Tweak Vista: IE and Services
IE settings
· Choose whether to have the psyching filter on or off (tools >internet options> Advanced tab> Security> phishing filter). Disabling it altogether will be undone by Sysprep.
· Choose a home page: type the address in the address bar, . Click on the arrow besies the home icon, choose “add or change home page” and choose one of the 2 options.
· Install any toolbars you might want
· Enable CTCP: a few remarks
TCP Receive Window Auto-Tuning optimizes receiver-side throughput and CTCP optimizes sender-side throughput. By working together, they can increase link utilization and produce substantial performance gains for large bandwidth-delay connections. Auto-tunning is turned on by default, but for some reason CTCP is not
Both features will only work on compatible hardware and high speed connections (GB Lan, fiberoptics….) Older NICs/routers and servers might be negatively impacted by this
netsh int tcp set global congestionprovider=ctcp
Services
· Changing the status of a service that doesn't start automatically anyway does nothing for you performance wise. The following table only lists the services that are automatically started AND not strictly necessary, which leaves 30 services. Of these I always disable or set to manual the 10 marked in red (which will save some 80Mb of RAM, normally unnoticeable on a PC with >1 Gb of RAM)
· Unchecking them in msconfig will be undone by Sysprep
Application Experience
Automatically configures applications to run in compatibility mode. Right click and choose compatibility mode instead.....
| DEFAULT | Automatic (Started) |
| “Safe” | Disabled |
| “Tweaked” | Disabled |
| Bare Bones” | Disabled |
Base Filtering Engine
If you use an external hardware firewall/gateway/router between your computer and the internet, do not use IPsec (VPN tunneling, etc) and Internet Connection Sharing (ICS), then this service can be disabled. Please note that BFE is required for Windows firewall.
| DEFAULT | Automatic (Started) |
| “Safe” | Automatic |
| “Tweaked” | Automatic |
| Bare Bones” | Disabled |
Desktop Window Manager Session Manager
Part of the new Windows Themes, reverts back to basic styles when running applications that are not compatible with Vista Aero. It also performs functions such as the thumbnail view from the task bar and alt+tab, plus the Windows Flip3D interface as well as the transparency effects on various windows.
| DEFAULT | Automatic (Started) |
| “Safe” | Automatic |
| “Tweaked” | Automatic |
| Bare Bones” | Disabled |
Diagnostic Policy Service
Needed for Windows to automatically search for the cause and solve errors.
| DEFAULT | Automatic (Started) |
| “Safe” | Automatic |
| “Tweaked” | Disabled |
| Bare Bones” | Disabled |
Function Discovery Resource Publication
Publishes this computer and resources attached to this computer so they can be discovered over the network.
| DEFAULT | Automatic (Started) |
| “Safe” | Automatic |
| “Tweaked” | Disabled |
| Bare Bones” | Disabled |
IKE and AuthIP IPsec Keying Modules
Might be needed for some VPN software/protocols
| DEFAULT | Automatic (Started) |
| “Safe” | Automatic |
| “Tweaked” | Disabled |
| Bare Bones” | Disabled |
IP Helper
Provides automatic IPv6 connectivity over an IPv4 network. And risks slowing down network connections while it tries to do so…
| DEFAULT | Automatic (Started) |
| “Safe” | Automatic |
| “Tweaked” | Disabled |
| Bare Bones” | Disabled |
.
IPsec Policy Agent
Most home networks do not use IPsec as it is mostly used for remote VPN connections.
| DEFAULT | Automatic (Started) |
| “Safe” | Automatic |
| “Tweaked” | Disabled |
| Bare Bones” | Disabled |
KtmRm for Distributed Transaction Coordinator
Needed if MSDTC is running (server software)
| DEFAULT | Automatic (Started) |
| “Safe” | Automatic |
| “Tweaked” | Disabled |
| Bare Bones” | Disabled |
Offline Files
Maintains a cache of offline files
| DEFAULT | Automatic (Started) |
| “Safe” | Disabled |
| “Tweaked” | Disabled |
| Bare Bones” | Disabled |
Portable Device Enumerator Service
Enforces group policy for removable mass-storage devices. Enables applications such as Windows Media Player and Image Import Wizard to transfer and synchronize content using removable mass-storage devices. Some mp3 players and some cameras might need this
| DEFAULT | Automatic (Started) |
| “Safe” | Disabled |
| “Tweaked” | Disabled |
| Bare Bones” | Disabled |
Program Compatibility Assistant Service
See application experience
| DEFAULT | Automatic (Started) |
| “Safe” | Automatic |
| “Tweaked” | Automatic |
| Bare Bones” | Disabled |
ReadyBoost
ReadyBoost an USB flash drive or memory card as memory cache. No noticeable performance gain on systems with at least 1GB of RAM
| DEFAULT | Automatic (Started) |
| “Safe” | Disabled |
| “Tweaked” | Disabled |
| Bare Bones” | Disabled |
Security Center
Monitors the status of Windows Update, Windows Firewall and virus protection software. If you do not want the Security Center to monitor these functions for you, while the service is started go to: Start > Control Panel > Security > Security Center and on the left hand side select "Change the way Security Center alerts me." In the resulting dialog box, select "Don't notify me and don't display the icon". After this step is complete, you may place the Security Center service in disabled and it will not start again or continue to be displayed in the system tray after a reboot. This does not, however, disable any of the 3 protections, it only disables Security Center.
| DEFAULT | Automatic (Started) |
| “Safe” | Automatic |
| “Tweaked” | Automatic |
| Bare Bones” | Disabled |
Shell Hardware Detection
Used for the auto play of devices like memory cards, CD drives, etc. Some laptop docking stations might need it, as well as some scanners and cameras
| DEFAULT | Automatic (Started) |
| “Safe” | Automatic |
| “Tweaked” | Automatic |
| Bare Bones” | Disabled |
Tablet PC Input Service
This is on by default because it will not start by itself if put on manual! Besides the obvious need on a tablet PC, or if you use a writting pad, the Snipping Tool depends on it
| DEFAULT | Automatic (Started) |
| “Safe” | Disabled |
| “Tweaked” | Disabled |
| Bare Bones” | Disabled |
Terminal Services
Allows multiple users to be connected interactively to a machine as well as the display of desktops and applications to remote computers. Needed for Remote Desktop (including RD for Administrators), Fast User Switching, Remote Assistance, and Terminal Server.
| DEFAULT | Automatic (Started) |
| “Safe” | Automatic |
| “Tweaked” | Manual |
| Bare Bones” | Disabled |
Themes
I like Aero, so I keep his on Automatic. If you are using an older system that can’t run Aero, disable the themes to make it look like Windows 2000/XP (with its new theme disabled) and save the memory.
| DEFAULT | Automatic (Started) |
| “Safe” | Automatic |
| “Tweaked” | Automatic |
| Bare Bones” | Disabled |
UPnP Device Host
Allows networking with devices that also use UPnP. Routers, some media players, X-box…
| DEFAULT | Automatic (Started) |
| “Safe” | Automatic |
| “Tweaked” | Automatic |
| Bare Bones” | Disabled |
WebClient
Connect to a directory by adding the directory to the list of Network Places and display the contents as if it were part of the file system on your local computer. Remote backup often relies on this too
| DEFAULT | Automatic (Started) |
| “Safe” | Disabled |
| “Tweaked” | Disabled |
| Bare Bones” | Disabled |
Windows Defender
Scan your computer for unwanted software, schedule scans, and get the latest unwanted software definitions. If you disable this you will need to remove it from the startup list in msconfig, or it will nag you every time you boot that it cannot start.
| DEFAULT | Automatic (Started) |
| “Safe” | Automatic |
| “Tweaked” | Automatic |
| Bare Bones” | Disabled |
Windows Error Reporting Service
Allows errors to be reported to Microsoft when programs stop working or responding and allows existing solutions to be delivered.
| DEFAULT | Automatic (Started) |
| “Safe” | Automatic |
| “Tweaked” | Disabled |
| Bare Bones” | Disabled |
Windows Firewall
Microsoft's included firewall.
| DEFAULT | Automatic (Started) |
| “Safe” | Automatic |
| “Tweaked” | Automatic |
| Bare Bones” | Disabled |
Windows Media Center Service Launcher
Starts Windows Media Center Scheduler and Windows Media Center Receiver services at startup if TV is enabled within Windows Media Center.
| DEFAULT | Automatic (Delayed Start) |
| “Safe” | Automatic (Delayed Start) |
| “Tweaked” | Disabled |
| Bare Bones” | Disabled |
Windows Search
Without this, Explorer will have to fall back to its slow search. It will still search though.
| DEFAULT | Automatic (Started) |
| “Safe” | Automatic |
| “Tweaked” | Disabled |
| Bare Bones” | Disabled |
