Windows 7 Performance Tweaks

Windows 7 looks and feels a lot better than any previous Windows versions (though I still like XP a lot). Nevertheless, it still can be tweaked and made a lot faster. Like in any previous Windows versions, you can disable visual effects for maximum performance.

1. Go to System Properties (press Windows + Pause/Break keys)
2. Select Advanced
3. Then press the Settings button in the Performance section
4. A new window will open
5. Select the Adjust for best performance radio button

If you don’t like the minimalistic look, choose the Custom radio button, disable the effects you don’t need, and leave the effects you like.





Another thing you can do is customize folder and search options:

1. Open Windows Explorer
2. Go to Organize - Folder and Search Options
3. Disable the following:

* Hide extensions for known file types
* Show pop-up description for folder and desktop items
* Display file size information in folder tips
* Show encrypted or compressed NTFS files in colour

Another good thing to do would be running Auslogics Service Manager, which is part of BoostSpeed, and check out which services can be safely disabled. Running some services can take up a lot of hard drive space and it’s a shame, especially if you never use those services.

One more thing that can save you a lot of time is adjusting UAC settings. UAC in Windows 7 isn’t nearly as annoying as in Vista (don’t get me wrong, it’s a good feature in theory - just way too annoying in every-day life!). So, if you’d like to change something:

1. Type UAC in the start menu search field and hit Enter
2. Click the result and you will be taken to UAC settings
3. Now you can adjust the settings to your liking - I prefer having it just above Never notify, since it’s a good combination of not being constantly annoyed and security.

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Windows 7 will be "great for games"

Microsoft's VP of the Interactive Entertainment Business for the EMEA region, Chris Lewis, has told GamesIndustry.biz that the corporation's next major PC operating system, Windows 7, will be a positive step over and above Vista with respect to gaming.

"Windows 7 will be great for games, undoubtedly," he said. "It's all good news - it's even more robust, it's quicker relatively, and the early testing cycles are proving very promising overall.

"I think it'll be nothing but good news for PC gamers, but we'll have more to say on that later on this year," he added.

And Lewis also reaffirmed Microsoft's commitment to PC gaming overall, claiming that the Games For Windows campaign would be an ongoing investment.

"We're happy there, and we're very mindful that there's a strong and vibrant PC gaming community out there," he said. "Not all console games lend themselves to the PC - when it is appropriate we bring games to both platforms, when it's not we don't, and that will continue to be the case.

"Ultimately we're a Windows and PC company at heart, and that's not going to change, and the development on both platforms will remain central and important. The business ebbs and flows, and there will be times when we do more on one platform than the other, but they do co-exist very nicely, and as a company we're in a pretty unique position that we have a strong legacy on PC.

"We remain focused on it, you'll see more from us there in the future, and long may that continue."

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