Stifle Shadow Copies' Wastefulness
Problem: Vista is saving my data, but won't let me recover it
Fast fixes for Windows users
Fast Fix: Vista's Business, Enterprise, and Ultimate Editions include Shadow Copies (or Previous Versions), which lets you recover a file's older version. Vista Home Basic and Home Premium lack this feature but save the data anyway, wasting CPU cycles and disk space. To stop the waste, put all of your documents and other files on a drive or partition other than your Windows disk. Then click Start, type SystemPropertiesProtection, and press Enter. In the list of disks, uncheck the one that contains personal data. Click Turn System Protection Off when prompted, and click OK to close System Properties. Note that having your data on a separate partition also speeds up backups by allowing you to copy only your own files rather than your programs, which change much less frequently and thus need fewer backups.
Use Windows' Own Speed Tweakers
Problem: My computer is relatively new, but it's not nearly fast enough
Fast Fix: Use the performance tools built into Windows to maximise memory, disk space, and other resources. See 'Shift Any Version of Windows Into High Gear' for a handy guide to these utilities.
Reduce the Power Apps Have Over Your System
Problem: I don't want a Trojan horse or other malware to be able to take over my computer, but logging in as a standard user is too restrictive
Fast Fix: Even if you log in as an administrator, you can launch your applications with limited privileges. Begin by downloading Microsoft's free PsTools utility collection. Unzip the contents to a folder, and move the folder where you normally store your apps. The PsExec tool was intended for launching apps remotely, but you can use it to launch programs with reduced privileges as well.
To create a shortcut that opens Internet Explorer 7 or any other app with restrictions, right-drag its shortcut to a new location. (You might want to use the normal, high-privilege version of the shortcut, so leave that original unchanged.) Choose Copy Here. Right-click the copied shortcut and select Properties. With the Shortcut tab active, click at the beginning of the Target box and type the path to PsExec before the existing command line. Then type a space, followed by -l -d (a hyphen, the letter l, a space, a hyphen, and the letter d).
Finally, type another space. The '-l' switch reduces the program privileges, while the '-d' switch causes the command-prompt window to close as soon as the app is launched. When you're done, the text in the Target box should look something like "C:\Program Files\PsTools\ psexec.exe" -l -d "C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe" (your paths may differ). Click Change Icon, OK. Specify the path to the original file (iexplore.exe here) and click OK until all dialog boxes close.
To avoid restrictions on such activities as installing plug-ins for your browser, you will have to run the browser in its normal, high-privilege mode.
Repeat these steps for each shortcut you want to run with fewer privileges.
Stifle Shadow Copies' wastefulness
Sort out your internet connection
Manage files from your right-click menu
Comments
Steven Ballmer said: Its Vista No Fixes necessaryfakesteveballmerblogspotcpm
Mark said: Very nice The following link also contains a few other interesting tweaks for Vistawwwaskvgcom
Patty Gaynor said: need to rid of spam and viruses
Patty Gaynor said: need to rid of spam and viruses
MGH said: Ok that was useless Next
Dennis G. Dahl - Canada said: Get a Mac unless you cant afford it then get a PC to learn lots of things to keep you from sleeping
nathan42100 said: For a quick no fuss shutdown make a shortcut on your desktop with the following commandshutdown -s -fThis shuts down immediately ending any task which refuses to do so normally waiting for user input to save or whatever
A. Njogu said: Thanks for a great article I have another quick restart tip Just CTRL-ALT-DELETE and while holding down the the CTRL key click on the SHUT DOWN button Click OK to proceed Windows will shut down in less than 5 seconds Cheers
Anthony O'Brien said: Fast Fix One doesnt work for me The cmd window says it doesnt recognize the command
ellen said: Personally I found a lot of the info very helpful and I am not a complete newbie I particularly liked the info on freebie fix-it programs at the end
tyler said: please ignore the last two comments wow i am amazed at my own stupidity
tyler said: woah thats creepy i see five lines of text but when i copy and paste it turns to three
tyler said: Am I missing something Im seeing five linesType these three linesWindows Registry Editor Version 500HKEYCLASSESROOTAllFilesystemObjectsshellexContextMenuHandlersC2FBB630-2971-11D1-A18C-00C04FD75D13HKEYCLASSESROOTAllFilesystemObjectsshellexContextMenuHandlersC2FBB631-2971-11D1-A18C-00C04FD75D13The file should have only three lines
One fix all for windows said: OSX
Joe Bloggs said: Yeah though seriously this quick fixes is nothing but a load of steaming crapolaNothing insightful on offer whatsoever
irspariah said: Cmon man ease up How else can unimaginative Moft shills find employment They might actually have to come up with something useful working somewhere else
mike said: wow I thought there would be something special for windows vista however like all the other many tweak guides out there this one is no different than all the windows xp guides out there with the exception of a few minor key combo differences