Microsoft guys are trying their best to make sure everyone upgrades their Windows XP based computers to the Licenced version of Windows Vista, either by offering free microsoft office, discounts on the Windows Vista Upgrade or else by showing new advertisements with the advantages of using Vista.
Microsoft is now offering a PDF guide which has very good tips for increasing performance of your Windows Vista based computer. It includes using the hardware resource to the maximum to make sure the speed of the computer increases. Monitoring performace of different programs to make sure they are stopped on time before the problems are increased.
Download the Performance Guide Here
20 Important Vista Tuning Tips :
Optimizing Hardware Specifications to Your Organizational Needs
Make Your Computer Feel More Responsive
Check Power Settings on Mobile Computers
Disable visual effects
Adjust Search Settings
Use Hardware to Boost Performance
Speed up Your Computer with Windows ReadyBoostâ˘
Consider Windows ReadyDriveâ˘
Put Your Computer to Sleep
Disable Unwanted Startup Programs
Disable Background Programs or Services
Remove Unused Programs
Disable Unwanted Services
Improving Performance on User Account Control
Clean Things up with Disk Cleanup
Defragment Your Disk
Check the Windows Vista Experience Index
Check Performance with Task Manager
Using Resource Monitor
Apply Improvements Across the Organization with Group Policy
Thats a nice incentive from microsoft to promote the Vista OS, after they have recently stopped their old OS XP. The guide has everything that a beginners wants to know how to tweak their systems to optimum performance.Hope they come out with more such incentives and the best part of it is that it is free.
What does defragmentation really do?
@ Amar : Check this article on How to Defragment HDD. Hope it helps you!
Also, make sure you uninstall any software and games that you don’t need and disable any unneeded startup tasks and services. They tend to hog your startup speed. Im not sure how you can do this on Vista, but here’s how to speed up your startup on Windows XP.
Eerik