Running Windows Vista (and 7) faster

I've mentioned before some of the methods that I use to get Windows Vista to run more responsively in low memory configurations. These methods also work with the new Windows 7. I've discovered a few more so I thought that I'd add them to the list.

Changing the Windows Aero display to Windows Basic settings causes the Display Window Manager to dramatically reduce in memory footprint. I've seen this achieve between 40 and 70Mb in some larger memory configurations. This can be brought back to a couple of megabytes.

Disable Windows Defender via Tools -> Options if you are using any Anti-Virus program that also have Anti-Spyware and most modern ones do have.

Use the utility program msconfig to stop any unwanted Startup programs and Services from running when the computer boots.

After deleting any superfluous files with a utility like Ccleaner (www.ccleaner.com), use a decent disk defragmenter like Smart Defrag (www.iobit.com).

Obviously fast dual or quad core CPUs, speedy hard drives and large amounts of memory help modern computers overcome the drag that the latest Windows operating systems put on them, but knowing how to tune performance given the hardware you already have can help you a lot.