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How to disable a service for good (Taming and Tweaking Windows Vista Services)

How to disable a service for good Taming and Tweaking Windows Vista ServicesDamnit ed....Stop telling people to disable superfetch. Disabling superfetch reduces system performance overall, having it enabled also significantly reduces neccessary disk defragmentation, which saves you gobs of time.Where did I say to disable Superfetch?I show this as an...

Tags: Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Windows Vista, Superfetch

Discussion threads 2008-05-20

Fixing Windows Vista, Part 4: Get smart about services

In the three previous installments of this series, I discussed ways to improve the performance of Windows Vista by changing some settings especially those installed by an OEM PC maker. If you need to catch up, go read Part 1 the pros and cons of a clean install, Part 2...

Tags: Microsoft Windows Vista, Service, Superfetch, Trade-off, Windows Search, Windows Defender, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Windows Vista (Longhorn), Operating Systems, Software, Ed Bott

Blog posts 2008-05-19

Additional Resources

Benchmarks: Windows 7 RTM versus Vista, XP

Benchmarks: Windows 7 RTM versus Vista, XPWhy are results for XP missing from multimedia tests?are we just supposed to take it on your word? Well, here at zdnet, no one does benchmarks like Mr. Adrian. I wonder why did he not repeat a usability benchmark for RTM like he did...

Tags: Microsoft Windows Vista (Longhorn), Microsoft Windows XP, Microsoft Windows 7, Microsoft Windows Vista, Windows 7 RTM, Vista XP, Microsoft Windows

Discussion threads 2009-08-03

eBoostr 3.0.1 build 498 (Windows)

The eBoostr application allows you to use an additional drive flash memory or hard disk or free RAM as another layer of performance-boosting cache. This is an alternative to ReadyBoost and SuperFetch technologies available on all Windows versions. With the newly developed eBoostr, the booting of your OS and applications...

Tags: eBoostr, eBoostr Application, Microsoft Windows, Operating Systems, Memory, Software, Semiconductors, Hardware, Components

Software downloads 2009-06-16

Vista or Windows 7? Just get rid of XP, Microsoft tells users

Vista or Windows 7? Just get rid of XP, Microsoft tells usersWith SP1, Vista (64-bit) has been quite nice.Win7 has promise, but having been burned by Microsoft's effective ditching of the promises made for Ultimate (retail, not OEM), I'm going to be hard pressed to upgrade and go through all...

Tags: Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Windows XP, Microsoft Windows 7, Microsoft Windows Vista, netbook, Microsoft Corp.

Discussion threads 2009-02-11

Windows bit-rot - fact or fiction?

Windows bit-rot - fact or fiction?A fix which does not involve "nuking the system" is best.If the problem is coming from residue in the registry, 5 minutes with a registry cleaner will suffice. Try the registry cleaner in CCleaner as a first step. That should be sufficient. ...

Tags: Microsoft Windows Vista (Longhorn), Operating systems, fiction, Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows, hard drive

Discussion threads 2009-01-12

ZDNet Holiday Gift Guide: Top desktops for any budget

ZDNet Holiday Gift Guide: Top desktops for any budgetConsider buildingMy opinion: Consider building. There are many shops that will build custom systems for you. That's the way to go if you want the best components in the cheapest systems. In addition, it allows you to build it to your needs...

Tags: Desktops, Flash memory, memory, RAID, desktop, card, Apple Intel Mac Mini, Core 2, Apple Macintosh, Core 2 Quad

Discussion threads 2008-11-24

OS X versus Vista, RAM division

OS X versus Vista, RAM divisionWhy must we try to compare apples to oranges?Two different OSes. Two different ways of managing memory.Period.b .bu..but, everybody knows Vista is sluggishThe Apple ads say so, the army of valley tech bloggers keep repeating it, so it must be true - just like the...

Tags: Microsoft Windows Vista (Longhorn), Memory, Operating systems, RAM, Microsoft Windows Vista, Apple Mac OS X, Vista RAM, Vista RAM division, Apple MacBook

Discussion threads 2008-10-24

One Month with Windows Vista

One Month with Windows VistaSuperFetch, that is."SuperFetch monitors which applications you use the most and preloads these into your system memory so they'll be ready when you need them."http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/05/windows-vista-superfetch-readyboost-analyzed/http://channel9.msdn.com/shows/Going+Deep/The-Advancement-of-Windows-Michael-Fortin-Windows-Vista-SuperFetch/Windows XP has PreFetch the precursor.Doesn't Vista allow the user to distinguish between the two?Using RAM as cache is a very old...

Tags: Microsoft Windows Vista (Longhorn), Memory, Microsoft Windows, RAM, Microsoft Windows Vista

Discussion threads 2008-09-23

Windows 7 must avoid the marketing trap that Vista stumbled into

Windows 7 must avoid the marketing trap that Vista stumbled intoI agree "One OS to unite them all""One price to keep all happy" In the end it's just a marketing ploy different versions each with their own "missing" pieces. In many ways it looks like double dipping...

Tags: Media Center PCs, Microsoft Windows Vista (Longhorn), Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows XP, Microsoft Windows 7, Media Center PC, Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, marketing, Microsoft Windows

Discussion threads 2008-08-28

You’ve got Vista x64 questions, I’ve got answers

You’ve got Vista x64 questions, I’ve got answers64-bit ram usageI'm curious what kind of ram usage you see after having the OS running for awhile. I've personally tested similar results, with 32-bit using a little less then 900mb on a fresh startup and 64-bit using a few megabytes over 1...

Tags: Microsoft Windows Vista (Longhorn), Network technology, FSB, Live OneCare, Microsoft Windows Vista, Vista 32, Vista-64, Vista x64, 64-bit, 32-bit

Discussion threads 2008-08-04

The myth of Windows "Workstation" 2008

The myth of Windows "Workstation" 2008If you want a better Windows experience...switch to Linux/KDE. Sorry I just couldn't resist. I don't really believe that. I do believe if you want a better Windows experience run XP or even W2k. No matter how much I experience Vista it...

Tags: Microsoft Windows Vista (Longhorn), Operating systems, Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows, workstation

Discussion threads 2008-07-16

Understand how SuperFetch uses RAM to enhance system performance

Despite how it may appear at first glance, when Microsoft Windows Vista reports very little free memory available it is actually a good thing. That is merely the Vista performance improvement applet SuperFetch at work. In this Windows Vista Report, Greg Shultz explains how SuperFetch worlks and what it is...

Tags: Performance, Microsoft Windows Vista, Applet, RAM, Greg Shultz, Microsoft Windows Vista (Longhorn), Performance Management, Microsoft Windows, Operating Systems, Software, Human Resources, Workforce Management

Download resources 2008-07-09

Windows Embedded 'Quebec' due in 2010

Although it hasn't said much about its plans for a Vista-based successor to its Windows XP-based  embedded operating system, Microsoft already is working on one. Microsoft released during the first week of June a new test build of its latest Windows XP-based embedded operating system, known as...

Tags: Microsoft Windows XP, Microsoft Corp., Windows Embedded, Quebec, Microsoft Windows, Operating Systems, Software, Mary Jo Foley

Blog posts 2008-06-06

Fixing Windows Vista, Part 4: Get smart about services

Fixing Windows Vista, Part 4: Get smart about servicesHave you benchmarked the performance differences ...... that you see when you disable Superfetch, Windows Defender and Windows Search? Last time I benchmarked a system with and without Windows Defender I saw no difference (outside of statistical 'noise').I'm not saying that...

Tags: Microsoft Windows Vista (Longhorn), Printers, Microsoft Windows Vista, Windows Defender, Fixing Windows Vista, Get Smart, Microsoft Windows

Discussion threads 2008-05-19

Another take on Vista vs. XP benchmarks

As anyone who’s ever worked in a PC performance lab knows, the #1 rule of benchmarking is: Your mileage may vary. I remembered that rule when I read my colleague Adrian Kingsley-Hughes’ epic account of his benchmark tests of Windows Vista SP1 versus Windows XP SP2 (Part...

Tags: Disk, Performance, Microsoft Windows XP, Service Pack 2, Problem, Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows Vista SP1, Microsoft Windows Vista (Longhorn), Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2, Performance Management, Operating Systems, Microsoft Windows, Software, Human Resources, Workforce Management, Ed Bott

Blog posts 2008-02-19

A Vista SP1 FAQ

I’ve been working with Windows Vista Service Pack 1 for several months now, in beta releases and, for the last two weeks, in the final released code. I’ve put together this post to answer some questions I’m frequently asked about this long-awaited update. If you have a question that isn't...

Tags: Microsoft Windows Update, Change, Update, Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows Vista SP1, SP1, Installation Software, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Windows Vista (Longhorn), Operating Systems, Software, Ed Bott

Blog posts 2008-02-09

Windows Vista SP1

A little more than one year after its release, Windows Vista will receive its first service pack update in March. Microsoft says the pack will offer better compatibility with third-party hardware, increased reliability, tighter security, and better performance. But unlike the last Windows Service Pack release, Windows XP SP2--which offered...

Tags: Microsoft Windows Vista (Longhorn), Operating systems, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows Vista SP1, Microsoft Corp.

Product reviews 2008-02-07

ReadyBoost - Does anyone use it?

ReadyBoost - Does anyone use it?ReadyBoost should not be a function used dailyIf you do use it daily, or even more than once a month, then get some real memory. ReadyBoost should be used only for those rare times when you need a speedy system while using a high memory...

Tags: Memory, Microsoft Windows Vista (Longhorn), Real RAM, ReadyBoost, RAM, Microsoft Windows Vista

Discussion threads 2007-12-03

Dissecting Microsoft's "100 Reasons You'll Be Speechless"

The other day a list of "100 Reasons You'll Be Speechless" when you use Windows Vista (I guess Microsoft aren't hearing the "Wows!" and assuming that we're all speechless instead) hit the media (I'm pretty sure this isn't a new list ...). I was going to write a piece...

Tags: Game, Version, PC, Problem, Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Corp., Feature, Yes, OK, Pass, Microsoft Windows Vista (Longhorn), Microsoft Windows, Operating Systems, Software, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Blog posts 2007-10-24