So you are using Windows Vista and feel that its slower than Windows XP? Then you have come to the right place.
Following tutorial will help you in tweaking your Windows Vista to the max and you’ll feel a significant improvement in your system performance. So without wasting any time lets start:
1. Following is a registry file containing a few registry modifications, which are completely safe and can increase the performance of Windows Vista. Just download the attached ZIP file, extract it and then run the file:
2. Right-click on My Computer icon on Desktop and select Properties (or press <WIN> key + <Pause/Break> key), click on Advanced system settings link in left side pane (You can also open it by typing sysdm.cpl in RUN or start menu search box and press Enter). Now click on Settings button in Performance section:
Now disable all unnecessary options in Visual Effects tab, you can remain following options enabled according to your requirements:
- Enable desktop composition (If you want to use Windows Aero theme)
- Enable transparent glass (If you want to use transparency in Windows)
- Show preview and filters in folder (If you use Details Pane in Explorer)
- Show thumbnails instead of icons (If you want to show thumbnails in Explorer)
- Show window contents while dragging (If you want windows to show content while moving them)
- Smooth edges of screen fonts (If you want to show smooth fonts)
- Use drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop (If you want to show shadows under desktop icon labels)
- Use visual styles on windows and buttons (If you want to use Windows Aero or Basic theme.)
3. Open Folder Options and click on View tab:
Now disable following options:
- Display file size information in folder tips.
- Display simple folder view in Navigation pane.
- Hide extensions for known file types.
- Show encrypted or compressed NTFS files in color.
- Show pop-up description for folder and desktop items.
Other options don’t affect the system performance. You can enable/disable them according to your requirements.
4. Right-click on My Computer icon on Desktop and select Manage (You can also open it by typing services.msc in RUN or start menu search box and press Enter).
Now goto Services & Applications -> Services. Here you can set a few unnecessary services to Manual, which will not start with windows and will decrease the boot time and will increase system performance.
Please follow the following tutorial to know about which services can be safely set to MANUAL:
Windows Vista Services that can be Safely set to MANUAL
5. Type msconfig in RUN or Startmenu search box and press Enter. Now goto Startup tab and deselect the unnecessary entries, which you don’t want to start automatically with Windows, e.g. you can disable VGA driver utility, Sound Card utility, etc to speed up the startup time and to increase system performance.
You can also disable these items using Windows Defender. Open Windows Defender and click on Tools and then click on “Software Explorer“.
6. Open Sound in Control Panel (or type mmsys.cpl in RUN or Startmenu search box and press Enter), goto Sounds tab and select No Sounds in Sound Scheme section. Or you can remain some of your favorite sounds but set Exit Windows, Windows Logoff, Windows Logon and Start Navigation to (None).
7. After following all above mentioned points, you’ll see a big improvement in your Windows Vista performance. If you want to tweak more, then you can use 3rd party tools which are listed here:
Windows Vista Tweaking Software List
8. At last I’ll advise to defrag the HDD regularly, install only necessary software, use the latest drivers and keep your Windows updated.
If you liked this article, you can share it with others using the following link:
You can also subscribe to our RSS feed to get regular updates:
Subscribe to RSS Feed
Or you can subscribe to our daily newsletter. Do not worry, You will receive only one e-mail per day and you can unsubscribe any time using the "Unsubscribe" link given in the mail:
Subscribe to Newsletter
due3die said:
thanks man i am ur fan…..
Sunil said:
Hi Vishal,
Thanks for such an excellent tutorial. I have followed a number of tuts from you and I know you hav heard this many times but let me say it again: YOU ARE A GENIUS.
Keep up the good Work.
VG said:
Welcome guys.
Aristocrat said:
How do I make this file “fun”?
Aristocrat said:
sorry, I mean “Run”….
VG said:
Which file are you talking about? Please be more specific. If you are talking about the file given in 1st step, then download it,m extract it using WinZip, WinRAR or 7-zip and then run it.
Aristocrat said:
I downloaded the zip file, extracted it and double-clicked on it and the file opens up. How do I merge it into the registry??
VG said:
^^ Right-click on .REG file and select “Merge”.
goutham said:
hai mate i had gone through ur tutorial on how to run windows vista operating super fast and one of my friend told that the registry file which u gave to downlad and extract and run it.he told that if i run this file and there is a chance that this file will be in our registry and there is a chance that some body can hack my computer. can u please help me
thanks u
VG said:
^^ No. The file is completely safe. You can trust on the articles posted on this site. Its just a group of codes which help in making Windows faster.
Michelle said:
i will definitely try this!
samir said:
After doing step one can I delete the reg file? Or do I need to keep the file secure?(I wanna reduce clutter on my desktop)
VG said:
^^ Yes. You can safely delete or move the file.
manish.gupta said:
I have merged vista_reg_codes.reg to registry.now I want to undo change again.I mean i want to get settings again before merging it.Is there a way?I need your help.
Thanks in advance.
VG said:
^^ Here is the Undo code:
Link
zak4994 said:
Hey VG, I followed everything and I could see the changes taking place but it doesn’t seem any faster. I used a stopwatch and recorded both normal and edited versions and they came up with minor differences. Any solutions?
VG said:
^^ It means your system was already fast.
zak4994 said:
^^
Though my computer still feels slow.
Specs:
2GB RAM
3.1Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor Extreme
nVidia GeForce 7650
Any reasons why it could be slow?
VG said:
^^ Then follow instructions given in following topic:
Link
zak4994 said:
Found the problem
Had too many startup programs.
Reading this tutorial made me uninstall so many unnecessary programs.
Cleared up 2451mb.
Wonderful tutorial.
VG said:
^^ Exactly. Lots of unnecessary startup items slow down the system.
Hybrid said:
I have used vLite and have edited windows vista… all you do is copy all of your files fromt he vista DVD to a dir folder , and call the folder something like my vista.
I got vista down so small that I have installed it on a CD .. I took the side bar off.. and UAC off.. M C off.. MSN install off.. and alot more … I just have the classic look of windows 2000 Pro. and this baby runs smooth. 
download and install vLite.. open vLite and brows to the vista folder that you have made.. .. and as you edit vista you can look to the right and see what you are taking out is used for.. if it’s used for something that is good, it will tell you not to remove it.
VG said:
^^ Yep. It works but I’ll never advise anyone to remove any component from Vista Setup cause in coming days Microsoft is going to release a few updates and Ultimate Extras which can depend upon those removed components. So its better to not remove any component.