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:
Restore Default Settings (Use this file if you want to restore default Windows settings)
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 Windows Explorer and click on Organize -> Folder and Search Options. Now go to 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:
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. Also don't forget to:
- Defrag the hard disk regularly
- Install only necessary software
- Use the latest device drivers
- Keep your Windows up-to-date
After following all the above mentioned points, you'll definitely notice major improvements in your Windows Vista performance.
This article was posted by VG in following section: Windows Vista.
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Firedemon7
Um...Moe...What are you talking about...This Auto-HIDES the command bar...Not removes it...And what do you mean without sound?
@VG: Can you please tell me how to get square window corners instead of rounded ones by using regedit or resource hacker...I use a .msstyle theme.
SAURAV
HY BUDDY I WANNA MAKE MY COMPUTER FAST BUT IT'S ALMOST COVERD BY VIRUS CAN U PLZ HELP ME GET RID OF THIS PROB AND THE THING IS THAT I DON HAVE CD ROM AS WELL HOPE U WILL REPLAY ME SOON I M FAB OF U BUDDY
SAURAV
FAN SORRY
Tanner
one thing i do is disable the firewall on vista because most routers have them theses days
Uewd
Thank You Very Much For This Excellent Tutorial. My Computer is Running Very Fast, But I Noticed That Before Installing Windows Vista (When I Had XP) XP Was Using From 600 to 800 MB out of 2 GB RAM, and After Installing Windows Vista I Found That It Uses From 950 to 1100 MB Out of 2 GB! Does Windows Vista Uses This Amount of Resources?
VG
^^ Yeah. Don't worry about that.
wrboer
tuneup360???
Guillaume
Vishal, please update this old junk.
There are only two ways to make Vista super fast:
1. Downgrade to XP. Everything you want is available free. Mine is up 24/7 on my main machine.
2. Upgrade to Vista R2 aka Windows 7. Vista was a screw-up. Win 7 fixes it. Not as good as XP, but the eyecandy is nice. I run it on my N280 netbook for work. The eyecandy does it. Transparent taqskbar without aero even has the geeks sitting up straight.
Both are low cost. Both work fine.
Oh, and don't think I don't appreciate your site. Its up with the top ones:
In no order of preference:
askvg
doom9
mydigitallife
Tomshardware
Oh, and the windows 7 forum, can't remember the name, but Google it.
Plus the overclock places, but I don't recommend those to nubes. A slow machine is better than a dead machine.
Hey folks, come to Vishals. Click on everything. Download everything. Install everthing. It all works. He's an ace!
Guillaume
Oops, I forgot BlackViper, sorry Charles.
Lots of good sites on the net, zillions of crap sites.
But very few top ones that make me wanna kiss the ground and thank the lord they exist.
BV and the ones above are those unique sites. If they were not there then we'd be in trouble.
Christian
Can I ask something?
Is this enough to keep Windows Vista Home Premium running?
Processor:
2 x 1.6Ghz Intel Pentium
Memory:
512MB DDR2
Graphics:
NVIDIA GeForce 7200/7300 SE
with 256MB DDR2 Memory
Do I need to upgrade my hardware?
Thanks in advanced. :-)