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OPTIMIZING WINDOWS VISTA
www.windows-vista-update.com
Copyright 2008 Nnigma Inc.
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Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................................................. 3
What Is Windows Vista? ........................................................................................................................ 3
Why Do I Need This Book? ................................................................................................................... 3
Windows Vista Information ....................................................................................................................... 4
Overview of Windows Vista ................................................................................................................... 4
Purchasing Windows Vista .................................................................................................................... 4
Minimum System Requirements ........................................................................................................... 5
Assessing Windows Vista Configurations ..................................................................................................... 6
Improving Your Windows Vista Experience ............................................................................................ 7
Optimization Tweaks ................................................................................................................................ 7
Indexing Options for Windows Vista..................................................................................................... 7
Speed-up Start Menu Search ................................................................................................................ 8
Speed-up Windows Vista's Aero ........................................................................................................... 8
Enable ReadyBoost with a USB Storage Device .................................................................................... 9
Customization Tweak ................................................................................................................................ 9
Stop Applications that Auto-Start on Startup ....................................................................................... 9
Control and Monitor User Activities with Parental Controls .............................................................. 10
BitLocker Drive Encryption in Sleep Mode ......................................................................................... 11
Clean Install Windows Vista Using Upgrade DVDs.............................................................................. 12
Summary ..................................................................................................................................................... 15
Further Resources .................................................................................................................................... 18
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Introduction
What Is Windows Vista?
On January 30th, 2007, Microsoft released Windows Vista worldwide. This brand new
operating system serves personal computers, including desktops, laptops, Tablet PCs,
and media centers. So what makes Windows Vista distinct from other Microsoft
operating systems like Windows XP and Windows 2000? Windows Vista was released
more than five years after the release of Windows XP, its immediate predecessor and it
ultimately contains hundreds of new features in addition to various reworked features
from the older operating systems. Above all, Windows Vista focuses on providing a
more dramatic experience with enhanced graphic features and multimedia tools that
allow the user to more easily create audio, visual, and print products.
Why Do I Need This Book?
The purpose of this book is to discuss the complexities of Windows Vista security
features, noted for their dramatic improvement on the features and settings of previous
Windows operating systems, including Windows XP. This book should help you
understand why Windows Vista, the latest operating system from Microsoft, is
particularly advantageous from a security point of view. Reviewing the key features,
weve compiled information about the most commorted nlyproblems repo for this book
and just in case we miss anything, you can check out the list of further resources
pointing you in the direction of books and Web sites that provide further information
about common problems with the platform program.
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Windows Vista Information
Overview of Windows Vista
What do you really need to know about Windows Vista? The main idea behind Windows
Vista, it seems, was to provide Windows users with a more convenient system that
integrated a heck of a lot of multimedia elements. After all, in the last five years, the
Internet has come a long way and now most regular computer users, during their
online stints, like to make some use of media, whether its by creating a video for
YouTube or just tuning in to their favorite radio station streaming online. Of course,
theres also digital photography. Who hasnt got a digital camera? Windows Vista makes
it easy for the average computer user to make use of these various types of media with
relatively little hassle. It also provides a range of other program upgrades for standard
features like word processing and database management, reducing the extent to which
the lack of Microsoft Office, no longer preinstalled on the Windows systems, is felt.
Purchasing Windows Vista
Believe it or not, one of the most frequently asked general questions about Windows
Vista is What do I have to buy?´ It seems many people are confused about how they
get their hands on Windows Vista and what precisely it means to have this operating
system installed on a computer. Other common questions were going to answer in this
section, purchasing Windows Vista, include questions about editions of Windows
Vista, comparing features, and what disks you need (or dont need, as the case may be)
to prepare yourself in case of a system failure. Computers that come with Windows
Vista operating systems preinstalled will generally have what is called the Windows
Vista Home Basic edition. Many people wonder about upgrades and yes, like most
systems, it is possible to upgrade your edition of Windows Vista. If you have Home
Basic, you can upgrade to either the Windows Vista Home Premier Edition or the
Windows Vista Ultimate. With Windows Vista Business, and you generally have to select
this operating system over the Home Basic when you buy your computer system, then
you can also upgrade to the Windows Vista Ultimate edition if you prefer.
Your best bet, if youre considering an upgrade is to head on over to the Windows Vista
Web site where you can compare the features of the various editions and make a
determination as to whether an upgrade is going to be worth your while. The Web site
address is https://na.windowsanytimeupgradestore.com/WAU_DIRECT/Home.aspx and
you simply follow the link to compare editions; pricing information for the upgrades is
provided there as well.
Since Windows Vista does not always come along with a set of recovery discs, another
common question with regard to purchasing is whether or not you need to pay for or
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otherwise secure a Windows Vista disc. If you decide to secure an upgrade for your
Vista system then you are likely to receive a disc in the mail as part of your order. In
this case, you are paying for the disc as part of your upgrade. Otherwise, you may have
to make your own recovery discs using blank rewritable CDs. Generally you will receive
a prompt about this close to the time that you start up your computer for the first time
(if its a new computer) or periodically when you are going about using your computer.
Minimum System Requirements
The minimum system requirements for Vista capability are as follows: Processor speed
of 800MHz, memory of 512MB RAM, DirectX 9 capable graphics card, 20GB hard drive
and at least 15GB of free space plus a CD-ROM drive.. The minimum system
requirements for the Vista Premier are stated as follows: Processor speed of 1.0GHz,
1GB RAM, DirectX 9 capable GPU with Hardware Pixel Shader v.2.0, 128MB RAM, 40GB
of hard drive, at least 15 GB, and a DVD-ROM drive.
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Assessing Windows Vista Configurations
The first step to optimizing your Vista operating system is to make a determination
about the current configurations of your operating system. Its important to have a
deployment plan for assessing your current system and there are key questions that
you will need to answer:
· How compatible is the Vista operating system with the computer and other
devices on your network?
· What applications do you use most often?
· Are the applications you use compatible with Windows Vista?
· Do you need to upgrade to newer versions of the software before upgrading
users' computers?
You need to make a detailed assessment of your system to determine what
components are most significant to your user experience and what components, if any,
are creating problems for you.
To optimize your system there are three or four pointers you need to think about. You
need to think about how regularly you remove junk files from your computer and how
much disk space your regular files are taking up, which files or folders engross your disk
space, and what you can do to increase hard disk space.
One of the best ways to tune up your system start-up processes is to control which
programs open automatically on Windows. Its imp tunorte upan Vist ttao boot menu
and edit context menus of mouse right-clicking. To do this, you generally need to go to
check the properties on the individual applications. You can also customize system
desktop, menus, toolbar, and notifications settings to make your system run faster and
more efficiently.
Tweaking your security options can also improve your desktop, menus, and windows
logon features. You can disable system updates and error reports and hid or restrict
access to specific drives. By limiting the amount of work that your operating system
does by default, you can minimize the amount of time that it takes your system to
operate.
These are general steps that you can at least consider, general pointers you should
keep in mind as you look to explore the ways that you can improve the functionality of
your operating system. Once you have a clear idea about the types of changes you can
make, you can look to identify the specific tweaks and tricks you want to try.
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Improving Your Windows Vista Experience
Optimization Tweaks
There are many known problems with the Windows Vista operating system as indeed
there are with many systems. Fortunately, enough people spend enough time
addressing these problems; identifying them and searching for ways to resolve them.
Various tweaks and tricks have been developed to speed-up the Windows Vista
operating system, to reveal hidden features, and customize its look and feel. The
purpose of presenting these tweaks and tips here ± summarizing information from the
numerous public forums where this information has been shared ± is to assist Windows
Vista users in optimizing their operating system and ensuring its maximum function.
Everyone uses their computer ± and subsequently their operating system ± for different
reasons. By performing optimizations and tweaks in accordance with the context in
which you use your Vista operating system, you put yourself in a particularly good
position to avoid many of the common problems for hardware, software, and network
features.
Indexing Options for Windows Vista
One of the first and most useful steps for optimizing Windows Vista involves
customizing index options. In its default setting, the Windows Vista index system runs
in the background of the computer and automatically indexes all files in the Start Menu,
the user profile folders, and file set up for online access by default.
One of the problems with the indexing system running in default is that the entire
operating system can be slowed dramatically if files in the Start Menu, user profile
folders, and files set up for online access are changed frequently. Fortunately, Windows
Vista allows the user to adjust the indexing system. One of the most effective steps for
maximizing performance involves disabling the indexing for all locations but the Start
Menu. The only disadvantage to this step is that it takes longer to search around the
rest of your computer for files.
1. Click on the Start Button.
2. Enter Indexing Options.
3. Click Enter and the Indexing Options will load.
4. Click on the Modify button.
5. Click Show All locations.
6. Scroll down and uncheck all options except the Start Menu.
7. Select OK.
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Speed-up Start Menu Search
Once the general indexing for your computer has been modified, you can work towards
speeding up your Start Menu search. As you perform a search in the start panel search
box, the Windows Vista will search automatically through your file index.
The best way to speed-up your Start Menu search is to narrow the scope of the search
so that it does not include files on the hard drive.
There are several ways to do this:
Option 1:
1. Open registry editor using regedit.
2. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Microsoft > Windows
> CurrentVersion > Explorer and select Advanced.
3. Find and right-click on Start_SearchFiles and select Modify.
4. Set the Value to 0.
5. Restart the Explorer.exe process or reboot the computer.
Option 2:
1. Right-click on the Start Button and select Properties.
2. Click on the Customize button.
3. Uncheck Search Communications.
4. Set Search Files to Don't Search for files.
5. Click OK.
Speed-up Windows Vista's Aero
Windows Vista has particularly impressive graphic features. Unfortunately, the graphic
features tend to make the operating of the Windows Vista system much slower.
There are two things you can do to speed-up the Aero interface in Windows Vista:
Option 1:
Disable Transparent Glass Effect
1. Click on the Desktop.
2. Select Personalize.
3. Select Windows Color and Appearance.
4. Uncheck Enable Transparency.
Option 2:
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Disable Windows Minimize/Maximize Animation
1. Click on the Start Menu.
2. Enter SystemPropertiesPerformance.
3. Hit Enter.
4. On the Visual Effects tab, uncheck Animate Windows When
Minimizing/Maximizing.
5. Click OK.
Enable ReadyBoost with a USB Storage Device
The ReadyBoost feature enables the use of a USB storage device instead of the slow
paging file for additional storage when the hard drive is low on physical memory (RAM).
To ensure that the ReadyBoost is going to work in Windows Vista as effectively as
possible you will need to have a USB storage device with at least 64MBs of storage, it
must be USB 2.0 compliant, the device must have a minimum read speed of 3.5 MB/s
and the device must have a minimum write speed of 2.5 MB/s.
To enable ReadyBoost, you need to take the following steps:
1. Plug in USB storage device.
2. Go to Computer, right-click on the removable storage device and select
Properties.
3. Click on the ReadyBoost tab.
4. Select Use This Device and set the amount of space to use for the system file.
5. Click OK.
Customization Tweak
A few customization tweaks also help with cutting back the amount of time that the
operating system takes to run.
Stop Applications that Auto-Start on Startup
There are two ways to stop applications that show up on the auto-start as soon as the
individual users log in to Windows Vista. Either use the System Configuration Utility or
the new Software Explorer in Windows Defender to undertaken this change.
First it is possible to make the change using the system configuration utility feature.
1. Click on the Start Button
2. Enter msconfig.
3. Hit Enter.
4. Click on the Startup tab.
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5. Uncheck items that you do want to auto-start.
6. Click OK.
Alternatively you can use Windows Defender to change the autorun features:
1. Click on the Start Button.
2. Enter Windows Defender.
3. Hit Enter.
4. Click on the Tools from the top menu bar.
5. Click on Software Explorer.
6. Select Show for All Users.
7. Select an application to either Remove or Disable.
Control and Monitor User Activities with Parental Controls
The Parental Controls in Windows Vista allows individuals to control what users can do
while online. In particular, the Paternal Controls allow parents to monitor the activities
of their children using the built-in reports.
The first step to monitoring an account is to establish a user account for the individual
or individuals who are to be monitored. The steps involved in account creation are as
follows:
1. Click on the Start Button.
2. Select Control Panel.
3. Click Add or Remove User Accounts under the User Accounts and Family Safety
area.
4. Select Create a New Account.
5. Create an account ensuring that the Standard user button is selected.
Once the individual account is established, it is necessary to establish parental controls.
To enable these controls, you have to click on the Start Button and select Control Panel.
Under the User Account and Family Safety option, click Set Up Parental Controls, select
the new user account. You need to click the On radio button to get it to start off.
To configure the options controls on the user account you need to open up the
Windows Web Filter. Clicking the Windows Vista Web Filter option you need to check
the blocking option. The blocking option should be enabled.
It is then possible to allow or block various types of Web sites. Its important to check
Only allow Web sites which are on the allow list.
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You can select options to block web content automatically, applying automatic
restrictions to the type of Web sites that users can access. For maximum protection it
generally works best to select either the High or Medium level works. Clicking on the
radio buttons, it is possible to establish a summary of what is blocked. To block file
downloads it is possible to control downloading files from the Internet. Users can be
prevented from downloading files from the Internet.
Time limits can also be established, along with restrictions on the type of games and
the specific programs that users operate on their account. With a time limit, it is
possible to control how many hours and days children are allowed to work. To
establish the time limits, you only need to click and drag the desired hours and days in
blue to block the times that the user account is active.
Selecting the games played on the account it is possible to select the games options in
the Paternal Controls window. The controls allow or disallow games to be played are
established with setting game rates.
Once the appropriate controls have been established, it is possible to review all user
account activity.
1. Open paternal controls on the account.
2. Select the option to view activities.
3. Review the applications, games, e-mails, instant messaging activities, and
system changes.
4. Click the report option.
5. Navigate the categories on the left side of the window to see relevant activities.
BitLocker Drive Encryption in Sleep Mode
In both the Windows Vista Enterprise and Ultimate editions the security feature,
BitLocker, operates only if the machine is in shutdown mode. The computer must either
be powering off or entering in hibernation mode.
That said, there is definitely some need to perform security checks on a regular basis.
Ordinarily, BitLocker doesn't perform security checks when awaking from sleep mode
but it is possible to set the computer to perform such checks when coming out of
hibernation or after emerging from sleep mode.
To access the BitLocker, which is only available on the two editions of Windows Vista,
Ultimate and Enterprise, you need to go to the Control Panel. There is the option to
select BitLocker Drive Encryption and make appropriate changes to the default settings.
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Clean Install Windows Vista Using Upgrade DVDs
Upgrading to Windows Vista is one option but you are generally required to have
installed Windows on your computer if you intend to install Windows Vista with Upgrade
DVDs.
In the event that you are having problems upgrading Windows Vista, if you have
already upgraded, you might consider that you need to re-install Windows XP (your
previous full retail Windows system). Fortunately it is possible to resolve issues with
Windows Vista without removing and reinstalling your previous Windows operating
system.
To clean install Windows Vista using upgrade DVDs, you need to take the following
steps:
1. Launch the Windows Vista Upgrade DVD.
2. Begin the setup program.
3. DO NOT enter the product key.
4. Click "Next" and proceed with setup.
5. Install Windows Vista as a 30-day trial.
6. Select the appropriate edition of Windows Vista to continue with the setup.
7. Install program from within Windows Vista.
8. Type in your product key when prompted.
9. Perform an Upgrade or Custom (advanced) install.
10. Choose Custom (advanced) to perform a clean install of Windows Vista.
11. Once setup has completed for the second time, activate Windows Vista normally.
Finally, there are three major developments unique to Windows Vista, all of which
impact the functionality of Windows Vista.
· Boot and Resume:
The Windows Vista operating system is designed to process login scripts, startup
applications, and services in the background to help users to get to work quickly on
their computer. Among the new system features is the advanced Sleep state that
combines the speed used in the Standby mode to allow for the data protection with the
low power consumption of the Hibernate. The result is that the startup process from the
Windows Vista Sleep state takes seconds to start up. As a Windows Vista operating
system starts up, many functions can be processed in the background, affording the
user control over their activities much sooner than in previous versions of Windows.
Instead of shutting down the computer to save power, Windows Vista users can now
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use the new Sleep state as their default state for turning off their computers. . Going
into the Sleep state, Windows Vista records the contents of memory to the hard disk
while it also maintains the memory. Windows Vista also enters and recovers from the
Sleep mode in a matter of seconds.
· Built-In Diagnostics:
Windows Vista also comes complete with in-built hardware diagnostics, the purpose of
which is to establish when errors are present. The built-in diagnostics of the system are
used to automatically repair the problems and assist with the guiding of the user
through a recovery process. Ultimately, the system serves to eradicate the problem,
whatever it may be.
Although the diagnostic program does not necessarily have the capacity to diagnose all
problems, common problems are at least resolvable with a functioning built-in
diagnostic program. Such problems generally include impending disk failures, memory
problems, and networking issues. Data back-up,
disk replacement, and data restoration are all features that the diagnostics system
allows.
· Automatic Recovery:
When a computer problem is beyond repair, when a failure of the Windows system is
deemed unpreventable, Windows Vista also offers a reasonable solution. Specifically,
the operating system will automatically diagnose and and recover an unbootable
system, turning it into a system that is functional using what is known as the Startup
Repair Tool or SRT. The SRT offers a troubleshooter system to take the user through
the recovery process for no-boot situations step-by-step, minimizing the need for
professional intervention or even major system overall. The general principle of both
the automatic recovery system and indeed the built-in diagnostic systems is to minimize
the extent to which Windows Vista users are vulnerable to lose data should any element
of the operating system fail or otherwise become corrupt. Since start-up problems are
generally recognized as some of the most difficult to resolve, at least for system
administrators, the SRT system is designed to facilitate troubleshooting even in the
event of a start-up problem; when a system boot fails, the system reverts to the SRT,
which performs extensive diagnostics, reviewing the start-up log files to determine the
nature of the problem. This entire process mirrors the general diagnostic process used
to detect problems when the operating system my otherwise be fully functional. As with
the built-in diagnostics and troubleshooter systems of the main operating system, the
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SRT also offers automatic resolutions or system recovery information to facilitate the
speedy resolution to any systems errors.
Optimizing your system of Windows Vista is decidedly important when you are looking
to make the most of the positives and minimize the negatives of the system. You need
to consider not only how your computer is running in default state (i.e. without any
steps take to optimize the system) but how you use your computer to understand what
steps you can take to most effectively optimize your computer for your purposes.
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Summary
The purpose of this section is to provide you with a step-by-step review of the
optimization pointers covered in this book. To cut a long story short, it¶s not uncommon
for computer users to overlook the benefits of optimizing simply because the process
strikes them as being too complex.
To keep things simple, these are the steps you can take to ensure that your system is
in top working condition for your purposes:
1. Rate the functionality of your system in terms of the following:
a. How fast your system completes basic tasks like start-up and shut down.
Note if your computer takes a long time to open applications or if there is
an unusual number of interruption as you¶re working on your system
(such as regular error messages, etc).
b. How secure your PC is from security threats. Consider how regularly virus
sweeps are conducted and how regularly anti-spam checkers are updated,
etc.
c. How well does your network operate? Is your operating system
compatible with the various components of your network such as your
printer/scanner/fax/copier, etc? Does your operating system have any
impact upon the speed of your Internet connection? If so, is it slowing
down the connection?
2. Consider how you use your operating system and the extent to which the system
is customized to meet your needs:
a. How compatible is the Vista operating system with the computer and
other devices on your network that you use regularly?
b. What applications do you use most often? Is your system compatible with
these applications? Have you had any problems?
c. Are all of the applications you used on your old system compatible with
Windows Vista? If not, which applications are no longer functioning on
your computer? (You may want to look for upgrades or patches to enable
proper function).
d. Do you need to upgrade to newer versions of the software before
upgrading your computers?
3. Research the in-build system benefits of Windows Vista, such as the built-in
diagnostic systems to determine how easily you can make changes to your
system to improve functionality. Think about the following:
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a. Can you reorganize the files and directories on your computer to save on
space? Is lack of space or limitation on space having an impact upon the
functionality of your computer?
b. Can you enhance the overall security of your network by establishing
higher levels of security on your User Account and on the other User
Accounts functional on the system?
c. Can you save power by deflecting to the boot and resume option?
d. How good is your system for auto recover of data in the event of a
computer crash? How regularly do you back up your date, etc?
4. Once you have researched the initial options for optimizing your system, you can
take steps to customize and reorganize your system to meet your specific needs.
One of the best ways to ensure that you have a reasonable grasp of the steps
involved in improving your system you can set about the looking for advanced
teaks to boost your system¶s performance.
The Internet is the best place to go for information about custom tweaks and
adjustments to the Windows Vista operating system (or any other operating system, for
that matter) since it provides a ready forum for discussion of computer issues.
Some of the best Web sites for information about Windows Vista are referenced below:
1. http://www.squidoo.com/vista_tips
2. http://www.tweakxpert.com/
3. http://www.howtogeek.com/tag/windows-vista/
4. http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,2088459,00.asp
5. http://www.stevesinchak.com/ShowCategory278.aspx
6. http://www.howtogeek.com/tag/windows-vista/
7. http://chris.pirillo.com/2007/01/20/top-10-tweaks-tips-and-tricks-for-windows-
vista/
8. http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=499870
Second to Web sites, you can check out a number of books that specifically review tips
and tricks for Windows Vista optimization. Five of the most relevant books for this
purpose are listed below.
1. Windows Vista(TM) Resource Kit by Mitch Tulloch, Tony Northrup, Jerry
Honeycutt, and Ed Wilson (Paperback - April 4, 2007)
2. Windows Vista Secrets by Brian Livingston and Paul Thurrott (Paperback - Jan
10, 2007)
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3. Windows Vista: Top 100 Simplified Tips & Tricks (Top 100 Simplified Tips &
Tricks) by Paul McFedries (Paperback - Dec 6, 2006)
4. Windows Vista Inside Out by Ed Bott, Carl Siechert, and Craig Stinson
(Paperback - Jan 18, 2007)
5. Tricks of the Microsoft(R) Windows Vista(TM) Masters by J. Peter Bruzzese
(Paperback - Jun 4, 2007)
Windows Vista can serve as a great operating system with the right approach. It¶s not
perfect, by any stretch of the imagination; enough people have run into problems with
the system that there is sufficient reason to question its integrity, but every user is
different. With the right attention paid to your needs you can certainly make your
experience of Windows Vista a positive one.
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Further Resources
Windows XP to Windows Vista Transition by Nevada Learning Series (Paperback - Oct
18, 2007)
Discovering Microsoft Office 2007: Windows XP and Vista, Word, Excel, Access,
PowerPoint by Edward G. Martin (Paperback - Jan 9, 2007)
Labyrinth Brief Office 2007 Series : Computer Concepts and Windows XP/Vista by Alec
Fehl and Russel Stolins (Paperback - 2007)
Windows Administration at the Command Line for Windows Vista, Windows 2003,
Windows XP, and Windows 2000 by John Paul Mueller (Paperback - April 2, 2007)
Windows Vista Annoyances: Tips, Secrets, and Hacks by David A. Karp (Paperback - Jan
4, 2008) - Illustrated
Mastering Windows Made Easy Vista & XP Editions Training Tutorial - Learn how to use
Microsoft Windows e Book Manual Guide by TeachUcomp and Inc. (CD-ROM - May 4,
2007)
Windows Lockdown!: Your XP and Vista Guide Against Hacks, Attacks, and Other
Internet Mayhem (Absolute Beginner's Guide) by Andy Walker (Paperback - May 30,
2008)
Group Policy: Management, Troubleshooting, and Security: For Windows Vista ,
Windows 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000 (Mark Minasi Windows Administrator
Library) by Jeremy Moskowitz (Paperback - April 9, 2007)
The Unofficial Guide to Windows Vista (Unofficial Guide) by Derek Torres and Stuart
Mudie (Paperback - Feb 5, 2007)
Windows Vista For Dummies, Special Preview Edition by Andy Rathbone (Paperback -
Jul 19, 2006)
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