Community Newsletter: Q&A: What can I do to improve the speed of my Vista machine?
- 1/11/08 3:13 PM
What can I do to improve the speed of my Vista machine?
by joallasvcs - 1/8/08 3:42 PM In reply to: What can I do to improve the speed of my Vista machine? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
There is really only one reliable way to speed up your new Vista Machine without adding new hardware. Replace the Vista with XP Pro, you will gain a lot of speed, a major upgrade in reliability, and the sure and certain knowledge that you are helping to pass on the message that Vista, in all its forms, is a bunch of junk. I believe even Microsoft are saying it is going to be just a stop gap, which makes sense, because in my experience it makes ME look good, and DOS was arguably better than ME was.
Allan
I Love Vista
by brianwolters - 1/9/08 1:34 PM In reply to: What can I do to improve the speed of my Vista machine? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I've been using Vista since the Enterprise edition was released and now have Vista "Shop" at home: Vista Basic on my laptop, Vista Home Premium on daughter's PC and Vista Ultimate on my main PC.
At first, I was upset with Vista but it wasn't the fault of Microsoft...it was the Vendors and their inability to get drivers out for Vista. After those bumps in the road, it has been smooth sailing.
As far as speed, well, I agree with a post that said technologies change and faster PC's and more memory will be needed. On my main system I have this:
Core 2 Duo 1.86 MHz
3 Gig of RAM
GeForce 7300 GT with 512 MB
Windows Vista Ultimate
1033 FSB
It runs great but even better with more memory/dual channel setup. Try not to install "cute" screen savers or hacks and turn off screen savers (use low power mode instead). Try partitioning your hard drive too to leave the OS and main apps on one partition itself.
Thanks,
Brian
What can I do to speed up Windows Vista
by Kzac Hawk - 1/10/08 9:53 AM In reply to: What can I do to improve the speed of my Vista machine? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Thats easy
Want to run on the internet 20 times faster
Want to never have to wait for Microsoft or your Antivirus software to load and tell you how bad it could possibly be if you push that button and visit the weather site
Want to never ever have to go on line to Microsoft and then go to the phone to re-certify your software license when you add memory, or change hardware settings.
Just look at Microsoft's XBox 360 as an example. Sure you can get all the same functions as the Sony PS3 but when you get finished, it looks like a borg with its various bolt on and plug in modules. And to top it off when you actually get all the modules, it costs more than the PS3.
Tired of Microsofts ways? Joint those who have let go. Do your self a favor, sell your PC to some S&M person that enjoys pain and suffering and go get you a mac mini.
Get OSX Leopard and leave Vista in the dust.
hmm...
by puma - 7/27/08 1:35 PM In reply to: What can I do to speed up Windows Vista by Kzac Hawkcan't disagree with you, brother... there are better systems out there besides a fragile windows world. yes the Mac is here and now, but there are some flavors of Linux that are also enticing. you get a more stable & secure system. but, if you want something that works great out of the box, go Mac.
hmmm...indeed
by santuccie - 7/28/08 3:53 AM In reply to: hmm... by pumaMore stable? I think not. Sure, Mac and Linux users are used to a computing experience that excludes antivirus and antispyware, which smart users can also achieve with Vista. Sure, Vista uses roughly 768 MB of RAM while Leopard uses just over 400 (still more than XP), but that's because so much is cached to RAM for the sole purpose of boosting responsiveness. After all, your RAM is faster than your hard drive. If you need to free up RAM, you can either turn off some processes, or add more RAM. Fortunately, you can afford to with a PC.
I have worked very hard to make my Windows systems as stable as stable can be; the only software that ever crashes on my machines is the open source Mozilla Firefox, and that usually doesn't happen unless I have too many tabs open (Opera is more stable). Mozilla's Thunderbird also crashes if I accidentally open a second instance of the client, but that's my mistake. Other than that, nothing crashes on my machines. And the crashes I've mentioned are rare, nothing I haven't seen in Safari or Firefox on Linux. On Linux, it's worse; you have to force termination yourself. Otherwise, it just freezes and looks stupid.
Of course, less third-party software means less conflict, but that means you sacrifice functionality as well, and yet you still get crashes (don't tell me you don't; I just told you I've used them). And when drivers crash, you don't have a lot of options. With the Mac, it's not that bad. A new driver should come out sooner or later once the bug is known. With Linux, it's not always that way. To my knowledge, they still have not fixed their USB drivers. With Windows, you get first priority. OEMs manufacture everything for Windows; end of story.
I admit that XP and earlier versions could get screwed up really easily, since system services and drivers are easily overwritten (also the registry). But with Vista, the kernel is locked down, and every driver restricted to clearly defined functions. DLL hell is a thing of the past, and user error is easier than ever to fix. I should know; I'm a service technician. One tool I feel that every Windows user ought to have is WinDoctor. It's kind of like honey or ginseng, as perfect as it gets. Note: A copy of WinDoctor with updated software for Vista can be found in all current versions of Norton SystemWorks.
More secure? Not since Vista. Sure, there's more malware for Vista than for the others, but that's called "obscure." It's about market share; all major OSes now use the Intel shell, meaning the Mac is now a viable target to the general population of malware writers. The reason malware for Linux and OS-X are so rare is because no one uses them. Go ahead and try to pull more users away from MS. The more your platforms' user bases grow, the more interesting they will become to the wrong people. And it's no harder to infiltrate a Mac or Linux box than it is to infiltrate Vista, in spite of the memes.
Puma, I've told you this several times already; you know better. If you still hold that everything non-MS is magically more secure, then back up your claims with some sources. In the meantime, allow me to back up mine:
http://software.silicon.com/malware/0,3800003100,39167424,00.htm
http://www.oreillynet.com/windows/blog/2007/05/is_vista_more_secure_than_mac_1.html
Remember that most vulnerabilities come from third-party software. Microsoft addresses this issue with SDL. Apple doesn't have SDL, and neither does the open source community. And I never thought I'd say this, but Vista isn't all that bad these days. It's more stable, it's responsive, all the software I use is working on Vista, and it's lavish. Practically everything you can think of can be done here, right down to capturing WMP images in a screenshot. It's bigger than previous versions, but is this abnormal? Leopard is bigger than Tiger. And no matter what platform you're running, if you intend to edit video or play 3D games, you're going to need the hardware anyway.
Puma, your problem is hate for MS. You don't want anything they make to be better. But once you have been briefed on reality, to continue spreading "unstable and insecure" mythology about Windows is to be a liar. And I'll be quick as a whip to pull your covers on that one. I'm archiving this post, just in case; I suggest you make a habit of telling the truth.
hating on the good guys
by puma - 7/28/08 7:05 AM In reply to: hmmm...indeed by santucciewho said anyone hates ms? and why do you have to work HARD to make windows stable? i prefer systems that are inherently stable and rock solid... mozilla and opera crashing windows? could it be that internet explorer is competing with these apps for the same resources?
market share? so windows cornered the market on malware? i think the problem is that you hate solutions that include companies other than ms. no need to be a hater to play the game...
Don't hate the player, hate the game
by santuccie - 7/28/08 11:45 AM In reply to: hating on the good guys by pumaLOL, I was talking about Windows XP, which I admitted is much more "delicate" than Vista, OS-X, or Linux. And I said Opera is stable while Firefox is not. How do you equate instability of Mozilla software to IE crashing it? Why have you overlooked my statement that Safari in OS-X and Firefox in Linux crash as well? Because you are reading what you want to read; you are focusing only on Windows problems, and blaming instability of third-party software on Microsoft. You don't want MS software to be better than anyone else's. You hate MS.
Cornering the market on malware? Fact of the matter is that malware authors follow the market too, because this is where they will get the most hits. This is why there's much less malware for OS-X and Linux. And there's actually much more for Linux than there is for the Mac, because until 2006, they were using the PPC processor. Not enough hackers were familiar with the shell. As it were, there were over 800 ItW samples for Linux last time I checked, and only a handful for Intel Mac. But that number will increase as your platform grows in popularity. Obscurity and security are not one and the same.
'no need to be a hater to play the game'
>>Cute rebuttal, kid. But how fluent you are with high school zingers has no effect on the facts. I've given you the facts. And when there is misinformation on a topic I know well, I will correct it. This includes your anti-MS propaganda. And just for the record, if I was a hater, I wouldn't have given Apple and Linux a try. I don't think you can say the same about Vista, which was clear when you "leaped before looking" with the claim that W98 was more secure.
It's clear from all the silly comments you've made that you're no expert. At best you are an intermediate user, and there are lots of people here who know computers better than you do. To debate so "unflinchingly" with such people is not a smart thing for you to do. And to spread lies on the subject is less smart still; you will get pulled up on it here.
Faster than XP! Play by the Rules!
by coolijive - 1/10/08 10:19 AM In reply to: What can I do to improve the speed of my Vista machine? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
When I got my first Vista system, I was expecting a tremendous improvement in speed and power. My machine is an Intel Core 2 Quad with 3GB of Ram, 7200 RPM HDD, and an Nvidia 8800 512 MB OC.
As so many other Vista owners, I was immediately shocked and frustrated by the decrease in speed and power. My Vista System ran slower than any other computer I've ever owned. Reboot took nearly five minutes. Even web pages took forever to load. I have high speed internet, but it was slower than 56K dial-up.
I spent two weeks tweaking and stripping the system down. I tried every suggestion on every forum, but the improvements were minor, and my system was becoming much less stable and less secure.
I tried loading my own copy of XP Pro, but the BIOs and MOBO were not compatible without loading drivers during install. I was shocked to find out that my computer manufacturer had but would NOT provide me with the XP drivers! They even had an XP downgrade kit, which they would NOT provide under any circumstance except to business clients.
That is when I realized what was going on. Good old Microsoft is at it again! They are finding ever more devious ways to maintain their monopoly. Can you say “Class-Action Lawsuit?”
Anyway, with Microsoft’s behind-the-scenes meddling and manipulation in mind, I began to do a comparison test of Windows bundled software and features against the most popular third-party alternatives. The Result…? In every case, Vista seems ALMOST DESIGNED to run slower when you use a third-party alternative. This includes Firefox vs. Internet Explorer, Zone Alarm vs. Windows Firewall, etc...
I reformatted my HD to NTFS using the standard - NOT QUICK - format. I then reinstalled Vista. I did not install Firefox, Zone Alarm, etc. I still disabled Windows Defender, and I replaced Norton with AVG Free. (Norton and McAfee have always caused more problems than they fix.) Finally, I avoided installing any drivers or programs that were not certified Vista Ready! Also, other than defender, I did not tweak or disable any services or settings. I was trying to do what Microsoft wanted me to do. I was playing by their rules. RESISTANCE IS FUTILE!
…unless you own a Mac…
My system now runs sooth as Ice and fast as lightning! Reboot takes no more than 30 seconds, and web pages load in the blink of an eye. All programs are fast and powerful. It’s a miracle! How could I increase my speed by that much without tweaking anything, just by choosing Microsoft over their competitors? Hmmmmm???
The solution again: PLAY BY THE RULES!
1. Reformat to NTFS (Takes hours). Do not use QUICK FORMAT
2. Use only Vista certified software and drivers
3. Stick with Windows software over third-party alternatives
4. Use default services and settings
I don't know if this will work for everyone, but it worked for me. Good luck!
vista program
by 194659 - 1/11/08 3:04 AM In reply to: Faster than XP! Play by the Rules! by coolijivei know very little about computers. at 61 the first computer given to me as a gift from my daughter, only had a 15G hard drive with windows ME. i had no problems at all with this computer but it became to slow for me and did not have enough memory. i bought a new laptop at the beginning of november with vista basic. in the 3 months i had it, it went back to the shop 3 times. they replaced the ram. it still blue screened. they replaced the motherboard. it still blue screened and froze. every time i had to turn it off incorrectly, it went thru system recovery. finally they ordered more parts. i dont know what else but i insisted on a new computer or downgrade to xp. they refused and told me if I downgraded, i would not be covered under my warranty. i contacted head office and on christmas eve, they finally gave me a new computer. this one is a 6240a desktop dual-core processor with 320GB 3G hard drive and has vista premium. i have had no problem at all with this computer. i can finally enjoy the 10-12 hours a day on my computer. mind you, this novice soon learnt how to defragment the disc and system recovery plus how to start in safe mode. my daughter tell me, it does not look like i need a computer course at all now and she has her masters in IT and computer science. hope you can work this out darren. there are a hell mof a lot of ideas for you to choose from. at least i have no problems any more and rather like vista premium but rued the day that i bought one with vista basic. by the way, i have not tweeked anything thing just removed all the trial programs that came with it including norton and have avg free.
Vista Program
by afro2358 - 1/11/08 3:30 AM In reply to: vista program by 194659The only thing i would tell you is when your Norton get's ready to expire, get rid of that too. What do you have Norton doing on your computer anyway? Since you already have Avg for free? Anyway, what ever you have Norton doing, there are some good softwares out there that can do better and it's also "FREE".
Why is Vista so slow?
by fcervinka - 1/10/08 1:33 PM In reply to: What can I do to improve the speed of my Vista machine? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I agree with Darren S. I purchased an HP Pavilion a6030n PC operating on Vista Home Premium in May, 2007. As you may know, this is not a bottom of the line machine.
For the first few weeks the speed was well above that of my previous Dell operating on Windows ME. However, the speed soon diminished and seems to be about the same as I had been experiencing with ME. This has been very disappointing. I too, am looking for other comments on this.
Fred C.
I like Launchpad's answer
by rhomp2002 - 1/11/08 5:50 PM In reply to: What can I do to improve the speed of my Vista machine? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Wat he is saying is get rid of all the junk that Vista added to give you eye candy without function and streamline the system. Obvious answer and an excellent one. When will M$ learn that form should follow function and not the other way around. The sooner the better; then maybe we will get a good O/S from M$ instead of the garbage like Vista. Also the reason I switched to Linux. I can make the form follow the function there.
Reply to Darren regarding Windows Vista
by 23179 - 1/12/08 2:18 AM In reply to: What can I do to improve the speed of my Vista machine? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
A little advice to Darren re his new Vista PC. It is slower than Windows XP and I agree with Lee and others that Anti-virus programs like Norton does slow down. A suggestion was made to try Windows Live OneCare. In all honesty, when I purchased my PC also 5 months ago, I downloaded Live OneCare free-of-charge for 3 months and found it such a good program that I went and bought it here in Antwerp, Belgium.
I can highly recommend it as I have never had any problems. It's fast, reminds you when to make backups, shows dates where it effects a Prestation Plus and offers you Protection Plus.
I do backups automatically each week when I get notified to do so on my external hardware disk.
It scans for viruses and spyware, phishing, etc.
Prestation Plus is done about once a month and it removes unnecessary files to make extra space free.
It defragments your hard disc
Does a complete virus and unwanted software scan
Controls files of which back-ups are to be made
and tells you when to make next back-ups.
So far, God has been good to me, for I don't run Defender all the time but occasionally, but my PC's been very good. For the rest, things do run smoothly but we will have to be patient as far as speed is concerned and like others advised, not to put too many things on our screen, etc.
Lily
Improve Vista
by jimzim27140 - 1/12/08 7:34 AM In reply to: What can I do to improve the speed of my Vista machine? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Get OS X Leopard and run Vista as a Bootcamp partition. Or just skip Vista and run Leopard!
In responde to vista improve
by nebula321 - 1/12/08 4:43 PM In reply to: What can I do to improve the speed of my Vista machine? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
You need to apply common sense, it means that in order to run vista smoothly you have to protect Windows with Firewall (Bitdefender),and Spyware like AVG Antivirus is free, that in combination with Ad Adware or Threatfire from PC Tools is also free. Then you have to make sure you update virus definition regulary (everyday) and don't forget to grab Registry Repair from Garysoft also try to clean the registry is posible each day too. Also try to be careful what websites you search or download from. Your Windows Vista defrag tool make use of it by scheduling to defrag your harddrive each month as well as cleaning your drive, like cache, cookies, temp files, etc. Also try disabling features you don't really need like the Aero, screen savers,themes,animatios features that the only occupy resources.It's good idea to disable services that stat up at boot time and if you follow this assuming you have a good configuration, good hardware, like a least 2GB of memory.good processor,You will notice a performance gain
Happy New year and I hope you get some speed improvement.
Thaks
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