Terry's Computer Tips - Newsletter
May 13, 2007
Volume 2, Number 48 — Sunday, May 13, 2007
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4
3. Speeding Up Windows XP - Reducing the Number of Active Applications and Services
I'm sure you've heard about the new graphics in Windows Vista and expecially about how they will require powerful graphics cards with 256MB memory on the video card for Vista's Aero graphical interface.
Getting cute with graphics puts a huge load on your computer. You have to dedicate a lot of computer, or at least video card, power (capability as well as battery-draining power!) to get fancy graphics.
Whether you're using Vista or Windows XP, you need to take control and keep control of all the programs that run automatically on your computer. It seems like every time I install a new piece of hardware, like a graphics card, sound card or even a mouse, it wants to install its own software that runs all the time. Sometimes it even wants to install two, three or more programs that automatically run.
When you add those things to all the Windows XP Services that run automatically, to your security programs (antivirus, antispyware, antispam and firewall programs) that are running, you can slow your computer noticeably.
So, what can you do?
Windows XP includes a program called msconfig.exe that you can run to show and control many of the programs that are starting automatically on your computer. WinPatrol (a free program) gives you a much better display and much better control over those programs — and shows more of them, too.
One of the features that I really like about WinPatrol is that I can disable a program from starting automatically, without unintalling the program.
WinPatrol also has a function that can automatically run every few minutes and make sure that nothing has changed. If something has changed, WinPatrol will warn you or sometimes will change it back to the way you set it.
For example, if you run Microsoft Office, you probably realize that it starts a program called CTFMON.EXE automatically. It also sets CTFMON.EXE to run automatically. That doesn't bother me — WinPatrol resets it to disabled a couple minutes later. Cool.
By keeping control over the programs that start automatically, you can save your limited memory and CPU capacity for the programs that you want to run.
Read more in my article Controlling the Programs that Start Automatically.
4. Speeding Up Windows XP - Fine-Tuning Visual Effects
With all the news about the cute graphics (often termed "eye candy" to denote its real value) of Windows Vista, we need to remember that Windows XP has some of those features, too.
Windows XP's graphical interface defaults to a number of cute options that are worthless from a usability point of view — and are worse than that, too — they're animations that effectively slow down your computer.
You can find and control these settings via the Control Panel. As usual, click on the Start Button and then select Control Panel from the menu.
If you're using the Windows XP-style control panel, you'll see the Category view and the invitation to Pick A Category. Our options are controlled in the Performance and Maintenance section, so select that button.
(If you use the Classic View for the Control Panel, click the "Switch to Category View" link on the left hand side. These screens are probably also available in the Classic View, but I haven't located them there.)
On the Performance and Maintenance window, select "Adjust visual effects" and you'll see the following dialog box.
(click on the image for a larger version)
If you click he radio button labelled "Let Windows choose what's best for my computer" it will probably select all of the options. That's what it did on my notebook. These are also selected if you choose "Adjust for best appearance."
If you choose "Adjust for best performance," you'll get a display that looks like Windows 98.
Let's choose Custom, so that we can unselect the animated effects while still keeping the more interesting displays and functionality in static views.
As you can see below, I've unselected a number of options for better performance of my system.
(click on the image for a larger version)
First, I unchecked "Animate windows when minimizing and maximizing." By unchecking the animation, the action happens instantly — and that's what I want.
Similarly, I've unchecked the Fade or slide options in the window for the same reason. They're cute, but I want speed and functionality.
(click on the image for a larger version)
The last item "Smooth-scroll list boxes" is another one I unselected. This one was annoying to me, especially if a list box (a pulldown menu) had a lot of items.
Then, click Apply and OK.
You'll find that Windows XP feels much more responsive.
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4
Volume 2, Number 48 — Sunday, May 13, 2007
Copyright © 2007 Terry A. Stockdale. All rights reserved.
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