Vista Performance Tips & Tweaks

[DasFox]

I didn't notice a Tips & Tweaks section put up for Vista so I created this post, unless I missed it somewhere on this forum when I did a search.

If there isn't one I'd appreciate a run down on all the services and what you can kill and what ways there are to optimize over the usual XP things one can do.

The annoying Admin Popups:

Disable UAC (Formerly UAP)

UAC, otherwise known as UAP (User Account Control/User Account Protection) in previous builds is another one of those features that just seems to get in the way of doing your work. This feature is designed with the average user in mind who needs this kind of protection to keep themselves out of trouble. If you are reading this then chances are you know how to manage your own system. Here is how to disable UAP:

Press the Windows Key + R (winkey + R).
At the run prompt, type "msconfig" without the quotes.
Go to the Tools tab, scroll down and select "Disable UAP" and click the run button.
You should see a command prompt open and it will say "Command completed successfully".
Reboot and enjoy the freedom to control your system as you wish.


I just found this info for the Security Center Icon in the taskbar, can anyone verify if this is a correct fix for this?

Get Rid of The Nagging Windows Security Center Icon

The Windows Security Center has been one of the biggest annoyances since the inception of the idea with Windows XP Service Pack 2. Now with Windows Vista? it is new, improved, and even more annoying than ever before! Untill now, you could not get rid of the icon from your tray.

Here's how to nuke Security Center off your system. This has been tested and there are no adverse effects from doing this.

Go to Start --> Run and type "cmd" without the quotes.
Type "cd\" followed by "cd windows\system32".
Now run the following commands:
takeown /f wscapi.dll
takeown /f wscsvc.dll
takeown /f wscui.cpl
Now you have ownership of the files. Go into the system32 directory in explorer and right click each file, go to the security tab and add an entry for everyone and give them full access permissions.
Disable the Security Center Service via services.msc if you have not already done so.
In the system32 folder rename the three mentioned dll's (change their file extension to .bak).
To get rid of the Security Center service from services.msc drop to a command prompt and type the following:
"REG DELETE HKLM\SYSTEM\CURRENTCONTROLSET\SERVICES\WSCSVC /F", hit enter and reboot.
Enjoy no more nagging or icon in your system tray!

Is "IKE and AuthIP IPsec Keying Modules" needed? Personally I disable it in XP.

THANKS

 

[toolfan]

Originally posted by: DasFox
I just found this info for the Security Center Icon in the taskbar, can anyone verify if this is a correct fix for this?

Get Rid of The Nagging Windows Security Center Icon

The Windows Security Center has been one of the biggest annoyances since the inception of the idea with Windows XP Service Pack 2. Now with Windows Vista? it is new, improved, and even more annoying than ever before! Untill now, you could not get rid of the icon from your tray.

<SNIP>

Enjoy no more nagging or icon in your system tray!

You don't need to do all that. This same process also works under XP SP2...

Open the Windows Security Center. Over on the left hand side at the bottom is a link to "Change the way Security Center alerts me". In Vista just click "I do not want..." In XP turn off each of the three items.

Edit: Oops I just tried this in Vista and it appears that the icon stays in the system tray, you just don't get popups. Lame. In XP it removed the icon from the tray. 🙁

 

[stash]

Disable UAC (Formerly UAP)

Why? It is far more useful to Microsoft if you leave it on and file bugs for times when you get prompted that you should get a prompt. That's what beta testing is all about.

 

[spyordie007]

Originally posted by: stash

Disable UAC (Formerly UAP)

Why? It is far more useful to Microsoft if you leave it on and file bugs for times when you get prompted that you should get a prompt. That's what beta testing is all about.

That and it's a very good feature

You shouldnt be regularly running as an admin anyways and those prompts are less annoying than access denied errors 😉

 

[Looney]

Yeah, it's a beta for a reason. If you don't see the bugs that UAP causes, then you won't be able to report them. I've told people how to turn it off if it's absolutely giving them hell, but it's even been fine for me, and i've been bitching about it for days.

 

[DasFox]

Ok, UAC is enabled and I was able to get rid of the Security Center Icon. 🙂

Any tips anyone have that are useful?

THANKS

 

[spyordie007]

Originally posted by: DasFox
Any tips anyone have that are useful?

Sure, change the MenuShowDelay setting from 400 to 50 under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop

Reduces the delay before Windows paints menus/etc. (works under 2k and xp also).

 

[SunnyD]

Originally posted by: spyordie007

Originally posted by: DasFox
Any tips anyone have that are useful?

Sure, change the MenuShowDelay setting from 400 to 50 under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop

Reduces the delay before Windows paints menus/etc. (works under 2k and xp also).

Hmm, I will definitely have to try this - I've noticed a lot of window and mouse "lag" with both the MS WDDM and NVIDIA video drivers. I wonder if this might fix it.

 

[mynameisob3l]

Originally posted by: spyordie007

Originally posted by: stash

Disable UAC (Formerly UAP)

Why? It is far more useful to Microsoft if you leave it on and file bugs for times when you get prompted that you should get a prompt. That's what beta testing is all about.

That and it's a very good feature

You shouldnt be regularly running as an admin anyways and those prompts are less annoying than access denied errors 😉

yeah... uhh... i'm gonna sit there and fill out 'bug reports' for every window that pops up when i'm trying to throw away a shortcut off the desktop.

there's dumb, and then there's dumber.

as far as UAP 'protecting people from themselves'... there's a reason why i don't use training wheels if i ride a bike to the corner store. maybe some people will appreciate being hassled everytime they click their mouse, but those people probably won't even know this 'feature' can be disabled.

don't pretend it's not true. even if you run linux, and force yourself to always use a gimped account, it's not like you DON'T know your own root password. this whole vein of discussion is just retarded.

 

[spyordie007]

yeah... uhh... i'm gonna sit there and fill out 'bug reports' for every window that pops up when i'm trying to throw away a shortcut off the desktop.

If you actually stopped to think about how these components work getting around the annoyance is every bit as easy as disabling UAP. Deleting a desktop icon that is not on your personal desktop requires extra privilages because the icons are stored in an all-users location.

Yes you should be bugging these things (even though it's not technically a bug) so that they can correct it in future builds (which BTW the desktop icon delete "issue" has already been corrected in future builds because some of us already have bugged this specific issue).

as far as UAP 'protecting people from themselves'... there's a reason why i don't use training wheels if i ride a bike to the corner store. maybe some people will appreciate being hassled everytime they click their mouse, but those people probably won't even know this 'feature' can be disabled.

don't pretend it's not true. even if you run linux, and force yourself to always use a gimped account, it's not like you DON'T know your own root password. this whole vein of discussion is just retarded.

I do run linux, and I do run with a "gimped account"; most people who run linux do the same because it's (without a doubt) best practice. Running everything as root is a very bad idea; running everything as an admin under windows is just as bad.

If you werent "dummer" (as you so poetically put it) you would be setting yourself up to run as a non-admin and than you would be praising UAC for giving you those dialogs rather than getting some cryptic access denied error.

UAC is not just another nag screen, it's a control mechanism to catch requests that require elevated privilages.

 

[mynameisob3l]

I do run linux, and I do run with a "gimped account"; most people who run linux do the same because it's (without a doubt) best practice. Running everything as root is a very bad idea; running everything as an admin under windows is just as bad.

If you werent "dummer" (as you so poetically put it) you would be setting yourself up to run as a non-admin and than you would be praising UAC for giving you those dialogs rather than getting some cryptic access denied error.

UAC is not just another nag screen, it's a control mechanism to catch requests that require elevated privilages.

yet the fact remains that you have the root password... and i'm sure you actually type it in when it's needed. running in pure root is stupid. duh.

whatever.

i'm not going to tell you how to live your life, or how to use your silly computer. have fun filling out those forms.... each time you need to supply credentials to empty your recycle bin or whatever, you can do so with a smug grin on your face knowing you're 'better' than me or whatever. i honestly don't care... conversations like this, with people like you, got old years ago. have fun out there!

 

[runninkyle17]

Originally posted by: DasFox

Get Rid of The Nagging Windows Security Center Icon

The Windows Security Center has been one of the biggest annoyances since the inception of the idea with Windows XP Service Pack 2. Now with Windows Vista? it is new, improved, and even more annoying than ever before! Untill now, you could not get rid of the icon from your tray.

Here's how to nuke Security Center off your system. This has been tested and there are no adverse effects from doing this.

Go to Start --> Run and type "cmd" without the quotes.
Type "cd\" followed by "cd windows\system32".
Now run the following commands:
takeown /f wscapi.dll
takeown /f wscsvc.dll
takeown /f wscui.cpl
Now you have ownership of the files. Go into the system32 directory in explorer and right click each file, go to the security tab and add an entry for everyone and give them full access permissions.
Disable the Security Center Service via services.msc if you have not already done so.
In the system32 folder rename the three mentioned dll's (change their file extension to .bak).
To get rid of the Security Center service from services.msc drop to a command prompt and type the following:
"REG DELETE HKLM\SYSTEM\CURRENTCONTROLSET\SERVICES\WSCSVC /F", hit enter and reboot.
Enjoy no more nagging or icon in your system tray!

Is "IKE and AuthIP IPsec Keying Modules" needed? Personally I disable it in XP.

THANKS

I tried this and when I get to the command prompt and enter the akeown commands an errr pops up. It sas something like the current user does not have permission to own these files or something like that. My account is as an admin, what is going on? Thanks.

 

[DasFox]

runninkyle17, hmm if your Admin that's odd worked fine here.

 

[runninkyle17]

Yea I know, but for some reason it is giving me problems. I will reboot and try it later and let everyone know if it is still there.

 

[DasFox]

I would GREATLY appreciate keeping the ruckus down, and not having some troll wars PLEASE!

Let's PLEASE stick to showing Tips & Tricks.

mynameisob3l you obvisouly don't understand the concept of a Unix command prompt, it's all about System Administration and Security. Microsoft is just trying to now bring this way of Administration to Windows and if you fully understood this, then you would not have made the comments you did.

No more people, as I have asked, just PLEASE share tips and tricks.

THANKS