Have been using Vista for almost ten months starting from a beta tester since last August. I would like to share some of my experience with other users. Please let me know if anything wrong or need to modify.
With a fresh install of the Vista, I will change the following settings:
Turn menu on permanently (used to the old layout)
Computer – organize – folder option – check show menu
(Temperory call the menu up by key “Alt”)
1. Turn off UAC(user account control) – the warning is annoying
Control panel – user account – turn of UAC
2. Set to full power – turn off power saving (better performance)
Control panel – Power option – Full power
3. Turn off the security warning (annoying)
Control panel – Security – Don’t warn me
4. Set computer to top performance (too old to wait and don't need fancy wall paper)
Computer – Right click properties – Advance System setting – Performance – check best performance
5. Turn off super fetch (my hard disk is too slow – 40G ATA)
The two keys that needs to be changed:
HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management\PrefetchParameters\
Change EnableSuperfetch from 3 to 0.
And:
HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management
Change DisablePagingExecutive from 0 to 1.
Or
To disable the service, go into the Services Console (Start > Run > services.msc) and Stop/Disable SuperFetch, then reboot the computer.
Turn off Windows error report (annoying )
(Start – run – services.msc) go to Windows error report, then stop and disable
6. Enable the “my computer “ icon on desktop
Control panel – personellization – change desktop icon – check “my computer”
7. Creat a restore point (just in case)
Control panel – Backup – Create restore point
Software that I am using:
1. PCtools firewall (free for home user)
2. AVG antivirus (free for home user)
3. Firefox
4. Opera
5. KMPlayer + RealAlt
6. WinRAR
7. PDF reader
8. Nero (from the DVD drive)
Some popular hot keys :
W-start + E (start Windows explorer)
W-start + Break (computer properties)
W-start + D (toggle desktop)
Others :
To format blank DVD+RW in my computer then dray and drop files to the drive (space around 4.3G only instead of 4.5G)
Movie maker – edit clip from TV,add title, sound, edit, split.
DVD maker – burn to DVD disk with menu and chapters.
User photo gallery to make photos DVD.
Other advice:
Don't up-grade to Vista
1) if you have some devices that without Vista drivers. (like my scanner -7 year old, digital camera - 5 year old, video capture card - 6 year old.)
2) if you don’t have 1G or above CPU (minimum 800M)
3) if you don’t have 512M of memory (minimum 512M)
4) if you don’t have 40G of hard drive ( the system take 7G, my other software take 8G)
Readers are welcome to comment and make changes without asking for permition.