Increase CPU Processor Performance
A default setting in the Windows Vista power setting will throttle your CPU to 50%. Change this setting to unleash your full power:
- Open your power options menu by typing Power into your Start menu search:
- Choose the High Performance radio button and close the window
There you go a quick and easy way to increase processor performance.
Vista Problems with ISA Firewall and SBS Premium
If you have Vista users that need to access ISA Firewall or SBS Premium you can get an updated firewall client for Windows Vista.
Download – Firewall Client for ISA Server
Taken from the site here is what the client is for:
Firewall Client for ISA Server can be optionally installed on client computers protected by Microsoft ISA Server. Firewall Client for ISA Server provides enhanced security, application support, and access control for client computers. It provides authentication for Winsock applications that use TCP and UDP, supports complex secondary protocols, and supplies user and application information to the ISA Server logs.
When a client computer running Firewall Client for ISA Server makes a request, the destination is evaluated by the Firewall Client software, and external requests are directed to the ISA Server computer for handling. No specific routing infrastructure is required. Firewall Client sends user information transparently with each request, enabling you to create a firewall policy on the ISA Server computer with rules that use the authentication credentials presented by the client. ISA Server allows you to configure automatic discovery for Firewall client computers, using a WPAD entry in DNS or DHCP to obtain correct Web proxy settings for clients, depending on their location.
Thanks to a post by David Overton here is the command structure for the install:
\\Servername\shared folder\SETUP.EXE /Q /P "SERVER_NAME_OR_IP=Servername ENABLE_AUTO_DETECT=0 REFRESH_WEB_PROXY=1"
Modify Where Windows Explorer Opens By Default
You will find one of the things that takes the most getting used to in Vista is the way the explorer window now looks and acts. Windows Explorer by default opens the the logged in users documents folder as you can see:
If you want to have more control and have it open in other locations you can modify the shortcut. Just right click on the Windows Explorer shortcut and replace it with the codes below. Here are some common locations you might want to change it to:
- “Computer” highlighted in left side with all drives visible but not expanded and C: highlighted in right side
%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /e,/select,c:
- Desktop highlighted and nothing expanded
%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /e,/n,/select,/root,c:
- All drives visible and the system drive expanded in small screen:
%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /e,/select,%systemroot%
- Only Windows Directory visible highlighted and expanded:
%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /e,/root,%systemroot%
- All drives visible but only C: highlighted and expanded:
%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /e,c:
Credit for this goes to a post on microsoft.public.windows.vista.file_management by Leo
Get Your CCNA for Free!
Not exactly Vista related but there is a great promotion going on over at Train Signal. They are going to be giving away the following:
2 Routers
1 Switch
1 hour with a CCIE
Train Signal CCNA Training
Cost of Exam
All you have to do in return is blog about your training experience and test while you study.
Internet Connectivity Evaluation Tool Released
Thanks to a post by Stuart over at The Unofficial Blog of the Unofficial Guide to Windows Vista I saw that Microsoft released a tool that can show what types of technology your current home router using NAT may be able to support from the Windows Vista operating system. Lets run through and see what it does shall we?
First things first, in a very unfriendly manner Firefox does not work with the license page… checked or unchecked the Continue button remains greyed out
So pop over to IE7 and of course I can now proceed
On the next page it wants to install an ActiveX control so perhaps that is why Firefox wouldn’t let me proceed, though a warning message about it would have been nice. Go head and click the bar at top and then click Install ActiveX Control. After doing so a UAC prompt may show depending on your security settings
Next you should see the Internet Explorer Add-On Installer window. Go ahead and click Install, you know you want to!
Depending on your internet connection this might take a few seconds or a minute or two. The next screen shows we are ready to go so click Start You might get at UAC warning depending on your security settings, if you do click Ok to move on
The test now running you can watch as it tests the different features of your NAT router
After the test is done you will see a summary report of what you passed and failed. I am using a Linksys WRT54G v5 wireless router with the current firmware (1.02.0) for reference. Looks like I passed everything but UPnP support, but I also might have that disabled. At the bottom of the report you have the option of going to a more detailed report or seeing a list of routers that support the new Vista technologies. I am going to view the Detailed Report
The detailed report opens in a seperate window and gives a list of each step of the test so you can see exactly what was tested and in what order. After looking through that I am going to close that window
While the tests were pretty basic for the most part, if you are having problems getting certain features of Vista to run through your router it might be worth a test to help eliminate a source of the problem while troubleshooting.
You can run your own test using the Internet Connectivity Evaluation Tool
Enable CTRL+ALT+DELETE for Windows Vista Logon
For the 99% of you that have been using Windows OS systems most of your lives the standard login for several versions have been to use Control+ALT+DELETE key combination to login. This quick walk through will show you how to enable CTRL+ALT+DELETE for Windows Vista.
- First go to the start menu and type in netplwiz
- This will bring up the User Accounts window, click the Advanced tab and at the bottom place a check in the box Require Users to Press CTRL+ALT+DELETE and click OK
- Now when you power up you will have a CTRL+ALT+DELETE prompt
After hitting CTRL+ALT+DELETE you will go to the normal screen that lists your user accounts. If you want to have the traditional logon box asking for userid/password you can run this from a elevated command prompt:
reg add HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\ /v
LogonType /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
Now you will have to hit CTRL+ALT+DELETE and then enter your username/password to logon to your Vista box from now on.
Windows Vista Resource Kit Released
As with all the major corporate releases of Microsoft Operating Systems, Vista has its own dedicated resource kit. These kits are invaluable to a corporate administrators that need to automate deployment and customize an OS for specific corporate users.
For the Vista Resource Kit, Microsoft leveraged their MVPs to help with expert insights from professionals in the trenches working with Vista. This resource has over 1500 pages covering the following:
Automating Deployment Implementing Security Administrating Group Policy Troubleshooting Vista Internet Explorer 7 Microsoft Windows Firewall Windows Defender
Also included are 150 scripts that will help automate administrative tasks, job aids, and a eBook copy of the entire Resource Kit.
You can find the Resource Kit at Amazon for $37.79
Update for Ipod Users Who Get Corrputed Using The “Safely Remove Hardware” Feature
Though Apple relased updates earlier for ITunes that dealt with a number of Vista related issues they were still actively working with Microsoft to fix others.
One of these other issues was getting corrupted Ipods when you were using a USB connection and eject the ipod when you use the “Safely Remove Hardware” option in the system tray area or when you eject using Windows Explorer. This was outlined in KB article 933824. Note that you will have to confirm that your copy of Vista is “Genuine” to download. If you want to get the download directly then ger your IPod Vista Fix Here for x86
Open UDP port 123 on Windows Firewall (Network Time Protocol)
On my internet time post there seems to be a lot of questions based on the firewall questions. Unfortunately I cant help every single person with every single different type of firewall. I will go through how to enable the Windows Firewall with explicit rules for inbound and outbound traffic that might help with others.
Read more
Windows Vista Video Training
Windows Vista Training” title=”Windows Vista Video Training” align=”left” border=”0″ />Train Signal realesed thier Vista training today and it covers quite a bit including the 70-620 certification exam. Being that it is almost impossible to find decent training for the certification right now this could be a real boon for those going for that cert. If you havent checked out the training from Train Signal you should really do yourself a favor and do that. They are well priced for thier market and deliver on everything they say they do!
Check out the Vista Training Demo
Some of the topics covered:
- Know Your Installation Options and How to Install Windows Vista(the right way!)
- Master Windows Vista’s New User Interface and Navigation
- Users & Groups are the First Step to Securing Your Systems While Maximizing Performance – We’ll teach you the ropes
- Learn How Vista can be Utilized in a Networked Environment
- Now More Than Ever Users are Mobile – Understand Vista’s new Mobile PC and Wireless Features
- Keep Your Systems Fast and Clean with Vista’s Disk Management Tools
- Customize Windows Vista’s Security to Your Needs as You Are Walked Through NTFS Permissions, Share Permissions, Security Programs and more
- Internet Explorer 7 and Its New Security Features in Vista For a Safer Web Experience
- Running Software in Vista is Different Now Than Ever Before. Know What you Systems are Doing and How.
- Need to Make Administering Your Systems Easier? We cover all the Tools you Need to speed up your tasks: Performance Monitor, Event Viewer, Management Console, etc…
- Learn the Intricacies to Installing New Hardware and Printers Within Vista
- Backups are Important! Know How to Do Them Right in Vista
- Master Windows Vista’s New Group Policy Features
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