I think that's the crux - if you're having to jump through hoops to get everything working satisfactorily then it's probably time to upgrade the hardware.adventurepants_ wrote:on a modern machine with over 3gb ram, adjusting the page file, and defragging will have almost zero effect on performance.duluxdog wrote:When I ran a Windows box I did a boatload of stuff. The most important was to adjust the page file size manually. There are loads of other little things you can do to the registry etc but it always seems like trying to polish a turd.
Optimum PC setup.
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NorthernMonkey
- Posts: 1098
- Joined: Fri Feb 09, 2007 12:05 pm
- Location: UK
..?
Absolute bullshit. There's a lot of apps out there that need to see a page file, no matter how much RAM you have. And defragging's value is obvious- is it more efficient for a file to be in multiple parts and multiple locations on the drive, or in one contiguous segment?adventurepants_ wrote: on a modern machine with over 3gb ram, adjusting the page file, and defragging will have almost zero effect on performance.
Want some real life testimony as to my methods?
http://www.nativeinstruments.de/forum_u ... hp?t=42066
ew
1. Processor scheduling should be set to background services and not Programs.
Start > Settings > Control Panel > System > Advanced > Performance Settings > Advanced Tab > Background Services
2. Visual effects should be set to a minimum.
Start > Settings > Control Panel > System > Advanced > Performance Settings > Visual Effects Tab > Adjust for best performance
3. Switch Off Desktop Background Image
Right Click Desktop > Properties > Desktop Tab > Background None
4. Disable Screen Saver
Right Click Desktop > Properties > Screen Saver > None
5. Disable Fast User Switching
Start > Settings > Control Panel > User Accounts > Change the way users log on or off > Untick Use Fast User Switching
6. Switch Off Power Schemes
Start > Settings > Control Panel > Power Options > Always On > Turn off monitor and turn off hard discs to Never
7. Switch Off Hibernation
Start > Settings > Control Panel > Power Options > Hibernate > Untick Hibernation
8. Disable System Sounds
Start > Settings > Control Panel > Sounds and Audio Devices > Sounds Tab > Sound Scheme to None.
9. Do Not Map Through Soundcard
Start > Settings > Control Panel > Sounds and Audio Devices > Hardware Tab > (highlight your soundcard from the list) > Properties > Audio Devices > (highlight your soundcard from the list) > Properties, and check the "Do not map through this device" checkbox.
10. Disable System Restore
Start > Settings > Control Panel> System > System Restore Tab. Tick the "Turn off System Restore on all Drives"
This is similar to the same feature that first appeared in Windows ME, although it has been enhanced slightly in XP to provide more specific restore points, i.e. specific drivers rollback.
Basically, it lets you rollback XP to a previous state if there is a system problem, i.e. if you have installed a bad soundcard driver or software update and your system doesn't work properly.
This function requires continual monitoring of hard disc activity, and runs (by default) automatically in the background.
In many respects, this is probably a useful function to have turned on, although it does use a small amount of added CPU and it creates additional disc I/O.
If your system is working as you like it with it turned on, then perhaps you may wish to leave it turned on. If you do decide to leave it on, then it may be worth checking that the frequency of the checkpoint is set to 24 hours (as shown below), and not every two minutes like some people have experienced.
Another option would be to leave it turned on for your system disc and switch it off completely on your audio disc(s), as there should be no drivers or programs on your audio disc(s) to be restored.
Set the checkpoint to be once per day by setting the registry key below to decimal value 86400 (number of seconds in a day).
Start > Run > regedit
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > Software\Microsoft > WindowsNT > CurrentVersion > SystemRestore > RPGlobalInterval
11. Disable Automatic Updates
Switch off Automatic Updates by going to Control Panel, System, Automatic Updates and ticking the box labelled "Turn off automatic updating. I want to update my computer manually.".
12. Startup and Recovery Options
Right click My Computer and click on Properties > Advanced > Start Up & Recovery Settings and uncheck "Automatically Restart".
13. Disable Error Reporting
Start > Settings > Control Panel > System > Advanced TAB > Error Reporting > Click the Disable Error Reporting box (Tick the "But Notify Me When Critical Errors Occur" if you prefer)
14. Disable Remote Assistance
Start > Settings > Control Panel > System > Remote > Untick "Allow Remote Assistance Invitations to be sent from this computer"
15. Fixed Swap File (Virtual Memory)
Select the Advanced tab of the Systems applet and then select the Performance settings button. Then select the Advanced page. In here it is possible to customise the Virtual Memory. For custom size, this is often recommended to be 1.5 to 2 times the amount of your total RAM for both initial and maximum size. Set this to a fixed minimum and maximum value according to your existing RAM
16. Speed Up Menus
You can use this tip to speed up the Start Menu in Windows XP. You can customize the speed of the Start Menu by editing a Registry Key. Click Start, and then click Run. Type Regedit in the box, and then click OK. Expand the menu in the left panel and select the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop folder. Scroll down in the right panel and double click on the MenuShowDelay file. In the Value Data box, change to default value for the menu speed from 400 to a lesser number, such as 1. Click OK.
17. Disable Offline Files
Start > Settings > Control Panel > Folder Options > Offline Files > Untick "Enable Offline Files"
18. Disable Remote Desktop
Start > Settings > Control Panel > System > Remote > Untick "Allow users to connect remotely to this computer"
19. Disable Internet Synchronise Time
Start > Settings > Control Panel > Date and Time > Internet Time > Untick "Automatically synchronize with an internet time server"
20. Disable Hide Inactive Icons
Start > Settings > Taskbar and Start Menu > Taskbar TAB > Uncheck "Hide Inactive Icons"
21. Disable Automatic Desktop Cleanup Wizard
Start > Settings > Control Panel > Display > Desktop > Customise Desktop > Untick "Run Desktop Cleanup Wizard every 60 days"
22. Disable NTFS Last Access Time Logging (NTFS Only)
Start > Run > regedit > HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SYSTEM > CURRENTCONTROLSET > CONTROL > FILESYSTEM Add a new DWORD value - "NtfsDisableLastAccessUpdate" (without quotes) and set the value to 1. Then reboot to make changes effective
23. Disable Notification Area Balloon Tips
Click Start , click Run , type regedit , and then press ENTER. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced Right-click the right pane, create a new DWORD value, and then name it EnableBalloonTips . Double-click this new entry, and then give it a hexadecimal value of 0 . Quit Registry Editor. Log off Windows, and then log back on.
24. Disable CDROM Autoplay
One of the very important (and well documented) tweaks in Windows 98SE, was to disable CDROM autoplay (auto insert notification). Disabling CDROM autoplay no longer offers a significant performance benefit in Windows XP, and therefore you do not need to disable it. Just don't insert a CD during a crucial recording.
However, if you really want to disable it then here a few different methods.
Method 1
Start > Run > Regedit
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Cdrom
Set autorun to 0.
Method 2
Open My Computer Right Click on each CDROM and choose Properties Click on the Auto Play tab In the drop down box you can choose the Action for each choice shown in the drop down box
Method 3
Go to Start->Run->gpedit.msc Computer Config -> Administrative Template -> System Double click Turn off Autoplay Enable it.
25. Disable Disc Indexing
Text below taken from XP help.
Indexing Service is a service that extracts the information from a set of documents and organizes it in a way that makes it quick and easy to access that information through the Windows XP Search function, the Indexing Service query form, or a Web browser.
This information can include text from within a document, (its contents), and the characteristics and parameters of the document, (its properties), such as the author's name. Once the index is created, you can search, or query the index for documents that contain key words, phrases, or properties.
saved from http://www.musicxp.net
before they have introduced obligatory registration and paid subscription. bollocks
Start > Settings > Control Panel > System > Advanced > Performance Settings > Advanced Tab > Background Services
2. Visual effects should be set to a minimum.
Start > Settings > Control Panel > System > Advanced > Performance Settings > Visual Effects Tab > Adjust for best performance
3. Switch Off Desktop Background Image
Right Click Desktop > Properties > Desktop Tab > Background None
4. Disable Screen Saver
Right Click Desktop > Properties > Screen Saver > None
5. Disable Fast User Switching
Start > Settings > Control Panel > User Accounts > Change the way users log on or off > Untick Use Fast User Switching
6. Switch Off Power Schemes
Start > Settings > Control Panel > Power Options > Always On > Turn off monitor and turn off hard discs to Never
7. Switch Off Hibernation
Start > Settings > Control Panel > Power Options > Hibernate > Untick Hibernation
8. Disable System Sounds
Start > Settings > Control Panel > Sounds and Audio Devices > Sounds Tab > Sound Scheme to None.
9. Do Not Map Through Soundcard
Start > Settings > Control Panel > Sounds and Audio Devices > Hardware Tab > (highlight your soundcard from the list) > Properties > Audio Devices > (highlight your soundcard from the list) > Properties, and check the "Do not map through this device" checkbox.
10. Disable System Restore
Start > Settings > Control Panel> System > System Restore Tab. Tick the "Turn off System Restore on all Drives"
This is similar to the same feature that first appeared in Windows ME, although it has been enhanced slightly in XP to provide more specific restore points, i.e. specific drivers rollback.
Basically, it lets you rollback XP to a previous state if there is a system problem, i.e. if you have installed a bad soundcard driver or software update and your system doesn't work properly.
This function requires continual monitoring of hard disc activity, and runs (by default) automatically in the background.
In many respects, this is probably a useful function to have turned on, although it does use a small amount of added CPU and it creates additional disc I/O.
If your system is working as you like it with it turned on, then perhaps you may wish to leave it turned on. If you do decide to leave it on, then it may be worth checking that the frequency of the checkpoint is set to 24 hours (as shown below), and not every two minutes like some people have experienced.
Another option would be to leave it turned on for your system disc and switch it off completely on your audio disc(s), as there should be no drivers or programs on your audio disc(s) to be restored.
Set the checkpoint to be once per day by setting the registry key below to decimal value 86400 (number of seconds in a day).
Start > Run > regedit
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > Software\Microsoft > WindowsNT > CurrentVersion > SystemRestore > RPGlobalInterval
11. Disable Automatic Updates
Switch off Automatic Updates by going to Control Panel, System, Automatic Updates and ticking the box labelled "Turn off automatic updating. I want to update my computer manually.".
12. Startup and Recovery Options
Right click My Computer and click on Properties > Advanced > Start Up & Recovery Settings and uncheck "Automatically Restart".
13. Disable Error Reporting
Start > Settings > Control Panel > System > Advanced TAB > Error Reporting > Click the Disable Error Reporting box (Tick the "But Notify Me When Critical Errors Occur" if you prefer)
14. Disable Remote Assistance
Start > Settings > Control Panel > System > Remote > Untick "Allow Remote Assistance Invitations to be sent from this computer"
15. Fixed Swap File (Virtual Memory)
Select the Advanced tab of the Systems applet and then select the Performance settings button. Then select the Advanced page. In here it is possible to customise the Virtual Memory. For custom size, this is often recommended to be 1.5 to 2 times the amount of your total RAM for both initial and maximum size. Set this to a fixed minimum and maximum value according to your existing RAM
16. Speed Up Menus
You can use this tip to speed up the Start Menu in Windows XP. You can customize the speed of the Start Menu by editing a Registry Key. Click Start, and then click Run. Type Regedit in the box, and then click OK. Expand the menu in the left panel and select the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop folder. Scroll down in the right panel and double click on the MenuShowDelay file. In the Value Data box, change to default value for the menu speed from 400 to a lesser number, such as 1. Click OK.
17. Disable Offline Files
Start > Settings > Control Panel > Folder Options > Offline Files > Untick "Enable Offline Files"
18. Disable Remote Desktop
Start > Settings > Control Panel > System > Remote > Untick "Allow users to connect remotely to this computer"
19. Disable Internet Synchronise Time
Start > Settings > Control Panel > Date and Time > Internet Time > Untick "Automatically synchronize with an internet time server"
20. Disable Hide Inactive Icons
Start > Settings > Taskbar and Start Menu > Taskbar TAB > Uncheck "Hide Inactive Icons"
21. Disable Automatic Desktop Cleanup Wizard
Start > Settings > Control Panel > Display > Desktop > Customise Desktop > Untick "Run Desktop Cleanup Wizard every 60 days"
22. Disable NTFS Last Access Time Logging (NTFS Only)
Start > Run > regedit > HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SYSTEM > CURRENTCONTROLSET > CONTROL > FILESYSTEM Add a new DWORD value - "NtfsDisableLastAccessUpdate" (without quotes) and set the value to 1. Then reboot to make changes effective
23. Disable Notification Area Balloon Tips
Click Start , click Run , type regedit , and then press ENTER. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced Right-click the right pane, create a new DWORD value, and then name it EnableBalloonTips . Double-click this new entry, and then give it a hexadecimal value of 0 . Quit Registry Editor. Log off Windows, and then log back on.
24. Disable CDROM Autoplay
One of the very important (and well documented) tweaks in Windows 98SE, was to disable CDROM autoplay (auto insert notification). Disabling CDROM autoplay no longer offers a significant performance benefit in Windows XP, and therefore you do not need to disable it. Just don't insert a CD during a crucial recording.
However, if you really want to disable it then here a few different methods.
Method 1
Start > Run > Regedit
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Cdrom
Set autorun to 0.
Method 2
Open My Computer Right Click on each CDROM and choose Properties Click on the Auto Play tab In the drop down box you can choose the Action for each choice shown in the drop down box
Method 3
Go to Start->Run->gpedit.msc Computer Config -> Administrative Template -> System Double click Turn off Autoplay Enable it.
25. Disable Disc Indexing
Text below taken from XP help.
Indexing Service is a service that extracts the information from a set of documents and organizes it in a way that makes it quick and easy to access that information through the Windows XP Search function, the Indexing Service query form, or a Web browser.
This information can include text from within a document, (its contents), and the characteristics and parameters of the document, (its properties), such as the author's name. Once the index is created, you can search, or query the index for documents that contain key words, phrases, or properties.
saved from http://www.musicxp.net
before they have introduced obligatory registration and paid subscription. bollocks
-
Low Frequency Obstinator
- Posts: 187
- Joined: Fri Aug 01, 2008 10:32 am
- Location: Bristol
- Contact:
4.33's tips same as the ones i used for the ACER. Shocked they're taking dollar for it now though....
Clean installed and tweaked as above about 12-14 months ago - Keeps up with the MBP no problem. Just keep it away from the internet and it will live forever and ever.......amen (break)
Clean installed and tweaked as above about 12-14 months ago - Keeps up with the MBP no problem. Just keep it away from the internet and it will live forever and ever.......amen (break)
Live (yoghurt) - MBP- Circuit Bent Rampant Rabbit - Mongolian Nose Flute - 'The Marvelous Mechanical Mouse Organ' (on loan from Bagpuss) and a Swanee Whistle made from a used heroin syringe.
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logic_user99
- Posts: 1965
- Joined: Fri Oct 26, 2007 3:58 pm
- Location: Nottingham, UK
Most everything has been covered in this thread, especially with 4.33's post, however I want to add one thing that many people overlook...
If you are using a desktop, do yourself a favor and do not use on board video (the kind that comes directly from your motherboard.) Go out and buy yourself a decent but affordable dedicated video card if you dont have one already. No need to break the bank, its not like you are goign to be gaming on the thing, just pick up a solid last gen card at a decent price (for example.)
Reasons? First off, on board video usually borrows memory from your ram, slowing things down and in some cases (depending on how much ram you have installed) reduces the amount of ram programs could be using. Secondly, the increased processing power and dedicated ram will increase stability, and will operate better when using high resolutions.
If you are using a desktop, do yourself a favor and do not use on board video (the kind that comes directly from your motherboard.) Go out and buy yourself a decent but affordable dedicated video card if you dont have one already. No need to break the bank, its not like you are goign to be gaming on the thing, just pick up a solid last gen card at a decent price (for example.)
Reasons? First off, on board video usually borrows memory from your ram, slowing things down and in some cases (depending on how much ram you have installed) reduces the amount of ram programs could be using. Secondly, the increased processing power and dedicated ram will increase stability, and will operate better when using high resolutions.
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adventurepants_
- Posts: 1773
- Joined: Tue May 29, 2007 3:05 am
a link to a thread of other noobs saying the same thing as you is hardly convincing. heres a page from someone who actually gets paid to know this stuff.ewistrand wrote:Absolute bullshit. There's a lot of apps out there that need to see a page file, no matter how much RAM you have. And defragging's value is obvious- is it more efficient for a file to be in multiple parts and multiple locations on the drive, or in one contiguous segment?adventurepants_ wrote: on a modern machine with over 3gb ram, adjusting the page file, and defragging will have almost zero effect on performance.
Want some real life testimony as to my methods?
http://www.nativeinstruments.de/forum_u ... hp?t=42066
ew
http://www.dansdata.com/sbs22.htm
im yet to see a single benchmark on a modern machine with a tweaked pagefile, that improves performance on the default setting, and Ive done testing myself. I never said to disable the pagefile.
but hey its your time, do whatever makes you happy!
nathannn wrote:i will block everyone on this forum if i have to.