Vista Tips and Tweaks

[Jeronimo]

Alternative for the above tweak of wiSHmaKeR

Install:

reg add HKCR\CLSID\{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}\Shell\Open\Command /ve /d "Explorer.exe ::{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}" /f
 reg add HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D} /ve /d "Control Panel" /f

Uninstall:

reg delete HKCR\CLSID\{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}\Shell /f
reg delete HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D} /f

Edited April 25, 2007 by Jeronimo

[wiSHmaKeR]

Enable underlined letters (a.k.a. Alt+Letter) for menus, all the windows and buttons (Windows Classic mode):

Here is the preview: http://www.myfilestash.com/userfiles/wmk/test.html

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop]
"UserPreferencesMask"=hex:b0,12,01,80

If anyone has a better suggestion, I'd like to see it

underlined_items.reg

[arabianhorse]

hi

No Low DiskS pace Check. i fuand this some where

and i love it

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]

"NoLowDiskSpaceChecks"=dword:00000001

[neo]

Is there a registry tweak to disable the screensaver and the aero interface?

Is there a registry tweak to enable 120 DPI?

Copy n paste this reg code into a plain text file and save with .reg extension using Save As dialog box

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

'disable screen saver 
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop]
"SCRNSAVE.EXE"=""

'disable screen saver at logon screen
[HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\Desktop]
"SCRNSAVE.EXE"=""

'disable aero interface service (restart needed)
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\UxSms]
"Start"=dword:00000000

patch this .............!

[prathapml]

Is there a registry tweak to enable 120 DPI?

If you're doing it for an unattended install, then there's an even easier way - the "120 DPI" mode can be set thru your XML, example here - http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=90286

<DPI>120</DPI>

[Sgt_Strider]

Is there a registry tweak to enable 120 DPI?

If you're doing it for an unattended install, then there's an even easier way - the "120 DPI" mode can be set thru your XML, example here - http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=90286

<DPI>120</DPI>

Can this be implemented through Vlite? If so, how?

[fizban2]

Another Fun one, from the Start search box in your start menu, type in the name of the application you want the hit ctrl+shift then hit enter, you will receive and elevation prompt to enter credentails for evelated right if they are needed

[army20]

Faster Desktop After Login

1. Turn On Verbose Mode :

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System] Add dword value "verbosestatus" = 1

2. Reboot

3. After Login, Wait for "Preparing Your Desktop" message to display and Press ESCAPE, your desktop should appear 1 second after pressing ESCAPE.

Edited July 21, 2007 by army20

[prathapml]

I would like a way to set pagefile silently please.

The old pagefileconfig.VBS & setting-registry-key, both seem to be deprecated in vista, and so its not directly usable (nor do I want to use those 2 methods).

What did seem to be recommended by MS, is this:

wmic computersystem where name="%ComputerName%" set AutomaticManagedPagefile=False
wmic pagefileset where name="%SystemDrive%\\pagefile.sys" set InitialSize=768,MaximumSize=768

However, doing that still is somewhat pointless, because the first line results in a situation worse than before (not only C:, but all drive-letters end up with a pagefile.sys).

The second line does the needful, but not before the first line has been run!

Failing a way to set pagefile silently, is there a way to completely disable it instead? (i know the reasons why it should remain enabled)

[Polarman]

Found this tip on VistaX64.com

How to Fix a Slow Scan with the Software Option in a Registry Cleaner Program for 64 bit Vista

WHY: The Software scan option for your registry cleaning program is extremely slow (taking hours) and generating large incomprehensible results.

CAUSE: The registry has a second Wow6432Node key entry that is a blank duplicate causing this problem for the software option. It should not be in the registry.

NOTE: You should check for a update for your registry cleaning program to see if they found a solution to make their program work with this problem.

CREDIT: Credit belongs to BOWEN and bugfree at this link: http://forums.microsoft.com/TechNet/ShowPo...1&SiteID=17

Here's How: (As a precaution you should create a system restore or backup the registry)

1. Open the Start Menu.

2. In white line (Start Search) area, type regedit and press Enter.

3. Click Continue button for UAC prompt.

4. In regedit, go to this key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Wow6432Node

5. In left pane, right click Wow6432Node and click Delete. WARNING: Make sure you only delete this second Wow6432Node, or you will trash your system.

6. Click Yes to the confirmation

7. Close regedit

I have personnaly tried this fix using RegSupremePro 1.7 and it solved my slow scan issue. It only takes a minute or two now. This could work other regcleaner too.

[stephens316]

MSFN Members

I’ve got something cool to show you.

You know that ugly background that shows up with Windows Vista whenever you lock your computer or log in? Good news: You can change it. Here’s how.

First, download ResHack (Resource Hacker). Open the EXE.

Open an explorer window and navigate to C:\Windows\System32\. Find the file imageres.dll. You’ll need to first take ownership of the file, and then give yourself full permissions. If you don’t know how to do that, Google it or something, I’m not gonna hold your hand through this.

After you’ve taken permissions, open it in ResHack. Look under the IMAGE resources and find your desktop resolution that corresponds to a resource number:

5031 = 1280×1024

5032 = 1280×960

5033 = 1024×768

5034 = 1600×1200

5035 = 1440×900

5036 = 1920×1200

5037 = 1280×768

5038 = 1360×768

5039 = 1024×1280

5040 = 960×1280

5041 = 900×1440

5042 = 768×1280

5043 = 768×1360

Note: If your resolution is not listed, you should use 5031. The image will stretch.

Find the one that matches your resolution, and open that numbered folder. Right click on the “1033″ and select “Replace Resource”. Browse to another image (preferrably of the same size… I don’t know what Vista does as far as stretching/tiling the image). When it asks you for the resource info, type this in:

Resource Type: IMAGE

Resource Name: 50xx (your screen resolution from above, the 50__ number)

Resource Language: 1033

Your new image should appear on-screen. Before you save it, go back to /System32/ and rename your original imageres.dll to something like image.res.dll~. After that, back in ResHack, choose File > Save As, and save it as C:\Windows\System32\imageres.dll. Close ResHack, try a Windows+L, and see if you see your image. If you do, congrats, you don’t have to look at Microsoft’s crappy “abstract wisp” art. If not… something went wrong. Try again

[alexBB]

dAbReAkA;

use: CTRL+SHIFT+ESC to get task manager to open up directly, or right click on the Taskbar and select "Task Manager" from the context menu.

any tweak for making ctrl+alt+del open task manager instead of the "tasks screen"?

Or taskmgr.exe in Command prompt

Your posts are SUPER!. I have already copied at least a dozen into my DB.

[spacesurfer]

Finally, mystery solved. No, the XP registry does not work any more. For some reason, MS made a change to this by placing it in the policies:

Disable Webservices for unknown file types

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

;Disable Webservices for unknown file types
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoInternetOpenWith"=dword:00000001

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoInternetOpenWith"=dword:00000001

[Extravert]

The best tweak? Maybe it is a personal one but here he is:

Don't use Vista on systems before 2006.

Oké, oké,

Use no superfetcher and disable it. Why? Program's already loaded in cache stays resident. Superfetcher pumps your cache full of data currently used, but how should Vista know what kind of data it should be? The only one who can tel you that is yourself. On some sessions you don'r need office and on some sessions you don't need media player. Not any Windows in the future can take this behaviour over. Not one system on earth can do that.

Superfetcher stresses the harddisk and more stress means a sooner faillure.

======================

Oké, I'll explain this, that's my duty now. It is not that negative about Vista.

Superfetch is a feature what loads most recent data into the systems cache. A very usefull feature, really? Yes, with 4096 MB in machine it works great, but why I won't recommend it?

On systems with 1024 MB of RAM or even with 2048 MB of RAM superfetcher won't work optimal. When disabling it on older systems you freed up resources and you leave the cache alone. It could be something slower when first opening Word eg, but when Word once is loaded it always stays resident in cache and the second time it starts up directly.

In the time ma machine went wrong I stick with 2048 MB for these days and then is disabling the best tweak I've had encountered ever.

Conclusion: Windows Vista is primairy build for future use. It contains technologies that less people uses (only powerusers?). No one told me about TxF great new features and why?

The only point in 'our' Dutch big organisation "de consumentenbond" is that they only gather negative views on Vista and not the positive one. Yes, I understand Vista gets a black backlight and the reason is simply as "the unknown", "We think we're professors, but no human is perfect or closely to it"

If you painted your sheep black, it stay black until they now the way to remove the paint

The sollution is not the pollution inb this kind of view

Edited January 22, 2008 by Extravert

[Chrysalis]

yes I strongly agree with disabling superfetch suggestion.

The idea behind superfetch seems to be to preload your most used apps libs etc. into memory when the machine boots until there is no free ram and all used by cache. The supposed benefit is that the first time you load up a app precached by superfetch it loads nice and fast from the cache. The obvious disadvantage is anything else you do during this precaching will be slower in addition your hard drive is been stressed. Without superfetch apps will still get cached except they will be cached after the first run like XP and unix operating systems do it, not sure if vista still has normal prefetch that XP uses my guess is it doesnt as I couldnt find the prefetch folder plus vista disables the last access timestamp by default which prefetch relies on. My real experience of superfetch is my hd was on indefenitly until I disabled the service, I sat waiting and the longest I waited for was 1hour 40 mins continous hd activity on a clean vista install so not quite what it was pre loading into the cache. I knew it was superfetch as the moment I disabled the service it stopped and stopped on all after bootups.

Edited February 18, 2008 by Chrysalis