Vista Tweaks and Tips

[ThunderChicken]

Alright Guys Lets post all our Vista Tweaks and Tips heres some to start us off...

 

 

Enable DWM on Unsupported Video Cards

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\DWM]
"perUser"=dword:00000000
"DebugDumpTree"=dword:00000000
"DebugMessages"=dword:00000000
"DebugMouse"=dword:00000000
"DebugZOrder"=dword:00000000
"EnableMachineCheck"=dword:00000000
"ForceSoftwareD3D"=dword:00000000
"Glass"=dword:00000001
"UseAlternateButtons"=dword:00000001
"Animations"=dword:00000001
"AnimationsShiftKey"=dword:00000001
"Blur"=dword:00000001
"Composition"=dword:00000001
"UseDPIScaling"=dword:00000001
"RenderClientArea"=dword:00000001
"MagnificationPercent"=dword:00000064

 

How to disable user access protection ( UAP )-

 

1. While logged in with admin rights.
2. Press the key combo Win+R (the "Run command" box comes up).
3. Run "msconfig".
4. Go to the "Tools" tab.
5. Scroll down to "disable UAP", & click the "launch" button below.
6. It will execute a command & leave behind a CMD window, exit that, reboot Vista, and you're done!

 

Show Administrator on Welcome Screen

 

start > run = " control userpasswords2 " select administrator account, click reset password (input new pass) / Ok

start > run = " regedit " create the key below

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\SpecialAccounts\UserList

create "DWORD (32bit) Value"
Value Name: Administrator
Value Data: 1

 

 

Add Explore from here on right click

 

 

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell\Explore From Here]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell\Explore From Here\command]
@="explorer.exe /e,/root,\"%1\""

 

No Splash screen on Windows mail AKA Outlook express

 

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

;lets get rid of the Windows Mail splash screen
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows Mail]
"NoSplash"=dword:00000001

 

Disable Last Access Timestamp in vista

 

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem called NtfsDisableLastAccessUpdate
set this to 0 to disable 1 to enable

 

 

These are just a few i have many more just dont have the time to post anymore at the moment. Please feel free to post new tips all the all the codboxes that have windows registry editor version 5.00 just copy the code into notepad and save as .reg and then double click to use. (for those who dont know how to make a .reg file) or you can manualy go to windows key+r to open run command then type regedit to open up the registry.

 

Hope this helps for all us vista users.

Edited January 30, 2007 by ThunderChicken

[Bosco]

Topic Pinned

[ThunderChicken]

increase IE simultaneous downloads...Default is 2

 

 

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

;we enable more simultaneous downloads for IE to 20 (default is 2)
[HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings]
"MaxConnectionsPerServer"=dword:00000014
"MaxConnectionsPer1_0Server"=dword:00000014

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings]
"MaxConnectionsPerServer"=dword:00000014
"MaxConnectionsPer1_0Server"=dword:00000014

\

 

Disable DEP/NoExecute Protection to fix Random Windows Explorer crashes

 

1. Click Start, All Programs, Accessories, right click on "Command Prompt", and click "Run as administrator".

2. If asked for permission to run Windows Command Processor, click on Allow.

3. At the command prompt, type in "bcdedit.exe /set {current} nx AlwaysOff" (without the quotes).

4. You should receive a message saying "Operation Completed Successfully".

5. Restart the computer, DEP / No Execute should now be disabled.

 

Prevent network flooding and connection drops

 

This will disable IPv6 connectivity as well as the Windows Firewall security. This will also invalidate any network related bug reports you file against Windows Vista.

  1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
  2. LUnder "Network and Internet", click on "View network status and tasks".
  3. In the left hand pane, click on "Open connections".
  4. Right click on your network connection (for example: Local Area Connection 3), and then click "Configure".
  5. If asked for permission to open Network Connections, click on Allow.
  6. Highlight the following items and press the "Uninstall" button:
           Link-Layer Topology Discovery Mapper I/O Driver
           Link-Layer Topology Discovery Responder
  7. Uncheck "Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6)"
  8. Next, click on the "Configure" button under the name of your network adapter.
  9. Click on the Power Management tab.
 10. Disable all power management items listed on the Power Management tab.
 11. Press OK.

 

Also if you dont like default icon size in vista do the following...

 

 

1. go to your desktop hold down ctrl and then use the mouse wheel to change icon sizes.

 

 

For Unnatended Installs change default true type fonts...

 

 

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\FontSubstitutes]
"MS Shell Dlg 2"="*FONT NAME HERE*"
"MS Shell Dlg"="*FONT NAME HERE*"
"Helv"="*FONT NAME HERE*"
"MS Sans Serif 8,10,12,14,18,24"="*FONT NAME HERE*"
"MS Serif 8,10,12,14,18,24"="*FONT NAME HERE*"
"MS Sans Serif"="*FONT NAME HERE*"
"System"="*FONT NAME HERE*"
"Microsoft Sans Serif"="*FONT NAME HERE*"
"Tahoma"="*FONT NAME HERE*"
"MS Serif"="*FONT NAME HERE*"
"Times New Roman"="*FONT NAME HERE*"
"Times"="*FONT NAME HERE*"
"Small Fonts"="*FONT NAME HERE*"
"Tms Rmn"="*FONT NAME HERE*"
"Arial"="*FONT NAME HERE*"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Fonts]
"Arial (TrueType)"="*FONT FILE NAME HERE.ttf*"
"Arial Italic (TrueType)"="segoeuii.ttf"
"Arial Bold (TrueType)"="segoeuib.ttf"
"Arial Bold Italic (TrueType)"="segoeuiz.ttf"
"Times New Roman (TrueType)"="*FONT FILE NAME HERE.ttf*"
"Times New Roman Italic (TrueType)"="segoeuii.ttf"
"Times New Roman Bold (TrueType)"="segoeuib.ttf"
"Times New Roman Bold Italic (TrueType)"="segoeuiz.ttf"
"Tahoma (TrueType)"="*FONT FILE NAME HERE.ttf*"
"Tahoma Bold (TrueType)"="segoeuib.ttf"
"Microsoft Sans Serif (TrueType)"="*FONT FILE NAME HERE.ttf*"
"MS Sans Serif 8,10,12,14,18,24 (VGA res)"="*FONT FILE NAME HERE.ttf*"
"MS Serif 8,10,12,14,18,24 (VGA res)"="*FONT FILE NAME HERE.ttf*"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\MuiCache]
"@themeui.dll,-2037"="{*FONT NAME HERE*, 8 pt}"
"@themeui.dll,-2038"="{*FONT NAME HERE*, 8 pt}"
"@themeui.dll,-2039"="{*FONT NAME HERE*, 8 pt}"
"@themeui.dll,-2040"="{*FONT NAME HERE*, 8 pt}"
"@themeui.dll,-2041"="{*FONT NAME HERE*, 8 pt}"
"@themeui.dll,-2042"="{*FONT NAME HERE*, 8 pt}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\FontMapper\FamilyDefaults]
"Swiss"="*FONT NAME HERE*"
"Roman"="*FONT NAME HERE*"

 

for the font type....

 

*FONT FILE NAME HERE.ttf* = the actual file name of the true type font.

*FONT NAME HERE* = the name of the true type font

8 pt = represents the default size you want the font to be.

 

You can design your own fonts in vista go to start and then type eudcedit.exe and you can use this to make your OWN fonts...

 

turn off baloon tips

 

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

; turn off start menu baloon tips
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoDriveTypeAutoRun"=dword:00000091
"NoSMBalloonTip"=dword:00000001

 

here is a reg file with a ton of vista tweaks i found this somewhere else on the web i did not make this reg file, ive used it on my own computer running vista and have had no problems. ive just seen a lil more responsive faster vista.

vista_reg_tweaks.zip

Edited January 30, 2007 by ThunderChicken

[Kash]

Hopefully my question has an answer and can be merged into this topic.

 

Is there a way to change the way you interact with icons in Vista to make them behave more like XP icons? What I mean is that when you move your mouse over them, this strange translucent box highlights the icon and the space around it. Almost kind of like the link feature in XP, just prettier.

[ThunderChicken]

Hopefully my question has an answer and can be merged into this topic.

 

Is there a way to change the way you interact with icons in Vista to make them behave more like XP icons? What I mean is that when you move your mouse over them, this strange translucent box highlights the icon and the space around it. Almost kind of like the link feature in XP, just prettier.

 

 

well if you go....

Start

rightclick computer

properties>

on the left is advanced system settings>

Then Select the advanced tab

Then under performance select Settings

The only way i can get ride of what your talking about is unchecking the very bottom checkbox

BUT this disables the new vista theme and reverts back to calssic windows... So i dont know ill try and find maybe a easier solution to that with a reg key maybe

 

Ill try and find a way to make it so you can keep vista aero theme.

 

 

Basically every way to tweak xp there is the same panel or control panel for it in vista just in a differant and sometimes odd place, it took me a while to figure out were that setting was, as i wanted to change my page file settings.

Edited January 31, 2007 by ThunderChicken

[Kash]

Yea, I've been able to find all the control panel functions that were in XP, it's just these stupid icons I can't figure out. I already checked in the area you pointed me to because that's how I got rid of the translucent selection rectangle, but sadly, no option to change how you select icons.

[ThunderChicken]

ya as far as i can tell, ill keep diggin though theres bound to be some reg. tweak out there.

 

 

BTW if anyone has any tweaks feel free to post otherwise ill keep posting them when i find out more..

 

 

 

Arrow keys Tweaks...i dont like them they bug me so i get rid of them...

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\Shell Icons]
"29"="C:\\Windows\\System32\\shell32.dll,52"

 

Set AFD butter to 1024, this raises the number of messages sent before a flow control is imposed...this will increase speed(not bandwith)

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\AFD\Parameters]
"BufferMultiplier"=dword:00000400

 

Enable Slow motion effects

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\DWM]
"AnimationsShiftKey"=dword:00000001

Edited January 31, 2007 by ThunderChicken

[bigdaddy25fb]

Minimum amount of services I run to stay light and fluffy in an otherwise bloated OS....

 

(credit goes to Clint and nnstep of XS)

[Encrypted_God]

Alternatively you can go to Tweakguides.com to download Koroush Ghazi's Tweak Guide. Have Fun!

[Encrypted_God]

Here's another one. I've been using two of there programs for over a year or so. OCC has done a review of their products so I'm sure you or they would approve. Well maybe not if you're Hardnrg *BOINK* Hey man? hows that project going?

[Bad Cyborg]

Hopefully my question has an answer and can be merged into this topic.

 

Is there a way to change the way you interact with icons in Vista to make them behave more like XP icons? What I mean is that when you move your mouse over them, this strange translucent box highlights the icon and the space around it. Almost kind of like the link feature in XP, just prettier.

I just arrived on this thread via Google looking for the same solution as you. I take it you face the same frustration as me, which is the problem as shown below.

 

 

I regret to say after much googling, it seems that there is no way to tweak Vista to revert to XP's way of manipulating your icons. In a crowded folder, it will be a challenge to paste any item in there as wherever your mouse would hover, there an icon would be highlighted. Why would they take away the empty space useful for right click functions only to make all icons into buttons?

 

That being said, they should at least allow users a way to turn off this feature. Again, up to this point I've yet to come across any tweak that can disable this space-hoarding hover effect.

Edited September 29, 2008 by Bad Cyborg

[Crow47]

Black Viper's guides have been extremely helpful to me in tweaking services and such. Here: http://www.blackviper.com/