hide unused applets using the Registry

To hide unused applets using the Registry, run the Registry Editor [Hack #68] and go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Control Panel\don't load.

The key, as its name implies, determines which Control Panel applet icons are not loaded into the Control Panel. You'll still be able to run those applets from the command line after you hide them (as explained later in this hack); you just won't be able to see their icons in the Control Panel.

To hide an applet, create a new String value whose name is the filename of the applet that you want to hide. For example, to hide the Mouse Control dialog box, the String value would be main.cpl. See Table 2-1 for a list of Control Panel applets and their filenames.

Table 2-1. Control Panel applets and their filenames Applet
Filename

System Properties
sysdm.cpl

Display Properties
desk.cpl

Network Connections
ncpa.cpl

Accessibility Options
access.cpl

Add or remove programs
appwiz.cpl

Add Hardware Wizard
hdwwiz.cpl

Internet Properties
Inetcpl.cpl

Region and Language Options
intl.cpl

Game Controllers
joy.cpl

Mouse Properties
main.cpl

Sound and Audio Devices
mmsys.cpl

User Accounts
nusrmgr.cpl

ODBC Data Source Administrator
odbccp32.cpl

Power Options Properties
Powercfg.cpl

Phone and Modem Options
telephon.cpl

Time and Date Properties
timedate.cpl

Speech Properties
sapi.cpl