How to Turn Windows Vista Into a Speed Demon

Windows Vista is a definite system hog. Many users experience painfully slow speeds when using this particular operating system. You can quickly improve its responsiveness and cut down on your wait time for applications to open. With a few simple tips, you will be able to revive Windows Vista and increase its speed.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Windows Vista
• Computer
• Time
• Memory

1. Get rid of extra items. Windows Vista has a nasty habit of not wanting to part with files. The Windows Photo Gallery has cool features, but it is very demanding when it comes to storage. Every time you change a stored photo, Vista will automatically keep the original as well as the new copy. This causes your computer to pull double duty and it slows down other processes. In order to free up valuable space, open the file menu, choose options, and then select to move originals to the recycle bin.

2. Use gadgets instead of sidebar. Windows Vista comes fully equipped with a sidebar. You have the option of adding several bits of useful information at a glance. Although this is a very useful function, it can also drain a lot of your system memory. Make the choice to select only a few essential gadgets and then detach them from the sidebar. After detaching them, you will be able to place these gadgets anywhere on your desktop.

3. Reduce RSS feeds on your desktop. Getting the latest headlines is a convenient way to glance at daily news articles. You can choose to click on the links and read the full article or settle for a portion of the information. Having multiple news feeds can occupy large amounts of your computer's memory. Once your memory is overloaded, all other processes will respond extremely slowly.

4. Decrease the number of startup programs. Having too many startup programs will cause your computer system to become overly congested and slow. Use the Windows Defender tool to limit or disable the number of programs that will automatically start. There are so many unnecessary programs that will clog your system memory and prevent Windows Vista from responding to your desired requests.

5. Add more RAM. It is always a good idea to add more computer memory to your Windows Vista computer system. It is highly recommended that you have at least 2GB of computer memory to run this operating system. There are many places that offer affordable pricing for expanding your computer's memory options. After doing this, you will quickly be able to notice the improvement and speed.