I have a question about Disable the Internet Connection Wizard:

How do you disable the Internet Connection Wizard on Windows NT for multiple users logging in on a domain?

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

On Thursday, December 6, 2001 at 8:09 am, Leigh wrote:

I have a question about Disable the Internet Connection Wizard:

How do you disable the Internet Connection Wizard on Windows NT for multiple users logging in on a domain?

For existing users, you have to set Completed individually for each user profile. :-P To avoid annoying new users, do the same for the Default User profile.

In either case you can use REGEDT32 to load %windir%\Profiles\<some user>\NTUSER.DAT into a temporary branch off of HKEY_USERS and then perform surgery on the Registry hive for that user.

If there are a lot of users to fix up, and you're a scripting wizard, you may be able to automate this by iterating over the content of Documents and Settings and using REG.EXE from the Resource Kit to load, patch, and unload the hives. Skip All Users, since there's no hive in there.

As usual, even thinking about touching the Registry could make your computer unbootable, render your dog radioactive, etc. Backups are good.

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Another way to achieve this would be to have the value written to the Registry at logon. You could do this through a logon script, for example. I am using a product called Scriptlogic that is incredible for writing effective, complicated scripts in a matter of minutes. The nice thing about it - it's interface is entirely graphical. But, this only works in a Windows Domain (NT or Active Directory) configuration. If you are not in a Windows Domain configuration, export the Internet Connection Wizard key for a user that is configured, and then silently import this key into the Registry by creating a .cmd file and running it at startup. You can silently import saved .Reg files by using the Regedit command with the /s option. For Example, if you saved your exported registry key in a file called ICWDisable.Reg in the winnt\system32 directory, your command file could look like this: Regedit /s c:\winnt\system32\ICWDisable.Reg. You could then stick this file in the Startup Folder, or reference in in the Run Key inside the registry.


On Thursday, December 6, 2001 at 8:09 am, Leigh wrote:
>I have a question about Disable
>the Internet Connection Wizard:

>
>How do you disable the Internet Connection Wizard on Windows NT for multiple users
>logging in on a domain?
>
>

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

On Thursday, December 6, 2001 at 8:09 am, Leigh wrote:
>I have a question about Disable
>the Internet Connection Wizard:

>
>How do you disable the Internet Connection Wizard on Windows NT for multiple users
>logging in on a domain?
>
>

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

I am running win2kpro/sp1-3 on various machines, IE 5.5/sp2 When I perform the registry surgery on the default user, a new user still gets ICW. I think MS overwrites the ICW key with a new one, to spam users for MSN the first time they log on. This obliterates the key from the default profile. I just love this stuff. User settings from 100 obfuscated places, hard-coded, and admin-hostile. The spam key is http://www.microsoft.com/isapi/redir.dll?prd=ie&ar=runonce&pver=5.5&plcid=0x0409 Any clues on disabling this?


On Tuesday, February 12, 2002 at 12:41 pm, Mark H. Wood wrote:
>On Thursday, December 6, 2001 at 8:09 am, Leigh wrote:
>

>I have a question about Disable
>the Internet Connection Wizard:
>

>How do you disable the Internet Connection Wizard on Windows NT for multiple users
>logging in on a domain?
>

>For existing users, you have to set Completed individually for each user profile.
>:-P To avoid annoying new users, do the same for the Default User profile.
>
>

>In either case you can use REGEDT32 to load %windir%\Profiles\\NTUSER.DAT
>into a temporary branch off of HKEY_USERS and then perform surgery on the Registry
>hive for that user.
>
>

>If there are a lot of users to fix up, and you're a scripting wizard, you may be
>able to automate this by iterating over the content of Documents and Settings and
>using REG.EXE from the Resource Kit to load, patch, and unload the hives. Skip All
>Users, since there's no hive in there.
>
>

>As usual, even thinking about touching the Registry could make your computer unbootable,
>render your dog radioactive, etc. Backups are good.

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

On Monday, October 14, 2002 at 9:36 pm, JimmytheGeek wrote:
>I am running win2kpro/sp1-3 on various machines, IE 5.5/sp2 When I perform the registry 
>surgery on the default user, a new user still gets ICW. I think MS overwrites the 
>ICW key with a new one, to spam users for MSN the first time they log on. This obliterates 
>the key from the default profile. I just love this stuff. User settings from 100 
>obfuscated places, hard-coded, and admin-hostile.  The spam key is http://www.microsoft.com/isapi/redir.dll?prd=ie&ar=runonce&pver=5.5&plcid=0x0409 
>Any clues on disabling this? 

Yes.

Change the value of

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\TypedURLs\url1

to something useful. 

You might also want to take a look at HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet 
Explorer\Main and modify the values for Start Page, Default_Page_URL and First Home 
Page.

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Do you have an example of the registry key that should be loaded at login time? Thanks in advance.


On Friday, June 21, 2002 at 12:16 pm, Jeff Hatzinger wrote:
>Another way to achieve this would be to have the value written to the Registry at
>logon. You could do this through a logon script, for example. I am using a product
>called Scriptlogic that is incredible for writing effective, complicated scripts
>in a matter of minutes. The nice thing about it - it's interface is entirely graphical.
>But, this only works in a Windows Domain (NT or Active Directory) configuration.
>
>If you are not in a Windows Domain configuration, export the Internet Connection
>Wizard key for a user that is configured, and then silently import this key into
>the Registry by creating a .cmd file and running it at startup. You can silently
>import saved .Reg files by using the Regedit command with the /s option. For Example,
>if you saved your exported registry key in a file called ICWDisable.Reg in the winnt\system32
>directory, your command file could look like this: Regedit /s c:\winnt\system32\ICWDisable.Reg.
>You could then stick this file in the Startup Folder, or reference in in the Run
>Key inside the registry.
>
>

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

I haven't seen a definitive answer to this here or anywhere else. One of the responses mentions performing surgery on the registry for the default user, but doesn't give details on how to do this. I've seen that piece of it posted elsewhere, but it's not sufficient by itself.

So... here is the definitive answer to disable the Internet Connection Wizard for new profiles created on Win NT/2000/XP. First, Microsoft's standard disclaimer about registry editing applies. :)

1. For Windows NT/2000, run REGEDT32.EXE (REGEDIT.EXE will not work).
For Windows XP, run REGEDIT.EXE (In XP the two registry editors have been merged).

2. For Windows NT/2000, select the HKEY_USERS window. Highlight the HKEY_USERS key if it is not already highlighted. Select the "Registry" menu and then "Load Hive..."
For Windows XP, highlight the HKEY_USERS key. Select the "File" menu and then "Load Hive..."

3. In the file dialog, open the NTUSER.DAT for the Default User. This file is usually a hidden file and the Default User directory is usually hidden as well. This file is usually located at "C:\WINNT\Profiles\Default User\NTUSER.DAT" for Windows NT and "C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\NTUSER.DAT" for Windows 2000/XP.

4. Type in "Temp" for the Key Name and press Enter. "Temp" will now appear as a key under the HKEY_USERS key.

5. Expand the Temp key and navigate to the following key:
\HKEY_USERS\Temp\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Runonce

6. Delete the following entry from this key:
^SetupICWDesktop
This is what creates the desktop icon for ICW when a user first logs in. Deleting this key will prevent the icon from being created. Unfortunately, the first time a user launches Internet Explorer, ICW will come up anyway. The next few steps will stop that as well.

7. Navigate to the following key:
\HKEY_USERS\Temp\Software\Microsoft

8. Create a new key named "Internet Connection Wizard".
In Windows NT/2000, highlight the "Microsoft" key and select "Add Key..." from the Edit menu. Enter "Internet Connection Wizard" in the Key Name box and leave the Class box blank. Click OK.
In Windows XP, right-click on the "Microsoft" key, and select New, then Key. Type "Internet Connection Wizard" and press Enter.

9. Navigate to the new key:
\HKEY_USERS\Temp\Software\Microsoft\Internet Connection Wizard

10. Create a new REG_BINARY value named "Completed" under this key.
In Windows NT/2000, highlight the "Internet Connection Wizard" key and select "Add Value..." from the Edit menu. Enter "Completed" in the Value Name box and select REG_BINARY from the Data Type drop-down. Click OK. The Binary Editor will pop up.
In Windows XP, right-click on the "Internet Connection Wizard" key, and select New, then Binary Value. Type "Completed" and press Enter. Double click on the "Completed" value to invoke the "Edit Binary Value" box.

11. Enter "01 00 00 00" (minus the quotes and spaces) and press Enter.

12. Navigate to the following key:
\HKEY_USERS\Temp

13. For Windows NT/2000, select the "Registry" menu and then "Unload Hive..."
For Windows XP, higlight the HKEY_USERS key. Select the "File" menu and then "Unload Hive..."

That's it! That pesky Internet Connection Wizard should no longer appear for new users. You may have to re-apply this "fix" if you install a new version of Internet Explorer.


On Thursday, December 6, 2001 at 8:09 am, Leigh wrote:
>I have a question about Disable
>the Internet Connection Wizard:

>
>How do you disable the Internet Connection Wizard on Windows NT for multiple users
>logging in on a domain?
>
>

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

This was really useful to me too! I had the same kind of problem, plus another (related) one. The first time a new user logon, not only windows creates the connection wizard icon on the desktop, but also IE and Outlook Express icons on the quick launch toolbar. Is there a way to disable this as well, using the registry? I'm sure there must be a way, the problem is that finding the right key is not that easy... thank you


On Tuesday, March 2, 2004 at 12:03 pm, Hiram Lester wrote:
>

I haven't seen a definitive answer to this here or anywhere else. One of the responses
>mentions performing surgery on the registry for the default user, but doesn't give
>details on how to do this. I've seen that piece of it posted elsewhere, but it's
>not sufficient by itself.
>
>

So... here is the definitive answer to disable the Internet Connection Wizard
>for new profiles created on Win NT/2000/XP. First, Microsoft's standard disclaimer
>about registry editing applies. :)
>
>

1. For Windows NT/2000, run REGEDT32.EXE (REGEDIT.EXE will not work).
>
For Windows XP, run REGEDIT.EXE (In XP the two registry editors have been merged).
>
>

2. For Windows NT/2000, select the HKEY_USERS window. Highlight the HKEY_USERS
>key if it is not already highlighted. Select the "Registry" menu and then "Load Hive..."
>
For Windows XP, highlight the HKEY_USERS key. Select the "File" menu and then
>"Load Hive..."
>
>

3. In the file dialog, open the NTUSER.DAT for the Default User. This file is
>usually a hidden file and the Default User directory is usually hidden as well. This
>file is usually located at "C:\WINNT\Profiles\Default User\NTUSER.DAT" for Windows
>NT and "C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\NTUSER.DAT" for Windows 2000/XP.
>
>

4. Type in "Temp" for the Key Name and press Enter. "Temp" will now appear as
>a key under the HKEY_USERS key.
>
>

5. Expand the Temp key and navigate to the following key:
\HKEY_USERS\Temp\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Runonce
>
>

6. Delete the following entry from this key:
^SetupICWDesktop
>
This is what creates the desktop icon for ICW when a user first logs in. Deleting
>this key will prevent the icon from being created. Unfortunately, the first time
>a user launches Internet Explorer, ICW will come up anyway. The next few steps will
>stop that as well.
>
>

7. Navigate to the following key:
\HKEY_USERS\Temp\Software\Microsoft
>
>

8. Create a new key named "Internet Connection Wizard".
>
In Windows NT/2000, highlight the "Microsoft" key and select "Add Key..." from
>the Edit menu. Enter "Internet Connection Wizard" in the Key Name box and leave the
>Class box blank. Click OK.
>
In Windows XP, right-click on the "Microsoft" key, and select New, then Key.
>Type "Internet Connection Wizard" and press Enter.
>
>

9. Navigate to the new key:
>
\HKEY_USERS\Temp\Software\Microsoft\Internet Connection Wizard
>
>

10. Create a new REG_BINARY value named "Completed" under this key.
>
In Windows NT/2000, highlight the "Internet Connection Wizard" key and select
>"Add Value..." from the Edit menu. Enter "Completed" in the Value Name box and select
>REG_BINARY from the Data Type drop-down. Click OK. The Binary Editor will pop up.
>
In Windows XP, right-click on the "Internet Connection Wizard" key, and select
>New, then Binary Value. Type "Completed" and press Enter. Double click on the "Completed"
>value to invoke the "Edit Binary Value" box.
>
>

11. Enter "01 00 00 00" (minus the quotes and spaces) and press Enter.
>
>

12. Navigate to the following key:
>
\HKEY_USERS\Temp
>
>

13. For Windows NT/2000, select the "Registry" menu and then "Unload Hive..."
>
For Windows XP, higlight the HKEY_USERS key. Select the "File" menu and then
>"Unload Hive..."
>
>

That's it! That pesky Internet Connection Wizard should no longer appear for new
>users. You may have to re-apply this "fix" if you install a new version of Internet
>Explorer.
>

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