speeding up “windows vista”
TRANSCRIPT
11
SPEEDING UP
“WINDOWS VISTA”
2
Web location for
this presentation:
http://aztcs.org
Click on “Meeting Notes”`
3
SUMMARYUsing the "System" applet of the
Windows “Control Panel” and
using services.msc which is a
“Microsoft Management
Console” Snap-in, you can
dramatically increase the speed
of any “Windows Vista”
computer, as perceived by the
end-user.
4
BASIC STRATEGY
• No direct editing of the “registry”
• Make reversible changes to the
"Windows.." operating system
• Make “image backups” and
“restore points”, prior to making
changes
• Take advantage of the
compounding effects of multiple
speedup tweaks
5
PROCEDURE & TOPICS
• Step 1: Make an image backup
of your "Windows" hard drive
• Step 2: Create a “restore point”
with Windows' "System Restore"
• Step 3: Set “Visual Effects” for
“..best performance”
• Step 4: Supersize the swap file
6
PROCEDURE & TOPICS (continued)
• Step 5: Run “Revo Uninstaller
Freeware”
• Step 6: Use "services.msc" to
disable some services
• Step 7: Perform “Error-checking”
on all hard drives
• Step 9: Defragment all hard drives
• Step 10: Turn off startup programs
7
DETAILS OF STEP 1:
Drive Image Backup
• Use "Redo Backup", "Macrium
Reflect Free Edition",
"Clonezilla", or "Acronis True
Image Home.." AND a USB.. or
eSATA external hard drive to
create a "backup image" of the
entire C: drive of your “Windows
Vista..” computer.
8
DETAILS OF STEP 1:
Drive Image Backup (continued)
• Our instructions for using the
free and open source
“Clonezilla” to make an image
backup of a hard drive can be
found at
http://aztcs.org/meeting_notes/w
inhardsig/CZ-backup.pdf
9
DETAILS OF STEP 2:
Create a “Restore Point”
• Use Windows' “System Restore” to
create a “restore point” See
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-
US/windows-vista/What-is-System-
Restore
and
http://www.winhelponline.com/articles/1
39/1/How-to-create-a-System-Restore-
point-in-Windows-Vista.html
10
DETAILS OF STEP 2:
Create a “Restore Point” (continued)• Step 2a: Click on the “Start” button which is
located at the left or bottom of the gray
"taskbar" in “Windows Vista”:
11
DETAILS OF STEP 2:
Create a “Restore Point” (continued)
• Step 2b: The Windows "Start menu" will be
displayed:
12
DETAILS OF STEP 2:
Create a “Restore Point” (continued)• Step 2c: Click on "Control Panel":
13
DETAILS OF STEP 2:
Create a “Restore Point” (continued)• Step 2d: Double-click on "System":
14
DETAILS OF STEP 2:
Create a “Restore Point” (continued)
• Step 2e: Click on "System Protection":
15
DETAILS OF STEP 2:
Create a “Restore Point” (continued)
• Step 2f: If a "User Account Control" box is
displayed, click on its "Continue" button:
16
DETAILS OF STEP 2:
Create a “Restore Point” (continued)• Step 2g: Click on the "Create" button of the "System
Protection" tab of the "System Properties" box:
17
DETAILS OF STEP 2:
Create a “Restore Point” (continued)
• Step 2h: Type in an appropriate name for the
restore point:
18
DETAILS OF STEP 2:
Create a “Restore Point” (continued)
• Step 2i: Click on the "Create" button:
19
DETAILS OF STEP 2:
Create a “Restore Point” (continued)
20
DETAILS OF STEP 2:
Create a “Restore Point” (continued)
• Step 2j: Click on the "OK" button:
21
DETAILS OF STEP 3:
Set “Visual Effects” for “Best Performance”
• Step 3a: Double-click on “System” in the
“Control Panel”.
22
DETAILS OF STEP 3:
Set “Visual Effects”.. (continued)• Step 3b: A "System" box will be displayed:
23
DETAILS OF STEP 3:
Set “Visual Effects”.. (continued)• Step 3c: Click on “Advanced System
Settings":
24
DETAILS OF STEP 3:
Set “Visual Effects”.. (continued)• Step 3d: If a "User Account Control" box is
displayed, click on its "Continue" button:
25
DETAILS OF STEP 3:
Set “Visual Effects”.. (continued)• Step 3e: A "System Properties" box will be
displayed:
26
DETAILS OF STEP 3:
Set “Visual Effects”.. (continued)• Step 3f: Click on the “Settings” button in the
“Performance” section (of the "Advanced"
tab):
27
DETAILS OF STEP 3:
Set “Visual Effects”.. (continued)• Step 3g: A "Performance Options" box will be
displayed:
28
DETAILS OF STEP 3:
Set “Visual Effects”.. (continued)• Step 3h: Select the “Adjust for best
performance” option (in the "Visual Effects"
tab):
29
DETAILS OF STEP 3:
Set “Visual Effects”.. (continued)
• Step 3i: Click on the “Apply” button of the
“Performance Options” box (if the “Apply”
button is not grayed out.)
30
DETAILS OF STEP 3:
Set “Visual Effects”.. (continued)• Step 3j: Click on the “OK” button of the
"Performance Options" box.
31
DETAILS OF STEP 3:
Set “Visual Effects”.. (continued)
• Step 3k: The “Performance
Options” box will disappear.
32
DETAILS OF STEP 3:
Set “Visual Effects”.. (continued)
• Step 3L: Click on the “OK” button of
the “System Properties” box:
33
DETAILS OF STEP 3:
Set “Visual Effects”.. (continued)
• Step 3m: The “System
Properties” box will disappear.
34
DETAILS OF STEP 4:
Supersize the Swap File
• Step 4a: Double-click on “System” in the
“Control Panel”.
35
DETAILS OF STEP 4:
Supersize the Swap File (continued)• Step 4b: A "System" box will be displayed:
36
DETAILS OF STEP 4:
Supersize the Swap File (continued)• Step 4c: Click on “Advanced System
Settings":
37
DETAILS OF STEP 4:
Supersize the Swap File (continued)• Step 4d: If a "User Account Control" box is
displayed, click on its "Continue" button:
38
DETAILS OF STEP 4:
Supersize the Swap File (continued)• Step 4e: A "System Properties" box will be
displayed:
39
DETAILS OF STEP 4:
Supersize the Swap File (continued)• Step 4f: Click on the “Settings” button in the
“Performance” section (of the "Advanced"
tab):
40
DETAILS OF STEP 4:
Supersize the Swap File (continued)• Step 4g: A "Performance Options" box will be
displayed:
41
DETAILS OF STEP 4:
Supersize the Swap File (continued)• Step 4h: Click on the "Advanced" tab:
42
DETAILS OF STEP 4:
Supersize the Swap File (continued)
• Step 4i: Click on the “Change” button:
43
DETAILS OF STEP 4:
Supersize the Swap File (continued)• Step 4j: A “Virtual Memory” box will be
displayed:
44
DETAILS OF STEP 4:
Supersize the Swap File (continued)
• Step 4k: If you find one there,
remove the checkmark from
"Automatically manage paging
file for all drives":
45
DETAILS OF STEP 4:
Supersize the Swap File (continued)
46
DETAILS OF STEP 4:
Supersize the Swap File (continued)
• Step 4L: Select the "Custom
size" option:
47
DETAILS OF STEP 4:
Supersize the Swap File (continued)
48
DETAILS OF STEP 4:
Supersize the Swap File (continued)• Step 4m: Change the number in the “Initial
size (MB)” box but do not exceed the “Space
Available” value that is displayed. (We
suggest 100000..)
49
DETAILS OF STEP 4:
Supersize the Swap File (continued)• Step 4n: Change the number in the
“Maximum size (MB)” box to the same
number that you used in “Step 4m”.
50
DETAILS OF STEP 4:
Supersize the Swap File (continued)• Step 4o: Click on “Set” button in the “Virtual
Memory” box.
51
DETAILS OF STEP 4:
Supersize the Swap File (continued)• Step 4p: If a "System Properties" box states
that you have to set the maximum page file
size below 4096, click on its "OK" button and
go immediately to Step 4za in “Appendix 1”
(on page 117):
52
DETAILS OF STEP 4:
Supersize the Swap File (continued)• Step 4q: Click on the “OK” button of the
“Virtual Memory” box to make it disappear:
53
DETAILS OF STEP 4:
Supersize the Swap File (continued)
• Step 4r: If a "System Control Panel Applet"
box states that you have to "..restart your
computer.., click on its "OK" button to make
this box disappear:
54
DETAILS OF STEP 4:
Supersize the Swap File (continued)• Step 4s: Click on the “OK” button of the
“Performance Options” box to make it
disappear:
55
DETAILS OF STEP 4:
Supersize the Swap File (continued)• Step 4t: Click on the “OK” button of the
“System Properties” box to make it disappear:
56
DETAILS OF STEP 4:
Supersize the Swap File
• Step 4u: If a “System Settings Change” box
states that “You must restart your
computer..”, click on its “Yes” button:
57
DETAILS OF STEP 4:
Supersize the Swap File
• Step 4v: After your computer
reboots, use your Web browser and
other software application programs
to see if your computer is
significantly faster than prior to the
performance of this procedure.
58
DETAILS OF STEP 4:
Supersize the Swap File
• Step 4w: If your computer is not
signficantly faster, perform Step 4a
through Step 4v, and try a larger
minimum and maximum swap file
size in "Step 4m" and "Step 4n".
59
DETAILS OF STEP 5:
Run “Revo Uninstaller Freeware”
• Run “Revo Uninstaller Free” to
remove unwanted toolbars,
updaters, and miscellaneous
software programs.
o See
http://www.revouninstaller.com/rev
o_uninstaller_free_download.html
60
DETAILS OF STEP 5:
Run “Revo Uninstaller Freeware”
61
DETAILS OF STEP 6:
Use “services.msc” to disable some services• Step 6a: Click on the “Start” button which is
located at the left or bottom of the gray
"taskbar" in “Windows Vista”:
62
DETAILS OF STEP 6:
Use “services.msc”.. (continued)
• Step 6b: The Windows "Start menu" will be
displayed:
63
DETAILS OF STEP 6:
Use “services.msc”.. (continued)• Step 6c: Inside the "Search" box, type
services.msc
64
DETAILS OF STEP 6:
Use “services.msc”.. (continued)
• Step 6d: Press the Enter key of the
keyboard.
65
DETAILS OF STEP 6:
Use “services.msc”.. (continued)
• Step 6e: If a "User Account Control" box is
displayed, click on its "Continue" button:
66
DETAILS OF STEP 6:
Use “services.msc”.. (continued)
• Step 6f: A “Services” window will be displayed:
67
DETAILS OF STEP 6:
Use “services.msc” (continued)
68
DETAILS OF STEP 6:
Use “services.msc”.. (continued)• Step 6g: Click on “Action” in the Menu bar
69
DETAILS OF STEP 6:
Use “services.msc”.. (continued)
• Step 6h: Click on the “Export List” in the pull-
down menu:
70
DETAILS OF STEP 6:
Use “services.msc”.. (continued)
• Step 6i: Use the "Export List.." box
to save the “List Report” to a
location in any hard drive, giving
the report an appropriate name
based on the time and date. (The
comma delimited .csv opens with
less problems in Microsoft Excel,
compared to the other available file
formats.)
71
DETAILS OF STEP 6:
Use “services.msc”.. (continued)
72
DETAILS OF STEP 6:
Use “services.msc”.. (continued)
73
DETAILS OF STEP 6:
Use “services.msc”.. (continued)
• Step 6j: Stop and disable “services” that you
do not need. (Do not make any changes to
the "Volume Shadow Copy" service or the
"Power Service".)
• Step 5k: For documentation on what you can
stop and disable, see
http://www.blackviper.com/2009/05/31/black-
vipers-windows-vista-service-pack-2-service-
configurations/
and
74
DETAILS OF STEP 6:
Use “services.msc”.. (continued)
and
http://tweakhound.com/vista/tweakguide/page
_8.htm
and
http://www.techknowl.com/disable-unwanted-
services-and-speed-up.html
and
http://www.techduke.com/2007/06/20/window
s-services-background-processes-explained/
75
DETAILS OF STEP 6:
Use “services.msc”.. (continued)
and
http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/window-on-
windows/how-do-i-disable-services-in-
windows-vista/447
and
http://www.optimizingpc.com/vista/optimizing_
windows_services.html
and
76
DETAILS OF STEP 6:
Use “services.msc”.. (continued)
and
http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/window-on-
windows/tweak-windows-vista-services-the-
right-way/720
and
http://smallvoid.com/articles/windows-
vista/services/
77
DETAILS OF STEP 6:
Use “services.msc”.. (continued)
For example, to stop and disable the "Themes"
service, do the following inside the "Services"
box:
Example Step 1: Locate the "Themes" service:
78
DETAILS OF STEP 6:
Use “services.msc”.. (continued)
Example Step 2: Use your RIGHT mouse
botton to click on the "Themes" service:
79
DETAILS OF STEP 6:
Use “services.msc”.. (continued)
Example Step 3: Click on "Properties" in the
pop-up context menu:
80
DETAILS OF STEP 6:
Use “services.msc”.. (continued)Example Step 4: A "Themes Properties" box will
be displayed:
81
DETAILS OF STEP 6:
Use “services.msc”.. (continued)Example Step 5: Click on the "Stop" button to
stop the "Themes" service:
82
DETAILS OF STEP 6:
Use “services.msc”.. (continued)Example Step 6: Click on drop-down list button
to the right of "Automatic"::
83
DETAILS OF STEP 6:
Use “services.msc”.. (continued)Example Step 7: A drop-down list will be
displayed:
84
DETAILS OF STEP 6:
Use “services.msc”.. (continued)Example Step 8: Click on "Disabled" in the
drop-down list:
85
DETAILS OF STEP 6:
Use “services.msc”.. (continued)Example Step 9: "Startup type" will now be
shown as "Disabled":
86
DETAILS OF STEP 6:
Use “services.msc”.. (continued)
Example Step 10: Click on the "Apply" button:
87
DETAILS OF STEP 6:
Use “services.msc”.. (continued)
Example Step 11: Click on the "OK" button to
make the "..Properties.." box disappear:
88
DETAILS OF STEP 6:
Use “services.msc”.. (continued)
• Extended view versus standard view
of the services.msc "Microsoft
Management Console" snap-in
o See
http://www.winhelponline.com/blog/
configure-services-mmc-to-open-in-
standard-view-by-default/
89
DETAILS OF STEP 7:
Error-checking on all hard drives• Step 7a: Click on the “Start” button which is
located at the left or bottom of the gray task
bar in “Windows Vista”:
90
DETAILS OF STEP 7:
Error-checking on all hard drives• Step 7b: Click on "Computer" in the "Start
menu":
91
DETAILS OF STEP 7:
Error-checking on all hard drives• Step 7c: A "Windows Explorer" window will
be displayed:
92
DETAILS OF STEP 7:
Error-checking on all hard drives (continued)
• Step 7d: Use the RIGHT mouse button to
click on the C: drive:
93
DETAILS OF STEP 7:
Error-checking on all hard drives (continued)
• Step 7e: Click on “Properties” on the pop-up
context menu.
94
DETAILS OF STEP 7:
Error-checking on all hard drives (continued)
• Step 7f: A “..Properties” box will be
displayed:
95
DETAILS OF STEP 7:
Error-checking on all hard drives (continued)
• Step 7g: Click on the “Tools” tab:
96
DETAILS OF STEP 7:
Error-checking on all hard drives (continued)
• Step 7h: Click on the “Check now…” button.
97
DETAILS OF STEP 7:
Error-checking on all hard drives (continued)
• Step 7i: If a "User Account Control" box is
displayed, click on its "Continue" button:
98
DETAILS OF STEP 7:
Error-checking on all hard drives (continued)
• Step 7j: Select the two options:
• Step 7k: Click on the “Start” button.
99
DETAILS OF STEP 7:
Error-checking on all hard drives (continued)
• Step 7L: Click on the “Schedule disk
check” button:
100
DETAILS OF STEP 7:
Error-checking on all hard drives (continued)
• Step 7m: Reboot the computer.
101
DETAILS OF STEP 7:
Error-checking on all hard drives (continued)• Step 7n: A “chkdsk /f” will run during the
startup of “Windows Vista”:
102
DETAILS OF STEP 7:
Error-checking on all hard drives (continued)
• See
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-
US/windows-vista/Check-your-hard-
disk-for-errors
103
DETAILS OF STEP 8:
Defragment all hard drives• Step 7a: Click on the “Start” button which is
located at the left or bottom of the gray task
bar in “Windows Vista”:
104
DETAILS OF STEP 8:
Defragment all hard drives (continued)• Step 7b: Click on "Computer" in the "Start
menu":
105
DETAILS OF STEP 8:
Defragment all hard drives (continued)• Step 7c: A "Windows Explorer" window will
be displayed:
106
DETAILS OF STEP 8:
Defragment all hard drives (continued)
• Step 7d: Use the RIGHT mouse button to
click on the C: drive:
107
DETAILS OF STEP 8:
Defragment all hard drives (continued)
• Step 7e: Click on “Properties” on the pop-up
context menu.
108
DETAILS OF STEP 8:
Defragment all hard drives (continued)
• Step 7f: A “..Properties” box will be
displayed:
109
DETAILS OF STEP 8:
Defragment all hard drives (continued)
• Step 7g: Click on the “Tools” tab:
110
DETAILS OF STEP 8:
Defragment all hard drives (continued)
• Step 7h: Click on the “Defragment Now..”
button.
111
DETAILS OF STEP 8:
Defragment all hard drives (continued)
• Step 7i: If a "User Account Control" box is
displayed, click on its "Continue" button:
112
DETAILS OF STEP 8:
Defragment all hard drives (continued)
• Step 7j: A “Disk Defragmenter" window will
be displayed:
113
DETAILS OF STEP 8:
Defragment all hard drives (continued)• Step 8k: Click on the “Defragment now..."
button:
114
DETAILS OF STEP 8:
Defragment all hard drives (continued)• Step 8L: Remove the checkmarks from
"Select all disks" and any disks with drive
letters other than C:
115
DETAILS OF STEP 8:
Defragment all hard drives (continued)• Step 8m: Click on the "OK" button:
116
DETAILS OF STEP 8:
Defragment all hard drives (continued)
• Step 8n: After the defragmentation for the C:
drive completes, you should defragment any
additional hard drives or hard drive partitions
where you store data files:
Click on the listing of the drive; then click on
the “Defragment" button.
Do NOT run the defragmentation process on
hard drives or hard drive partitions that belong
to the "Windows.." operating system such as
those named "System", "System Reserved",
"Dell Utilities", Factory Image", "Backup", etc.
117
APPENDIX 1
Turning on "Physical Address
Extension" ("PAE")
• Step 4za: Perform “Step 4zb" through
"Step 4zw", only if you were directed
here from “Step 4p” (on page 51).
• The objective of these additional steps is
to turn on "Physical Address Extension"
which is also known as "PAE".
• "PAE" is a Windows kernel extension.
Some processors support it and some
do not.
118
APPENDIX 1
Turning on "PAE" (continued)
• Step 4zb: Go to
http://neosmart.net/EasyBCD/
119
APPENDIX 1
Turning on "PAE" (continued)
120
APPENDIX 1
Turning on "PAE" (continued)
• Step 4zc: Scroll down to the bottom of
this Web page:
121
APPENDIX 1
Turning on "PAE" (continued)
• Step 4zd: Click on "Register" button in to
to obtain a copy of "EasyBCD" for
personal, non-commercial use:
122
APPENDIX 1
Turning on "PAE" (continued)
• Step 4ze: Click on the "Download!"
button:
123
APPENDIX 1
Turning on "PAE" (continued)
124
APPENDIX 1
Turning on "PAE" (continued)
• Step 4zf: Click on the drop-down list
button to right of the "Save" button and
do a "Save As.." of the "EasyBCD....exe"
file to the "Desktop":
125
APPENDIX 1
Turning on "PAE" (continued)
• Step 4zg: Click on the "Run" button to
install "EasyBCD" into your computer:
126
APPENDIX 1
Turning on "PAE" (continued)
• Step 4zh: If a "User Account Control" box
is displayed, click on its "Continue"
button.
127
APPENDIX 1
Turning on "PAE" (continued)• Step 4zi: Click on the "Next" button:
128
APPENDIX 1
Turning on "PAE" (continued)• Step 4zj: Click on the "I Agree" button:
129
APPENDIX 1
Turning on "PAE" (continued)• Step 4zk: Click on the "Next" button:
130
APPENDIX 1
Turning on "PAE" (continued)• Step 4zL: Click on the "Install" button:
131
APPENDIX 1
Turning on "PAE" (continued)• Step 4zM: Click on the "Finish" button:
132
APPENDIX 1
Turning on "PAE" (continued)
• Step 4zn: Click on the "OK" button:
133
APPENDIX 1
Turning on "PAE" (continued)
• Step 4zo: The "EasyBCD" application
window will be displayed:
134
APPENDIX 1
Turning on "PAE" (continued)
135
APPENDIX 1
Turning on "PAE" (continued)
• Step 4zp: Click on the "Advanced
Settings" button:
136
APPENDIX 1
Turning on "PAE" (continued)
137
APPENDIX 1
Turning on "PAE" (continued)
• Step 4zq: The lower right quadrant will
be a "Change Settings" section:
138
APPENDIX 1
Turning on "PAE" (continued)
• Step 4zr: Click on the "Advanced" tab of
the "Change Settings" section:
139
APPENDIX 1
Turning on "PAE" (continued)
• Step 4zs: Use the down arrow button to
Change "PAE Support" from "Default" to
"Force Enable":
140
APPENDIX 1
Turning on "PAE" (continued)
141
APPENDIX 1
Turning on "PAE" (continued)
142
APPENDIX 1
Turning on "PAE" (continued)
• Step 4zt: Click on the "Save settings"
button:
143
APPENDIX 1
Turning on "PAE" (continued)
144
APPENDIX 1
Turning on "PAE" (continued)
• Step 4zu: Click on the "X" exit button to
close "EasyBCD":
145
APPENDIX 1
Turning on "PAE" (continued)
146
APPENDIX 1
Turning on "PAE" (continued)
• Step 4zv: Reboot the computer.
• Step 4zw: Go to “Step 4A” (on page 34).
147
APPENDIX 1
Turning on "PAE" (continued)
If you are running Windows Vista inside
an "Oracle VM VirtualBox" virtual
machine:
Prior to running the tweak with
"EasyBCD", you will probably have to turn
on "Enable PAE/NX" as follows:
148
APPENDIX 1
Turning on "PAE" (continued)
If you are running Windows Vista inside
an "Oracle VM VirtualBox" virtual
machine (continued):
Use the right mouse button to click on the
"Windows Vista" virtual machine in the
"Oracle VM VirtualBox Manager" window.
Select "Settings" from the pop-up context
menu.
149
APPENDIX 1
Turning on "PAE" (continued)
If you are running Windows Vista
inside an "Oracle VM VirtualBox"
virtual machine (continued):
Click on the "System" selection of the
"Settings" box.
Click on the "Processor" tab.
150
APPENDIX 1
Turning on "PAE" (continued)
If you are running Windows Vista inside
an "Oracle VM VirtualBox" virtual
machine (continued):
Put a checkmark in the box to the left of
"Enable PAE/NX", if there is not one
already there.
Click on the "OK" button of the "Settings"
box.
151
APPENDIX 1
Turning on "PAE" (continued)