Windows PC Optimization Guide Discussion

By: Charles P. Jefferies

This three-part series is designed to help everyday computer users improve their productivity by optimizing their computer's performance, making use of handy shortcuts in the Windows operating system, and creating and maintaining a backup schedule. Let's get started with part one, improving performance.

The first part of this guide will cover optimizing computer performance. The directions are aimed at Windows Vista and 7 users; XP users can also follow along though not all steps will be the same.

Disclaimer: You follow the advice in this guide at your own risk. NotebookReview.com is not responsible for any damages or otherwise.

Read the full content of this Article: Windows PC Optimization Guide

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Good newbie tips. I found that disabling startup items was particularly helpful. Programs, not nearly as much. I would recommend uninstalling Windows Features you don't use, such as Fax, Gadgets, Search, ect. Now that helped a good bit.

Nice job Chaz.

 

Couldn't agree more with these sentiments --- QuickTime, especially, is like a weed that installs itself in your startup programs at every possible opportunity. It's like Apple is just doing it to screw around with your PC.

 

Nice Article.

I think the idea behind having programs run at startup is so they start faster.

The problem with this idea is that the improvement is usually marginal at best.

 

I wouldn't put uninstalling unused programs at "Medium" performance improvement, unless you're quite low on space, but disabling startup programs certainly does help at startup time (I'm less convinced that it has a noticeable impact later unless you don't have much extra RAM). Organization definitely is big - I finally organized my bookmarked websites this week, and what a difference it makes in how useful they are.

I'm curious what handy shortcuts you'll have. I suppose keyboard shortcuts would be where I'd consider first. But a decent backup scheme is what I really need to work on of those three parts. If my documents are disorganized on my local hard drive, they're an absolute mess on my various partial backups. And I have a feeling that creating my own program to do it won't be the most efficient or most reliable way.

 

Part two of the guide is actually posted already, here:
http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=5462&review=Windows+PC+Optimization+Guide+Part+Two
It's linked at the end of this article, not very noticeable I'm afraid. Tons of keyboard shortcuts for your enjoyment.

There is also a part three coming up.