Reset Regedit32 to Work Correctly in Windows 2000

Resetting RegEdit32 in Windows 2000 to work correctly

Unlike Windows 95, Windows 98 and Windows NT 4.0, when you open RegEdit in Windows 2000 it always opens to the last key you were at when you last used it or even to the last key in the registry, instead of at the beginning. While some people may like this if they need to remember the last key they worked on previously, but personally, it is irritating.

While there are no desktop changes that will enable you force RegEdit to reset itself to the beginning when closed, this can be done through the registry. Please update (or create) and Emergency Repair Disk (ERD) before attempting this! If you’re unsure of how to create an ERD, try this:

1. Insert a blank formatted floppy disk into Drive A.
2. Click Start/Programs/Accessories/System Tools/Backup.
3. When the Backup dialog box opens, click Emergency Repair Disk.
4. When the Emergency Repair Diskette dialog opens, select the check box labeled “Also backup the registry to the repair directory….” and Click OK to continue.

Now let’s fix the problem:

1. Click Start, Run and type: “regedt32” (without the quotes) and press Enter.
2. When the Registry Editor opens, drill down to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Regedit.
3. In the right panel, double-click LastKey to open it. When the editor window opens, delete the contents and press Enter.
4. Next, with the Regedit key selected, choose Security/Permissions.
5. When the ‘Permissions for regedit’ dialog box opens, deny full control by selecting the appropriate check box. Click OK to continue.
6. Now, choose Registry, then Exit to close the Registry Editor.
7. Now, restart the computer.

When the computer restarts, RegEdit should act just like it does in Windows NT 4.0 Workstation.