Aero Theme is bad for your computer’s resource usage, if you haven’t gotten that insight yourself already.
Disabling the Aero theme is easy, however Microsoft went through some hoops to make you look for the option. Once you know where it is it’s easy.Right-click an empty spot on your desktop and click Personalize. Click on the Window Color and Appearance link. Click on the “Open classic appearance properties for more color options” link.

BTW, you can also run the following command from the Run option in the Start menu:

“C:\Windows\system32\rundll32.exe” Shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL desk.cpl,Appearance,@Appearance

You can configure Windows Vista to install without having to manually enter the product key during the setup process. This is quite useful if you find yourself in need to perform an installation of the OS but without having the (legal) product key with you at that very moment. Unlike previous Windows versions where you had to have a CD Key handy during the installation of the OS, the Windows Vista setup process only makes it appear as if you have to enter a product key to install it.

During the setup program’s progress you will reach a dialog box that will ask you to enter a valid product key. Here is where the fun part starts. You can actually leave it blank!

Next click No in response to the “Are you sure” dialog box. You will now be presented with a list of all the different Windows Vista versions available on the DVD. Yes, the cool thing about the Windows Vista DVD is that every DVD has every version of Vista available for you to pick from, and the product key you own is the only thing that tells the setup process what version of Vista it should install.

You can now pick any one from that list and use it for up to 14 days without any having any issues. After 14 days you will need to enter a valid product key or do a fresh install from the beginning.

This “feature” will in fact help you if you’d like to test the different versions of Vista before deciding which one to buy.

1. From the Start button, type REGEDIT into the Search box, then press Enter to launch the Registry Editor (regedit.exe).
   Note: If you did not disable UAC (read my “Disable User Account Control in Windows Vista ” article) then you will be prompted to consent to the action you’re about to perform. Click Continue.
    
2. Locate the following key in the registry:

   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\DWM
    

3. Modify the following value (REG_DWORD):

   Composition

   Change the existing value to 1.
    

4. Modify the following value (REG_DWORD):

   CompositionPolicy

   Change the existing value to 2.
    

5. Close Registry Editor.
    
6. Open an elevated Command Prompt window. To open an elevated Command Prompt, click Start, click All Programs, click Accessories, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as administrator. You can also type CMD in the search box of the Start menu, and when you see the Command Prompt icon click on it to select it, hold CTRL+SHIFT and press ENTER.
    
7. In the Command Prompt window, type

   net stop uxsms

   press Enter.

   Wait for the Desktop Window Manager Session Manager service to stop, then type in

   net start uxsms

   press Enter.

   Wait for the Desktop Window Manager Session Manager service to start.
    

8. You *might* need to restart your computer.

1. BcdEdit (Edit Boot.ini)

2. iCacls (Cacls not i not L)

3. Powercfg  (Hibernate)

4. vssadmin (Shadow Copy)

5. Ctrl +Shift +Enter (Run as administrator)

6. DxConfig (Direct X)

7. MLink (Symbolic Link)

8. MSconfig

9. Net user administrator activate:yes

10. Slmgr (Licence Manager)

Normally you get a grace period of 30 days before Vista insists that you activate, online or over the phone.  However you can increase the period by running this command:

slmgr.vbs -rearm

The trick is to run the above command, just before it expires, rather than 3 times all at once.

Instantly copy a path to the Clipboard

Have you ever wanted to obtain a copy of the path of a file nested deep down in your hard drive’s organization structure? If so, you know the drill, launch Windows Explorer, traverse the directory to the file, select the contents of the address bar, copy the path, paste it in Notepad, and then type the filename itself.

Fortunately, with Windows Vista, you no longer have to perform such acrobatics just to get the path to a file. All you have to do is hold down the [Shift] key, right-click on the file or folder, and select the new command titled Copy as Path, When you do, the path to the file or folder is copied to the Clipboard and you can simply paste it anywhere you want.

1. If you’re annoyed by Internet Explorer’s incessant barking that you’ve lowered your security settings (like, if you’re a non-paranoid expert), launch “gpedit.msc” from either the Run command or Start Search field, navigate through Local Computer Policy / Computer Configuration / Administrative Templates / Windows Components / Internet Explorer. In the rightmost pane, double-click “Turn off the Security Settings Check feature” and set it to Enabled.

2. If Internet Explorer’s Information Bar also annoys you, you can turn it off (again) in the Group Policy Object Editor (gpedit.msc) through Local Computer Policy / Computer Configuration / Administrative Templates / Windows Components / Internet Explorer / Security Features. In the rightmost pane, double-click “Internet Explorer Processes” and set it to Disabled. Hallelujah!

3. I’ve just mentioned two tweaks that are buried inside the Group Policy Editor. Jim Allchin pointed out that there’s a Group Policy Settings Reference spreadsheet available. Makes for great weekend reading.

4. Read the Background on Backgrounds if you’re a performance junkie. Don’t set your wallpaper through Internet Explorer ever again! Now that Windows supports JPG wallpapers, there’s absolutely no need (or excuse) for using BMPs anymore.

5. If you insist on keeping UAC (User Account Control) turned on for yourself, you might care to make the elevation prompts a bit less visually jarring. Brandon told me about this one, even though I have UAC turned off. Launch the Local Security Policy manager (secpol.msc), and navigate through Security Settings / Local Policies / Security Options. In the rightmost pane, scroll to the bottom and double-click “User Account Control: Switch to the secure desktop when prompting for elevation.” Disable it, and you can keep UAC turned on without getting turned off by the embarrassingly craptacular Aero Basic theme.

6. Vista can send you emails! The Computer Management tool can still be accessed by right-clicking “Computer” and selecting “Manage” from the menu. However, now you can attach a task to any event. Try navigating through System Tools / Event Viewer / Windows Logs / Application. Now, go ahead and select an event - then look to the rightmost pane and click “Attach Task to This Event.” Name it whatever, describe it however, click through the next step, then in the Action step, you’ll see the “Send an e-mail” option.

7. The Windows Task Manager gives you a lot more troubleshooting information in Vista. Flip to the Processes tab, and in the View menu, click “Select Columns” and add Description, Command Line, and Image Path Name. Moreover, when you right-click a process, you can select either “Go to Service(s)” or “Open File Location.” These are all long overdue options.

8. This one’s interesting. Open up the Date and Time Control Panel applet. Flip to the “Additional Clocks” tab. There, you can configure two more clocks from different time zones. They’ll appear in the tooltip when you hover over the Taskbar clock. No additional software (or silly sidebar widgets) necessary.

9. Applicable in other versions of Windows, I’m going to throw it in here for good measure. Create a shortcut to RegSvr32.exe in your SendTo folder. To get there quickly, enter “shell:sendto” in the Run command dialog or Start Search field. Now, when you wanna register a DLL or OCX file with the system, you can select it/them and “Send To” the RegSvr32 shortcut.

10. I figured I’d round out my first set of Windows Vista tips and tricks with a tiny bit of eye candy. It doesn’t beat Picasa, but the Windows Photo Gallery is better than nothing. Once it’s indexed all your photos, click the icon next to the Search field and turn on the “Table of Contents.” That’s kinda nifty.

Open My Computer
•Double-click the drive where Windows is installed (usually drive (C:), unless you have more than one drive on your computer).
•If the contents of the drive are hidden, under System Tasks, click Show the contents of this drive.
•Double-click the Documents and Settings folder.
•Double-click your user folder.
•Right-click any folder in your user profile, and then click Properties.
•On the Sharing tab, select the Make this folder private so that only I have access to it check box.
Note

•To open My Computer, click Start, and then click My Computer.
•This option is only available for folders included in your user profile. Folders in your user profile include My Documents and its subfolders, Desktop, Start Menu, Cookies, and Favorites. If you do not make these folders private, they are available to everyone who uses your computer.
•When you make a folder private, all of its subfolders are private as well. For example, when you make My Documents private, you also make My Music and My Pictures private. When you share a folder, you also share all of its subfolders unless you make them private.
•You cannot make your folders private if your drive is not formatted as NTFS For information about converting your drive to NTFS

To disable unneeded startup services for a safer, faster XP, use the “Services” Admin Tool (Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services). If you are a single user of a non-networked machine, you can disable the following items, with no ill effect.Alerter
Clipbook
Computer Browser
Fast User Switching
Human Interface Access Devices
Indexing Service (Slows the hard drive down)
Messenger
Net Logon (unnecessary unless networked on a Domain)
Netmeeting Remote Desktop Sharing (disabled for extra security)
Remote Desktop Help Session Manager (disabled for extra security)
Remote Procedure Call Locator
Remote Registry (disabled for extra security)
Routing & Remote Access (disabled for extra security)
Server
SSDP Discovery Service (this is for the utterly pointless “Universal P’n’P”, & leaves TCP Port 5000 wide open)
TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper
Telnet (disabled for extra security)
Universal Plug and Play Device Host
Upload Manager
Windows Time
Wireless Zero Configuration (for wireless networks)
Workstation

1. Insert Windows XP CD.
2. Start > Run > X:\i386\winnt32.exe /cmdcons
   (replace X: with the appropiate drive letter)
3. Acknowledge prompt by clicking ‘Yes’.
4. Skip updating process by clicking ‘Cancel’ or by pressing ‘Esc’
5. After installation, acknowledge success msg. by clicking ‘Ok’
6. Start > Shutdown > Restart
7. At boot menu, select ‘Microsoft Windows Recovery Console’
8. Select proper installation to log onto (default: 1) and press ‘Enter’
   (If prompted, enter Administrator password and press ‘Enter’)
9. Type (without quotes) and press enter: ‘cd system32\config’
10. Type (without quotes) and press enter: ‘copy SYSTEM C:\’
11. Type (without quotes) and press enter: exit
12. At boot menu, select ‘Windows XP Media Center Edition’
13. Log into Windows and play a game of minesweeper (very important)
14. Start > Run > Type: ‘regedit’ and press enter
15. Click on ‘HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE’.
16. File > Load Hive…
17. Browse and select C:\SYSTEM
18. Specify key name ‘BANANA’ and click OK
19. Expand: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > BANANA > WPA > MedCtrUpg
20. On the right-hand side, double-click IsLegacyMCE value
21. Change selected value to 1 and click Ok. (THAT IS NOT AN L!)
22. Click on BANANA subkey (under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE).
23. File > Unload Hive. Confirm.
24. Start > Shutdown > Restart
25. At boot menu, select ‘Microsoft Windows Recovery Console’
26. Take sip of Dr. Pepper (very important)
27. Select proper installation to log onto (default: 1) and press ‘Enter’
    (If prompted, enter Administrator password and press ‘Enter’)
28. Type (without quotes) and press enter: ‘cd \’
29. Type (without quotes) and press enter: ‘copy SYSTEM C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM’
    (Yes, you want to overwrite - Go ahead and do it)
30. Type (without quotes) and press enter: ‘del SYSTEM’
31. Type (without quotes) and press enter: ‘exit’
32. At boot menu, select ‘Windows XP Media Center Edition’

You should be able to join a Domain