Group Policy Settings vs. Registry Entries

In the Microsoft Windows operating system, when you make settings in the group policy (gpedit.msc), the settings will also create registry entries in the registry database.

The table below tells you where to look for the key when the settings in the group policy are applied.

Group Policy Settings	Registry Entries
Computer Configuration	HKLM\Software\Policies, Or HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies
User Configuration	HKCU\Software\Policies, Or HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies

For example:

In the local group policy editor, when you enable “Lock the Taskbar” setting under User Configuration\Administrative Template\Start Menu and Taskbar, you also create a registry entry referenced to “Lock the Taskbar” in HKCU\\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer].

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USERS\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"LockTaskbar"=dword:00000001

This value 1 means “LockTaskbar” is enabled, while the value 0 means “LockTaskbar” is disabled.  You can either enable or disable “Lock the Taskbar” group policy setting by just changing the value of the “LockTaskbar” registry entry.

Registry key for hiding Screen Saver tab

You can hide a Screen Saver tab in Windows XP by adding a new DWORD registry entry in [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Policies\System]. 

After you drill down to this key, right click, choose DWORD, and type NoDispScrSavPage.  Then, set the value for this entry as follows:

• NoDispScrSavPage = 1   to hide Screen Saver tab
• NoDispScrSavPage = 0   to unhide Screen Saver tab

This is the whole string after you create the entry, and if you export it out.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
Policies\System]

"NoDispScrSavPage"=dword:00000001

Also, this entry applies to a current user, meaning it applies to each user who logs on to the machine; so you have to find a way that each user gets this setting when he/she logs on.

Resources:

Book

• Microsoft Windows XP Registry Guide by Jerry Honeycutt (Author)
• Microsoft Windows Registry Guide, Second Edition by Jerry Honeycutt (Author)

Microsoft Support

• Windows registry information for advanced users