How to Disable the Welcome Screen for All Users

Last reviewed: March 2, 1998
Article ID: Q173058

The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0 - Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0 WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall Windows 95. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry. Before you edit the registry, you should first make a backup copy of the registry files (System.dat and User.dat). Both are hidden files in the Windows folder.

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: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall Windows 95. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

For information about how to edit the registry, view the Changing Keys and Values online Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe). Note that you should make a backup copy of the registry files (System.dat and User.dat) before you edit the registry.

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
```

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

Select the key, and then select Save Key from the Registry menu. Save the key as %systemroot%\Profiles\default user\welcome.
Open the Ntuser.dat file in Regedt32.exe by doing the following:
a. Go to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE window and highlight HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.
b. From the Registry menu, select Load Hive. If the option is
```
      unavailable, log off, and then log on as an administrator.
```
c. In the file dialog box, select:
```
        %Systemroot%\Profiles\Default user\Ntuser.dat

   d. Enter the key name Welcome, or any name not currently in use.
```

Restore the Welcome key previously saved by doing the following:

a. 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.

   b. Click Add Key from the Edit menu. Enter Key Name as Tips, and
      leave Class field blank.

Select the newly-created Tips, and then select Restore from the Registry menu. Select %Systemroot%\Profiles\Default user\welcome" from Step 3 above.
On the Registry menu, select Unload Hive.
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.

Second Method

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.

Keywords          : nthowto ntregistry ntsetup NTSrvWkst kbenv
Version           : WinNT:4.0
Platform          : winnt
Issue type        : kbhowto

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Last reviewed: March 2, 1998
© 1998 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Terms of Use.