How To Tune Your Windows Vista Operating System For Performance
If you have switched over from XP to Vista you surly will have known by now that Vista is much slower. This lack of speed has to do with Vista dedicating a lot of its resources to trying to “look pretty”. Making the operating system look nice is great and all but when it comes time to actually get some work done it can be a huge problem. In this article I am going to show you two quick ways to make your Vista perform a it faster but you are going to have to be willing to sacrifice some of Vistas looks in order to get more function. Keep in mind that there really is no point in having your computer look really nice since you are the only person that is really going to be seeing it.
If you are using the Home Premium, Enterprise, Business or Ultimate more likely than not you have the Aero effect turned on. This effect is designed to make your computers windows have a glass like effect that looks cool. It also allows you to have Windows Flip 3D which is just a fancy version of the Alt + Tab combination which allows you to cycle through your currently opened programs. If your not sure what the Flip 3D is, just open a few programs, hold down the Windows Button and press the Tab key a few times – that’s Windows Flip 3D. Now hold down the Alt key and press the Tab key a few times – that’s the old way of cycling through your programs. Here’s how to get rid of the Aero effect:
What your going to want to do now is to click Start, click on the Control Panel and then on the left hand side make sure that the Control Panel Home is selected. Now click on Appearance and Personalize, click on the Personalize link, click on the Windows Color and Appearance and at the bottom of the window select “Open classic appearance properties for more color options”. A new window should appear and in this window where it has the Color Scheme drop down box just select Windows Vista Basic. Now click Apply and then OK and this should turn off the Aero effect.
One of the biggest features that Vista has that is pretty much useless is the sidebar. Unless you are actually using the Windows gadgets on the sidebar regularly then its probably best that you get rid of it. It literally serves no purpose to the average user except to make your computers desktop look nice. Here’s the process:Right click on the windows sidebar icon in the System Tray and select the properties option from the drop down menu ( if your not sure what the system tray is, its that little group of icons in the bottom right hand corner). Now, in the Windows Sidebar Properties dialog box uncheck the box that says “Start Sidebar when Windows Starts” and select Apply and then OK. Now just right click on the Windows Sidebar Icon in the system tray again and select Exit.
By doing both of these things you have now freed up your computer of some resources which will allow you to get more work done faster.
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The Top 5 Suggestions For Prolonging The Usefulness of Ink Laser Printer Cartridges and Cartridges for Laser Printers
1. Only Just print what is necessary.
Prior to laser printing any specific selection of a text, evaluate its worth and importance so that you waste zero resources laser printing stuff which might be of no of use. More to the point, merely laser print what is absolutely needed to conserve the amount of inkjet printer ink cartridges and recycled paper being used. The less color ink that is utilized for every laser print activity, the longer the laser printer cartridges go on.
What’s more, information which can be downloaded on disks, instead of printing, should be saved. Utilize CDs or peripheral hard drives to download your spreadsheets and files in lieu of printing them out. Reports and e-mails generally shouldn’t be printed unless you really have to have them. There should never be a reason to print out jokes or novelty stuff. Printing those items expends dollars in color ink, printers cartridges and recycled paper.
2. You ought to print words and not graphics.
Laser printing letters or reports for review later on might be valuable, but you ought to only laser print the essential text and any other items that are needed. Stay away from laser printing photos, images, graphs, or multicolored presentations if needing a paper carbon copy isn’t crucial.
3. Utilize the “Print Preview” function.
Print Preview is an extremely beneficial function that shows a preview of how the completed text should appear once laser printed. “Print Preview” should help you maneuver words, characters, and spacing and settle on what pages or selections need to be printed. Consider turning off your color ink laser printer cartridges, selecting only the pages you’ll need copies of, and the document which is definitely essential – particularly the very last sheet with the footer that you receive with each laser print job. This noticeably reduces the amount of ink used, plus the amount of paper utilized.
4. Print text just with the black ink printer cartridges (disable the color ink cartridge).
Laser print documents that are just white and black and no color ink with only the black ink laser printer cartridges. Each time pick white and black laser printing as an alternative of color ink laser printing if doable. It probably might depend on the class of printer you are using but there could be the capability to select grayscale printing by using only the black ink cartridge. Grayscale is a poorer quality, however once more, you can alter it for the finishing document. When you want to laser print black words with color ink laser printer cartridges, several colors are mixed and manipulated to generate black ink. That might drain your color ink cartridge a great deal more quickly than it would drain the black only ink cartridge. If you’re not printing high quality documents for a proposal or if you are printing text only, there is a good probability you should not want or have the other colors.
5. When viable, print in draft mode.
Employ the “draft print” resolution tool when you can. There are a range of options provided. You may discover numerous options under the tab “Paper/Quality” that will let you pick the “draft” option resolution printing. The paper won’t laser print at the higher quality, but that will not be of concern if you are just going to reference material that you won’t need later. All you have to do is turn on the better quality when you need a final version of a document.
If you can utilize these tips, you should soon experience generous savings in laser printer cartridges and the cost associated with them.
The Disaster Recovery Interview
Data backup and recovery is one of the most overlooked parts of a company’s IT structure. With all of the technology available today, the absence of even the most elementary backup solution is a mortal sin in regard to the business technology universe. There are affordable backup and data recovery systems in every price range, so even companies with limited budgets can afford an elementary system at the very least. Also many computer services firms now offer backup and data recovery systems as integral parts of their managed IT services.
Some things to consider when thinking about your backup and disaster recovery solution(s):
1. What happens if I delete a file?
2. Where is my email stored and is it backed up?
3. What if my computer crashes? Even if my data is saved how long will it take me to rebuild my computer to a functioning state?
4. Is all of my backup data located in the same physical location?
5. Will a catastrophe wipe out my backup solution i.e. a fire?
6. Does my business count on any one system for business critical functions? How long can my business operate without a functioning system? Does my current backup solution accomodate that expectation?
7. Does someone in our company know how to retrieve information off backups?
8. Are my backups tested so I know they work?
9. Are my backups monitored so I know if they are ever failing?
10. Is the backup data media (i.e. hard drives or tapes) transferred in a secure, controlled manor since it contains all data for my entire business?
This list covers about 1/4 of the questions that you should review when it comes to a practical backup and disaster recovery solution so if you haven’t asked yourself these questions, start today! If you are confused, contact a local computer services provider which should be able to assist your company.