How to absolutely Clear MRU Lists in XP?

[broudie]

When I type into the Address bar or Open dialog box of
Internet Explorer 6 SP1 (using Windows XP Home)
Autocomplete offers suggestions that presumably come from
a Most Recently Used (MRU) list. I've cleared the
History, deleted all Cookies, deleted all Temporary
Internet Files, as well as cleared the Forms and
Passwords in the Autocomplete History, but the
suggestions still appear. I know I can turn off
AutoComplete for Web addresses, but when I turn it back
on, the suggestions are still there.
I want to find where the MRU lists are stored and delete
the entries. I've searched through the registry and
Windows explorer for the culprit words suggested, but
can't find them. My guess is the words are hidden in the
registry in binary code.

I found 2 articles in the knowledge base referring to
this.
322948 - Names of Previously Opened and Saved Files
Appear in Typical Windows Explorer-Style Dialog Boxes in
Windows XP (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?
scid=kb;en-us;322948)
142298 - How to Clear the Windows Explorer MRU Lists
(http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-
us;142298)

The latter article doesn't give info for XP - ugh... the
data in the article, unfortunately, doesn't work in XP.
Does anyone know where the registry keys are for MRU's in
XP? I want to CLEAR the MRU LIST before I turn off the
feature (as described in the former knowledge base
article).
THANKS!!

 

[Ddweddyodd]

I'm sure the value of performing these actions is questionable, and I'm sure
there's a better way, but I frequently (once a day) open the Registry Editor,
press Ctrl + F, type in MRUList, and press the Enter key.

(I uncheck the "Keys" box in the "Look At" section of the Registry "Find" tool
before I initiate the search.)

Then, I delete everything in the righthand windowpane (except the "Default"
value) in every instance of the occurence of the word "MRUList".

I even delete everything under (by "under", I mean: "in a subordinate branch")
the branch "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\BagMRU".
I don't delete the BagMRU Key, just everything that branches off from it.

I don't know the value or detriment of these actions, but I've done it for
years. <-- The preceding sentence is a cleverly devised solicitation for
commentary about this subject from savvier people than me (which is just about
everyone honestly).

NOTE: When searching the Registry as described above, after each successful
"Find", simply press F3 to continue the same search from that point onward.

Also, I use X-Teq's X-Setup 6.3 to implement a setting to delete a lot of MRU
stuff at logoff.


| When I type into the Address bar or Open dialog box of
| Internet Explorer 6 SP1 (using Windows XP Home)
| Autocomplete offers suggestions that presumably come from
| a Most Recently Used (MRU) list. I've cleared the
| History, deleted all Cookies, deleted all Temporary
| Internet Files, as well as cleared the Forms and
| Passwords in the Autocomplete History, but the
| suggestions still appear. I know I can turn off
| AutoComplete for Web addresses, but when I turn it back
| on, the suggestions are still there.
| I want to find where the MRU lists are stored and delete
| the entries. I've searched through the registry and
| Windows explorer for the culprit words suggested, but
| can't find them. My guess is the words are hidden in the
| registry in binary code.
|
| I found 2 articles in the knowledge base referring to
| this.
| 322948 - Names of Previously Opened and Saved Files
| Appear in Typical Windows Explorer-Style Dialog Boxes in
| Windows XP (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?
| scid=kb;en-us;322948)
| 142298 - How to Clear the Windows Explorer MRU Lists
| (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-
| us;142298)
|
| The latter article doesn't give info for XP - ugh... the
| data in the article, unfortunately, doesn't work in XP.
| Does anyone know where the registry keys are for MRU's in
| XP? I want to CLEAR the MRU LIST before I turn off the
| feature (as described in the former knowledge base
| article).
| THANKS!!