Get our new Windows 7 eBook (PDF) for $7 with 70+ Tips. Download Now!

Top 5 Tips For Improving Your Windows Experience

Tuesday, January 13th, 2009
by Chris Pirillo

Gnomie RazerSauber writes:

Hey, Chris! As an avid user of Windows operating systems, I have come across a few tips which can improve the overall feeling of Windows — this includes XP, Vista, and the new Windows 7.

Turn off unnecessary animations. When maximizing and minimizing windows, Windows does a little animation before the window goes away. Going into the “System” section of the Control Panel and turning this off in the Advanced Features section can reduce the amount of memory used by Windows, resulting in a more responsive operating system. Also, in this section, turning off shadows for the mouse cursor and shadows for windows can reduce memory and increase performance. This is definitely worth looking into.Â
Turn off startup items. Turning off items that start whenever you log on can decrease logon time drastically. QuickTime likes to start itself the second you log on, so turning it off is a good idea; if you don’t use QuickTime at all then you won’t ever need the process, and starting QuickTime manually is always an option. Other startup items to look out for are Google Update and instant messengers.
Run as few applications at once as you can. Just because you have a dual, quad, or even octo core processor doesn’t mean you should abuse it. Leaving applications open when you’re not using them can make for a cluttered taskbar and a slower experience. Leaving memory intensive applications like Photoshop or video editing software open while you play games is not needed and will reduce the speed of the computer.
Create your own task menu. It is possible to pin shortcuts to the taskbar, which allows you access to documents, applications, and other files. This lets you create a replica “Start” menu where only your most used applications are. You can more quickly find applications such as disk cleanup, defrag, and backup using this method. Right clicking an application or window on Windows 7 allows you to pin it to the taskbar, and a click will open this instantly — a very worthwhile feature.
Last, regularly check your computer for anomalies. Having an anti-virus is all well and good but it can miss files. Checking the “Processes” tab and “Network” tab in Task Manager can allow you to spot unusual processes and high bandwidth usage when not surfing the Internet. Anything you don’t understand can be checked up on Google by simply entering the process name “regsvr32.exe” (for example), which will bring up a list of sites with information regarding what the process is for and whether or not it is viral.

Taking the time to make Windows suit you is worthwhile; it can mean a faster, easier experience, which is what Windows is all about. It’s your Windows — use it the way you want.