Ultimate Vista Tweaks and Tips - Neowin
Ξ October 26th, 2007 | → | ∇ Uncategorized |
The #1 Tip of all Tips: Don’t underestimate the power of the Help button!
Windows Vista Help: Help that really helps
Quote - (Byron Ricks)
Click Start and then click Help and Support. The Help and Support window will open. You’re in. You’ve already gone further than many, many others.
I bet that you’ll find your answer after reading just one or two topics, without hunting around the entire Help system. Here’s why:
• A new voice for Windows. No, it’s not Clippy II. Help is easier to understand than in previous versions of Windows. It uses the language you use. You’ll notice the difference.
• Help topics originate from your questions. We created topics based on common questions and problems. This is why Help topic titles often reflect the question you are likely asking or the problem you’re trying to solve. You’ll know it when you see it.
• Certain topics deliver certain types of content. Quick answers, procedures, troubleshooters, and FAQs give you answers quickly, while articles use a longer format to provide more information, best practices, and tips.
• Help has more than 750 illustrations and screen shots to show you the way.
Extra credit: Read all 2,000+ Help topics. Reward: You’ll know a lot about Windows.
Flaunt your skills as you help your family and friends with their computer problems.
Remove the arrow (Shortcut Overlay) without side effects (32 & 64-bit)
Most Tweak programs remove the arrows by renaming or removing the IsShortCut String Values from the registry. Windows uses this value to track links, if you remove or rename the IsShortCut value lots of programs and features that use links won’t work correctly -> in Vista the shortcuts in Favorite Links, Media Center and in the Games Explorer disappear or won’t work anymore.
The files in the zip file below remove the arrows the same way as TweakUI does in previous Windows versions; it refers the icon to another icon. If you refer it to a completely blank icon, the overlays turn black when you restart Explorer or Log Off and Log On again. Solution: I’ve created a blank icon with some transparent pixels and with the same sizes as the default arrow -> no more arrows & no black overlays. 
Install: If you used a program or a reg file that removed the IsShortCut values; merge RestoreArrow.reg to restore them. Copy Blank.ico to the Windows directory fromVista, so if you installed Vista on the D drive, copy it to D:\Windows\. Merge RemoveArrow.reg and Log Off or Restart your Computer.
Windows Vista 64-bit users: Merge RemoveArrow_[C].reg if you installed Vista on your C drive, Merge RemoveArrow_[D].reg if you installed Vista on your D drive. If you installed Vista on another drive, just edit one of the RemoveArrow_[X].reg files so that it points to the Windows directory of Vista.
Uninstall: Merge RestoreArrow.reg and remove Blank.ico from your Windows directory.
Log Off or Restart your computer.
> RemoveArrow.zip ( 2,87 KB )
Keyboard shortcuts
Ctrl+Shift+Esc -> Task Manager (Ctrl+Alt+Del -> Tasks Screen)
Ctrl+Shift+Enter -> Run an executable with elevated privileges
Windows logo key+1-0 -> Launch the shortcuts on the Quick Launch toolbar
Windows logo key+T -> Cycle through programs on the taskbar
Windows logo key+Tab -> Cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Flip 3-D
Ctrl+Windows logo key+Tab -> Use the arrow keys to cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Flip 3-D
Windows logo key+Spacebar -> Bring all gadgets to the front and select Windows Sidebar
Windows logo key+G -> Cycle through Sidebar gadgets
Windows logo key+X -> Open Windows Mobility Center
Open a folder and press & release Alt -> Show Menu Bar (also works in Internet Explorer)
• Full list of keyboard shortcuts in Vista
• Internet Explorer 7 Quick Reference Sheet
• Windows Mail keyboard shortcuts
Create an Elevated Command Prompt shortcut
Right click on your Command Prompt shortcut and select Properties.
Click on the Advanced button (at the Shortcut tab), check “Run As Administrator” and click on OK (twice).
UltiMouse Task Controller
This program turns the Mouse into a Task Controller without losing the default functionality of the Mouse Buttons.
Double Click Middle Mouse Button -> Window Switcher (Flip3D)
Back Button + Scroll Up/Down -> Cycle through programs on the Taskbar*
Middle Mouse Button + Scroll Up/Down -> Cycle through Sidebar Gadgets * NEW *
Back Button + Middle Mouse Button -> Up One Level (emulates the Up Button)
Forward Button + Scroll Up/Down -> Maximize/Restore selected program/window
Forward Button + Middle Mouse Button -> Close selected program/window
Middle Mouse Button + Back Button -> Minimize selected program/window
Middle Mouse Button + Forward Button -> Restore last Minimized program/window
Double Click Back Button -> Minimize All
Double Click Forward Button -> UnMinimize All
* When you release the Back Button, the selected program/window is activated.
Install: Copy UltiMouse.exe to anywhere you want and create a shortcut in the Startup folder.
It runs hidden in the background, you can close it with Task Manager.
> UltiMouse.zip ( 171 KB )
Vista Orb Clock for Windows Sidebar
This gadget contains 12 skins based on the icons and logo from Windows Vista: 5 Vista Orbs, Windows Media Center, Windows Live, Windows Media Player, a CD, 2 Globes & the blue compass from Guided Help.
Tip: You can drag the gadgets to you desktop and use them as Desktop Gadgets (like AveDesk & Samurize).
When you right click on the Sidebar and select close, the Sidebar minimizes to the system tray & the Desktop Gadgets are still on the desktop.
> VistaOrbClock.zip ( 698 KB )
Customize the appearance of Windows Sidebar
Windows Sidebar Styler is an application designed to allow users to tweak the Sidebar’s User Interface.
Custom styles allow users to customize the appearance of Windows Sidebar so that it fits the style of other UI elements, such as the Aero Glass colorization or third party themes.
You can save your visual styles and share them with other users.
Windows Sidebar Styler also adds support for WPF Gadgets; Gadgets now take full advantage of Windows Presentation Foundation - a powerful managed code-oriented framework for presenting rich visual compositions such as vector graphics, 3D drawing, animations and more.
Original: 
Minimalistic Style: 
The visual styles below remove the grey Panel background, the “Add Gadgets” button + the Close, Config & the Gripper buttons that appear when you hover over the Gadgets (see image above). You can still access these functions in the right click menu from the Sidebar & Gadgets. The MinimalistiClear Style also removes the backgrounds.
| Homepage | Forum | Binaries: 32-bit, 64-bit | Minimalistic.wsstyles | MinimalistiClear.wsstyles |
Convert web widgets into gadgets for Windows Sidebar
With Amnesty™ Generator you can convert millions of web widgets, games and videos – designed to live on home pages, blogs or MySpace – into gadgets for your Sidebar.
Key Features:
• Create gadgets without coding experience
• Autofill feature does the work for you
• Inline step-by-step instructions included
• Supports Flash widgets, games and video
| Homepage | Direct Download | F.A.Q. |
Deleting the Undeletable (source)
Quote - (Tim Sneath)
As many of us move forward from Windows XP or prior beta versions of Windows Vista to the final RTM version, I thought this little tip might be in order. You may be aware that Windows Vista includes a number of different ways to upgrade a computer, from a straight in-place upgrade (insert CD, run setup and choose upgrade) to Windows Easy Transfer, which allows you to copy settings, programs and data from an old setup a fresh shiny new OS environment. In doing this, it’s not unusual to find some folders that can’t be accessed, even by an administrator, because their ACLs were set for accounts with SIDs that applied to an old partition.
How do you take it back? -> The secret lies in two command-line utilities, one ancient, the other completely revised for this release. Respectively, these are takeown (which takes ownership of a file or directory) and icacls (which sets new ACLs on that directory). I created a small batch command on my system called itsmine.cmd, as follows:
takeown /f %1 /r /d y
icacls %1 /grant administrators:F /t
From an elevated command prompt, you can run a command such as itsmine D:\hard_to_delete and this will reset ownership and ACLs on the hard_to_delete directory such that a command like rd /s D:\hard_to_delete should work.
Take Ownership Context Menu Item
TakeOwn.reg adds a Take Ownership Context Menu Item to all files and folders. It opens an Elevated Command Prompt which recovers full access to the selected file / directory, sub directories and their content.
You can access the Context Menu Item by holding down Shift + right-click on a file or folder.
If you want to access the Take Ownership Context Menu Item on an exe file, you must merge “RunAsAdmin_Exe-.reg”; this reg file removes the “Run as Administrator” Context Menu Item from all exe files (they both use the runas key). Merge “RunAsAdmin_Exe+.reg” if you want to restore the “Run as Administrator” Context Menu Item.
Install: Merge TakeOwn+.reg
Uninstall: Merge TakeOwn-.reg
> TakeOwn.zip ( 1,99 KB )
Enable Advanced Disk Performance
When enabled, the hard disk drive operates in write-back cache mode, in which all the data that gets written to the drive is first stored in the cache, and then later written to the disk. Both writes and reads are cached in this case. When disabled, the HDD operates in write-through cache mode, in which all data that gets written to the drive is immediately written to the disks and also stored in the cache. Writes are not cached, but reads are.
Note: This setting is recommended only for disks with a backup power supply, it further improves disk performance, but it also increases the risk of data loss if the disk loses power.
Open Device Manager, expand Disk drives, right-click on a Disk drive, click Properties, click the Policies tab, select the Enable advanced performance check box, and then click OK.
Resize the Details Pane
Right-click on an empty part of the Details Pane and select one of the sizes:
Customize / hide the Favorite Links list
The Navigation Pane is devided into two sections: Favorite Links & Folders.
The Favorite Links contains links to commonly used folders and saved searches.
You can add new links by dragging folders and/or saved searches into the list.
You can also drag folders from the Folders list to the Favorite Links section.
This is a convenient way to quickly access folders and searches you use often.
You can reposition a link by dragging it to the position where you want it to be.
To remove a link from the list, right-click on the link and select Remove Link.
Restore default links: right-click a blank area and select Restore Default Favorite Links.
Hide Favorite Links: drag the Folders list to the top of the Navigation Pane (see picture).
Shell Commands for Windows Vista (source)
The shell: command can be used to open a special folder directly from the Start, Search menu. For example, the command shell:SendTo opens the SendTo folder (%UserProfile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\SendTo). To launch the Documents folder of your User Profile, you’d type shell:Personal. Below is a complete shell: commands listing for Windows Vista. The entire listing is stored in the following registry key in Windows Vista:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\FolderDescriptions]
shell: commands for Windows Vista:
shell:AddNewProgramsFolder - shell:Administrative Tools - shell:AppData - shell:AppUpdatesFolder - shell:Cache - shell:CD Burning - shell:ChangeRemoveProgramsFolder - shell:Common Administrative Tools - shell:Common AppData - shell:Common Desktop - shell:Common Documents - shell:Common Programs - shell:Common Start Menu - shell:Common Startup - shell:Common Templates - shell:CommonDownloads - shell:CommonMusic - shell:CommonPictures - shell:CommonVideo - shell:ConflictFolder - shell:ConnectionsFolder - shell:Contacts - shell:ControlPanelFolder - shell:Cookies - shell:CredentialManager - shell:CryptoKeys - shell:CSCFolder - shell:Default Gadgets - shell:Desktop - shell:Downloads - shell:DpapiKeys - shell:Favorites - shell:Fonts - shell:Gadgets - shell:Games - shell:GameTasks - shell:History - shell:InternetFolder - shell:Links - shell:Local AppData - shell:LocalAppDataLow - shell:LocalizedResourcesDir - shell:MAPIFolder - shell:My Music - shell:My Pictures - shell:My Video - shell:MyComputerFolder - shell:NetHood - shell:NetworkPlacesFolder - shell:OEM Links - shell:Original Images - shell:Personal - shell:PhotoAlbums - shell:Playlists - shell:PrintersFolder - shell:PrintHood - shell:Profile - shell:ProgramFiles - shell:ProgramFilesCommon - shell:ProgramFilesCommonX86 - shell:ProgramFilesX86 - shell:Programs - shell:Public - shell:PublicGameTasks - shell:Quick Launch - shell:Recent - shell:RecycleBinFolder - shell:ResourceDir - shell:SampleMusic - shell:SamplePictures - shell:SamplePlaylists - shell:SampleVideos - shell:SavedGames - shell:Searches - shell:SearchHomeFolder - shell:SendTo - shell:Start Menu - shell:Startup - shell:SyncCenterFolder - shell:SyncResultsFolder - shell:SyncSetupFolder - shell:System - shell:SystemCertificates - shell:SystemX86 - shell:Templates - shell:TreePropertiesFolder - shell:UserProfiles - shell:UsersFilesFolder - shell:Windows
Repartition a hard disk by using the Shrink feature
Note: Backup Operator or Administrator is the minimum membership required to complete the actions below.
Caution: If the partition is a raw partition (that is, one without a file system) that contains data (such as a database file), shrinking the partition may destroy the data! For detailed information, open Disk Management, click Help on the menu bar, click Manage Basic Volumes, and then click Shrink a Basic Volume.
Shrink an existing partition to create new unallocated space, from which you can create a new partition:
Open the Start Menu, right-click on Computer, click Manage, expand Storage & select Disk Management.
Right-click a partition, select Shrink Volume, Enter the amount of space to shrink in MB & click Shrink.
Right-click the new unallocated space, click New simple volume, click Next, Enter the Simple volume size in MB, click Next, assign a drive letter, click Next, Enter the Volume label, click Next, and then click Finish.
Enable support for 4GB of RAM (or more) in Vista 32-bit
On a computer that has 4 GB of RAM, the System Properties dialog box and the System Information dialog box may report less memory than you expect. This problem occurs because the address space is limited to 4 GB in a 32-bit hardware environment. Memory may be relocated to make room for addresses that the basic input/output system (BIOS) reserves for hardware. However, because of this limitation, Windows Vista cannot access memory that is relocated above the 4 GB boundary.
Solution: Open an elevated Command Prompt, type BCDEdit /set pae ForceEnable and press Enter.
The pae parameter enables Physical Address Extension (PAE). On 32-bit versions of Windows, PAE is disabled by default. PAE is an addressing strategy that uses a page-translation hierarchy to enable systems with 32-bit addressing to address more than 4 GB of physical memory. PAE also supports several advanced system and processor features, such as Data Execution Prevention (DEP; “No execute”), Non-Uniform Memory Architecture (NUMA), and hot-add memory, so it is also used on computers with less than 4 GB of memory. PAE must be supported by the processor.
On a computer that supports hardware-enabled Data Execution Prevention (DEP), PAE is automatically enabled when DEP is enabled and automatically disabled when you disable DEP. To enable PAE when DEP is disabled, you must enable PAE explicitly: Open an elevated Command Prompt.
Type BCDEdit /set nx AlwaysOff & BCDEdit /set pae ForceEnable and press Enter.
Info & Sources:
• Memory Limits for Windows Releases
• Windows Vista may report less memory than you expect
• Boot Parameters to Configure DEP and PAE
• BCDEdit /set Parameters
Advanced Searches & Natural Language Search
Windows will usually search for whatever you enter in the Search box by looking in the file name, file contents, and file properties of all the files in the current view. Type “Summer,” for example, and it will find files named “sunset in summer.jpg,” files tagged with “summer,” and files written by anyone named Summer.
Vista’s Search engine uses the Windows Desktop Search query syntax. If you want to search more selectively, you can filter your search by specifying which file property to search. To filter by file property, separate the name of the property and the search term with a colon, as in these examples:
kind: music artist: Sting -> Find music files from the artist Sting.
Name: Sunset -> Find only files that have the word sunset in the file name.
Modified: 05/25/2006 -> Find only files that have been modified on that date.
You can filter by any property that appears in the file list headings. To see the complete list of properties that you can filter by, right-click the heading you want to see properties for, and then click More. Using Boolean filters is another way to perform a more precise search, you can combine them with other search filters:
tropical AND island -> Find files that contain both words “tropical” and “island”.
tropical NOT island -> Find files that contain the word “tropical”, but not “island”.
tropical OR island -> Find files that contain either of the words “tropical” or “island”.
“tropical island“ -> Find files that contain the exact phrase “tropical island”.
(tropical island) -> Find files that contain both words “tropical” and “island”, in any order.
date: > 01/05/06 -> Find files that are more than or later than a certain value, such as after 01/05/06.
size: < 4 MB -> Find files that are less than or earlier than a certain value, such as less than 4 MB.
Note: When you type Boolean filters like AND or OR, you need to use all capital letters!
If you turn on Natural Language Search, you can perform searches in a simpler way, without using colons and without the need to enter AND and OR in capital letters. For example, compare these searches:
Without natural language: kind: music artist: (Beethoven OR Mozart)
With natural language: music Beethoven or Mozart
To turn on Natural Language Search: Open the Control Panel, click Appearance and Personalization, click Folder Options, click the Search tab, select the Use natural language search check box, click Apply and then click OK.
Extend the Start Menu Search functionality with Start++
Brandon Paddock (Brandon Live), who works on Search technology for Windows at Microsoft, developed a very useful add-on to Vista’s Start Menu Search box: Start++, it extends the Start Menu Search box, the Run box and the command-line with customizable commands, you can set these commands to run with administrator privileges (sudo command). You can create an alias for anything you want and export it so you can share it with other users.
Type playartist Nightwish and it performs a search for music with the artist Nightwish, writes the results to a .M3U file and play it in Windows Media Player. Type g hullabaloo to search for hullabaloo on Google.
Picture Gadget ^^: Type pic into the Start Menu Search box followed by your query terms.
| Homepage | Download | Start++ thread @ Neowin | Start++ Commands | Shared Startlets |
Change services according to your computer config
• Windows Vista Service Configurations by Black Viper
• Disabling Services guide by Slimy
• SpeedyVista - Service Guide
Generate a System Diagnostics report (view details about system health and performance)
Windows Reliability and Performance Monitor uses performance counters, event trace data, and configuration information, which can be combined into Data Collector Sets. You can generate a report detailing the status of local hardware resources, system response times, and processes on the local computer along with system information and configuration data. This report includes suggestions for ways to maximize performance and streamline system operation.
Open the Control Panel, click Performance Information and Tools, click Advanced Tools (Tasks pane on the left), click Generate a System Health report. Or,.. press the Windows button, type perfmon /report and press Enter.
Enable or disable Secure Logon (Ctrl+Alt+Delete)
It’s important to keep your computer as secure as possible. One way to do so is to enable Secure Logon so that you are required to press Ctrl+Alt+Delete to log on. Using secure logon provides an additional layer of security for your computer by ensuring that the authentic Windows logon screen appears. When secure logon is enabled, no other program (such as a virus or spyware) can intercept your user name and password as you enter it.
Open Advanced User Accounts -> Press the Windows button, type netplwiz and press Enter.
Click the Advanced tab, select the Require users to press Ctrl+Alt+Delete check box, and then click OK.
Turn Windows Features on or off
Some programs and features that are included with Windows, such as Internet Information Services, must be turned on before you can use them. Certain other features are turned on by default, but you can turn them off if you don’t use them.
In earlier versions of Windows, to turn a feature off you had to uninstall it completely from your computer. In this version of Windows, the features remain stored on your hard disk, so you can turn them back on if you want to. Turning off a feature does not uninstall the feature, and it does not reduce the amount of hard disk space used by Windows features.
Open the Control Panel, click Programs, click Turn Windows features on or off in the Programs and Features section (see picture above). Or,.. press the Windows button, type OptionalFeatures and press Enter.
To turn a Windows feature on, select the check box next to the feature.
To turn a Windows feature off, clear the check box.
Switch, Change or Set 64-Bit WMP11 in Vista x64 as Default (source)
Quote - (My Digital Life)
In Windows Vista x64, the 32-bit edition of Windows Media Player 11 (WMP 11) is set as the default Windows Media Player. This is done to avoid and reduce any compatibility issues or problems that may arise with codecs or other DirectShow related plug-ins or add-ons that majority of them still built for 32-bit operating system. However, if you decide to use the 64-bit version of WMP11 with your 64bit version of Windows Vista, especially now that more and more codecs support 64-bit computing platform, and a x64 FFDShow codec which can decode virtually any audio or video media files has been released, you can use a few easy methods to launch 64 bit WMP11 or simply switch, change or swap the system default media player to x64 Windows Media Player, and revert back to x86 version when you need to.
By default, the 32-bit WMP 11 x86 is located at path of %ProgramFiles(x86)%\Windows Media Player, and 64-bit WMP11 x64 is located at folder of %ProgramFiles%\Windows Media Player. So the first method to use 64-bit Windows Media Player is by launching WMP from its x64 location.
Press the Start button, type %Programfiles%\Windows Media Player\wmplayer.exe and press Enter. Alternatively, you can create a shortcut with target and location set to the above, and place the shortcut on the Desktop or in Quick Launch for easy access.
Second method: You need to perform 2 steps each to swap to 64-bit version or to undo the change back to 32-bit version WMP. The unregmp2.exe command (first step) changes the operating system shortcuts to point to WMP 64bit, while the second registry step changes the file associations default program to WMP64-bit, which determines which program will be used when you double click on a media file.
Open an Elevated Command Prompt, type unregmp2 /SwapTo:64 and press Enter.
Then, open the Registry Editor (regedit), then navigate to the the registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\wmplayer.exe. Set the registry subkey Path to be %ProgramFiles(x86)%\Windows Media Player, and the (Default) subkey to “%ProgramFiles%\Windows Media Player\wmplayer.exe” (include quotes).
To undo the x64 change, open an Elevated Command Prompt, type unregmp2 /SwapTo:32 and press Enter.
Then, open the Registry Editor, and reset the value for registry subkey of Path and (Default).
With either one of two methods, you will have complete full x64 Windows Media Player experience.
Make your Admin account act like in XP
Make your Vista’s admin account act like in XP guide by Tantawi
Replace Vista’s startup sound
How to replace Vista’s startup sound guide by rm20010
Change the Start Menu Power button to Shut Down instead of Sleep
Open the Control Panel and click on Power Options. Select the Power Plan that you want to use and click on “Change plan settings”. Click on Change advanced power settings, double click on “Power buttons and lid”. Double click on “Start menu power button”, change the Setting to Shut down.
Or,.. merge PowerButtonShutdown.reg and Log off or Restart to apply changes.
> PowerButton.zip ( 1,31 KB )
Windows 2000 Style Shut Down Dialog Box
Select the Taskbar or the Desktop and press Alt+F4.
I’ve created a little app that opens the same Dialog Box, just extract it to anywhere you want and create a shortcut in Quick Launch. 
> ShutDDB.zip ( 208 KB )
Extended Disc Cleanup
The command line parameters sageset & sagerun still work in Vista. You can set it to delete files from a previous Windows installation, error dump files, Temporary Windows installation files, Thumbnails, Files discarded by Windows upgrade, Error Reporting Files, ect. Note: It performs a Disc Cleanup on all disks.
You can use the shortcut in the attached zip file or create a new shortcut with this command line:
%SystemRoot%\System32\Cmd.exe /c Cleanmgr /sageset:65535 & Cleanmgr /sagerun:65535
Edit the shortcut (Right click and select Properties), set it to run Minimized and change the Icon to %SystemRoot%\System32\Cleanmgr.exe.
> ExtendedDiscCleanup.zip ( 660 bytes )
Add Search Providers to Internet Explorer 7
To add a provider to the Internet Explorer 7 Instant Search box, click on the down arrow (next to the search glass) at the Search box & click on “Find More Providers”. Select one of the Web Search or Topic Search provider’s to add them to the list, you can add custom Search provider’s in the Create Your Own section on the right.
You can switch the search provider by clicking on the down arrow at the Search box -> select the provider that you want to use. The search provider’s are saved in the registry, I’ve exported some of my favorites, just merge them + restart Internet Explorer and they are added to the list.
The zip file below contains the following SearchScopes:
• deviantART - All, Digital Art, Icons, Photography, Skins & Themes + Wallpapers (find that lost wallpaper 
)
• Event ID (Enter an Event ID number to get the description)
• Google & Google Image Search
• IMDb Search (Movie Database)
• Ixquick Metasearch & Ixquick Picturesearch
• MetaCrawler
• MSDN Enhanced Search
• Neowin Forums 
• SourceForge.net
• Wikipedia
• YouTube
> SearchScopes.zip ( 10,8 KB )
Add Internet Explorer to the Desktop (with Context Menu like in Windows XP)
Add: merge IE2Desktop.reg
Remove: merge IE2Desktop-.reg
> IE2Desktop.zip ( 624 bytes )
Enable Data Execution Prevention (DEP) in Internet Explorer 7 (source)
Because browsers can host plug-in extensibility, security settings within the browser can make plug-ins fail. This is why in Internet Explorer 7 Data Execution Prevention (DEP) is off by default. Two of the most well-known and commonly used browser plug-ins, the Adobe Acrobat/Reader browser helper object and the Adobe Flash Player, now run when DEP is enabled. You can enable DEP by navigating to the following dialog and checking the highlighted option shown below (note, you must elevated to admin first, otherwise the option is grayed out).
Windows Media Center: Command Line Parameters
These Command Line Switches launches Windows Media Center and cause it to navigate directly to one of the built-in experiences:
%SystemRoot%\ehome\ehshell.exe /directmedia:discplayback - Begins playback of the disc in the drive
%SystemRoot%\ehome\ehshell.exe /homepage:VideoFullscreen.xml /PushStartPage:True - Live TV
%SystemRoot%\ehome\ehshell.exe /homepage:VideoGuide.xml /PushStartPage:True - TV Guide
%SystemRoot%\ehome\ehshell.exe /homepage:RecordedTV.BrowsePage.xml /PushStartPage:True - Recorded TV
%SystemRoot%\ehome\ehshell.exe /homepage:VideoToBeRecorded.xml /PushStartPage:True - Scheduled Recordings
%SystemRoot%\ehome\ehshell.exe /homepage:Radio.BrowsePage.xml /PushStartPage:True - Radio
%SystemRoot%\ehome\ehshell.exe /homepage:Radio.xml - FM Radio
%SystemRoot%\ehome\ehshell.exe /homepage:MusicBrowsePage.xml /PushStartPage:True - Music Library
%SystemRoot%\ehome\ehshell.exe /homepage:VideosBrowsePage.xml /PushStartPage:True - Video Library
%SystemRoot%\ehome\ehshell.exe /homepage:PhotosBrowsePage.xml /PushStartPage:True - Picture Library
%SystemRoot%\ehome\ehshell.exe /homepage:Options.Home.xml /PushStartPage:True - Settings Menu
Edit the Boot Configuration Data (BCD)
EasyBCD is NeoSmart Technologies’ multiple award-winning answer to tweaking the new Windows Vista bootloader. With EasyBCD, almost anything is possible. Setting up and configuring Windows boot entries is simple, and there is no easier way to quickly boot right into Linux, Mac OS X, or BSD straight from the Windows Vista bootloader - on the fly, no expert knowledge needed!
Automated MBR and BCD backups, boot sector restore kits, support for a dozen+ operating systems, detailed configuration of all boot entries, and award-winning guaranteed technical support is what makes EasyBCD stand out - all for free!
Configuring User Account Control (UAC)
• What is User Account Control
• User Account Control Step by Step Guide
• Configuring User Account Control settings
If you want to reduce your mouse clicks by at least 25%, here’s how to turn it off: Open the Start Menu and click on your User Picture, click Turn User Account Control on or Off, clear the “Use User Account Control (UAC) to help protect your computer” check box, click OK and restart your computer.
Make User Account Control (UAC) Stop Blacking Out the Screen (source)
Windows Vista Business/Ultimate Users:
To get to the configuration screen for this, type in security to the start menu search box.
You should see the Local Security Policy as the top search item.
In the Local Security Policy window, browse down to Local Policies \ Security Options.
Over in the right hand part of the window, scroll down near the bottom and find the item titled “User Account Control: Switch to the secure desktop when prompting for elevation”
Double-click on the item, and change it to disabled and then click OK.
Note: This does make your system slightly less secure, so be warned.
Windows Vista Home Users:
Press the Windows key, type regedit and press Enter. Browse down to this registry key:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System]
You should see a key called PromptOnSecureDesktop. Double-click this and change the value to 0
Use BitLocker Drive Encryption without TPM chip (source)
Quote - (TweakVista)
Windows Vista includes a new hard drive encryption feature called BitLocker Drive Encryption. BitLocker can be a very useful security feature for businesses and home users that have sensitive and confidential information stored on their computer. Unfortunately, BitLocker Drive Encryption by default requires a Trusted Platform Module (TPM Chip) version 1.2 or later installed in your computer. A lot of the computers and laptops on the market do not come with TPM chips installed since they are typically only found in premium model business computers. If you have Windows Vista Business, Ultimate or Enterprise but do not have a TPM chip, you can still use BitLocker Drive Encryption.
Hidden away in local group policy is a setting that will allow you to turn on the ability to use a USB storage device instead of a TPM key to store the encryption key. This is a great feature for users that don’t have the latest high-end hardware because you can still use hard drive encryption. However, every time you turn on your computer, the USB storage device that has the encryption key located on it must be plugged in. Without it, your computer will not boot up. One BitLocker Drive Encryption is setup with a USB storage device, that USB storage device basically becomes the key to your computer.
Press the Windows button, type gpedit.msc and press Enter.
Navigate through: Computer Policy, Administrative Templates, Windows Components and BitLocker Drive Encryption. Right click on Control Panel Setup: Enable advanced startup options and select Properties.
Check Enabled and click OK.
Toggle Check Boxes Context Menu Item
You can set up Windows to add check boxes to file views (see picture) to make it easier to select several files at once.
This gives you the option to select files without having to press keys on your keyboard, and helps ensure that you won’t accidentally lose your file selection if you click the wrong location.
You can enable this feature in “Folder and Search Options”:
Open a Folder, click the Organize button, click “Folder and Search Options”, click the View tab, select the Use check boxes to select items check box, and click OK.
The files in the zip file below add a “Toggle Check Boxes” Context Menu Item to all folders.
You can access the Context Menu Item by holding down Shift + right-click on/in a folder.
Install: Copy TCB.exe to your Windows directory and merge “Add ToggleCheckBoxes.reg”.
Uninstall: Remove TCB.exe from your Windows directory and merge “Remove ToggleCheckBoxes.reg”.
> ToggleCheckBoxes.zip ( 170 KB )
Enable the Aurora boot screen (source)
If you are tired of the default boot screen in Windows Vista, there is a better looking one hidden away:
1) Press the Windows button, type msconfig and press Enter.
2) If User Account Control prompts you to allow the action, click on Continue.
3) In the “System Configuration” window, click on the Boot tab.
4) Select your Windows Vista installation and under “Boot options”, check “No GUI boot”.
Press OK.
5) In the dialog that appears, check “Don’t show this message again”, and then click on Restart.
6) Your computer will now reboot, and you will see the Aurora boot screen with text that says “Starting Windows Vista”.
Disable Hibernation & delete the Hibernation file (source)
Windows places a file on your hard drive that it uses when your computer goes into hibernation mode. If you do not use hibernation mode, or your computer does not properly support it, you may want to disable hibernation and clear the file off your hard drive to free up some space (the file will use as much space as you have in physical memory, so if you have 1GB of RAM, it’s going to use 1GB of your hard drive space).
Disable Hibernation:
1. Click Start, All Programs, and then right click on “Command Prompt”.
2. From the context menu click on “Run as administrator”.
3. If User Account Control prompts you to allow the action, click on Continue.
4. In the command prompt window, type “powercfg –h off” (without the quotes).
4. Close the Command Prompt window.
Delete the Hibernation File:
1. Click Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, and then click “Disk Cleanup”.
2. If prompted to choose a drive, select the drive in which Windows Vista is installed on to and press OK.
3. Disk Cleanup will scan the hard drive and present you with a list of options.
4. Check “Hibernation File Cleaner”, and then click OK.
5. When asked “Are you sure you want to permanently delete these files?” click on the Delete Files button.
Hidden Open Command Window Here Context Menu item
Open a folder, press Shift + Right Click -> Open Command Window Here
Nameless Recycle Bin
Everybody can see, by looking at the icon, that it’s the Recycle Bin right?.., so why name it?!
Merge RecycleBin_NoName.reg and refresh your Desktop and the name is gone.
Merge RecycleBin_Default.reg and refresh your Desktop to restore the name.
> NamelessRecycleBin.zip ( 881 bytes )
Enhanced Recycle Bin Menu
ERBM+.reg replaces the Delete command from the Recycle Bin with a Clear Temp command.
This prevents users from accidentally deleting the Recycle Bin Icon from the Desktop. 
It also adds a Disk Cleanup command which performs an Extended Disc Cleanup on all disks.
The Clear Temp command clears both Temp dirs: %UserProfile%\AppData\Local\Temp and %SystemRoot%\Temp.
Install: merge ERBM+.reg
Uninstall: merge ERBM-.reg
> ERBM.zip ( 1,41 KB )
Add Window Switcher to the context menu from all folders
The reg file in the zip file below adds the Window Switcher (Flip 3D) command to the Right click menu from all folders (including the Desktop).
> Flip3D.zip ( 893 bytes )
Huuuuuuuge Icons on your Desktop
Click on your Desktop, press Ctrl + Scroll Up (this works in any folder).
You can make them larger then when you select Large Icons from the menu (Right Click -> View -> Large Icons).
Windows Defender: Command Line Parameters
Example: “%ProgramFiles%\Windows Defender\MSASCui.exe” -Hide -CheckForUpdates
-Hide -> hide Windows Defender window
-UpdateAndQuickScan -> Check for Updates + launch Quick Scan
-CheckForUpdates -> Check for Updates
-FullScan -> Full System Scan
-QuickScan -> Quick Scan
-ScanResults -> Scan Results window
-Settings -> Options panel
-ShowSWE -> Software Explorer
-ShowSWE:Startup -> Software Explorer @ Startup programs
-ShowSWE:Running -> Software Explorer @ Currently running programs
-ShowSWE:Network -> Software Explorer @ Network-connected programs
Delete Browsing History commands (IE7)
• Delete Temporary Internet Files: RunDll32.exe InetCpl.cpl,ClearMyTracksByProcess 8
• Delete Cookies: RunDll32.exe InetCpl.cpl,ClearMyTracksByProcess 2
• Delete History: RunDll32.exe InetCpl.cpl,ClearMyTracksByProcess 1
• Delete Form Data: RunDll32.exe InetCpl.cpl,ClearMyTracksByProcess 16
• Delete Passwords: RunDll32.exe InetCpl.cpl,ClearMyTracksByProcess 32
• Delete All: RunDll32.exe InetCpl.cpl,ClearMyTracksByProcess 255
• Delete All + files and settings stored by Add-ons: RunDll32.exe InetCpl.cpl,ClearMyTracksByProcess 4351
Copy To Folder & Move To Folder Context Menu Items
The files in the zip file below add “Copy To Folder” & “Move To Folder” to the Context Menu from all files & folders.
Note: It won’t break the function of the “Play all” buttons. 
Install: Merge Copy_Move_To+.reg.
Uninstall: Merge Copy_Move_To-.reg.
> CopyMoveTo.zip ( 978 bytes )
Show/Hide System Files Context Menu Item
The files in the zip file below add a “Show/Hide System Files” Context Menu Item to all folders.
You can access the Context Menu Item by holding down Shift + right-click on/in a folder.
When you select it, it will Unhide or Hide the System Files and refresh the directory.
Install: Copy SuperHidden*.exe to your Windows directory and merge “Add SuperHidden*.reg”.
Uninstall: Remove SuperHidden*.exe from your Windows directory and merge “Remove SuperHidden.reg”.
* Differences between SuperHidden² & SuperHidden:
SuperHidden² -> Show/Hide System & Hidden files.
SuperHidden -> Show/Hide System files only.
> SuperHidden_Vista.zip ( 344 KB )
Show/Hide File Extensions Context Menu Item
The files in the zip file below add a “Show/Hide File Extensions” Context Menu Item to all folders.
You can access the Context Menu Item by holding down Shift + right-click on/in a folder.
It Hides or Unhides the File Extensions + refreshes the directory.
Install: Copy SHFileExt.exe to your System32 directory and merge “Add SHFileExt.reg”.
Uninstall: Remove SHFileExt.exe from your System32 directory and merge “Remove SHFileExt.reg”.
> SHFileExt_Vista.zip ( 206 KB )
MinUnMinAll - Toggle MinimizeAll/UndoMinimizeAll (alternative for Show Desktop)
The Show Desktop command minimizes all applications + it sets the Z-Order of the Desktop to topmost.
It also hides applications that you don’t want to hide: the Sidebar, docks, calendars, widgets, etc.
MinUnMinAll simply minimizes all applications that support the minimize operation (also works in XP).
Install: Copy MinUnMinAll.exe to anywhere you want and create a shortcut in Quick Launch.
> MinUnMinAll.zip ( 213 KB )
Replace the Win+D hotkey with Win+M - Win+Shift+M
Win+D.exe replaces the Win+D hotkey (Show Desktop) with Win+M - Win+Shift+M (Toggle MinimizeAll / UndoMinimizeAll). It runs hidden in the background, you can close it with Task Manager.
Install: Copy Win+D.exe to anywhere you want and create a shortcut in the Startup folder.
> Win+D.zip ( 203 KB )
Add the Run command to the Start Menu
Right-click on the Start Button and select Properties, click Customize, scroll down and check the Run command check box, click OK, click Apply and OK.
Start Menu Search box -> Run dialog box
You can use the Start Menu Search box to launch programs like the Run dialog box.