Reducing Vista memory Usage

[PITTBULL-DoW-]

FRESH INSTALL ONLY NOTE: on underlined step 3 you can perform anytime on your install

 

 

 

on a fresh install on 64 bit Vista your memory usage will be between 38 and 45% in use on idle

 

i know i dont want that or all the security shit that comes with it, its a good OS just uses to much resource

 

 

so lets get your memory usage down to say around 17 to 20% much better than 40%

 

 

 

 

 

Get rid of the customer experience nag box

 

You may run into this annoying nag box with your new installation of Vista if you did not chose to automatically activate.

 

You may have noticed you cannot dismiss it until you check "OK, participate in the Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program" and then check "NO"

 

and then it repeats this 2 more times.

 

Solution:

 

Must be logged in with admin Privileges.

 

Open control panel and go to administrative tools, or directly to administrative tools if you have the menu enabled in your start bar.

 

Go to Scheduled tasks

 

On the left you will see a folder called Microsoft.

 

Go to Microsoft>windows>CustomerExperienceImprovementProgram.

 

you will see two tasks in the upper right pane, right click on them and chose disable.

 

This will stop the nag. But there is no reason for them to be there, so go ahead and delete each task, and then delete the folder.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

Get rid of UAC

 

This should be done on a fresh install before any software is installed. (potential to cause issues with permissions if that is not followed, however I have not expeirance any.)

 

First open windows security center and chose "Change the way Security Center alerts me"

Chose "don't alert me and don't show the icon".

This must be done before you disable UAC.

 

Then Windows key + R to get the run command, if you havent re-enabled it in the start menu. Then run MSCONFIG.

 

Chose the 'tools' tab and scroll to "Disable UAC" run that and restart.

 

 

 

Free up Memory and Resources this reduce ram usage

 

Some of these tweaks will make your system more secure, while others will free up significant system resources and remove annoying nag boxes, at the expense of removing what little protection the services provide.

 

 

Windows defender:

No thanks, If I wanted to build a fortress I would not have used windows... pardon the pun.. Disable this resource hog

Start, All programs, Windows defender. Chose tools, then options and un-check everything, especially "Use windows defender" and hit save.

 

Remote access:

This is a terrible security risk to have enabled. Hit the Windows key and Pause/Break and in the left side bar chose "remote settings". Under remote Assistance un-check Allow Remote Assistance connections to this computer. Under Remote Desktop chose Don't allow connections to this computer.

 

Parental Controls:

Are you serious? Sorry, my desktop is rated NR.

Hit Windows key + R to get the run dialog and type "MSCONFIG". Chose the services Tab and scroll down to Parental Controls and un-check it.

While you are here, also un-check "Secondary Logon", "Remote Registry", "windows Error Reporting Service" (all security risks) and "Security Center" (at this point it only tells you if windows firewall and your virus scanner is working, its useless.) This will reclaim some resources. Save the changes. *you will have to restart*

 

Automatic updates:

Vista (like XP) will continualy search for updates if you let it. You can easily disable by running Windows Update and in the left pane chose Change Settings. Then check Never check for updates and click ok. Just besure to check for updates periodicly. You can take this one step further and go into your services window and disable the windows update service to safe more resources, just besure to turn it on when you want to check for updates.

 

Hope this helped you free up some ram and make your system more secure!

[Duality]

Disabling the Customer Improvement Program dialogues is a good idea but...

 

Disabling UAC - Stupid thing to do... Annoying, yes - but silly to disable it, as it might well save your skin - particularly if you are an IE user. Linux has the same thing implemented in an even worse way - but people don't moan about it. This is just jumping on the bandwagon I reckon.

 

Freeing up RAM - If you think you need to do all that to free up RAM in Vista, you are wrong. Vista uses a different style of memory management, as in it uses as much as it needs until it is used by a different program. What is the point of having 2Gb of RAM if your OS only uses 256Mb of it? Vista uses a lot of RAM to keep itself running smooth. Run a game or other RAM intensive operation and Vista will free up the RAM as necessary.

 

As for the other points, disable Windows Defender - its crap. I agree with that point :lol:. Don't disable automatic updates fully though - just set it to notify and not download and install without permission. That way you always stay up to date without it using resources or bandwidth.

[RoadWarrior]

If you want to free up RAM and CPU useage, simply right click your My Computer icon, select properties, click on Advanced System Settings, and then click on the performance tab of the new box that opens up. Then click on the first (top) settings tab, and choose the Best Performance option. This will make Vista look like Windows 2000, fyi, but it turns off that stupid clock and all the performance-eating glam that comes with the operating system.

 

Other tweaks of interest.

 

Click start/run type in msconfig. In the box that opens up, click on the Boot tab, then click the Advanced Options tab in the center. In the Processors box, you'll notice only a 1 is present. If you have a multi-core processor, such as I do, you'll want to change that value to = the number of cores you have. In my case, changed to 4. This is the number of cores used to load Windows on boot-up. Click ok, but don't close the main box, as yet. Now, you'll see a box that has a setting of 30 seconds in it, labelled Timeout, change the value to 3 seconds(lowest possible value) and put a check in the box right below it labelled Make all boot settings permanent. Now click apply and ok on your way out, and restart your PC. You'll notice a much quicker boot-time. :) Enjoy!

 

For those looking to get every last ounce of performance from their hard drives, here's another option you may want to try.

 

Double click on My Computer, then Right click your C drive, select properties and in the box that pops up, click the Hardware tab, then the Properties tab at the bottom.

 

Now click the Change Settings tab at the bottom of the box in the General section(General tab at top of new box).

 

Another box will pop up, click the Policies tab at the top, and select the Optimize Performance option, along with write-caching and enable advanced performance below it. These are off, by default, and make for slower hard drive performance.

 

One warning, with this last option, is that your system may become un-recoverable, in the event of a hard drive crash. Up to you, don't say the warning was not stated. ;)

 

Click apply and ok on your way out, and enjoy less hard-drive thrashing in Vista. :)

[=BLACKWOLF=]

User account control's a complete pain. I can't really see removing it improving performance, although disabling it does stop a lot of frustration :)

[RoadWarrior]

UAC is annoying, but something you get used too, over time. Personally, I've been running Vista for about 7 months now, and wouldn't go back to XP.

[Duality]

User account control's a complete pain. I can't really see removing it improving performance, although disabling it does stop a lot of frustration :)

 

Because $ sudo is any better? :P

[PITTBULL-DoW-]

im just saying thats the resource deduction if you want the is no reason for these functionalities alot of people wanted to know so i posted it your choice

 

NOTE: disabling any of this does not cause any system problems at all and will reduce your memory usage at least 40% of what is being used on your system at stock install

and to Duality i know this stuff well stick to your PB knowledge calling bullshit on this is stupid and sorry to say so are you, if you believe so, this method is proven and rock solid if your a gamer you want to free all resources so dont call bullshit on me or ill be a dick

 

this was posted from me recieving pms here b/c i had posted somethign about it and people wanted to know if you dont like it stay the f*ck off my thread

 

NOTE if you have a obsession with porn then maybe you should keep all these running

 

this was Courtesy of RoBoTCoRpSe of EVGA

Edited November 27, 2008 by PITTBULL-DoW-

[RoadWarrior]

No reason to be getting offensive.

 

In actual fact, i inadvertently called BS on the initial post, and believe it or not, you're not the first person to post on these forums that knows a thing or two about computers.

 

The difference is, that the tweaks I posted actually work to reduce cpu and memory useage, as well as decrease boot-times and improve over-all performance. By no means an inclusive list, but amongst the easier ones for an average user to do.

 

I just didn't call BS with text, but rather posted something useful behind your dribble. Not saying all of your initial post was un-useable either, which is why I chose not to go that route, but to add to it. Just make sure, that when you post something like this, that you also add a warning about potential effects. See my hard drive tweak warning.

 

Turning off UAC does nothing, other than open a large number of vulnerabilities up to the operating system. It's an option for experienced users, not for an average user. That needs to be stated, and really, it's only annoying for a little while, you get used to it over time.

[RoadWarrior]

Thing is, it's one thing to post some useful info, but if there's a need for a warning for a change made, it should also be posted.

 

I've tried many, many tweaks for Vista, and I run the 64x Ultimate version. Many of those tweaks include registry edits, and would not be something I would post up without a disclaimer/warning so that at least an average computer user has the knowledge that things may be affected in a manner other than desired, and that they need to know what they changed, in order to regain what they had prior to such a change.

 

Best advice, to anyone attempting tweaks found posted around the internet, is to make one change at a time, and then make sure you can also reverse it with a system backup and registry backup, so that returning to the previous state is possible for your personal install and needs.

 

Second thing I have to say, is that there's no reason to get "in someone's face" with threats, on these or other forums.

[hugin]

and to Duality i know this stuff well stick to your PB knowledge calling bullshit on this is stupid and sorry to say so are you, if you believe so, this method is proven and rock solid if your a gamer you want to free all resources so dont call bullshit on me or ill be a dick

You are forgetting one major important thing that the other have mentioned here, the fact that not everyone is that up to date and have the knowledge to pull off a tweak like this and having the experience to recover if this method of your would fail for them. That is way they made a legit point to your post and your lack of understanding for such issues on a forum that provides streaming service for PB enabled video games is just telling me, and others that you should keep such to other forums for such issues and not to a forum that is solely to provide streaming and PB service. The fact that you go all hostile when someone make a valid point and questioning your methods should pretty much tells me you know allot about tweaking computers with the best intension but obviously do not how to fix stupid.

 

If you cant take some friendly criticism without going rant as a child, please go elsewhere with your posts.

[MaydaX]

The answer is simple .... Remove Vista and install Windows Xp :P

[Merlintime]

The answer is simple .... Remove Vista and install Windows Xp :P

+1

[RoadWarrior]

I wouldn't go back to XP, tbh. I'm currently sitting at 0% cpu-useage with the odd spike to 3% and at 38% memory useage, which is nothing to worry about, with 4GB installed. Could reduce it a bit if I didn't have multiple programs and multiple web browsers opened all at once. :P

[Merlintime]

I wouldn't go back to XP, tbh. I'm currently sitting at 0% cpu-useage with the odd spike to 3% and at 38% memory useage, which is nothing to worry about, with 4GB installed. Could reduce it a bit if I didn't have multiple programs and multiple web browsers opened all at once. :P

I guess if I actually sat down and messed with Vista for more than a few hours since they've made changes I'd have a different opinion. Early experiences with Vista weren't positive and I reloaded my system back to XP. My XP system has performed really well and I'm very happy with it despite being a Microsoft product. :)

 

I guess it's time to give it another try........on a test system. :D

[Duality]

I guess if I actually sat down and messed with Vista for more than a few hours since they've made changes I'd have a different opinion. Early experiences with Vista weren't positive and I reloaded my system back to XP. My XP system has performed really well and I'm very happy with it despite being a Microsoft product. :)

 

I guess it's time to give it another try........on a test system. :D

 

Takes a bit of getting used to - but once you find the things you need, it works great :)

[RoadWarrior]

Try my "best performance" tweak listed above, the next time. It puts things back to what you're used to, with XP/2K. It mainly removes the glam and such. I ran XP the same way, fyi.

[=BLACKWOLF=]

Because $ sudo is any better? :P

 

I don't use the command prompt apart from installing drivers :)

 

and to Duality i know this stuff well stick to your PB knowledge calling bullshit on this is stupid and sorry to say so are you, if you believe so, this method is proven and rock solid if your a gamer you want to free all resources so dont call bullshit on me or ill be a dick

 

I prefer security over a miniscule free-up of RAM. UAC is there for security. I noticed no performance increase whatsoever when I disabled UAC. Windows Defender, on the other hand, is a different matter.

 

Disabling automatic updates is NOT an option IMO. Change it to notify you first. Disabling updates completely is a security risk.

[Duality]

I don't use the command prompt apart from installing drivers :)

 

 

 

I prefer security over a miniscule free-up of RAM. UAC is there for security. I noticed no performance increase whatsoever when I disabled UAC. Windows Defender, on the other hand, is a different matter.

 

Really? I use terminal too much then! :lol:

 

My latest assignment is about bash scripting though - so I guess it comes with the territory :P

[=BLACKWOLF=]

I don't personally see the advantage in using the command prompt unless it's required. Double click a deb file, or open a terminal, cd to the directory, then use dpkg to install it. I think I'll take the double click :P

[Benway]

LoL @this topic http://www.annoyances.org/