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<img src="http://parcom.pronetworks.org/PROneT-News/WindowsVista.jpg" align="left"> <img src="http://parcom.pronetworks.org/PROneT-News/WindowsVista.jpg" align="right">

[align=center]Microsoft Windows Vista Beta 2

Tweaking and Customization Guide[/align]

[align=center]The Betas Team is proud to present the official PROnetworks Tweaking Guide to improve performance and your overall experience with Microsoft Windows Vista Beta 2. The Guide also seeks to help improve your general User Experience with Windows Vista.

The Official PROnetworks Vista Installation Guide Installation Guide is HERE.

The PROnetworks Windows Vista Tweaking Guides are a Work In Progress, and will continue to evolve throughout the Beta, and even after the release of Windows Vista for sale to the public.

This PROnetworks Tweaking Guide covers Windows Vista Beta 2 (Build 5384)
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Please be aware that The PROnetworks Betas Team has determined that in some cases, attempting to tweak Windows Vista can be counterproductive, leading to losses rather than gains in performance.

Before attempting these tweaks please make sure that your computer is considered Vista ready. This can be determined within XP be using the Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor Available HERE.

For the purposes of this guide, PROnetworks considers a Vista-ready computer is to include the following:

• Modern CPU (AMD 3000+ or better, Intel Pentium @ 3 GHz or better, Opteron, or similar processor whether x86 or x64, single or dual-core).
• DirectX 9 capable Graphics Card or better (256 MB of on-card memory would be desirable)
• 1 GB of single or dual-channel DDR or DDR2, or better RAM
• A good quality PSU, to ensure smooth power supply management for this demanding OS (if you have a DirectX 9 capable Graphics Card or better)
• A recent flat screen monitor

The above recommendations are for the best possible Vista Experience.

This Tweaking Guide provides guidelines both for users of Vista-ready hardware and for those with older machines.

As Windows Vista continues its race toward completion, these requirements and guidelines will continue to be more closely refined by the PROnetworks Betas Team.

Our thanks go to all who have contributed to making us aware of elements of this build for us to test, verify, and make mention of in this guide, and to our team of testers who have ensured this build has been thoroughly put through the mill to ensure your enjoyment.

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Contents

<a href="#Activation">Activation</a><a href="#tweakPRO">
PROnetworks Tweaking Programs</a>
<a href="#uac">Tweaking UAC / UAP</a>
<a href="#person">Personalization</a>
<a href="#tweaks">The Tweaks</a>
<a href="#bcd">BCDEDIT</a>
<a href="#dwm">DWM 3D Effects</a>
<a href="#explorer">Tweaking Explorer</a>
<a href="#vst">Vista Service Tweaks</a>
<a href="#graphics">Viewing the Graphical Elements of Windows Vista</a>

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<a id="Activation">Activation</a>

There are two methods of Activating Vista:

1. Activation by Internet (Requires working Internet Connection)
2. Activation By Phone

Activating over the Internet (Recommended and Default)

1. Hit the Windows Key + Break to open up the system dialog in the control panel.
   
   
   
2. Click on the bar that says 14 days (in the below photo, 7 days) left to activate.
   
   <a id="image"></a>
   
   
3. Click Allow in the Windows Security popup window.
   In the next window you have two options. Click Activate Windows online now.
4. You will see a window that says Activating Windows... with a green bar expanding horizontally across the screen as the process evolves.

Phone Activation

Phone Activation requires that your internet connection is not working. Vista will first try to activate by Internet and assuming the connection failed you will get a window with these options:

1. Chose #3,