How do you get rid of XP Tour? 1

[zoeythecat]

Hi All,

When configuring a new PC with XP on it, when logging in I get the XP Tour message on the task bar. Is there a way to disable this feature?

Thanks in advance,
Zoey

 

[drk1]

marcs41,
That didn't work...
Well at least the three times I tried it.

i've tried everything that's been posted here.


drk

 

[Marcs41]

weird...

Marc
[sub]If 'something' 'somewhere' gives 'some' error, expect random guesses or no replies at all. Please specify details.
Free Tip: The F1 Key does NOT destroy your PC!
How Do You Get Great Answers To my Tek-Tips Questions? [/sub]See faq222-2244

 

[bcastner]

Open notepad and copy/paste the below into a file called stop_tour.vbs :

******** begin copy/paste below this line
Option Explicit
On Error Resume Next

Dim WSHShell, n, p, itemtype
Set WSHShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")

p = "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Tour"
itemtype = "REG_DWORD"


n = WSHShell.RegRead (p)
errnum = Err.Number

if errnum <> 0 then
WSHShell.RegWrite p, 0, itemtype
End If

Set WshShell = Nothing

********** end copy/paste above this line

You can place this in the Startup script location using Group Policy, or place it in the Startup Folder for All Users.

 

[drk1]

bcasnter...
Thanks for offering the assistance.

I had a feeling that Notepad would re-format the text. I tried to run it "as-is", got a Script error. I edited the text and the script ran fine, well almost...
We still get the "Take A Tour yada yada yada.

This is now becoming a me against them thing.

 

[Marcs41]

During the time this tread is going on, several Tours would already been started, closed and be gone by now ;-)

Marc
[sub]If 'something' 'somewhere' gives 'some' error, expect random guesses or no replies at all. Please specify details.
Free Tip: The F1 Key does NOT destroy your PC!
How Do You Get Great Answers To my Tek-Tips Questions? [/sub]See faq222-2244

 

[bcastner]

Alright, I reread the revised KB:

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=311489

Open notepad and copy/paste the below into a file called stop_tour.vbs :

******** begin copy/paste below this line
'Version 1.1

Option Explicit
On Error Resume Next

Dim WSHShell, n, p, itemtype
Set WSHShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")

p = "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Tour\RunCount"
itemtype = "REG_DWORD"


n = WSHShell.RegRead (p)
errnum = Err.Number

WSHShell.RegWrite p, 0, itemtype

Set WshShell = Nothing

********** end copy/paste above this line

 

[drk1]

marcs41 says
"During the time this tread is going on, several Tours would already been started, closed and be gone by now".

Ha I wish it was that simple.
I have 10 PC's each with 9 users (currently) more to add soon.

I agree it would have been easier to just sit there and sign-on as each user 30 times rofl
Hmmm 270 sign-ons.


drk

 

[zoeythecat]

Hey all,

My problem got resolved like this:

(1) Create a test user on the network domain. Give this test user admin privleges.
(2) Login as the test user. Setup the desktop the way you would like (i.e, icons, printers, Internet Explorer, email, etc).
(3) If the Windows tour comes up just reply cancel.
(4) Logoff and log back in as the test user. See if the Windows tour message comes up. If it does, again cancel, logoff and log back on as the test user (you may have to do this a few times until the Windows tour goes away).
(5) Logoff and login as the Administrator to the "Local Domain". Delete the contents of the "Default User" profile (do not delete Default User folder just the contents).
(6) Copy the contents of the Testuser's profile (from step2)into the "Default User" folder.
(7) Now login as new users and see if the Windows Tour reappears.

 

[bluealhunter]

Good day all...

Interesting read this one was (as I read this, I "sound" like Yoda).

Doesn't MARCS41's suggestion to delete the exe provide a simple solution or is there something I've missed?

Additionally, was this thread really started in Jun 2003?

Thanks to all. I learn a bunch from 'watching' you folks help each other.

 

[bcastner]

Marcs41 suggestion would invoke the wrath of Windows File Protection and it would simply replace the file immediately.

I think there are two valid "solutions" offered: a registry edit to set the tour count "During the startup process, Windows queries for the existence of the following value:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Tour\RunCount

If this value is set to a positive integer, that integer is decremented by one. If the setting is set to zero, the tour is suppressed. MS KB 311489" and what is the same thing, letting the tour count go to zero and copy user.dat into the default user profile.

 

[linney]

222193 - Description of the Windows File Protection Feature

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;222193&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

 

[Marcs41]

my deleting suggestion does work, but you have to at least run it once.

The next step is the solution was offered above by Jump1ng, you do it for one profile and copy that profile to create the other users.

Marc
[sub]If 'something' 'somewhere' gives 'some' error, expect random guesses or no replies at all. Please specify details.
Free Tip: The F1 Key does NOT destroy your PC!
How Do You Get Great Answers To my Tek-Tips Questions? [/sub]See faq222-2244

 

[linney]

TourStart.exe will launch Tour.exe in this location -
Windows/ Help/ Tours/ MM Tour

Tour.exe is a Flash Player.

 

[Marcs41]

linney, that wsa what I referred to in my post from Jun 23

 

[bcastner]

marcs41,

Your suggestion on June 23: "C:\windows\system32\tourstart.exe is where the file is, just delete it." Will not work due to Windows File Protection.

Linney is suggesting deleting tour.exe in /Windows/Help/Tours/MM Tour/

My suggestion will not work with an existing user, as the registry key examined for a current vs. new user is different.
So, revision #3:

******** begin copy/paste below this line
'Version 1.2

Option Explicit
On Error Resume Next

Dim WSHShell, p, itemtype
Set WSHShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")

p = "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Tour\RunCount"
itemtype = "REG_DWORD"

WSHShell.RegWrite p, 0, itemtype

p = "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Tour\RunCount"
itemtype = "REG_DWORD"

WSHShell.RegWrite p, 0, itemtype

Set WshShell = Nothing

********** end copy/paste above this line

 

[Marcs41]

Really strange, as I tested it as described a few post back.
Log in ONCE, let the tour run, delete the file and us that profile to create other profiles.
This was on XP Pro US version, no SP's.

Marc


Marc
[sub]If 'something' 'somewhere' gives 'some' error, expect random guesses or no replies at all. Please specify details.
Free Tip: The F1 Key does NOT destroy your PC!
How Do You Get Great Answers To my Tek-Tips Questions? [/sub]See faq222-2244

 

[bcastner]

If you copy the profile to the default profile, you are copying user.dat which contains the HKEY_CURRENT_USER hive.

 

[zoeythecat]

Copying the profile to the default profile (as I noted in my post) resolved my problems. I'm not sure why this is getting so complex????

 

[drk1]

I almost hate to keep posting, "whining" is NOT my intention!

I just tried bcastner's revision #3. Still No Go.

I even went so far as to have someone else "proof" the work I've done so far.

zoey, I'm working with an entire lab of PC's, I'd like to find a way to install one script or program on each PC and be done with it. All the extra copying, deleting, changing is fine for a single PC or two.

Regards to All,

drk

 

[Marcs41]

IF they are all identical PCs, did you consider Ghost or similar?
IF not similar, did you consider an automated roll-out, or a unattended install.
That would shave HOURS of you install time, and leave you the time to manually go through it.
After all, before you hand a PC to a user, surely you must log in as them to fine-tune, in which case you can also click the close tour.
Or, am I missing something?

Marc
[sub]If 'something' 'somewhere' gives 'some' error, expect random guesses or no replies at all. Please specify details.
Free Tip: The F1 Key does NOT destroy your PC!
How Do You Get Great Answers To my Tek-Tips Questions? [/sub]See faq222-2244