Duke OIT - XP to Vista

Making the switch from Windows XP to Windows Vista? Here are some tips and tricks that you may find helpful.

Add/Remove Programs vs Programs and Features

Windows XP's Add/Remove Programs is now known in Vista as Programs and Features. This can be found by doing the following:

  1. Click Start
  2. Control Panel
  3. Programs and Features
 
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The only icon on my desktop is the trash can

To add more standard icons such as "My Computer" to your desktop in Vista:

  1. Click Start
  2. Control Panel
  3. Personalization
  4. At the top right corner under Tasks, click Change Desktop Icons
  5. Select the icons you desire on your desktop
  6. Click Apply
  7. OK
 
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How to disable Aero Glass Visual Style

Turning off Vista's Aero Glass visual style will give older machines or machines lacking the video hardware capable of effectively running Aero a better computing experience. To turn off this feature:

  1. Click Start
  2. Control Panel
  3. System
  4. Advanced System Settings
  5. If prompted for permission, click Continue
  6. Under Performance, click Settings
  7. Select Adjust for Best Performance
  8. Click Apply
  9. OK
 
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Limit the amount of disk space the Recycle Bin utilizes

  1. Right click on the recycle bin's icon and select Properties from the menu
  2. Select Custom Size, and type 100 in the box for the amount of space to use
  3. Click Apply
  4. OK

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System Restore

System Restore is a feature which can be a handy backup tool, however virus writers use this space to store malicious programs. Also, the system restore option requires a sizeable portion of the hard drive which can be recovered as free disk space by disabling the feature. Many advances have been made to prevent Vista from infection which makes turning off system restore a choice left up to the user. We do however recommend at least reducing the amount of space system restore utilizes, if choosing not to disable it entirely. 

  1. Click Start
  2. Control Panel
  3. System
  4. On the left side under Tasks, click System Protection
  5. If prompted for permission, click Continue
  6. Click the box beside all available disks remove the check mark
  7. A dialog box will appear asking if you are sure you want to turn System Restore off, click Turn System Restore Off
  8. Click Apply
  9. OK 

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Sidebar

The Windows Vista Sidebar consists of the small programs called gadgets running on the right hand side of the desktop. The clock and picture viewer load by default on Vista. The more gadgets added, the greater the resource requirement, i.e. memory. Launching too many can also have an adverse affect on system speed and stability. Caution should also be taken when using home made gadgets, especially in beta form, as they could be unstable or unsecure. We suggest installing gadgets one at a time, and using the machine for a period of time before installing another to ensure stability.

To disable the sidebar completely (recommended for best performance):

  1. Right click on the sidebar or sidebar icon and select Properties
  2. Uncheck the Start Sidebar when Windows starts box
  3. Click Apply
  4. OK
  5. Right click on the sidebar again and select Close Sidebar

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