Beginners Guides: 99 Performance Tips and Tweaks for Windows Vista

People are complaining of vista of not user friendly and all sort. So I got hold of this site PCSTATS. They provide great tips on how to tweak Vista and its well compiled. Take control of Windows Vista with help from PCSTATS. They provided 99 ways to squeeze out better performance, enhance boot times, free up hard drive space and trim away Vista's fat. - Version 1.3.0

Windows Vista was supposed to revolutionize computing. Microsoft's new operating system was going to accomplish the difficult task of succeeding Windows XP

(by far the most popular and successful Windows operating system to date) by introducing a raft of new features. We were going to have a new file system to replace the aging NTFS, unprecedented levels of both interactivity and security provided by a new 3D interface and the 'Palladium' secure encryption system, all coupled with a rock solid platform based on Windows XP.

A funny thing happened on the way to the CD press though, as features started to disappear. Away went the Microsoft File System, away too went many of the new security options. In the end, Microsoft Windows Vista launched, yet instead of the promised software miracle we were left with an operating system that didn't significantly improve on its predecessor.

Initial reviews were mixed; users complained about having Windows Vista forced on them, about its apparent sluggishness, over-protective safeguards and unfamiliar interface. Toss in the (expected) teething troubles with hardware and driver support and it was the makings of a Windows ME-like public relations disaster. That was then, by now most users have become familiar with it's new features, and it's becoming apparent that Vista really is a very good operating system.

It's true Vista is power hungry, but it's customizable and feature-laden too. It's large, but it's stable and thoughtfully designed. Many of the features that were an afterthought or an annoyance in Windows XP (think file pre-fetching and indexing) have been molded into useful and integral parts of Vista.
let's begin!

Table of Contents System Preparation: Tweak Insurance (1-3) Back up and restore Windows Vista Registry How to edit the Windows Vista Registry Creating a system restore point in Windows Vista System Preparation: Hardware (4-10) Add more memory (RAM)! Update the motherboard BIOS Update hardware drivers Test the Computer's RAM Optimize the memory timings and voltage Overclock the processor and memory Overclock the videocard First Boot - The Essential Tweaks (11-20) Turn off User Account Control (UAC) Set Automatic Update to download only Learn to use the search bar as a Run command. Disable automatic device driver searching and installation Use Windows Defender to disable startup programs Power options to high performance. Enable DVD playback in Vista Basic and Vista Business. Make the 64-bit version of Windows Media Player 11 the default player in Windows Vista x64 Update vista! Run programs with administrator rights Windows Vista Performance Boosting Tweaks (21-53) Disable search indexing Limit start menu search options Remove remote differential compression Boost external hard drive performance Enable Readyboost on any flash memory device. Speed up SATA drives in Vista. Assign specific CPUs to applications Assign priorities to applications Create shortcuts for running applications with certain CPU/Priority settings Disable unnecessary services De-automate Windows Defender Upgrade to Vista Service Pack 1 Beta (SP1-beta) Disable superfetch for computers with less memory Boot Vista with all available processors Force 32-bit Windows Vista to use all your memory by enabling PAE Used advanced disk cleanup tools to regain more space Shut down services faster for faster shutdown. Disable the Vista sidebar Set the Sidebar to low priority Kill the RSS feed sidebar gadget Disable automatic backup/system restore Disable hibernate on desktops Stop scheduled disk defragmentation Move the Vista paging file for better performance Set a fixed paging file size Rebuild the paging file to optimize performance Move search index to another physical drive Disable the low disk space check Disable 8.3 name creation Disable last access file update Disable unneeded hardware Check bootup and shutdown times with the Windows Vista Event viewer Check your system's health in 60 seconds or less Mastering & Streamlining the Vista Interface (54-83) Use checkboxes for multiple file selection Enable Windows classic desktop appearance Reduce start menu opening delay Disable mandatory thumbnail previews Remove unnecessary Windows Vista features Start task manager directly Run sidebar gadgets without the sidebar Backup your entire computer with Vista Backup and restore (Vista Business and Ultimate only) Essential hotkey shortcuts for Vista Return the run command to the start menu Using the new 'resource overview' monitor in Windows Vista Use the Vista reliability checker to track system issues Disable warning sounds and add visual cues Create desktop shutdown and reboot icons Good sidebar gadgets to have (and not to have) Run any application as administrator with a few keystrokes Configure Windows Vista autoplay manually to suit your preferences Disable security notifications Tweak the mouse scroll wheel Add Encrypt / Decrypt to Right Click Menu Disable 'GUI boot' to speed startup Add administrator account to welcome screen. Change volume levels for individual applications Display your backed-up DVD media in Vista Media Center (applies to Vista Home Premium and Ultimate only) Reveal Vista's hidden context menu power tools Be the super user Fix the Start Menu Power button Enable verbose shutdown messages (Vista business and Ultimate only) Customize Vista desktop performance The ultimate Vista performance Tweak (not really) 'Aero'-Dynamics - Customizing the Vista Aeroglass Interface (84-86) Disable Aero (All versions except Vista Basic) Disable Aero transparency (All versions except Vista Basic) Disable min/max window animation in Aero (All versions except Vista Basic) Network & Internet Performance Tweaks (87-91) Enable more simultaneous downloads in Internet Explorer 7 Enable more simultaneous Downloads in Firefox Fix large file copying problems in Windows Vista Disable IPV6 in Windows Vista Refresh shortcut for wireless network searching Vista Tuning Tips for Notebooks (92-94) Disable Transient Multi-monitor manager to speed up boot times Tweak your Vista power saving options for more travel time Disable Aero interface to save big on battery life Windows Vista Gaming Tips (95-99) Update Vista's DirectX9 files for better game compatibility Disable background features while gaming Run directX 9 games in Windows XP compatibility mode Fix/enable 3D sound in some games Poor game performance? Try DirectX9 mode Note: The Credit goes to PCSTATS.com. You can get the rest of the article here Hope you'll enjoy and please do comment if you notice some important point missing.