Why Optimize Your Operating System?

When you finish all your security and load all your programs you notice - Whoa! This computer is FAST!

As I say on this web site and in my publications "Computer speed is relative." 

What do I mean by that?

Well first the computer is new to you, if you have built it with the latest and greatest processor, memory, video, and hard drive then it will be one of the fastest available. (Unless you have one with the same spec's at work or else where in your home).

And after a week or so you will say - "Gee my new computer seems like it is slowing down!"

Before you start your work you need something to compare the current performance against.

Yes it may be slowing down or you may be getting used to it doing tasks faster than the old computer and having the computer do more tasks than the old computer.

To truly see if your computer is slowing down you need benchmarks.

Benchmarks are tests done on a computer.

If you want to have benchmarks you should do it just after you finish your build, before you change anything or add any programs.

There are tests you can find on the internet to do benchmark testing, I used to use a suite from PC Magazine, do a search for "computer benchmark tests" (with or with out the quote marks).

Normally when I complete a build I open the task manager and go to the Performance tab and make a screen shot, open Paint and do a paste. Save the shot, I use base.gif for that shot. It will be in the My Documents/My Pictures folder.

When you think your computer is getting slow open the Task Manager and compare the screen shot with the actual properties of the Performance tab.

Is it getting slower? Are there changes in the CPU and PF (Paging File) usage?

If you downloaded a benchmark program run it again and compare the CPU/Memory/Video/Hard Drive between then first one and now.

There will be some change, you have loaded programs, you may have done some customization. But for the most part the change should only be in the memory. The more programs you have running the more memory will be used and when the memory usage hits the physical memory threshold the processor will begin to swap idle programs out to the Paging File.

There are things you can do to 'Optimize' your OS, that is bring the amount of memory the OS uses and different things to speed up your computer.

Troubleshoot, repair, maintain, upgrade & secure...     With this!

Then you download a driver up date or your Geek Nephew sends you a 'Great Program' but it has a virus and now the computer has BSOD!

Speaking of viruses, you need to install your Anti virus/trojan/spyware/malware programs. I tend to not use one of those "All in One" programs that says it will do it all. 99.99% of the time they will miss the worst virus out there. Besides if you buy the individual programs you get better coverage and over all the cost is cheaper!

Wow all that work down the drain... Unless you have a backup!

How to protect your new computer and what to do when you get a bad virus or driver that causes a BSOD is next.

Resources:

To use the task manager click here

Here is the page to optimize: XP.

Here is the page to optimize Vista/Windows 7.