How to Prevent the Internet Explorer "Welcome" Tour from Running (224299)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 for Windows NT 4.0 SP 1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 for Windows NT 4.0
This article was previously published under Q224299
IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SUMMARY

This article describes how to prevent the Internet Explorer "Welcome" tour from running when a new user logs on to a computer. This may be useful to reduce start up time, or to work around issues with the tour starting properly.

MORE INFORMATION

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.


The Internet Explorer Tour can be enabled or disabled in the registry on a per-user basis. To prevent the Internet Explorer Welcome tour from running when a new user logs on to a computer, you must create a user account with the preferred settings in the registry and then copy these settings into the default user profile in the Winnt\Profiles\Default User folder:
  1. Restart your computer, log on as a new user, and then restart your computer.
  2. Log on as an administrator, and then add the new user to the administrator's group.
  3. Click Start, click Logoff user name, where user name is your user name. Log on to your computer with the new user account you created in step 1, click to clear the Show this the Next Time you login check box, and then click Close.
  4. Click Start, click Logoff user name, and then log on to your computer with the new user account you created in step 1. If the tour does not run, continue to step 5. If the tour does run, skip to step 8.
  5. Copy the contents of the Winnt\Profiles\Default User folder to another folder to create a backup copy of these original settings.
  6. Copy the contents of the new "user name" folder from the Profiles folder to the Default User folder, and then restart your computer. Do not perform the remaining steps.
  7. Use Registry Editor to view the following registry key:

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Tips

    Change the value of the SHOWIE4 value from 1 to 0. Note that a value of 1 means the tour is enabled, and a value of 0 means the tour is disabled. You can change this value to re-enable the tour at a later time.
  8. Restart your computer.
  9. Repeat steps 5-7 to copy this user's settings to the default user.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:10/13/2003
Keywords:kbenv kbhowto KB224299
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