users profile is in the installation of software. Previously, any software that was installed worked only for the user who installed it, but now programmers can set their applications so the installation will update the All Users profile. When a user logs onto Windows NT, it pulls the information from the user's profile, plus all the information from the All Users profile. Registry SettingsThere are several locations that control how the user will work in Windows NT 4.0. Software that is installed changes HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE and may also affect HKEY_CURRENT_USER. Operating system installation and features affect HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, but the settings for the desktop affect HKEY_CURRENT_USER. The entries in this chapter are categorized into the following sections.
By looking in each of the sections, you will get a good idea how Microsoft designed the user functions in the Registry, and where you will need to look to aid in your troubleshooting. Operating System Basic FunctionsThe settings for Windows NT basic functions are in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion. It covers all the settings necessary for NT to work on this system. Even though none of the settings are user-dependent, many of them still affect the users and how they work. One of the most important functions to see is the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Fonts key. In the Fonts key, Microsoft lists all the fonts that are available to the user. Normally, you would make changes in the Fonts applet in the Control Panel. However, if you lose your font metrics, which match the screen font to the printer font, you might need to restore this key. Also, it is a good place to look to see where the actual font file is located. Putting the font in the actual Fonts folder instead of making a shortcut there saves space in the Registry, speeds up the performance of the system, and reduces errors. Another function that is closely related to fonts is Font Substitution. There is no function in NT to specify font substitution if a font that is specified is not available. Suppose you receive a document from a friend who uses a font you do not have. NT will try to determine whether the font specified is a serif or sans-serif font, and then change the screen font to MS Serif or MS Sans Serif, respectively. If you know the problem is going to happen, you could change the font by adding a substitution yourself in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\FontSubstitutes.
For 16-bit Windows compatibility and for other .INI file connections, see HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\IniFileMapping. If there is a problem with an application that is a 16-bit Windows application, you may be able to trace it with the information here. If you make a change in the Registry for a specific application, and the change doesn't stick, you might look here to see if there is an .INI file also. In many cases, .INI files write information into the Registry. You need to make the change in both places, if that is the case. Other functions related to the use of NT are also in the Windows NT\CurrentVersion key. Familiarize yourself with the key, so if you have problems to solve, you will know where to look. ConnectionsFunctions relating to logging on to Windows NT and connecting to the network are located in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon. This key stores the current user name, the domain or workgroup name, the shell name, and much more. If the problem is in logging on, this is the first place to look.
Generic Windows FunctionsHow the Windows functions will work are in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion key. This key is the same in Windows NT 4.0 as it is in Windows 95. Applications can use this key to set up how the windows in their applications will work.
A great key in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion is Run. When an application is loaded there, it will start during the startup of the system. The difference between this and using the Startup folder in the user profile is that this works for anyone using the system, and it requires a Registry change to take it out. If the data you seek isn't in the Windows NT key, check here, in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion key, particularly if the same function works in both NT and 95. User Preferences on the DesktopThe icon font, the wallpaper, the screen saver, and other preferences are stored on a user-by-user basis in HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop. Though most are normally changed through the Control Panel, you can easily use the location for remote editing and for custom templates in System Policy Editor. Software Settings in HKEY_CURRENT_USERThe Software key in HKEY_CURRENT_USER is used as a registration function for the software. It provides information for the application to use for the user who has logged onto the network or the local system. If you want an application to work for a user, in many cases, it will require a listing in this key. The difference between the information in this key and that in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software key is that the information HKEY_CURRENT_USER is specific to the user who is going to use the application. In the case of Pinball, for example, there are user options in the program for customization of the table, the keys, and so on. Those are only for the current user. If someone else logs on, the options will return to the default. SummaryThe functions that control and enable users in Windows NT are extensive and complex. By understanding the locations of the Registry entries, and the types of information in each, you can better troubleshoot the problems users might have in working with NT, applications, and system preferences. |
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