The Top 3 Ways to Quickly Optimize Windows Vista

Microsoft Windows Vista
is an undoubtedly resource hog on your PC and can be somewhat slower in relation to Windows XP. If you have upgraded to Windows Vista or bought a new PC with Windows Vista and are unhappy with the performance of your machine with this operating system or your performance seems to be degrading more and more over time, then take a look at these simply and easy to implement tips to increase the performance of your Windows Vista system.

1. Reduce Number of Startup Programs: At Computer start-up, Windows Vista loads several programs designed to make it easier for them to open immediately when you click their icons.

This can be beneficial for programs that you use frequently. However, the more programs that load automatically when Windows Vista starts, the more time it will take for your computer to finish booting up and the slower the overall performance of your machine will be.

You will need to decide which programs you want to start automatically and which to eliminate from the start up process. Follow these steps to use Windows Defender to identify startup programs and disable those you no longer require to load at machine boot-up:

a. Click START then select ALL PROGRAMS. Next, click WINDOWS DEFENDER.
b. Select TOOLS and then click on SOFTWARE EXPLORER. A Category box will open and you will need to click STARTUP PROGRAMS.
c. A long list of programs will be displayed at this time. To disable the automatic startup of a particular program, simply find the program and click DISABLE. You will then confirm your selection by clicking YES.
d. After scrolling down the list and disabling certain programs from starting automatically, click APPLY and then OK. You will be asked to restart your machine, select OK and your Windows Vista should restart more quickly depending on how many programs you removed from startup.

After completing these steps, ensure you have not caused any program issues, by attempting to open or run a program you have removed from startup. If there are any issues, just follow the steps above to re-enable the program at startup . You should perform this action at least quarterly or as needed to maintain increased Windows Vista performance.

2. Limit Number of Visual Effects: Windows Vista offers many more standard visual effects than Windows XP and to be honest, these look pretty cool. However, these bells and whistles can be performance hogs, especially if your machine barely meets the minimum requirements for Vista, and the cause of unnecessary system stalls or crashes.

The first one to look at disabling is the transparent glass effect, but you can choose up to 19 additional effects to turn off one by one or have Windows optimize for best performance using the following steps:

a. Click the START button, then click CONTROL PANEL. Select SYSTEM AND MAINTENANCE and then click PERFORMANCE INFORMATION AND TOOLS. Next, click ADJUST VISUAL EFFECTS.

b. Select the VISUAL EFFECTS tab and select the radio button to have Windows ADJUST FOR BEST PERFORMANCE. If you would like to adjust the visual effects individually, select the radio button for CUSTOM and choose which visual effects to keep active.

c. Finally, click APPLY then OK and you are done.
After completing these steps, you should experience a noticeable increase in overall Windows performance as less of your computers memory is required to maintain your operating system.

3. Keep Windows Vista Clean: There are several things you can do to drastically increase the overall performance of your computer system just by cleaning out the cobwebs, such as uninstalling un-needed programs and registry cleaning. The regular cleaning of Windows Vista is necessary to keep your machine operating at optimal performance. Follow these steps to clean up Vista:

a. Uninstall: some programs come with the ability to run an uninstaller and remove the program from your system and others do not. For those that do not, you will need to click START to access the CONTROL PANEL.

Once in the Control Panel, select the PROGRAMS option and click UNINSTALL A PROGRAM. Once you locate the program you want to uninstall, select it from the list and then choose the tab that says, UNINSTALL.

You will be asked by Windows to confirm your choice and once done, will begin uninstalling the program. This does not necessarily completely remove the program from your PC, there are software utilities available to completely remove programs from your computers hard drive as well as clean up the entries left in your Windows registry.

b. Windows Registry Cleaning: throughout the life of any computer systems using Microsoft Windows, hardware and program errors are inevitable. Installing, Uninstalling, and general usage of programs and hardware leads to eventual errors and sometimes corruption in the Windows registry.

The registry is the foundation of your operating systems as it determines how each program and each piece of hardware should run and, therefore, impacts the speed and overall performance of your system.

The registry is very technically complex and should only be manually cleaned by someone who knows exactly what they are doing as mistakes here could require reformatting your hard drive.

I recommend using a registry cleaner or even better a system optimization program that will not only clean and fix your system registry, but also clean up system files, completely uninstall programs, fix errors, remove un-needed startup programs, and boost the overall speed and usability of your computer.

If your PC is still operating slowly or you are not seeing any performance improvements after using the above tips, it is possible that your system may be infected with a virus or spyware.

Some symptoms to look out for if you suspect a virus are slower PC performance, the sound of constant accessing of your hard drive for no apparent reason, programs that start without you opening them, or corrupt files or programs. Always keep your anti-virus software up to date and run the program regularly to prevent infection.

Spyware are types of programs that are becoming more and more common on the internet and are installed on your system without you knowing about it. These programs typically watch your activity on the internet and some even attempt to collect your private information and passwords.

They will also invariably cause some performance issues. Check for spyware or adware on your system with one of the anti-spyware programs available for best results.

Optimizing your Windows Vista operating system regularly will keep your system running smoother, prevent errors and lock-ups, increase your internet speed, and safeguard your privacy all at the same time.