How to Force Change to Single-Click Mode Using .reg File

ID: Q174490

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 4.0, 4.01, 4.01 Service Pack 1, 5 for Windows 95
Microsoft Internet Explorer version 5 for Windows 98

NOTE: The information in this article applies to Internet Explorer 5 users only if the Windows Desktop Update component is installed. This component is installed with Windows 98 or can be installed with Internet Explorer 4. For information about adding or removing the Windows Desktop Update component, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q165695
   TITLE     : How to Add or Remove Windows Desktop Update

SUMMARY

This article describes how to change users' desktops from using the "Double-click to open an item (single-click to select)" option to the "Single-click to open an item (point to select)" option without user intervention. This method may benefit network administrators in implementing single-click after a rollout of Internet Explorer.

Note that Microsoft Technical Support does not support writing registry files for import. For more information about writing .reg files, see the Microsoft Windows 95 Software Development Kit (SDK).

MORE INFORMATION

Create the .reg File

Using any text editor (such as Notepad), create a file with the following content:

   REGEDIT4
   [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer]
   "IconUnderline"=hex(0):03,00,00,00

  [HKEY_USERS\.Default\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer]
  "ShellState"=hex:1c,00,00,00,41,08,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,
  00,00,\00,00,00,00,09,00,00,00
  "IconUnderline"=hex(0):03,00,00,00

Save this file as Single.reg and place it on a server.

Running the .reg File

Add the following command to users' login scripts:

   regedit <path to file>\single.reg -s

The -s switch makes the command run silently so that no user intervention is required. After the command is carried out, restarting the computer or refreshing the screen activates the "Single-click to open an item (point to select)" option.

Additional query words: 4.00 4.01 5.0 5.00

Keywords          : kbenv winshell msiew95 msiew98 
Version           : WINDOWS:4.0,4.01,5,98
Platform          : WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbhowto

Last Reviewed: March 18, 1999