Hacking Windows Vista: ExtremeTech

Chapter 1: Customizing the Look of the Startup

Figure 1-1: Hidden boot screen in Windows Vista

Figure 1-2: Using the System Configuration utility to enable the hidden boot screen

Figure 1-3: Giving your account full control over the en-us MUI files to change the boot screen

Figure 1-4: The Logon screen with an image next to the user's name

Figure 1-5: Clicking your user picture to access your account settings

Figure 1-6: Using the Registry Editor to add another DWORD value for the name of a user who will be hidden on the Logon screen

Figure 1-7: Basic User name and Password boxes on the Logon screen

Figure 1-8: Security message on a Windows Vista Logon screen

Figure 1-9: Using LogonStudio to create your own logon background

Chapter 2: Customizing User Navigation

Figure 2-1: Customizing the Start Menu window

Figure 2-2: Slim Start panel

Figure 2-3: The difference between the two Start panel icon sizes

Figure 2-4: Using Registry Editor to hide applications from the Frequently Run Programs list

Figure 2-5: Start Menu search options

Figure 2-6: Turning on the classic Start menu

Figure 2-7: Start menu with the Show Small Icons setting enabled

Figure 2-8: Taskbar live preview images

Figure 2-9: Taskbar properties showing the taskbar locked

Figure 2-10: Expanding the taskbar with your mouse

Figure 2-11: What the taskbar can look like after you move it to the Quick Launch bar, adjust the taskbar size, and add more programs to your Quick Launch bar

Figure 2-12: Windows Vista with the taskbar on the left side of the screen

Figure 2-13: Hiding system tray icons

Figure 2-14: Removing system icons from the system tray

Figure 2-15: Using the Group Policy Editor

Figure 2-16: Configuring a policy in the Group Policy Editor

Chapter 3: Hacking the Desktop

Figure 3-1: Turning the drop shadow effect on and off for icons on the desktop

Figure 3-2: Adding Computer to the desktop

Figure 3-3: Various desktop icon sizes

Figure 3-4: Setting the shell icon path and index

Figure 3-5: Before and after shell icon overlays

Figure 3-6: Selecting a new icon

Figure 3-7: Selecting Windows DreamScene video content for your desktop

Figure 3-8: Using Windows Sidebar gadgets on the dock and the desktop

Figure 3-9: Replacing the background resource with Resource Hacker

Figure 3-10: Showing the Windows Sidebar button on the Quick Launch bar

Chapter 4: Customizing the Appearance of the Windows Interface

Figure 4-1: Changing the active theme

Figure 4-2: Customizing the sizes and fonts of the user interface

Figure 4-3: Modifying the sound for the logon event

Figure 4-4: Changing the pointer scheme

Figure 4-5: Adjusting the window style

Figure 4-6: Adjusting Aero Glass color settings

Figure 4-7: Working with the Registry to enable Aero Glass

Figure 4-8: Using the online ColorizationColor value generator

Figure 4-9: An example of a minimum border and fat border windows

Figure 4-10: Changing the window border on the Advanced Appearance screen

Figure 4-11: Customizing a WindowBlinds theme

Chapter 5: Hacking Windows Explorer

Figure 5-1: Windows Explorer's panes

Figure 5-2: Windows Explorer search options

Figure 5-3: Adding additional file extensions to be indexed

Figure 5-4: Changing file associations

Figure 5-5: WinZip's context menu entry in the Registry

Figure 5-6: Changing the template of a folder

Figure 5-7: Displaying folders with Tiles view

Figure 5-8: Extra Large Icons view for people that really can't see anything

Figure 5-9: Adding new columns to the Details view

Figure 5-10: Revealing hidden files

Chapter 6: Customizing IE7

Figure 6-1: Adding search engines to Internet Explorer 7

Figure 6-2: Setting the URL value for adding http://www.Digg.com to the Internet Explorer search provider list

Figure 6-3: Quick Tabs view in Internet Explorer 7

Figure 6-4: Setting multiple home pages for Internet Explorer in Internet Options

Figure 6-5: Subscribing to an RSS feed with Internet Explorer

Figure 6-6: Opening a Feeds Headlines gadget's options

Chapter 7: Customizing Windows Media

Figure 7-1: Windows audio enhancements

Figure 7-2: Using Base Boost

Figure 7-3: Using Room Calibration

Figure 7-4: Adjusting Media Player layout options

Figure 7-5: Adjusting Media Player view options

Figure 7-6: Opening Media Sharing in Windows Media Player

Figure 7-7: Configuring Windows Vista Media Center

Figure 7-8: Modifying the location where recorded shows are stored

Chapter 8: Analyzing Your System

Figure 8-1: Reliability and Performance Monitor's Resource Overview screen

Figure 8-2: The detailed CPU overview

Figure 8-3: The detailed Disk overview

Figure 8-4: The detailed Network overview

Figure 8-5: The detailed Memory overview

Figure 8-6: Adding a performance counter

Figure 8-7: The default screen of Performance Monitor

Figure 8-8: Performance Monitor's histogram bar view

Figure 8-9: Performance Monitor's report view

Figure 8-10: Reliability Monitor's System Stability Chart and System Stability Report

Figure 8-11: Windows Vista's Event Viewer

Figure 8-12: Windows Task Manager's performance information

Figure 8-13: Windows System Performance Rating

Figure 8-14: Loading the Windows System Performance Rating tool

Figure 8-15: PCMark05 running the system benchmark test

Chapter 9: Speeding Up the System Boot

Figure 9-1: The boot sequence setup screen

Figure 9-2: BIOS setup screen displaying the Quick Boot feature

Figure 9-3: Setting the Boot menu Timeout value with the System Configuration utility

Figure 9-4: Disabling the boot screen with the System Configuration tool

Figure 9-5: Disabling hardware with Device Manager

Figure 9-6: The Windows Fonts folder and a backup folder are arranged side by side on the screen

Figure 9-7: The Services utility

Figure 9-8: Using Diskeeper 2007 to run a boot-time defrag

Chapter 10: Making Your Computer Log On Faster

Figure 10-1: Setting AutoAdminLogon to 1 to activate automatic logon

Figure 10-2: The System Configuration utility's Startup tab

Figure 10-3: Using Autoruns

Figure 10-4: RealPlayer Message Center alert

Figure 10-5: Disabling RealPlayer's automatic updates

Figure 10-6: A Windows Vista security alert

Figure 10-7: Disabling security alerts in Security Center

Figure 10-8: Registry Editor showing auto-start programs for all users

Figure 10-9: Accessing network connections using any Explorer window

Figure 10-10: Audio Devices and Sound Themes

Chapter 11: Speeding Up Windows Explorer

Figure 11-1: Running Command Prompt as administrator

Figure 11-2: Disabling legacy filename creation with the file system utility

Figure 11-3: System pool memory performance counters

Figure 11-4: Windows Vista Performance Options

Figure 11-5: Windows Vista animated minimizing/maximizing folders

Figure 11-6: Non-transparent Aero Glass

Figure 11-7: Selection rectangle comparison. A translucent selection rectangle appears on top.

Figure 11-8: Windows Vista's Flip 3D Alt+Tab replacement

Figure 11-9: Windows Vista's non-Glass look

Figure 11-10: Windows Vista in classic mode

Figure 11-11: Indexing Options for Windows Search

Chapter 12: Optimizing Windows Core Components

Figure 12-1: RAM expansion slots

Figure 12-2: Opening properties for your USB drive

Figure 12-3: Using Windows ReadyBoost to increase performance

Figure 12-4: Selecting Advanced system settings

Figure 12-5: Using No paging file in Windows Vista

Figure 12-6: Virtual Memory settings showing the recommended paging file size

Figure 12-7: Setting the paging file to a custom size

Figure 12-8: Using Task Manager to adjust application priorities

Figure 12-9: WinTasks Professional Presets save icon

Chapter 13: Speeding Up Your Web Browser and Network Connection

Figure 13-1: Creating a new Registry DWORD value

Figure 13-2: Setting the value of MaxConnectionsPerServer

Figure 13-3: Modifying the configuration of Firefox

Figure 13-4: Changing the traffic usage mode to Heavy mode to allow for more downloads and file splits

Figure 13-5: Free Download Manager prompting you with the Add download window

Figure 13-6: Setting the number of chunks the download accelerator splits the file into

Figure 13-7: Network adapter protocol list

Chapter 14: Windows Security

Figure 14-1: Updating Windows Vista with Windows Update

Figure 14-2: Configuring Automatic Updates in Windows Vista

Figure 14-3: Viewing details on a User Account Control pop-up

Figure 14-4: Windows Vista's secure desktop

Figure 14-5: Computer Manager listing local computer accounts

Figure 14-6: Disabling the Administrator account

Figure 14-7: Hiding your username with the Local Security Policy editor

Figure 14-8: Adding a Recovery Agent to Windows Vista's encrypted file system

Figure 14-9: Encrypting files with the encrypted file system

Figure 14-10: Enabling BitLocker Drive Encryption

Chapter 15: Internet Security

Figure 15-1: Using NetTools to find open ports on your PC

Figure 15-2: Using Windows Firewall with Advanced Security

Figure 15-3: Inbound firewall rules and the profiles they are used in

Figure 15-4: Adjusting Internet Explorer 7 security zones

Figure 15-5: Adjusting advanced security settings in Internet Explorer 7

Figure 15-6: Starting a full system scan with Windows Defender

Figure 15-7: Removing spyware with Windows Defender

Figure 15-8: Selecting a full disk scan in avast! 4 Home Edition

Chapter 16: Protecting Your Privacy

Figure 16-1: Deleting the index.dat file in Safe mode with Command Prompt

Figure 16-2: Clearing browser data in Internet Explorer 7

Figure 16-3: Adjusting the cookie privacy settings

Figure 16-4: Adjusting the AutoComplete settings

Figure 16-5: Setting up IE to automatically clear the temporary Internet files

Figure 16-6: Clearing the program list on the Start panel

Figure 16-7: Using Disk Cleanup to remove temporary files

Figure 16-8: The Stored User Names and Passwords administration screen

Figure 16-9: Adjusting the permissions for Jason. Jason now has permission only to read files in the folder.