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Post-Install Guide

The ReviOS playbook is carefully configured and tweaked to achieve stability while still maintaining excellent performance and compatibility. Having said that, there's only so much that we can do on our end.

Certain components are specific to each PC, like drivers, BIOS, hardware etc. We simply cannot pre-tweak these kinds of components, as it is impossible to do while still retaining our focus on high compatibility with most systems.

However, this does NOT mean that we cannot help you tweak those things yourself. Any ReviOS install is very capable out of the box, but if you want the absolute optimal experience, Revision recommends that you follow and apply the Post-Install guide.

Activating Windows​

ReviOS may activate itself automatically upon installation, using the OEM key connected to your BIOS, just like any other Windows version would do.

important

ReviOS does not provide any means of illegitimate Windows activation. Any attempt to activate Windows in an illegitimate way is strictly against our policy and is not supported or endorsed by ReviOS!

If your ReviOS installation isn't automatically activated, follow one of the methods listed down below.

Method 1 - Windows Settings

Go to Windows Settings > Update & Security > Activation and activate Windows in Activation using your product key.

Method 2 - Control Panel

Head into Control Panel > System and Security > System. At the bottom of the page, under Windows activation, click Change product key.

note

Depending on your Windows version, this may redirect you to Windows Settings.

Method 3 - Command Prompt

Press Windows + R on your keyboard to open Run and type in cmd.

In the new window, paste the following commands, pressing enter after each line:

slmgr /ipk XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX
slmgr /ato

Replace XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX with your own product key.

Method 4 - Software Licensing User Interface (workaround)

Press Windows + R on your keyboard to open Run and type in slui to open the Software Licensing User Interface.

Here, type in

slui.exe

Then enter your product key.

It's highly suggested that you follow these steps in order.

You can also come back to this guide at a later date and redo things if need be. i.e, if you need to install a newer NVIDIA GPU driver, the NVIDIA Control Panel settings may be reverted.

It is recommended that you restart after each step.

Set time and language​

  1. Set / add your language under Settings → Time & Language → Language, even if you want to use Windows in English. To change your keyboard layout to non-English, you need to add that language. After that, you can change your regional format or keyboard layout or even which language Windows displays:

language

  1. Set your time zone up properly, as ReviOS's default is the UTC time zone. Settings → Time & Language → Date & time

GPU drivers​

NVIDIA

We're going to be using third party programs called NVCleanstall or NVSlimmer to strip our drivers of bloatware, telemetry and unneeded/obsolete features. You can use either of them, but not both of them at the same time. If you have no personal preference, use NVCleanstall.

Using NVCleanstall
  • Download and install NVCleanstall
  • Open the program, and tick Install the best driver for my hardware, then click Next.
    • You can also manually select your preferred GPU driver with the option below.
  • Tick Minimum or Recommended in the bottom right, after that hit Next. (We recommend Minimum)
    • No need to tick the Visual Runtimes as we are separately installing them afterwards.
    • PhysX is only used by a handful of games, so most of you can keep this unticked.
    • If ShadowPlay is a necessity, make sure you only select the bare minimum required for it. Note that ShadowPlay adds telemetry onto your system!
      • You can use this script to remove GeForce Experience telemetry.
  • While the driver is being downloaded you can tick a few tweaks under Additional Tweaks.
    • We recommend you to tick everything except Unattended Express Installation.
  • Now your driver will be installed like any other NVIDIA driver.
Using NVSlimmer
  • Download and install NVSlimmer and download regular Nvidia drivers from the official website
  • Import your downloaded driver to the software, and preferably keep only both required packages.
  • Only check other options if you need them, i.e. if you have a USB-C port, tick the USB-C driver, or if you need GeForce Experience, tick it.
    • No need to tick the Visual Runtimes as we are separately installing them afterwards.
    • PhysX is only used by a handful of games, so most of you can keep this unticked.
  • Press Apply and then Install driver when prompted, and it will install just like any NVIDIA driver.

AMD

Since AMD Radeon Software Adrenalin 21.4.1 release, users have an option to choose full installation, minimal installation, or driver only installation, during the initial setup for Radeon Software.

Detailed Steps
  • Select your graphics model, choose your Operating System and click on the Download button
  • After the download is complete, open the save folder and double-click the file to begin setup.
  • Click Install to unpack the setup files and wait to automatically run the unpacked installer
    • Note: It is recommended to use the default location.
  • Click Additional Options
  • In the Install Type section, select Minimal Install instead of Full Install
  • Press Install and once it finishes, it is highly recommended to restart your PC

Other Device drivers​

Download and install your drivers. This applies only to drivers apart from the GPU, since that has its own section.

To learn more about how to manually install your drivers, follow the driver installation guide.

DirectX Runtime​

DirectX is a collection of APIs required for games to run and function optimally.

It is not required to install these here and now, as most game clients (Steam, Origin, Uplay etc.) will be installing DirectX whenever a game is being installed from said client. Installing them now will ensure that you do not encounter possible issues in the future, and might save you some time during future game installations.

Instructions
  1. Download and run the DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer
  2. Upon running the installer you will be introduced to a Welcome page, accept the agreement and then click Next in the bottom right .
  3. The following page will offer you the Bing Bar, make sure to untick Install the Bing Bar as this is considered advertising bloatware.
  4. Now click Next.
  5. Wait for the installation to complete.
  6. When the installation has completed click Finish in the bottom right.

Visual C++ Runtime​

Visual C++ Runtimes are required for a diverse range of programs and games. The required Runtimes may already be packaged with the programs you install, but that is not always the case. Instead of downloading and installing each and every Runtime individually, we will be using an all-in-one installer to speed up the process.

Like DirectX Runtimes, it is recommended that you install Visual C++ now to avoid program errors in the future.

Instructions
  1. Go to the vcredist GitHub page by abbodi1406.
  2. Under Assets, download the latest VisualCppRedist.zip file.
  3. Once downloaded, extract the .zip file and run the installer.

NVIDIA Control Panel Tweaks​

This will cover the settings you have to tweak to achieve minimal latency, high FPS, good frame times and consistent colors.

This guide will be split up into different sections. This makes it easier to navigate for you.

info
  • This only applies to NVIDIA graphics cards. Ensure that you installed an NVIDIA GPU driver (see step 2).
  • This guide is not intended for in-game graphics improvements, rather the exact opposite. You will get worse graphics for more FPS.
  • Intended for fast-paced games, where latency and performance is of utmost importance.
NVIDIA Control Panel Settings Optimization Guide

Open NVIDIA Control Panel​

To open NVIDIA Control Panel:

  • Search using your Start menu for NVIDIA Control Panel OR
  • Right click on your desktop and select NVIDIA Control panel in the menu.

Adjust Image Settings with Preview​

  1. Tick Use my preference emphasizing:
  2. Drag the slider all the way to the left so that it says Performance.
  3. Hit Apply in the bottom right.
  4. Now tick Use the advanced 3D image settings.
  • This enforces a good foundation by applying the Performance image settings preset. This will save us some time in the next step.

Manage 3D Settings​

You may not be able to see some of the Settings listed down below, just ignore them.

Ensure that your 3D settings match the following.

Global Settings:

  • Image Sharpening: Off
  • Ambient Occlusion: Off
  • Anisotropic filtering: Application-controlled
  • Antialiasing - FXAA: Off
  • Antialiasing - Gamma correction: Off
  • Antialiasing - Mode: Application-controlled
  • Antialiasing - Setting: None
  • Antialiasing - Transparency: Off
  • CUDA - GPUs: All
  • DSR - Factors: Off
  • DSR - Smoothness: Off
  • Low Latency Mode: On
  • Monitor Technology: Fixed Refresh
  • Multi-Frame Sampled AA (MFAA): Off
  • OpenGL rendering GPU: [your GPU]
  • Power management mode: Prefer maximum performance
  • Preferred refresh rate (monitor name): Highest available
  • Shader Cache: On
  • Texture filtering - Anisotropic sample optimization: On
  • Texture filtering - Negative LOD bias: Allow
  • Texture filtering - Quality: High performance
  • Texture filtering - Trilinear optimization: On
  • Threaded optimization: Auto
  • Triple buffering: Off
  • Vertical sync: Off
  • Virtual Reality pre-rendered frames: 1

Now, finally click Apply in the bottom right.

Configure Surround PhysX​

  • Under PhysX settings, make sure the Processor is set to your GPU.

Change resolution​

  1. Navigate to Change Resolution
  2. Scroll down and tick Use NVIDIA color settings.
  3. Make sure that Output dynamic range is set to Full.
  • Additionally make sure that Output color format is set to RGB, most displays support it nowadays.

Adjust desktop color settings​

  • Tick Use NVIDIA Settings
    • This ensures that your display colors will stay the same universally.

Adjust desktop size and position​

  1. Select your display.
  2. Under:
    • 2- Apply the following settings:
      • Scaling - Tick No scaling.
    • Next under Perform scaling on: select Display and tick Override the scaling mode set by games and programs.

Note:

  • The best resolution for your monitor will almost always be your native resolution with No scaling ticked. This is enforces the lowest display lag.
  • If you're using a stretched resolution set the scaling mode to Full-Screen.
  • If you have multiple monitors you might want to replicate above, using your secondary monitor(s).

Setup G-SYNC​

Untick Enable G-SYNC, G-SYNC Compatible.

  • This is a debatable topic, whether G-SYNC causes additional input lag. Technically G-SYNC will add input lag, as it is a sync feature, meaning one thing has to wait for another, in order for them to be in sync. The question then remains, is the added input lag even perceivable? Probably not.

Adjust video color settings​

  1. Head down to 2. How do you make color adjustments?
  2. Tick With the NVIDIA settings.
  3. Go to Advanced and set Dynamic range: to Full (0-255). Replicate this on your other monitor(s) if you have any.

Adjust video image settings​

  1. Go to 2. Apply these settings to my video content:
  2. Under Edge enhancement tick Use the NVIDIA settings and drag the slider all the way to the left so that it says 0%.
  3. Apply the same settings to Noise reduction by ticking Use the NVIDIA setting then make sure the slider is all the way to the left, yet again at 0%.

Replicate this on your other monitor(s) if you have any.

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