1. Registry Tweaks:

Following topic contains a few registry tweaks to optimize your system performance and add a few useful extras:

2. Right-click on Computer icon on Desktop and select Properties (or press WIN + Pause/Break keys). Now click on Advanced system settings link in left side pane (You can open it directly by giving sysdm.cpl command in RUN or start menu search box). Now click on Settings button in Performance section:

It’ll open another window. Disable all unnecessary options in Visual Effects tab, you can leave following options enabled according to your requirements:

• Enable Aero Peek (If you want to use Aero Peek feature)
• Enable desktop composition (If you want to use Windows Aero theme)
• Enable transparent glass (If you want to use transparency in Windows)
• Show thumbnails instead of icons (If you want to show thumbnails in Explorer)
• Show window contents while dragging (If you want windows to show contents while moving them)
• Smooth edges of screen fonts (If you want to show smooth fonts)
• Use drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop (If you want to show shadows under desktop icon labels)
• Use visual styles on windows and buttons (If you want to use Windows Aero or Basic theme)

3. Open Windows Explorer and go to “Organize -> Folder and Search Options” and click on “View” tab.

Now disable following options:

• Display file size information in folder tips
• Hide extensions for known file types
• Show encrypted or compressed NTFS files in color
• Show pop-up description for folder and desktop items

4. Right-click on Computer icon on Desktop and select Manage (You can also open it directly by giving services.msc command in RUN or start menu search box).

Now go to Services & Applications -> Services. Here you can set a few unnecessary services to Manual, so that these services don’t start automatically with Windows and you can get a faster startup.

Here is a list of services that can be safely set to MANUAL:

• Application Experience
• Computer Browser (If your computer is not connected to any network)
• Desktop Window Manager Session Manager (If you don’t use Aero glass theme)
• Diagnostic Policy Service
• Distributed Link Tracking Client
• IP Helper
• Offline Files
• Portable Device Enumerator Service
• Print Spooler (If you don’t have a Printer)
• Protected Storage
• Remote Registry
• Secondary Logon
• Security Center
• Server (If your computer is not connected to any network)
• Tablet PC Input Service
• TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper (If you are not in a workgroup network)
• Themes ( If you use Windows Classic theme)
• Windows Error Reporting Service
• Windows Media Center Service Launcher
• Windows Search (If you don’t use Windows Search feature frequently)
• Windows Time (If you don’t want to update system tray clock time using Internet)

PS: You can see the details of each service to determine whether you should disable it or not.

5. Type msconfig in RUN or Start Menu search box and press Enter. Now go to Startup tab and disable unwanted startup entries. You can disable your graphics card’s driver utility, Sound Card utility, etc to speed up the system startup and to increase system performance.

6. Open Sound applet in Control Panel (or type mmsys.cpl in RUN or Start Menu search box and press Enter). Now go to Sounds tab and select No Soundsfrom Sound Scheme section. You can keep some of your favorite sounds enabled but make sure to set Exit Windows, Windows Log off, Windows Logon and Start Navigation to (None).

Also disable “Play Windows Startup sound” option to disable the sound clip which is played at login screen.

7. Also don’t forget to:

• Install only necessary software
• Use the latest device drivers
• Keep your Windows up-to-date

After following all the above mentioned points, you’ll definitely notice major improvements in your Windows 7 performance.