How to speed up Windows Vista: official and unofficial tips • The Register

Microsoft has published an article on speeding up Vista, aimed at general users.

It\'s not too bad. Here\'s the summary:

* Delete programs you never use
* Limit how many programs load at startup
* Defragment your hard drive
* Clean up your hard disk
* Run fewer programs at the same time
* Turn off visual effects
* Restart regularly
* Add more memory
* Check for viruses and spyware
* Disable services you don\'t need

Still, it\'s a bit scattergun. I prefer a two-stage approach to improving performance (same applies to a single application):

1. Find out what is slow

2. Speed it up, or leave it out

For example, the benefits of adding memory tail off after a certain point. Task Manager will tell you to what extent RAM is slowing down Vista. Further, adding memory beyond 3GB is pretty much wasted on 32-bit Vista, since the system can only address 3GB, and the BIOS will likely use a lot of the fourth gigabyte address space. That said, a system that is critically short of RAM (in other words, constantly swapping out memory to the hard drive) is in my opinion broken and unusable. Adding RAM in such cases delivers huge rewards.

Uninstalling programs gives little performance benefit if they are not running (unless disk space is limited). The aim is to reduce the number of running processes, not entries in the Start menu.

Vista defragments your drive regularly, by default. The benefits are often rather small, so it would be equally valid to suggest removing it from the schedule, or scheduling it to run less frequently.

The advice to restart regularly needs examination. Yes, a reboot can fix a sluggish machine. But it shouldn\'t be necessary, and I recall that keeping Vista always-on was intended to be a benefit of the operating system. Yes, here\'s a quote from a Power Management in Windows Vista presentation [and here\'s the PowerPoint]:

* Windows Vista promotes the use of sleep as the default off state

In the right circumstances, Vista can run for ages without any problem. I\'ve actually had Media Center (Vista Ultimate) run for several months without any issues; though this kind of thing is not very green so that\'s another reason to do regular switch offs. Still, to my mind \"restart regularly\" is a symptom of some problem that should be fixed.

Turning off visual effects is reasonable advice, though once again it may not yield much benefit. I tried it on my system and was surprised how little difference it made. Reason: I am running with Aero and a decent-ish graphics card, and hardware acceleration seems to handle the visual effects rather easily. Once again, if it\'s not the thing slowing you down, then removing it won\'t speed you up. You can test this quite simply, though it is tedious. Try it both ways. Did it make a difference? Measure it if possible.

It really is worth using the built-in tools, like Task Manager and the Reliability and Performance Monitor, to see which processes are grabbing lots of RAM and CPU. One of the good things about Vista is that such tools are easy to find. Click Start, type \"reliability\", and click the link.

I\'d also like to see mention of some favorite candidates for slowing down Vista:

1. Outlook 2007

2. The indexing service

3. Anti-virus software

4. Windows Defender

Hmmm, at least three of these are from Microsoft. Perhaps they are too embarrassing to mention.

Finally, I suspect disk performance is a big factor in real-world Vista speed. The reason is that many applications are very talkative when it comes to disk access. Here\'s something to try: go along to the Sysinternals site and download Process Monitor. This gives a good picture of what the actual processes on your Vista box are up to. Note how many events are occurring, how many of them involve file I/O, and which processes are responsible. You will also discover a large part of the reason why Outlook 2007 is so slow.

PS Another article, also just published, has good coverage of swap files and ReadyBoost.

This article originally appeared in ITWriting.

Copyright (c) 2007, ITWriting.com

Speed up Vista

Step 1: Software

Whether you upgrade an older PC to Windows Vista or have bought a new PC with Vista installed, you might think the operating system doesn't run as quickly as it should.

 

Here you'll learn more than a dozen things you can do to speed up your Windows Vista computer, from simple changes you may not have thought of to ways to streamline the inner workings of your computer. Don't worry -- we'll walk you through it step by step.

 

While Windows Vista makes many improvements to security and other features, it also includes its fair share of programs that use a PC's resources you may not want to run. In this step, we'll show you what programs in Vista you can turn off to free up system resources.

 

Trialware:

Let’s start with your hard drive to remove some unnecessary files. The more programs on your hard drive, the longer it takes a PC to find anything.

 

Vista comes with many software packages preinstalled; you can decide which you want to run or disable.

 

1. Click your Start button on the bottom left hand of your screen, and then choose Control Panel.

2. Double click "Programs and Features" (which used to be called "Add or Remove Programs" in Windows XP).

 

You'll see a list of all the programs that came preinstalled with your new PC. Some of these software packages are "trialware", in which you may have 30 days to try the software. Often, this software is bundled with Vista from your PC manufacturer or Microsoft. It's up to you whether you want to try the software or delete it from your PC.

 

When you're done, it's time to disable some unnecessary software that comes with Windows itself.

From the Programs and Features window:

 

1. Click "Turn Windows features on or off" on the left side panel.

2. User Account Control will ask you to confirm; do so.

3. You'll get a list of Windows built-in software, much of which you'll never use. Uncheck whatever you don't need.

  

If you're not sure whether you need something or not, hover your mouse over it to get a description. Some likely candidates for removal are Games, Indexing Service, Print Services, Tablet PC Optional Components (unless you have a tablet PC), Telnet Client and Telnet Server, and Windows Fax and Scan. If you still aren't sure, leave it alone.

 

Disk clean-up:

Next, if you've been using your PC for a while, let Windows Vista free up file space on your hard drive.

1. Click your Start orb, then Computer.

2. Right-click on your hard drive.

3. On the General tab, choose Properties.

4. Click "Disk Cleanup".

5. In a few moments, you'll get a list of what Windows doesn't need any more. Make sure all the boxes are checked, and then click OK. You'll be asked to confirm your choices; click Delete Files.

Windows Vista Performance

New technology in Windows Vista makes your PC significantly more responsive while you are performing everyday tasks. Improved startup and sleep behavior helps both desktop and mobile PCs get up and running more quickly. Greater efficiency in managing both memory devices and input/output (I/O) devices helps your programs run more smoothly and consistently. And as your computer ages, a number of features in Windows Vista work together to help keep it as responsive as the day it arrived.

Easily put your PC in the sleep power state.

Windows Vista also takes a new approach to performance problems. The Performance Information and Tools Control Panel helps you understand your PC's performance characteristics so you can manage and troubleshoot performance-related problems.

Self-tuning and diagnostics

State-of-the-art self-tuning and diagnostics make it much easier for you to manage performance effectively. It provides instrumentation and services that support user-driven and tool-driven diagnoses of performance problems, such as media glitching, slow application startup, slow system startup, and network-related delays.

Startup, sleep, and shutdown performance

In Windows Vista you'll experience better handling of all your PC's transitions between On and Off states. You can quickly put your PC in Sleep mode using the power button on the Windows Start menu or, if configured, using the computer's external power button. Sleep is a new power state that combines the quick-resume benefits of Standby with the data protection benefits of Hibernation.

More responsive

Inconsistency in PC performance is one of the top issues for computer users. Consider this common problem: One morning, applications start quickly and everything seems to be working well. Then you go out for lunch, during which the computer's performance slows. Another day, applications seem to take longer to start in the morning.

You want to be able to count on consistent performance from your PC. Windows Vista includes innovative technologies to help ensure that you can launch programs quickly when you start up, and that these programs will continue to be responsive throughout your day.

Windows SuperFetch

A new memory management technology in Windows Vista, Windows SuperFetch, helps keep the computer consistently responsive to your programs by making better use of the computer's RAM. Windows SuperFetch prioritizes the programs you're currently using over background tasks and adapts to the way you work by tracking the programs you use most often and preloading these into memory. With SuperFetch, background tasks still run when the computer is idle. However, when the background task is finished, SuperFetch repopulates system memory with the data you were working with before the background task ran. Now, when you return to your desk, your programs will continue to run as efficiently as they did before you left.

Low-priority I/O

Memory is not the only resource needed to help ensure responsiveness. One of the benefits of Windows is that multiple programs can run simultaneously. However, if multiple applications are simultaneously trying to use the same system resource—such as the hard disk drive—performance can suffer.

Windows Vista introduces the concept of low-priority I/O, which enables background processes to run with lower-priority access to the hard disk drive than other programs. If an application is written to use low-priority I/O, it can run at the same time as one of your high-priority programs, such as Microsoft Office Outlook, without slowing down the high-priority program. In Windows Vista, a number of services use low-priority I/O, including search indexing, disk defragmentation on a schedule, and the daily system scan in Windows Defender.

Disk defragmentation on a schedule

Disk defragmentation on a schedule.

Infrequent disk defragmentation leads to an inefficient layout of files on the hard disk, which can slow PC performance. Windows Vista includes a new disk defragmenter that runs in the background and automatically defragments the hard disk as need arises. The new disk defragmenter no longer needs to complete its work in a single session—it can defragment incrementally, whenever the computer is idle.

Faster access to DVDs and music

Windows Vista includes a new feature called Windows HotStart, which is ideal for use with media and entertainment on mobile PCs. Mobile PC manufacturers can now include a separate button for media playback that starts up right to Windows Media Player 11 or Windows Media Center. So when you use your mobile PC on a long flight, HotStart zips you right to DVDs or music, saving both time and battery life.

Diagnosing performance issues

Built-in performance diagnostics can detect and self-correct many performance issues. Performance diagnostics provide instrumentation and services for both user-driven and tool-driven diagnoses of common problems, including glitchy media playback, slow system or program starts, and network-related delays. Built-in performance diagnostic tools track how long it takes to execute common activities, analyze performance declines, and display results in the Performance Center, where users can then take action to remedy the problem.

Performance gains from Windows Vista and new hardware

Today's PC marketplace has an extraordinarily wide range of PC hardware. To take advantage of the varied landscape, Windows Vista scales its features in a way that makes the best use of available hardware. For example, if a Windows Driver Display Model graphics card is present, Windows Vista shows the Windows Aero interface. If a compliant graphics card is not present, Windows Vista will run but will not show the Aero interface.

The same is true of other performance features in Windows Vista, too. Having the right hardware unlocks some of the most innovative performance features in Windows Vista: Windows ReadyBoost and Windows ReadyDrive.

Windows ReadyBoost

Improve memory expansion.

Windows ReadyBoost introduces a new concept in add-on system memory. You can use nonvolatile flash memory devices, such as universal serial bus (USB) flash drives, to improve performance without having to add memory "under the hood." The flash memory device serves as an additional memory cache—that is, memory that the computer can access much more quickly than it can access data on the hard disk drive.

Windows ReadyDrive

Windows ReadyDrive is a new feature in Windows Vista that enables PCs equipped with a hybrid hard disk—a new kind of hard disk that adds flash memory to a standard mobile PC hard disk drive—to enjoy better performance, greater reliability, and longer battery life.

Top 10 Windows Vista Speed Tweaks

1. Turn off Windows Search Indexing

Windows Vista search indexing is constantly reviewing files on your system to make their contents available for quick searching. This is handy, but can severely impact system performance.

 

To disable constant indexing:

 

Ø  Click Start then Computer

Ø  Right Click the C: Drive

Ø  On General Tab, Uncheck Index this drive for faster searching

Ø  On the subsequent dialog box, Select Include subfolders and files

 

2. Turn off Remote Differential Compression

Remote Differential Compression measures the changes in files over a network to transfer them with minimal bandwidth rather than transferring an entire file that has previously been moved. By constantly checking for file changes, this service can hinder system performance.

 

To disable this service:

 

Ø  Open Control Panel

Ø  Switch to Classic View

Ø  Select Program Features

Ø  Choose Turn Windows features on and off

Ø  Scroll down and uncheck Remote Differential Compression

3. Turn off Automatic Windows Defender Operation

Windows Defender real-time protection against malware continues to run despite having Automatic operation disabled.

 

To disable this feature:

 

Ø  Open Control Panel

Ø  Select Windows Defender

Ø  Choose Tools from the top menu

Ø  Select Options

Ø  Uncheck Auto Start at the bottom of the window

 

4. Turn off Automatic Disk Defragmentation

Windows Vista and its always-on defragment feature isn’t really that necessary and can cause system slow down. Just remember to run a defrag manually every week or so.

 

To disable this:

 

Ø  Click Start then Computer

Ø  Right Click the C: Drive

Ø  Click on Properties

Ø  Select the Tools Tab

Ø  Click on Defragment Now

Ø  Uncheck Run on a schedule

 

5. Add a 2GB or higher USB Flash drive to take advantage of Windows Ready Boost (Additional Memory Cache)

Ready Boost is Microsoft’s name for using a USB thumb/flash drive to provide some quick access memory the operating system can use as extra RAM. The Ready Boost system can significantly improve system performance.

 

To set this up:

 

Ø  Insert a USB Flash Drive

Ø  Click Start then Computer

Ø  Right Click the USB Drive in My Computer

Ø  Select the Ready Boost Tab

Ø  Choose Use this device

Ø  Select as much space as you can free up for RAM usage vs. Storage

 

6. Turn off Windows Hibernation

Windows hibernation background services can use a large amount of system resources. If you don’t use the Hibernate feature on a regular basis you may want to disable it to give Vista a performance boost.

 

To disable Hibernation:

 

Ø  Select the Control Panel then Power Options

Ø  Click Change Plan Settings

Ø  Click on Change Advanced Power Settings

Ø  Expand the Sleep selection

Ø  Expand the Hibernate After selection

Ø  Crank the selector down to zero

Ø  Click Apply

 

7. Turn off System Restore

Analysis and restore point creation by Windows Vista can eat a fair amount of system resources. Disabling this service will obviously mean the system restore feature in Vista will not be available in the event of a system crash. Change this at your own risk.

 

To disable this service:

 

Ø  Control Panel > System

Ø  Click System Protection on the left panel

Ø  Uncheck the main system drive

Ø  Agree to the confirmation

 

8. Disable User Access Control (UAC)

This much-loathed new Vista feature attempts to protect your system from malware infection by making you manually confirm a whole host of everyday user operations. While it doesn’t directly impact performance, it can be annoying and might be more hassle than good.

 

To disable User Access Control:

 

Ø  Click Start then Control Panel

Ø  Select User Accounts

Ø  Select Turn User Account Control on or off

Ø  Uncheck User Account Control Box

Ø  Restart as recommended

 

9. Disable excess Windows Services that Auto-Launch at Start-up

Just like Windows XP, Vista ships with all kinds of services enabled that load at start-up and may never be used by most users.

 

To see what loads at start-up and disable the ones you likely won’t be needing (they can always be started manually later):

 

Ø  Click Start then Control Panel

Ø  Select Administrative Tools

Ø  Choose System Configuration

Ø  Click the Services Tab

Ø  You can safely deselect:

Ø  Offline Files (unless you’re using Offline File Sync)

Ø  Tablet PC Input Service (unless you have a tablet PC)

Ø  Terminal Services

Ø  Windows Search (If you have already disabled indexing)

Ø  Fax (unless you’re using a fax modem)

 

10. Disable Excess Windows Features

Windows ships with other features that are listed separately in the Vista operating system from the start-up services.

 

You can view and disable these features by:

 

Ø  Clicking Start then Control Panel

Ø  Select Program Features

Ø  On the left panel, select Turn Windows Features on or off

Ø  You can safely deselect:

o    Indexing Service

o    Remote Differential Compression

o    Tablet PC Optional Components

o    Windows DFS Replication Service

o    Windows Fax & Scan (unless you use a modem for faxing)

o    Windows Meeting Space (unless you use the Live Meeting Service)