Hello folks, the Dude here, helping you make a learning lab based on a single machine.  From this all things are (pretty much) possible…lets get our learning on now!

Enable Hyper-V in Windows 8:

Pretty straight forward step here.  In the Windows 8 Start Menu type “features” and select settings on the right hand side.  You should now see a short list, including “Turn Windows features on or off”.  Click it and it’ll bring up the view below:

 

Check the box for “Hyper-V” so it appears as above and hit “OK”.

If the option is not present or greyed out, then your hardware isn’t configured for Hyper-V or doesn’t support it.  Use this TechNet article to sort out the hardware aspect:  http://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/1401.hyper-v-list-of-slat-capable-cpus-for-hosts.aspx

Note that this process will require a reboot to enable.

Hyper-V Manager in Windows 8:

Once Hyper-V is enabled in Windows 8, you have Hyper-V manger available to you:

This is a typical Microsoft Management Console.  Click on the host name and see the empty space.  Right click the host name (in this case JS8560W) and select “Virtual Switch Manager”.

 

 

Virtual Switch Manager

Lets create a Virtual Network Switch, shall we?  Since I don’t know your environment, I don’t know if we’re going to run into issues building this with external facing connections, so let us stick to an Internal network.  This is a network where the host (our Windows 8 machine in this case) and the guest machines will communicate, but the guests cannot get out onto the hosts network.

 

 

So lets click “Create Virtual Switch” so we can get the view below:

 

 

For this purpose, the defaults will work great.  So lets click “ok”.  Yay we just made a virtual network for our hosts!

 

For the next installment on making a VM (virtual machine) click here:

 

http://blogs.technet.com/b/jeff_stokes/archive/2013/04/18/building-up-a-learning-lab-based-on-windows-8-and-hyper-v-part-ii.aspx

Hats off to Carl Luberti!  So, here it is, without further ado….its’ time to start Optimizing!

 

' // ========================================================================
  ' // Original generated with VDIOptimizer - http://www.autoitscript.com/tools
  ' // (c)2010 Jonathan Bennett
  ' //
  ' // Version:          1.3-Win8
  ' // Last Modified:    9th April 2013
  ' // Last Modified by: Carl Luberti (MSFT)
  ' // Contributions by: Jeff Stokes (MSFT)
  ' // ========================================================================

  ' // ==============
  ' // General Advice
  ' // ==============
  '
  ' Before finalizing the image perform the following tasks:
  ' - Ensure no unwanted startup files by using autoruns.exe from SysInternals
  ' - Run the Disk Cleanup tool as administrator and delete all temporary files and system restore points (can be automated with this script)
  ' - Run disk defrag and consolidate free space: defrag c: /v /x
  ' - Reboot the machine 6 times and wait 120 seconds after logging on before performing the next reboot (boot prefetch training)
  ' - Run disk defrag and optimize boot files: defrag c: /v /b
  ' - If using a dynamic virtual disk, use the vendor's utilities to perform a "shrink" operation

  ' // *************
  ' // *  CAUTION  *
  ' // *************
  '
  ' THIS SCRIPT MAKES CONSIDERABLE CHANGES TO THE DEFAULT CONFIGURATION OF WINDOWS.
  '
  ' Please review this script THOROUGHLY before applying to your virtual machine, and disable changes below as necessary to suit your current
  ' environment.
  '
  ' This script is provided AS-IS - usage of this source assumes that you are at the very least familiar with the vbscript language being used and the
  ' tools used to create and debug this file.
  '
  ' In other words, if you break it, you get to keep the pieces.

  ' Constants
Const ForReading = 1
Const Disable_Aero = False
Const Disable_BranchCache = False
Const Disable_EFS = False
Const Disable_iSCSI = False
Const Disable_MachPass = False
Const Disable_Search = False

Const Install_NetFX3 = False
Const NetFX3_Source = "D:\Sources\SxS"

' Common objects
  Set oShell = WScript.CreateObject ("WScript.Shell")
  Set oFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
  Set oEnv = oShell.Environment("User")

' Command Line Arguments for Some Settings
  Set colNamedArguments = WScript.Arguments.Named

If colNamedArguments.Exists("Aero") Then
     strAero = colNamedArguments.Item("Aero")
  Else
     strAero = Disable_Aero
  End If

If colNamedArguments.Exists("BranchCache") Then
     strBranchCache = colNamedArguments.Item("BranchCache")
  Else
     strBranchCache = Disable_BranchCache
  End If

If colNamedArguments.Exists("EFS") Then
     strEFS = colNamedArguments.Item("EFS")
  Else
     strEFS = Disable_EFS
  End If

If colNamedArguments.Exists("iSCSI") Then
     striSCSI = colNamedArguments.Item("iSCSI")
  Else
     striSCSI = Disable_iSCSI
  End If

If colNamedArguments.Exists("MachPass") Then
     strMachPass = colNamedArguments.Item("MachPass")
  Else
     strMachPass = Disable_MachPass
  End If

If colNamedArguments.Exists("Search") Then
    strSearch = colNamedArguments.Item("Search")
  Else
    strSearch = Disable_Search
  End If

If colNamedArguments.Exists("NetFX3") Then
    strNetFX3 = colNamedArguments.Item("NetFX3")
  Else
    strNetFX3 = Install_NetFX3
  End If

  ' First things first - enable RDP Connections!!!
RunWait "WMIC rdtoggle where AllowTSConnections=0 call SetAllowTSConnections 1,1"
RunWait "netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group=" & Chr(34) & "remote desktop" & Chr(34) & " new enable=Yes"

 

' // ==================
  ' // Configure Services
  ' // ==================

' Disable Application Layer Gateway Service
RunWait "sc config ALG start= disabled"

' Disable Background Intelligent Transfer Service
RunWait "sc config BITS start= disabled"

' Disable Bitlocker Drive Encryption Service
RunWait "sc config BDESVC start= disabled"

' Disable Block Level Backup Engine Service
RunWait "sc config wbengine start= disabled"

' Disable Bluetooth Support Service
RunWait "sc config bthserv start= disabled"

If strBranchCache = True Then
    ' Disable BranchCache Service
    RunWait "sc config PeerDistSvc start= disabled"
  End If

' Disable Computer Browser Service
RunWait "sc config Browser start= disabled"

' Disable Device Association Service
RunWait "sc config DeviceAssociationService start= disabled"

' Disable Device Setup Manager Service
RunWait "sc config DsmSvc start= disabled"

' Disable Diagnostic Policy Services
RunWait "sc config DPS start= disabled"
RunWait "sc config WdiServiceHost start= disabled"
RunWait "sc config WdiSystemHost start= disabled"

' Disable Distributed Link Tracking Client Service
RunWait "sc stop TrkWks"
RunWait "sc config TrkWks start= disabled"

If strEFS = True Then
    ' Disable Encrypting File System Service
    RunWait "sc config EFS start= disabled"
  End If

' Disable Family Safety Service
RunWait "sc config WPCSvc start= disabled"

' Disable Fax Service
RunWait "sc config Fax start= disabled"

' Disable Function Discovery Resource Publication Service
RunWait "sc config fdPHost start= disabled"

' Disable HomeGroup Listener Service
RunWait "sc config HomeGroupListener start= disabled"

' Disable HomeGroup Provider Service
RunWait "sc config HomeGroupProvider start= disabled"

If striSCSI = True Then
    ' Disable Microsoft iSCSI Initiator Service
    RunWait "sc config msiscsi start= disabled"
  End If

' Disable Microsoft Software Shadow Copy Provider Service
RunWait "sc config swprv start= disabled"

' Set Network List Service to Auto
RunWait "sc config netprofm start= auto"

' Disable Optimize Drives Service
RunWait "schtasks /change /tn ""microsoft\windows\defrag\ScheduledDefrag"" /disable"
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Dfrg\BootOptimizeFunction\Enable", "N", "REG_SZ"
RunWait "sc config defragsvc start= disabled"

' Disable Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol Service
RunWait "sc config SstpSvc start= disabled"

' Disable Sensor Monitoring Service
RunWait "sc config SensrSvc start= disabled"

' Disable Shell Hardware Detection Service
RunWait "sc config ShellHWDetection start= disabled"

' Disable SNMP Trap Service
RunWait "sc config SNMPTRAP start= disabled"

' Disable SSDP Discovery Service
RunWait "sc stop SSDPSRV"
RunWait "sc config SSDPSRV start= disabled"

' Disable Telephony Service
RunWait "sc config TapiSrv start= disabled"

If strAero = True Then
    ' Disable Themes Service
    RunWait "sc config Themes start= disabled"
  End If

' Disable UPnP Device Host Service
RunWait "sc config upnphost start= disabled"

' Disable Volume Shadow Copy Service
RunWait "sc config VSS start= disabled"

' Disable Windows Backup Service
RunWait "sc config SDRSVC start= disabled"

' Disable Windows Color System Service
RunWait "sc config WcsPlugInService start= disabled"

' Disable Windows Connect Now - Config Registrar Service
RunWait "sc config wcncsvc start= disabled"

' Disable Windows Defender Service
RunWait "schtasks /change /tn ""microsoft\windows\windows Defender\Windows Defender Cache Maintenance"" /disable"
RunWait "schtasks /change /tn ""microsoft\windows\windows Defender\Windows Defender Cleanup"" /disable"
RunWait "schtasks /change /tn ""microsoft\windows\windows Defender\Windows Defender Scheduled Scan"" /disable"
RunWait "schtasks /change /tn ""microsoft\windows\windows Defender\Windows Defender Verification"" /disable"

' Disable Windows Error Reporting Service
RunWait "sc config WerSvc start= disabled"

' Disable Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service
RunWait "sc config WMPNetworkSvc start= disabled"

' Break out Windows Management Instrumentation Service
RunWait "winmgmt /standalonehost"
RunWait "sc config winmgmt group= COM Infrastructure"

'Disable Windows Search Service
  If strSearch = True Then
    RunWait "sc stop WSearch"
    RunWait "sc config WSearch start= disabled"
  End If

' Disable WLAN AutoConfig Service
RunWait "sc config Wlansvc start= disabled"

' Disable WWAN AutoConfig Service
RunWait "sc config WwanSvc start= disabled"

 

' // ================
  ' // MACHINE SETTINGS
  ' // ================

' Disable Hard disk timeouts
RunWait "POWERCFG /SETACVALUEINDEX 381b4222-f694-41f0-9685-ff5bb260df2e 0012ee47-9041-4b5d-9b77-535fba8b1442 6738e2c4-e8a5-4a42-b16a-e040e769756e 0"
RunWait "POWERCFG /SETDCVALUEINDEX 381b4222-f694-41f0-9685-ff5bb260df2e 0012ee47-9041-4b5d-9b77-535fba8b1442 6738e2c4-e8a5-4a42-b16a-e040e769756e 0"

  ' Disable TCP/IP / Large Send Offload
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters\DisableTaskOffload", &H00000001, "REG_DWORD"

  ' Disable hibernate
RunWait "powercfg -h off"

  ' Disable System Restore
  Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:\\.\root\default")
  Set objItem = objWMIService.Get("SystemRestore")
objItem.Disable("")
RunWait "schtasks /change /tn ""microsoft\windows\SystemRestore\SR"" /disable"
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SystemRestore\DisableSR", &H00000001, "REG_DWORD"

  ' Disable NTFS Last Access Timestamps
RunWait "FSUTIL behavior set disablelastaccess 1"

  If strMachPass = True Then
    ' Disable Machine Account Password Changes
    oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Netlogon\Parameters\DisablePasswordChange", &H00000001, "REG_DWORD"
  End If

  ' Disable memory dumps
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\CrashControl\CrashDumpEnabled", &H00000000, "REG_DWORD"
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\CrashControl\LogEvent", &H00000000, "REG_DWORD"
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\CrashControl\SendAlert", &H00000000, "REG_DWORD"
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\CrashControl\AutoReboot", &H00000001, "REG_DWORD"

  ' Disable default system screensaver
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\Desktop\ScreenSaveActive", 0, "REG_DWORD"

  ' Increase service startup timeouts
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\ServicesPipeTimeout", &H0002bf20, "REG_DWORD"

  ' Increase Disk I/O Timeout to 200 seconds.
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Disk\TimeOutValue", &H000000C8, "REG_DWORD"

  ' Disable Other Scheduled Tasks
RunWait "schtasks /change /tn ""microsoft\windows\Application Experience\AitAgent"" /disable"
RunWait "schtasks /change /tn ""microsoft\windows\Application Experience\ProgramDataUpdater"" /disable"
RunWait "schtasks /change /tn ""microsoft\windows\Application Experience\StartupAppTask"" /disable"
RunWait "schtasks /change /tn ""microsoft\windows\Autochk\Proxy"" /disable"
RunWait "schtasks /change /tn ""microsoft\windows\Bluetooth\UninstallDeviceTask"" /disable"
RunWait "schtasks /change /tn ""microsoft\windows\Customer Experience Improvement Program\BthSQM"" /disable"
RunWait "schtasks /change /tn ""microsoft\windows\Customer Experience Improvement Program\Consolidator"" /disable"
RunWait "schtasks /change /tn ""microsoft\windows\Customer Experience Improvement Program\KernelCeipTask"" /disable"
RunWait "schtasks /change /tn ""microsoft\windows\Customer Experience Improvement Program\Uploader"" /disable"
RunWait "schtasks /change /tn ""microsoft\windows\Customer Experience Improvement Program\UsbCeip"" /disable"
RunWait "schtasks /change /tn ""microsoft\windows\Diagnosis\Scheduled"" /disable"
RunWait "schtasks /change /tn ""microsoft\windows\DiskDiagnostic\Microsoft-Windows-DiskDiagnosticDataCollector"" /disable"
RunWait "schtasks /change /tn ""microsoft\windows\DiskDiagnostic\Microsoft-Windows-DiskDiagnosticResolver"" /disable"
RunWait "schtasks /change /tn ""microsoft\windows\Maintenance\WinSAT"" /disable"
RunWait "schtasks /change /tn ""microsoft\windows\MobilePC\HotStart"" /disable"
RunWait "schtasks /change /tn ""microsoft\windows\Power Efficiency Diagnostic\AnalyzeSystem"" /disable"
RunWait "schtasks /change /tn ""microsoft\windows\RAC\RacTask"" /disable"
RunWait "schtasks /change /tn ""microsoft\windows\Ras\MobilityManager"" /disable"
RunWait "schtasks /change /tn ""microsoft\windows\Registry\RegIdleBackup"" /disable"
RunWait "schtasks /change /tn ""microsoft\windows\Shell\FamilySafetyMonitor"" /disable"
RunWait "schtasks /change /tn ""microsoft\windows\Shell\FamilySafetyRefresh"" /disable"
RunWait "schtasks /change /tn ""microsoft\windows\SideShow\AutoWake"" /disable"
RunWait "schtasks /change /tn ""microsoft\windows\SideShow\GadgetManager"" /disable"
RunWait "schtasks /change /tn ""microsoft\windows\SideShow\SessionAgent"" /disable"
RunWait "schtasks /change /tn ""microsoft\windows\SideShow\SystemDataProviders"" /disable"
RunWait "schtasks /change /tn ""microsoft\windows\UPnP\UPnPHostConfig"" /disable"
RunWait "schtasks /change /tn ""microsoft\windows\WDI\ResolutionHost"" /disable"
RunWait "schtasks /change /tn ""microsoft\windows\Windows Filtering Platform\BfeOnServiceStartTypeChange"" /disable"
RunWait "schtasks /change /tn ""microsoft\windows\Windows Media Sharing\UpdateLibrary"" /disable"
RunWait "schtasks /change /tn ""microsoft\windows\WindowsBackup\ConfigNotification"" /disable"

  ' Configure Event Logs to 1028KB (Minimum size under Vista/7) and set retention to "overwrite"
  Set oEventLogs = GetObject("winmgmts:{impersonationLevel=impersonate,(Security)}!//./root/cimv2").InstancesOf("Win32_NTEventLogFile")
  For Each e in oEventLogs
    e.MaxFileSize = 1052672
    e.OverWritePolicy = "WhenNeeded"
    e.OverWriteOutdated = 0
    e.Put_
    e.ClearEventLog()
  Next

oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\eventlog\Application\Retention", 0, "REG_DWORD"
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\eventlog\Security\Retention", 0, "REG_DWORD"
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\eventlog\System\Retention", 0, "REG_DWORD"

  ' Set PopUp Error Mode to "Neither"
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Windows\ErrorMode", 2, "REG_DWORD"

  ' Disable bootlog and boot animation
RunWait "bcdedit /set {default} bootlog no"
RunWait "bcdedit /set {default} quietboot yes"

  ' Disable UAC secure desktop prompt
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\PromptOnSecureDesktop", &H00000000, "REG_DWORD"

  ' Disable New Network dialog
RunWait "reg add HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Network\NewNetworkWindowOff"

  ' Disable AutoUpdate of drivers from WU
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DriverSearching\searchorderConfig", 0, "REG_DWORD"

  ' Turn off Windows SideShow and install NetFX3
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Sideshow\Disabled", 1, "REG_DWORD"
  If strNetFX3 = True Then
    RunWait "dism /online /Enable-Feature /FeatureName:NetFx3 /All /LimitAccess /Source:" & NetFX3_Source & " /NoRestart"
  End If

' Disable IE First Run Wizard and RSS Feeds
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\DisableFirstRunCustomize", 1, "REG_DWORD"

  ' Disable the ability to clear the paging file during shutdown
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SessionManager\Memory Management\ClearPageFileAtShutdown", 0, "REG_DWORD"

  ' Perform a disk cleanup
  ' Automate by creating the reg checks corresponding to "cleanmgr /sageset:100" so we can use "sagerun:100"
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VolumeCaches\Active Setup Temp Folders\StateFlags0100", &H00000002, "REG_DWORD"
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VolumeCaches\Downloaded Program Files\StateFlags0100", &H00000002, "REG_DWORD"
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VolumeCaches\Internet Cache Files\StateFlags0100", &H00000002, "REG_DWORD"
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VolumeCaches\Memory Dump Files\StateFlags0100", &H00000002, "REG_DWORD"
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VolumeCaches\Offline Pages Files\StateFlags0100", &H00000002, "REG_DWORD"
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VolumeCaches\Old ChkDsk Files\StateFlags0100", &H00000002, "REG_DWORD"
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VolumeCaches\Previous Installations\StateFlags0100", &H00000000, "REG_DWORD"
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VolumeCaches\Recycle Bin\StateFlags0100", &H00000002, "REG_DWORD"
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VolumeCaches\Setup Log Files\StateFlags0100", &H00000002, "REG_DWORD"
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VolumeCaches\System error memory dump files\StateFlags0100", &H00000002, "REG_DWORD"
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VolumeCaches\System error minidump files\StateFlags0100", &H00000002, "REG_DWORD"
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VolumeCaches\Temporary Files\StateFlags0100", &H00000002, "REG_DWORD"
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VolumeCaches\Temporary Setup Files\StateFlags0100", &H00000002, "REG_DWORD"
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VolumeCaches\Thumbnail Cache\StateFlags0100", &H00000002, "REG_DWORD"
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VolumeCaches\Upgrade Discarded Files\StateFlags0100", &H00000000, "REG_DWORD"
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VolumeCaches\Windows Error Reporting Archive Files\StateFlags0100", &H00000002, "REG_DWORD"
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VolumeCaches\Windows Error Reporting Queue Files\StateFlags0100", &H00000002, "REG_DWORD"
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VolumeCaches\Windows Error Reporting System Archive Files\StateFlags0100", &H00000002, "REG_DWORD"
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VolumeCaches\Windows Error Reporting System Queue Files\StateFlags0100", &H00000002, "REG_DWORD"
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VolumeCaches\Windows Upgrade Log Files\StateFlags0100", &H00000002, "REG_DWORD"
RunWait "cleanmgr.exe /sagerun:100"

 

' // =============
  ' // USER SETTINGS
  ' // =============

' Reduce menu show delay
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\MenuShowDelay", "0", "REG_SZ"

  ' Disable cursor blink
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\CursorBlinkRate", "-1", "REG_SZ"
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\DisableCursorBlink", &H00000001, "REG_DWORD"

  ' Force off-screen composition in IE
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\Force Offscreen Composition", &H00000001, "REG_DWORD"

  ' Disable screensavers
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Control Panel\Desktop\ScreenSaveActive", "0", "REG_SZ"
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\ScreenSaveActive", "0", "REG_SZ"
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\Desktop\ScreenSaveActive", "0", "REG_SZ"

  ' Don't show window contents when dragging
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\DragFullWindows", "0", "REG_SZ"

  ' Don't show window minimize/maximize animations
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics\MinAnimate", "0", "REG_SZ"

  ' Disable font smoothing
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\FontSmoothing", "0", "REG_SZ"

  ' Disable most other visual effects
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VisualEffects\VisualFXSetting", &H00000003, "REG_DWORD"
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\ListviewAlphaSelect", &H00000000, "REG_DWORD"
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\TaskbarAnimations", &H00000000, "REG_DWORD"
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\ListviewWatermark", &H00000000, "REG_DWORD"
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\ListviewShadow", &H00000000, "REG_DWORD"
RegBinWrite "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop", "UserPreferencesMask", "90,12,01,80"

  ' Disable Action Center
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\HideSCAHealth", &H00000001, "REG_DWORD"

  ' Disable IE Persistent Cache
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Cache\Persistent", 0, "REG_DWORD"
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Feeds\SyncStatus", 0, "REG_DWORD"

  ' Done
WScript.Quit

 

 

  ' // ================
  ' // HELPER FUNCTIONS
  ' // ================

Function Run(sFile)
    Run = oShell.Run(sFile, 1, False)
  End Function

  Function RunWait(sFile)
    RunWait = oShell.Run(sFile, 1, True)
  End Function

  Function RunWaitHidden(sFile)
    RunWaitHidden = oShell.Run(sFile, 0, True)
  End Function

  Function IsServer()
    IsServer = False
    On Error Resume Next
    For Each objOS in GetObject("winmgmts:").InstancesOf ("Win32_OperatingSystem")
        If objOS.ProductType = 1 Then IsServer = False
        If objOS.ProductType = 2 Or ObjOS.ProductType = 3 Then IsServer = True
    Next
  End Function

  Sub RegBinWrite (key, value, data)
    key = "[" & key & "]"

    If value <> "@" then
        value = chr(34) & value & chr(34)
    End if

    valString = value & "=" & "hex:" & data

    tempFile = GetTempDir() & "\regbinaryimport.reg"
    Set txtStream = oFSO.CreateTextFile(tempFile,true)
    txtStream.WriteLine("Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00")
    txtStream.WriteLine(key)
    txtStream.WriteLine(valString)
    txtStream.Close

    oShell.Run "regedit.exe /s """ & tempFile & """", 1, true

    oFSO.DeleteFile tempFile
  End Sub

  Function GetTEMPDir()
    GetTEMPDir = oEnv("TEMP")
    If InStr(GetTEMPDir, "%") Then
        GetTEMPDir = oShell.ExpandEnvironmentStrings(GetTEMPDir)
    End If
  End Function

 

Disclaimed:  If none of this makes sense to you, you probably shouldn’t be doing it.  All liability is the property of the person applying it.  If you break it you get to keep the pieces….

Today’s Tip… by Robert Mitchell!

While Windows Defender has been available for a while (first available with Windows Vista), for a time it was simply an antispyware program.  When Windows 8 released, it carried with it a beefier version of Windows Defender that was a full-fledged antivirus program.

Its features include (but are not limited to)…

· Real time protection

· Automatic updates for its definitions file

· Integration with IE

Todays Tip from Robert Mitchell…

First for Windows RT,

As part of the effort to improve battery life and PC responsiveness, the startup apps support in Windows RT was removed.

Change Description:

Windows RT does not honor startup app entries in the following locations:

· Run key under HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion

· Run key under HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion

· Run key under HKLM\Software\wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion

· Run key under HKCU\Software\wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion

· Startup folder under user profile start menu

· Startup folder under all user profile start menu

 

Second!

What does the startup impact mean in Task Manager?

 

 

Those values have to do with how much time is added to the startup sequence by that item.

· High impact – Apps that use more than 1 second of CPU time or more than 3 MB of disk I/O at startup

· Medium impact – Apps that use 300 ms - 1000 ms of CPU time or 300 KB - 3 MB of disk I/O

· Low impact – Apps that use less than 300 ms of CPU time and less than 300 KB of disk I/O

The ones that are marked as ‘not measured’ are new start up items from things I’ve installed since the last reboot.  Windows won’t classify them until my next reboot.

If you have been following along in performance land the last year or three, you’d hear about xperf and the WPT (Windows Performance Toolkit).  Mayhap you’ve had some time to practice and you know what you are doing.  Cool.  This tool might still interest you.

If you, on the other hand, haven’t heard of these, or haven’t had the time to spend to get good at them, then this tool will definitely interest you.

It is the Windows Assessment Toolkit.  Unlike the Windows Assessment Server, which I’ll speak to later, Windows Assessment Toolkit it a stand alone, infrastructure-less toolkit designed to help layman and skilled professional alike with client performance analysis. 

This is an option for both Windows 7 and Windows 8 by the way.

So without further ado, lets get rolling…

Step 1 – Get the tool

Go here and run the web installer for the ADK.  Cycle through the installer until you get to the checkbox list of tools and pick 2 as seen below:

 

Let it install.

Step 2 – Use the tool (data collection and review)

Launch the Windows Assessment Console for the Toolkit like so:

 

So here we have the Console Launching…and then, the console:

 

 

 

So, browser running slow can’t figure out why?  Want to see how long the battery will really last?  Does it take forever to startup and you want to know why?  Just some of the test cases at your finger tips.  Note all these in the default pane run only on Windows 8 or Windows RT.  But when you select “Run Individual Assessments”:

A fair amount of them can be run on Windows 7 as well as 8.  So if you don’t want to stand up the infrastructure of a Windows Assessment Server, use this to vet out the performance of hardware, your build, third party filter drivers like AV, DLP, NAC, etc.

The key to this UI though is to click “Configure” down at the bottom next to the Run button, because that’s what you can use to determine which of these ad-hoc test cases can be run against Windows 7 as well.

Note this test case can run on Windows 7.  If you wanted to make a test case to give to someone or to place on another machine, just click “Package…”

And then you can run it on a machine without having to install any console.

So click Run to do a test case.

 

And then it dumps you into a report view when it is complete.  All the items are clickable, and can take you into the ETW trace files if need be.  For example:

See below, we’re selected on one of the found issues and on the right hand pane we get an explanation of what the problem and recommendation are to remediate, along with a link to TechNet on what the ‘deal’ is.

Take the time to use this in your environment on workstations….why you are going to ask?  What does it get me?

 

Well, the driver certification and verification jobs will identify problem drivers in your build that could cause BSODs or other problems…

The File Handling test case will give you a crystal clear idea of DLP or AV’s ‘cost’ to performance in terms of file io.

Boot up is a general holistic view of the boot up process and the impact of everything on it.

Internet Explorer browsing experience is a collection of pages the job will hit locally for graphics rendering.  It’s pretty slick.  Run it and see.  How good is your GPU and GPU driver at hardware rendering?  Find out.

Check this out, see how it works, and it’ll even point you to issues in the ETW files and you can use this as a jump start to real ETW trace analysis on your own.

Hope you liked this post!

The Dude…