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Windows 7 System Tweaks

Change Default Folder View
Open the Registry Editor (regedit) and go to:
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell]

Click on the Shell key, if you can see BagMRU Size then there is no need to undertake this step. If it isn't there, right-click and select New>DWORD 32-bit Value and name it BagMRU Size. Set this value to 2710 in Hexadecimal or 10000 in Decimal.

Now go to the following keys:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags]
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\BagMRU]

Delete both the Bags and BagMRU Keys. This will remove most existing customizations for things like window sizes, positions and views. You will need to manually recreate one of these keys with a new setting. Right-click on the following key:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell]

Create a new key called Bags to replace the one you just deleted. Then create another called AllFolders and finally another called Shell. The end result should look like this:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\ Windows\Shell\Bags\AllFolders\Shell]

Now left-click on the last Shell key and in the right pane right-click in an empty area and select New>String Value. Name it FolderType, double-click on it and in the Value Data box you can set the default view which all folders will initially take (unless otherwise specified) by entering one of the following values:

NotSpecified, Contacts, Documents, Music, Pictures

For example if you enter Documents (which I recommend), then all folders for which you do not manually set a view will default to the standard Documents folder view as you set it.

Now in Windows Explorer go to your \Users\[username]\ directory and for each of the main folder types under there (Documents, Pictures, Music, Videos), make sure that you set the view you wish, including things like choosing which columns to show and how wide they each are, the size of any icons/thumbnails, the way in which they are sorted, etc. As you make the changes, for each folder click the Organize button at the top of Windows Explorer, select 'Folder and Search Options', go to the View tab and click the 'Apply to Folders' button. This will set this view for all folders of that same type, and this method also means that should you copy files of any other type into a folder, it will not alter that folder's view settings - from now on the settings should remain exactly as you leave them.

Allow more than two downloads at a time in IE8
Open the Registry Editor (regedit) and go to:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\MAIN\FeatureControl\FEATURE_MAXCONNECTIONSPERSERVER]
Open the explorer.exe file that's in the right pane and edit the value

Collection of tweaks (download)
Download the above link for a reg file that will do the following tweaks (restart after applying):
*Adds "Copy To" and "Move To" options in files and folders context menu.
*Automatically end task of programs which are either hung or taking longer than expected to exit.
*Decreases menus delay time, it'll show the sub-menus fast when you select their parent menu.
*Disables the low disk space check. *Sets Windows to not waste time in searching for a program which no longer exists when you try to open its shortcut.
*Disables "search on Internet" prompt in "Open with" window so that it directly opens the program list.
*Speeds up the Explorer navigation.
*Adds "Take Ownership" option in files and folders context menu so that you can easily take ownership of files and folders in case you want to replace them for customization purposes.

Windows 7 CLSID (Class Identifier) List
Create a folder and rename it to any of the following to get it's desired effect:
Administrative Tools.{D20EA4E1-3957-11d2-A40B-0C5020524153}
Biometrics.{0142e4d0-fb7a-11dc-ba4a-000ffe7ab428}
Control Panel Settings.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}
Credential Manager.{1206F5F1-0569-412C-8FEC-3204630DFB70}
Default Location.{00C6D95F-329C-409a-81D7-C46C66EA7F33}
Default Programs.{17cd9488-1228-4b2f-88ce-4298e93e0966}
Get New Programs.{15eae92e-f17a-4431-9f28-805e482dafd4}
My Computer.{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}
Network Neighborhood.{208D2C60-3AEA-1069-A2D7-08002B30309D}
Notification Area.{05d7b0f4-2121-4eff-bf6b-ed3f69b894d9}
Power Settings.{025A5937-A6BE-4686-A844-36FE4BEC8B6D}
Printers.{2227A280-3AEA-1069-A2DE-08002B30309D}
RemoteApp and Desktop.{241D7C96-F8BF-4F85-B01F-E2B043341A4B}
Windows Experience Index.{78F3955E-3B90-4184-BD14-5397C15F1EFC}
Windows Firewall.{4026492F-2F69-46B8-B9BF-5654FC07E423}
Wireless Networks.{1FA9085F-25A2-489B-85D4-86326EEDCD87}


Vista System Tweaks

Show Run Command In Start Menu
Right-click Start - Properties - Customize - Check "Run Command"
You can also bring up the Run command by hitting the windows key + R.

Disable User Account Control (UAC)
Go to start - Run - Type "msconfig" - Tools - highlight "Disable UAC" and hit launch. Restart.

L2 Cache memory registry setting
This tweak will set the Vista registry to use your L2 cache memory which is embedded in your CPU. Without this setting Vista will still be able to determain the amount of L2 memory cache through the HAL, however setting the key can become for certain software testing modes.
Level 1 and 2 cache memory enables the CPU core to take pieces from the main DDR system memory and calculate with it, then store it back and so on. The size of your L2 cache can be set in the registry of Vista and for some reason it seems that Vista isn't doing this by default.

Key: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management]
Data Type: DWORD
Value Name: SecondLevelDataCache
Value Data: Use these hex codes to set it to match your CPU: - 256KB: 100 hex / 512KB: 200 hex / 1024KB: 400 hex / 2048KB: 800 hex -
Set the hex value, close the registry and restart.

Change Default Program Files Directory
Click Start - Run - type "regedit" - go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion Locate the value "ProgramFilesDir". By default the value will be "C:\Program Files". Modify the value to any other valid folder.

Increase SATA Drive Performance
This will allow the drive to perform more write caching to system memory. If you lose system power, anything cached will be lost.
Right-click on Computer - Manage - Device Manager - open the Disk Drives tree - right-click a drive and select properties - Policies tab - check "Enable Advanced Performance".

Turn Off Unneeded Features
Go to Start - Control Panel - Under "Programs" click the "Uninstall A Program" link. In the left-hand pane click on "Turn Windows Features On Or Off".

Tweak System Sound
Go to Start - Control Panel - Hardware and Sound - Sound and open the Speaker icon.

Adjust Thickess Of Blinking Cursor
Go to Start - Control Panel - Appearance and Personalization - Ease Of Access Center - Make The Computer Easier To See - Set The Thickness Of The Blinking Cursor.


XP System Tweaks

Disable Error Reporting - You don't need this service on and it's a huge pain. Follow this path to disable: Control Panel - Performance and Maintenance - System - Advanced tab - error reporting button on the bottom - Select "Disable error reporting"

Classic Start Menu - Right-click on start and choose properties. Under the start menu tab choose the Classic Start menu button. Also click on the customize button and uncheck the "use personalized menus" box as it's much easier to see all your menus instead of just some of them.

Here is a registry tweak that will allow Windows XP to remember the view settings of 8000 folders instead of the default 400 folders, a must have. Restart after installing.

Edit the Right-Click Send To Menu - Go to C:\Documents and Settings\%user name%\SendTo\. You have to have hidden files and folders shown (enable this by going to "Tools | Folder Options | View"). In the SendTo folder you can delete anything you don't want and add shortcuts by right-clicking and choosing "New | Shortcut".

"Registry Editing Has Been Disabled By Your Administrator" or "Tweak UI Has Been Disabled By Your Administrator" Error -
Go to start - run and paste this in: REG add HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System /v DisableRegistryTools /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

"Task Manager Has Been Disabled By Your Administrator" Error - Go to start - run and paste this in: REG add HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System /v DisableTaskMgr /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f


XP Services Tweaks

There are many services in Windows XP that are running and are totally unnecessary.

To get to services go to start - run - type services.msc or
start - settings - control panel - Administrative Tools - services

Here are some optional services you can disable:

Computer Browser - this is not Internet Explorer
Distributed Link Tracking Client - as long as you're not on a domain
Error Reporting Service - M$ will probably not fix the problems anyway
Fast User Switching Compatibility - only if you are the only user on the computer
Help and Support - this will disable windows help, which is most likely never used
Messenger - having this enabled causes pop up ads (automatically disabled in SP2)
Print Spooler - only if you don't have a printer!
Remote Registry (XP Pro) - you don't want someone to remotely alter your registry, trust me
Secondary Logon - not needed if you are the only user on your computer
Server - disable if you are not on a network
SSDP Discovery Service - only if you are not on a network
TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper - support for NetBIOS, having this on is a security risk
Telephony - only if you are on a connection other then dial up or DSL
Upload Manager - another service that sends info to M$
Windows Time - disable if you are not on a network
Wireless Zero Config - disable this is you don't use any type of wireless network

After disabling the services restart


XP Registry Tweaks

Open your registry by going to start - run - type "regedit"

Allow more than one simultaneous download in IE
Key: [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\InternetSettings]
Data Type: DWORD
Value Name: MaxConnectionsPer1_0server and MaxConnectionsPerServer
Value Data: a (will display as 10)

Change Default Program Files Directory
key: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion]
Value Name: ProgramFilesDir
Value Data: Change to whatever directory you want to use

Clean Up Internet Explorer's Right-Click Menu
Key: [HKEY_Current_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\MenuExt]
You'll see a number of subkeys, delete the ones you don't want

Custom message in IE title bar
Key: [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main]
Data Type: String Value
Value Name: Window Title
Value Data: Whatever you want to appear in the top-left corner of IE

Disable Balloon Tips
Key: [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced]
Data Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value)
Value Name: EnableBalloonTips
Value Data: (0 - disabled, 1 = enabled)

Enable 48-bit LBA Support for Hard Drives Over 137.4GB (not needed with SP2)
Key: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Atapi\Parameters]
Data Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value)
Value Name: EnableBigLba
Value Data: (0 = disabled, 1 = enabled)

Freeze Window Size
Open an explorer window and Windows Media Player to the desired size
Key: [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
Value Type: REG_DWORD (DWord Value)
Value Name: NoSaveSettings
Value Data: (0 = disabled, 1 = enabled)

Show Windows Version on Desktop
Key: [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop]
Data Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value)
Value Name: PaintDesktopVersion
Value Data: (0 = disable, 1 = enable)

Show Super Hidden Files
Key: [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced]
Data Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value)
Value Name: ShowSuperHidden
Value Data: (0 = disable, 1 = enable)

Speed Up Disk Cache
Key: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\MemoryManagement]
Data Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value)
Value Name: IoPageLockLimit
Value Date: Modify the Hex value based upon your RAM - 64MB: 1000 / 128MB: 4000 / 256MB: 10000 / >512MB: 40000

Unload DLLs to Free Memory
Key: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer]
Data Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value)
Value Name: AlwaysUnloadDLL
Value Data: 1 to enable

Windows File Protection - Disabling
Key: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon]
Data Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value)
Value Name: SFCDisable
Value Data: ffffff9d


Mozilla Firefox Tweaks


Open Firefox and in the address bar type "about:config" and hit enter. This opens the browser's internal configuration options.
Go to http://kb.mozillazine.org/about:config for more into on about:config.

Speed up for broadband users
In about:config find network.http.pipelining and network.http.proxy.pipelining and double-click them to set them to "true". This tweak reverses how Firefox processes all HTTP requests sequentially.

In about:config find network.http.pipelining.maxrequests and change it to 30. This allows Firefox to send up to 30 HTTP requests at once.

In about:config right-click an empty area and select "new | integer". Type in nglayout.initialpaint.delay and set it to 0. Firefox will now render pages immediately instead of waiting the default 250ms.

Multiple Tabbed Home Pages
Go to "Tools | Options" and in the in the "General" tab you'll see the homepage area. Click on the field, and type in the page you want Firefox to open on the leftmost tab. Then insert a vertical bar (|) and type in the next page you want loaded. You can add as many URLs as you want.