Optimize Windows Vista for better performance
Try restarting if there’s a problem
This tip is simple. If your computer seems to be running slowly and closing all the currently running programs doesn’t help, trying restarting your computer. Restarting can fix performance problems where the exact cause is hard to pinpoint.
Add more memory
This isn’t a guide to buying hardware that will speed up your computer. But no discussion of how make Windows run faster would be complete without mentioning that you should consider adding more memory to your PC.
If a computer running Windows Vista feels too slow, it’s usually because the PC doesn’t have enough memory. The most sure fire way to speed it up is to add more.
Windows Vista can run on a PC with 512 megabytes (MB) of random access memory (RAM), but it runs better with 1 gigabyte (GB). For optimal performance, boost that to 2 GB or more.
If you’re going to the trouble of opening up your PC case to add more memory, you might as well boost the total to at least 2 GB. Especially if you’re the sort of person who keeps a dozen e‑mail messages, ten browser windows, and six other programs open at once all while instant messaging.
Another option is to boost the amount of memory by using Windows ReadyBoost. This feature allows you to use the storage space on some removable media devices, such as USB flash drives, to speed up your computer. It’s easier to plug a flash drive into a USB port than to open your PC case and plug memory modules into its motherboard.
Check for viruses and spyware
If your PC is running slowly, one dreaded possibility is that it might be infected with a virus or spyware. This is not as common as the other problems, but it is something to consider. Before you worry too much, check your PC using antispyware and antivirus programs.
A common symptom of a virus is a much slower-than-normal computer performance. Other signs include unexpected messages that pop up on your PC, programs that start automatically, or the sound of your hard disk constantly working.
Spyware is a type of program that is installed, usually without your knowledge, to watch your activity on the Internet. You can check for spyware with Windows Defender or other anti-spyware programs
The best way to deal with viruses is to prevent them in the first place. Always run antivirus software and keep it up to date. Even if you take such precautions, however, it’s possible for your PC to become infected.
Check your computer’s speed
If you try these tips and your computer is still too slow, you might need a new PC or some hardware upgrades, such as a new hard disk, faster video card, or more memory. There’s no need to guess the speed of your computer, however. Windows provides a way to check and rate your PC’s speed with a tool called the Windows Experience Index.
The Windows Experience Index rates your computer on five key components and gives you a number for each, as well as an overall base score. This base score is only as good as your worst-performing component sub-score.
Base scores currently range from 1 to 5.9. (There is no score yet of 6.0 or higher, although Microsoft plans to raise the ratings in the future as hardware improves.) If your PC is rated lower than 2 or 3, it might be time to consider a new PC, depending on what tasks you want to do with your computer.
Disable services you don’t need
This is the most technically advanced of all these tips. If you don’t want to mess with anything too advanced or complicated, you can skip this one.
Windows has more than 100 services running quietly in the background with names such as Network Access Protection Agent and Shell Hardware Detection. These typically launch when your computer is started and they run until your computer is shut down. Some secure Microsoft services cannot be disabled, but most others can be. Many software companies also install their own services, some of which you can disable to conserve memory and processor power.
You should not turn off a service unless you understand what it does and are confident you don’t need it. Explaining what the many services in Windows do is beyond the scope of this article, but there is plenty of information about this on various websites.
For an overview from Microsoft, download the Microsoft Word document on the Services in Windows Vista website.
Check for updates from the manufacturer
Have you visited the support website of your computer manufacturer to see if the company has released any updates for your specific model? Computer makers often issue software updates for programs they shipped with a PC, especially if the PC is relatively new.
You might be surprised how much information you can find by checking with the manufacturer. If other users are reporting the same problem you are having, the manufacturer might have already issued a fix, or at least provided information about the problem.
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Tags: Anti-spyware, antivirus tools, area, Clean, cleanup, Computer, Defender, defragment, defragmenter, Fragmentation, Hardware, memory, memory disk, Network, password, pc manufacturers, Performance, schedule, software utility, Spyware, startup, tools, Uninstall, usb, virus, virus scanners, Windows, Windows Defender, windows vista
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Speed Up Windows By Optimizing Your Page File | Tips on 19 Aug 2008 at 6:28 am #
[...] By optimizing your page file you can boost your Windows performance. Even though it is possible for a computer to run with the page file disabled, it is not recommended by anyone to disable your page file, even if you have access to large amounts of RAM. Defragmenting the page file, changing the size of the page file, and putting it on a separate partition are several different methods you can use, but it’s the combined effort of all these methods, that will provide the biggest performance increase. [...]