Windows Vista Tweaks

[Philip]

This thread is intended to discuss the recommended Vista tweaks as outlined in this article:

Windows Vista Tweaks

Please share your experiences, testing results, and feel free to add to the available information.
Any suggestions are always welcome.

Update: We've also released a SG Vista TCP/IP patch (also downloadable from our Downloads section, as well as the Vista Tweaks article), that allows for tweaking all related netsh settings and registry values in one simple step. The patch also provides for reverting the settings to their default Windows values.

To apply the patch, save to your desktop and run as administrator (right-click -> run as administrator). Click Y when prompted to apply optimal settings.


Vista/Windows 7 TCP/IP Patch Updates:
12/23/2009, patch version 1.4 - added the EnableDCA registry setting to the Vista/7 TCP/IP patch
01/24/2010, patch version 1.5 - added the "netsh int tcp set heuristics disabled" command to the patch to prevent Vista/Windows 7 heuristics from overriding custom user-set autotuninglevel values.




Note: One interesting area to explore would be manually setting the MTU value, to confirm that it is off by 8 with non-PPPoE connections ? (you can test the actual MTU value using the Analyzer after rebooting)

[mccoffee]

Good infromation Philip didn't even seen this thread till today.

higlyrestricted: allows the receive window to grow beyond its default value, very conservatively
restricted: somewhat restricted growth of the tcp receive window beyond its default value
normal: default value, allows the receive window to grow to accommodate most conditions
experimental: allows the receive window to grow to accommodate extreme scenarios (not recommended, it can degrade performance in common scenarios, only intended for research purposes. It enables RWIN values of over 16 MB)
Our recommendation: normal (unless you're experiencin

When I met with the the windows networking team in Seattle normal/rescrited should work for most users though. Listen to Philip on the experimental stuff.

One other note make sure your network card drivers and frimware is update to dat on your networking equipment. I noticed in the past two weeks updates for my network cards and that's in three different computers.

Kepp up the great work Philip.

[Rollingstone]

Removes the limitation of your half-open (incomplete/syn packets) in Vista ?
http://www.softpedia.com/get/Tweak/N...utoPatch.shtml

[satyre]

Removes the limitation of your half-open (incomplete/syn packets) in Vista ?
http://www.softpedia.com/get/Tweak/N...utoPatch.shtml

I downloaded this patch, but my computer screwed up. I couldn't boot back in, it just crashed before loading OS but gave an option to get in Safemode.. However, when I select Safemode and hit enter, it load the usual files and stop at one point and crash.

Finally, I used the original Vista disc to get into the repair mode and restored a previous point.

I don't advise anyone using the above link to get the patch.

Anyway, how can I manually remove the connection limitation? Which registry I have to change.

Thanks

[bbd123]

I also DL'd the patch and was unable to boot. Recieved an error stating "Not able to verify digital signature"
Did the same as satyre and put in Vista disc and did the repair!
I would also like to know how to manually remove the limits.

[mccoffee]

http://www.mydigitallife.info/2007/0...event-id-4226/

[ViTz]

I also DL'd the patch and was unable to boot. Recieved an error stating "Not able to verify digital signature"
Did the same as satyre and put in Vista disc and did the repair!
I would also like to know how to manually remove the limits.

Thats bc u have 64bit vista, wich have driver signature enforcement. The batch is meant only for 32bit versions.
However, it is still possible to batch 64bit version, but u need a way to bypass signature enforcement.

"Windows Vista now require all kernel-mode driver or software to be signed with digital signature in 64-bit Vista, and all boot-start drivers must be embedded-sign with signature on both x86 and x64 versions of Windows Vista. Unfortunately, tcpip.sys is both kernel mode driver, and also boot start driver, and modify tcpip.sys will break the existing signature, making the patched tcpip.sys unsigned.

So when using patched tcpip.sys, users must press F8 at every Windows boot load. When come to Vista Advanced Boot Options menu, select “Disable Driver Signature Enforcement” to bypass driver signing check and continue loading Windows Vista, else there may be boot-failure. The process can be automated with ReadyDriverPlus."

http://www.mydigitallife.info/2008/0...nection-limit/

[satyre]

Thats bc u have 64bit vista, wich have driver signature enforcement. The batch is meant only for 32bit versions.

Who said, I have 64bit version? Assumption?

I am using 32bit version.

[ViTz]

Who said, I have 64bit version? Assumption?

I am using 32bit version.

I meant that comment for bbd123, I quotet him, not u. He clearly is using the 64bit version.

U propably screwed ur system, bc u used too old version of the batch. Assuming u have sp1 installed, or any other windows patch that might have updated tcpip.sys file.

The link i gave has a patch for sp1 also, try that. Ive succesfully batched my 32bit and 64bit sp1 systems with patches found from My Digital Life

[Drlawgr]

A desperate Vista user here!

I've tried ALL possible combinations to make my connection faster with these damn Vista Business 64 bit, but nothing works!

Please read below... maybe you can help with something... I'm really dissapointed ... don't know what to do anymore... can't even watch a youtube video without having to wait for a couple of seconds every about 5 seconds, for buffering...
_____________________________
Guys,
I've tried ALL POSSIBLE combinations about it, and still can't find a solution!

But read this please!

"""TCP Auto-Tuning

To turn off the default RWIN auto tuning behavior, (in elevated command prompt) type:

netsh int tcp set global autotuninglevel=disabled

The default auto-tuning level is "normal", and the possible settings for the above command are:

disabled: uses a fixed value for the tcp receive window. Limits it to 64KB (limited at 65535).
higlyrestricted: allows the receive window to grow beyond its default value, very conservatively
restricted: somewhat restricted growth of the tcp receive window beyond its default value
normal: default value, allows the receive window to grow to accommodate most conditions
experimental: allows the receive window to grow to accommodate extreme scenarios (not recommended, it can degrade performance in common scenarios, only intended for research purposes. It enables RWIN values of over 16 MB)"""

So if using DISABLED, the TCP RWIN DOES NOT CHANGE VALUE! That gives it a FIXED 64kb.
Even though in the Registry the numbers shown, are the ones you have input in the TCOptimizer... but when you go to
www.speedguide.net/analyzer.php
you still get a FREAKING TCP RWIN of 65340...

I also tried the "experimental" mode of auto-tuning, that supposedly leaves it free to grow, but still nothing!!!

HELP ANYONE???
____________________________________________
Same story as everyone else... I get half the speed I was getting with my old XP pc... I've lost my sleep with it!!! Have been looking and searching everything, until I found this post...

Here is my info...

« SpeedGuide.net TCP Analyzer Results »
Tested on: 10.24.2008 20:25

TCP options string: 020405ac01010402
MSS: 1452
MTU: 1492
TCP Window: 65340 (multiple of MSS)
RWIN Scaling: 0 bits
Unscaled RWIN : 65340
Recommended RWINs: 63888, 127776, 255552, 511104, 1022208
BDP limit (200ms): 2614kbps (327KBytes/s)
BDP limit (500ms): 1045kbps (131KBytes/s)
MTU Discovery: ON
TTL: 46
Timestamps: OFF
SACKs: ON
IP ToS: 00000000 (0)

and I'm getting SICK!!! My connection is 6,500-7,000... using my old XP pc I download with around 550-600... my new Vista (Business 64-bit with SP1 installed) will only download with 300-330 Kbytes/s

Autotuning is off... I run TCPOptimizer, but the value of RWIN does not change!!!

[ViTz]

A desperate Vista user here!

I've tried ALL possible combinations to make my connection faster with these damn Vista Business 64 bit, but nothing works!

Please read below... maybe you can help with something... I'm really dissapointed ... don't know what to do anymore... can't even watch a youtube video without having to wait for a couple of seconds every about 5 seconds, for buffering...
_____________________________
Guys,
I've tried ALL POSSIBLE combinations about it, and still can't find a solution!

But read this please!


"""TCP Auto-Tuning

To turn off the default RWIN auto tuning behavior, (in elevated command prompt) type:

netsh int tcp set global autotuninglevel=disabled

The default auto-tuning level is "normal", and the possible settings for the above command are:

disabled: uses a fixed value for the tcp receive window. Limits it to 64KB (limited at 65535).
higlyrestricted: allows the receive window to grow beyond its default value, very conservatively
restricted: somewhat restricted growth of the tcp receive window beyond its default value
normal: default value, allows the receive window to grow to accommodate most conditions
experimental: allows the receive window to grow to accommodate extreme scenarios (not recommended, it can degrade performance in common scenarios, only intended for research purposes. It enables RWIN values of over 16 MB)"""

So if using DISABLED, the TCP RWIN DOES NOT CHANGE VALUE! That gives it a FIXED 64kb.
Even though in the Registry the numbers shown, are the ones you have input in the TCOptimizer... but when you go to
www.speedguide.net/analyzer.php
you still get a FREAKING TCP RWIN of 65340...

I also tried the "experimental" mode of auto-tuning, that supposedly leaves it free to grow, but still nothing!!!

HELP ANYONE???
____________________________________________
Same story as everyone else... I get half the speed I was getting with my old XP pc... I've lost my sleep with it!!! Have been looking and searching everything, until I found this post...

Here is my info...

« SpeedGuide.net TCP Analyzer Results »
Tested on: 10.24.2008 20:25

TCP options string: 020405ac01010402
MSS: 1452
MTU: 1492
TCP Window: 65340 (multiple of MSS)
RWIN Scaling: 0 bits
Unscaled RWIN : 65340
Recommended RWINs: 63888, 127776, 255552, 511104, 1022208
BDP limit (200ms): 2614kbps (327KBytes/s)
BDP limit (500ms): 1045kbps (131KBytes/s)
MTU Discovery: ON
TTL: 46
Timestamps: OFF
SACKs: ON
IP ToS: 00000000 (0)

and I'm getting SICK!!! My connection is 6,500-7,000... using my old XP pc I download with around 550-600... my new Vista (Business 64-bit with SP1 installed) will only download with 300-330 Kbytes/s

Autotuning is off... I run TCPOptimizer, but the value of RWIN does not change!!!

Did u run the tool elevated? Right click it and choose Run as administrator.

Try edit the settings manually with regedit. U can see the correct values after u click apply.

Also, dont trust the RWIN that TCP/IP Analyzer tells u. For me it tells my RWIN is 65700 but my downloads usually comes near 1000 KBytes/s.

[Drlawgr]

Yes my friend, cmd.exe as admin, always...

You know it is funny... I have changed the values manually using regedit, and the values stay put... autotuning is on experimental, as disabled just locks it at 65kb...

TCP Global Par's are:
RSS: enabled
Chimney Offload: enabled
Receive Window: experimental
Add-on Congestion Control: ctcp
ECN Capability: enabled
RFC 1323 Timestamps: disabled

Then I also UNCHECKED the TCP/IPv6 in my LAN's properties...

All of the above increased my speed by about 100kbs, and I now download at around 400... but still nothing like in my old XP pc where I was downloading with 500 (btw, I turned it on last night and run TCPOptimizer, which I had not run on it - I was using the Tuneup Utilities 2008 in it for optimization - and can you believe that after that I reached 600??? My Receive Window was something like 510,000+ !!!)

I know we must not trust the TCP analyze-thing in speedguide's site... I read somewhere, that it was written in 16 bit and cannot "play" correctly with Vista, or something like that... didn't exactly know if it's true or not, so looking around (haven't done much else since I found out my problem!) and I found this link:

http://www.dslreports.com/tweaks

and it gives me a Receive Window of 350,000+

But still I have problem for example with video streaming... I used to watch some tv (always using my old XP pc) without ANY stops for buffering... now I cannot watch tv! Every 5-6 seconds will stop to buffer for 2-3 seconds, and all over again, and again...

Can't really understand why they've done this damn autotuning thing...

Now, I'm looking for a way (if it exists) to "fix" video streaming... don't know what else to do...

What are your settings in the Global Par's?

[mccoffee]

Vista doesn't use tcp window size at all it doesn't matter if you set them in the registry ,or not since it is due to IPv6 ,and ctcp where the packet header is modified for effency for data transfers.

Without those reg values the host ,and the devices to that host can commucate better since it's less time trying to setup how much data can be set to compA from a host ,and how much data can compA recive. The host just determines the amount ,and compA just agrees less decisions durring the transfer.

[Chrysalis]

my tips are as follows for vista.

Disable RSS unless you have both the following (a) 2 or more processor cores and (b) a network card that can handle RSS, typically a business intel pro 1000 MT card (expensive model). The intel pro 1000 PT/GT consumer model doesnt do RSS.

enable ctcp congestion control.

experiment with the auto tuning setting, this site will report a value but that value wont be used on all connections as it dynamically changes. Someone on another site did some tests with a packet analyzer and found out on the restricted and normal the tcp windows get very big on large downloads, far bigger than the typical 200k-300k sizes used by tweakers well into 7 figures. So he suggested using highlyrestricted or disabled, I guess it depends on circumstances. If you using something like torrents which open a lot of long lasting connections I would suggest highlyrestricted or disabled so you dont exhaust your resources, otherwise a higher setting should be ok.

No comment on chimney cant say I noticed a difference with it on or off.

What I do notice with vista over XP is web browsing is a hell of a lot faster, this I suspect is more down to ctcp than the auto tuning.

[mnosteele52]

Good stuff Philip, I applied of few of these to my computers.

[spicyxw]

Wow,

I have been working on everyone PC's and laptops from work for years now. I have been using TCP Optimizer since it came out, and it has improved everyones internet speed on DSL and Cable.

Now Vista comes out and I have stayed away from it till now, and I have not been impressed with any speed test results.

My gear:
Alienware Area 51 M5500i R3 with Intel built in A/B/G card.
D-Link DIR-655 N1 Router
Custom Gaming rig: Asus MB on board 10/100/1000 NIC

My gaming rig averages 27MB - 65MB everyday. And I have on occasions reached 100MB download with TCP Optimizer maxed out.




Until now I was only getting between 3MB - 7MB down on my laptop.

Then I read this topic and all I can say is that it is right on.

Now I'm averaging on my laptop betweem 9MB - 11MB


And 60MB down from others.


THANK YOU PHILIP FOR THE FANTASTIC VISTA TWEAK LINK POST. Pages load so fast now. I can't wait till I get my new Intel 4965 B\G\N card next month.

My settings are:
Recieve-Side Scaling State = Enabled
Chimney Offload State = Eabled
Auto-tuning Level = Normal
ADD-ON Congestion Control Provider = CTCP
ECN Capability = Disabled
RFC 1323 Timestamp = Disabled

[ace_caz]

Hi,

Ref: MTU (Maximum Transmission Unit) - the maximum packet size.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters\Interfaces\{...}\
MTU=1500 (DWORD, entry does not exist by default)


I can not see the above info. in the registry.

ie MTU I can get as far as interfaces - what im i missing..


cheers!

[mccoffee]

mtu http://www.howtonetworking.com/vista/vistamtu.htm

[Philip]

I've added a SG Vista TCP/IP Patch (thanks 100 010 00 for some ideas), allowing users to change all Vista related netsh/registry settings to their optimal values in a single step (except nagling and MTU, more info available in our Vista Tweaks article referenced above). The SG Vista TCP/IP patch allows for reverting all settings to their Windows default values as well.

We may opt for a Vista Windows-based version ot the Optimizer for more granular user control sometime in the future, depending on demand.

Any feedback is appreciated, as always.

[YARDofSTUF]

Does this also relate to Windows 7?