64. How Do I Prevent Individual Control Panel Applets From Displaying

Important Question! Can your PC Run Faster?

Like the Windows desktop, the Control Panel may contain individual icons which the users may never use. If this is the case and you want to stop the relevant icon from displaying a simple registry edit will do the trick.

NOTE

Before making any changes to the registry it is recommended that you make a backup copy of your registry either from within the registry Editor (see 62. How do I backup the Registry in Windows XP ) or by using the freeware registry backup utility called ERUNT (available from www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt ).

1/ Click the Start button.

2/ From the menu click Run.

3/ In the Run dialog box type: regedit

4/ The Windows Registry Editor will open.

5/ Navigate to the following registry key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ControlPanel\don't load

6/ Right Click on the don't load value and, from the drop down menu, select New.

7/ From the drop down menu select String Value.

8/ A New String Value dialog box will appear in the right hand pane of the registry window.

9/ Give this New String Value the same name as the control panel icon you want to prevent from displaying. The names you will need to use are as follows:

access.cpl	Accessibility Options
appwiz.cpl	Add/Remove programs
desk.cpl	Display
hdwwiz.cp l	Add Hardware
inetcpl.cpl	Internet options
main.cpl	Mouse
nusrmgr.cpl	User Accounts
powercfg.cpl	Power Options
sysdm.cpl	System
telephon.cpl	Phone and Modem Options
timedate.cpl	Date and Time

10/ Now Right click on the New String Value and, from the drop down menu, select Modify.

11/ In the Edit String dialog box that appears type No for the Value Data

12/Finally click OK and then Exit the registry editor.