speeding up “windows 7” - tucson computer...

1

SPEEDING UP

“WINDOWS 7”

http://aztcs.org/

http://aztcs.org/

http://apcug.org/

http://apcug.org/

2

Web location for

this presentation:

http://aztcs.org

Click on “Meeting Notes”`

3

SUMMARYUsing the "System" applet of the

Windows “Control Panel” and

using services.msc which is a

“Microsoft Management

Console” Snap-in, you can

dramatically increase the speed

of any “Windows 7” computer, as

perceived by the end-user.

4

BASIC STRATEGY

• No direct editing of the “registry”

• Make reversible changes to the

"Windows.." operating system

• Make “image backups” and

“restore points”, prior to making

changes

• Take advantage of the

compounding effects of multiple

speedup tweaks

5

PROCEDURE & TOPICS

• Step 1: Make an image backup

of your "Windows" hard drive

• Step 2: Create a “restore point”

with Windows' "System Restore"

• Step 3: Set “Visual Effects” for

“..best performance”

• Step 4: Supersize the swap file

6

PROCEDURE & TOPICS (continued)

• Step 5: Run “Revo Uninstaller

Freeware”

• Step 6: Use "services.msc" to

disable some services

• Step 7: Perform “Error-checking”

on all hard drives.

• Step 9: Defragment all hard drives

• Step 10: Turn off startup programs

http://aztcs.org/meeting_notes/winhardsig/speedupWindows/startup_programs.pdf

7

DETAILS OF STEP 1:

Drive Image Backup

• Use "Redo Backup", "Macrium

Reflect Free Edition",

"Clonezilla", "Acronis True

Image Home..", or "Windows

Backup" AND an external hard

drive to create a "backup

image" of the entire C: drive of

your “Windows 7..” computer.

http://redobackup.org/

http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx

http://clonezilla.org/

http://ugr.com/TrueImage.html

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Back-up-your-files

8

DETAILS OF STEP 1:

Drive Image Backup (continued)

• Our instructions for using the

free and open source

“Clonezilla” to make an image

backup of a hard drive can be

found at

http://aztcs.org/meeting_notes/w

inhardsig/CZ-backup.pdf

http://aztcs.org/meeting_notes/winhardsig/CZ-backup.pdf

9

DETAILS OF STEP 2:

Create a “Restore Point”

• Use Windows' “System Restore” to

create a “restore point”

o See

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-

US/windows7/Create-a-restore-point

and

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/31

95/create-a-system-restore-point-in-

windows-7/

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Create-a-restore-point

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/3195/create-a-system-restore-point-in-windows-7/

10

DETAILS OF STEP 2:

Create a “Restore Point” (continued)• Step 2a: Click on the “Start” button which is

located at the left or bottom of the gray

"taskbar" in “Windows 7”:

11

DETAILS OF STEP 2:

Create a “Restore Point” (continued)• Step 2b: Click on "Control Panel" in the Start

menu:

12

DETAILS OF STEP 2:

Create a “Restore Point” (continued)

• Step 2c: Double-click on “System” in the

“Control Panel”.

13

DETAILS OF STEP 2:

Create a “Restore Point” (continued)• Step 2d: A "System" box will be displayed:

14

DETAILS OF STEP 2:

Create a “Restore Point” (continued)• Step 2e: Double-click on "System protection":

15

DETAILS OF STEP 2:

Create a “Restore Point” (continued)• Step 2f: Click on the "Create" button:

16

DETAILS OF STEP 2:

Create a “Restore Point” (continued)• Step 2g: A "Create a restore point" box will be

displayed:

17

DETAILS OF STEP 2:

Create a “Restore Point” (continued)• Step 2h: Type in an appropriate name for the

restore point:

18

DETAILS OF STEP 2:

Create a “Restore Point” (continued)• Step 2i: Click on the "Create" button:

19

DETAILS OF STEP 2:

Create a “Restore Point” (continued)

20

DETAILS OF STEP 2:

Create a “Restore Point” (continued)• Step 2j: Click on the "Close" button:

21

DETAILS OF STEP 3:

Set “Visual Effects” for “Best Performance”

• Step 3a: Double-click on “System” in the


22

DETAILS OF STEP 3:

Set “Visual Effects”.. (continued)• Step 3b: A "System" box will be displayed:

23

DETAILS OF STEP 3:

Set “Visual Effects”.. (continued)• Step 3c: Click on “Advanced System

Settings":

24

DETAILS OF STEP 3:

Set “Visual Effects”.. (continued)• Step 3d: If a "User Account Control" box is

displayed, click on its "Yes" button:

25

DETAILS OF STEP 3:

Set “Visual Effects”.. (continued)• Step 3e: A "System Properties" box will be

displayed:

26

DETAILS OF STEP 3:

Set “Visual Effects”.. (continued)• Step 3f: Click on the “Settings” button in the

“Performance” section (of the "Advanced"

tab):

27

DETAILS OF STEP 3:

Set “Visual Effects”.. (continued)• Step 3g: A "Performance Options" box will be

displayed:

28

DETAILS OF STEP 3:

Set “Visual Effects”.. (continued)• Step 3h: Select the “Adjust for best

performance” option (in the "Visual Effects"

tab):

29

DETAILS OF STEP 3:

Set “Visual Effects”.. (continued)

• Step 3i: Click on the “Apply” button of the

“Performance Options” box (if the “Apply”

button is not grayed out.)

30

DETAILS OF STEP 3:

Set “Visual Effects”.. (continued)• Step 3j: Click on the “OK” button of the

"Performance Options" box.

31

DETAILS OF STEP 3:


• Step 3k: The “Performance

Options” box will disappear.

32

DETAILS OF STEP 3:


• Step 3L: Click on the “OK” button of

the “System Properties” box:

33

DETAILS OF STEP 3:


• Step 3m: The “System

Properties” box will disappear.

34

DETAILS OF STEP 4:

Supersize the Swap File

• Step 4a: Double-click on “System” in the


35

DETAILS OF STEP 4:

Supersize the Swap File (continued)• Step 4b: A "System" box will be displayed:

36

DETAILS OF STEP 4:

Supersize the Swap File (continued)• Step 4c: Click on “Advanced System

Settings":

37

DETAILS OF STEP 4:

Supersize the Swap File (continued)• Step 4d: If a "User Account Control" box is


38

DETAILS OF STEP 4:

Supersize the Swap File (continued)• Step 4e: A "System Properties" box will be

displayed:

39

DETAILS OF STEP 4:

Supersize the Swap File (continued)• Step 4f: Click on the “Settings” button in the

“Performance” section (of the "Advanced"

tab):

40

DETAILS OF STEP 4:

Supersize the Swap File (continued)• Step 4g: A "Performance Options" box will be

displayed:

41

DETAILS OF STEP 4:

Supersize the Swap File (continued)• Step 4h: Click on the "Advanced" tab:

42

DETAILS OF STEP 4:

Supersize the Swap File (continued)• Step 4i: Click on the “Change” button in the

“Virtual Memory” section (of the “Advanced”

tab):

43

DETAILS OF STEP 4:

Supersize the Swap File (continued)• Step 4j: A “Virtual Memory” box will be

displayed:

44

DETAILS OF STEP 4:

Supersize the Swap File (continued)

• Step 4k: If you find one there,

remove the checkmark from

"Automatically manage paging

file for all drives":

45

DETAILS OF STEP 4:


46

DETAILS OF STEP 4:


• Step 4L: Select the "Custom

size" option:

47

DETAILS OF STEP 4:


48

DETAILS OF STEP 4:

Supersize the Swap File (continued)• Step 4m: Change the number in the “Initial

size (MB)” box to a much larger value but do

not exceed the “Space Available” value that is

displayed. (We suggest 100000..)

49

DETAILS OF STEP 4:

Supersize the Swap File (continued)• Step 4n: Change the number in the

“Maximum size (MB)” box to the same

number that you used in “Step 4m”.

50

DETAILS OF STEP 4:

Supersize the Swap File (continued)• Step 4o: Click on “Set” button in the “Virtual

Memory” box.

51

DETAILS OF STEP 4:

Supersize the Swap File (continued)• Step 4p: If a "System Properties" box states

that you have to set the maximum page file

size below 4096, click on its "OK" button and

go immediately to Step 4za in “Appendix 1”

on page 114:

52

DETAILS OF STEP 4:

Supersize the Swap File (continued)• Step 4q: Click on the “OK” button of the

“Virtual Memory” box to make it disappear:

53

DETAILS OF STEP 4:


• Step 4r: If a "System Control Panel Applet"

box states that you have to "..restart your

computer.., click on its "OK" button to make

this box disappear:

54

DETAILS OF STEP 4:

Supersize the Swap File (continued)• Step 4s: Click on the “OK” button of the

“Performance Options” box to make it

disappear:

55

DETAILS OF STEP 4:

Supersize the Swap File (continued)• Step 4t: Click on the “OK” button of the

“System Properties” box to make it disappear:

56

DETAILS OF STEP 4:


• Step 4u: If a “System Settings Change” box

states that “You must restart your

computer..”, click on its “Yes” button:

57

DETAILS OF STEP 4:


• Step 4v: After your computer

reboots, use your Web browser and

other software application programs

to see if your computer is

significantly faster than prior to the

performance of this procedure.

58

DETAILS OF STEP 4:


• Step 4w: If your computer is not

signficantly faster, perform Step 4a

through Step 4v, and try a larger

minimum and maximum swap file

size in "Step 4m" and "Step 4n".

59

DETAILS OF STEP 5:

Run “Revo Uninstaller Freeware”

• Run “Revo Uninstaller Free” to

remove unwanted toolbars,

updaters, and miscellaneous

software programs.

o See

http://www.revouninstaller.com/rev

o_uninstaller_free_download.html

http://www.revouninstaller.com/revo_uninstaller_free_download.html

60

DETAILS OF STEP 5:

Run “Revo Uninstaller Freeware”

61

DETAILS OF STEP 6:

Use “services.msc” to disable some services• Step 6a: Click on the “Start” button which is



62

DETAILS OF STEP 6:

Use “services.msc”.. (continued)

• Step 6b: The Windows "Start menu" will be

displayed:

63

DETAILS OF STEP 6:

Use “services.msc”.. (continued)• Step 6c: Inside the "Search" box, type

services.msc

64

DETAILS OF STEP 6:


• Step 6d: Press the Enter key of the

keyboard.

65

DETAILS OF STEP 6:


• Step 6e: If a "User Account Control" box is


66

DETAILS OF STEP 6:


• Step 6f: A “Services” window will be displayed:

67

DETAILS OF STEP 6:


68

DETAILS OF STEP 6:

Use “services.msc”.. (continued)• Step 6g: Click on “Action” in the Menu bar

69

DETAILS OF STEP 6:


• Step 6h: Click on the “Export List” in the pull-

down menu:

70

DETAILS OF STEP 6:


• Step 6i: Use the "Export List.." box

to save the “List Report” to a

location in any hard drive, giving

the report an appropriate name

based on the time and date. (The

comma delimited .csv opens with

less problems in Microsoft Excel,

compared to the other available file

formats.)

71

DETAILS OF STEP 6:


72

DETAILS OF STEP 6:


73

DETAILS OF STEP 6:


• Step 6j: Stop and disable “services” that you

do not need. (Do not make any changes to

the "Volume Shadow Copy" service or the

"Power Service". The "Power Service" is

needed by "Windows Audio" service so

disabling it will cause your sound card to fail.

The "IP Helper" service is needed for

conventional file and printer sharing in

"Windows 7" and "Windows 8".)

74

DETAILS OF STEP 6:


Step 6k: For documentation on what you can

stop and disable, see

http://svchost-exe.net/standard-windows-7-

services

and

http://www.blackviper.com/2010/12/17/black-

vipers-windows-7-service-pack-1-service-

configurations/

and

http://www.techknowl.com/disable-unwanted-

services-and-speed-up.html

http://svchost-exe.net/standard-windows-7-services

http://www.blackviper.com/2010/12/17/black-vipers-windows-7-service-pack-1-service-configurations/

http://www.techknowl.com/disable-unwanted-services-and-speed-up.html

75

DETAILS OF STEP 6:


and

http://oakroadsystems.com/tech/7service.htm

and

http://www.computingunleashed.com/speed-

up-windows-7-ultimate-guide-to.html

and

http://windows7themes.net/windows-7-

services-safe-to-disable.html

http://oakroadsystems.com/tech/7service.htm

http://www.computingunleashed.com/speed-up-windows-7-ultimate-guide-to.html

http://windows7themes.net/windows-7-services-safe-to-disable.html

76

DETAILS OF STEP 6:


and

http://tweakhound.com/windows7/tweaking/8.

html

and

http://www.optimizingpc.com/windows7/optimi

zing_windows_7_services.html

and

http://www.techknowl.com/disable-unwanted-

services-and-speed-up.html

http://tweakhound.com/windows7/tweaking/8.html

http://www.optimizingpc.com/windows7/optimizing_windows_7_services.html

http://www.techknowl.com/disable-unwanted-services-and-speed-up.html

77

DETAILS OF STEP 6:


For example, to stop and disable the "Themes"

service, do the following inside the "Services"

box:

Example Step 1: Locate the "Themes" service:

78

DETAILS OF STEP 6:


Example Step 2: Use your RIGHT mouse

botton to click on the "Themes" service:

79

DETAILS OF STEP 6:


Example Step 3: Click on "Properties" in the

pop-up context menu:

80

DETAILS OF STEP 6:

Use “services.msc”.. (continued)Example Step 4: A "Themes Properties" box will

be displayed:

81

DETAILS OF STEP 6:

Use “services.msc”.. (continued)Example Step 5: Click on the "Stop" button to

stop the "Themes" service:

82

DETAILS OF STEP 6:

Use “services.msc”.. (continued)Example Step 6: Click on drop-down list button

to the right of "Automatic"::

83

DETAILS OF STEP 6:

Use “services.msc”.. (continued)Example Step 7: A drop-down list will be

displayed:

84

DETAILS OF STEP 6:

Use “services.msc”.. (continued)Example Step 8: Click on "Disabled" in the

drop-down list:

85

DETAILS OF STEP 6:

Use “services.msc”.. (continued)Example Step 9: "Startup type" will now be

shown as "Disabled":

86

DETAILS OF STEP 6:


Example Step 10: Click on the "Apply" button:

87

DETAILS OF STEP 6:


Example Step 11: Click on the "OK" button to

make the "..Properties.." box disappear:

88

DETAILS OF STEP 6:


• Extended view versus standard view

of theservices.msc "Microsoft

Management Console" snap-in

o See

http://www.winhelponline.com/blog/

configure-services-mmc-to-open-in-

standard-view-by-default/

http://www.winhelponline.com/blog/configure-services-mmc-to-open-in-standard-view-by-default/

89

DETAILS OF STEP 7:

Error-checking on all hard drives• Step 7a: Click on the “Start” button which is

located at the left or bottom of the gray task

bar in “Windows 7”:

90

DETAILS OF STEP 7:

Error-checking on all hard drives• Step 7b: Click on "Computer" in the "Start

menu":

91

DETAILS OF STEP 7:

Error-checking on all hard drives• Step 7c: A "Windows Explorer" window will

be displayed:

92

DETAILS OF STEP 7:

Error-checking on all hard drives (continued)

• Step 7d: Use the RIGHT mouse button to

click on the C: drive:

93

DETAILS OF STEP 7:


• Step 7e: Click on “Properties” on the pop-up

context menu.

94

DETAILS OF STEP 7:


• Step 7f: A “..Properties” box will be

displayed:

95

DETAILS OF STEP 7:


• Step 7g: Click on the “Tools” tab:

96

DETAILS OF STEP 7:


• Step 7h: Click on the “Check now…” button.

97

DETAILS OF STEP 7:


• Step 7i: Select the two options:

• Step 7j: Click on the “Start” button.

98

DETAILS OF STEP 7:


• Step 7k: Click on the “Yes” button:

99

DETAILS OF STEP 7:


• Step 7L: Reboot the computer.

100

DETAILS OF STEP 7:

Error-checking on all hard drives (continued)• Step 7m: A “chkdsk /f” will run during the

startup of “Windows 7”:

101

DETAILS OF STEP 7:


• See

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-

US/windows7/Check-a-drive-for-errors

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Check-a-drive-for-errors

102

DETAILS OF STEP 8:

Defragment all hard drives• Step 8a: Click on the “Start” button which is



103

DETAILS OF STEP 8:

Defragment all hard drives (continued)

• Step 8b: Click on "Computer" in the "Start

menu":

104

DETAILS OF STEP 8:


• Step 8c: A "Windows Explorer" window will

be displayed:

105

DETAILS OF STEP 8:

Defragment all hard drives (continued)• Step 8d: Use the RIGHT mouse button to

click on the C: drive:

106

DETAILS OF STEP 8:


• Step 8e: Click on “Properties” on the pop-up

context menu.

107

DETAILS OF STEP 8:


• Step 8f: A “..Properties” box will be displayed:

108

DETAILS OF STEP 8:


• Step 8g: Click on the “Tools” tab:

109

DETAILS OF STEP 8:

Defragment all hard drives (continued)• Step 8h: Click on the “Defragment Now..”

button.

110

DETAILS OF STEP 8:

Defragment all hard drives (continued)• Step 8i: Click on the “Defragment disk"

button::

111

DETAILS OF STEP 8:


• Step 8j: After the defragmentation for the C:

drive completes, you should defragment any

additional hard drives or hard drive partitions

where you store data files:

Click on the listing of the drive; then click on

the “Defragment" button.

Do NOT run the defragmentation process on

hard drives or hard drive partitions that belong

to the "Windows.." operating system such as

those named "System", "System Reserved",

"Dell Utilities", Factory Image", "Backup", etc.

112

DETAILS OF STEP 8:


• In the example in page 113, you would run

the defragmentation process on drives C:, F:,

and L: , all of which are hard drives that are

used to store data files

• However, you should NOT run the

defragmentation process on the D: drive

which is labeled "Factory_Image

• And, you should not run the defragmentation

process on the hard drive partition which is

labeled "System"

113

DETAILS OF STEP 8:


114

APPENDIX 1

Turning on "Physical Address

Extension" ("PAE")

• Step 4za: Perform “Step 4zb" through

"Step 4zw", only if you were directed

here from “Step 4p” (on page 51).

• The objective of these additional steps is

to turn on "Physical Address Extension"

which is also known as "PAE".

• "PAE" is a Windows kernel extension.

Some processors support it and some

do not.

115

APPENDIX 1

Turning on "PAE" (continued)

• Step 4zb: Go to

http://neosmart.net/EasyBCD/

http://neosmart.net/EasyBCD/

116

APPENDIX 1


117

APPENDIX 1


• Step 4zc: Scroll down to the bottom of

this Web page:

118

APPENDIX 1


• Step 4zd: Click on "Register" button in to

to obtain a copy of "EasyBCD" for

personal, non-commercial use:

119

APPENDIX 1


• Step 4ze: Click on the "Download!"

button:

120

APPENDIX 1


121

APPENDIX 1


• Step 4zf: AStep 4zc: Click on the drop-

down list button to right of the "Save"

button and do a "Save As.." the

"EasyBCD....exe" file to the "Desktop":

122

APPENDIX 1


• Step 4zg: Click on the "Run" button to

install "EasyBCD" into your computer:

123

APPENDIX 1


124

APPENDIX 1


• Step 4zh: If a "User Account Control" box

is displayed, click on its "Yes" button.

125

APPENDIX 1

Turning on "PAE" (continued)• Step 4zi: Click on the "Next" button:

126

APPENDIX 1

Turning on "PAE" (continued)• Step 4zj: Click on the "I Agree" button:

127

APPENDIX 1

Turning on "PAE" (continued)• Step 4zk: Click on the "Next" button:

128

APPENDIX 1

Turning on "PAE" (continued)• Step 4zL: Click on the "Install" button:

129

APPENDIX 1

Turning on "PAE" (continued)• Step 4zm: Click on the "Finish" button:

130

APPENDIX 1


• Step 4zn: Click on the "OK" button:

131

APPENDIX 1


• Step 4zo: The "EasyBCD" application

window will be displayed:

132

APPENDIX 1


133

APPENDIX 1


• Step 4zp: Click on the "Advanced

Settings" button:

134

APPENDIX 1


135

APPENDIX 1


• Step 4zq: The lower right quadrant will

be a "Change Settings" section:

136

APPENDIX 1


• Step 4zr: Click on the "Advanced" tab of

the "Change Settings" section:

137

APPENDIX 1


• Step 4zs: Use the down arrow button to

Change "PAE Support" from "Default" to

"Force Enable":

138

APPENDIX 1


139

APPENDIX 1


140

APPENDIX 1


• Step 4zt: Click on the "Save settings"

button:

141

APPENDIX 1


142

APPENDIX 1


• Step 4zu: Click on the "X" exit button to

close "EasyBCD":

143

APPENDIX 1


144

APPENDIX 1


• Step 4zv: Reboot the computer.

• Step 4zw: Go to “Step 4A” (on page 34).

145

APPENDIX 1


If you are running Windows 7 inside an

"Oracle VM VirtualBox" virtual

machine:

Prior to running the tweak with

"EasyBCD", you will probably have to turn

on "Enable PAE/NX" as follows:

146

APPENDIX 1




machine (continued):

Use the right mouse button to click on the

"Windows 7" virtual machine in the

"Oracle VM VirtualBox Manager" window.

Select "Settings" from the pop-up context

menu.

147

APPENDIX 1


If you are running Windows 7 inside

an "Oracle VM VirtualBox" virtual


Click on the "System" selection of the

"Settings" box.

Click on the "Processor" tab.

148

APPENDIX 1





Put a checkmark in the box to the left of

"Enable PAE/NX", if there is not one

already there.

Click on the "OK" button of the "Settings"

box.

149

APPENDIX 1


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