Audio- and video-based computers thrive on speed, so who doesn't want a faster computer? But you might not need to buy a faster machine if you follow these tips. Most are for Windows XP, but also apply to Windows Vista™.
Turn off the programs that load into RAM on startup. Go Start > Run, type MSCONFIG in the "Open" field, then click on OK. Click on the Startup tab, and uncheck anything that's not essential. Do you really need "iTunes Helper"? Don't be afraid to uncheck functions, as Windows will open anything it really needs.
Optimize USB and FireWire external hard drives for performance. Go Start > Settings > Control Panel. Double-click on System, click on the Hardware tab, and click on Device Manager. Click on the + symbol next to Disk Drives, right-click on your external drive, and select Properties. Click on the Policies tab, and choose "Optimize for Performance" (Fig. 1) There is a tradeoff, though; to avoid potential data loss, use the "Safely Remove Hardware" option in the system tray (the button with the green arrow) when disconnecting the drive.
Optimize internal drives for performance. Follow the same steps as above, but right-click on an internal drive instead of an external one. Select Properties, click on the Policies tab, and choose "Enable Write Caching on the Disk."
Use ReadyBoost. This is the only tip that isn't free, but with Windows Vista you can insert a USB thumb drive (up to 4GB) and when you do, you'll be prompted as to whether you want to enable ReadyBoost (Fig. 2). This adds more memory to your system; it isn't the same as adding more system RAM, but is more like having a really good disk cache. The improvement in speed is noticeable for just about anything other than continuous streaming of data. You do need a fast USB drive; if it isn't fast enough, Windows Vista will notify you that it's not suitable.
