[THIN] Re: Anyone know if their is a GPO or registry key for "Turn off all unecessary animations"

Hi Jim,

 

This stuff is also controlled via the computer properties > advanced > performance > visual effect option. If you set it to best performance, all the stuff you want turned off is turned off.

 

Unfortunately this changes a whole bunch of registry values but if we just narrow down on the stuff you want, there are 2 registry values involved:

 

HKCU\Control Panel\Desktop\UserPreferencesMask

 

This is a reg_binary value. Change this value from 9E 2C 07 80 12 00 00 00 to 9E 2C 07 80 10 00 00 00 .

 

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VisualEffects\VisualFxSetting

 

The VisualEffects key doesn't exist by default. There are a bunch of values that can be defined under here but the only one that really matters is VisualFxSettings. Set this to 2 to disable a lot of the animations and also to tick "Turn off all unnecessary animations (when possible)" .

 

So if you're willing to do a reg hack on logon life is easy. In fact prior to Vista/Server 2008 that was really your only option unless you had were using the DesktopStandard GP extensions because Reg_binary values couldn't be changed via group policy.

 

Now that Microsoft have acquired DesktopStandard most things are possible provided you've got the MDOP GP extensions. If not then it's back to scripting or turning things off for the default profile and using that plus a profile management solution.

 

However there are still a couple of other things you can try tweaking.

 

If you go to user configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Desktop Windows Manager, there's an option "Do not allow window animations".

 

And there's also configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Explorer, "Turn off common control and window animations".

 

There used to be a free DesktopStandard registry extensions download that would do the trick but I'm not sure it'll work with Server 2008. If you want to try it send me an email and I'll get it to you to make available for download.

 

regards,

 

Rick

 

 

regards,

 

Rick

 

--
Ulrich Mack
Quest Software
Provision Networks Division

 

On Sat, Jan 24, 2009 at 11:02 AM, Jim Kenzig http://thin.ms <jkenzig@gmail.com> wrote:

Thanks Joe

Can you write him back and ask him if it can be done via the registry somehow!

Thanks,

Jim Kenzig
Blog: http://www.techblink.com

On Fri, Jan 23, 2009 at 6:14 PM, Joe Shonk <joe.shonk@gmail.com> wrote:

Jim,

 

Here is the response I got back from Microsoft:

 

"It would be great if you could send this back.

 

While our team looked at this possibly in Windows Vista, it was decided to not incorporate group policy settings for two reasons

1.       We left it out so that network administrators would not be able to turn off EoA settings by group policy.  We did not want administrators to be able to turn off features that allow users to interact with their computer.

2.       We also looked at this from a disclosure perspective.  Having to tell your network admin "please allow foo setting" forces the person with an accessibility issue to self-disclose, and the person might not want to do that.

 

That said, as a fellow network admin of, I see value to the scenario Jim described.  I will take the feedback, but I do not think we'll get it into Windows 7, since it would require planning on specific options and how to handle them.  We need to approach those problems during the planning phase. "

 

From: thin-bounce@freelists.org [mailto:thin-bounce@freelists.org] On Behalf Of Jim Kenzig http://thin.ms

Sent: Wednesday, January 21, 2009 10:10 AM

To: THIN; windows2000@freelists.org; vista@freelists.org
Subject: [THIN] Anyone know if their is a GPO or registry key for "Turn off all unecessary animations"

 

Trying to track down the registry setting in Vista and Server 2008 that is under Ease of Access Center / Make it easier to focus on tasks / scroll to bottom and under Adjust Time Limits and flashing Visuals section we want the box to be checked to "Turn off all unnecessary animations (when possible)"  This should be available as a GPO as it is definitely necessary to turn off on the server for Terminal Services connections.

Jim Kenzig
Blog: http://www.techblink.com