"OPTIMIZING WINDOWS"
INSTALLING AND OPTIMIZING
WINDOWS XP AND WINDOWS VISTA

This site "Optimizing Windows" offers the information how to install and optimize Windows.
All the tips, tricks and tools you need to know about before you start reinstalling Windows!
This website is a translation of my dutch website www.schoonepc.nl.
See the topics below for more information:

INSTALLING AND OPTIMIZING WINDOWS XP

setup procedure Windows XP
installing hardware drivers
setup and optimizing internet connection
installing essential and optional Windows updates
optimizing your desktop and screen settings
optimizing Start Menu and Quick Launch menu
Windows performance settings (part II)
optimizing Windows XP services
optimizing Windows boot with MSCONFIG
optimizing Outlook Express settings
optimizing (multiple) user accounts
using the powertool TWEAKUI
Windows XP registry tweaks
disk cleanup: deleting unnecessary files
defragmenting hard disk, registry and pagefile

(summary installing Windows XP)

INSTALLING AND OPTIMIZING WINDOWS VISTA

Installing Windows Vista: setup procedure
The Security Center, Windows Update and the Network and Sharing Center
User Account Control (UAC) and adminstrator rights
Install device drivers for Windows Vista
Start menu, Taskbar, Quick Launch, Sidebar, Desktop
Optimizing the Windows Vista settings
Windows Vista features
Improve performance by disabling Windows Vista-services
MSCONFIG: speeding up Windows Vista startup
Windows Mail and Windows Calendar
Optimizing (multiple) user accounts in Windows Vista
Disk Cleanup and Disk Defragmenting
Software compatibility issues with Windows Vista

(summary installing Windows Vista)

WINDOWS SECURITY

free antivirus software (Antivir, Avast and AVG)
free firewall software (Comodo, ZoneAlarm and Sunbelt)
Ad-aware and Windows Defender
Removing unwanted software
file encryption
Safer and faster browsing the internet by replacing the HOSTS-file

(summary Windows Security)

SOFTWARE

Creating a screen dump (PrintScreen) and PDF files
Shortcuts and pasting text with FlashPaste
Automatically creating a back-up of personal data using SyncBack
The picture management tool Picasa
The Sysinternals system tools
Windows Registry Editor: REGEDIT
Free software to download

(summary Software)

NETWORK AND INTERNET

Setting up a (wireless) network
Forwarding ports on the modem/router
Sharing files with a mapped network drive
Internet Explorer
Windows Live Mail
E-mail settings Outlook
(free tool to recover deleted Outlook e-mail)
Useful tips for sending e-mail and preventing spam
Searching the internet with Copernic

(summary network and internet)

PREPARATIONS TO (RE)INSTALL WINDOWS

Installing and optimizing Windows in 10 steps (1/2)
Installing and optimizing Windows in 10 steps (2/2)
backup your current data and hardware drivers and recover your passwords
partitioning a hard disk
formatting partitions
creating a bootable floppy disk
creating a bootable CD-ROM
BartPE: manual for a Windows XP based PE (bootable from CD)
VistaPE: manual for a Windows Vista based PE (bootable from CD)
Windows Vista Upgrade: upgrading from Windows XP to Windows Vista

(summary reinstall Windows)

SYSTEM MANAGEMENT

Resizing the Windows partition
Resizing (shrinking) the Windows partition when there is a recovery partition
Changing the storage location of the personal folders
Creating an image of the Windows system
(creating a system imaging boot disk)
(imaging the partition)
A multiboot system: the Windows bootmanager vs. an alternative bootmanager
Setting up a multiboot/dualboot system with MrBooter
Speeding up a slow computer by replacing hardware
Replacing the hard disk and imaging Windows to the new hard disk

(summary system management)

OTHER

INTERESTING SITES TO VISIT

"Optimizing Windows"
by Menno Schoone, The Netherlands

(I don't read e-mail with attachments, somehow they get lost.....)





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