MagicAndre1981

for all people who don't want to learn new things and still want the classic startmenu and toolbars in explorer look at this project: http://classicshell.sourceforge.net/

those are only minor things, no "must have" features which you can't live without. Windows 7 only has 1 "killer feature" which is DirectAccess, but 99% of the people will never use it. Only if you plan to buy a new Intel i5/7 (Core parking feature) or try to use 2 different graphics cards (this is only possible with WDDM1.1, 1.0 let you only use 2 cards which use the same graphics driver) at the same time, you have to use Windows 7. The rest is only GUI changes and tricks to get the people away from XP to Vista, even if it is now named Windows 7 instead of Vista R2 (see Mojave Experiment, people love Vista features, but don't like the name). But several important things (blocker for me) are not fixed in Windows 7 (still no SP slipstream, no generic update mechanism for all applications, no included app virtualization, no offline installation of MSI Installer files, still no chance to change the view of Windows (you still need uxtheme patch and several bitmaps are placed in signed DLLs and exe files, which makes it impossible to change them), still UI inconsistence in several OS parts, (only Windows 7) complete useless UAC, still no EASY (not the COM DLL plugin hell we have now) way to create extension and themes for IE). I can continue this list.

@CoffeeFiend so it's time for you to learn german @cluberti yeah, they have issues with the Yahoo DNS server: http://www.vmlite.com/index.php/forums/9-v...veral-hours#285

This is an updated tutorial of the one cluberti posted here. To get started you need the Windows Performance Tools Kit. Read here how to install it: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=146919 Now open a command prompt with admin rights and run the following commands: For boot tracing: xbootmgr -trace boot -traceFlags BASE+CSWITCH+DRIVERS+POWER -resultPath C:\TEMP Attention: Some users reported that they get a bugcheck (BSOD) when using the DRIVERS flag in the boot trace command. If you get this, use system restore to go back to a working Windows and run the command without DRIVERS xbootmgr -trace boot -traceFlags BASE+CSWITCH+POWER -resultPath C:\TEMPAlso change the name in the command to generate the XML. I've send some dumps to Microsoft, they look at the issue right now. For shutdown tracing: xbootmgr -trace shutdown -noPrepReboot -traceFlags BASE+CSWITCH+DRIVERS+POWER -resultPath C:\TEMPFor Standby+Resume: xbootmgr -trace standby -traceFlags BASE+CSWITCH+DRIVERS+POWER -resultPath C:\TEMPFor Hibernate+Resume: xbootmgr -trace hibernate -traceFlags BASE+CSWITCH+DRIVERS+POWER -resultPath C:\TEMPreplace C:\TEMP with any temp directory on your machine as necessary to store the output files All of these will shutdown, hibernate, or standby your box, and then reboot to finish tracing. Once Vista/Server 2008(R2) or Windows 7 does reboot, log back in as necessary and once the countdown timer finishes, you should now have some tracing files in C:\TEMP. If asked, upload or provide the file(s) generated in C:\TEMP (or the directory you chose) on a download share for analysis. Analyses of the boot trace: To start create a summary xml file, run this command (replace the name with the name of your etl file) xperf /tti -i boot_BASE+CSWITCH+DRIVERS+POWER_1.etl -o summary_boot.xml -a bootNow you see this picture.: You have too look at the timing node. All time values are in ms. The value timing bootDoneViaExplorer shows the time, Windows needs to boot to the desktop. The value bootDoneViaPostBoot is the time (+10s idle detection) which Windows needs to boot completly after finishing all startup applications. those values show you a summary. The MainPathBoot Phase PreSMSS Subphase So if the time takes too long for you, look inside the <PNP> node which driver is loading too slowly. SMSSInit Subphase So if the SMSSInit Phase takes too long, try to get an graphic card driver update. WinLogonInit Subphase If you have too long WinLogonInit Time, open the etl file and scroll to the service graph and look for a long delay. In this example the service SavService (Sophos Anti-Virus\SavService.exe) is part of the Plug and Play group and causes a delay because the service takes too long to start. Try to get an update for the hanging service or remove the software. ExplorerInit Subphase So if the ExplorerInit phase takes too long, make sure you minimize the services which use a lot of CPU power and make sure your AV Tool doesn't hurt too much. If it doesn't change the tool and try a different. The PostBoot Phase If post boot takes too long, reduce the number of running applications at startup with the help of msconfig.exe or AutoRuns. When you have a HDD (no SSD!) and you want to speedup the boot, run the optimization from this guide: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=140262 Analyses of the shutdown trace: The shutdown is divided into this 3 parts: To generate an XML summary of shutdown, use the -a shutdown action with Xperf: xperf /tti -i shutdown_BASE+CSWITCH+DRIVERS+POWER_1.etl -o summary_shutdown.xml -a shutdownOpen the XML and you see this: It shows you the most relevant data. <timing shutdownTime="23184" servicesShutdownDuration="1513">The shutdownTime is in this example 23s. Stopping the services takes 1.5s which is fast. Next you have an entry for all sessions. Starting with Vista, all services run in Session 0 (Session 0 Isolation) and each user gets his one Session (1,2,..,n). sessionShutdown sessionID="1" duration="3321">shows the time which it takes to stop all applications which the user is running. In this example it takes 3.3seconds. UserSession Phase sessionShutdown sessionID="0" duration="1513">The value sessionShutdown sessionID="0" shows the servicesShutdownDuration. So you can see which service takes too long to stop. SystemSession Phase In both cases expand the node and look at the shutdownDuration value. It helps you to identify a hanging application are service. KernelShutdown Phase To calculate the time spent in KernelShutdown, subtract the time that is required to shut down the system and user sessions from shutdownTime. In my example: KernelShutdown = 23184 - 3321 - 1513 = 18350 In this case the 18.35 seconds are very slow. In the <interval> you see an entry ZeroHiberFile which takes too long. In this expample the user enabled the Option ClearPageFileAtShutdown under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management to 1. This overrides the hiberbation file with 0 to delete personal data. This causes the huge slowdown. Setting this option to 0 would save 12.64 seconds of shutdown time. That is all you need to analyze slow shutdown issues. Analyses of the Hibernation trace:: To generate the XML, run this command: xperf /tti -i hibernate_BASE+CSWITCH+DRIVERS+POWER_1.etl -o summary_hibernation.xml -a suspendAnalyses of the Sleep/Resume trace:: xperf /tti -i standby_BASE+CSWITCH+DRIVERS+POWER_1.etl -o summary_sleep.xml -a suspendOpen the XMLs and look for long BIOS init times and services/application which take very long to suspend and resume. For deeper analysis refer to the Sleep and Hibernate Transitions part of theWindows On/Off Transition Performance Analysis Guide from Microsoft. The pictures Shutdown_cancel.png, Shutdown_picture.png and Boot_MainPathBoot.png were taken from this Windows On/Off Transition Performance Analysis Guide. Read it if you need more information. // Edit: 2010-11-28 Add the explanation of the boot process // Edit: 2010-10-11 added the optimization guide // Edit: 2010-10-09 If you get a BSOD (Bug Check 0x7E: SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED) while making traces, REMOVE ALL USB DEVICES and reboot! When making a new trace remove the DRIVERS flag from the command line! // Edit: 2010-02-04 Added the -noPrepReboot command at shutdown tracing to prevent the preparatory reboot during a shutdown/rebootCycle trace. Usually, the reboot is required to ensure a consistent machine state before the first shutdown if multiple traces are being taken. // Edit: 2010-05-08 Added the link to the Visual Studio 2010 Diagnostic Tool as alternative download to get the Windows Performance Toolkit Installers. Added some pictures.

but with this tool, you can use the XP Mode from MS (WindowsXPMode_de-de.exe) and have the features like startmenu integration, which are not offered by any other VM tool (except Microsoft Virtual PC) right now.

If you have a CPU (or not enabled in BIOS) with has no support for Intel VT-x and AMD-V technologies you can't use the new Microsoft Virtual PC to run the XP Mode. The program VMLite Workstation makes it possible: Here is a picture of the tool running XP Mode on Vista Sp2: The tool is based on the Open Source Edition of VirtualBox. To download it, register on the homepage: http://www.vmlite.com/

this was 10 years ago. Under Windows 98 you were able to optimize Windows with Winalign:

if you currently use Vista, Windows 7 is a waste of money, because Windows 7 doesn't have any real new feature. If you still use XP, Windows 7 is a 100% MUST HAVE, to get all the Vista features 3 years later.

run the DISM CleanUp command

Windows 7 SP1 will be released in summer 2010 to OEMs. The first Sp1 beta will be build this month and released Januar 2010 to TAPs. Later in spring-time 2010 the public will get 2 public test builds (beta and RC). But remember, beta and RC builds are not for everyday use and they can't be slipstreamed to a DVD, you have to use the WAIK method from Vista again.

what's the sense of using a Google DNS Server?

no, this is WRONG! Vista uses more memory for File caching! This cache is not listed under Cache in Taskmanager. The data from the file cache must be flushed to disk before you can use the memory for other things. To "reduce" the memory usage in Windows 7, MS reduced the usage of the File Cache. That's it, nothing more (ok, WDMM1.1 and the triggered service start reduce the memory usage a bit, but the main cause why Windows Vista use "more" is the huger File Cache)!

all "tweaking" tools are useless since Vista. Vista/7 self optimize itself (background defrag, ReadyBoot, Superfetch) so that it will be fast.

no, that's wrong. Vista never "eats" something.

STATUS_INVALID_IMAGE_FORMAT 0xC000007B are you trying to run a 64bit app on a 32bit Windows?

I think you can't do it. The file is digitally signed. Any modification will be detected. But you can try it and extract the RCData. This is a WIM file. Mount it and replace the bmp and commit it. Now try to replace the RC Data with your modified WIM and save the new dll. But I don't think that this will work.

hidusb.sys is the USB driver for Input devices. Could you post the dump?

the TNT2 is a DirectX 6 card. For Aero (Glass) you need at least a GeforceFX5200 or ATI Radeon 9500 (both are cards from Year 2002/3)

As I said, this tweak only worked till Dec 2005 CTP (Build 5270) of Vista. Starting with Feb CTP (5308), you must have a Dx9 card with WDDM1.0 drivers.

The SP1 for VS2005 can be slipstreamed very easily, but Sp1 for VS2008, no chance I still wonder how MS made it for the Express Editions. The Express ISOs have Sp1 included.

Hi Alex, could you please post the errors from the CBS.log?

@radigast You get the following error while enabling Chess:

@radigast the log says, that you don't have the permissions to file E:\Temp\Windows7\Modified\sources\install_Windows 7 STARTER.clg and E:\Temp\Windows7\Modified\sources\ei.cfg. The access is denied. And why do you integrate those leaked test updates (KB1xxxxx, 6xxxxx)? Look for the KB articles and if they fix an issue you have, request them.

you should post this in a new topic and make it sticky!

most of those "tweaks" are useless. Forcing Aero doesn't work since Feb CTP of Vista. Disabling UAC is also bad and the prefetcher and feedback tool setting is useless. Also the takeown command only works on english Windows versions. Only the AutoReboot and the new program entries are ok.