Windows Vista
HOWTO: Completely Remove Wireless Network
Log in as true 'Administrator', then open cmd...
netsh wlan show profiles netsh wlan delete profile name="ProfileName"
http://superuser.com/questions/91137/how-to-completely-remove-a-wireless-network-setup-from-vista
http://uk.tp-link.com/article/?id=214
Administrator (Super User) Account - How To Enable
This tweak will enable the Administrator (super user) account to be shown on the Vista Welcome Screen.
Vista has built-in administrator account that is by default disabled and hidden. In Windows Vista the administrator account is true super user account (equivalent to root in Unix/Linux), while all other accounts designated as administrators are not 'super users'. The advantage of using the super user administrator account is that it is not subjected to UAC (User Access Control) restriction. The following instructions detail how to enable the super user administrator account:
Click on the Orb/Start button and type 'cmd' (without the speech marks)
Right click on the 'cmd' result shown in the start menu then click on the option "Run as administrator"
Type the following command:
net user administrator /active:yes
Press enter then exit the command prompt
To reverse type the following in the command prompt:
net user administrator /active:no
Business Editions - XP Style Log On Screen
http://jsbi.blogspot.com/2006/12/how-to-change-default-vista-logon.html
The style of the log on screen in Vista is just another example of an area overhauled in comparison with prior versions of the Windows operating system. But what happens if you are found of the logon screen in Windows XP and Windows 2000 to such an extent that this affinity cannot be cured by the Vista logon screen. What happens if you just want to go back. Can you?
Well, the answer is yes. But it is a partial yes, and you will understand this as we go along. But first take a deep breath and make peace with the old logon screen as it is gone for good. But, with Vista, Microsoft does permit a classic style logon screen.
This is possible via the Windows Local Security Policy Editor, or "secpol" tool. To launch the Local Security Policy Editor click start, Control Panel, System Maintenance, Administrative Tools, local Security Policy. Click "Continue" to the prompt presented by the User Account Control. If you are not presented with one, it's fine, just move on.
In the Local Security Policy editor you will see two panes, one on the left with tree-view navigation and one on the right which will have the actual definitions and items to edit. On the left hand side, expand (either by clicking on the arrow or double clicking) the "Local Policies" section, and then click on "Security Options". On the right hand side, scroll down until you see "Interactive logon: Do not display last user name". Double click on this entry and you will be presented with a dialog box that has two options - "Enabled" and "Disabled", with Disabled being selected as default. Change this setting to "Enabled", and then click on the OK button.
http://www.winvistaclub.com/t47.html
After double clicking "Interactive logon: Do not require CTRL+ALT+DEL" select the Disable option and hit OK. Next, close the Local Security Policy editor, as you are done. Log off. When you are prompted by a request to press CTRL-ALT-DEL do so, and you will get the classic style logon screen you have been labored so hard to achieve. I trust that you can return to the default Vista style logon screen by yourselves. What do you say folks!!
Compressed (Zipped) Folder Support - Disable: How To
Open the Registry Editor (regedit.exe).
Navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID
Delete this key:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{E88DCCE0-B7B3-11d1-A9F0-00AA0060FA31}
Delete this key:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{0CD7A5C0-9F37-11CE-AE65-08002B2E1262}
Restart Windows to enable the changes.
Advanced Disk Cleanup Utility
NOTE: This must be done as an administrator, so either log in to 'Administrator' or right click on 'CMD' in the start menu and select 'Run as administrator'.
Windows Command Prompt: cleanmgr /sagetset: 1
IPv6 - How To Disable
To disable certain IPv6 components in Windows Vista follow these steps:
Click the Start Orb, type regedit in the Start Search box, and then click regedit.exe in the Programs list.
In the User Account Control dialog box, click Continue.
In Registry Editor, locate and then click the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip6\Parameters\
Double-click DisabledComponents to modify the DisabledComponents entry.
Note: If the DisabledComponents entry is unavailable, you must create it. To do this, follow these steps:
In the Edit menu, point to New, and then click DWORD (32-bit) Value.
Note: Even if you are using a 64-bit version of Windows Vista you will need to create a 32-bit key
Type
DisabledComponents
Then press ENTER.
There are several available settings to change them double-click DisabledComponents and enter one of the following values
Type any one of the following values to configure the IPv6 protocol, and then click OK:
To enable all IPv6 components
0
Note: '0' is the default option
To disable all IPv6 components, except the IPv6 loopback interface. This value also configures Windows to use Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) instead of IPv6 in prefix policies
0xffffffff
To use IPv4 instead of IPv6 in prefix policies
0x20
To disable native IPv6 interfaces
0x10
To disable all tunnel IPv6 interfaces
0x01
To disable all IPv6 interfaces except for the IPv6 loopback interface
0x11
Note: You must restart the computer for these changes to take affect
Repair Options
http:vistasupport.mvps.orgwindows_vista_repair_options.htm
Windows Vista Repair Options
Windows Vista does not contain a Recovery Console, therefore doing a repair install like that we are familiar with in Windows XP is not possible. Instead, if you need to replace the operating system, you either have to re-install Vista from scratch, or else re-image the drive from a backup source created using the Windows Vista Backup Status and Configuration application. this then effectively replaces the current copy of Windows Vista with a shadow copy you backed up previously.
This backup option is the only one provided by Windows Vista. of course there are other ways of imaging your hard drive, but these require the user to purchase a third party application.
Of course, re-imaging is one option. If, however, you are simply experiencing startup problems or perhaps you cannot readily access your system and need to do a system restore, then you need to look at Windows Vista's Repair Your Computer options.
How you access the repair options will depend upon whether you have a Windows Vista installation disk or whether your operating system came pre-installed by your PC manufacturer. Windows Installation Disk NOTE
With the Complete PC Restore Option you must have made a backup of your system, either on your hard drive or on a set of DVDs, in order to use this option. If you don't have a backup then don't use this option
1 make sure your PC can boot directly from the Vista DVD. Obviously, most modern PCs can. With older machines you may need to check the PC's BIOS
2 Start the PC
3 Immediately insert the Windows Vista DVD into the DVD drive
4 A Black screen will appear with the words 'Press any key to boot from CD or DVD'
5 Press Any key to start the booting process
6 A new screen will now appear with a progress bar. The legend say's 'Windows is loading files'
7 After a few minutes the Microsoft copyright window ill appear and another small progress bar will be visible
8 You will next see a Blue curtained screen
9 After a short while the Language option screen will appear
10 Select your language and keyboard language and the Click the Next button
11 At the bottom left of the next screen - the Install screen, Click on the Repair Your Computer option
12 The System recovery options will now search for your Windows Vista installation
13 Once the Vista installation has been located, Highlight it and then Click the Next button
14 You are now presented with the following set of recovery options
Startup repair - This automatically fixes problems that are preventing Windows from starting System Restore - This will Restore Windows to an earlier point in time Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool - This checks your computer's memory hardware for errors Command Prompt - This opens a Command Window Windows Complete PC Restore - This will completely restore your entire PC programs, system settings and files from a back up that you have previously created Note: The above is available in Windows Vista Business, Enterprise and Ultimate editions only
15 Click on the Option you require and follow the onscreen prompts Pre-Installed Options NOTE
If no repair options are available your PC manufacturer may have replaced the tools or customised them. Check your Computer Manual before proceeding.
1 Start your PC
2 If your PC has one operating system Press and Hold the F8 key as your PC starts. If the Windows Logo appear you will need to start again
3 If you have a dual boot system a Boot option menu will appear. Highlight the Vista operating system and Press the F8 key
4 In both cases, if all has gone well, an Advanced options screen will now appear
5 Highlight the repair Your Computer option and Press Enter
6 Select a keyboard layout, and then Click the Next button
7 Next select your user Name and Enter your Password, then Click OK
8 The recovery options should now appear
Services - How To Create or Delete
Services are added from the Command Prompt. You need to know the actual service name as opposed to what Microsoft calls the Display Name. For example, if you wanted to create or delete the Help and Support service, the name used at the Command Prompt would be "helpsvc" rather than the Display Name of "Help and Support". The actual service name can be obtained by typing services.msc in Run on the Start Menu and then double clicking the Display Name of the service. Once you know the name;
To Create A Service
Start --> Run and type 'cmd' (without the speech marks) in the box next to 'Open'. Click OK.
Type: sc create <service name>
Reboot the system
To Delete A Service
Start --> Run and type cmd in the Open: line. Click OK.
Type: sc delete <service name>
Reboot the system
If you prefer to work in the registry rather than through the command prompt to delete services;
Click Start | Run and type regedit in the Open: line. Click OK. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services Scroll down the left pane, locate the service name, right click it and select Delete.
Reboot the system
Start Menu - How To Edit
Some of the program shortcuts are available to all users of the computer.
%systemdrive%\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu
Other program shortcut groups are available only to the user who is currently logged on.
%UserProfile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu
Where%systemdrive% is the drive letter where the Windows Vista operating system exists, and %UserProfile% is the path to the user's unique set of environment folders.
Both folders just mentioned are hidden folders. To display them, you have to change the Windows Explorer Folder options by choosing Organize -> Folder and Search Options, and then selecting "Show hidden files and folders" on the View tab of the ensuing dialog box.
At startup, Vista merges the contents of these two Start menu folders and presents the user with a single Start menu, of course. For each folder stored in one of the Programs folders Vista builds a Program Start Menu group and associated shortcuts.
System Restore - Change Disc Usage: How To
NOTE: This must be done as an administrator, so either log in to 'Administrator' or right click on 'CMD' in the start menu and select 'Run as administrator'.
Windows Command Prompt: vssadmin list shadowstorage
This will display the current settings:
Windows Command Prompt: EXAMPLE TO FOLLOW
To change the usage to say 4GB use the following:
Windows Command Prompt: vssadmin resize shadowstorage /on=c: /for=c: /maxsize=4GB
User Account Control (UAC) - How To Disable
Launch MSCONFIG by from the Run menu.
Click on the Tools tab. Scroll down till you find "Disable UAC" . Click on that line.
Press the Launch button.
A CMD window will open. When the command is done, you can close the window.
Close MSCONFIG. You need to reboot the computer for changes to apply.
Note that you can re-enable UAC by selecting the "Enable UAC" line and then clicking on the Launch button.
Windows Defender - Disable: How To
You can disable Windows Defender (WD) if you use an aftermarket antivirus solution, such as ESET NOD32.
Hold down the Windows key (between CTRL & ALT bottom left-hand side of the keyboard) and R.
In the 'Run' window that appears enter:
services.msc
Press 'OK'
Scroll down the list of services until you find Windows Defender then double click on it.
WD will be running so in the 'Service Status' section press the 'Stop' button.
When it has stopped in the 'Startup type' section change the drop down menu entry to 'Disabled'.
Windows File Compression - Disable: How To
NOTE: This must be done as an administrator, so either log in to 'Administrator' or right click on 'CMD' in the start menu and select 'Run as administrator'.
Windows Command Prompt: fsutil behavior set disablecompression 1
