Performance Tweaks

AtlasOS includes performance tweaks designed to optimize Windows for better system responsiveness, reduced latency, and efficient resource usage. These tweaks are defined in YAML configuration files located in Configuration/tweaks/performance/.

Overview

Performance tweaks in AtlasOS focus on:

System optimizations for responsiveness
Power management and efficiency
Startup and shutdown improvements
Resource allocation and prioritization
Disabling unnecessary background processes

System Optimizations

Prioritize Foreground Applications

---
title: Prioritize Foreground Applications
description: Prioritizes foreground applications for process scheduling by setting Win32PrioritySeparation to 26 hex, meaning a short quantum, variable, high foreground boost
actions:
  - !registryValue:
    path: 'HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\PriorityControl'
    value: 'Win32PrioritySeparation'
    data: '38'
    type: REG_DWORD

This tweak prioritizes the active foreground application, providing better responsiveness for the program you’re currently using.

Configure Multimedia Class Scheduler Service

---
title: Configure the Multimedia Class Scheduler Service
description: Configures MMCSS for the best performance
actions:
  - !registryValue:
    path: 'HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Multimedia\SystemProfile'
    value: 'SystemResponsiveness'
    data: '10'
    type: REG_DWORD

Sets system responsiveness to 10%, allocating less CPU resources to multimedia tasks so other applications remain responsive.

Optimize NTFS

---
title: Optimize NTFS
description: Optimizes NTFS options for optimal QoL, performance and privacy
actions:
  - !run: {exe: 'fsutil', args: 'behavior set disablelastaccess 1'}
  - !run: {exe: 'fsutil', args: '8dot3name set 1'}

Optimizes NTFS file system by:

Disabling last access time updates for better performance
Disabling 8.3 character-length file names for security and performance

Disable Service Host Split

Prevents Windows from splitting services into individual svchost.exe processes, reducing memory overhead on systems with less than 3.5GB of RAM.

Power Management

Disable Sleep Study

Disables Windows Sleep Study diagnostic tool to reduce background activity and improve system performance.

Respect Power Modes in Search

Configures Windows Search to respect power modes, reducing indexing activity during battery-saving modes.

Background Process Management

Disable Background Apps

Prevents Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps from running in the background, saving system resources and improving battery life.

Disable Game Bar

---
title: Disable Game Bar
description: Disables XBOX Game Bar, which is known as a bloatware feature
actions:
  - !registryValue:
    path: 'HKCU\System\GameConfigStore'
    value: 'GameDVR_Enabled'
    data: '0'
    type: REG_DWORD
  - !registryValue:
    path: 'HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\GameDVR'
    value: 'AppCaptureEnabled'
    data: '0'
    type: REG_DWORD
  - !registryValue:
    path: 'HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\GameDVR'
    value: 'AllowGameDVR'
    data: '0'
    type: REG_DWORD

Disables Xbox Game Bar and Game DVR recording features, freeing up system resources.

Disable Fault Tolerant Heap

Disables Windows Fault Tolerant Heap (FTH) to prevent automatic performance degradation of applications.

Startup and Maintenance

Configure Automatic Maintenance

Configures Windows automatic maintenance to run at optimal times without impacting system performance during use.

Disable Auto Folder Discovery

Disables automatic folder type discovery in File Explorer, improving navigation performance.

Memory and Paging

Disable Paging Executive

Prevents Windows from paging kernel-mode drivers and system code to disk, keeping them in physical RAM for better performance. This is beneficial on systems with adequate RAM.

Configuration Location

All performance tweak YAML files are located in:

src/playbook/Configuration/tweaks/performance/
├── system/
│   ├── disable-paging.yml
│   ├── disable-service-host-split.yml
│   ├── optimize-ntfs.yml
│   └── win32-priority-separation.yml
├── config-automatic-maintenance.yml
├── config-mmcss.yml
├── disable-auto-folder-discovery.yml
├── disable-background-apps.yml
├── disable-fth.yml
├── disable-game-bar.yml
├── disable-sleep-study.yml
└── respect-power-modes-search.yml