Because the registry is such a critical component of Windows, I need to call out a few things when it comes to any advice I hand out regarding making changes to it.
It's very simple: you must act exactly as if you're completely on your own. By following any instructions you get from me, you absolve me - Leo Notenboom and Ask Leo! - of any responsibility for the results. If something breaks, it's on you.
It's your responsibility to back up your computer prior to making any change I recommend. You should be doing this regardless of where you get your recommendations, of course.
It's your responsibility to confirm any ".reg" files I provide for downloading as suitable and appropriate for your system. Run an anti-malware scan on them after downloading, for example. These files are provided as a convenience only, and if you're at all uncertain about any change proposed to registry settings, have someone you trust review or make the changes, or don't make the changes at all.
All my registry setting suggestions are made in good faith and with good intent, and have been tested as of the date of publication. That being said, Windows is so complex and ever-changing I cannot guarantee that a registry setting won't harm your machine. Your machine might be very different than expected, malware on your machine might interfere in unexpected ways, or Windows itself may have changed in a way that renders a suggestion problematic.
As I said, and keep saying, back up first.
