Remove Help from Windows Explorer....

[chriscj21]

Anyone know of a way; Reg/GPO or otherwise to achieve this?


Thanks in anticipation


Chris

ChrisCj21
MCSE, A+, N+

 

[linney]

Can you clarify your question by outlining what you are trying to achieve? Is it related to the F1 key, the Help and Support Center program, or some particular Help Menu?

http://groups.google.com/groups/sea...emove+help"+from+explorer+windows&qt_s=Search

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q="remove+help+from"+from+explorer+windows&btnG=Search

 

[bcastner]

Copy the below with your mouse:

Windows Registry Editor 5.00
;
; Remove Help & Support access in Windows XP

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\CLASSES\TypeLib\{FC7D9E00-3F9E-11D3-93C0-00C04F72DAF7}\1.0\0\win32]
@="C:\\WINDOWS\\PCHealth\\HelpCtr\\Binaries\\HelpCtr.exe\\1"

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\CLASSES\TypeLib\{FC7D9E00-3F9E-11D3-93C0-00C04F72DAF7}\1.0\HELPDIR]
@="C:\\WINDOWS\\PCHealth\\HelpCtr\\Binaries\\HelpCtr.exe\\"

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\CLASSES\TypeLib\{FC7D9000-3F9E-11D3-93C0-00C04F72DAF7}\1.0\0\win32]
@="C:\\WINDOWS\\PCHealth\\HelpCtr\\Binaries\\HelpCtr.exe\\2"

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\CLASSES\TypeLib\{FC7D9000-3F9E-11D3-93C0-00C04F72DAF7}\1.0\HELPDIR]
@="C:\\WINDOWS\\PCHealth\\HelpCtr\\Binaries\\HelpCtr.exe\\"

; end copying on this line

Open notepad and paste the above. Do a File, Save as, help_and_support_remove.reg

Double click the file to merge with your registry. You can use this in logon scripts:

regedit /s help_and_support_remove.reg




____________________________
Users Helping Users

 

[chriscj21]

Many thanks for this post BCastner...

Rather than using the "-HKLM" approach, do you know of any way I could perform this using a .adm file. By this i mean configuring the values as opposed to reversing the current setting (which is what I understand the "-" achieves).


Thanks again


Chris




ChrisCj21
MCSE, A+, N+

 

[bcastner]

The "-" does not reverse the setting. It deletes the key.

The keys are not Boolean values; they indicate file paths. These do not admit themselves very well to the .ADM structure.

To reverse the changes you ask Regedit to write new values:

Windows Registry Editor 5.00
;
; Restore Help & Support access in Windows XP

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\CLASSES\TypeLib\{FC7D9E00-3F9E-11D3-93C0-00C04F72DAF7}\1.0\0\win32]
@="C:\\WINDOWS\\PCHealth\\HelpCtr\\Binaries\\HelpCtr.exe\\1"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\CLASSES\TypeLib\{FC7D9E00-3F9E-11D3-93C0-00C04F72DAF7}\1.0\HELPDIR]
@="C:\\WINDOWS\\PCHealth\\HelpCtr\\Binaries\\HelpCtr.exe\\"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\CLASSES\TypeLib\{FC7D9000-3F9E-11D3-93C0-00C04F72DAF7}\1.0\0\win32]
@="C:\\WINDOWS\\PCHealth\\HelpCtr\\Binaries\\HelpCtr.exe\\2"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\CLASSES\TypeLib\{FC7D9000-3F9E-11D3-93C0-00C04F72DAF7}\1.0\HELPDIR]
@="C:\\WINDOWS\\PCHealth\\HelpCtr\\Binaries\\HelpCtr.exe\\"

; end copying on this line

The way to push either of these changes is through the logon script:

You can use this in logon scripts:
regedit /s Name_of_help_and_support_file.reg

Or there are other ways to distribute the changes:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/d...w2kmag01/html/DistributingRegistryChanges.asp

____________________________
Users Helping Users

 

[chriscj21]

Thanks BCastner for your help...

Final question - your tweak is great for removing access to help and support from Explorer but is there anyway I can remove "Help" in it's entirity from the Explorer menu?

My main reason for this is to remove the "is this copy of windows legal" from the help menu - removing it totally would be excellent!

ChrisCj21
MCSE, A+, N+

 

[bcastner]

I do not know how to edit that Explorer toolband. I know where it is:

Go to the following Registry key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar

For Windows Explorer: In the right pane, locate the Explorer sub-key and open it. In the right pane, locate the ITBarLayout value. This Binary value is what you would need to edit. I have no idea how.

If you Google 'windows explorer toolband utility' you might find something; there are a lot of utilities for IE for doing exactly what you intend.

Best wishes.


____________________________
Users Helping Users