There’s no way around the perception that computers slow down over time. Sometimes, the perception is real and sometimes, performance turns into a gray area. There’s no debate about the fact that users find a slow computer annoying, and yes, there are ways to get better performance from Vista.

If You’re Starting From Scratch…

Having a brand new computer is an advantage, and if your computer is just coming out of the box, you’d do well to spend a few minutes configuring the computer according to your needs and preferences, rather than leaving the configuration as-is by the manufacturer.

Generally speaking, new computers come with a lot of software, some of which you’re not going to use. These software packages are “freebies” that the vendor negotiated with the publisher, or that are demonstrations of software packages you may want. Before you start adding your own programs to the computer, take a good long look at exactly what’s already there. If you can’t ever envision yourself playing a certain game or using a specific utility, uninstall it. You’ll clear disk space and reduce the chance of conflict between the unwanted program and an application you do want.

Take a look at what’s configured to load automatically. Remove any startup items you won’t use every time you run the computer. This includes email and Web browsers, demonstration programs, or utilities that don’t fit your computer usage style. As a rule, don’t disable virus checkers, anti-spyware or anti-malware programs. These should run at startup and should remain operational whenever your computer is on. Remember to update these, or configure these programs to update automatically. Many A/V programs that come with a computer are subscription-based. You’ll need to pay for updates at some point. Don’t assume that because your A/V program was included on your computer’s hard disk, it’s being updated regularly. Chances are good that it’s not.

Don’t overlook the desktop theme. Some themes, particularly Aero (you know, the one with the semi-transparent window frames), are resource hogs. Aero and certain other themes will slow your computer down noticeably. Desktop backgrounds, depending upon their file type, can also slow down your computer’s performance. If your desktop background is a bitmap (.BMP) file, pick something different! Windows can handle .JPG background images, which are much less resource-intensive. If you’re truly worried about resource usage, switch to the Windows Classic theme to see if you get a performance boost.

Once your new computer is free from the programs you don’t want, add the extra hardware you may need or want. Be sure all of your hardware drivers are updated. Add your hardware items one-by-one and verify that your computer is operating properly before moving onto the next hardware piece. Last, add the programs you do want very judiciously.

Load only what you’re going to use, and don’t just reload old software; go out and find the program updates. As with hardware, load software one at a time and verify proper operation after each addition. Once your computer is configured, back up the system configuration including the registry and all drivers.

Photo Credit: Collin Allen