
    ============================================================================

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      | |\  | (_) \ V / (_| | | |  \ V  V /  __/ (_| |   <\__ \
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                        FREE PACK v2.5

    ============================================================================

    HOW TO USE
    ============================================================================

    TABLE OF CONTENTS
    -----------------
    1.  Before You Start (MUST READ)
    2.  Quick Start Guide
    3.  Main Menu Walkthrough
    4.  Detailed Section Guide
    5.  Safety Tiers Explained
    6.  How to Undo / Restore Defaults
    7.  Troubleshooting
    8.  Frequently Asked Questions

    ============================================================================

    1. BEFORE YOU START (MUST READ)
    ============================================================================

    !! ADMIN RIGHTS REQUIRED !!
    Every script in this pack requires Administrator privileges.
    Right-click NovaTweaks_Utility.bat -> "Run as Administrator"
    If you skip this, scripts will fail with an error.

    !! CREATE A RESTORE POINT FIRST !!
    Before applying ANY tweaks, select Option [1] from the main menu
    to create a System Restore Point. This is your safety net.
    If anything goes wrong, you can roll back via:
      Settings -> Recovery -> System Restore

    !! REBOOT AFTER TWEAKING !!
    Many changes (especially BCD, CPU, GPU, and registry tweaks)
    require a restart to take effect. Reboot after you finish
    applying your chosen tweaks.

    !! ONLY APPLY WHAT MATCHES YOUR HARDWARE !!
    - Intel CPU owners: Use Intel options (not AMD)
    - AMD CPU owners: Use AMD options (not Intel)
    - Nvidia GPU owners: Use Nvidia options (not AMD)
    - AMD GPU owners: Use AMD options (not Nvidia)
    Applying the wrong vendor's tweaks can cause errors or no effect.

    !! DO NOT APPLY EVERYTHING AT ONCE !!
    Apply tweaks in batches and test stability between groups.
    If you apply everything and something breaks, you won't know
    which tweak caused it. Start with System and GPU, then CPU,
    then Network. Test after each group.

    ============================================================================

    2. QUICK START GUIDE
    ============================================================================

    For a safe baseline gaming optimization, follow this order:

    Step 1:  Right-click NovaTweaks_Utility.bat -> Run as Administrator
    Step 2:  Select [1] Create Restore Point
    Step 3:  Select [2] System -> [1] Apply General System Tweaks
    Step 4:  Select [5] GPU -> Choose your GPU vendor -> Apply tweaks
    Step 5:  Select [4] CPU -> Choose your CPU vendor -> Apply tweaks
    Step 6:  Select [10] Power Plan -> [1] Import NovaTweaks Power Plan
    Step 7:  REBOOT YOUR PC
    Step 8:  Test your games. If stable, continue with optional tweaks.

    Optional (after verifying stability):
    - [3] Network Tweaks -> [1] Advanced Network Tweaker -> Smart Optimize
    - [6] Memory Tweaks
    - [7] Storage Tweaks (choose SSD or HDD)
    - [11] BCD Tweaks

    ============================================================================

    3. MAIN MENU WALKTHROUGH
    ============================================================================

    [1]  Create Restore Point
         Creates a Windows System Restore Point. USE THIS FIRST.
         You can restore from it later if anything goes wrong.

    [2]  System Tweaks
         Submenu with 3 options (see Section 4 below).
         Core Windows performance and debloating tweaks.

    [3]  Network Tweaks
         Submenu with 6 options. TCP optimization, QoS for gaming,
         network reset, and the Smart Optimize GUI tool.

    [4]  CPU Tweaks
         Submenu with Intel/AMD-specific options.
         General CPU optimization + vendor-specific settings.

    [5]  GPU Tweaks
         Submenu with Nvidia/AMD-specific options.
         Latency, power, memory, preemption, and bloat tweaks.

    [6]  Memory Tweaks
         Optimizes Windows memory management and compression.

    [7]  Storage Tweaks
         SSD or HDD optimization. Choose the one matching your drive.

    [8]  Debloat Windows
         Remove preinstalled apps and disable unused printer features.

    [9]  Cleanup Temp Files
         Deletes temporary files to free disk space.

    [10] Power Plan
         Imports and activates the NovaTweaks custom power plan.
         Falls back to Windows High Performance if import fails.

    [11] BCD Tweaks
         Boot configuration tweaks: disable Dynamic Tick (lower
         latency) or disable Hypervisor/Hyper-V.

    [12] Restore Defaults
         Submenu with 8 restore options. Undo specific tweaks or
         restore ALL settings to Windows defaults.

    [13] Exit
         Closes the utility.

    ============================================================================

    4. DETAILED SECTION GUIDE
    ============================================================================

    ---- SYSTEM TWEAKS (Main Menu [2]) ----

    [1] Apply General System Tweaks
        Applies a comprehensive set of Windows optimizations:
        - Disables hibernation, remote assistance, Game DVR
        - Sets SystemResponsiveness=0 (dedicates resources to foreground)
        - Configures multimedia/gaming scheduling priority
        - Disables Storage Sense, driver auto-updates, background apps
        - Optimizes DWM overlay mode for gaming
        This is SAFE to apply and recommended for all users.

    [2] Disable Advanced Services (Tiered)
        Opens a menu with 3 safety tiers. READ THE DESCRIPTIONS
        before choosing. See Section 5 below for details.

    [3] Disable Security Mitigations
        Opens a menu with 3 options:
        - Gaming Mode: Disables Spectre/Meltdown/VBS while keeping
          core security (DEP, ASLR, CFG). RECOMMENDED for gaming PCs.
        - Extreme: Disables ALL security mitigations. DANGEROUS.
          Only use on offline gaming rigs. NOT for daily-use PCs.
        - Revert: Re-enables all security mitigations.

    ---- NETWORK TWEAKS (Main Menu [3]) ----

    [1] Advanced Network Tweaker (GUI + Smart Optimize)
        Opens a PowerShell GUI. Select your network adapter from
        the dropdown, then click "Smart Optimize" (yellow button).
        This auto-detects your link speed and applies optimal
        RSS, interrupt, and buffer settings. RECOMMENDED approach.

    [2] General Network Optimization
        Applies Nagle algorithm disable (TcpAckFrequency=1,
        TCPNoDelay=1), disables RSC/timestamps/ECN, and
        configures TCP heuristics. Good for reducing latency.
        NOTE: Disabling ECN may slow downloads on congested links.
        To re-enable: netsh int tcp set global ecncapability=enabled

    [3] QoS for Games
        Applies Quality of Service policy to prioritize game traffic.

    [4] Reset Network
        Resets all network adapters to default. Use this if
        network breaks after applying tweaks.

    [5] Disable Autotuning (Lower Latency)
        Disables TCP autotuning. Can reduce latency but may
        limit download speeds on high-bandwidth connections.

    [6] Normal Autotuning (Higher Speed)
        Re-enables TCP autotuning. Use if downloads are slow
        after applying [5].

    ---- CPU TWEAKS (Main Menu [4]) ----

    [1] All CPU Optimization
        Applies CPU power settings for maximum performance:
        - Forces max processor state (100%)
        - Disables core parking, throttling, idle
        - Enables HPET timer (if available)
        - Auto-detects your CPU vendor and only disables the
          UNUSED PPM service (IntelPPM or AmdPPM)
        SAFE for all users. Works on both Intel and AMD.

    [2] Intel Specific
        Submenu:
        - General Intel Tweaks: Intel-specific registry settings
        - KBoost: Intel iGPU max performance mode
          (Disables iGPU power saving. Reduces laptop battery life.)

    [3] AMD Specific
        AMD-specific CPU optimization settings.

    ---- GPU TWEAKS (Main Menu [5]) ----

    [1] All GPU Optimization
        General GPU settings (TDR, MSI mode, large pages).
        Applies to both Nvidia and AMD GPUs.

    [2] Nvidia Tweaks (NVIDIA ONLY!)
        Submenu with 5 options:
        - Telemetry, Latency & Power: Disables Nvidia telemetry,
          sets FTS limits, configures latency and power settings
        - Bloat Removal & TDR: Removes Nvidia bloat services,
          sets safe TDR values (TdrDelay=60, TdrDdiDelay=60)
        - Memory Management: fsutil memory settings, MSI mode,
          PowerMizer max performance
        - Preemption: Driver/scheduler/class preemption settings
        - Disable HDCP: Disables High-bandwidth Digital Content
          Protection (only do this if you don't use HDCP content)

        WARNING: These scripts auto-detect your Nvidia GPU via
        registry. If you have multiple GPUs (e.g. laptop with
        integrated + discrete), verify the correct GPU is detected.

    [3] AMD Tweaks (AMD ONLY!)
        Comprehensive AMD GPU optimization:
        - Disables all power gating (max performance)
        - Disables ULPS, deep sleep, thermal throttling
        - Configures UMD (3D/visual) settings
        - Disables AMD overlay and telemetry
        WARNING: This significantly increases GPU power draw and
        temperatures. Ensure adequate cooling.

    ---- MEMORY TWEAKS (Main Menu [6]) ----

    Optimizes Windows memory management:
    - Enables memory compression (reduces RAM usage)
    - Sets fsutil memoryusage=2 (large system cache)
    - Configures paging and large page support

    ---- STORAGE TWEAKS (Main Menu [7]) ----

    Choose SSD or HDD based on your system drive type:
    - SSD: Disables defrag scheduling, enables TRIM, optimizes
      for solid state
    - HDD: Enables defrag, optimizes for mechanical drives
    If you have both (SSD boot + HDD storage), run the SSD
    option for your boot drive.

    ---- BCD TWEAKS (Main Menu [11]) ----

    [1] Disable Dynamic Tick
        Reduces timer latency by disabling Windows dynamic
        tick scheduling. Can improve FPS stability.
        NOTE: May slightly increase idle power consumption.

    [2] Disable Hypervisor (No Hyper-V)
        Disables Hyper-V hypervisor. Required for some games
        and anti-cheat systems (Vanguard, EAC) that conflict
        with Hyper-V.
        NOTE: This also disables WSL2 and Windows Sandbox.
        If you use those, do NOT apply this tweak.

    ============================================================================

    5. SAFETY TIERS EXPLAINED
    ============================================================================

    The "Disable Advanced Services" script (System [2]) offers 3 tiers:

    TIER 1 - SAFE (Recommended)
    - Disables only telemetry, diagnostics, and tracking services
    - Preserves: audio, security, Windows Update, networking,
      themes, fonts, printing, Bluetooth, and all essential services
    - Safe for all users, including daily-use PCs

    TIER 2 - MODERATE
    - Everything in SAFE, plus disables non-essential features:
      - Windows Search indexing
      - SuperFetch/SysMain (may slow app launches)
      - Windows Insider service
      - Some background diagnostics
    - Good for gaming PCs that don't use these features
    - Some app launch times may increase due to no SuperFetch

    TIER 3 - AGGRESSIVE (Use with caution)
    - Everything in MODERATE, plus disables more services:
      - Print Spooler (no printing!)
      - Fax service
      - Offline Files
      - Diagnostics Tracking
      - Additional telemetry and error reporting
    - Only for dedicated gaming rigs where you understand
      what you're giving up
    - PRINTING WILL NOT WORK with this tier

    ============================================================================

    6. HOW TO UNDO / RESTORE DEFAULTS
    ============================================================================

    Method 1: Use Restore Defaults (Main Menu [12])
    -------------------------------------------------
    This is the easiest method. Select option [12] from the main
    menu. You can restore specific categories or everything:

    [1] Restore TDR Settings       - GPU crash recovery defaults
    [2] Restore CPU Power Settings - Balanced CPU power plan
    [3] Restore System Responsiveness - Back to Windows default (10)
    [4] Restore Network Defaults   - All TCP/IP settings reset
    [5] Restore Memory Settings    - Memory usage to default
    [6] Restore BCD Defaults       - All BCD edits removed
    [7] Restore NVIDIA PowerMizer  - Back to adaptive power
    [8] Restore ALL (Full Reset)   - Everything above at once

    Method 2: System Restore
    --------------------------
    If you created a restore point (Step 1 above), you can roll
    back the entire system:
    1. Press Win+R, type: rstrui
    2. Select the restore point you created before tweaking
    3. Follow the wizard to restore

    Method 3: Reinstall Drivers
    -----------------------------
    For GPU-specific tweaks (Nvidia/AMD), reinstalling your
    GPU driver using DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller) in safe
    mode will reset all GPU registry settings to defaults.

    Method 4: Security Mitigations
    --------------------------------
    The "Disable Security Mitigations" script (System [3]) has
    its own [3] Revert option that re-enables all mitigations.

    NOTE: Registry files (.reg) in the System folder do NOT have
    automated undo. If you applied Windows.reg, IRPStack.reg,
    ResourceSetsMODDED2.reg, or DWMThreshold.reg manually, use
    System Restore (Method 2) to revert them.

    ============================================================================

    7. TROUBLESHOOTING
    ============================================================================

    Problem: "This script requires administrator privileges"
    Solution: Right-click the .bat file -> "Run as Administrator"

    Problem: Script window closes immediately
    Solution: Run from a command prompt opened as Admin so you
    can see the error message before the window closes.

    Problem: Games crash or GPU driver stops responding
    Solution: Use Restore Defaults [12] -> [1] Restore TDR Settings.
    This resets GPU crash recovery to Windows defaults.

    Problem: Network is slow after tweaking
    Solution: Use Restore Defaults [12] -> [4] Restore Network Defaults.
    Or: Main Menu [3] -> [6] Normal Autotuning.

    Problem: PC won't boot after BCD tweaks
    Solution: Boot into Windows Recovery Environment:
    1. Hold Shift while clicking Restart
    2. Troubleshoot -> Command Prompt
    3. Run: bcdedit /deletevalue disabledynamictick
    4. Run: bcdedit /deletevalue useplatformclock
    5. Reboot

    Problem: Printing doesn't work
    Solution: You likely used Aggressive services tier. Re-enable
    Print Spooler: sc config Spooler start= auto
    Then: sc start Spooler

    Problem: WSL2 or Docker doesn't work
    Solution: You disabled the Hypervisor (BCD [2]). Re-enable:
    bcdedit /deletevalue hypervisorlaunchtype
    Then reboot.

    Problem: High GPU temperatures after AMD/Nvidia tweaks
    Solution: The GPU tweaks force maximum performance which
    increases power draw. If thermals are too high:
    - Use Restore Defaults [12] -> [7] Restore PowerMizer (Nvidia)
    - For AMD: Reinstall AMD drivers to reset power settings
    - Ensure your GPU has adequate cooling/case airflow

    Problem: Battery life is terrible on laptop
    Solution: Several tweaks force max performance:
    - CPU tweaks disable core parking and throttling
    - GPU tweaks disable power gating
    - BCD tweaks disable dynamic tick
    Use Restore Defaults [12] -> [8] Restore ALL, then only
    apply the specific tweaks you need for gaming sessions.

    ============================================================================

    8. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
    ============================================================================

    Q: Should I apply every tweak?
    A: NO. Apply only what matches your hardware and needs.
    Start with System, GPU, and CPU tweaks. Test for stability
    before adding Network, BCD, or aggressive options.

    Q: Can I use this on a laptop?
    A: Yes, but be cautious. Power-forcing tweaks (CPU, GPU)
    will significantly reduce battery life. Consider only
    applying them when plugged in and gaming.

    Q: Do I need to run this every time I start my PC?
    A: No. All tweaks persist across reboots. They modify the
    Windows registry, power plans, or BCD store. One-time apply.

    Q: Will this break Windows Update?
    A: The SAFE services tier preserves Windows Update. The
    MODERATE and AGGRESSIVE tiers may disable some update-related
    services. Use tier SAFE if you need Windows Update working.

    Q: What if I have both Intel CPU and AMD GPU (or vice versa)?
    A: Use the options that match each component. Apply Intel CPU
    tweaks for the CPU, AMD GPU tweaks for the GPU. The scripts
    auto-detect hardware and will skip if no matching device found.

    Q: Can I undo just one tweak without reverting everything?
    A: Yes. Use Restore Defaults [12] and pick the specific
    category you want to undo. Each option is independent.

    Q: Are the .reg files in the System folder safe to merge?
    A: Windows.reg - Safe. General Windows optimization tweaks.
    DWMThreshold.reg - Safe. DWM exclusive mode for fullscreen games.
    IRPStack.reg - Safe. Increases IRP stack for file sharing.
    ResourceSetsMODDED2.reg - Moderate. Adjusts resource priority.
      Foreground tasks get higher priority, background tasks lower.
      Creates a priority hierarchy that favors gaming/foreground.
    Always create a restore point before merging .reg files.

    Q: I applied tweaks and now my game has stuttering/lag.
    A: Try these steps in order:
    1. Reboot (many tweaks need a restart)
    2. Restore Network Defaults [12] -> [4]
    3. Restore BCD Defaults [12] -> [6]
    4. If still broken, Restore ALL [12] -> [8]
    5. If still broken, use System Restore (Win+R -> rstrui)

    ============================================================================
