Simple Hacks for windows using regedit

Following is a list of some interesting restrictions, which can be made in Windows 2000, XP, 2003, Vista, 2008 and 7. Like you can restrict Display properties, task bar properties, folder options, etc. All tricks are based on Registry editing. So I'll tell the key name and the value, that you have to create for the restriction. If the key is not present, then simply create it.

1.) Restrict Display Properties:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Policies\System
create DWORD value NoDispCPL and set its value to 1

2.) Restrict Taskbar Properties:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Policies\Explorer
create DWORD value NoSetTaskbar and set its value to 1

3.) Restrict Folder Options:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Policies\Explorer
create DWORD value NoFolderOptions and set its value to 1

4.) Restrict Locking/Unlocking the taskbar:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Policies\Explorer
create DWORD value LockTaskbar and set its value to 1

5.) Restrict Active Desktop:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Policies\Explorer
create DWORD value NoActiveDesktop and set its value to 1

6.) Restrict adding/deleting items from Toolbars:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Policies\Explorer
create DWORD value NoToolbarCustomize and set its value to 1

7.) Restrict adding/deleting toolbars:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Policies\Explorer
create DWORD value NoBandCustomize and set its value to 1

8.) Restrict right-click in Start Menu:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Policies\Explorer
create DWORD value NoChangeStartMenu and set its value to 1

9.) Restrict Desktop Cleanup Wizard:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Policies\Explorer
create DWORD value No Desktop Clean up Wizard and set its value to 1

10.) Restrict notification at low disk space:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Policies\Explorer
create DWORD value No Low Disk Space Checks and set its value to 1

11.) Restrict Taskbar Context Menu:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Policies\Explorer
create DWORD value No Tray Context Menu and set its value to 1

12.) Restrict Programs to run:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Policies\Explorer\DisallowRun
create String value with any name, like 1 and set its value to the program's EXE file.
e.g., If you want to restrict msconfig, then create a String value 1 and set its value to msconfig.exe. If you want to restrict more programs, then simply create more String values with names 2, 3 and so on and set their values to the program's exe.

13.) Restrict Registry Editor:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Policies\System
create DWORD value Disable Registry Tools and set its value to 1

14.) Restrict Task Manager:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Policies\System
create DWORD value Disable TaskMgr and set its value to 1

15.) Restrict Writing to USB Drives:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Current Control Set\ ControlSet \Control\ Storage Device Policies
Create DWORD value Write Protect and set its value to 1

16.) Restrict New option in context menu:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\ shellex\ Context Menu Handlers\New
And delete the value of Default, e.g., empty it.

17.) Restrict Send To in context menu:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AllFilesystemObjects\shellex\ContextMenu Handlers\Send To
And delete the value of Default, e.g., empty it.

18.) Restrict Balloon Tips:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Explorer\Advanced
Create DWORD value EnableBalloonTips and set its value to 0

19.) Restrict Users to enable New XP StartMenu:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Policies\Explorer
Create DWORD value No Simple Start Menu and set its value to 1

20.) Restrict Command Prompt:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System
Create DWORD value Disable CMD and set its value to 2

21.) Restrict Drives in My Computer:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Policies\Explorer
In right-side pane, create a new DWORD value No View On Drive and change its value as following:

3 : To Restrict A and B drives only.
4 : To Restrict C drive only.
7 : To Restrict A, B, and C drives only.
8 : To Restrict D drive only.
F : To Restrict A, B, C, and D drives only.
03FFFFFF : To Restrict all drives.

And if you want more specific restrictions, like you want to restrict a combination of other drives, then you can use decimal no. instead of hexadecimal no. Following is a list for all drives decimal no.:

A: 1
B: 2
C: 4
D: 8
E: 16
F: 32
G: 64
H: 128
I: 256
J: 512
K: 1024
L: 2048
M: 4096
N: 8192
O: 16384
P: 32768
Q: 65536
R: 131072
S: 262144
T: 524288
U: 1048576
V: 2097152
W: 4194304
X: 8388608
Y: 16777216
Z: 33554432
ALL: 67108863

So if you want to disable a combination of drives, just sum their numbers and give the same value to NoViewOnDrive. e.g., for restricting C, D, E and F drives, give the value: 4+8+16+32 = 60
NOTE: You can also hide the drives using No Drives DWORD value. The location and its value remain same as the above trick.

22.) Restrict RUN in New XP Start Menu:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Policies\Explorer
Create DWORD value No Run and set its value to 1

23.) Restrict Control Panel:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Policies\Explorer
Create DWORD value No Control Panel and set its value to 1

NOTE: If you want to remove the restriction, then simply delete the DWORD value or set its value to 0

So, that's some simple hacks that you can try to fight the battle against any virus, worms, trojan horse, malware or spyware or even your naive system admin :P Have fun :) .