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Windows Secrets Newsletter • Issue 136 • 2008-01-10 • Circulation: over 275,000 |
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Contents TOP STORY: Give XP the performance tools of Vista WACKY WEB WEEK: What, your cell phone doesn't do laundry? LANGALIST PLUS: How you can easily schedule complex tasks PC TUNE-UP: Make Windows XP portable and take it with you PATCH WATCH: Vista gears up for its first service pack YOUR SUBSCRIPTION: How to change your address or unsubscribe |
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For links to every topic in this issue, scroll down to the
Index |
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TOP STORY Give XP the performance tools of Vista
Vista has a one-stop tune-up tool Who doesn't want a faster, healthier computer? Using diagnostic and maintenance tools can keep your system revved for maximum performance, but in many cases these tools are spread out all over your Start menu or hidden entirely. Vista provides a partial solution by adding a Control Panel icon that's chock full of system utilities. To access this icon in the Vista Control Panel, click the System and Maintenance category, and then launch the Performance Information and Tools icon. The resulting window provides links to a number of system-measurement and performance-tweaking utilities that provide one-stop tune-ups. But what of XP? Fortunately, with just a little effort, you can create your own hive of performance tools in Windows XP — and even Windows 2000. Here's what you do. Assemble tool shortcuts in a new folder Start by creating a folder that will hold your performance-tool shortcuts. If you want this folder to appear as a menu on the Start menu, right-click the Start button and choose Start, Open or Start, Open All Users. Navigate to the location you want for this folder, and then right-click a blank area and click New, Folder. Enter a name and press Enter. In this folder, you'll add shortcuts to tools that are the same as or equivalent to the utilities found in Vista's Performance Information and Tools window. In some cases, doing this is a simple matter of using the right-mouse button to drag icons from the Start menu, drop them into your new folder window, and choosing Create Shortcuts Here. In other cases, it's easier to create a shortcut from scratch. To do this, right-click a blank spot in your new folder window, and then click New, Shortcut. Enter a command line like taskmgr.exe. Click Next, enter a name for your shortcut, and click Finish. In a few cases, you'll need to download some freeware equivalents to provide features that aren't found in Windows XP or 2000. For example, the freeware program Fresh Diagnose is an approximation of Vista's system health report. (Although the product is free, you do have to register it if you want to use the program for more than 11 days.) Table 1 shows in the left-hand column the items that are found in Vista's Performance Information and Tools control panel. This includes those that are only found under the advanced tools link, omitting one duplicate (visual effects). The right-hand column gives you links to the equivalents that will create your new performance center. Table 1. Simulate the Performance Information and Tools feature of Vista by creating shortcuts in XP or 2000.
If you want to go Vista one better, you can of course add other shortcuts that you think will be useful. For example, if you like to tweak Windows services — for example, turning off unneeded services to save on memory — create a shortcut to services.msc. The Web site Black Viper has extensive info to guide advanced users in this process. That's all there is to it! Now anytime you need to look under Windows' hood, just open your new folder (or your new item on your Start menu, if you created one) and select the tool you need. No more hunting all over your system for just the right tool. Bonus Vista performance tip: Microsoft has released an update for Windows Vista that addresses a number of problems. Among other things, the update promises to improve performance, such as speeding up disk input/output by as much as 15%. The patch will be distributed through Automatic Updates later this month. But if you want the benefits sooner, you can download the update now from Microsoft. Just see Knowledge Base article 943899. Have a tip about Windows? Readers receive a gift certificate for a book, CD, or DVD of their choice for sending tips we print. Send us your tips via the Windows Secrets contact page. Scott Dunn is associate editor of the Windows Secrets Newsletter. He has been a contributing editor of PC World since 1992 and currently writes for the magazine's Here's How section. |
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EDITOR'S BOOKSHELF
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WACKY WEB WEEK What, your cell phone doesn't do laundry?
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YOUR SUBSCRIPTION The Windows Secrets Newsletter is published weekly on the 1st through 4th Thursdays of each month, plus occasional news updates. We skip an issue on the 5th Thursday of any month, plus the week of Thanksgiving and the last two weeks of August and December. Publisher: WindowsSecrets.com LLC, Attn: #120 Editor, 1700 7th Ave., Suite 116, Seattle, WA 98101-1323 USA. Vendors, please send no unsolicited packages to this address (readers' letters are fine). Editorial Director: Brian Livingston. Editor-at-Large: Fred Langa. Associate Editor: Scott Dunn. Contributing Editors: Susan Bradley, Mark Edwards, Woody Leonhard, Ryan Russell. Research Director: Vickie Stevens. Program Director: Brent Scheffler. Trademarks: Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. The Windows Secrets series of books is published by Wiley Publishing Inc. The Windows Secrets Newsletter, WindowsSecrets.com, LangaList, LangaList Plus, WinFind, Security Baseline, Patch Watch, Perimeter Scan, Wacky Web Week, the Logo Design (W, S or road, and Star), and the slogan Everything Microsoft Forgot to Mention all are trademarks and service marks of WindowsSecrets.com LLC. All other marks are the trademarks or service marks of their respective owners. HOW TO SUBSCRIBE: Anyone may subscribe to this newsletter by visiting our free signup page. WE GUARANTEE YOUR PRIVACY: 1. We will never sell, rent, or give away your address to any outside party, ever. 2. We will never send you any unrequested e-mail, besides newsletter updates. 3. All unsubscribe requests are honored immediately, period. Privacy policy HOW TO UNSUBSCRIBE: To unsubscribe from the Windows Secrets Newsletter,
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