Five Simple Methods to Enhance Windows Vista Performance

Most daily users of Windows Vista would know how extremely useful it is. But it gets really irritating when the system hangs up or “gets stuck”. Avoid such problems by optimizing the speed of your Windows Vista.

1. Using the Readyboost Feature

   Prior to the introduction of Windows Vista, the speed of the hard disk often resulted in degradation of the system's performance, especially when the system's memory was low. But successfully utilizing the “ReadyBoost” feature of Windows Vista can solve this major problem.

   • Firstly, get a flash memory and connect it to your computer
   • Select “Speed up my system” in the pop up window that opens

   

   • After the speed test (which opens) is over, a “Properties” Dialog Box will open up

   

   • Choose the amount of space you want to dedicate for you system's enhanced speed and your system will be ready for faster access. Remember, the space you use up for improved speed cannot be used to store any additional data

2. Speed Up the Interface

   If you prefer improved speed over better looks for your Windows Vista, then go towards enhancing interface speed.

   • Right click on the desktop and select “Personalize”  Windows Color And Appearance

   - Make sure that “Enable Transparency” is unchecked

   • If the system's response speed is not yet fast enough, click the “Open Classic Appearance Properties” for increased options of color, which will appear at the bottom of the window
   • Now select a non-aero theme such as “Windows Classic” or “Windows Standard” and the interface speed will increase, at the cost of loss of looks

   

3. Disabling User Account Control (UAC)

   The new UAC introduced in Windows Vista can get really annoying if not sorted out appropriately, so here's what you can do to solve the problem.

   • Go to the “Control Panel” and type “UAC” in the Search Bar
   • The search results will include” Turn UAC on or off”
   • Follow the commands from there, to turn off the UAC, and you will be rewarded with more time for your system's usage

   OR

   But turning off the UAC could result in loss of some security. To retain this while turning off the UAC at the same time,

   • Open the “Start” orb and choose the option “Run”
   • Type “gpedit.msc” and “Run”, then the system's “Group Policy” will open up.
   • Navigate to Computer Configuration  Windows Settings  Security Settings  Local Policies  Security Options
   • Find and disable the policy named “User Account Controls: Switch to the secure desktop when prompting for elevation”

4. Improving the Speed of File Transfers

   After changing their Windows version from XP to Vista, many have noticed the slow speed of file transfers.

   • Go to the “Control Panel”  Programs
   • Open the “Programs and Features” applet
   • In the left pane, locate and click “Turn Windows features on or off”
   • Finally, uncheck “Remote Differential Compression”
   • Restart the computer

   If the problem of slow file transfer hasn't gone as yet, download a patch from: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=938979 and apply it.

   

5. Remove Useless Features and Services

   As it was with XP, Windows Vista too has quite a few features and services that only “exist” as default and the daily user doesn't even use them. Sure, they add to the looks of the system, but they use up precious memory and consume invaluable time.

   To get rid of these pests,

   • Go to “Uninstall a Program” and remove all the unnecessary software
   • Then click “Turn Windows features on or off” in the task pane
   • Study the existing features by hovering the cursor over on to them and remove them based on their importance, which you will know from the description that appears
   • Click the “+” sign to expand features with sub lists and uncheck any feature you find useless

   

   Now remain the unwanted services, which are even easier to stop

   • Press the “Start” orb
   • Type “services.msc” in the Search Bar and hit Enter
   • Once the Services applet opens, search for the automatic services, which start when Windows is turned on (i.e. the services that start by default on switching on the computer)
   • Right click the unwanted service and select “Properties”
   • To stay on the safe side, just turn the service from “Automatic” to “Manual”. This way, it will stop functioning till it is required for a program, when it will automatically start again.
   • Services like “Remote Registry” or “Tablet PC Input Service” can be disabled without any problems on a desktop computer, but make sure you do not disable important ones like “Multimedia Class Scheduler” and “Windows Driver Foundation”