How to Tweak XP and Vista

Most users can relate to laggy, slow and bloated operating systems which seem to go downhill after installing the first driver. The XP boot screen with its accompanying progress bar grows longer at every boot, taunting the sanity of its user. But what most users aren't aware of is the fact that both XP and Vista can be altered and cut down to so much of an extent that the usability of the computer increases, despite the idea of "cutting" bits out. This tutorial will delve into methods of tweaking existing and customized installs of XP and Vista.

Note: Tweaks apply to both XP and Vista (possibly on some previous Windows OSs) unless specified. I take no responsibility for any damage that may be caused by following this tutorial. Use at your own risk.

Before the Install

Most performance tweaking occurs before the user installs the operating system or 'OS' for short. This is achieved with a technique called slipstreaming and the removal of any services/software that aren't required by the user. The software used to perform these tasks include nLite (for XP) and vLite (for Vista).

Note: You will need access to a PC with Windows already installed to prepare the modified OS.

Creating a slim and slipstreamed install is amazingly simple. Grab your XP or Vista CD/DVD and insert it into your optical drive. Open the disk and copy all the contents to a directory on your HDD (Hard Disk Drive) such as a folder on the Desktop. Name the folder 'OS Files' to make the rest of this tutorial easier.

Modifying XP Setup Files

(also works with Windows 2000 and Server 2003)

Download nLite and install it to your PC.
Open nLite, click 'Next', and then navigate to the folder where you copied the OS files from the disk. Wait for nLite to scan the required files. Click 'Next'.
If you have used this program before, a list of 'Preset' configurations will be available. Use this feature if you need to load a previous configuration or one that you've downloaded. Tick the "Load 'Last Session' on startup" option if you plan to work on the same project later. Click 'Next' when done.
You will be met with several buttons. For the purpose of this tutorial, select 'All' and continue to the next section. You can slipstream drivers if you wish, but this isn't advised; a change of hardware could cause compatibility issues. Some options such as 'Unattended' are personal preference, it's best for people who want an automated process using custom predefined settings.
The 'Service Pack' section gives you the chance to slipstream service packs into the install which it doesn't already include. If your copy of XP is missing SP2 you can find it here. Download the service pack and then hit 'Select' in nLite. Locate the service pack and open it. When done, hit 'Next'.
The 'Hotfixes, Addons and Update Packs' section allows you to insert hotfixes (patches), software and updates, and slipstream them into the setup. A good place to download hotfixes is here. Get the latest bundle and save it to the desktop. Navigate to this file in nLite and select it. You can insert setup files for software you want to be automatically installed into XP. I personally find doing this to be counterproductive if the install will be used in the future, as new versions of software are released all the time. Click 'Next' when done.
The 'Drivers' section lets you slipstream hardware drivers into the OS. If you plan to use this OS install on different PCs, this is not recommended. Click 'Insert' and choose either 'Single driver' or 'Multiple driver folder' depending on how many drivers you want to integrate. Locate the driver(s) and hit 'OK'. Hit 'Next' when done.
A small window should appear with a series of checkboxes. Tick any of the services you require; this feature hides related services from the next step so you can't accidentally remove them. Click 'OK' to confirm your choices.
The tree directory you see contains a list of programs and services that you can remove. Expand the 'Applications' list and tick anything that you don't use. Make sure you don't tick anything you need. Most programs have a short description when highlighted which should help if you are unsure. Google any service/program which you are unsure about for more information. The items highlighted in red should not be removed unless you know what you're doing.
Now continue to the other lists.

Applications
Accessibility options are often not used.
Briefcase is rarely used these days.
Clip Book is rarely used.
Defragmenter is not as efficient as some freeware alternatives such as Power Defragmenter.
Games are rarely used.
Screensavers are not essential as screen 'burn-in' is not longer a problem.

Drivers
Tick whatever devices you don't use or intend to use.

Hardware Support
Tick whatever devices that you don't use or intend to use.

Keyboards
Tick all of them if you use an English keyboard.

Languages
Tick all of them if you speak/write English.

Multimedia
Tick anything that you don't use. This may include Windows Media Player 6.4 (outdated), Tablet PC, Music Samples, Movie Maker, etc.

Network
Tick whatever devices/services/protocols that you don't use or intend to use.

Operating System Options
Tick anything that you don't use or intend to use.

Services
Tick anything that you don't use or intend to use.

Directories
Tick any that you don't use.
Click 'Next' to continue to the next window. This is the 'Unattended' section. Go through and fill all the tabs with the settings you desire. You don't have to fill in all of it, but more information entered equates to less user input and more automation.

Click 'Next' to continue.
This is the 'Options' section. Go through the tabs and choose the options you prefer. If you're unsure about any option, leave it as is. When done, press 'Next'.
Click 'Next' to see the 'Tweak' section. Go through the tabs and expand the tree directories to select your preferences. As with the previous step, leave anything you're unsure about as it is.
Click 'Next' and select 'Yes'. This will alter the XP setup files to your customised settings. Hit 'Next' to continue.
Under 'Mode', select 'Direct Burn'. Insert a blank CD into your CD writer and then click 'Burn'. Click 'Next' when done.
Congratulations, you have successfully slimmed down your OS. Press 'Finish' to exit the program.

Modifying Vista Setup Files

(also supports Server 2008)

Download vLite and install it to your PC.
Open vLite, install the 'Dependencies', and then navigate to the folder where you copied the OS files from the disk.

Wait for vLite to scan the required files. Choose the version of Vista that you have from the window that pops up and hit 'OK'. Click 'Next' when done.

Images.

You will be met with several checkboxes. Select all options and then continue to the next section.

This is the 'Integration' section. Here you can slipstream Hotfixes, Updates, Drivers and Language Packs. Insert these items by ticking 'Enable' and then hitting 'Insert'.

Note: Vista hotfix packs can be found on the Internet, but beware of fake/infected copies.

Be sure to check each tab. Once you're done, hit 'Next'.

Tick all the items you require in the 'Compatibility' window, then click 'OK'.
Now go through all the sections in tree directory and tick what you don't want.

Accessories
Tick anything that you don't use or intend to use.

Drivers
Tick whatever devices you don't use or intend to use.

Games
Tick anything that you don't use or intend to use.

Hardware Support
Tick whatever devices that you don't use or intend to use.

Languages
Tick all of them if you speak/write English.

Multimedia
Tick anything that you don't use. This may include Windows Media Player 6.4 (outdated), Tablet PC, Music Samples, Movie Maker, etc.

Network
Tick whatever devices/services/protocols that you don't use or intend to use.

Services
Tick anything that you don't use or intend to use.

System
Tick any that you don't use.

Click 'Next' to enter the 'Tweak' section. Alter these settings to you own personal preferences.

Hit 'Next' when done.

The 'Unattended' section is where you can fill in your preferred settings and integrate them into the Vista installer. This allows the install to be automated since it reduces user input throughout the installation. Fill in the details and then hit 'Next'.

Hit 'Apply'. Select 'Rebuild one' and then hit 'OK'.

The setup files will now be altered to match your customised settings.

Hit 'Next' to continue.

Under 'Mode' select 'Direct Burn'. Change the DVD label to whatever you want. Insert a blank DVD and hit 'Burn' to start the writing process.

Click 'Finish' to complete the process. Congratulations, you now have a slimmed down Vista install.

After the Install

After installing the OS, there are several tweaks that can be performed to improve startup times and performance. The first step is to run the Microsoft System Configuration Utility. This tool allows you to disable software and services that you do not require running during startup. It also provides alteration of the boot.ini, win.ini and system.ini files.

Microsoft System Configuration Utility

To access this utility, click 'Start' > 'Run...' (start menu search box in Vista) and then type "msconfig" (without the ""). You can also type "msconfig" into the address bar of your taskbar if you have it enabled. Hit [Enter] to execute the program, the following window will appear:

For first time users the 'Normal Startup' radio button will be selected. The above screenshot shows previously modified settings, do not change your settings to match these just yet.
Click the 'Services' tab. You might recognise some of these services from nLite/vLite. Here you can untick, and therefore disable, services that are running on your PC. If you used nLite/vLite, you may have already removed the services you don't need. It is not recommended to disable services this way, instead, a safer method of altering services is 'Start' > 'Run...' (start menu search box in Vista) > "services.msc". When done, click 'Apply'. If you are unsure about what service does what, have a read of these guides (Vista: Tweak Vista, BlackViper XP: ss64 and Black Viper).
Click the 'Startup' tab. This section lists all the programs that run when you login. Disable software that you don't need to run on startup, for example QuickTime or Nero. If you are unsure what a particular program is, do a Google search to find more information about the software. After unticking any software you do not need, click 'Apply'.
Click the 'BOOT.INI' tab. This section is used primarily to diagnose and fix problems with the 'boot.ini' file. This file manages how the OS boots, where to find the OS, and what OS to boot. It also features other options that may come in useful for diagnostics. The feature that concerns us for the time being is the '/NOGUIBOOT' (or 'No GUI boot' in Vista) checkbox under 'Boot Options'. This option turns off the Windows XP/Vista logo while the PC is booting. People believe that this option can decrease boot time by 1-2 seconds, but it varies, and you might not notice the difference at all. Select the option if you don't mind having a blank screen during bootup instead of the default loading bar. Hit 'Apply' to save the changes.
If your PC is set up to prompt you to choose an OS (a dual-boot system), you might be irritated by the default 'timeout' setting for selecting the default OS (30 second wait). You can change this timeout setting in the same 'BOOT.INI' tab. Just change the integer next to the 'Timeout:' label to whatever you wish. Setting the number to 0 automatically selects the default OS and therefore does not ask you what OS to boot.
Once you have selected your preferred settings, hit 'Apply' and then 'OK'. Restart the PC.
A dialog box will appear during startup informing you that you changed settings using System Configuration. Tick the checkbox and click 'OK'.

Defragmentation and Error Checking

Disk defragmentation involves sorting files on your HDD (Hard Disk Drive). It involves placing files in order and preferably in the one 'fragment'. To demonstrate this concept, imagine three files. Each file is represented by three circles of different colours. These circles are file fragments on a hard drive as shown below.

No fragments.

If one of these files were to be removed/uninstalled, there would be a gap where the file used to be stored.

File deleted.

Now if you decide to install a new program (which in this case is larger than the one just uninstalled) the new file cannot fit in the one section and is now fragmented in two pieces.

File added.

Considering computers constantly read and write to the HDD, whether it be programs or temporary files, fragmentation is quite common. The problem with this fragmentation is that it degrades the performance of your HDD because the 'heads' on the platter must travel to several locations to open the one file. How is this solved? Through defragmentation software. Windows XP and Vista both have inbuilt defragmentation software, but the speed and effectiveness of these is commonly questioned. There are freeware alternatives such as 'Power Defragmenter' which are fast and effective in comparison.

Note: Do not defragment flash drives. They do not suffer much of a performance loss due to fragmentation, and their lifespan can be lowered by the constant 'thrashing' of data required to perform the defragmentation process.

Error checking software scans HDDs for errors such as bad sectors and attempts to fix them. Windows provides such software on both XP and Vista, and it does the job quite well. Fixing HDD errors does not usually increase performance, but it is important nevertheless. It is recommended that an error check is performed before defragmenting a HDD.

How to Error Check a HDD

Error checking a HDD is quite simple. The following steps will guide you through the process.

Open up 'My Computer' (or 'Computer' in Vista) right click your HDD. This is usually the 'C:' drive. Click 'Properties'.
Click the 'Tools' tab. Under 'Error-checking' press the 'Check Now...' button. A small window will appear. Tick both checkboxes and hit 'Start' to begin the scan.
If you are checking the HDD in which your OS is installed, a dialogue box will appear asking to scan on next boot. Click 'Schedule disk check' and restart the PC to continue.
If any errors are found, Windows will attempt to fix/recover the data.

How to Defragment a HDD - Using Windows Disk Defragmenter

Defragmenting a HDD is just as easy as performing an error check. The following steps will guide you through the process.

Note: Do not defragment SSD/flash based storage devices.

Open up 'My Computer' (or 'Computer' in Vista) and right click your HDD. This is usually the 'C:' drive. Click 'Properties'.
Click the 'Tools' tab. Under 'Defragmentation' press the 'Defragment Now...' button.
XP:
The 'Disk Defragmenter' program will start; hit the 'Analyse' button to allow the program to scan the HDD for any fragments. A small dialog box will appear after the scan with a recommendation on whether the HDD should be defragmented or not.

When the analysis is done, hit 'Defragment' to start the process.

Allow the process to complete, then exit.

Vista:
The 'Disk Defragmenter' program will start; hit the 'Defragment now...' button.

A window will appear asking you which drives to scan. Select the ones you want defragged (don't choose any flash based drives) and then click 'OK'.

Allow the process to complete, then exit.

How to Defragment a HDD - Using Power Defragmenter

Power Defragmenter is a freeware alternative to Windows Disk Defragmenter. Power Defragmenter is faster and features more options that Disk Defragmenter.

Download and extract Power Defragmenter, you can download the software here.
Open the Power Defragmenter executable.

Press the 'Next' button.
Select 'Defragment disk...' and hit 'Next'.

Note: PowerMode does the same thing, but defrags twice.
Select the HDD you wish to scan from the dropdown list.
Hit 'Defragment' to start the process.

The GUI window will restore when defragmentation is complete.

Tweaking Windows Functionality

Tweaking Windows allows customization of the aesthetic and functional aspects of your system. Whether it is making menus react faster or disabling themes, every little tweak contributes to the usability of your OS. There are many methods of tweaking your system, some advanced and some very basic. Luckily, most of the advanced tweaks are simplified using software such as TweakUI (XP) and TweakVI (Vista). Other tweaks include the alteration of 'Visual Effects' and 'Paging File'.

Tweaking XP - TweakUI

TweakUI is a 'Power Tool' from Microsoft that tweaks XP by altering registry values and system files. It provides a GUI (Graphical User Interface) which is user friendly so novice users can adjust functionality without the risk of damaging their OS.

TweakUI can be obtained here.

Tweaking Vista - TweakVI

TweakVI is a 3rd party application which is similar to TweakUI but is designed for Vista.

TweakVI can be obtained here.

Modifying Visual Effects

Visual effects are often resource hogs on older systems. Many people prefer to turn off most, if not all, visual effects to improve overall system performance. The steps below will guide you through the process of modifying visual effects in XP and Vista.

Right-click 'My Computer' in XP, or 'Computer' in Vista. Click 'Properties'.
In Vista click 'Advanced system settings', on XP click the 'Advanced' tab.
Click the 'Settings' button under 'Performance'. The 'Visual Effects' tab should be selected.
Here is where alterations can be made to what effects Windows will use. There are three radio button options to choose from, or you can manually untick what you don't need or want.
When you are done, hit 'Apply' and then 'OK' to save the changes.

Changing Paging File Settings

Paging File is a file which stores data your physical memory (RAM, Random Access Memory) cannot allocate. This is caused by lack of RAM, such as when too many programs are open at once, or a program requires more RAM than available. Essentially, Paging File is virtual RAM, where part of your HDD becomes temporary RAM. Paging File can take a fair amount of your HDD space, so tweaking this can be beneficial to low storage systems. The easy fix to this problem is installing more physical RAM, but this is not always possible. The following steps will show you how to tweak the Paging File.

Right-click 'My Computer' in XP, or 'Computer' in Vista. Click 'Properties'.
In Vista click 'Advanced system settings', on XP click the 'Advanced' tab.
Click the 'Settings' button under 'Performance'.
Click the 'Advanced' tab and then the 'Change' button under 'Virtual memory'.
The 'Virtual Memory' setting window will appear. There are three options available, 'System managed size' is the default. At the top, there is a list of all storage devices connected to the PC and their allocated paging file. Many people recommend setting the Paging File to 1.5x the amount of RAM available. I personally wouldn't set it to more than 1GB, the more RAM you have, the less you can assign. Windows will alert you if you do not have enough Paging File memory allocated, so experiment and see what suits your setup. If you have an abundance of RAM, you can turn off Paging File altogether. Some programs however do not work well without Paging File because of the way they're programmed, once again, experiment to see if this affects you.
Click 'Set' and then hit 'OK'. Restart the system for the settings to take effect.

Cleaning Rubbish in Windows

Rubbish is not just what you find in the Recycle Bin, but many other leftover files and settings which accumulate from surfing the net, installing software, temporary files, system restore etc. These files can use up large amounts of storage and do more harm than good. Another magnet to junk is the Windows Registry which often causes system slowdown. Fortunately there is software which can scan Windows for any junk and then help to dispose of it. The software which I will be explaining is called CCleaner (Crap Cleaner) and cleans/fixes rubbish and the registry respectively.

Cleaning Windows using CCleaner

CCleaner is a freeware tool that provides a customizable cleaning solution for Windows systems. You tick all the items you don't require on your system, and CCleaner will find these items and report how much memory they consume. You can then remove all this rubbish with the press of a button. Instructions on performing this are provided below.

Download, install and open CCleaner. The software can be found here.
Tick all the items you want to be removed, untick the items you wish to keep. The default ticked items will not do damage to your system, but they might be counterproductive if you use them frequently. An example is 'Recently Typed URLs' which some people prefer to speed up Internet browsing when typing URLs. The items under the 'Advanced' heading will not cause system damage, but in the case of 'Hotfix Uninstallers' will prevent the ability to uninstall hotfixes. Be sure to only tick this item if you are confident that you will not need to uninstall a past hotfix. Notice how there are two tabs, 'Windows' and 'Applications', look through both before performing the next step.
Click 'Analyse' to list the items which will be removed and the size of each. The total size is shown at the top.
Hit 'Run Cleaner' to remove these items from your system.
Click the 'Registry' button on the left hand side. Press 'Scan for Issues' to find any registry issues.
Untick any items you know you need, otherwise click 'Fix selected Issues...' and agree to backup your registry when prompted to do so. Fix all the issues then exit CCleaner.

Non-software related Tweaks

Apart from buying new hardware, there is another way to improve the speed of your hardware for free. This technique is called overclocking. Overclocking is hard to explain without background theory, but if you're interested you can check out my tutorial .

Final Word

Well at last, the tutorial is complete! These tweaks are some of my favorites, but there are more out there to experiment with. I hope you've learnt something useful to keep Windows running as it should. Thanks for reading!

- Vito Cassisi