With just a few simple changes you can get some significant speed gains while using Windows Vista.
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1. Shut Down Remote Differential Compression
Remote Differential Compression checks the changes of your files over a network to move them with as little bandwidth as possible instead of transferring an entire file that has previously been moved. With in constantly checking for file changes, this service will greatly slow system performance.
To shut down this service:
- Control Panel
Change to Classic View - Choose Program Features
- Select Turn Windows Features On And Off
- Uncheck Remote Differential Compression
2. Shut Down Windows Search Indexing
Windows Vista search indexing is constantly checking the files on your system to make their information available for quick searching. This is helpful, but can severely slow system performance.
To shut down constant indexing:- Select Start then Computer
- Right Click your C: Drive
- General Tab, Uncheck Index this drive for faster searching
- On the next dialog box, Choose Include subfolders and files
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3. Add at least a 2GB USB Flash drive to take advantage of Windows Ready Boost
Ready Boost uses a USB flash drive to provide quick access memory for the operating system. The Ready Boost system can greatly improve system speed.
To set it up:- Plug in a Ready Boost Compatible USB Flash Drive
- Select Start then Computer
- Right Click Your USB Drive in My Computer
- Choose the Ready Boost Tab
- Click Use this device
- Choose as much space as you can free up for RAM usage vs. Storage
4. Disable Automatic Disk Defragmentation
Windows Vista uses an always-on defragment set up that isn’t that necessary and will cause your system to slow down. Remember to run a defrag manually once a month.
To shut down this feature:
- Select Start then Computer
- Right Click on C: Drive
- Choose the Tools Tab
- Uncheck Run on a schedule
5. Shut off Windows Hibernation
Windows hibernation background services use a very large amount of system resources. If you are like most people you don’t use the Hibernate feature very much so you may want to disable it to give Vista a performance boost.
To shut down Hibernation:
- Choose Control Panel then Power Options
- Select Change Plan Settings
- Choose Change Advanced Power Settings
- Open the Sleep selection
- Open the Hibernate After selection
- Adjust your selector down to zero
- Apply
