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Ideas for customizing Windows 7
Hi, I am trying to put a list together of all personal adjustments after a fresh installation of Windows 7.
I'm aware that many people would not agree with some or even all of these settings.
Update: ok, I understand this list to be VERY controversial.
I can only suggest to learn exactly what each step does, before changing anything.
It's a great way to get to know your operating system better, of course only if that applies to you.
Again: please only modify your OS, if you really understand the advantages / disadvantages of each point.
Windows 7 - Supercharged
• How to disable UAC
Start › user accounts › change user account control settings › adjust slider
• How to disable Page File
Start › system › Advanced system settings › Performance › Settings › Advance › Virtual memory › Change › No paging file › Set › OK
• How to disable Hibernation
Start › cmd › type: powercfg -h off › enter
• How to disable System Restore
Start › System › System protection › Configure
• How to turn off Search Indexing
Start › services › windows search › disable
Start › computer › right click c drive › properties › untick: Allow files on this drive to have contents indexed in addition to file properties
Start › Indexing options › modify › show all locations › double click users in summary of selected locations › uncheck users directory › double click start menu in the summary of selected locations › uncheck start menu directory › ok
• How to turn off Remote Differential Compression
Start › Control panel › programs › turn windows features on or off › uncheck Remote Differential Compression › ok
This makes file transfers (copy, move) faster by turnig off “Remote Differential Compression” (RDC). Copying a 1.91 GB folder from the main HDD to a folder on an external USB drive resulting in ...
With RDC turned on: 3:23 - three minutes and 23 seconds (with a stopwatch).
With RDC turned off: 2:25 – two minutes and 25 seconds.
• How to turn off unneeded Windows features
Start › programs & features › turn Windows features on or off › uncheck
• How to hide the Recycle Bin
Right click desktop › Personalize › change desktop icons › untick recycle bin
• How to disable Defragmentation & Superfetch
Start › Computer Management or Services › Disk Defragmentation › disable
Start › Computer Management or Services › Superfetch › disable
• How to change windows Title text
Start › regedit › HKEY_CURRENT_USER › Software › Microsoft › Internet Explorer › Main
Look for “Window Title” Registry Key at the right pane.
If it’s not there, create a String Value type of registry key and name it as “Window Title”.
Double click the “Window Title” registry key and enter the customized text that will appear in the IE window title.
or
Start › gpedit › User Configuration › Windows Setting › Internet Explorer Maintenance › browser user interface › browser title
• How to change border padding for windows
Right click the desktop › Personalize › Windows Color › Advanced Appearance Settings › select Border Padding › change size 4 (default) to a lower value.
• Disable unneeded start-up programs from loading
Start › msconfig or system configuration › services tab
• How to access the Disk Management Console Tool
Start › diskmgmt.msc
• How to display system information
Start › system information
• Turn off automatic update
Start › Windows update › change settings › never check for updates
• How to clean the HDD / SSD
Start › cleanmgr
• How to access Resource Monitor
Start › Resource Monitor
or
Right click taskbar › start Task Manager › Performane tab › Recource Monitor
• Change color & size of the mouse pointer
Start › change how your mouse works › tick radio button › ok
• Activate a window by hovering over it with the mouse
Start › change how your mouse works › tick boxe: Activate a window by hovering over it › ok
• Disable Aero Snap
Start › change how your mouse works › tick box: Prevent windows from being automatically arranged when moved to the edge of the screen › ok
• Windows keeps a protocol about every event
Start › event viewer
or
Control panel › administrative tools › event viewer
Stop service = start › service › Windows Event Log › disabled
• Block an application from accessing the internet
Control panel › Windows Firewall › advanced settings › outbound rules › create a rule for that program
• Shut down quicker
Start › regedit › HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE › System › Current Control Set › Control › change on the right pane WaitToKillServiceTimeout from default 12000 ms / 12 sec to 3000 ms / 3 sec
• Speed up Windows 7 Taskbar thumbnail preview
Start › regedit › HKEY_CURRENT_USER › Control Panel › Mouse › change on the right pane MouseHoverTime from default 400 to 0
• Switch off menu delay
Start › regedit › HKEY_CURRENT_USER › Control Panel › Desktop › change on the right pane MenuShowDelay from default 400 ms / 0.4 sec to 0 › ok
• Create an Admin folder
Right click on desktop› new › folder › rename folder to ›
Admin.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}
• Invert colors in Paint 6.1
CTRL + SHIFT + I
• How to find Windows Version, Build and Revision No
Start › regedit › HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE › Software › Microsoft › Windows NT › Current Version › on the right pane, you’ll find the key
CurrentBuildNumber
CurrentVersion
EditionID
ProductID
• How to switch Ipv6 off _ for the time being
Start › Control Panel › Network and Internet › Network and Sharing Center › change adaper settings › right click and select Properties › untick Ipv6
Check via start › cmd › ipconfig › it should only show IPv4
• How to disable Security Alerts when launching applications
Start ›Control Panel › Network and Internet › Internet Options › Security tab › Custom Level › scroll down to Miscellaneous / Launching applications and unsafe files › enable › ok
• Fix the Settings Alert
There is no way to disable the warning “Your security settings level puts your computer at risk” via the IE user interface, although it is possible to disable it using Group Policy (gpedit.msc).
Start › gpedit.msc › Locael Computer Policy › Computer Configuration › Administrate Templates › Windows Components › Internet Explorer › Set “Turn off the security settings check feature” to enabled › ok
Last edited by Cov; 19 Jan 2010 at 17:39. Reason: updating