Ohh that Microsoft they are indeed sneaky.... Sorry no idea.

I sure would like to get rid of it too... not replace it, simply dump it. It really slows things up.

Virtual Plastic have info on replacing it:
http://www.virtualplastic.net

Thanks Hippy, but I can only find information on where the bitmaps are in OE. Nothing on the magically resistant file from OE6. Maybe I'm not looking in the right place, but I don't see it.

This was not easy to solve but I remembered that I had thumble across this before so I found it and tested it myself, and it works!
Here is what you have to do in XP professional....

Go to "RUN" and type "gpedit.msc"

Then navigate to:

"Computer Configuration"
"Administrative Templates"
"Windows Components"
"Internet Explorer"

Then double click on "disable showing the splash screen"
and mark "Enable".

Thats it youre done....

K Man, this policy is for IE not OE

To remove OE splash screen, follow this simple registry editing procedure:
http://www.jsiinc.com/subk/tip5300/rh5399.htm

Try it before you send a message it works...
No offence but I said that I have tested it,
I dont know if it works in the same way on other
Windows versions but it works on mine XP Pro.

K Man

Another thing, Outlook start up 10 times faster...

K Man, I've tried it before sending my post and it didn't work for OE. I've even rebooted the pc since it's a Computer policy and those policies initializes when windows starts (not at user logon). Looks like i'm out of luck with this policy setting

Hmm... That was strange, I have not restarted yet and it works for me.
I will try to restart after Cute FTP is finished and see if it still works, but so far everything is ok, no splash when I start OE 6.0.
I have started it 10 times now just to be sure. I'll come back to you after I have restarted.

K Man

Restarted my system and started OE 6.0...
No splash on my machine, just the way I like it.

Are you sure you have Enabled it?

Are you logged on as administrator when you tried?

It works without restarting, so it should be very easy
to work it out. Good luck!

K Man

Ok, I've dig a bit and now understand why it didn't work on my pc. Actually, if you look at the "inetres.adm" file which contain policies for IE settings and such, you'll notice that the policy is applied at the following key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Infodelivery\Restrictions

I noticed that I didn't had the NoSplash DWORD value in the registry. And even if I enable the policy, it doesn't create the value. But, if I create the value manually and set it to 1 then it works instantaneously, w/o having to reboot. I must say i'm surprised I don't have to reboot because Computer policies usually initializes at windows boot. I guess this is true only if you're using GPO's and not when applied via Local policies. Since I happen to be in my personnal lab domain, I assume this may have something to do with it, eventhough I have no GPO applied.

Anyway, some food for tought on my side All that to say you're right K Man, it should "normally" work

Well, I hope this would do the trick for everyone else,
we have worked it out so they should have some hints on
how to do it now...
Think I have to go to bed now it's 3:20 AM here now....ZZZZZ...

K Man... I've got Win2K SP2 but tried your hint. Worked perfectly!!!! Thank you sooooo much. OE does, indeed, load much, much faster. Thanks again.

Ok, K Man rules!
I didn't know about gpedit.msc, but now upon running it, I find settings to control some things in Windows that I've been wanting to change for ages. One example is the setting to remove the 'my network places' icon from my desktop.

Cheers K Man!