Add 'Copy to folder' and 'Move to folder' options to file menu

All you have to do is to download the registry script that I have uploaded here, and run it. It will do the job!

System settings for a hardcore gaming computer

Go to Start Menu -> Run -> Services.msc
and press Enter...

Then from the services list thus opened, set all these services to MANUAL by right clicking on them one by one and clicking Properties...

• Routing and Remote Access
  
• Alerter
  
• Application Layer Gateway Service** (only if firewall is not used)
  
• Application Management
  
• Background Intelligent Transfer Service
  
• ClipBook
  
• COM+ System Application
  
• Distributed Link Tracking Client
  
• Distributed Transaction Coordinator
  
• Help and Support
  
• IMAPI CD-Burning COM Service** (only if do you not use the cd-rw xp record suport)
  
• IPSEC Services
  
• Logical Disk Manager Administrative Service
  
• MS Software Shadow Copy Provider
  
• Net Logon
  
• NetMeeting Remote Desktop Sharing
  
• Network DDE
  
• Network DDE DSDM
  
• Network Location Awareness (NLA)
  
• NT LM Security Support Provider
  
• Performance Logs and Alerts
  
• Portable Media Serial Number
  
• QoS RSVP
  
• Remote Desktop Help Session Manager
  
• Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Locator
  
• Remote Registry
  
• Removable Storage
  
• Server
  
• Smart Card
  
• Smart Card Helper
  
• SSDP Discovery Service
  
• System Restore Service
  
• Telnet
  
• Themes
  
• Uninterruptible Power Supply
  
• Universal Plug and Play Device Host
  
• Volume Shadow Copy
  
• Windows Image Acquisition (WIA)
  
• Windows Installer
  
• Windows Management Instrumentation Driver Extensions
  
• Wireless Zero Configuration
  
• WMI Performance Adapter
  
• Fast User Switching Compatibility ** (only if fast user shiching is not used or the machine have one user only)
  
• Protected Storage
  
• Windows Time
  
• TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper
  
• Task Scheduler
  
• Secondary Logon
  
• Print Spooler ** (only if the pc do not have or use a printer)
  
• Indexing Service
  
• Error Reporting Service
  
• Computer Browser
  
• Internet Connection Firewall (ICF) / Internet Connection Sharing (ICS)
  

Turn off Disk Performance Monitors to optimize Hard Drive performance

In Windows 2000 and XP, Performance Monitor disk counters for physical disks are turned on by default, disk counters for logical disks are turned off by default.

Open Start menu -> Run -> cmd

and then give the following command to disable all disk monitoring:

• DISKPERF -N
  

To turn it on again(not recommended), run this command:

• DISKPERF -YD
  

all DISKPERF switches are as follows...

-Y Sets the system to start all disk performance counters
when you restart the computer.

-YD Enables the disk performance counters for physical drives when you
restart the computer.

-YV Enables the disk performance counters for logical drives

or storage volumes when you restart the computer.

-N Sets the system to disable all disk performance counters when you
restart the computer.

-ND Disables the disk performance counters for physical drives.

-NV Disables the disk performance counters for logical drives.

Rename Recycle Bin

Open Start menu -> Run -> Regedit and navigate to the following registry location...

• HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E
  

and double click the REG_SZ value named LocalizedString and write the new name for recycle bin there...
that's it...

Change Hard Drive icons in My Computer

Download and run this script... it will do the job for you...

• Download Link
  

Note: Your antivirus may give you a virus alert since this script will modify system registry but this script is innocent i.e., it will not do anything other than changing the drive icons. So disable your antivirus before using it.

Clear the virtual memory file at system shutdown for smoother startup

Go to Start menu -> Run -> regedit and navigate to the following location...

• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management
  

Now create/modify the DWORD value named ClearPageFileAtShutdown and set its value to 1 to enable this feature... or set it to 0 in order to disable this feature...

Make icons appear quicker than before

You need to alter the maximum size of Windows Icon Cache for this purpose...
Open Start menu -> Run -> regedit and Navigate to the following registry location...

• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
  

and create / modify the REG_SZ(String) value named Max Cached Icons and set its value between 100-4096 ... the default value is 500 (i.e., 500 KB). Maximum is 4096.

Turn off Indexing to speed up Windows XP

Windows XP keeps a record of all files on the hard disk so when you do a search on the hard drive it is faster... there is a downside to this and because the computer has to index all files, it will slow down normal file commands like open, close, etc... if you do not do a whole lot of searches on your hard drive the I suggest turnning this feature off!

Go to Start menu -> Run -> services.msc
and press enter...
now in the services list, locate Indexing Service and right click on it, click properties...and DISABLE it... thats all...

Optimize NTFS File System

NTFS is a great file system... no doubt... but its feature-set comes at a slight cost in performance... you can negate this a little as follows...

By default NTFS will automatically update timestamps whenever a directory is traversed... this isn't a necessary feature, and it slows down large volumes...

in order to disable it, Open Start menu -> Run -> regedit and navigate to the following key location in registry...

• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem
  

and set the value named NtfsDisableLastAccessUpdate to 1.

If you can't locate it then create a new REG_DWORD type value and rename it as NtfsDisableLastAccessUpdate and then set its value to 1 by double clicking it.

NTFS uses disparate master file control tables to store file system information about your drives... over time these core MFT files grow and become fragmented, slowing down all accesses to the drive... by setting aside a little space, MFT's can grow without becoming fragmented... in the same key where you disabled the last access feature create a new REG_DWORD value called NtfsMftZoneReservation and set its value to 2.

Please keep it in mind that this tweak will not work for FAT32 file system...

Reduce the default 10 seconds timeout of scandisk

Go to Start menu -> Run -> cmd
and press enter...

now give the following command at command prompt....

• CHKNTFS/T:4
  

where 4 is the amount of waiting time...

for more details about this command, type CHKNTFS/? at command prompt and press enter...

Make icons in windows appear quicker than ever!

In Windows XP everytime you open My Computer to browse folders XP automatically searches for network files and printers... this causes a delay in displaying your icons... you probably see the default windows icon and as you scroll it changes to the correct icon. This is how to stop that...

1. Open My Computer
2. Click on the Tools menu and select Folder Options...(or alternatively go to control panel and open Folder Options from there)
3. Under Folder Options select the View tab.
4. Uncheck the very first check-box that says "Automatically search for network folders and printers"...
5. Now hit OK button...

You will see a dramatic increase in speed when Windows displays the icons...

Restore OPEN option in Disk Drive menu

1: Open folder options and select the "file types" tab

2: select Drive and click advanced(i know you know these basic steps but these are for those who don't know these)

3: create a new operation (its going to be a dummy operation so you can give it any name..for example call it abc and in the application used to perform action space, browse and give the path of explorer.exe

4: after clicking ok,set this new abc action as the default action and hit ok..

5: now you can check .. if this new operation is opening the contents of the drive in a different window then you're ready to go..

6: now........open the registry editor(type regedit in start menu->run) and hit ok

7: navigate to the key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell

8: here you'll see all the drive related actions..you should now delete the latest abc action key by right clicking on it and clicking delete!!

9: by doing this the default open action will automatically be restored..and..you're done!

you can also do the same to the directory actions by navigating to the key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell ..

Windows Tips and Tricks Posting Rules

• Topics like “plzzz help”, “help me”, “check it out”, “hey i need help”, “someone plz help me out”, “Its urgent” etc., will be deleted automatically and the topic creator may be banned if violation of this rule is observed several times! Brief description of the problem should be given in the topic title so that it becomes easier for the members to locate the topic of their interest.
  
• Use ENGLISH to post all your queries. Posts in other languages will be deleted.
• Any spam / community invitation will be immediately deleted and the spammer will be kicked out at once!
  
• DO NOT redirect traffic from the community to your blog or your scrapbook!
  
• Avoid asking for peoples’ mail IDs in the forum. If you have anything to share, share it on the forum in the form of direct link(non-orkut links) or post the material in the topic itself.
  
• Avoid posting in the topics which have been created against the first rule so that the topic creator is forced to follow the rules due to no response.
  
• If you do not know the solution to some problem then DO NOT come up with stupid suggestions like FORMAT YOUR SYSTEM or REPARTITION THE HARD DISK unless you really KNOW what you are saying! Such people may be banned immediately due to misguiding others!
• If you have anything to share with all the members ( any link or interesting material ) then post it in the Resource Links.
  
• If you have any software to share with the members, then give its download link in the Public Software Archive.
  
• If you have any tech news to share with the other members, write it under Tech Updates / Latest News.
  
• If you are being creative and have something of your own to share with the members, post it in Share your work.
  
• If you have any complaints or suggestions to make then do it in Complaints / Suggestions to the management.

Thank you for your cooperation!

Safwan Khan.