Firefox 3 Release & Stardock Site Compatibility
Jul 30, 2008 12:59

Firefox 3.0 goes final and is scheduled for release on Tuesday, June 17th.

There are currently known incompatibilities between Firefox 3 and many of our sites and forums. For the most part, the sites function properly, but have formatting issues. A specific example are the login & password fields to log into these forums. In Firefox 3, instead of both being on the same line, they are stacked vertically.

We will be addressing these visual issues in time. Please do NOT post threads on the forums pointing out Firefox 3 site issues. They will be deleted. We are aware of the problems and will work as quickly as we can to resolve them.

Until posted otherwise, the only version of Firefox our sites support at the moment is Firefox 2.

MASTER TUTORIAL: Make Your Windows Super Fast

From AskVG.com

By Posted January 1, 2008 15:40:32External Link
New Page 1 Guys!

This tutorial is meant for increasing the performance of Windows XP, either it can be a fresh installed windows or an old windows.
Actually these r some tips/tricks, which I always apply whenever I do a fresh installation of windows. So here I’m sharing many of those tips-n-tricks:

1.) First I’ll tell some Registry tricks, which can be applied without any problem or doubt and I believe these tricks will surely help in increasing the performance of your windows. Copy the following code in Notepad, save the file with name "Vishal.reg" (including quotes) and then run the file:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AllFilesystemObjects\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\Copy To]
@="{C2FBB630-2971-11D1-A18C-00C04FD75D13}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AllFilesystemObjects\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\Move To]
@="{C2FBB631-2971-11D1-A18C-00C04FD75D13}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Shell\DosHere]
@="Command &Prompt Here"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Shell\DosHere\Command]
@="%windir%\\System32\\cmd.exe /k cd \"%1\""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\Shell\DosHere]
@="Command &Prompt Here"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\Shell\DosHere\Command]
@="%windir%\\System32\\cmd.exe /k cd \"%1\""

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer]
"Link"=hex:00,00,00,00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop]
"AutoEndTasks"="1"
"HungAppTimeout"="1000"
"MenuShowDelay"="8"
"WaitToKillAppTimeout"="2000"
"LowLevelHooksTimeout"="1000"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoLowDiskSpaceChecks"=dword:00000001
"ClearRecentDocsOnExit"=dword:00000001
"NoRecentDocsHistory"=hex:01,00,00,00
"LinkResolveIgnoreLinkInfo"=dword:00000001
"NoResolveSearch"=dword:00000001
"NoResolveTrack"=dword:00000001
"NoInternetOpenWith"=dword:00000001

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control]
"WaitToKillServiceTimeout"="2000"

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\RemoteComputer]

2.) Right-click on Desktop and select Properties, Now in the new window goto Appearance tab and click on Effects button. Now in the new opened window uncheck the following options:

a.) Use the following transition effect for menus & tooltips.
b.) Show shadows under menus.
c.) Show window contents while dragging. (you may remain this option checked as I hv in my screenshot. It depends upon ur choice.)
d.) Use the following method to smooth edges of screen fonts. You may select "Standard" for this. I hv selected "Clear Type" coz I hv a TFT, it doesnt work properly for CRT monitors.



3.)
Right-click on My Computer icon on Desktop and select Properties (or press <WIN> key + <Pause/Break> key), now goto Advanced tab in new window and click on Settings button in Performance section:



Now uncheck all the options in Visual Effects, but u can remain following options checked acc. to ur choice:

a.) Show window contents while dragging.
b.) Smooth edges of screen fonts.
c.) Use common tasks in folders (If u use the left side pane in My computer, I don’t use it.)
d.) Use drop shadows on icon labels on the desktop. (to make the desktop icons label transparent.)
e.) Use visual styles on windows and buttons. (If u use XP themes.)



4.)
Open Tools -> Folder Options and click on View tab:



Now uncheck following options:

a.) Automatically search for network folders & printers.
b.) Display file size information in folder tips.
c.) Display simple folder view in Explorer’s Folders list.
d.) Show encrypted or compressed NTFS files in color. (I don’t use this option.)
e.) Show pop-up description for folder and desktop icons.
f.) Use simple file sharing.

Other remaining options are totally based upon user’s requirements, they usually don’t affect the performance! So u can enable/disable them acc. to ur requirements.

5.)
Right-click on My Computer icon on Desktop and select Manage. Now goto Services & Applications -> Services. Here you can set many services to Manual, which u don’t want to start as soon as the windows starts. Following is a thread, in which I posted a small tutorial for knowing about which service should be set to MANUAL and which should be set to AUTOMATIC:

Windows XP Services that can be Safely set to MANUAL

6.) Start -> Run and type msconfig, now goto Startup tab and uncheck the entries, which u don’t want to start automatically with the windows, like u can get display settings utility entry there, and many more.

7.) Open Sound & Audio Devices in Control Panel (or type mmsys.cpl in RUN), goto Sounds tab and select No Sounds in Sound Scheme section. Or u can remain some of ur favorite sounds there but set Exit Windows, Start Windows, Windows Logoff, Windows Logon to (None).

8.) For more options/tips-n-tricks for better performance, u can use TweakUI and gpedit.msc (Windows XP Professional built-in tool)!
0 Karma 9 Replies 12 Referrals
January 1, 2008 17:05:50
Renaming title to remove the word Master  might be a good idea. Don't want it confused with a Master here on WC.
Registry edits can be confusing and cause harm to your PC. Make sure you make a backup and know how to restore it.

Some good tips here.
January 1, 2008 17:14:33
Registry edits can be confusing and cause harm to your PC. Make sure you make a backup and know how to restore it.


That's the truth! Very important! If you don't have experience working with the registry, think several times whether you REALLY want to do this!

January 1, 2008 17:59:51
My xp flys with a duel core and 2 gigs of ram! no need to fiddle with the reg.
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January 1, 2008 18:26:22
Or you could download a complete guide at tweakguides.com, it comes in a pdf for easy acess, plus there is one for vista as well..good tips though
January 1, 2008 18:45:02
Microsofts tweakui would be good for menu show delay,icon resizing & a bunch of other stuff,for any other registry tweaking & if your not familiar with the registry you'd be better off with a registry manager as an example: registry mechanic etc (i in know way endorse this product if you want to know what would be best see reviews @ cnet or pcworld etc).

A word of warning when using registry managers make sure you reset to xp default before deleting a registry manager as it can cause OS instability if you don't.

for a simple automated registry backup that can be used in an emergency even in safe mode search net for ERUNT it's a freebie ,this utility is also a replacement for system restore in xp,nothing worse than getting that bloody choose another restore point crap that system restore throws up,erunt will rewrite no matter what

Not so much a speed gain but effective non the less is set your page file to a fixed size,by default it has a min size & max,this causes it to fluctuate in size thereby making the hdd more fragmented,it also would'nt hurt to turn off hybernation as defrag cannot work properly with hyber enabled.


January 2, 2008 02:37:33




New Page 1




Thanks guys. Registry code is totally safe. I have checked it as well many
other ppl who followed my tutorial. So you can use it without any worry.


Anyway following is a description of each code:


Adds "Copy To" option in context menu:

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AllFilesystemObjects\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\Copy To]

@="{C2FBB630-2971-11D1-A18C-00C04FD75D13}"



Adds "Move To" option in context menu:

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AllFilesystemObjects\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\Move To]

@="{C2FBB631-2971-11D1-A18C-00C04FD75D13}"



Add "Command Prompt Here" in context menu of folders:

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Shell\DosHere]

@="Command &Prompt Here"



[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Shell\DosHere\Command]

@="%windir%\\System32\\cmd.exe /k cd \"%1\""



Add "Command Prompt Here" in context menu of drives:

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\Shell\DosHere]

@="Command &Prompt Here"



[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\Shell\DosHere\Command]

@="%windir%\\System32\\cmd.exe /k cd \"%1\""



Remove "Shortcut to..." Prefix on Shortcuts:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer]

"Link"=hex:00,00,00,00



Following tweaks helps in making the shutting down process faster:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop]



Automatically End Task of Hung application:

"AutoEndTasks"="1"



Specify the Response Time for Hung Applications:

"HungAppTimeout"="1000"



Makes the menu opening faster:

"MenuShowDelay"="8"



Specify the time to wait before ending task of hung application:

"WaitToKillAppTimeout"="2000"



Setting a low value (in milliseconds) means that if the hooked program does not
respond within timeout period, one that has set the hook would not become
unstable or go in infinite wait but would kill itself saving windows resources
and improving performance.

"LowLevelHooksTimeout"="1000"



Following tweaks makes system faster:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]



Don't prompt that you are on low disk space:

"NoLowDiskSpaceChecks"=dword:00000001



Clear recent documents/applications history while exiting windows:

"ClearRecentDocsOnExit"=dword:00000001



Doesnt store recent documents history:

"NoRecentDocsHistory"=hex:01,00,00,00



Disable Automatic Network Shortcut Resolution:

"LinkResolveIgnoreLinkInfo"=dword:00000001



Disable Comprehensive Search for Broken Shortcuts:

"NoResolveSearch"=dword:00000001



Disable Tracking of Broken Shortcut Links:

"NoResolveTrack"=dword:00000001



Doesnt prompt you to search the required application on Internet, when you
select "Open With" for opening a file:

"NoInternetOpenWith"=dword:00000001



Speed up shutdown:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control]

"WaitToKillServiceTimeout"="2000"



Speed up Network Browsing by removing Network Scheduled Tasks:

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\RemoteComputer]





March 5, 2008 15:05:11
A little late on the post here, but although messing with the registry can be dangerous. It will be safe to mess with if you don't have important stuff on the computer your afraid to loose. If you mess with the registry and are unfamiliar about it, make sure you do it immediately after a fresh install. The only way to know the registry, is to try to mess around with it. Read up on what others do to the registry, try it and see what happens. The key thing is to make a back up of it.

March 5, 2008 16:48:44

Before I saw #7 I was going to STRONGLY suggest you post what the reg-hacks were intending to do.

Without their description I would have again STRONGLY suggested people do NOT do them.

Not everyone is equally a 'power-user' or comfortable with reversing a fubar'd registry edit....

March 5, 2008 19:49:45
So I can find this thread.
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