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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Ananthu JP
Thank for your reply VG.
bippu
hey man..already try the latest winbubble as u recommended...
its easy to use.
nway tq for your tutorial.
i learn a lot
Fred
After I checked the box and added the registry entries for the "exploding" or animating windows, the box kept getting checked back again and again. The registry entries stayed the same though. Has anyone encountered this problem?
Ramani
thanks a lot for the tutorial, my vista is running at top speed. great work and please follow up with many such more and start working on windows 7
SR
Does this apply for 64 bit also?
VG
^^ Yes.
VG
^^ It'll definitely come once Windows 7 RTM is released. Although this tutorial will also work for 7.
VG
^^ I think VGA and sound drivers are not installed in your system. Can you listen sound while playing something?
Ronak Agrawal
Bro u forgot to add the following:
http://www.askvg.com/small-processor-trick-to-improve-system-performance-in-windows-vista/
Justin
Hello,
I downloaded and installed you registry key fix but later reverted it to original using your other download. Now I have problem.
The zip folder is still showing up on my PC but will not delete as when I try to delete it a message tells me
"Could not find this item
This is no longer located at c:\users\+++\downloads. Verify the items location and try again.
VISTA_~1
Type compressed (zipped)folder
size: 43bytes
Date modified 1/24/09 "
Anyway, just want to ask how to delete that folder as it is rather bothersome as I read where such folders can be locked and contain spyware and etc. Ive already tried fileassasin and unlocker but neither worked, please explain how to erase that folder.
Justin