Advanced Windows 7 Performance Tweaks

[Ian]

Last week I wrote a quick article about how to speed up Windows 7, however this was primarily aimed at new home users that may not have as much knowledge as many of the readers of this site.

Ideally, I'd like to write a guide for more advanced tips and tweaks that can be used to speed up Windows 7. However, I can't actually think of a more than a handful of suggestions as things are often well configured already.

Do you perform any advanced changes to your system to speed up Windows 7, or do you rely on your hardware to provide the speed boost to the system (i.e. upgrading RAM/CPU/GPU)?

 

[leadbender]

I like tweaking my w7 as well as updating vid cards cpus etc... have you tried this one? [ame="[MEDIA=youtube]eiOmu5486Og[/MEDIA]"]YouTube- Broadcast Yourself.[/ame]

 

[Ian]

Thanks leadbender, that could be one to add to the list

 

[Kalario]

If one is using win 7 x64, do we create a new DWORD (64 bit) instead?

 

[Veedaz]

Make start menu perform faster,

REGEDIT
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop]

Change following to

"MenuShowDelay"="200"
"HungAppTimeout"="4000"
"WaitToKillAppTimeout"="5000"

Warning : If your not used to working in the Registry leave it.

 

[clifford_cooley]

If one is using win 7 x64, do we create a new DWORD (64 bit) instead?

Not unless you are making an extremely large entry. A 64-Bit DWORD will support a very large integer for the DWORD value.

A DWORD is a 32-bit unsigned integer (range: 0 through 4294967295 decimal).

Read more here - http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc230318(PROT.10).aspx

 

[Kalario]

Not used to working with the registry. So, I am following Clifford's advice and not touching the registry. :dontknow:

 

[clifford_cooley]

I meant making a 64-Bit entry over a standard entry is only needed if your entry is out of range for the standard DWORD. The 64-Bit entry allows for a larger number to be stored than the standard DWORD entry. It really has nothing to do with the Bit version of Windows you have.

 

[Veedaz]

As for tweaking via the Registry as i posted

Make start menu perform faster,

REGEDIT
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop]

Change following to

"MenuShowDelay"="200"
"HungAppTimeout"="4000"
"WaitToKillAppTimeout"="5000"

Warning : If your not used to working in the Registry leave it.

Even if you are used to working in the Registry do back it up before any changes buy making a System Restore Point.

 

[leadbender]

another quick one that may come in handy is "god mode"

http://pcwizkidstechtalk.com/index.php/godmode-windows7.html this guy has a few good ones

 

[leadbender]

another quick one that may come in handy is "god mode"

http://pcwizkidstechtalk.com/index.php/godmode-windows7.html this guy has a few good ones

Im not sure why it's called that though

 

[catilley1092]

another quick one that may come in handy is "god mode"

http://pcwizkidstechtalk.com/index.php/godmode-windows7.html this guy has a few good ones

I read that tip in a PC World article and tried it, nothing happened. Was this meant to be a joke, or what?

 

[leadbender]

I copied and pasted the string, and it works just fine for me (less the.. { }..) , not quite sure why I need yet, but it gives you everything you might have to go to in one folder

 

[clifford_cooley]

Related post on this forum already exist for this hidden feature.
https://www.w7forums.com/god-mode-master-control-t3579.html

 

[leadbender]

thanks for the heads up Cliff, I guess we have two links for it now...(does that happen in windows????)

 

[clifford_cooley]

The text string is what opens the hidden feature. It does not matter what name you place before the text string.

 

[leadbender]

oh and now that I think of it there is this cool little program called "speedfan" that I downloaded, it shows me the temperatures of my three case fans, my cpu and my three harddrives it'll show me the average temp right next to my clock, but this may be another "double link"

 

[Nibiru2012]

oh and now that I think of it there is this cool little program called "speedfan" that I downloaded, it shows me the temperatures of my three case fans, my cpu and my three harddrives it'll show me the average temp right next to my clock, but this may be another "double link"

I hope it shows the speeds of you fans and not the temperatures. SpeedFan is a great free application. Very handy when one has done a new system build and wants to verify everything is working okay.

 

[davehc]

[quote"MenuShowDelay"="200"
"HungAppTimeout"="4000"
"WaitToKillAppTimeout"="5000"
.[/quote]


For informatiom, The first item is the only one which will affect the speed of the menu. It can work for some, no doubt, but I have never found a difference.
The second two items are concerned with shutdown/logoff times. But I think the figures given may actually invrease it(??) I don't have an original Registry to see what the figures were to start with.
But, fwiw, there are a couple of associated tweaks needed for 100% success. I posted them here earlier:

https://www.w7forums.com/turning-off-computer-t3916.html#post25325

But, here they are again.
Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control PanelDesktop\
Highlight the WaitToKillAppTimeout value.
Set it to 1000.

Now highlight the HungAppTimeout value
Set it to 1000′ also.

And for all users
Navigate to to ‘HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control
Panel\Desktop
Highlight the WaitToKillAppTimeout value.
Set it to 1000.
Now highlight the HungAppTimeout value.
Set it to 1000.

And to kill any lingering services:

Navigate to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\
Highlight the value WaitToKillServiceTimeout
Change this value to 1000.
You can try lower values, but this hack has been in use since early Vista, and the recommended values have been found as the best compromise.

 

[Ian]

another quick one that may come in handy is "god mode"

http://pcwizkidstechtalk.com/index.php/godmode-windows7.html this guy has a few good ones

Ah yes, I can't believe I forgot about this one! It was posted here a while back and is a very handy tool. Thanks for the reminder!