**Baddass' Guide to Windows Performance, Optimization, Security and Tweaking**

[Jimbu]

Cheers Badass. Helped loads without installing any progs, system now boots up in seconds.

 

[cornhairboy]

fantastic guide, real straight forward

 

[Rancidelephant]

This for me is the holy grail of usefullness and i hope it will be for you too.

The Thing that actually causes the problem is the ide drivers, so all we have to do is revert them to their original state.

1. Extract the following four files from your WINDOWS\Driver Cache\i386\Driver.cab
If you are using a service pack extract the files from the SPx.cab where x is the number of the service pack

Atapi.sys Intlide.sys Pciide.sys Pciidex.sys

2. Copy those four files into the WINDOWS\System32\Drivers folder (overwrite the files if it asks)

3. Merge the following registry file found below. To merge, for those of you who dont know, copy the text into notepad and save it as a .reg file. Exit notepad and double click the file you just made. Say yes to merge and your done!

***************COPY EVERYTHING BELOW THIS LINE **********

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\CriticalDeviceDatabase\primary_ide_channel]
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"
"Service"="atapi"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\CriticalDeviceDatabase\secondary_ide_channel]
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"
"Service"="atapi"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\CriticalDeviceDatabase\*pnp0600]
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"
"Service"="atapi"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\CriticalDeviceDatabase\*azt0502]
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"
"Service"="atapi"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\CriticalDeviceDatabase\gendisk]
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E967-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"
"Service"="disk"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#cc_0101]
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"
"Service"="pciide"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_0e11&dev_ae33]
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"
"Service"="pciide"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_1039&dev_0601]
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"
"Service"="pciide"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\CriticalDeviceDatabase \pci#ven_1039&dev_5513]
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"
"Service"="pciide"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_1042&dev_1000]
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"
"Service"="pciide"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_105a&dev_4d33]
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"
"Service"="pciide"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_1095&dev_0640]
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"
"Service"="pciide"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_1095&dev_0646]
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"
"Service"="pciide"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_1095&dev_0646&REV_05]
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"
"Service"="pciide"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_1095&dev_0646&REV_07]
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"
"Service"="pciide"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_1095&dev_0648]
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"
"Service"="pciide"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_1095&dev_0649]
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"
"Service"="pciide"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_1097&dev_0038]
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"
"Service"="pciide"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_10ad&dev_0001]
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"
"Service"="pciide"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_10ad&dev_0150]
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"
"Service"="pciide"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_10b9&dev_5215]
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"
"Service"="pciide"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_10b9&dev_5219]
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"
"Service"="pciide"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_10b9&dev_5229]
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"
"Service"="pciide"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_1106&dev_0571]
"Service"="pciide"
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_8086&dev_1222]
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"
"Service"="intelide"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_8086&dev_1230]
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"
"Service"="intelide"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_8086&dev_2411]
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"
"Service"="intelide"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_8086&dev_2421]
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"
"Service"="intelide"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_8086&dev_7010]
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"
"Service"="intelide"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_8086&dev_7111]
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"
"Service"="intelide"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_8086&dev_7199]
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"
"Service"="intelide"

;Add driver for Atapi (requires Atapi.sys in Drivers directory)

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Servic es\atapi]
"ErrorControl"=dword:00000001
"Group"="SCSI miniport"
"Start"=dword:00000000
"Tag"=dword:00000019
"Type"=dword:00000001
"DisplayName"="Standard IDE/ESDI Hard Disk Controller"
"ImagePath"=hex(2):53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00, 32,00,5c,00,44,00,\
52,00,49,00,56,00,45,00,52,00,53,00,5c,00,61,00,74 ,00,61,00,70,00,69,00,2e,\
00,73,00,79,00,73,00,00,00

;Add driver for intelide (requires intelide.sys in drivers directory)

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Servic es\IntelIde]
"ErrorControl"=dword:00000001
"Group"="System Bus Extender"
"Start"=dword:00000000
"Tag"=dword:00000004
"Type"=dword:00000001
"ImagePath"=hex(2):53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00, 32,00,5c,00,44,00,\
52,00,49,00,56,00,45,00,52,00,53,00,5c,00,69,00,6e ,00,74,00,65,00,6c,00,69,\
00,64,00,65,00,2e,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,00,00


;Add driver for Pciide (requires Pciide.sys and Pciidex.sys in Drivers directory)

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Servic es\PCIIde]
"ErrorControl"=dword:00000001
"Group"="System Bus Extender"
"Start"=dword:00000000
"Tag"=dword:00000003
"Type"=dword:00000001
"ImagePath"=hex(2):53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00, 32,00,5c,00,44,00,\
52,00,49,00,56,00,45,00,52,00,53,00,5c,00,70,00,63 ,00,69,00,69,00,64,00,65,\
00,2e,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,00,00

 

[Rancidelephant]

Thats it ... your done !!! away you go. I hope you find this helpful and it saves you time. What i reccomend you do is this ...

1. Slipstream service pack 2
2. Install all programs that you usually install Up to a total of 4Gb
3. Perform the process above
4. Get a copy of Norton Ghost, ghost your windows drive.
5. Burn the Ghost image to a DVD

You now have a fully working windows install that you can put in a DVD drive and have a working windows install in 10 minutes with all your favorite programs installed.

I Posted this in a reply to prevent confusion with the .reg file.

Feel free to ask any questions.

Enjoy!

 

[Deleted member 651465]

There is a "run" command on www.tweakxp.com that you can type to totally remove Windows Messenger, as it seems to stick around even after you delete it.. maybe link to that?

 

[zac1]

What ever anyone says, No swearing! hot mate NICE Thread.
It might have been done before but there are always new people looking for help.
Great Baddass!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

 

[Deleted member 651465]

There is a "run" command on www.tweakxp.com that you can type to totally remove Windows Messenger, as it seems to stick around even after you delete it.. maybe link to that?

RunDll32 advpack.dll,LaunchINFSection %windir%\INF\msmsgs.inf,BLC.Remove

Type that in your "run" dialog box.. et víola.. no more windows messenger, so easy!

 

[Spyhop]

Regarding the page file, which would be the faster set up?

160GB SATA for windows/games/pagefile

or

160GB SATA for windows/games
80GB PATA for pagefile

 

[BoomAM]

Why would you need 80Gb for just the pagefile?
You'd be better off making the first 2Gb of the 80Gb as a partition for just the page file, then use the rest for something else.

 

[Spyhop]

It wouldn't be just for the page file.

My question is whether it'd be faster to keep the page file on the main SATA drive with the windows installation etc. or to have it on a seperate (slower?) IDE drive.

SATA is a 160GB 7200RPM Segatate NCQ
PATA/IDE is 80GB 7200RPM Samsung

 

[BoomAM]

Theres no difference in performance between 90% of SATA drives & their IDE counterparts atm.
But i personally would recommend putting the swapfile on a seperate drive to the windows installation, at the start of the drive (first partition), as it can be accessed faster there.

 

[Spyhop]

Okay, sounds good, thanks.

 

[Deleted member 651465]

Is it best to do the tweaks straight after a fresh install, or after all the drivers and programs are installed?

 

[BoomAM]

After everythings installed, drivers, programs, whatnot.
Then set a restore point or ghost your drive as safety, then tweak away!

 

[Deleted member 651465]

WOW! What a fast reply

Cheers for that, I'm actually formatting now and needed a fast answer! ha!

If anyone needs it, the link to what pagefile sizes are best is HERE
Source: www.microsoft.com

 

[BoomAM]

lol.
I have my email set to check every 20mins, and threads on the forum set to instant notification.

Anyway:
Pagefiles are a matter of opinion. Different sizes/settings have their advantages and disadvantages.
Ive allways found that with 512Mb or more ram, that a swapfile on its own 2Gb partition set at 1536Mb Min/Max is best. And to further that, on a seperate drive, as the first partition (fastest area of drive).

Unfortunatelly, most of the MS guides, dont take into account that many people have over 5-10x the ammount of memory that was standard at the time that MS wrote the 'guides'.

 

[Deleted member 651465]

EDIT:

Changed pagefile to 1024MB min/max.. all gravy now

Cheers for the help. Awesome thread this

 

[BoomAM]

Dont know where you go those numbers from.
Minimum Pagefile size set at 1536, max at 1536. Making the size static.

 

[P90]

wow its like twice the speed and faster and quick on line as well thax a lot

 

[Beansprout]

Comprehensive list of Firefox about:config options:

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Firefox_:_FAQs_:_About:config_Entries

A site with a FF tweaking guide - www.tweakfirefox.com - tweaks written by a member here, site designed by another member.