How to Disable the Welcome Screen for All Users (173058)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0
This article was previously published under Q173058
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

The Windows NT Welcome splash screen that appears after the initial installation and after each new user logs on to the computer may be removed if an administrator wants to prevent users from seeing it.

MORE INFORMATION

To remove the Windows NT Welcome splash screen, use one of the following methods:

Method One

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.
  1. Log on as a new user, and then log off. Log on a second time and click The box that says: 
          Show this Welcome Screen next time you start Windows NT
  2. Run Regedt32. Go to: 
          HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
      \Explorer\Tips

    NOTE: The above registry key is one path; it has been wrapped for readability.

    The contents of the Tips key should look like the following: 
          "DisplayInitialTipWindow"=dword:00000000
      "Show"=hex:00,00,00,00
      "Next"=hex:03,00
  3. Select the key, and then select Save Key from the Registry menu. Save the key as %systemroot%\Profiles\default user\welcome.
  4. Open the Ntuser.dat file in Regedt32.exe by doing the following:
    1. Go to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE window and highlight HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.
    2. From the Registry menu, select Load Hive. If the option is unavailable, log off, and then log on as an administrator.
    3. In the file dialog box, select: 
              %Systemroot%\Profiles\Default user\Ntuser.dat
    4. Enter the key name Welcome, or any name not currently in use.
  5. Restore the Welcome key previously saved by doing the following:
    1. Select the registry key: 
               HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows
         \CurrentVersion\Explorer

      NOTE: The above registry key is one path; it has been wrapped for readability.
    2. Click Add Key from the Edit menu. Enter Key Name as Tips, and leave Class field blank.
  6. Select the newly-created Tips, and then select Restore from the Registry menu. Select %Systemroot%\Profiles\Default user\welcome" from Step 3 above.
  7. On the Registry menu, select Unload Hive.
  8. Quit Regedt32.exe.
All new users who log on will not be prompted with the Welcome screen. You can still start it, however, by clicking Start, clicking Run, and then typing in Welcome.

Method Two

  1. Rename %Systemroot%\System32\Welcome.exe.
NOTE: You can enable the Welcome to Windows NT splash screen again by renaming Welcome.exe back to Welcome.exe in %Systemroot%, logging off, and then logging back on.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:6/11/2002
Keywords:kbenv kbhowto KB173058
©2002 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.